When Glynn Ross was General Director of Seattle Opera, the company presented each opera both in its original language and in English. Among Ross’s regular, salaried employees were a core group of resident “National Artists.” They sang principal roles in all the English-language performances, small roles in the original-language performances, and served as backup for the established International Series singers.

This arrangement had many benefits. First of all, the young National Series artists got important stage experience and exposure, giving their careers a significant boost. The program offered them time to study and prepare new roles for a year without having to worry about finding other work. They sang alongside such greats as Corelli, Sills, and Sutherland, learning from the best and making important contacts. Audiences also benefited: National Series performances (usually Friday nights and Sunday afternoons) had lower ticket prices, and the opera-in-English aspect (before the days of projected titles) meant that the singers’ words were more intelligible to the audience. Lower prices meant more family-friendly opportunities and more exposure to an art form that was relatively unfamiliar then to many Seattleites. The salaried National Series singers also formed the backbone of the company’s rapidly developing education and touring programs.