Podcasts by Opera Box Score
America's Talk Radio Show About Opera. Period.
Further podcasts by Opera Box Score
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The House Edge! ft. Mathilda Edge from 2022-02-18T03:00:04
[@ 6 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Mathilda Edge. The rising American lyric-dramatic soprano has already accepted a tenure-track position at Oberlin, just as her singing career is set t...
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Broad Stripes and Bright Stars! ft. Scott Ramsay from 2022-02-11T03:00:07
[@ 4 min] Get ready for Super Bowl LVI happening this Sunday in L.A.! Tenor Scott Ramsay goes 'Inside the Huddle' with the OBS Pack-haters to talk about the highs and lows of singing the national a...
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The Perfect American! from 2022-02-04T03:00:15
[@ 4 min] The OBS polyrhythmics induct a birthday boy into the OBS "Hall of Fame"… Here’s a hint:
He’s an American ComPOser.
He’s an American ComPOser.
He’s an American Opera ComPO...
Sportzando! from 2022-01-28T03:00:14
[@ 4 min] Ashlee kicks off a new segment about the stories behind the musical moments that punctuate sports history…
[@ 22 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’… Never before has a world premiere...
The Trill of Victory! from 2022-01-21T03:00:14
[@ 3 min] The Australian Open kicks off and in the early rounds a lot of Australian qualifiers will be eliminated. The OBS brings back its brutal ‘TKO’ segment and offers you an all-Australian matc...
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The Opera Time Capsule! ft. Ann Toomey from 2022-01-14T03:00:18
[@3 min] In 'Chalk Talk'... Opera America asks "What would you put in an opera time capsule?" We answer, "You mean, in addition to pork scratchings?”
[@ 24 min] The star of Opera Sarasota’...
Season Highlight Reel! from 2022-01-07T03:00:02
[@ 4 min] In 'Chalk Talk'... 2021 is in the record books. We take a look back at the most impactful stories of last year…
[@ 28 min] In the ‘Listener Mailbag’... Just how DO you explain op...
Our Favorite Things: Vol. 2! [Doubleheader Part II!] from 2021-12-31T15:00:32
With the OBS crew enjoying a much-earned fortnight off, George shares some of the team's favorite segments from 2021, including going 'Inside the Huddle' with Barbara Hannigan and Will Liverman, an...
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Our Favorite Things: Vol. 2! [Doubleheader Part I!] from 2021-12-24T15:00:36
With the OBS crew enjoying a much-earned fortnight off, George shares some of the team's favorite segments from 2021, including going 'Inside the Huddle' with Duke Kim and Key'mon Murrah, and the r...
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Conductor from the Future! ft. Donald Lee III from 2021-12-17T03:00:20
[@ 3 min] This week… Fresh from conducting Opera NexGen’s “Night Trip”, Donald Lee III goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Oliver to talk about the show’s virtual world premiere and about being the inaug...
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Giant in the Sky: A Sondheim Tribute! from 2021-12-10T03:00:22
This week, in ‘Chalk Talk’… Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim died at home in Roxbury, CT, on the day after Thanksgiving. He was 91. The OBS company put together an awards show to celebrate So...
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Tiger King, the Opera! ft. Kyle Ketelsen from 2021-12-03T03:00:12
[@ 3 min] This week... The OBS boomers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Kyle Ketelsen. The heart-throb American bass-baritone is currently in Austria. Oliver asked him what’s going on with the lockdown ...
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Spilled Milk, Marshmallows, and Marzipan! from 2021-11-26T03:00:09
If you’re a diehard OBS fan, you’re probably listening to this show on Friday morning… as you nurse your gravy hangover. This week, we skip the divisive opera news, and the A-list singers and quart...
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Fantasy Fachball: Team Aida! from 2021-11-19T03:00:09
[@ 3 min] This week… Chicago is on the clock. It’s the return of the ‘Fantasy Fachball’ segment, as the OBS crew do a real-time, opera singer mock draft to cast the perfect quartet for “Aida”...
Go, Kath, Go! ft. Kathryn Henry from 2021-11-12T03:00:11
[@ 8 min] This week… The OBS cheeseheads go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Kathryn Henry, the soprano who went from standby to stardom in the world premiere of “The Lord of Cries” at the Santa Fe Opera.....
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The Slovakian Nightingale! from 2021-11-05T02:00:04
[@ 3 min] This week… A heroic coloratura soprano is inducted posthumously into the OBS Hall of Fame. (Sorry, Gruberova fans. We thought we had so much time left with this legendary artist…)
The OBS Hallowe'en Spooktacular! from 2021-10-29T02:00:14
This week... It's our annual Halloween Spooktacular… No 'Two Minute Drill', no hot takes: just some old-fashioned, vengeful hunchbacks, some riddling ice princesses, and some real phantoms of the o...
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Charles in Charge! ft. Charles Castronovo from 2021-10-22T02:00:12
[@ 4 min] Fall is for falling in love, and Oliver just barely contains himself when he goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with dreamy tenor Charles Castronovo…
[@ 33 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’… ...
Words First, Kaufmann Outburst! ft. Keturah Stickann from 2021-10-15T02:00
[@ 4 min] This week… We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with stage director Keturah Stickann. She brought ‘The Barber of Seville’ to San Diego Opera’s drive-in COVID season; she’s also bringing opera libret...
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The Folks Talk Nice About Carlisle Floyd! from 2021-10-08T02:00:07
[@ 6 min] The OBS yokels induct another seminal composer into the OBS Hall of Fame. Hint? Think Susannah. With an H...
[@ 34 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’… Who can afford to study opera ...
Supporting Women in STEM! ft. Angela Born and Rose Freeman from 2021-10-01T02:00:16
[@ 4 min] The OBS placekickers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with director Rose Freeman and soprano Angela Born, whose collective work is in a double bill production at Third Eye Theatre Ensemble in Chica...
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The Case of the 467lb Rock! ft. Irina & Lucas Meachem from 2021-09-24T01:59:59
[@ 4 min] Pianist and vocal coach Irina Meachem, and her baritone husband Lucas, go ‘Inside the Huddle’ to preview their upcoming album “Shall We Gather” which comes out this month...
[@ 2...
The Olympia Sprint! ft. Erin Morley from 2021-09-17T02:00:06
[@ 25 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with star soprano Erin Morley, who seems like a circus performer with all the high-flying, high-pressure roles she sings. Hear her compare singing Lucia ...
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Tag Team Tenors! ft. Benjamin Bernheim and Lawrence Brownlee from 2021-09-09T23:00:57
Well, Team OBS might be wrapping up their summer vacations, but they've still got a show for you...
[@ 4 min] Oliver and Matt revisit going 'Inside the Huddle' with tenor Benjamin Bernheim...
Revenge of the Nasty Women! ft. Afton Battle and Christine Goerke from 2021-09-02T23:00:45
Well, Team OBS might be wrapping up their summer vacations, but they've still got a show for you...
[@ 2 min] Oliver and Ashlee revisit going 'Inside the Huddle' with Fort Worth Opera Gene...
The Susanna Workout! ft. Ying Fang from 2021-08-25T19:22:13
[@ 3 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Ying Fang. They talk about singing Mozart, and why you should be more like Susanna…
[@ 28 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’… Save the dr...
A Midsummer Night's Team! ft. Duke Kim from 2021-08-20T02:00:15
[@ 1 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’, the summer road trip goes into its fourth round, as Oliver files a field report from Sante Fe Opera...
[@ 18 min] Then, Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Duke...
Knoxville: Summer of 2021! from 2021-08-13T02:00:06
[@ 4 min] The OBS bikers continue our summer opera road trip - having visited Dallas and Kansas City - by stopping in Knoxville, TN, with a special inductee into the ‘OBS Hall of Fame’...
...
Olympic Fever! from 2021-08-06T02:00:04
Call it Olympic Fever… We had some technical difficulties this week which meant postponing our show…
But the OBS team are back at it on Wednesday, August 11, when they complete their summ...
Kansas City Tenors' Football Club! from 2021-07-30T02:00:01
[@ 6 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… Tenor Aaron Short joins the show as a guest, along with some hack called Tobias Wright. The reunited crew look at 2021’s biggest sports stories and imagine their opera p...
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Dallas Cowboys and Countertenors! from 2021-07-23T02:00:01
[@ 3 min] Oliver and George go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Eric Smith and Miguel Cantú from the American Baroque Opera Company to find out what is the only human endeavor more expensive than war…
...
The Love For Three Baritones! from 2021-07-16T17:28:20
[@ 3 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… Novak Djokovic won this year’s men’s Wimbledon finals, giving him a total of twenty Grand Slam titles, tying both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in big wins. We take a lo...
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2 Titos, 2 Renate, and a Toti! from 2021-07-09T02:00:02
[@ 4 min] In ‘Chalk Talk”… The European Football Championships are down to just four teams. The OBS players, along with special guest maestro Anthony Barrese, pick winners based on the opera prow...
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The Great American Coloratura Competition! from 2021-07-02T02:00
[@ 5 min] The OBS blazers get ready for Independence Day by lighting up some vocal fireworks in the Great American Coloratura Competition...
[@ 46 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’… Things n...
Opera's Queerest Moments! from 2021-06-25T02:00:09
[@ 2 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… An NFL player just came out as gay, while the OBS DEs celebrate PRIDE with a look at gayness in opera. (Wait, isn’t that redundant?)
[@ 43 min] Plus, in the ‘T...
End of an Era! ft. Magda Krance from 2021-06-18T02:00:09
[@ 3 min] It’s the end of an era as you know it… Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Magda Krance, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s veteran Director of Media Relations, who retired her jersey last week ...
