Werther

Jules Massenet
Libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet, Georges Hartmann

Young Artist Program

2011

Seattle Opera

Creative Team:

Conductor: Brian Garman
Design Coordination: Victor Steeb
Pianist: Stephanie Rhodes

Cast:

Werther: Jason Slayden / Andrew Stenson
Charlotte: Sarah Larsen
Sophie: Lindsay Russell / Amanda Opuszynski
Albert: Joseph Lattanzi / David Krohn
Le Bailli: Michael Uloth

Peter Kazaras approached Werther with a clear contemporary lens, shaping the drama through a focused psychological perspective and strong visual storytelling. His direction emphasized emotional isolation and internal conflict, using modern character detail and physical language to clarify relationships and motivations. By grounding the piece in a recognizable emotional world, Kazaras created a direct and accessible interpretation that maintained the work’s intensity while giving it a fresh dramatic immediacy.

A brooding romantic tragedy… with modern characterizations.
— WWU News

Director’s Talk

Meet the Young Artists singing the lead roles, and hear why the program is performing this "specialty" opera. Find out which role Kazaras calls "a killer" because of its difficulty, and see it all coming together in rehearsal.

Photo Credit: Alan Alabastro