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Met Opera Guild Podcast

Metropolitan Opera Guild

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have the last of three episodes exploring how the operatic canon is being expanded, featuring Guild lecturer Matthew Timmermans. In this final episode, he will dive into how the Met’s production of foreign works such as Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and Britten’s Peter Grimes have expanded the boundaries of the canon.

This marks our final podcast episode of this season, but we will return on August 9 with a brand new season! Until then, make sure to follow The Metropolitan Opera Guild, Opera News, and The Metropolitan Opera on your favorite social media platforms to keep up to date on all things opera!

Ep. 224: Expanding the Canon Part III - Foreign Works

Today, we have the second of three episodes exploring how the operatic canon is being expanded, featuring Guild lecturer Matthew Timmermans. In this episode, he will dive into star-studded revivals
—looking at somewhat unknown operas that are often revived with all-star casts, such as Cherubini’s Medea and Giordano’s Fedora.

Ep. 223: Expanding the Canon Part II - Star-Studded Revivals

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have the first of three episodes exploring how the operatic canon is being expanded, featuring Guild lecturer Matthew Timmermans. In this first episode, he will dive into two new productions that have pushed the boundaries of the canon—Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Kevin Puts’s The Hours.

Ep. 222: Expanding the Canon Part I - New Works

On today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are delving into our archives to explore Die Zauberflöte with the late renowned music scholar Father Owen Lee. Die Zauberflöte is a sublime and magical fairytale full of mysticism, love, and humor. Listen to learn more about the opera’s fantastical drama and ethereal score.

Ep. 221: Talking About Opera on Die Zauberflöte

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are joined by lecturer Phillip Gainsley as he explores the music and drama of Don Giovanni. Based on the legend of Don Juan, Mozart’s masterpiece has remained on the operatic stage since its premiere in 1787 and has gone on to become a cultural behemoth, inspiring playwrights such as Peter Shaffer and other composers such as Liszt and Tchaikovsky. On today’s episode, we will delve into what makes this evergreen opera as popular today as it was in the 18th century.

Ep. 220: Opera Outlook on Don Giovanni

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are joined by lecturer Tanisha Mitchell as she discusses the music and real-life themes of Champion, an “opera in jazz.”

Ep. 219: Opera Outlook on Champion

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have the second of two episodes exploring the mythos and myths of Wagner’s male characters, featuring Guild lecturer Desiree Mays. In this second episode, she will continue to explore the ideas of myth and mythos and how they are presented in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Lohengrin.

Ep. 218: The Mythos and Myths of Wagner's Male Characters Part II

Mythos, myth, legend and folk art were all topics that captivated Richard Wagner when he was no longer satisfied with realistic situations and the confines of time and space. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have the first of two episodes exploring the myth and mythos of Wagner’s male characters, featuring Guild lecturer Desiree Mays.  In this first episode she will explore the idea of myth and mythos and how it is presented through the doom-ridden Dutchman.

Ep. 217: The Mythos and Myths of Wagner's Male Characters Part I

Lohengrin is a pivotal work in Wagner’s stylistic development, showcased by his tremendous ability to represent the psychology of his characters through music. Lohengrin returned to the Met stage this season, in a brand-new production by director François Girard, whose previous work includes the Met’s stunning production of Parsifal in 2013. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are joined by Guild lecturer John J. H. Muller as he explores the history and music of this epic tale of the mysterious swan knight.

Ep. 216: Opera Outlook on Lohengrin

On today's episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are joined by soprano and the Guild's School Programs Senior Associate, Alyson Sheehan, as she discusses the bel canto classic, L'Elisir d'Amore.

Ep. 215: L'Elisir d'Amore

On today's Met Opera Guild podcast, we are joined by musicologist and lecturer Diana Maron as she discusses the evolution of early recording technology and opera.

Ep. 214: Operatic Singing And Recording

Verdi’s final opera, Falstaff, is based on Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, Part 1, but it did not become a huge success until Arturo Toscanini insisted on reviving it at La Scala, and later The Metropolitan Opera, in the 1890s. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we are joined by Voice Teacher, Stage Director and Educator, Doreen Hutchings as she discusses the humor, music, and staging challenges within Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff.

Ep. 213: Verdi's Merry Masterpiece – Falstaff

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have a historic recording from our Talking About Opera archives featuring Guild Lecturer Father Owen Lee. The musical examples come from the Virgin Classics recording with Catherine Dubosc, Rita Gorr, Martine Dupuy, Rachel Yakar, and Jose van Dam, conducted by Kent Nagano.

