Podcasts by Met Opera Guild Podcast
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Ep. 194: Talking About Opera on Rigoletto from 2022-01-26T15:19:01
Rigoletto was based on Victor Hugo’s play Le Roi s’amuse, literally, “the king enjoys himself.” However, since opera houses were under strict control of government censors, it was too controversial...
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Ep. 191: Opera Outlook: Eurydice with W. Anthony Sheppard from 2021-12-01T22:02
With music by Genius grant recipient Matthew Aucoin, libretto by recipient Sarah Ruhl, and stage direction by recipient Mary Zimmerman, Eurydice is a new examination of the myth of Orpheus and Eury...
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Ep. 190: Meistersinger Study Day Part II with Desirée Mays from 2021-11-24T14:55
Instead of all of the mythological figures we are used to seeing in Wagner’s operas, the story of Die Meistersinger is set in a community of artisans. The main character, Hans Sachs is even based o...
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Ep. 189: Meistersinger Study Day Part I with Desirée Mays from 2021-11-18T19:58:03
Though thought of as Wagner’s only comic opera, Die Meistersinger can also be seen as an artistic manifesto. With a six-hour running time, Die Meistersinger is the longest opera in the Met’s repert...
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Ep. 188: Opera Boot Camp Introduction to Operatic Staging Promo with Matthew Timmermans from 2021-11-03T15:34:37
From more traditional staging to more boundary-pushing productions, operatic staging has been evolving and changing since the advent of opera. In fact, what we see on the stage can directly affect ...
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Ep. 187: Opera Outlook: Fire Shut Up in My Bones from 2021-10-20T17:06:03
Featuring a score by renowned jazz musician Terence Blanchard, and a libretto by actor and director Kasi Lemmons, Fire Shut Up in My Bones was this year’s Opening Night performance, marking the ret...
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Ep. 186: Opera Outlook: Boris Godunov from 2021-10-06T13:48:30
Modest Mussorgsky sought to create a national school of Russian music, free from western influences. His most notable work, Boris Godunov, was initially brutally rejected by the board of the Imperi...
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Ep. 185: LCE Season Announcement from 2021-09-08T15:19:46
A brand new season of Metropolitan Opera Guild programs is ready to go on sale next week! After a successful season of virtual programming, we are excited to return with a combination of in-person ...
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Ep. 184: Great Divas I Have Seen Part IV with Ira Siff from 2021-07-28T13:33:29
By turns regal and opulent, rich and astounding, the operatic diva has the ability to move you with performances that you will remember for the rest of your life. In the final episode of our four-p...
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Ep. 183: Great Divas I Have Seen Part III with Ira Siff from 2021-07-14T15:12:45
In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we are joined by lecturer Ira Siff to discuss his experiences and memories of watching Marilyn Horne perform, and divas Shirley Verrett, ...
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Ep. 182: Great Divas I Have Seen Part II with Ira Siff from 2021-06-30T14:17:08
In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, join Ira Siff as he discusses diva powerhouses like Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, and the incomparable Leontyne Price.
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Ep. 181: Great Divas I Have Seen Part I with Ira Siff from 2021-06-16T15:32:53
Worshipped, adored, and celebrated for their singing, the operatic diva has been thrilling audiences since the beginning of opera as an art form. In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild ...
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Ep. 180: Opera and the Sea with Desirée Mays Part II from 2021-06-02T14:42:41
Whether you consider yourself a Wagnerian, or perhaps you are more drawn to the 20th Century nature of Benjamin Britten’s music, the sea has inspired some of opera’s most creative works. On this ep...
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Ep. 179: Opera and the Sea with Desirée Mays Part I from 2021-05-26T14:43:31
The sea provides a vast array of opportunities for storytelling in operas. Despite being composed at different times and locations, composers and librettists have adapted the theme of the sea in un...
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Ep. 178: Maria Callas Course Promo Episode from 2021-05-05T15:29:16
How did Maria Callas become a household name, and what happens when a singer’s vocal powers diminish? Who were Maria Callas’s contemporaries, and what stars have carried on her vocal legacy?
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Ep. 177: Opera in England Part II from 2021-04-28T13:37:08
Known for operatic works such as Peter Grimes, Turn of the Screw, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Benjamin Britten drastically modernized opera in England, evolving it to become incredibly important...
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Ep. 176: Die Frau ohne Schatten Talking About Opera from 2021-04-21T14:25:23
“Die Frosch” is the German word for “The Frog.” While Strauss may have playfully given this unfavorable nickname to Die Frau Ohne Schatten due to the many difficulties in staging the opera, he als...
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Ep. 175: Opera in England Part I from 2021-04-09T22:50:31
John Blow, Thomas Arne, Henry Purcell, and George Fredric Handel all had great success composing in England. They all also have music strongly associated with British Monarchy - Blow, Arne, and Pur...
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Ep. 174: Jazz and Opera Part II with Deidre Bird from 2021-04-01T16:43:08
Featuring jazz rhythms, blues, banjos, and African American spirituals, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess challenged pre-existing notions of what an American opera could be. Although Porgy and Bess has a c...
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Ep. 173: Jazz and Opera Part I with Deidre Bird from 2021-03-24T16:53:04
In recent years, DiDonato, Racette, and Upshaw have all released jazz albums, such as Songplay, Diva on Detour, and Winter Morning Walks. Sometimes we think that singers are either categorized as o...
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Ep. 172: Opera In The Soviet Era Part II from 2021-03-03T16:04:57
Opera, like all art, is frequently a reflection of the current political and social climate, and operas composed during the Soviet Era were no exception. Despite the oppressive environment, compose...
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Ep. 171: Opera in the Soviet Era Part 1 from 2021-02-17T16:03:47
In the 1930s there was a push to make Moscow the center of art and music, which started a cultural struggle between modern European innovation and the folk traditions of the past. On today's episod...
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Ep. 170: Talking About Opera: Faust with Father Owen Lee from 2021-01-27T15:47:51
This classic tale of a man who makes an ill-advised deal with the devil has inspired many operas over the years, including Busoni’s Doktor Faust, Boito’s Mefistofele, and Lutz’s Faust et Marguerite...
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Ep. 169: Met Opera Guild Season Preview Podcast from 2021-01-06T19:20:52
While the stage of the Met Opera may be dark we are excited to give you a sneak peak of the virtual content that will be coming in this new year as part of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Season of ...
