Podcasts by Words First: Talking Text in Opera

Catherine Filloux and Writing Social Justice from 2022-02-14T09:00

Keturah interviews playwright and librettist, Catherine Filloux about her many works tackling social justice issues, as well as her work with Olga Neuwirth on the new opera, Orlando.

Ca...

Jennifer Cresswell and Kathleen Kelly on Writing Real Women from 2022-01-31T09:00

Keturah speaks with singer and librettist, Jennifer Cresswell, and conductor and librettist, Kathleen Kelly about the creation of their new work with Kamala Sankaram, Interstate.  They co-wrote ...

Max Hoehn and Opera21 from 2022-01-17T09:00

Keturah speaks with British Swiss director, translator, and librettist, Max Hoehn, about the development of his new opera laboratory: Opera21, and the state of new opera in Europe.

Max ...

Marella Martin Koch and the Genesis of Dolores from 2022-01-03T09:00

Keturah speaks with librettist, playwright, and director, Marella Martin Koch, who recently won the inaugural West Edge Opera Aperture commission, alongside her writing partner, composer Nicolas...

The Decameron Opera Coalition and the “Heroes” Project from 2021-12-20T09:00

Keturah speaks with librettists: Matt Boresi, Bilal Dardai, Briana Hunter, and Steve Wallace about the currently streaming “Heroes” with the Decameron Opera Coalition.  All, saving Matt, are new...

Taura Stinson and The Meaning Beyond The Rhyme from 2021-11-29T09:00

Keturah speaks with composer and lyricist, Taura Stinson, about her first foray into opera with “On The Edge,” composed by Laura Karpman for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis last season.  They also ...

Rinde Eckert and Changing Up the Wallpaper from 2021-11-15T09:00

Keturah speaks with multi-faceted composer, librettist, and performer, Rinde Eckert.  They discuss the state of opera today, how much it’s changed (or hasn’t), and Rinde’s recent works as a libr...

Deborah Burton and the Librettists of Puccini from 2021-11-01T09:00

Keturah interviews music theorist and Puccini expert, Deborah Burton, about the many librettists Puccini worked with throughout his career, with special emphasis on Giacosa and Illica, as well a...

Douglas Kearney and Poetry Both Seen and Heard from 2021-10-18T00:00

Keturah interviews Douglas Kearney, a renowned poet and librettist who is the inaugural recipient of the Campbell Libretto Prize through Opera America.  They talk about his work with Yuval Sharo...

Tony Asaro and The Path To Opera from 2021-10-04T09:00

Keturah speaks with Bay Area librettist and composer, Tony Asaro, about his work in musical theater, how he found opera, and the two operas he’s currently working on: Zheng, and The Halloween Tr...

Amanda Quaid and Adapting The Extinctionist from 2021-09-20T09:00

Keturah talks to playwright, librettist, and actor, Amanda Quaid about her left turn into writing opera libretti, and her new adaptation for Heartbeat Opera, The Extinctionist with Daniel Schlos...

Karen Chilton and the Kaleidoscopic Career from 2021-09-07T00:00

Keturah speaks with librettist, playwright, and actor, Karen Chilton, about her collaboration with Damien Sneed on THE TONGUE AND THE LASH at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for this year’s NEW WOR...

Nicolas Reveles and Writing Trauma from 2021-08-23T09:00

Keturah interviews composer and librettist, Nicolas Reveles, about some of his past work, as well as several upcoming pieces.  They end up talking about the physicality of trauma, a theme that s...

Rachel J. Peters asks “Where Are the Women?” from 2021-08-09T09:00

In this first episode of Season 3, Keturah interviews composer and librettist, Rachel J. Peters.  They discuss a number of her works, including the recently premiered STAGGERWING, composed by Li...

Crystal Manich, Ned Canty, Joseph Mechavich, and The Sounds That Move Us from 2021-05-31T09:00

In the final episode of the season, Keturah speaks with director, Crystal Manich, director and General Director of Opera Memphis, Ned Canty, and conductor, Joseph Mechavich, about three texts th...

Talking Diction with Stefano de Peppo and Kathryn LaBouff from 2021-05-17T09:00

In this episode, Keturah speaks with bass-baritone and Italian diction coach, Stefano de Peppo, as well as English diction coach, Kathryn LaBouff, about the importance of good diction.

...

Jacqueline Goldfinger and Alexandra Deshorties from 2021-05-03T09:00

Keturah begins the podcast with an interview with soprano, Alexandra Deshorties.  They start discussing Donizetti’s Roberto Devereaux, and move into Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, using each librett...