Ep. 212: Talking about Opera on Dialogues des Carmélites

Returning to the Met after an absence of 25 years, Giordano’s opera Fedora is full of murder, political intrigue and many more melodramatic twists and turns. Perhaps best known for its famous tenor aria, “Amor ti vieta,” the opera is nonetheless a stage vehicle for the prima donna. On today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, join the Guild’s Director of Learning and Engagement, Stuart Holt, as he explores the drama and music of Fedora.

Ep. 211: Opera Outlook on Fedora

Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and made a household name by the Oscar-winning 2002 film version starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Nicole Kidman, this powerful story concerns three women from different eras who each grapple with their inner demons and their roles in society. On this episode we join Guild lecturer and musicologist W. Anthony Sheppard discusses The Hours.

Ep. 210: Opera Outlook The Hours

On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have a historic recording from our Talking About Opera archives featuring  Guild Lecturer Albert Innaurato.

Ep. 209: Don Carlos Talking about Opera

On this episode of the Met Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer Michael Bolton explores Britten’s magnificent meditation on isolation and persecution.

Ep. 208: Opera Outlook Peter Grimes

Cherubini was a child prodigy who composed several works by the time he was thirteen, before turning his sights to the operatic stage. Perhaps his most famous work, Medea opened the 2022-23 Met Opera season, marking the company premiere of the opera. We welcomeD lecturer and radio personality, Nimet Habachy, as she explores the life and times of Cherubini and his most famous opera, Medea.

Ep. 207: Opera Outlook Medea

Based on Nikolai Leskov’s novella, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, and seen as one of the most significant operas of the 20th century, Shostakovich’s work returns to the Met this season, featuring soprano Svetlana Sozdateleva and tenor Brandon Javonovich as the deadly Katerina and her lover. Today’s episode features lecturer Harlow Robinson as he explores this story of adultery and murder.

Ep. 206: Opera Outlook Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Opera Outlooks, Master Classes, Boot Camps, and more are back LIVE and online at the Metropolitan Opera Guild! Find out more about the exciting array of Met Opera Guild learning opportunities in this season on today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast!

Ep. 205: Met Opera Guild Season Announcement

In the last part of our series Opera and Greek Drama, we’ll conclude our journey of Greek drama after the Trojan War with arguably the most violent and bloodthirsty of Greek myths, the saga of Agamemnon. Lecturer Matthew Timmermans will begin by returning to Gluck, looking at his Iphigénie en Tauride (1779), one of the many operas he wrote for the French stage after his career in Italy. Then, he will discuss one of operas most powerful, beautiful, and disturbing musical adaptations, Strauss’s Elektra.

Ep. 204: Opera and Greek Drama Part IV

Virgil’s Aeneid, perhaps the most famous adaptation of a Greek myth, tells the story of the Trojan war and later Aeneas’s journey to Carthage. The appropriately epic nature of this poem beginning with Troy’s destruction and ending tragically with Dido's suicide has been adapted in a myriad of ways by opera composers. In this podcast episode, join Guild lecturer Matthew Timmerman in the third part of our series Opera and Greek Drama

Ep. 203: Opera and Greek Drama Part III

In this podcast episode, join Guild lecturer Matthew Timmermans as he chronologically traces how Greek myths have been adapted by putting them in their historical context, and by comparing and contrasting performances.

Ep. 202: Opera and Greek Drama Part II

Published histories of opera differ in a myriad of ways, but one thing that they all agree upon is that opera was born out of Greek drama. On this episode of the Met Opera Guild Podcast, we have the first part from our Opera Boot Camp, Opera and Greek Drama, which took place as a live course earlier this spring. Guild lecturer Matthew Timmermans explores stereotypes of Greek drama found in examples including the vengeful Medea, Wagner’s unavoidable legacy, and finally a twist in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos.

Ep. 201: Opera and Greek Drama Part I

We have reached podcast episode #200! In today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Dr. Mark Pottinger leads us through the second part of his Study Day all about Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and the fascinating history of madness in opera.

Ep. 200: Lucia and Madness Study Day- Part II

On today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Dr. Mark Pottinger uses Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor as a jumping-off point to take a deeper look at madness, murder, and the supernatural.