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Get Your Popcorn Ready! from 2021-06-11T02:00:23
[@ 5min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… Zoom operas ushered in a new era of pandemic entertainment. But how has the art form of opera-as-film changed over the last year, and how will it change opera altogether...
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Tyrants in Trousers! ft. Kate Lindsey from 2021-06-04T02:00:01
As they recover from Memorial Day weekend, the OBS boozers put aside the yellow cards, the red cards, and the AGMA negotiations. You can sit back and enjoy a holiday-length one-on-one with mezzo-s...
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A bad year for Madame Butterfly! from 2021-05-28T02:00:03
[@ 4 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’, it’s the second part of a doubleheader on opera’s rebound from the pandemic. Your OBS team picks four season announcements that just might be the pacecar for other opera...
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Everybody Hates Peter! from 2021-05-21T02:00
[@ 3 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… The OBS team asks just if, when, and how, exactly, opera will bounce back, post-pandemic. What needs to happen now in order to build back opera better?
[@ 29 m...
Sumi Jo’s 300 Gowns! from 2021-05-14T02:00:16
[@ 3 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’, the OBS team commemorates Asian Heritage Month by spotlighting some of the biggest players on the scene today, with a bespoke playlist here...
https://youtube.co...
We Love You, Miss Hannigan! ft. Barbara Hannigan from 2021-05-07T02:00
[@ 4 min] Barbara Hannigan goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ to give Weston and Oliver the post-pandemic singer’s playbook, to introduce her young artist initiative called Momentum, and to argue why streami...
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Amanda Forsythe’s Amazing Feats! from 2021-05-03T14:00:22
A bonus episode featuring Amanda Forsythe who went 'Inside the Huddle' with Oliver to discuss holding an audience’s attention during a set change, singing super fast coloratura, and favoring being ...
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ZwischenGOAT! from 2021-04-30T02:00:12
[@ 4 min] Get your Copland fanfare ready! The OBS crew induct - posthumously, this time - a mezzo-soprano into the hallowed corridors of the OBS Hall of Fame...
[@ 34 min] In the ‘Two Minu...
Scarpia with an 'ukulele! ft. Quinn Kelsey from 2021-04-23T02:01:58
[@ 4 min] Verdi baritone and gentle giant Quinn Kelsey goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Ashlee and Oliver to talk about singing traditional Hawai’ian music for an operatic kanikapila and preparing for...
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Enrico Lopez-Yañez, Space Pirate! from 2021-04-16T02:00:16
[@ 3 min] Maestro Enrico Lopez-Yañez goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Weston and Oliver. The Mexican-American conductor is slated to conduct Chicago Opera Theater’s season finale, but is also the star...
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Cinderella Story! from 2021-04-09T02:00:01
[@ 3 min] By the time you get this episode, one of opera’s most powerful gatekeepers will be managing a publicity crisis thanks to our pal Zach Finkelstein and another one of his highly researched ...
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Coach Carrie-Ann Matheson! from 2021-04-02T03:15:49
[@ 3 min] For the last episode in Women’s History Month, the OBS has an exclusive interview with the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center. Carrie-Ann Matheson goes ‘Inside the Huddle...
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March Sadness! from 2021-03-26T02:00
[@ 3 min] The OBS ballers dribble you through the other two regions of the Operaland March Madness bracket - Classical and Romantic - all leading up to the grand finale next week...
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Dark Horses Only! from 2021-03-19T02:00:03
[@ 4 min] The musical highlight of awards season, the 2021 Grammys were handed out last Sunday. In 'MEQ', the OBSers recap the winners from Operaland...
[@ 12 min] Also last Sunday, teams ...
The Boss 101 with Mireille Asselin! from 2021-03-12T03:00:18
[@ 3 min] Soprano Mireille Asselin goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Oliver Camacho, as they nerd out on baroque opera, ornamentation, and gesture, as well as dive into Mireille’s upcoming show for Tap...
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You’re Gonna Love Me, Chris Reynolds! from 2021-03-05T03:00:12
[@ 3 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with pianist Chris Reynolds who reveals how he plans to be a change agent within the GWM opera mafia... (And check out Chris’ opera playlist at bit.ly/309N...
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C'mon Key'mon! from 2021-02-26T03:00:12
[@ 5 min] The OBS skaters go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Key’mon Murrah. The countertenor is on a fast rise to stardom after participating in a public masterclass with Joyce DiDonato and winning a ser...
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Banjo Battle! ft. Alexandra Enyart from 2021-02-19T03:00:05
[@ 5 min] We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with conductor Alexandra Enyart as she discusses her new role on the Artistic Advisory Council of the American Opera Project, serves as the go-to conductor for L...
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The Love for Three Sausages! from 2021-02-12T03:00:02
[@ 6 min] It’s Valentine’s Day this week, and your panel of OBS hunks advises you on what operatic love music you should be listening to in order to get into that romantic mood. Don’t worry, we’re...
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Farinelli and Other Pastas! from 2021-02-05T03:00:58
[@ 2 min] This week… The OBS Hall of Fame is back, but this time it’s the Hall of Shame. Weston and Matt induct a singer who’s one of the greatest of all time. But can a neutered goat still be call...
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Songs! from 2021-01-29T03:00:07
[@ 5 min] It’s a tag team interview with the composer and the star of a new film version of “Soldier Songs” at Opera Philadelphia, as the OBS platoon go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with David T. Little and...
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Will Liverman in Motion! from 2021-01-22T02:59:59
[@ 4 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’… BIPOC artists are challenging NYIOP’s application fees - on the grounds of racial and socio-economic inequity - through an open letter on Middle Class Artist.com...
<...
Pass the Orfeo Remote! from 2021-01-15T03:00:06
[@ 7 min] Friend-of-the-show Zachary James posted a wake-up call on social media saying “Let’s immediately stop doing business like we are still in the old world." The OBS goobers take his advice t...
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Ladies Who Lead! from 2021-01-08T03:00
[@ 2 min] Spurred on by Becky Hammon becoming the first woman to act as a head coach in a regular season NBA game, the OBS ballers shout out some of the women who took over leadership roles in the ...
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A Few of Our Favorite Things! from 2020-12-31T03:00:14
The OBS is back on TDO Network on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 9 pm CT!
The OBS team is podcast-only this week, as they re-share three of their favorite segments from 2020. And from 2019...
Guitar Hero Messiah! from 2020-12-23T03:00:19
The OBS is podcast-only this week and the week of December 28. The team returns to TDO Network on Wednesday, January 6, with an all-new videocast as they say good riddance to 2020...
The ...
Roberta & Barbara & Harolyn & Kenneth (Overton). from 2020-12-18T03:00:19
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 3 min] This week… Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with baritone Kenneth Ov...
Keri-Lynn Wilson Storms the Bastille! from 2020-12-11T03:00:10
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 4 min] Maestro Keri-Lynn Wilson goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Oliver and g...
Gesamtkunst-rag! from 2020-12-04T04:18:04
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 4 min] Weston tackles on an overlooked opera and encourages the team to, e...
Pandemia Cornucopia! from 2020-11-25T16:22:42
[@ 2 min] The OBS side reaches into the Listener Mailbag for notes on their Gilbert and Sullivan episode...
[@ 11 min] During 'Chalk Talk', it’s Turkey Lurkey Time. Find out what each of ...
Lawrence Brownlee and Friends and Rivals! from 2020-11-20T04:00:21
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 3 min] It’s a classic NFC East match-up. Suiting up for Philadelphia, ten...
The Very Model of a Modern Opera Podcast! from 2020-11-13T17:27:45
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 3 min] This week, in ‘Chalk Talk’… Some of us could use something on the l...
Christine Goerke and other Nasty Women! from 2020-11-06T02:45:52
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 3 min] Firstly, the OBS team taped this week’s show on Monday November 2; ...
The Bootiful Benjamin Bernheim! from 2020-10-30T03:29:03
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network…
[@ 4 min] It’s our annual Hallowe’en Spooktacular this week… We talk terrify...
Capework and Eyebrows! from 2020-10-23T15:06:42
Wanna know what the OBS team looks like? Check out the video version of our show on The Dallas Opera Network...
[@ 3 min] On the show this week… Opera. Sports. Sports. Opera. Not as ...
The OBS on TDO! from 2020-10-21T13:43:17
Starting tonight, Wednesday, October 21st, Opera Box Score is joining The Dallas Opera Network. OBS? TDO? WTF? Alright, TDO Network brings a mixture of programming that educates, questions, and...
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Afton Battle: An Inequality-Eradicating Ice Princess! from 2020-10-14T03:21:28
[@ 4 min] In ‘Chalk Talk’, George, Oliver and Matt talk GOATs. (You know... Greatest. Of. All. Time.) In the aftermath of tennis GOAT Rafael Nadal’s victory in the French Open, we throw down on op...
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Rage Arias! from 2020-10-07T02:14:24
[@ 4 min] The OBS syndicate tackle a recent article in the 'Guardian' which argues that opera companies have been essential in making the return of live entertainment possible in the UK. How far m...
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Aaron Sheehan, Orpheus Americanus! from 2020-09-30T02:08:43
[@ 5 min] One season gone, another one announced. That’s the score at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for the ‘20 and ‘21 seasons. The OBS ballers dig into the plus/minus columns and take...
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Insisting on Justice: Garrett McQueen and the Notorious RBG! from 2020-09-23T02:41:03
[@ 3 min] The OBS bench honor a superhero who proved you can be as tough as a linebacker AND love opera. In ‘Chalk Talk’, the panel pays tribute to the late, great Notorious RBG...
[@ 20 ...
Brothers in Bel Canto! from 2020-09-16T02:54:35
It’s the first episode of Season Six! Thanks to all of you who talked to us, donated to us and listened to us over the past five years...
[@ 8 min] The OBS legion kick it off with a tag t...