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Ep. 168: Holiday Episode - LCE Staff Share Favorites from 2020-12-16T14:52:06
Whether you prefer operatic arias and classic carols, or more upbeat contemporary tunes, every home can hear holiday favorites sung by some of the worlds greatest opera singers. Today on the Met Op...
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Ep.167: Fidelio Pre-Performance Lecture with Philip Gainsley from 2020-12-09T15:45:06
Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera Fidelio had a long and complicated compositional history. In fact, Beethoven went through three different versions of the opera during his lifetime. No other compo...
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Ep.166: Celebrating Beethoven's 250th Birthday with Victoria Bond from 2020-12-02T16:27:40
Born in 1770, this year marks the 250th birthday of Ludwig Van Beethoven. His influence in western classical music is unparalleled. His transformative works especially The Ninth Symphony took music...
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Ep.165: Il Trovatore: A Tale of Love and Revenge from 2020-11-04T21:37:26
Perhaps best known for its popular Anvil Chorus, Giuseppi Verdi's opera Il Trovatore has dazzled audiences since its premiere in 1853. Its intricate plot and dramatic music have helped it become a ...
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Ep. 164: Exploring Tristan und Isolde with Harlow Robinson from 2020-10-21T20:17:28
In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we have lecturer Harlow Robinson discussing the intricacies of Wagner’s evergreen hit opera, Tristan und Isolde.
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Episode 163: New Fall Virtual Programming Announcement from 2020-09-17T18:00:09
Here at the Guild we have been busy adapting our Fall programming to continue learning in the virtual classroom! We are thrilled to announce that two of the Guild’s most popular programs, our Opera...
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Ep. 162: Opera in the New Millennium - Interview with Prestini, Puts, and Mazzoli from 2020-08-03T19:50:27
How do composers pick subject matter for a new opera? What is the composing process like? How does a composer work with a librettist? How much time do composers get to create an opera? In this epis...
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Ep. 161: 21st-Century Opera Survey, Part 2, with Naomi Barrettara & Elspeth Davis from 2020-07-22T17:43:34
From Pulitzer Prize winner Du Yun, to musical mainstay Nico Muhly, to broadway superstar Jeanine Tesori, composers are changing the perception of what an opera can be. On this episode of The Metrop...
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Ep. 160: 21st-Century Opera Survey, Part 1, with Naomi Barrettara & Elspeth Davis from 2020-07-08T18:23:59
What will opera look like, or sound like, in 10 years? 20 years? It’s hard to predict, but one thing is for sure: there’s a whole new generation of composers creating new innovations in expression,...
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Ep. 159: Evolution of German Opera with Victoria Bond from 2020-06-24T16:05:46
The evolution of German opera can be traced through the works of well known composers such as Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner, as well as lesser known names in the opera canon, such as Schube...
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Ep. 158: The Enduring Legacy Of Black Singers in Opera, Part 2, with Tanisha Mitchell from 2020-06-01T17:08:07
In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we explore the incredible legacy of women who broke barriers for black artists, dating all the way back to the late 1800s! Tune in as lectur...
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Ep. 157: The Enduring Legacy Of Black Singers in Opera, Part 1, with Tanisha Mitchell from 2020-05-20T22:12:33
In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and music librarian Tanisha Mitchell talks about singers of the past and present who broke barriers, paved the way, and continue to...
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Ep. 156: Tosca with Deidre Bird from 2020-05-15T03:47:17
Puccini's TOSCA is an epic, theatrical tale of love, politics, murder, and suicide, all set to the backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. Although dismissed by some critics as “a shabby little s...
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Ep. 155: Magical Mezzos, Part 3, with Ira Siff from 2020-05-06T16:53:32
From bel canto brilliance to the earthiest chest tones, the mezzo-soprano has long been the unsung hero of the opera stage. Although they are often assigned the secondary role in an opera, make no ...
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Ep. 154: Magical Mezzos, Part 2, with Ira Siff from 2020-04-29T23:48:11
Mezzo-soprano divas have been dominating the operatic stage, holding their own against their soprano counterparts. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Metropolitan Opera radio ...
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Ep. 153: Magical Mezzos, Part 1, with Ira Siff from 2020-04-22T20:57:47
On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer, Metropolitan Opera Radio commentator, and audience favorite Ira Siff explores the mezzo-soprano voice – its origins, roles, and t...
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Ep. 152: Wagner Across Borders, Part 4 with Matthew Timmermans from 2020-03-29T18:16:12
Despite their contempt for the unruly musical ideas of Richard Wagner, many connections can be made between the works of both Tchaikovsky and Janá?ek with Wagnerian ideas. On this episode of the Me...
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Ep. 151: Wagner Across Borders, Part 3 with Matthew Timmermans from 2020-03-20T18:27:21
Just as Massenet was accused of being a Wagnerian in France, so too was Puccini in Italy. From Wagnerian-sized voices to a complex orchestral sound, Wagner’s influence can be heard throughout the c...
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Ep. 150: Der fliegende Holländer with Victoria Bond from 2020-03-11T17:24:14
Wagner’s tale of the cursed sea captain and the love of a faithful maiden has captivated audiences since its premiere in 1843. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer, com...
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Ep. 149: Agrippina with Victoria Bond from 2020-02-26T16:55:41
Filled with familiar figures from ancient Rome, Handel creates a comedic and lighthearted score to accompany a story with some pretty sinister sub-themes. Sir David McVicar’s production of Agrippin...
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Ep. 148: Wagner Across Borders, Part 2 with Matthew Timmermans from 2020-02-12T15:00:20
French grand opera was lavish and spectacular – and in many ways, the antithesis Wagner’s operatic ideals. Yet Wagner is often mentioned as a major influence in the work of French Grand Opera maste...
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Ep. 147: Wagner Across Borders, Part 1 with Matthew Timmermans from 2020-02-05T23:26
This episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast begins with an exploration of Wagner's DER FLIEGENDE HÖLLANDER and examines how later German composers responded to Wagner’s new perspective on ...
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Ep. 146: Porgy and Bess Pre-Performance Lecture with Ellen Noonan from 2020-01-15T16:33:55
Despite its initial flop in 1935, PORGY AND BESS has gone on to become one of the most enduring and popular operas of the 20th century. In fact, it was the first opera by an American-born composer ...
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Ep. 145: Wozzeck Pre-Performance Lecture with Michael Bolton from 2020-01-07T15:35:30
A champion of expressionism and atonality, Alban Berg wrote his first opera, WOZZECK, as a response to the chaos and tragedy he experienced during the First World War. It is generally considered to...