Ep. 199: Lucia and Madness Study Day Part I

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most influential and important works of literature and has inspired ballets, orchestral works, choral works, and more than one opera. On today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Michael Bolton tackles the significant history of this masterwork and the Met’s inspiring new production of this brand new opera by composer Brett Dean.

Ep. 198: Opera Outlook on Hamlet

From the vocal fireworks featured in the famous “mad scene” to the popularized sextet Lucia continues to fascinate audiences today. Many sopranos have taken the role, including, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Renata Scotto, Lisette Oropesa and the current Lucia, Nadine Sierra. On today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have lecturer Tanisha Mitchell discussing the inner workings of this operatic staple.

Ep. 197: Opera Outlook on Lucia di Lammermoor

For the first time in the company’s history, the Metropolitan Opera is presenting Verdi’s tragic opera Don Carlos in its original five act French version. Set during the period of the tumultuous Spanish Inquisition, this opera boasts  a super star cast including Matthew Polenzani, Sonya Yoncheva, Jamie Barton, and Eric Owens. Join lecturer John J.H. Muller as he explores the music and history of this French Grand Opera.

Ep.196: Opera Outlook Don Carlos

Of Strauss' many operatic, symphonic, and vocal compositions, his opera Ariadne auf Naxos has remained a staple of the operatic repertoire for decades. Considered by many to be his master work, it’s intricate play-within-a-play structure tackles the ideas of the power of art, music, and mythology. Join lecturer Phillip Gainsley as he explores the history and music of this difficult work

Ep. 195: Opera Outlook: Ariadne auf Naxos

Rigoletto was based on Victor Hugo’s play Le Roi s’amuse, literally, “the king enjoys himself.” However, since opera houses were under strict control of government censors, it was too controversial for a king to be portrayed as a serial seducer. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have a historic recording from our Talking About Opera archives featuring  Guild Lecturer Bridget Paloucci.

Ep. 194: Talking About Opera on Rigoletto

With music by Genius grant recipient Matthew Aucoin, libretto by recipient Sarah Ruhl, and stage direction by recipient Mary Zimmerman, Eurydice is a new examination of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from Eurydice’s point of view. This  co-commission and co-production arrives at the Met after a successful premiere at LA Opera in February 2020. On today’s episode, professor W. Anthony Sheppard takes us into the underworld and explores our protagonist’s tale.

Ep. 191: Opera Outlook: Eurydice with W. Anthony Sheppard

Instead of all of the mythological figures we are used to seeing in Wagner’s operas, the story of Die Meistersinger is set in a community of artisans. The main character, Hans Sachs is even based on a real life historical figure. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s podcast, we welcome back Guild lecturer Desiree Mays for the second part of our discussion on  Die Meistersinger.

Ep. 190: Meistersinger Study Day Part II with Desirée Mays

Though thought of as Wagner’s only comic opera, Die Meistersinger can also be seen as an artistic manifesto. With a six-hour running time, Die Meistersinger is the longest opera in the Met’s repertory. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we welcome Guild lecturer Desiree Mays for the first of two episodes on Die Meistersinger.

Ep. 189: Meistersinger Study Day Part I with Desirée Mays

From more traditional staging to more boundary-pushing productions, operatic staging has been evolving and changing since the advent of opera. In fact, what we see on the stage can directly affect what the audience hears and understands, and vice versa. In this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we talk with lecturer Matthew Timmermans about his virtual Opera Boot Camp, all about the history and legacy of operatic staging!

Ep. 188: Opera Boot Camp Introduction to Operatic Staging Promo with Matthew Timmermans

Featuring a score by renowned jazz musician Terence Blanchard, and a libretto by actor and director Kasi Lemmons, Fire Shut Up in My Bones was this year’s Opening Night performance, marking the return of live opera to the Met stage after the longest closure in company history. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, librettist and author Joanne Sydney Lessner explores this exciting new work!

Ep. 187: Opera Outlook: Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Modest Mussorgsky sought to create a national school of Russian music, free from western influences. His most notable work, Boris Godunov, was initially brutally rejected by the board of the Imperial Theatres in St. Petersburg in 1871. However, it went on to become one of the most popular works in the Russian repertoire. On today's episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer Jane Marsh explores the history and highlights of this operatic work.

Ep. 186: Opera Outlook: Boris Godunov

A brand new season of Metropolitan Opera Guild programs is ready to go on sale next week! After a successful season of virtual programming, we are excited to return with a combination of in-person and virtual events.