The Fruits of Our Labor! from 2020-09-09T03:04:19
The OBS cohort wrap up Season 5 with a 'Best of..." show featuring highlights from the past year, including...
[@ 4 min] ...a tribute to Italian soprano Mirella Freni...
[@ 19 min...
Daniel Belcher is Royal-ty! from 2020-09-02T03:00:02
[@ 3 min] The OBS side go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with baritone and educator Daniel Belcher to talk about his training program for singers, and they ask him when exactly he last watched sports on TV......
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Fioritura... FOR YOUR LIFE! from 2020-08-26T15:48:55
[@ 3 min] Oliver and Matt go head to head in an early opera 'TKO'. Who will win out in the battle of the Orfei...?
[@ 44 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill,’ don’t believe everything you hear a...
Pop Culture, Op Culture! from 2020-08-19T18:04:28
[@ 3 min] The OBS lads go 'Inside the Huddle' with Alyssa Martin and Marcus Shields, two of the co-founders of OSSIA, the online production company that approaches opera with the same savvy as your...
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Effects Without Causes! from 2020-08-12T13:09:33
[@ 2 min] Matt Cummings launches a brand new segment, as he and the OBS dudes debate the merits of an overlooked classic opera…
[@ 43 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, Salzburg may be a litt...
La Pionera, Odaline de la Martinez! from 2020-08-05T14:26:36
[@ 4 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with the pioneering Cuban-American composer and conductor Odaline de la Martinez. Find out how Maestra Martinez has been toiling over decades to increase t...
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The Inner Game of Donna Anna with Amanda Woodbury! from 2020-07-29T15:05:30
[@ 5 min] Major League Baseball is back, sorta. The OBS Bloopers talk through the struggles baseball has faced, past and present, and what signs opera and classical music might steal from America’s...
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Cast Theo Hoffman as Pelléas! from 2020-07-22T03:05:43
[@ 5 min] This week in 'Chalk Talk', the reckoning begins. A-list artists called on the Richard Tucker Foundation to remove one of its board members after he made a series of racist comments on soc...
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Getting Our Fix with Joel Puckett! from 2020-07-15T03:35:22
[@ 3 min] Team OBS goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Joel Puckett, composer of Minnesota Opera’s production of “The Fix” (with a libretto by Eric Simonson) about the fraudulent 1919 Chicago White Sox t...
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America, Fach Yeah! [Vol. 2] from 2020-07-08T03:06:19
We keep the (American) Independence Day weekend party going - physically distanced, of course - with a trip into the archives. Join Matt, Weston and Ashlee (plus a little bit of Toby) for three Ya...
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A Gender-balanced Future with Elizabeth de Brito! from 2020-07-01T03:30:59
[@ 5 min] Wonder why all classical composers seem to be dead white men? Wonder where all the women are? Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with a champion of gender equality in classical music: Elizab...
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Stage Director Alison Moritz! from 2020-06-24T03:34:51
[@ 4 min] Stage director Alison Moritz joins George and Oliver ‘Inside the Huddle’ to talk about opera in the Era of Corona and of Uprising...
[@ 27 min] A Full House of the OBS team open ...
The Grace of Frederick Ballentine! from 2020-06-17T03:32:26
[@ 5 min] It’s the man of the hour, the courageous and graceful rising star tenor who has thrown the gauntlet down in his call to action for opera companies to start engaging more black artists *no...
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Black Lives Matter. from 2020-06-10T02:48:03
If this is the first episode you're hearing, welcome to the OBS. For everyone else, this episode will sound a little different. We're still the same show. We're going to get to the second part of o...
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The Digital Opera House! from 2020-06-03T21:30:35
[@ 3 min] The OBS-ers begin a three-part ‘Spring Training for Your Ears’ on Richard Strauss’ “Die Frau Ohne Schatten” with special guest panelist Harry Rose...
[@ 51 min] The team goes ‘In...
The End of Being a Young Artist with Emily Pogorelc and Justin Werner! from 2020-05-27T03:41:09
[@ 6 min] Alright, tonight… it’s a double-header ‘Inside the Huddle’ all about the end of the “young artist” stage of a singer’s career and the transition to management. We talk to American soprano...
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Michael Mayes! from 2020-05-20T03:48:25
[@ 5 min] The OBS gents play a 'Chalk Talk' double header with one of the most recognizable voices in opera podcasting. Baritone Michael Mayes joins the panel to discuss the content that companies...
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Russell Thomas! from 2020-05-13T03:36:35
[@ 5 min] Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Russell Thomas, one of the most sought-after tenors of his generation who specializes in the hardest-to-cast roles like Pollione in Bellini’s ‘Norma’,...
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Mother's Day Spectacular! from 2020-05-07T02:47:34
[@ 4 min] It’s our Mother’s Day Spectacular! Ashlee Hardgrave talks to seven artists and administrators who navigated partnership at parenting while at the top of their operatic game…
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Benedikt Kristjánsson! from 2020-04-29T03:27:37
[@6min] If you feel like you’ve been spending a lot of time alone, try singing all the parts of a Bach Passion by yourself. Creative consultant Oliver Camacho has an exclusive interview with the c...
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Nicholas Tamagna! from 2020-04-22T03:10:30
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Nicholas Tamagna, the American countertenor who recently triumphed in his debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Tamagna describes going from cover cast to starring a...
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Zachary James! from 2020-04-15T03:43:24
A singer described by Opera News as a “true stage animal,” the OBS ballers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American bass-baritone Zachary James to talk about starring in Philip Glass’s ‘Akhnaten’, bein...
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Lidiya Yankovskaya Returns! from 2020-04-08T03:27:27
Lidiya Yankovskaya returns! The highly sought after conductor has already had a whirlwind season with world premieres at the Prototype Festival, Minnesota Opera, and with one of our hometown teams,...
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John Taylor Ward! from 2020-04-01T03:32:33
Which soprano sang more than eighty different roles, spinning out long phrases in operas ranging from Salome to Norma? Find out when Matt makes his next pick for the OBS ‘Hall of Fame’... But first...
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Crisis Season! from 2020-03-25T04:00:57
Zach Finkelstein of middleclassartist.com 'Crunches the Numbers' with George on the metrics of Force Majeure clauses in the many contracts that are being cancelled in the wake of COVID-19... But fi...
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Cancellation Season! from 2020-03-18T02:26:56
The OBS crew take social distancing a little too literally, as it’s just George live in-studio, with the rest of the team calling in with their personal stories as to how Coronavirus is affecting t...
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Priti Gandhi! from 2020-03-11T01:36:54
The OBS crew go 'Inside the Huddle' with multi-operatic-hyphenate Priti Gandhi of Minnesota Opera about her most recent role as mover, shaker, and Chief Artistic officer... In ‘Chalk Talk’, Operala...
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Voice Wrecker! from 2020-03-04T04:20:44
Enigma Chamber Opera hit the ground running earlier this year with a new production of Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw” in Boston. Artistic director Kirsten Cairns and tenor Matthew DiBattista joi...
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Opera Up North! from 2020-02-25T22:25:43
The 2020 season announcements are coming in fast and furious. George and Weston take a deep dive into the recently announced line-up at Opera North in England and take another deep dive at Washingt...
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Opera So White! from 2020-02-19T02:53:34
Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera have announced their 2020-2021 seasons, and the OBS guys are happy to declare that progress is being made… But first, classical music’s racial dive...
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Marnie Breckenridge & Remembering Mirella Freni! from 2020-02-12T03:30:43
The OBS-ers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American soprano Marnie Breckenridge, a darling of the contemporary opera circuit starring in the world premiere of Tapestry Opera’s "Jacqueline" in Toronto ...
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Royce Vavrek! from 2020-02-04T19:56:28
The OBS gents go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrek, creator of such works as "Breaking the Waves", "Dog Days", and "JFK"... How should we be selling opera for ...
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Stage Director Jennifer Williams! from 2020-01-29T03:58:42
We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with stage director Jennifer Williams, an artist who’s created numerous immersive and site-specific opera productions. Plus, we recap the winners and near-misses at last n...
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Elmo and the 24 Italian Arias! from 2020-01-22T03:13:06
In ‘Chalk Talk’, it’s an MLK celebration with a closer look at three notable artists: a composer, a singer and a director... A recent article from the 'Daffodil Perspective', a website that champio...
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Tamara Wilson! from 2020-01-15T02:38:37
American soprano Tamara Wilson joins Oliver and Weston 'Inside the Huddle' via phone from Texas, where she headlines in Houston Grand Opera’s upcoming production of Verdi's "Aida"… It’s a 'Chalk Ta...
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Karim Sulayman! from 2020-01-07T22:31:13
The OBS knuckleheads go 'Inside the Huddle' with last year’s Grammy Award winner for Best Classical Vocal Solo album, Lebanese-American tenor Karim Sulayman... In 'Chalk Talk', the hosts handicap t...
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The Show of the Decade! from 2020-01-01T04:51:12
Tonight... We go 'Inside the Huddle' with soprano Elyse Kakacek to talk about her new album "Untethered". We’ll also get her take on the highlights and lowlights from Operaland over the past year.....
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Happy Holidays from OBS! from 2019-12-24T19:15:23
Wherever you are, however you're listening, however you celebrate the holidays, do it with light, with love and with opera!
The OBS-ers are back on Monday December 30 at 9 pm CT for the Be...
A Very Special Special! from 2019-12-18T04:11:47
Team OBS bids farewell and good riddance to OBS co-founder and co-host Tobias Wright. They talk with Tobias about his career change, watch with horror as he inducts himself into the OBS Hall of Fa...
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Annie Rosen Returns! from 2019-12-11T04:14:05
The OBS lads go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen, who just finished a run of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” at the Metropolitan Opera. They talk to her about performing in HD ...