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Ep. 144: Treasures of the Mediterranean with Naomi Barrettara from 2019-12-23T20:47:54
La Fenice in Venice, Italy is one of the first stops on The Metropolitan Opera Guild's upcoming “Treasures of the Mediterranean Cruise,” from September 30th to October 9th, 2020. During the cruise,...
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Ep. 143: Opera vs. Musicals with Stuart Holt from 2019-12-13T18:21:55
The opera stage and the Broadway stage share many conventions, such as lavish scenery, exquisite costuming, and awe-inspiring voices. For Schönberg and Boublil’s MISS SAIGON, Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTE...
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Ep. 142: Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades with John J.H. Muller from 2019-12-05T20:19:13
A mysterious hand of cards, an unhappy betrothal, and a tormenting ghost all come together in Tchaikovsky’s riveting drama THE QUEEN OF SPADES. Based on a Pushkin story, this elegant fable is a tan...
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Ep. 141: Akhnaten Pre-Performance Lecture with W. Anthony Sheppard from 2019-11-13T18:23:31
For the first time in Met Opera History, Philip Glass’s AKHNATEN is coming to the stage! This much anticipated Met premiere is a deep meditation on the driving force of religion, and a powerful rem...
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Ep. 140: Orfeo ed Euridice with Tanisha Mitchell from 2019-10-30T18:24:38
The ancient Greek “Orpheus myth” has inspired a vast array of artistic works, and composer Christoph Willibald Gluck is known for contributing their own operatic interpretation to the canon. Gluck’...
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Ep. 139: Manon Pre-Performance Lecture with Naomi Barrettara from 2019-10-24T23:00:54
The Met Live in HD broadcast of Massenet's MANON is just around the corner! Based on Abbe Prevost's 18th-century novel, the story of Manon has inspired a variety of composers, from Auber to Puccini...
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Ep. 138: Turandot - Talking About Opera from 2019-10-09T18:46:23
Finished after the composer's death by Franco Alfano, Puccini’s TURANDOT is a beloved work in the opera canon, with a dramatic, imaginative, and sometimes violent score. This season at the Met, the...
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Ep. 137: 2019-20 Season Kick-Off from 2019-09-18T18:46:04
Coming back to the Metropolitan Opera stage for the first time in nearly 30 years, the 2019-20 season opens with the Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS. With stars Eric Owens and Angel Blue singing the titl...
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Ep. 136: Opera in the New Millennium - Interview with Kaminsky, Cerrone, and Edelson from 2019-09-04T17:59:42
On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturers Naomi Barrettara and Elspeth Davis are joined by composers Christopher Cerrone and Laura Kaminsky, as well as producer, director, ...
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Ep. 133: Divas & Dinner - French Grand Opera meets French Grand Cuisine from 2019-07-10T20:23:12
The evolution of French grand cuisine interestingly paralleled the development of French grand opera beginning in the late 18thcentury and culminating in the late 19th century, particularly in Pari...
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Ep. 132: Villains And Victims, Part 3 with Ira Siff from 2019-06-19T14:07:28
LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach is a tour de force of singing for both villains and victims within the opera’s plot! Since it’s world premiere performance, the four main villainous chara...
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Ep. 131: Villains and Victims, Part 2 with Ira Siff from 2019-06-05T20:49:10
Soprano Renata Scotto gave a famously chilling interpretation of Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s take on Shakespeare’s play. But Scotto was just as loved for tugging at our heartstrings in the title role o...
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Ep. 130: Villains and Victims, Part 1 with Ira Siff from 2019-05-24T16:01:08
While victimized characters often sing through their death in virtuosic song, successfully bringing a villain to life on the opera stage also takes a special kind of artistry. On this episode of Th...
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Ep. 129: Dialogues of the Carmelites with Desirée Mays from 2019-05-04T17:05:07
John Dexter’s classic production of Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES is currently on stage at the Met during the final weeks of the 2018-19 season and can be seen in cinemas worldwide on May 1...
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Ep. 128: Opera Boot Camp - A Day in the Life of a Met Chorister from 2019-04-25T21:13:42
The Metropolitan Opera Chorus is one of the most revered opera choruses in the world, requiring long hours of rehearsal and a demanding performance schedule. What is a day, week, or year in the lif...
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Ep. 127: La Clemenza di Tito with Naomi Barrettara from 2019-04-11T17:04:48
During the last year of his life, Mozart was deep into writing THE MAGIC FLUTE when he suddenly got a commission to write a new opera seria: LA CLEMENZA DI TITO. This season, powerhouse mezzo-sopra...
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Ep. 126: Religion in Opera, Part 2 with Desirée Mays from 2019-03-28T19:53:52
From Puccini's SUOR ANGELICA to Wagner's PARSIFAL, opera is full of works with religious themes, drawn from a variety of different cultures, and using music to express the emotional contours of fai...
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Ep.125: Religion in Opera, Part 1 with Desirée Mays from 2019-03-19T20:12:27
Religious themes have long been a foundational element of classical music, but what makes these divine topics such a recurrent source of operatic inspiration? On this episode of The Metropolitan Op...
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Ep. 124: A Conversation with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, Part 2 from 2019-02-28T21:50:06
When we first sat down with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, we intended to record enough for one special podcast episode, in celebration of Black History Month. However, the discussion really to...
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Ep. 123: A Conversation with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, Part 1 from 2019-02-28T21:49:47
In celebration of Black History Month, this episode is Part 1 of a special conversation between operatic legend Harolyn Blackwell and Broadway veteran Robyn Payne! Harolyn is one of America’s legen...
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Ep. 122: La Fille du Régiment Pre-Performance Lecture with Sarah Rotker from 2019-02-26T17:39:11
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT is an operatic tale of young love and larger-than-life comic hijinks, featuring one dazzling vocal display after another! On this episode, Met Opera Guild Lectures and Communit...
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Ep. 121: The Inside Scoop on the Met's 2019-20 Season from 2019-02-20T21:04:40
Hot off the press is The Metropolitan Opera's 2019-20 season announcement! In this episode, we have a special conversation between Opera News Editor in Chief F. Paul Driscoll and Met Opera Radio’s ...
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Ep. 120: Don Giovanni with Deidre Bird from 2019-02-11T23:06:54
Based on the legends of Don Juan, Mozart and Da Ponte’s DON GIOVANNI premiered in Prague in 1787, and has been performed at opera houses the world over ever since. This staple of the operatic reper...