Ep. 185: LCE Season Announcement

By turns regal and opulent, rich and astounding, the operatic diva has the ability to move you with performances that you will remember for the rest of your life. In the final episode of our four-part series, we’re joined by lecturer Ira Siff as he discusses the lives and careers of the great divas Christa Ludwig, Aprile Millo, Krassmira Stoyanova, Teresa Stratas, and, of course, Jessye Norman.

Ep. 184: Great Divas I Have Seen Part IV with Ira Siff

In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we are joined by lecturer Ira Siff to discuss his experiences and memories of watching Marilyn Horne perform, and divas Shirley Verrett, Montserrat Caballe, Magda Olivero, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, and Virginia Zeani!

Ep. 183: Great Divas I Have Seen Part III with Ira Siff

In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, join Ira Siff as he discusses diva powerhouses like Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, and the incomparable Leontyne Price.

Ep. 182: Great Divas I Have Seen Part II with Ira Siff

Worshipped, adored, and celebrated for their singing, the operatic diva has been thrilling audiences since the beginning of opera as an art form. In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we join lecturer Ira Siff as he tells of the great divas, such as Dame Joan Sutherland, Renata Tebaldi, and Leonie Rysanek, that he has had the pleasure of seeing live on the operatic stage.

Ep. 181: Great Divas I Have Seen Part I with Ira Siff

Whether you consider yourself a Wagnerian, or perhaps you are more drawn to the 20th Century nature of Benjamin Britten’s music, the sea has inspired some of opera’s most creative works. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we are excited to welcome back lecturer Desirée Mays for Part 2 of Opera and the Sea.

Ep. 180: Opera and the Sea with Desirée Mays Part II

The sea provides a vast array of opportunities for storytelling in operas. Despite being composed at different times and locations, composers and librettists have adapted the theme of the sea in unique ways. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we begin the first of two episodes with Guild lecturer Desiree Mays as she takes a detailed examination of these operas relating to the sea.

Ep. 179: Opera and the Sea with Desirée Mays Part I

How did Maria Callas become a household name, and what happens when a singer’s vocal powers diminish? Who were Maria Callas’s contemporaries, and what stars have carried on her vocal legacy? 
Today lecturer Matthew Timmermans discusses Maria Callas and the  Metropolitan Opera Guild Online Learning course that aims to examine these enduring questions about La Divina herself.

Ep. 178: Maria Callas Course Promo Episode

Known for operatic works such as Peter Grimes, Turn of the Screw, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Benjamin Britten drastically modernized opera in England, evolving it to become incredibly important in the operatic canon. Today on the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Dr. Naomi Perley will explore why the works of Benjamin Britten have had such tremendous popularity.

Ep. 177: Opera in England Part II

“Die Frosch” is the German word for  “The Frog.” While Strauss may have playfully given this unfavorable nickname to Die Frau Ohne Schatten due to the many difficulties in staging the opera, he also regarded it as one of his greatest achievements, saying “it has succeeded nevertheless and has made a deep impression ... and music lovers, in particular, consider it to be my most important work.” On today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, pianist Brian Zeger takes a closer look at this staple of the operatic repertoire.

Ep. 176: Die Frau ohne Schatten Talking About Opera

John Blow, Thomas Arne, Henry Purcell, and George Fredric Handel all had great success composing in England. They all also have music strongly associated with British Monarchy - Blow, Arne, and Purcell all wrote Coronation Anthems and Arne wrote: “Rule Britannia”. Today we present the first of a two-part series on Opera in England. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, Stuart Holt explores these four composers in early British operatic history.

Ep. 175: Opera in England Part I

Featuring jazz rhythms, blues, banjos, and African American spirituals, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess challenged pre-existing notions of what an American opera could be. Although Porgy and Bess has a complicated history, Gershwin’s innovative music has had a lasting impact on opera. I’m your host, Stuart Holt, and on today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Deidre Bird will explore how jazz played a role in making Porgy and Bess such a successful work.