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Kanye Dig It?! from 2019-12-04T04:10:48
Rapper Kanye West’s opera premiered in Hollywood a few weeks ago. The OBS crew are joined by guest co-host K. F. Jacques to take a closer look into the piece itself and if the harsh critical recept...
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Thankful for Jessye! from 2019-11-27T21:50:48
It’s a Thanksgiving 'Chalk Talk'! The OBS-ers share what they’re grateful for in Operaland just in time for Turkey Day... But first, it’s a very special 'HOF' from Matt, where he brings you a long ...
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Clay Hilley! from 2019-11-20T05:58:16
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Clay Hilley who is quickly becoming known to Lyric Opera of Chicago audiences singing Father Grenville in Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking”. The American heldent...
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David T. Little! from 2019-11-12T23:49:23
The OBS crew go ‘Inside the huddle’ with composer David T. Little, whose works have been hailed by the 'New York Times' as “proving beyond any doubt that opera has both a relevant present and a bri...
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Soloman Howard! from 2019-11-06T14:41:48
American bass Soloman Howard, winner of the 2019 Marian Anderson Vocal Award, joins the OBS crew 'Inside the Huddle' to talk about leading the way as a black artist at the apogee of American opera....
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Lindsay Metzger Goes To Haymarket! from 2019-10-23T04:29:39
Team OBS goes 'Inside the Huddle' with American mezzo-soprano Lindsay Metzger, asking about her upcoming appearance in Haymarket Opera Company’s production of “The Dragon of Wantley"... Opera Ameri...
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Beverly Sills in the HOF! from 2019-10-16T04:25:05
As LA Opera comes to terms with the Plácido Domingo scandal, the tenor seems to be doing just fine in Europe. The OBS-ers try to figure out why that is, in 'Chalk Talk'... The newest co-host makes ...
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COT, ALANA, FTW! from 2019-10-09T03:49:30
The OBS crew join the ‘Hometown Team’ and chat live in-studio with Ashley Magnus, the General Director of Chicago Opera Theater... In ‘Chalk Talk’, the panel walks you through an article in the “Wa...
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James Darrah & Remembering Jessye Norman! from 2019-10-02T04:32:11
An OBS duo remembers Jessye Norman, who died Monday at age 74, going through some of their favorite performances from the famed soprano to talk about what makes her great... Oliver goes 'Inside the...
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OBS at O19! from 2019-09-26T03:57:07
Oliver and Tobias return from a weekend at Festival O19 at Opera Philadelphia. You’ll get their hot takes on the shows they saw, plus testimonials from audience members that our boys tackled in the...
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Samuel Hasselhorn! from 2019-09-18T03:07:49
The OBS-ers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with the Samuel Hasselhorn, with the German baritone talking to Oliver about winning the Queen Elizabeth competition and what it's like to have a Fest contract at...
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Anthony Roth Costanzo! from 2019-09-10T19:28:59
Season 5 starts with Oliver going ‘Inside the Huddle’ with the star of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Philip Glass’s “Akhnahten”, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo... American soprano Kat...
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Marisol Montalvo! from 2019-08-28T02:49
The three-hour epic season finale concludes! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-hou...
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OBS Scout Report! from 2019-08-21T02:31:49
The three-hour epic season continues! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop last week, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-...
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Patricia Racette! from 2019-08-14T03:37:53
The three-hour epic season finale begins! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-hour r...
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Michelle DeYoung! from 2019-08-07T02:29:49
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with two-time Grammy award winner mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung.... But first, in ‘Chalk Talk’, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton blends her musical activities with frankl...
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Conductor Gary Thor Wedow! from 2019-07-31T03:41:44
It's an exclusive interview with Thor! Conductor Gary Thor Wedow, that is. Oliver goes 'Inside the Huddle' with the God of Thunder - or at least the orchestra pit - to talk about what young singers...
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Know Your Summer Festivals! from 2019-07-23T17:47:54
The summer festival road trip continues as the OBS yobs gatecrash the Glyndebourne Festival in England... 'Pop Quiz' returns, as Matt tests the collective brainpower (some would say brain freeze) o...
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Team OBS vs. The Millennials! from 2019-07-16T18:42:50
Team OBS has a brand new pick for the OBS Hall of Fame. What composer will Weston induct into these hallowed halls…? But first, Tobias talks millennials. How do these kids feel about opera? (Wait, ...
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Road Trip to Ravinia! from 2019-07-10T02:48:44
The OBS crew are joined live in studio by Molly Sender, Administrative Director of Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, the summer conservatory at America’s oldest summer music festival. They talk to...
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Christopher Lowrey! from 2019-07-03T03:57:30
Creative Consultant Oliver Camacho goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American countertenor Christopher Lowrey to discuss the moment Lowrey knew he wanted to be a countertenor, to find out who discovere...
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K. F. Jacques! from 2019-06-25T18:46:10
The OBS lads go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with opera baritone and Hip-Hop producer and performer K. F. Jacques. He tells them about what it took to fuse two musical genres into something totally unique....
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Em?ke Baráth! from 2019-06-19T03:59:36
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with rising star Em?ke Baráth, fresh from her triumph in the Boston Early Music Festival’s production of Steffani's "Orlando Generoso". Find out why the young Hungar...
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Lucia Lucas! from 2019-06-12T03:47:17
The OBS team goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American baritone Lucia Lucas. She sang the title role in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at Tulsa Opera last month... Weston ‘Crunches the Numbers’, critiquing...
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Andrew Jorgensen for President! from 2019-06-05T02:21:30
The OBS puckheads go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis General Director Andrew Jorgensen, tearing him away from watching the Saint Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Final to discus...
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Santa Fe BBQ! from 2019-05-25T03:21:33
The OBS layabouts leave work early for Memorial Day, but not before giving you a micro-episode examining Santa Fe’s new opera initiative. They look at three world premieres and find out why it pay...
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Wow, a BEMF Preview! from 2019-05-15T04:10:16
The OBS goobers get an early start on their Summer Festival Road Trip: first stop is a nerdapalooza for all you early music fans... Weston is anything but modest as he inducts another composer int...
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Spring Training For Your Ears! from 2019-05-08T04:17:18
With the 2018-2019 season winding down, but the summer festivals are yet to begin, things are a little quiet in Operaland. But don’t worry, the OBS guys are here to get loud, with a show featuring...
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We Are The Champions! from 2019-04-30T21:28:20
The OBS schmucks celebrate their appearance at last week's TRIVIAta event with a triple-header showcasing some of their best segments from the past season... Matt is hazed with trivia questions in ...
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The One With The Trivia Clues! from 2019-04-24T03:10:25
The OBS over-achievers try to figure out how to sell opera to audiences in the twenty-first century... But first, they tackle the issue of racial inequality and the underrepresentation of minoriti...
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Good Call, Bad Call! from 2019-04-17T03:16:29
George has a good call on two upcoming opera events, and a bad call from the Monday April 15 episode of OBS...
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Huang Ruo! from 2019-04-09T21:26:57
The OBS clowns go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with composer Huang Ruo, who wrote “An American Soldier”, seen at Opera Theater of St. Louis last year. You’ll hear about his life in both his native China an...
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Guaranteed Money! from 2019-04-03T03:09:03
The OBS fools go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with tenor Zach Finkelstein about what the business side of being an opera singer is really like. Is it a bad April Fool’s Day joke to think you can be a full ...
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Kill Your Darlings! from 2019-03-26T22:51:57
Opera America has released its list of the 25 most performed operas in the US during the 2017-2018 season. The OBS jerks take a deep dive into the rankings to see if there are any surprises... Th...
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Iestyn Davies! from 2019-03-20T02:58:28
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with countertenor Iestyn Davies, who just finished a run of Handel’s “Ariodante” at Lyric Opera of Chicago, having recently been on Broadway in the play “Farinelli a...
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Title Bout! from 2019-03-13T03:11:07
The OBS idiots ask "Huh? Are supertitles distracting?" In ‘Chalk Talk’, they figure out how opera companies can let the audience know what’s happening onstage... It’s a Parisian edition of 'Crun...
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The Infallible Doug Dodson! from 2019-03-06T02:59:27
The OBS goofballs reach into their ‘Listener Mailbag’ and pull out Doug Dodson! That’s right, you'll hear the creator of the Dodson Scale™ himself talk about the importance of diversity in opera, ...
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The Met Rallies on the Dodson Scale™! from 2019-02-27T03:35:16
It’s a ‘Chalk Talk’ double header, as George, Oliver and Tobias take a look at the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-2020 season and run it through the Dodson Scale™. Find out if the Met can set a new hig...
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Jordan Rutter and Shirley Verrett! from 2019-02-19T19:40:56
The guys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with countertenor Jordan Rutter, who’s currently performing in Chicago Opera Theater’s new production of “The Scarlet Ibis”. What's it feel like for a singer from F...
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Witches, B*tches, and Divas! from 2019-02-12T21:46:40
The boys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Christina Pecce to talk about her new one-woman show “Witches, Bitches, and Divas!”... In ‘Chalk Talk’, the team wonders if opera needs to hang onto th...
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Bass Adrian Sâmpetrean! from 2019-02-06T03:15:43
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with bass Adrian Sâmpetrean, talking about what it takes to be a Romanian singer performing around the world, and what happens when you try to sing outside your comf...
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Out of the closet and Onto the podium! from 2019-01-30T03:23:05
The OBS crew go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Alexandra Enyart. An orchestra and opera conductor, Alex serves as Music Director for Thompson Street Opera Company where she chartered “Faulty Systems”, a...
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Alexa, play opera song! from 2019-01-22T20:07:50
The guys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Elena Villalón who placed first in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions Central region last weekend... Last Friday Chicago Opera Theater a...