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Ep. 119: Pelléas et Mélisande with Jeffrey Langford from 2019-01-25T00:40:02
Based on the symbolist play by Maurice Maeterlinck, Debussy's PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE was the only opera the composer ever completed and is heralded today as an innovative masterpiece. In this episode...
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Ep. 118: Adriana Lecouvreur with Victoria Bond from 2019-01-09T20:24:04
This past New Year’s Eve, the Met presented a glorious new production of Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. This production features the unparalleled trio of soprano superstar Anna Netrebko, ten...
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Ep. 117: Il Trittico with Naomi Barrettara from 2018-12-07T04:49:29
Puccini composed the three distinct operas of IL TRITTICO with the intention that they always be performed together, which is exactly how audiences are experiencing them this season as we celebrate...
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Ep. 116: Mefistofele with John J.H. Muller from 2018-11-14T17:20:28
Frequent Verdi librettist Arrigo Boito wrote only one complete opera in his lifetime, a take on "Faust", entitled MEFISTOFELE. Sacrilegious, mystical, and captivatingly beautiful, Boito’s opera rec...
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Ep. 115: Marnie with W. Anthony Sheppard from 2018-11-07T21:38:08
Winston Graham’s MARNIE is the fast-paced thriller now taking the stage at the Met, composed by Nico Muhly with a libretto by Nicholas Wright. Isabel Leonard stars as Marnie, in an alluring product...
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Ep. 114: La Fanciulla del West with Nimet Habachy from 2018-10-23T20:12:44
In just a few days, Puccini's LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST will be broadcast Live in HD from The Metropolitan Opera, with Jonas Kaufmann starring opposite Eva Marie Westbroek as the lovable barmaid to his...
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Ep. 113: Samson et Dalila with Stuart Holt from 2018-10-10T11:36:07
Saint-Saëns’s tale of passionate heroism, unrequited love, and shattering betrayal endures as the only opera by this brilliant French composer still regularly performed today! On this episode of Th...
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Ep. 112: Verdi's Aida from the Perspective of the Clarinet from 2018-10-04T00:53:50
Verdi’s Aida is full of memorable moments – and a whole orchestra of instruments brings this masterpiece to life, each serving a unique and specialized function within the score. In this episode, w...
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Ep. 111: Opera Boot Camp Highlights - An Introduction to French Opera from 2018-09-28T10:25:01
From Lully to Rameau, Bizet to Berlioz, Massenet to Messiaen, French composers have given us some of the most beautiful and important works in the operatic canon. What makes French opera so unique ...
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Ep. 110: 2018-19 Season Kick-Off from 2018-09-19T08:26:55
This year, opening night at the Metropolitan Opera features Camille Saint-Saëns' masterpiece SAMSON ET DALILA, in a new production starring operatic superstars El?na Garan?a and Roberto Alagna. Fir...
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Ep. 109: Performing Bel Canto - Do's, Don'ts, and Maybes - Part 2, with Matthew Timmermans from 2018-09-13T18:16:05
In our last episode, we learned all about cadenza, appoggiaturas, and variations in the interpretation of bel canto ornamentation. In this episode, we are thrilled to have Matthew Timmermans back w...
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Ep. 108: Performing Bel Canto - Do's, Don'ts, and Maybes - Part 1, with Matthew Timmermans from 2018-09-02T20:22:55
In the bel canto repertoire, ornamentation, improvisation, and virtuosity are a singer’s calling card, and audiences wait to hear what new vocal tricks a singer will bring to a role. But how do we ...
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Ep. 107: Divas Uncensored, Part 2 with Matthew Timmermans from 2018-08-10T20:53:56
Onstage magic is often paired with offstage mayhem, and the history of diva worship across centuries of opera is strewn with stories of glamour and stardom, exorbitant fees, precious friendships, v...
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Ep. 106: Divas Uncensored, Part 1 with Matthew Timmermans from 2018-08-02T18:01:48
On this episode, we welcome musicologist and lecturer Matthew Timmermans to the microphone, in a special mini-series created especially for our podcast listeners. Matthew has extensively researched...
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Ep. 105: Making Met History - Famous Firsts with Naomi Barrettara from 2018-07-19T20:59:55
With a history as storied as The Metropolitan Opera, there have been plenty of “firsts” that have occurred on its fabled stage. In this episode, Guild lecturer Naomi Barrettara takes us on a guided...
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Ep. 104: Making Met History - Record-Breaking Moments with Naomi Barrettara from 2018-07-05T18:33:15
From Charles Anthony’s record of the most performances in Met Opera history to Audrey Luna hitting a record-smashing A above high C, singers continue to break records and make history on The Metrop...
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Ep. 103: Opera Duos, Part 3 with Ira Siff from 2018-06-13T14:00:14
In the final installment of Ira Siff's "Opera Duos", we begin by stepping back in time, and listening to a recording over 100 years old! This episode spans operatic repertoire from Rossini to Wagne...
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Ep. 102: Opera Duos, Part 2 with Ira Siff from 2018-06-06T18:56:45
Flagstad and Melchior. Zeani and Rossi-Lemeni. Rysanek and Vickers. Price and Berganozi. Sutherland and Horne. Brownlee and Camarena. Callas and Di Stefano. Each were consummate musicians in their ...
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Ep. 101: Opera Duos, Part 1 with Ira Siff from 2018-05-30T21:56:07
Dynamic duos are what operatic legends are made of, leaving audiences breathless, in tears, and entranced with their musical and dramatic intensity. But what stories are behind some of these great ...
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Ep. 100: Celebrating Arts Education at the Met Opera Guild from 2018-05-23T14:03:55
This episode marks two major milestones for The Metropolitan Opera Guild: we have reached episode 100 on our podcast, and we have reached over ½ a million listens in the previous 99 episodes! Becau...
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Ep. 99: Massenet's Cendrillon with Desirée Mays from 2018-04-25T21:12:49
Laurent Pelly, director of the Met's premiere production of CENDRILLON, took inspiration from the pages of a classic storybook when creating his fanciful staging. In this episode, Desirée Mays trac...
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Ep. 98: Lucia di Lammermoor with Naomi Barrettara from 2018-04-12T02:21:34
We can’t let this opera season end without spending some time with LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, a Met Opera favorite. Gaetano Donizetti’s 1835 tragic opera returns to the stage in a production by Mary Zimm...