Many thanks to composer and performer Matt Herskowitz for his gracious contribution of an entirely original and improvised cadenza for this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's podcast - www.mattherskowitzpiano.com

Ep. 174: Jazz and Opera Part II with Deidre Bird

In recent years, DiDonato, Racette, and Upshaw have all released jazz albums, such as Songplay, Diva on Detour, and Winter Morning Walks. Sometimes we think that singers are either categorized as opera singers, or as singers of popular music, including jazz. However, these two genres are actually very closely linked together and share a lot of similarities. I’m your host, Stuart Holt, and on today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Deidre Bird will discuss how aspects of jazz, such as improvisation, have also had a long-standing history in other forms of vocal music.

Ep. 173: Jazz and Opera Part I with Deidre Bird

Opera, like all art, is frequently a reflection of the current political and social climate, and operas composed during the Soviet Era were no exception. Despite the oppressive environment, composers like Prokofiev managed to be extremely prolific during those times.

Ep. 172: Opera In The Soviet Era Part II

In the 1930s there was a push to make Moscow the center of art and music, which started a cultural struggle between modern European innovation and the folk traditions of the past. On today's episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, guild lecturer Dr. Naomi Perley takes a closer look at the music of the Soviet era.

Ep. 171: Opera in the Soviet Era Part 1

This classic tale of a man who makes an ill-advised deal with the devil has inspired many operas over the years, including Busoni’s Doktor Faust, Boito’s Mefistofele, and Lutz’s Faust et Marguerite. But no operatic version of this legend has come close to the instant success and enduring popularity of Gounod’s version. Today we have a pre-performance lecture from our “Talking about Opera” archives, featuring lecturer and writer Father Owen Lee, giving us an in-depth history and analysis of the music and creative inspiration behind this legendary work.

Ep. 170: Talking About Opera: Faust with Father Owen Lee

While the stage of the Met Opera may be dark we are excited to give you a sneak peak of the virtual content that will be coming in this new year as part of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Season of Learning.

Ep. 169: Met Opera Guild Season Preview Podcast

Whether you prefer operatic arias and classic carols, or more upbeat contemporary tunes, every home can hear holiday favorites sung by some of the worlds greatest opera singers. Today on the Met Opera Guild podcast, our Community Engagement staff will share highlights from their favorite albums from this time of the year.

Ep. 168:  Holiday Episode - LCE Staff Share Favorites

Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera Fidelio had a long and complicated compositional history. In fact, Beethoven went through three different versions of the opera during his lifetime. No other composition gave him such frustration. So much so that he never attempted to write an opera again. Today we explore themes of freedom and love in Beethoven's only operatic work.

Ep.167: Fidelio Pre-Performance Lecture with Philip Gainsley

Born in 1770, this year marks the 250th birthday of Ludwig Van Beethoven. His influence in western classical music is unparalleled. His transformative works especially The Ninth Symphony took music in a new direction.

Ep.166: Celebrating Beethoven's 250th Birthday with Victoria Bond

Perhaps best known for its popular Anvil Chorus, Giuseppi Verdi's opera Il Trovatore has dazzled audiences since its premiere in 1853. Its intricate plot and dramatic music have helped it become a staple of the operatic repertoire. In this episode, composer, conductor, and lecturer Victoria Bond guides us through this thrilling work.

Ep.165: Il Trovatore: A Tale of Love and Revenge

In today’s episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, we have lecturer Harlow Robinson discussing the intricacies of Wagner’s evergreen hit opera, Tristan und Isolde.

Ep. 164: Exploring Tristan und Isolde with Harlow Robinson

Here at the Guild we have been busy adapting our Fall programming to continue learning in the virtual classroom! We are thrilled to announce that two of the Guild’s most popular programs, our Opera Boot Camp and our Score Reading series will be presented via our online learning platform. On today’s podcast episode, we’ll learn a bit more about these exciting digital offerings!

Episode 163: New Fall Virtual Programming Announcement

How do composers pick subject matter for a new opera? What is the composing process like? How does a composer work with a librettist? How much time do composers get to create an opera? In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guilld Podcast, we explore all of those questions and more in the release of an archival recording from 2017! This event featured a live interview panel as part of our Opera in the New Millennium program, when lecturers Naomi Barrettara and Elspeth Davis sat down with composers Missy Mazzoli, Paola Prestini, and Kevin Puts to learn more about their work as contemporary opera composers.

(Please Note: Due to the live and archival nature of the original recording, there were some microphone glitches throughout the track. We have attempted to balance the recording and smooth out glitches as much as possible for this episode!)