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Stage Director Greg Eldridge! from 2019-01-16T04:16:51
George goes 'Inside the Huddle’ with Australian director Greg Eldridge. Greg was the youngest director ever to join the Young Artist programme at the Royal Opera House, London, where he recently d...
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High Notes of 2018! from 2019-01-08T20:58:47
In a ‘Chalk Talk’ double header, George, Oliver and Weston look back at the opera highlights of 2018, from live performances and seminal recordings to major news stories and just plain ol' clickbai...
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Happy NYE from the OBS! from 2018-12-31T19:31:32
NYE wishes from OBS host George Cederquist with a preview of 2019's first show on January 7...
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Anthony Barrese Boycotts Facebook! from 2018-12-12T04:13:44
The guys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with conductor Anthony Barrese. The recipient of the 2007 Georg Solti Foundation U.S. award for young conductors, he's currently preparing for two shows at Opera So...
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Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen! from 2018-12-04T20:11:36
The OBS boys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen, a winner of multiple singing competitions and a former ensemble member at the Semperoper in Dresden. She talks about how op...
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Conductor Michael Christie! from 2018-11-28T04:12:47
The OBS boys are joined by conductor Cathy O'Shaughnessy as a guest co-host and go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with conductor Michael Christie. At Minnesota Opera, Christie led 24 productions over six sea...
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Wealth Inequality = Fewer Sopranos! from 2018-11-21T02:50
A recent article by E.J. Roller on the Vox website argues that “if students want to pursue the arts, they may be accepted to an arts program without a scholarship and find themselves $200,000 in de...
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Ailyn Pérez! from 2018-11-14T05:44
The OBS boys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Ailyn Pérez, who was just named a 2019 ‘Opera News’ Awards Honoree… The guys play ‘Monday Evening Quarterback’ on last week’s productions of Wagner...
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The Best of 'Inside the Huddle'! from 2018-11-06T23:36:50
Weston Williams leads a look back at some of our favorite ‘Inside the Huddle’ segments, with interviews of three very different, but equally fascinating, opera artists… As Chicago Opera Theater pr...
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Paul Curran and the Tale of the Boy Who Sang Alone! from 2018-10-31T04:02:19
The boys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with stage director Paul Curran, who's currently directing Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta” at Chicago Opera Theater. They start by asking Paul about his take on this Russia...
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We'll Never Be Royals! from 2018-10-24T04:00
In a recent article in the ‘Daily Telegraph’ newspaper in London, Royal Opera House chief executive Alex Beard said the inclusion of the word “royal” in the name of his company is quote off-putting...
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Heidi Waleson & the Rise and Fall of City Opera! from 2018-10-17T03:26:20
The OBS boys go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with writer Heidi Waleson. She’s been the opera critic at the Wall Street Journal for twenty five years, and is the author of “Mad Scenes and Exit Arias: The De...
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Alexandra Bork! from 2018-10-09T18:14:41
Oliver and George go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Alexandra Bork, a gender non-conforming soprano who's just returned to the US after working in the storefront opera scene in the UK... In the ‘Two Minu...
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John Brancy and Peter Dugan! from 2018-10-02T18:37:38
Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan go 'Inside the Huddle' with OBS creative consultant Oliver Camacho to discuss their tour of “A Silent Night”, an homage to this year’s centenary of the ...
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OBS Hall of Fame: Atonal Edition! from 2018-09-25T22:07:22
Weston inducts another composer into the OBS Hall of Fame... In ‘Chalk Talk’, the OBS boys celebrate opening night of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2018 season by looking at future programming initiati...
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Il catalogo è questo! from 2018-09-19T04:17:29
Oliver plays ‘Monday Evening Quarterback’ on Orlando di Lasso’s “Lagrime di San Pietro” seen at Ravinia last week... the OperaWire website reports that soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs was recently ...
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Dammi i colori! from 2018-09-12T01:51:56
Tenor and visual artist Luther Lewis goes ‘Inside The Huddle’ with the OBS team. Luther is part of “Illustrations”, a gallery exhibition and concert which celebrates the contributions of African-A...
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Opera World Cup Recap & John von Rhein Review! from 2018-09-04T19:48:56
Despite promising to take Labor Day off, the OBS boys can't stay away from the mics... Enjoy a recap of the interview with John von Rhein, who recently retired as the Chicago Tribune’s classical m...
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Leave RBG out of this! from 2018-08-28T19:46:36
The world’s most famous countertenor, David Daniels, and his husband, conductor Scott Walters, have been accused of drugging and violently raping another opera singer. In a ‘Chalk Talk’ double hea...
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John von Rhein! from 2018-08-21T17:45:02
John von Rhein, who recently retired as the Chicago Tribune’s classical music critic, joins the show live via phone ‘Inside the Huddle’ with his highlights and lowlights from over forty years of at...
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Family Ties! from 2018-08-15T03:32:48
Oliver Camacho returns from a father and son-in-law concert at the Ravinia Festival for a double-header ‘Monday Evening Quarterback’ review... Matt Cummings offers up a family feud style ‘Pop Quiz...
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Million Dollar Baton! from 2018-08-07T16:52:46
An annual report by arts consultant Drew McManus shows that the average compensation for the music directors of sixty four American ensembles has topped $600k for the first time ever. The OBS boys...
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The Bernstein 100! from 2018-07-31T16:40:33
Matt Boresi returns as a guest co-host to help celebrate Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday. Hear the team's favorite clips from the best of Bernstein and get an inside look at 'Mass', performed l...
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Glimmerglass! OBS Hall of Fame Vol. 5! from 2018-07-24T19:52:52
This week, the team takes the road trip to Cooperstown! Go 'Inside the Huddle' with Glimmerglass Festival's Christopher Powell and find out about the podcast "Breaking Glass", which explores social...
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The OBS Summer Opera Festival Road Trip Begins! from 2018-07-17T17:59:16
We kick off the OBS tour of America’s summer opera festivals. Over July and August, we’ll take you to our favorite locations to hear opera and sweat at the same time. We start by going off the be...
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Opera World Cup! from 2018-07-10T15:56:58
Tonight… We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with tenor Jonathan Zeng, who’s currently singing the role of Edwin in Chicago Folks Operetta’s production of Emmerich Kálmán’s “The Csárdás Princess”. Find out...
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America, Fach Yeah! from 2018-07-04T03:24:36
Tonight, in a ‘Chalk Talk' double-header, we get you ready for Independence Day by honoring America and its contributions to opera, looking in-depth at the works and artists we think are uniquely “...
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OBS Hall of Fame Vol. 4! from 2018-06-26T21:20:27
Tonight… Creative Consultant Oliver Camacho walks you down the hallowed corridors of the ‘OBS Hall of Fame’. Find out which opera singer’s picture he’ll tack to the wall in Studio Two, next to pa...
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OBS Hall of Fame Vol. 3! from 2018-06-19T23:59:23
Tonight... Tobias Wright walks you down the hallowed corridors of the OBS Hall of Fame with a look at the life and recordings of one of his favorite opera singers…
But first, it’s that ti...
OperaWire’s Santosh Venkataraman! from 2018-06-12T16:15:05
Tonight, in 'Chalk Talk'... Our guest is Santosh Venkataraman, a frequent contributor to the OperaWire website. We talk with him about diversity in all parts of the American opera house, and we g...
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OBS Hall of Fame Vol. 2! from 2018-06-05T18:55:38
Tonight… The first living singer to be inducted into 'The OBS Hall of Fame' is a beloved American soprano? Find out from Matt Cummings who receives this inimitable honor...
But first… S...
OBS Hall of Fame Vol. 1! from 2018-05-22T16:18:20
We introduce our new segment ‘The OBS Hall of Fame’, in which one of our team shares stories and clips about the ways in which one artist -- or one opera -- changed their life. Weston Williams kic...
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DJ Jazzy John (Holiday)... A Countertenor! from 2018-05-16T03:25:47
Tonight, it’s a ‘Chalk Talk’ double header. Our team responds to a recent article in ‘The New Yorker’ magazine on African-American countertenor John Holiday. And then, we look at why one of Brita...
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Soprano Madison Leonard! from 2018-05-09T03:09:24
Soprano Madison Leonard, a winner of the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, joins George, Tobias and guest co-host Catherine O'Shaughnessy 'Inside the Huddle' to talk through her b...
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Old Recordings, Older Costumes! from 2018-05-02T04:55:37
Creative consultant Oliver Camacho goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with costume designer Meriem Bahri. Find out how the French biologist went from academia to being Haymarket Opera Company’s secret weapo...
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Jakub Józef Orli?ski! from 2018-04-24T20:44:27
Facebook Live sensation Jakub Józef Orli?ski joins Oliver ‘Inside the Huddle’ to talk about how a video of the Polish countertenor went viral, and about just WHO is in charge of writing the ornamen...
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Angela Mortellaro! from 2018-04-18T02:58:11
Soprano Angela Mortellaro joins us ‘Inside the Huddle’ live by phone. She’s currently singing two roles in the Donizetti double bill which opened at Chicago Opera Theater last week. We ask her ab...
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John Legend (Opera) Superstar?! from 2018-04-11T02:21:42
It shocked people when it opened on Broadway in 1971. By 2014, the Catholic Church was blessing productions of it. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" opens at ...
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Our International Opera Awards predictions! from 2018-04-03T16:24:58
It’s that time of year again... Brackets have been filled out across the country. Upsets abound. Fans are going crazy. It’s the International Opera Awards, of course. The OBS team breaks down ...
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Paul Appleby! from 2018-03-27T20:35:58
He’s sung Mozart, Stravinsky, and Handel in the world’s major opera houses. He’s given recitals at Carnegie Hall and London’s renowned Wigmore Hall, and has just made his debut with the Chicago Sy...