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Ep. 97: Luisa Miller with Deidre Bird from 2018-04-04T19:04:06
Forbidden love, feuding fathers, and poison are all proven ingredients for a successful opera… and Verdi's LUISA MILLER is no exception!
In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcas...
Ep. 96: Così fan tutte Pre-Performance Lecture with Sean Cooper from 2018-03-27T13:37:06
Mozart’s third collaboration with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, Così fan tutte, takes on an elaborate plot of mistaken identity to explore the nature of love, trust, and infidelity. On today’s episo...
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Ep. 95: Elektra Pre-Performance Lecture with Victoria Bond from 2018-03-15T06:24:18
This Saturday, March 17th, radio audiences worldwide will have the chance to experience Richard Strauss’s ELEKTRA with Christine Goerke as Elektra and the Met’s future Music Director Yannick Nezet-...
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Ep. 94: Semiramide Pre-Performance Lecture with Dr. Jeffrey Langford from 2018-03-07T17:28:28
Rossini’s SEMIRAMIDE was a popular mainstay of the Italian opera circuit in the 1820s and 30s, but we rarely see it on season rosters today. In fact, it has been almost 25 years since it’s last Met...
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Ep. 93: Puccini's La Bohème from 2018-02-23T05:26:26
Just like Nicolas Cage and Cher in the 1987 film "Moonstruck," seeing Puccini’s LA BOHÈME at the Met is a decades-old New York City dating ritual. It is the number one most often performed work in ...
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Ep. 92: The Inside Scoop on the Met's 2018-19 Season from 2018-02-16T22:12:58
Hot off the press is The Metropolitan Opera’s 2018-19 season announcement, featuring four new productions, one Met premiere, and a complete Ring Cycle! Today’s episode features a special conversati...
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Ep. 91: Parsifal Pre-Performance Lecture from 2018-02-07T15:30:48
First conceived in 1857 but not finished for 25 years, PARSIFAL was Richard Wagner’s last completed opera. This monumental work has sparked great debate among music historians and the public alike ...
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Ep. 90: Singers' Studio Sneak Peek from 2018-01-17T22:36:06
Since 1936, Opera News magazine has given readers an inside look at the world of opera! Opera News will be interviewing three opera stars live, in front of an audience, this winter and spring. All ...
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Ep. 89: Tosca Pre-Performance Lecture with Victoria Bond from 2018-01-11T20:37:03
This Puccini classic returns to the Met stage in a brand new production, starring superstar soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the title role and Vittorio Grigolo as her doomed lover, Cavaradossi. Lecturer ...
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Ep. 88: Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel from 2017-12-14T16:25:22
On December 18th, the holiday production of Humperdinck’s HANSEL AND GRETEL opens at the Met. While this is often the opera of choice for families with little ones, there is much more to this work ...
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Ep. 87: Le Nozze di Figaro Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-12-06T22:26:30
In a pre-performance lecture from our archives, stage director Jay Lesenger explores "Le nozze di Figaro," and the connections between Pierre Beaumarchais (who wrote the play on which the opera is ...
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Ep. 86: Thaïs Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-11-21T19:20:10
This season at the Met, soprano Ailyn Pérez sings the title role of Massenet's "Thaïs," which is based on a novel by Anatole France. On today's episode, Metropolitan Opera Guild lecturer Dr. Jeffre...
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Ep. 85: The Exterminating Angel Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-11-15T15:54:28
Thomas Adès’ new opera "The Exterminating Angel" is on stage at the Met, with an all-star cast including Amanda Echalaz, Alice Coote, Rod Gilfry, and Audrey Luna. In preparation for the Live in HD ...
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Ep. 84: Folksong sources in Puccini's Madama Butterfly from 2017-11-02T06:15:55
Composers draw inspiration from a variety of places, but they don't always reveal their sources. In today's episode, we share the story of a long-lost source of inspiration in Puccini's Madama Butt...
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Ep. 83: The Exterminating Angel at Works and Process at the Guggenheim from 2017-10-25T16:56:21
This episode features footage from Works and Process at The Guggenheim, where Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb interviews the creative team and several cast members about Thomas Adès's opera "T...
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Ep. 82: Mozart's Die Zauberflöte from the Perspective of the Bassoon from 2017-10-11T18:58:18
While the flute plays a particularly magical role in Mozart's DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, there is a whole orchestra of instruments bringing the music to life, each serving a unique function within the score....
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Ep. 81: Norma Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-10-04T16:19:44
Bellini's NORMA is a landmark role for sopranos, and audiences always wait with baited breath to hear her glorious aria, "Casta Diva." But there is more to this opera, and to this role, than that f...
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Ep. 80: 2017-18 Season Kick-Off from 2017-09-20T19:22:52
Opening Night at the Met is less than a week away, and the excitement is palpable! Bellini's NORMA opens 2017-18 season, with a new production by Sir David McVicar, and an all-star cast featuring S...
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Ep. 79: Atypical Voice Types from 2017-09-06T21:21:36
On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer Naomi Barrettara concludes our tour through operatic voice types with a discussion of atypical voices. From extremely high coloratu...
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Ep. 78: Voice Types - Basses from 2017-08-24T02:12:35
Operatic basses sing as low as the human voice can go! There are many different types of basses, bringing to life a large variety of roles. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, ...
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Ep. 77: Divas and Dinner - Part 3 from 2017-08-10T03:52:31
In the final installment of our "Divas and Dinner" series, chef, food historian, and opera enthusiast Carl Raymond explores the cuisine of Spain on the opera stage!
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Ep. 76: Divas And Dinner - Part 2 from 2017-08-03T02:36:43
Pour yourself a glass of pink champagne and settle in! On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have our second installment of "Divas and Dinner" with Chef, food historian, and o...
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Ep. 75: Divas and Dinner - Part 1 from 2017-07-26T18:47:29
Rossini once said: “Appetite is for the stomach what love is for the heart…. Eating, loving, singing and digesting are, in truth, the four acts of the comic opera known as life.” In this episode, r...
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Ep. 74: Voice Types - Baritones from 2017-07-13T05:44:46
Verdi baritone, lyric baritone, dramatic baritone... What's the difference? On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Guild lecturer and audience favorite Naomi Barrettara explores t...
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Ep. 73: Verdi All-Stars, Part 3 from 2017-06-28T18:41:10
Singers such as Rosa Ponselle, Francesco Tamagno, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Dolora Zajick have given definitive performances of Verdi’s late works, from the first OTELLO in 1887 through to the pres...