Track photo credits (from left to right): 
Paola Prestini, by Caroline Tompkins
Kevin Puts, by David White
Missy Mazzoli, by Caroline Tompkins

Ep. 162: Opera in the New Millennium - Interview with Prestini, Puts, and Mazzoli

From Pulitzer Prize winner Du Yun, to musical mainstay Nico Muhly, to broadway superstar Jeanine Tesori, composers are changing the perception of what an opera can be. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturers Naomi Barrettara and Elspeth Davis continue with the second part of a two part-series from our archives, on contemporary composers and opera’s that are changing the music scene as we know it.

Ep. 161: 21st-Century Opera Survey, Part 2, with Naomi Barrettara & Elspeth Davis

What will opera look like, or sound like, in 10 years? 20 years? It’s hard to predict, but one thing is for sure: there’s a whole new generation of composers creating new innovations in expression, composition, and performance. For this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have pulled a series of live event recordings from our archives to share, featuring lecturers Naomi Barrettara and Elspeth Davis as they guide us through a two-part survey of contemporary works that are poised to be future classics of the genre. 

Date of event recording: 2017-18 season. 
Timeline referenced in the lecture can be found at https://prezi.com/p1gza7i3aknm/opera-history-timeline/ .

Ep. 160: 21st-Century Opera Survey, Part 1, with Naomi Barrettara & Elspeth Davis

The evolution of German opera can be traced through the works of well known composers such as Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner, as well as lesser known names in the opera canon, such as Schubert, Carl Maria von Weber, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. In this episode, composer, conductor, and lecturer Victoria Bond dives into the influential history and evolution of German opera throughout Western music.

Ep. 159: Evolution of German Opera with Victoria Bond

In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we explore the incredible legacy of women who broke barriers for black artists, dating all the way back to the late 1800s! Tune in as lecturer and music librarian Tanisha Mitchell explores the trailblazers, sprinters, and torch-bearing women who are part of the enduring legacy of black singers in opera.

Ep. 158: The Enduring Legacy Of Black Singers in Opera, Part 2, with Tanisha Mitchell

In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and music librarian Tanisha Mitchell talks about singers of the past and present who broke barriers, paved the way, and continue to carry the torch in "The Enduring Legacy of Black Singers in Opera.” In this first part of the series, Tanisha focuses on male singers spanning the 19th, 20th, and 21st century, including George Shirley, Robert McFerrin, Vinson Cole, Simon Estes, Sir Willard White, Derek Lee Ragin, Eric Owens, Morris Robinson, Russell Thomas, and many more!

Ep. 157: The Enduring Legacy Of Black Singers in Opera, Part 1, with Tanisha Mitchell

Puccini's TOSCA is an epic, theatrical tale of love, politics, murder, and suicide, all set to the backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. Although dismissed by some critics as “a shabby little shocker,” the power of its music has never failed to fascinate audiences. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have lecturer Deirdre Bird speaking about the history, life, and story of this monumental work and its place in opera history.

Ep. 156: Tosca with Deidre Bird

From bel canto brilliance to the earthiest chest tones, the mezzo-soprano has long been the unsung hero of the opera stage. Although they are often assigned the secondary role in an opera, make no mistake: These divas steal the scene whenever they are on stage. In this episode, Metropolitan Opera Radio commentator Ira Siff concludes his "Magical Mezzos" series some of opera’s most thrilling
mezzo-sopranos, past and present!

Ep. 155: Magical Mezzos, Part 3, with Ira Siff

Mezzo-soprano divas have been dominating the operatic stage, holding their own against their soprano counterparts. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Metropolitan Opera radio commentator and lecturer Ira Siff returns for Part 2 of his "Magical Mezzos" series, in which he explores some famous mezzos that you may or may not have heard of!

Ep. 154: Magical Mezzos, Part 2, with Ira Siff

On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast,  lecturer, Metropolitan Opera Radio commentator, and audience favorite Ira Siff explores the mezzo-soprano voice – its origins, roles, and the great singers who sang those roles during their illustrious careers - in the first instalment of his "Magical Mezzos" series.

Ep. 153: Magical Mezzos, Part 1, with Ira Siff

Despite their contempt for the unruly musical ideas of Richard Wagner, many connections can be made between the works of both Tchaikovsky and Janáček with Wagnerian ideas. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and musicologist Matthew Timmermans concludes our “Wagner Across Borders” series with an exploration of Slavic-Wagnerian connections.