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The Showdown in Midtown! from 2018-03-20T18:28:45
Tonight in ‘Chalk Talk’: the gloves are off as James Levine sues Peter Gelb and the Metropolitan Opera for defamation and breach of contract. We’ll get you up to speed on the “Face Denter at Linco...
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Gregory Spears & Andrew Stenson! from 2018-03-13T18:27:20
It’s a triple header from Lyric Opera of Chicago... Composer Gregory Spears joins us live via phone. With librettist Greg Pierce, he created the opera ‘Fellow Travellers’. Find out why the two G...
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Chicago Opera Theater Breaks The Dodson Scale™! from 2018-03-06T20:08:04
We take an inside look at Chicago Opera Theater’s 2018-2019 season announcement, and we score it on the Dodson Scale™. Will COT make it into the plus points column...?
But first, the Bost...
Bravx to Tulsa Operx! from 2018-02-27T20:25:02
Matthan Black – a familiar voice on our show – is back in Chicago for a spell, visiting from New York City, where he now resides. He fills us in on what’s happening in small-scale and storefront o...
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Anthony Clark Evans and the Olympics of the Tiny Muscles! from 2018-02-20T20:11:22
Tonight, Oliver and Tobias go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with baritone Anthony Clark Evans. The 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World main prize finalist is currently singing the role of Riccardo in Belli...
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Librettist Mark Campbell! from 2018-02-13T20:23:34
Librettist Mark Campbell joins us 'Inside the Huddle' live via phone. His latest collaboration with composer Kevin Puts is the opera “Elizabeth Cree”, currently playing at Chicago Opera Theater. ...
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Super Bowled! from 2018-02-07T01:04:19
Weston, Tobias and Matt react to Sunday’s Super Bowl (where a backup quarterback stepped in for an injured QB to win the game) by talking about singers who have stepped in last minute and won over ...
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What Doesn't Plácido Domingo Do?! from 2018-01-31T03:39:19
Our ‘Fantasy Fachball’ segment returns! Tobias and Cummings each pick a tenor to battle it out in an excerpt from Gounod’s “Faust”...
But first, we take a closer look at the recent season...
The Countertenor Who Sang Strauss! from 2018-01-23T21:55:16
Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen returns to the show, live by phone from Houston. We ask him about his work at Houston Grand Opera, and his life post-Hurricane Harvey...
And then, in ‘Ch...
Game-changing Operas! from 2018-01-16T18:24:13
Tonight, we reach into our Listener Mailbag, answering the question: “What would be the handful of operas, from the nineteenth century to the present, that you would consider the most representativ...
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...And We're Back! Plus Janai Brugger! from 2018-01-09T19:53:53
Tonight, Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with soprano Janai Brugger, who is currently singing the role of Liu in Puccini’s “Turandot” at Lyric Opera of Chicago...
But first, Weston William...
OBS turns 100! from 2017-12-20T05:06:03
We celebrate one hundred, count ‘em, one hundred episodes of America’s Talk Radio Show About Opera. Our whole team will be on the air, plus we bring back past co-host Giovanna Jacques...
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We Wish You a Jessye Norman! from 2017-12-12T20:23:32
Tonight the OBS team gets you ready for the holidays. We reveal some of our favorite holiday opera recordings and share a few things from our Christmas lists...
But first, the biggest sto...
Michael Rice in the house! (James Levine out of it!) from 2017-12-05T21:55:46
Operaland was rocked over the weekend when allegations of sexual abuse were leveled against famed conductor James Levine. Michael Rice, the disgraced Godfather of opera podcasting (wait, sorry, th...
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Dima, ya vas lyublyu! from 2017-11-28T20:10:59
We look back at the career of Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky who died last week at the age of 55, and we take a closer look at the vocal technique of phrasing, for which Dima was so famous......
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That's Gratitude For You! from 2017-11-21T19:08:08
The OBS gets you ready for Thanksgiving! George and Matt share the music, composers, singers, directors and traditions that they’re thankful for. Pass the Pepto...
And it’s the ‘Two Minu...
The Case of the High A Above High C! from 2017-11-15T04:08:49
In the ‘Hometown Team', Oliver hosts Alex Enyart, conductor of Chicago Fringe Opera’s upcoming production of “As One”, a chamber opera with a transgender protagonist...
Then, Oliver and Ma...
Burke & Hare & Dubrovsky & Menotti! from 2017-11-07T20:50:51
Composer Julian Grant joins us live via phone! He’s part of the team behind “The nefarious, immoral but highly profitable enterprise of Mr. Burke and Mr. Hare”, a world premiere chamber opera at B...
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Hallowe'en Spooktacular! from 2017-10-31T18:33:56
Well, it’s that time of year again: Gruesome masks. Screams of horror. Death by chocolate. It’s National Opera Week! A special welcome to all our listeners who are supporters of Opera America, ...
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Fantasy Fachball with Professor John M. Clum! from 2017-10-24T18:16:58
John M. Clum, Professor Emeritus of Theater Studies and English at Duke University, joins George and Oliver 'Inside the Huddle'. Professor Clum has written nine books about theater and staging. H...
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The Kids Are Alright! from 2017-10-17T19:33:38
Stage director Amy Stebbins and composer Hauke Berheide are working on a new piece for children called “Einar hat einen Vogel”. They talk about what you need to remember when you’re writing for ki...
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Justin Kim & Sor Juana! from 2017-10-11T01:20:30
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with countertenor Justin Kim. The Korean-American has established himself as one of the most sought-after countertenors of his generation, having already collaborat...
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Season 3 Starts Now! from 2017-10-03T20:50:07
New OBS co-host Matt Cummings joins the show tonight! (Don't worry, Tobias Wright'll be back...)
George re-introduces you to Matt... by humiliating him in our ‘Pop Quiz’ segment...
Haymarket Opera & The Flourishing Baroque! | 25.ix.17 from 2017-09-26T18:52:50
Haymarket Opera Company's fall production is Marin Marais's 1696 opera “Ariane et Bachus”. In 'Hometown Team', Haymarket's Artistic Director Craig Trompeter joins soprano Kimberly McCord live in s...
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Top Picks for the Fall Opera Season! | 18.ix.17 from 2017-09-19T18:41:02
The fall opera season is just around the corner, with San Francisco Opera, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Washington National Opera getting things going this week. Our team reveals the shows...
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Douglas Williams and Oh-Seventeen! | 11.ix.17 from 2017-09-12T18:17:19
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with bass-baritone Douglas Williams. His physically dynamic performances have led him to collaborations with Mark Morris, Sasha Waltz, and Barbara Hannigan, among o...
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Lidiya Yankovskaya! | 28.viii.17 from 2017-08-29T02:38:41
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Lidiya Yankovskaya, the newly appointed Music Director of Chicago Opera Theater. This exclusive half hour interview introduces you to a major player in the Chic...
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Kara Dugan! | 14.viii.17 from 2017-08-15T01:32:01
Mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Oliver. She’s a current Steans Vocal Fellow at Ravinia who just sang a premiere with the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas.....
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Family Reunion! | 7.viii.17 from 2017-08-08T21:18:50
It's a tearful reunion when Oliver and George swap stories about their summer escapes in Operaland, from the Midwest to the East Coast and beyond. Don't miss the highs and lows of our travels, fro...
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Northern Songs! | 31.vii.17 from 2017-08-01T13:20:49
Do you know where Petoskey, Michigan, is? Well, you will soon. George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Chris Ludwa, the Artistic Director of the Bay View Music Festival, the longest continuously ope...
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Fight Call! | 24.vii.17 from 2017-07-25T16:51:46
George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with fight choreographer Nick Gisonde. They talk about the philosophy behind onstage fighting and teach you how to do a realistic hair pull. Plus don’t miss when N...
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Berlin Returns! | 17.vii.17 from 2017-07-19T02:27:23
George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with mezzo-soprano Davia Bouley. She’s currently singing Carmen at the Bay View Music Festival in Michigan, but she’s based in Berlin. Davia and George talk about ...
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William Bolcom Returns! | 10.vii.17 from 2017-07-11T17:22:50
You get another chance to hear Oliver’s interview with Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, a countertenor who was one of the winners of this year’s National Council Auditions at the Metropolitan Opera, plus Geor...
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Matthew Polenzani Returns! | 26.vi.17 from 2017-06-27T21:00:49
It’s summer, and that means re-runs. For our new listeners, you might have missed two great interviews from the OBS archives. Tonight, you’ll get another chance to hear Oliver’s interview with su...
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Wales Is Lovely This Time Of Year! | 19.vi.17 from 2017-06-20T18:53:41
Tobias and George break down the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition which wrapped up on Sunday. They introduce you to some of competitors and talk you through the winners, so there w...
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Get In Shape For Summer! | 12.vi.17 from 2017-06-13T17:12:04
Guest co-host Matthan Black gets you ready for summer and becomes your personal trainer... for opera festivals. He talks about what productions are a must see...
But first, George recaps ...
Regula Mühlemann! | 5.vi.17 from 2017-06-06T18:38:40
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Swiss-born and -trained rising star soprano Regula Mühlemann to find out how to sing Mozart...
And, of course you get all your opera headlines, and our...
The Tom Waits Fach! | 22.v.17 from 2017-05-23T19:38:06
Returning to the OBS are stage director Amy Stebbins and composer Hauke Berheide, so you know this episode's discussions are going to be intelligent, thoughtful and informed. Hey, sometimes change...
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War and Peace: the Opera! (not Prokofiev's) | 15.v.17 from 2017-05-16T18:25:53
Daniel Grambow is the Artistic Director of the Floating Opera Ensemble in Chicago, where he's currently directing the company’s upcoming production of “War and Peace”, a composite opera about the F...
