DAVID BUTT PHILIP as Apollo

British tenor David Butt Philip made his Seattle Opera debut in January 2025 as Apollo, the lovelorn sun-god, in DAPHNE. At the end, having slain his rival Leukippos and learned better than to seek sexual love from Daphne, Apollo begs his father Zeus to transform Daphne into a tree: “Fulfill her dream, her love. May she flourish, evergreen. Let her bloom in the circle of her friends the flowering trees, forever reaching up to our heights. Give me this gift, Daphne the tree: the divine laurel, and I will cherish her in the utmost honor. Transformed Daphne, be high priestess to your immortal brother Phoebus Apollo. He loved you always, and will love you forever. He shall take his sister’s ever-growing sprig and wind it into a wreath. Let the best of men strive for it. You shall crown their brows, those disciples of the god, who achieve victory in competitions and nobility in peace.” David Afkham conducted the orchestra of Seattle Opera. Photo by Sunny Martini.