Ep. 152: Wagner Across Borders, Part 4 with Matthew Timmermans

Just as Massenet was accused of being a Wagnerian in France, so too was Puccini in Italy. From Wagnerian-sized voices to a complex orchestral sound, Wagner’s influence can be heard throughout the canon of Italian opera, but nowhere more so than in the work of Puccini. In this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and musicologist Matthew Timmermans explores the influence of Wagnerian ideas across Puccini's output.

Ep. 151: Wagner Across Borders, Part 3 with Matthew Timmermans

Wagner’s tale of the cursed sea captain and the love of a faithful maiden has captivated audiences since its premiere in 1843. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer, composer, and conductor Victoria Bond discusses the musical genius of Wagner and the power of love in DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER.

Ep. 150: Der fliegende Holländer with Victoria Bond

Filled with familiar figures from ancient Rome, Handel creates a comedic and lighthearted score to accompany a story with some pretty sinister sub-themes. Sir David McVicar’s production of Agrippina brings this balance of darkness and light to audiences at the Met for the very first time! On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer, composer, and conductor, Victoria Bond takes a closer look at this baroque masterpiece.

Ep. 149: Agrippina with Victoria Bond

French grand opera was lavish and spectacular – and in many ways, the antithesis Wagner’s operatic ideals. Yet Wagner is often mentioned as a major influence in the work of French Grand Opera master, Jules Massenet. What is the common ground to be found between these two compositional giants? In this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and musicologist Matthew Timmermans guides us through the Wagnerian influences in Massenet’s masterworks.

Ep. 148: Wagner Across Borders, Part 2 with Matthew Timmermans

This episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast begins with an exploration of Wagner's DER FLIEGENDE HÖLLANDER and examines how later German composers responded to Wagner’s new perspective on operatic performance. In the first of a four-part series, musicologist and lecturer Matthew Timmermans guides us through the transformative influence of Wagner’s musical ideas.

Ep. 147: Wagner Across Borders, Part 1 with Matthew Timmermans

Despite its initial flop in 1935, PORGY AND BESS has gone on to become one of the most enduring and popular operas of the 20th century. In fact, it was the first opera by an American-born composer to be performed at the famous La Scala opera house in Milan. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have New York University professor, director of archives, and the author of "The Strange Career of Porgy and Bess: Race, Culture, and America’s Most Famous Opera," Ellen Noonan, lecturing on this quintessential American opera.

Ep. 146: Porgy and Bess Pre-Performance Lecture with Ellen Noonan

A champion of expressionism and atonality, Alban Berg wrote his first opera, WOZZECK, as a response to the chaos and tragedy he experienced during the First World War. It is generally considered to be his greatest score, and brought Berg international recognition and success. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have lecturer and Vice President of Community Initiatives for Opera Philadelphia, Michael Bolton, talking about Berg’s groundbreaking work.

Ep. 145: Wozzeck Pre-Performance Lecture with Michael Bolton

La Fenice in Venice, Italy is one of the first stops on The Metropolitan Opera Guild's upcoming “Treasures of the Mediterranean Cruise,” from September 30th to October 9th, 2020. During the cruise, Guild lecturer and podcast co-host Dr. Naomi Barrettara will be presenting a series of lectures accompanying onboard concerts and land excursions, as travellers visit Italy, Croatia, and Greece. This episode features Naomi giving you a sneak peak of what you can expect in the upcoming Metropolitan Opera Guild travel program! https://www.metguild.org/travel/

Ep. 144: Treasures of the Mediterranean with Naomi Barrettara

The opera stage and the Broadway stage share many conventions, such as lavish scenery, exquisite costuming, and awe-inspiring voices. For Schönberg and Boublil’s MISS SAIGON, Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY serves as the source material, while Anaïs Mitchell’s HADESTOWN and Gluck’s ORFEO ED EURIDICE are both unique interpretations of the Orpheus myth. With so many intersecting elements, what are the precise characteristics that make these dramatic forms distinct? On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, co-host Stuart Holt takes a closer look at the similarities and differences between opera and musical theater.

Ep. 143: Opera vs. Musicals with Stuart Holt

A mysterious hand of cards, an unhappy betrothal, and a tormenting ghost all come together in Tchaikovsky’s riveting drama THE QUEEN OF SPADES. Based on a Pushkin story, this elegant fable is a tantalizing tale of love and obsession. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer John J.H. Muller explores how the composer uses 18th-century pastiche and highly original melodic and motivic elements to evoke the world of this haunting opera.