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Opera America conference! | 8.v.17 from 2017-05-10T02:18:49
We update you on all the news from the orgiastic Bacchanal that is the Opera America conference which took place in Dallas this past weekend...
But first, it's been a busy week at the Metr...
William Bolcom! | 1.v.17 from 2017-05-02T20:32:58
American composer William Bolcom joins George ‘Inside the Huddle’. They talk about Bolcom's career bridging the gap between popular and classical music, as well as his work with librettists Arnold...
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Opera Omnivores! | 24.iv.17 from 2017-04-25T21:05:42
It’s an evening of potluck on the OBS: Monday Evening Quarterback, a Listener's Letter, the Two Minute Drill, and the Home Team, all with George Cederquist, Oliver Camacho and Tobias Wright...
...
Opera Dads! | 17.iv.17 from 2017-04-18T20:00:19
Stage director and co-host of the Indie Opera podcast Walker Lewis joins us 'Inside the Huddle' to talk directing and being a dad...
And then, in our new segment called 'The Home Team', Gr...
The Home Team(s)! | 10.iv.17 from 2017-04-11T22:02:37
Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with tenor Scott Ramsay, who plays the role of Wilhelm Dantine in Chicago Opera Theater’s upcoming production of “The Perfect American” by Philip Glass. Get an insi...
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Opera on the Intrawebs! | 3.iv.17 from 2017-04-04T19:27:50
It’s a ‘Chalk Talk’ double header! George and Oliver discuss a new opera by Scott Joiner and Adam Taylor called “Connection Lost (L’opera di Tinder)”. Not only is the show about failed relationsh...
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Met Opera National Council Finals! | 27.iii.17 from 2017-03-28T18:10:07
Creative consultant Oliver Camacho goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen in Cohen’s first interview since being chosen as a winner of the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National ...
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Third Eye Theatre Ensemble! | 20.iii.17 from 2017-03-22T01:50:11
With WNUR off-line for renovations, what's an opera talk radio show to do? A podcast-only show, of course!
George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Rena Ahmed, the founder and artistic direct...
Julia Noulin-Mérat! | 13.iii.17 from 2017-03-14T21:27:47
George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with designer Julia Noulin-Mérat. She designed the production of Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” that opened last night at Boston Lyric Opera. They talk about t...
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OBS Announcer Norm Woodel! | 27.ii.17 from 2017-03-01T04:29:07
OBS announcer Norm Woodel joins us live in studio. We’ll talk sports, voiceovers, theater and hell, yeah, we’re gonna talk some opera. Don’t miss what book George asks him to read in his best ann...
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Stewart Copeland! | 20.ii.17 from 2017-02-21T20:54:49
George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with composer Stewart Copeland. His fifth opera, called ‘The Invention of Morel’, opened last week at Chicago Opera Theater. We talk sports, rock music and, of cou...
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Lyric Opera of Chicago: Season Preview! | 13.ii.17 from 2017-02-15T04:11:22
Director Amy Stebbins and composer Hauke Berheide join George ‘Inside the Huddle’ tonight. They’ve just returned to the US after a year in Germany, where projects included the world premiere of th...
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Sweet Home Chicago! | 6.ii.17 from 2017-02-07T21:05:26
Stewart Copeland’s opera "The Invention of Morel" opens at Chicago Opera Theater this month. Cast members Nathan Granner and Valerie Vinzant tell you why seeing this production will be the highlig...
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Next Season Already?! | 30.i.17 from 2017-02-01T04:08:21
Many of America’s big opera houses have released details of their 2017-2018 seasons: Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. George and Oliver tell you why these ...
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Kevin Newbury! | 23.i.17 from 2017-01-24T21:06:11
George goes 'Inside the Huddle' with director Kevin Newbury. They talk opera, pop culture and film-making...
In 'Chalk Talk', George gives you some of his Do's and Don't's for going to th...
Armageddon Special! | 16.i.17 from 2017-01-18T04:06:10
With President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this Friday, who knows if any of us will be around next Monday. So, we here at the OBS figured that if we don’t make it through the weekend, we mig...
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Prototype Festival! | 9.i.17 from 2017-01-11T04:09:22
In 'Chalk Talk', George, Oliver and Daina preview the fifth annual Prototype Festival in New York City, which brings the best of new opera-theater and music-theater to the public. Learn more about...
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The 2017 Preview! | 2.i.17 from 2017-01-03T19:30:29
George, Oliver and Tobias preview the productions and artists they're looking forward to seeing and hearing in 2017...
Plus you get all your opera headlines in 'The Two Minute Drill'...
26.xii.16 | Show No. 54 | 2016 in Review! from 2016-12-27T03:04:12
Day after Christmas? Hell, yeah, we have a show! But it's podcast-only!
Guest co-host Matthan Black joins George to talk about the best and worst of 2016. They take you through the year...
19.xii.16 | Show No. 53 | Holiday Special! [Part 3 of 3] from 2016-12-20T18:51:31
Tonight it’s the final installment of our three-part series listening to and talking about our favorite holiday pieces of classical music. Daina tells George what’s on her playlist...
But...
12.xii.16 | Show No. 52 | Holiday Special! [Part 2 of 3] from 2016-12-14T03:53:05
The holidays are here, and we’re continuing our three-part series listening to and talking about our favorite holiday pieces of classical music. Tonight, creative consultant Oliver Camacho tells u...
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5.xii.16 | Show No. 51 | Holiday Special! [Part 1 of 3] from 2016-12-06T19:17:50
The holidays have arrived, and here on the OBS we’re ready to celebrate. How? With a three-part series examining holiday operas, of course. Tonight, we take a closer look at Gian Carlo Menotti’s...
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28.xi.16 | Show No. 50 | Pre-party, after-party! from 2016-11-29T18:45:12
It's a special podcast-only show! Let the swearing begin!
In ‘Chalk Talk’, George and Oliver take a look at those events that happen before and after an opera performance: pre-show lectur...
21.xi.16 | Show No. 49 | Giving thanks & Talking turkey! from 2016-11-22T17:03:23
It’s a ‘Chalk Talk’ double-header tonight. In Part One, Tobias and Daina and George reveal what they’re each thankful for in opera; see if you’re thankful for the same things...
You get a...
14.xi.16 | Show No. 48 | WTF?! from 2016-11-15T18:54:26
Whether you’re surprised or not, Donald Trump has been elected President of these United States. What can opera teach us about why he won? And what is the future for opera under the Trump adminis...
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7.xi.16 | Show No. 47 | Fairy Queens & Baseball Kings! from 2016-11-08T20:38:57
Tonight, we go Inside the Huddle with tenor Scott Brunscheen and soprano Kimberly Jones. They're in Chicago Opera Theater's current production of Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen'. Hear what they have ...
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31.x.16 | Show No. 46 | Hallowe'en Spooktacular! from 2016-11-01T03:00:22
Guest producer Matthan Black is joined by creative consultant Oliver Camacho on our annual Hallowe'en show! Listen, if you dare, to the scariest music in the opera repertoire...
Then, be ...
24.x.16 | Show No. 45 | Kim Witman! from 2016-10-25T18:54:13
We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Kim Witman from Wolf Trap Opera. She joins us to talk opera stats, and to give her insider takes on young artist auditions...
But first, we talk to Brad Cal...
17.x.16 | Show No. 44 | Jay Hunter Morris! from 2016-10-18T18:47:43
If you’ve never heard a Heldentenor with a good ol’ boy East Texas accent, you haven’t lived. We go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with tenor Jay Hunter Morris. He’s currently rehearsing Jake Heggie’s opera...
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10.x.16 | Show No. 43 | Gimme a W! from 2016-10-13T03:15:03
This show is all-Wagner, all the time! In our ‘Chalk Talk’ segment, we talk about what makes Wagner, Wagner; and why his operas matter...
‘Monday Evening Quarterback’ revisits “Das Rheing...
3.x.16 | Show No. 42 | On the DL! from 2016-10-04T18:07:35
In 'Chalk Talk', George and Tobias reveal how opera singers get hurt. What happens to your performance that night, and what happens to your career the next day...?
'Monday Evening Quarter...
26.ix.16 | Show No. 41 | Season 2 starts now! from 2016-09-27T18:24:30
Welcome to Season 2 of America's talk radio show about opera!
George and Tobias DVR the first presidential debate and talk opera...
In our ‘Chalk Talk’ segment, we look at two sto...
19.ix.16 | Show No. 40 | Abbas & Freeman! from 2016-09-20T18:00:07
This week, George and Oliver are joined by stage director Rose Freeman and mezzo-soprano Marysa Abbas. (Abbas is also the Managing Diva of Opera on Tap's Chicago chapter.) We debate the ways in w...
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12.ix.16 | Show No. 39 | Back-to-School Special! from 2016-09-13T04:06:07
School is back in session, so we're heading back to school here on the OBS. Check out our 'Chalk Talk' segment, in which we tackle the Ins and Outs, the Pros and Cons, of undergraduate and graduat...
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5.ix.16 | Show No. 38 | Audition Nightmares! from 2016-09-06T04:12:22
Hell, yeah, we had a show on a national holiday. Mezzo-soprano and blogger Daina Fischer (www.agentlewoman.com) joins George and Tobias live in-studio for 'Inside the Huddle'...!
Then, in...
29.viii.16 | Show No. 37 | Yap, Yap, Yap! from 2016-08-30T04:50:17
This week Patrick Dean Shelton joins the show as a guest co-host. A recent graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, where he was a student of soprano Jane Eaglen, Patrick is currently a Prof...
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22.viii.16 | Show No. 36 | S&M! from 2016-08-23T04:07:05
This week we go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Nick Hayman, a stage manager from England who’s worked at the Royal Opera House, in the West End and on tour through the UK and US. Don’t miss what he has ...