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Ep. 72: Verdi All-Stars, Part 2 from 2017-06-21T20:47:29
Aprile Millo was once called “the high priestess of that old time operatic religion;" Fedora Barbieri had a fierce fan following and sang over 90 performances spanning 10 operas at The Metropolitan...
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Ep. 71: Verdi All-Stars, Part 1 from 2017-06-14T15:56:23
This past season, Met broadcast commentator Ira Siff delighted New York audiences with his survey of the greatest Verdi singers of the past and present. Today’s episode is the first of a three-part...
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Ep. 70: Voice Types - Mezzo-Sopranos from 2017-06-08T15:32:33
This week’s episode is the third installment of our operatic voice types series. Our previous voice type lectures, featured in episodes 5 and 10, discussed the soprano and tenor vocal categories. W...
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Ep. 69: Mahler's Symphony No. 1 & Des Knaben Wunderhorn from 2017-05-25T22:54:27
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will be performing a program of all Mahler works at Carnegie Hall on May 31st, 2017. For today’s episode, Guild lecturer Naomi Barraterra discusses the life of Gust...
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Ep. 68: Der Rosenkavalier from 2017-05-10T22:32:51
DER ROSENKAVALIER, Richard Strauss’s most popular stage work, was first performed in Dresden in 1911, and has come to hold a special place in the repertoire. In a Talking About Opera recording from...
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Ep. 67: The Met's Inaugural Season - Celebrating 50 Years at Lincoln Center from 2017-05-03T16:33:57
In 1966, the Metropolitan Opera moved into a glittering, state-of-the-art opera house, and launched a historic season to show off its new home. Today on the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast we expl...
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Ep. 66: Der Fliegende Holländer from 2017-04-26T13:06:56
Tempted by a chest of gold, Captain Daland allows his daughter Senta to marry a mysterious Dutchman. Can her vows of faithfulness break the curse that holds the stranger captive? Today on The Metro...
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Ep. 65: Eugene Onegin Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-04-19T18:21:28
“Are you my guardian angel? Or a wily devil, a fatal tempter? My heart sinks with shame and terror… to your honor I entrust my destiny!” So writes Tatiana in her famous letter to the man who has ca...
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Ep. 64: Fidelio Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-03-29T21:55:32
Beethoven's FIDELIO is on the Met stage for the first time in over a decade, now through April 8th, 2017. Here is composer and conductor Victoria Bond exploring the themes of Beethoven’s only opera...
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Ep. 63: Idomeneo Pre-Performance Lecture from 2017-03-22T16:14:46
In Mozart's Idomeneo, a story drawn from Greek antiquity meets musical tradition and the innovative touch of Mozart. In this episode, Naomi Barrettara gives a pre-performance lecture exploring the ...
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Ep. 62: La Traviata with Peter Allen from 2017-03-08T17:56:56
During the highly productive middle period of his career, Verdi created some of his most enduringly popular operas, including what might be his most beloved work: La Traviata. Today we have Peter A...
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Ep. 61: Interview with James Morris from 2017-03-01T16:48:41
Since his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1971, James Morris has gone on to create renowned character portrayals and share the stage with virtually every great singer of the past five decades. Here is ...
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Ep. 60: New Season Discussion with John Fisher and F. Paul Driscoll from 2017-02-23T04:05:48
This episode features a special conversation between Opera News Editor-in-Chief, F. Paul Driscoll, and the Met’s Assistant General Manager for Music Administration John Fisher, providing insight in...
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Ep. 59: Rusalka from 2017-02-15T21:53:02
Dvo?ák's Czech masterpiece has opera returned to the Met this season with a new, fantastical production by Mary Zimmerman. Today’s episode features my co-host and Guild lecturer Naomi Barrettara in...
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Ep. 58: Musical Chairs with Donald Palumbo from 2017-01-25T15:25:23
Today's episode features an engaging interview with Met Opera chorus master, Donald Palumbo, originally recorded in November 2016. In it, we hear about Maestro Palumbo's path to the Met as well as ...
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Ep. 57: Romeo et Juliette from 2017-01-18T20:35:41
With the Met's new production of Romeo et Juliette coming to theaters around the world this Saturday, January 21st, seasoned stage director Jay Lesenger explores Gounod's operatic adaptation of Sha...
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Ep. 56: Nabucco, Talking About Opera from 2017-01-04T22:29:01
In today's episode, a Talking About Opera lecture on Verdi's first big hit, which includes Verdi's path to success and a chorus that became an anthem of the Italian nationalist movement.
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Ep. 55: Salome from 2016-12-14T16:41:32
In this episode, Guild lecturer Naomi Barrettara takes an in depth look at the musical and dramatic elements of Strauss's Salome, as well as it's scandalous 1907 Met Opera premiere.
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Ep. 54: L'Amour de Loin Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-12-07T18:33:34
Just after it's Met premiere, Kaija Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin will be broadcast Live in HD to theaters around the world on Saturday, December 10, 2016. In this episode, we have a pre-performance l...
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Ep. 53: Guillaume Tell Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-11-09T20:58:22
Rossini's final opera, Guillaume Tell, is the grandest of them all. Composer and conductor Victoria Bond talks about the challenges and fireworks incorporated in this work as it comes to the Met st...
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Ep. 52: Aida, Talking About Opera from 2016-11-02T22:25:12
Perhaps Verdi's grandest opera, Aida has been a staple of the opera repertory since its first performance in 1871. Here is Bridget Paolucci talking about the musical and thematic highlights that ma...
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Ep. 51: Jenufa, Talking About Opera from 2016-10-27T17:01:48
Composed by Czech nationalist, Leos Janacek, Jenufa incorporates the beauties of Czech music, language, and culture while telling a disturbing story based on true events. Here, Yveta Graff takes us...
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Ep. 50: Don Giovanni, Talking About Opera from 2016-10-19T18:16:19
Don Giovanni is an ingenious fusion of bumbling comedy and the earnestness of tragedy. Here is former Met radio commentator Father Owen Lee and his Talking About Opera presentation on Mozart's hit.
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Ep. 49: Tristan und Isolde, Talking About Opera from 2016-10-05T14:06:13
From the famous opening "Tristan Chord" to the final "Liebstod," Wagner's Tristan und Isolde is considered a revolutionary work. Today, a closer look at the musical and dramatic layers of Wagner's ...
