SO’s June staging of Gluck’s O&E, in a somewhat grungy John Street rehearsal room, previewed what was possible-it made a virtue of necessity, giving the production a sort of DIY fringe-theater vibe that proved highly effective, contradicting the conventional wisdom of opera as strictly an opulent and expensive enterprise and removing this stereotype as a barrier for anyone who might feel put off by it.

It’s this last which is the most exciting development-offering even more possibilities for smaller-scale performance, not only in this hall but in the Center’s three rehearsal rooms, facilitating SO’s very welcome attention in recent years to new chamber operas.

Some look into the spacious and bustling costume shop others into the administrative offices on the top floor, which in the verdancy of summer will feel like a forest treehouse and clear walls make up two sides of the new Tagney Jones Hall, a 318-capacity performance space in the Center’s front corner. (which includes performances at 2, 3, and 4 p.m.)-it’s all windows. Looking at it from Fourth Avenue and Mercer Street-as you can if you visit during the building’s open house on Saturday, Dec. As Monday’s press preview tour revealed, in contrast to the company’s cramped and bunkerlike older building (once a carpet factory), they seem to have built the new $60 million Opera Center out of glass. When designing Seattle Opera’s new office and workspace, located in the northeast corner of Seattle Center, the architects of NBBJ apparently took inspiration from SO’s current space on John Street-specifically, what not to do.

Seattle opera