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15.viii.16 | Show No. 35 | Cut(s)! from 2016-08-16T04:14:10
This week we tackle a perennial topic perfect for the dog days of summer: when and why to make cuts in an operatic score. Matthan Black joins Tobias and George live in-studio to discuss...
8.viii.16 | Show No. 34 | Olympics! from 2016-08-09T19:55:46
The Olympics have begun in Rio; here on the OBS, we follow suit and argue about Olympian feats of athleticism in singing...
Is it stamina? Is it hitting high notes? Is it volume...?
...
25.vii.16 | Show No. 33 | Happy Birthday Met in HD! from 2016-07-26T04:16:25
We go 'Inside the Huddle' and are joined live in-studio with guest co-host Dr. Kevin Byrne, an assistant professor of dramaturgy at the University of Arizona. We get him to explain, once and for a...
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18.vii.16 | Show No. 32 | War! from 2016-07-19T04:26:35
Giovanna Jacques is back state-side from her trip to France and Italy. She’ll give you the latest on opera and culture from continental Europe...
But first, it’s war on our ‘Chalk Talk’ s...
11.vii.16 | Show No. 31 | David John Pike! from 2016-07-12T04:38:43
We took Independence Day off, so we’ve got a loaded show for you this week. Oliver Camacho goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with baritone David John Pike, who talks about coaching the role of Scarpia from...
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27.vi.16 | Show No. 30 | Blood! from 2016-06-29T14:16:49
There's a new piece at LA Opera called 'Anatomy Theatre'. Set in the 1700s, it dissects – literally – the body and mind of a murderer. We examine the gross-out factor of this opera, and see how i...
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20.vi.16 | Show No. 29 | Erica Schuller! from 2016-06-21T04:20:36
This week we go “Inside the Huddle” with soprano Erica Schuller, an early music specialist. Find out about her specialized training in foot and hand positions and how it led her to become a star o...
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13.vi.16 | Show No. 28 | Summer Festivals! from 2016-06-14T04:39:24
Summer is finally here, and that means it’s time to get some sunscreen, a cold PBR, and some chips and salsa, and head to the nearest summer opera festival... Right?
On tonight’s show, we...
6.vi.16 | Show No. 27 | Conductors! from 2016-06-07T15:59:36
We go 'Inside the Huddle' with baritone Matthan Black. In addition to being a great singer, he’s also got his own arts podcast called 'Doing the Work'. And he’s our guest co-host for this episode...
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23.v.16 | Show No. 26 | The 2016 Opera Awards! from 2016-05-24T20:22:40
We run down the winners and losers of the 2016 International Opera Awards. Who stole the show, and who got robbed? You can see the full list of nominees on our website: operaboxscore.squarespace....
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16.v.16 | Show No. 25 | Nudity! from 2016-05-18T00:26:28
In our 'Chalk Talk' segment, we take a good, long, hard look at nudity in opera. Should singers be expected to take it all off? Hear what the Opera Box Score team would do...
Then, we go...
9.v.16 | Show No. 24 | Under/grad! from 2016-05-10T19:38:44
This show is the second part of a double header. Last week, on Show No. 23, we were joined by the world-famous tenor Matthew Polenzani. If you haven't heard that podcast yet, be sure to go back a...
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2.v.16 | Show No. 23 | Matthew Polenzani! from 2016-05-10T19:26:51
We go 'Inside the Huddle' with one of the most distinguished tenors of our generation. Matthew Polenzani gives us twenty minutes of his time. And what a time it was...
In 'Chalk Talk' we...
25.iv.16 | Show No. 22 | Diva! from 2016-04-27T03:34:09
On tonight’s show, we tackle the nastiest four-letter word in Operaland: “diva”. We break down what the word really means, examine what defines the stereotypical diva, and ask if such types really...
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18.iv.16 | Show No. 21 | Iain Bell! from 2016-04-20T02:52:48
We go Inside the Huddle with British composer Iain Bell. In addition to his symphonic and chamber works, as well as song cycles, he’s had great success in Europe and America with his two operas: '...
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11.iv.16 | Show No. 20 | Florida Man! from 2016-04-12T19:53:07
Co-host Tobias Wright is back from Florida where he’s been goofing around as part of the Sarasota Opera Young Artist Program. He tries to convince George that he’s actually furthered his career by...
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4.iv.16 | Show No. 19 | Germany! | [Bonus Episode] from 2016-04-04T23:46:39
It's a bonus episode in our series introducing you to opera in Germany!
George's guest is Kirsten Harms, the former Intendantin of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She’s now a freelance stage di...
28.iii.16 | Show No. 18 | Germany! | [Part 3 of 3] from 2016-03-29T13:45:49
It’s the third and final installment of our three-part series introducing you to the opera world of Germany. Last week, George took you around Germany’s smaller houses. Today he started in Heidel...
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21.iii.16 | Show No. 17 | Germany! | [Part 2 of 3] from 2016-03-21T21:51:25
George kicks off the second of a three-part series introducing you to the opera world in Germany. He goes to Meiningen, Weimar, Frankfurt and Darmstadt...
His guest is Stefan Umhey, a mul...
14.iii.16 | Show No. 16 | Germany! | [Part 1 of 3] from 2016-03-15T20:46:29
George launches his three-part series introducing you to the opera world of Germany. He'll take you around Berlin, he’ll take you to the provinces, and he’ll give you insights into the wild and wa...
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7.iii.16 | Show No. 15 | Opera vs. Musical Theater! from 2016-03-09T04:54:28
This week, Oliver talks to Catherine O’Shaughnessy, founder of Windy City Opera, to give you an inside look at Chicago's storefront opera scene...
But first, we investigate a story hot off...
29.ii.16 | Show No. 14 | The New Top Ten Composers! from 2016-03-01T19:22:50
On tonight’s show, George, Oliver and Giovanna talk you the through ten contemporary composers who have just been added to the “most-performed” list in The Opera Guide, the world’s definitive list ...
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22.ii.16 | Show No. 13 | Met Opera Season Preview! from 2016-02-23T20:23:09
This week, George and Oliver talk with conductor Anthony Barrese. He’s also the artistic director of Opera Southwest. We get his take on what pieces opera companies should be programming in order...
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15.ii.16 | Show No. 12 | English National Opera! from 2016-02-16T19:21:23
On tonight’s show, George takes you through the crisis brewing at English National Opera (ENO), London’s major opera house dedicated to performing opera in English. The Artistic Director has quit,...
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8.ii.16 | Show No. 11 | Chicago Opera Theater! from 2016-02-09T19:54:22
This week, it's a special hour-plus show!
We talk with soprano Emily Birsan, who is currently in Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" at Chicago Opera Theater. Our team reviews the show, as well a...
1.ii.16 | Show No. 10 | Music vs. Words! from 2016-02-02T18:44:30
Opera and musical theater librettist Matt Boresi is our guest co-host this week. We get his hot takes on how to write libretti, on the best new American librettists and on whether producing musica...
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25.i.16 | Show No. 9 | Opera Teen! from 2016-01-26T20:11:30
We hang out with Harry Rose, a.k.a Opera Teen, to get his insights about the next generation of opera-goers. Read more about Harry at https://operateen.wordpress.com.
Also, we talk about ...
18.i.16 | Show No. 8 | What, us elitist? from 2016-01-19T20:08
The Usual Gang of Idiots (George, Oliver and Giovanna) fight over the merits of Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2016-2017 season, and go on to shred a recent article about elitism in opera:
http:...
11.i.16 | Show No. 7 | Podcast. Opera. Podcast Opera! from 2016-01-12T19:12:41
In addition to our live radio show (every other Monday at 9 pm Central on WNUR 89.3 FM Chicago and wnur.org/popup), we now tape a podcast on the OTHER Mondays. And this is the first!
On th...
4.i.16 | Show No. 6 | Pearl Fishers & Prototypes! from 2016-01-05T22:41:44
Season 2 of the OBS begins with a bang! Oliver talks you through the Metropolitan Opera's new production of "The Pearl Fishers", while Giovanna tips you off to the best events at the Prototype Fes...
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7.xii.15 | Show No. 5 | Very Happy Merry! from 2015-12-12T05:58:36
Happy Holidays! With Giovanna out with the "stomach flu" (read: hung over), Oliver steps up to join George and Tobias with their Christmas lists for opera...
Plus, a multiple choice Pop Q...
23.xi.15 | Show No. 4 | Franksgiving! from 2015-12-12T05:56:20
Tobias is back from Florida! He joins George and Giovanna as they each talk about what they're thankful for in opera...
Plus, Giovanna schools everyone in Pop Quiz and Tobias gets to host...
9.xi.15 | Show No. 3 | Oliver "Macho" Camacho is live in-studio! from 2015-12-12T05:50:10
Special guest Oliver Camacho joins us to talk about micro-opera and the Alban Berg trend... but almost makes us lose our FCC license...
Plus, our Pop Quiz and TKO segments!
26.x.15 | Show No. 2 | National Opera Week! from 2015-12-12T05:41:14
We celebrate National Opera Week by not celebrating National Opera Week... Giovanna takes off all her clothes (on a radio show)...
Plus, Instant Replay, TKO and more!
12.x.15 | Show No. 1 | Death & Life & Death! from 2015-12-12T05:33:20
George investigates the death of Gotham Chamber Opera... Giovanna wonders if opera companies are finding new ways to tell old stories...
Plus, George gets to ask the questions for Pop Qui...
28.ix.15 | Show No. 0 | We. Are. Live! from 2015-12-12T05:16:13
After three pilot episodes, Opera Box Score goes live...
Your host George Cederquist, along with co-hosts Tobias Wright and Giovanna Jacques, all talk you through what you need to know abo...