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Ep. 48: Inside Tristan und Isolde with John Fisher from 2016-09-21T20:48:54
Tristan und Isolde opens the Met's 2016-17 season in a new production starring Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton, conducted by Simon Rattle. In this episode, an insider's perspective on Wagner's tower...
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Ep. 47: Opera Terminology and Pronunciation from 2016-08-18T01:05:45
For this episode, we are going to dip our toes into the wonderful world of languages with soprano Jane Marsh. Jane is a regular lecturer at the Met Opera Guild, and she is a language enthusiast, fl...
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Ep. 46: Götterdämmerung, Talking About Opera from 2016-08-13T03:12:06
Today’s episode features an exploration of Wagner’s GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, concluding our mini-series of episodes on Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
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Ep. 45: Siegfried, Talking About Opera from 2016-08-11T00:45:41
We are now moving into part three of a four episode series on Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Each episode in this series covers one of the operas in the cycle, so you don’t necessarily have to listen to them...
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Ep. 44: Die Walküre, Talking About Opera from 2016-08-05T20:21:50
This episode is part two of a Talking About Opera recording on Wagner’s Ring Cycle. This mammoth work is comprised of four operas with interconnected stories that Wagner fashioned by combining vari...
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Ep. 43: Das Rheingold, Talking About Opera from 2016-08-04T01:33:13
The second half of the summer is a special time for German opera fans, as people from all over the world make a pilgrimage to Germany for the annual Bayreuth Festival. This festival is entirely ded...
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Ep. 42: Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part 3 from 2016-07-28T02:02:11
This week we are happy to present our third and final instalment of Memories from the Golden Horseshoe. This series features Met radio commentator Ira Siff, regaling us with his memories of perform...
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Ep. 41, Part 2: Falstaff, Talking About Opera from 2016-07-21T16:27:25
Picking up right where we left off in Episode 41, Part 1, this is Part 2 of a Talking About Opera lecture, with Bridget Paolucci discussing Verdi's FALSTAFF.
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Ep. 41, Part 1: Falstaff, Talking About Opera from 2016-07-20T18:40:04
The topic of today’s episode is Giuseppe Verdi’s last opera, FALSTAFF, which was also his third opera to be adapted from a Shakespeare play. This is a Talking About Opera lecture presented by Bridg...
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Ep. 40: Così fan tutte, Talking About Opera from 2016-07-13T23:11:45
On July 20th, 2016, the Met will be broadcasting the last HD encore opera of the summer to theatres across the globe! The opera is Mozart’s beloved Così fan tutte, and the cast features audience f...
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Ep. 39: Da Capo Arias & Cabalettas from 2016-07-07T01:11:05
Great arias have long been an opportunity for singers to showcase their virtuosity and offer an intimate look at a character’s inner most feelings. In this episode, podcast host Naomi Barrettara ta...
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Ep. 38, Part 2: Verdi's Macbeth - Talking About Opera from 2016-06-30T17:31:42
This is Part 2 of Episode 38, featuring Albert Innaurato giving a Talking About Opera lecture on Verdi's Macbeth. The episode picks up right where Part 1 left off, at the beginning of Act II in the...
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Ep. 38, Part 1: Verdi's Macbeth - Talking About Opera from 2016-06-29T03:01:29
This week we are continuing our celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with a Talking About Opera lecture devoted to Verdi’s "Macbeth." This particular Talking About Opera reco...
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Ep. 37: L'Elisir d'Amore - A Casual Conversation with Naomi and Kyle from 2016-06-22T22:36:46
The second of this summer’s Met Live in HD Encore presentation will be of Donizetti’s "L’Elisir d’Amore," with an exceptional cast starring Anna Netrebko as Adina, Matthew Polenzani as Nemorino, Ma...
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Ep. 36: Tosca - Talking About Opera from 2016-06-15T22:30:24
With a Met Live in HD Encore presentation of Puccini’s Tosca coming to theatres this Wednesday, June 22, 2016, today's episode once again reaches into the Talking about Opera archives to give you s...
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Ep. 35: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Talking About Opera from 2016-06-09T01:09:30
The summer of 2016 is in full swing, with festivals and performances in cities across the globe celebrating the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. This podcast episode explores the o...
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Ep. 34: Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part 2 from 2016-06-01T20:06:27
Today’s episode is the second installment of our Memories from the Golden Horseshoe series in which Met broadcast commentator Ira Siff speaks about the legendary performances he witnessed at the ol...
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Ep. 33: Singers' Studio with Roberto Alagna from 2016-05-25T15:11:55
Today we are happy to present a very special artist interview that took place in March 2016 as part of our Singers’ Studio series with Opera News. In the interview, tenor Roberto Alagna sits down w...
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Ep. 32: Meet the Met Orchestra from 2016-05-18T19:20:24
Ever wonder what it's like to be a Met Orchestra musician? In this episode we sit down for an informative and entertaining conversation with members of the Met Orchestra to get an inside look at th...
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Ep. 31: Highlights from the 2015-2016 Met Season from 2016-05-11T17:33:36
Since the 2015-2016 Met season came to an end last week, we're taking a look back at some of its most memorable moments. With fantastic new productions like Otello, Pearl Fishers, and Elektra, as w...
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Ep. 29: Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part 1 from 2016-04-27T20:21:05
This week we are excited to have Ira Siff on the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast for the first time. Ira is currently a commentator on the Met’s Saturday broadcasts but also teaches and coaches op...
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Ep. 28: Elektra Pre-Performance Lecture with William Berger from 2016-04-20T23:38:30
This week’s episode features a pre-performance lecture on the final new production of the 2015-2016 Met season, Elektra. Presenting today’s lecture is radio commentator and writer, William Berger, ...
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Ep. 27: Roberto Devereux Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-04-13T20:20:14
This week we are very excited to be bringing back Santa Fe Opera’s Desirée Mays to the Met Opera Guild Podcast! We have already had such a great response to last week’s episode and Desirée’s talk o...
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Ep. 26: The Real Madama Butterfly from 2016-04-07T04:33:25
This week’s episode is recorded from a live event that took place on March 29th, 2016, featuring Santa Fe Opera’s Desirée Mays as she explores the historical and literary sources that contributed t...
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Ep. 25: Simon Boccanegra - Talking about Opera from 2016-03-31T01:44:34
This Friday the Met Opera will begin an exciting run of one of Verdi’s more obscure operas, Simon Boccanegra, which will feature Maestro James Levine on the podium and legendary tenor/now baritone ...