Lynn Nottage, William Burden, Poetry, Music, and Self-Adaptation from 2021-04-26T09:00

Keturah discusses two forms of adaptation in this episode.

Her first conversation is with tenor, William Burden, who chats with her about Igor Stravinsky and W.H. Auden’s adaptation of ...

Anthony Barrese and the Librettists of Rossini from 2021-04-19T09:00

Keturah puts together this episode from her space in San Diego, while out there working on The Barber of Seville for San Diego Opera.  Before the main interview, she shares short conversation wi...

Michael Mori, Robert Wesley Mason, and New Versus Contemporary from 2021-04-12T09:00

Keturah starts with a conversation with baritone, Robert Wesley Mason, about learning and performing the role of Jan in Royce Vavrek and Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking The Waves, based on the film by ...

Greg Pierce, Karen Kamensek, and Adapted Work from 2021-04-05T09:00

Keturah begins this episode speaking with conductor, Karen Kamensek, who talks to her about a moment in Verdi and Boito’s Otello that moves her.  They also talk about Falstaff, and the frustrati...

Mina Salehpour and Writing Strong Women from 2021-03-29T09:00

Iranian-German director and librettist, Mina Salehpour, is in the midst of her second opera with composer, Daniel Reza Sabzghabaei.  He’s just received an IDEA Grant from Opera America to help t...

Melissa Dunphy and Composing Politics from 2021-03-22T09:00

In this episode about politics and political figures in opera, Keturah starts with an excerpt from her interview with Director, Daniel Kramer, about Pat Nixon’s aria in John Adams and Alice Good...

Steven Osgood and Sokunthary Svay Speak About Composers And The Voice from 2021-03-12T09:00

Keturah begins this episode with an interview with conductor, and artistic and general director of Chautauqua Opera, Steven Osgood.  Steven has been the driving force behind the Composers and th...

Roberta Gumbel, Patrick Summers, and Singing About Family from 2021-03-08T00:00

In this episode, Keturah ponders the topic of familial protection in opera text, pointing out her recent viewing of Kamala Sankaram and Jerre Dye’s Taking up Serpents at Chicago Opera Theater, a...

Bryan Gilliam, Thaddeus Strassberger, and Jonathan Burton, and the Genius of Hofmannsthal from 2021-03-01T09:00

Keturah starts off this episode speaking to director, Thaddeus Strassberger, and tenor, Jonathan Burton, about Richard Strauss and Hugo Von Hofmannsthal’s Ariadne auf Naxos.

To continue...

Cerise Jacobs, Lillian Groag, and the Importance of the Story from 2021-02-22T09:00

Keturah speaks with librettist and producer, Cerise Jacobs, and director and playwright, Lillian Groag.  As Keturah says, “On the surface, these women couldn’t be more different, both in the typ...

Kelley Rourke and David Walker from 2021-02-15T09:00

Keturah begins this episode chatting with General Director of Palm Beach Opera and former countertenor, David Walker (https://pbopera.o...

Celebrating Gene Scheer with Jake Heggie, Leonard Foglia, and many others. from 2021-02-08T09:00

In this episode, Keturah speaks with singers, composers, and directors about the words and collaborative spirit of librettist, Gene Scheer.

In order of appearance:

Efrain Solis...

K.F. Jacques and the Brave Power of Crossing Genres from 2021-02-01T09:00

Keturah begins this episode chatting with baritone, Zachary Nelson (http://www.zacharynelsonbaritone.com/), who speaks with her about Mozart a...

Ricky Ian Gordon and Collaborating With Yourself and Others from 2021-01-25T00:00

Keturah speaks with Ricky Ian Gordon about how he collaborates with multiple composers, as well as compositions for which he has written the libretto.

The episode begins with clips from...

Richard Thomas, Eva Maria Westbroek, and the Allure of Anna Nicole from 2021-01-18T09:00

This episode begins with a short interview with Dutch soprano, Eva Maria Westbroek (https://www.evamariawestbroek.com/). She and Keturah talk abo...

Matt Boresi and Creating in Covid Times from 2021-01-11T09:00

We start out this episode with a short quip from Mezzo-soprano, Emily Fons, talking about not waiting for the ideal moment to create.  (https://www.emilyfons...

Talking About Words from 2021-01-04T09:00

Keturah starts her Second Season talking to a myriad of singers, conductors, and directors about how opera text affects them.

Sound bites from:

1. Joseph Mechavich