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Ep. 24: Donizetti's Tudor Queen Operas from 2016-03-23T22:49:01
Today’s episode is drawn from one of our Opera Boot Camp classes - an introductory tour through Donizetti’s Tudor Queen operas. These operas have garnered a lot of attention this spring and there i...
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Ep. 23: Le Nozze di Figaro - Talking about Opera from 2016-03-16T19:25:25
Today’s episode is drawn from a Talking about Opera excerpt, featuring Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" with lecturer Bridget Paolucci. At the time this recording was made, Bridget was a frequent lec...
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Ep. 22: Don Pasquale - Talking about Opera from 2016-03-09T16:21:32
Heralded by scholars and opera lovers as the “last great opera buffa,” Donizetti's DON PASQUALE has been a hit with audiences since the night it premiered in Paris in 1843. This episode features pl...
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Ep. 21: Manon Lescaut Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-03-02T22:11:28
In anticipation of the Met’s Live in HD broadcast of Manon Lescaut this Saturday, March 5th, we are happy to bring to you a Manon Lescaut pre-performance lecture that took place not even 24 hours p...
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Ep. 20: 2016-2017 Met Season Preview from 2016-02-24T22:28:59
In today's episode, host Naomi Barrettara is joined by Met Guild Director of School Programs and Community Engagement, Stuart Holt, and Community Engagement Coordinator, Elspeth Davis, to discuss t...
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Ep. 19: Madama Butterfly - Talking About Opera from 2016-02-17T23:18:09
This Friday, February 19 is the Met’s season premiere of Anthony Minghella’s celebrated production of Madama Butterfly. In anticipation of this premiere, we are once again reaching into the Talkin...
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Ep. 18: Love In Opera from 2016-02-11T04:40:06
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this week’s episode is all about LOVE and MARRIAGE in Opera! Our content today is presented by Naomi Barrettara and drawn from a live event that happene...
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Ep. 17: Inside the Prompter's Box from 2016-02-03T23:24:29
In this week’s episode, we are excited to present a talk with a very important member of the Metropolitan Opera staff. Donna Racik plays a role in Met performances that you will never see or hear. ...
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Ep. 16: Turandot Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-01-27T23:22:57
Leading up to this weekend’s Met Live in HD broadcast of Puccini’s Turandot, we are happy to present this pre-performance lecture given by Dr. Jeffrey Langford, the Assistant Dean for Doctoral Stud...
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Ep. 15: Singers' Studio with Piotr Beczala from 2016-01-21T00:33:19
Today's episode is taken from our Singers’ Studio series, in which editors from Opera News magazine sit down in conversation with some of today’s elite singers. In these conversations, singers dis...
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Ep. 14: Les Pêcheurs de Perles Pre-Performance Lecture from 2016-01-14T02:35:37
Today’s episode features a pre-performance lecture on the opera dubbed by the New York Times as the “sleeper hit” of this year’s opera season - Bizet’s "Les Pêcheurs de Perles." The lecture is pres...
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Ep. 13: Massenet's Cendrillon from 2016-01-07T00:43:25
This episode, presented by the Met Guild’s Director of School Programs and Community Engagement, Stuart Holt, is all about a rarely-heard operatic version of the Cinderella story - Cendrillon by Ju...
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Ep. 12: Die Fledermaus Pre-Performance Lecture from 2015-12-31T02:58:48
Today’s episode is recorded from a live pre-performance lecture that was given on December 14th by one of the Guild’s in-house lecturers and artistic consultants, Jane Marsh. Ms. Marsh is a celebr...
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Ep. 11: Il Barbiere di Siviglia from 2015-12-22T15:36:01
Today’s episode corresponds with the Met’s current holiday production of the The Barber of Seville, although it focuses on the original Il Barbiere di Siviglia rather than the Met’s shortened and t...
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Ep. 10: Voice Types - Tenors from 2015-12-16T16:39:51
This week’s episode will be the second iteration of our lectures on voice types. Our previous voice types lecture, episode 5 on the soprano voice type, is our most popular episode to date! So by p...
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Ep. 9: The Magic Flute and Masonic Symbolism from 2015-12-10T00:51:21
This episode feature a discussion of Mozart's "The Magic Flute," delving into the interpretation of Masonic elements and symbolism throughout the opera.
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Ep. 8: Musical Chairs with Grace Bumbry from 2015-12-03T01:38:29
Today’s episode features an engaging interview with a mezzo soprano turned soprano who just celebrated the 50th anniversary of her Met debut, Grace Bumbry. In the interview hosted by the Met Guild...
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Ep. 7: La Bohème - Talking About Opera from 2015-11-24T22:30:34
Today’s episode draws once more from the archives of the Met Opera Guild’s Talking About Opera series. This particular episode features Bridget Paolucci detailing the musical and dramatic beauty o...
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Ep. 6: Lulu Pre-Performance Lecture from 2015-11-18T20:22:39
This session with Maestro Steven Osgood is an extremely valuable resource for those hoping to gain a better understanding of Berg's Lulu and 12-tone musical composition. In it, Maestro Osgood high...
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Ep. 5: Voice Types - Sopranos from 2015-11-11T16:40:01
In this episode, host Naomi Barrettara provides all the information that you need to know about the soprano voice type, including the different types of sopranos, common repertoire, and stylistic t...
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Ep. 4: Puccini Heroines - Tosca and Madama Butterfly from 2015-11-04T17:28:21
In this session, soprano and lecturer Jane Marsh discusses two of Puccini's most beloved heroines, Tosca and Butterfly. Sharing insights from her own international performance experience, Ms. Mars...
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Ep. 3: Tannhäuser Pre-Performance Lecture from 2015-10-27T19:43:04
In this episode, the Metropolitan Opera Guild is excited to present a recorded lecture by the late David Hamilton, in which he shares an abundance of information about Tannhäuser and Wagner's life ...
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Ep. 2: Musical Chairs with Deborah Voigt from 2015-10-21T19:36:20
This week’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast features an engaging interview with Deborah Voigt that was presented and recorded here at the Guild on October 5th, 2015. In it, Ms. Voig...
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Ep. 1: Otello Pre-Performance Lecture from 2015-10-07T21:55:57
In the first ever episode of the Met Opera Guild Podcast, Naomi Barrettara dives into the dramatic and musical elements of Verdi's penultimate opera.
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