Ep. 142: Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades with John J.H. Muller

For the first time in Met Opera History, Philip Glass’s AKHNATEN is coming to the stage! This much anticipated Met premiere is a deep meditation on the driving force of religion, and a powerful reminder of the fine line between revolution and destruction. Performances star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role, J’Nai Bridges making her Met debut as his wife, Nefertiti, and conductor Karen Kamensek making her Met debut at the podium. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer W. Anthony Sheppard discusses the story of the pharaoh who transformed ancient Egypt.

Ep. 141: Akhnaten Pre-Performance Lecture with W. Anthony Sheppard

The ancient Greek “Orpheus myth” has inspired a vast array of artistic works, and composer Christoph Willibald Gluck is known for contributing their own operatic interpretation to the canon. Gluck’s adaptation explores the profound nature of grief, the power of love, and the rousing spirit of redemption in our two young lovers, portrayed on the Metropolitan Opera stage by mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton and soprano Hei-Kyung Hong. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and music librarian Tanisha Mitchell guides us through Gluck’s elegant masterpiece

Ep. 140: Orfeo ed Euridice with Tanisha Mitchell

The Met Live in HD broadcast of Massenet's MANON is just around the corner! Based on Abbe Prevost's 18th-century novel, the story of Manon has inspired a variety of composers, from Auber to Puccini, to Hans Werner Henze! But none reached the emotional lyricism of Jules Massenet's operatic setting. In this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer and podcast co-host Naomi Barrettara takes a closer look at this French masterpiece.

Ep. 139: Manon Pre-Performance Lecture with Naomi Barrettara

Finished after the composer's death by Franco Alfano, Puccini’s TURANDOT is a beloved work in the opera canon, with a dramatic, imaginative, and sometimes violent score. This season at the Met, the magnificent dramatic sopranos Christine Goerke and Nina Stemme share the role of the ice princess in Franco Zeffirelli's opulent production. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have a lecture from the archives of the Guild's critically-acclaimed series "Talking About Opera," with playwright and opera commentator Albert Innaurato taking a closer look at Puccini's final work.

Ep. 138: Turandot - Talking About Opera

Coming back to the Metropolitan Opera stage for the first time in nearly 30 years, the 2019-20 season opens with the Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS. With stars Eric Owens and Angel Blue singing the title toles, as well as a star-studded ensemble, this new production by James Robinson is sure to transport audiences to the world of Catfish Row. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll and author, lecturer, and Met radio commentator William Berger guide us through what to expect from this season’s much-anticipated opening night at the Metropolitan Opera!

Ep. 137: 2019-20 Season Kick-Off

On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturers Naomi Barrettara and Elspeth Davis are joined by composers Christopher Cerrone and Laura Kaminsky, as well as producer, director, and dramaturg Lawrence Edelson in an interview from this past season’s “Opera in the New Millennium” event.

Ep. 136: Opera in the New Millennium - Interview with Kaminsky, Cerrone, and Edelson

The evolution of French grand cuisine interestingly paralleled the development of French grand opera beginning in the late 18thcentury and culminating in the late 19th century, particularly in Paris. In this episode, Food Historian and Chef Carl Raymond explores how both food and opera came to be grand against the backdrop of the 18th century Comedie Francaise, as well as the glittering world of the 1890’s Belle Epoque and the great Parisian restaurant and café society.

Ep. 133: Divas & Dinner - French Grand Opera meets French Grand Cuisine

LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach is a tour de force of singing for both villains and victims within the opera’s plot! Since it’s world premiere performance, the four main villainous characters were designed to be sung by the same bass-baritone. And this opera has plenty of victims too, as three tales of doomed love are told from the perspective of the lead character, Hoffmann. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Met Radio Commentator Ira Siff explores excerpts from Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Tosca, Boris Godunov, and other beloved works, in the last installment of his “Villains and Victims” series.

Ep. 132: Villains And Victims, Part 3 with Ira Siff

Soprano Renata Scotto gave a famously chilling interpretation of Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s take on Shakespeare’s play. But Scotto was just as loved for tugging at our heartstrings in the title role of LUISA MILLER. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Met Radio commentator Ira Siff explores the artistry of legends such as Renata Scotto, Astrid Varnay, and others, in the second installment if his “Villains and Victims” series.

Ep. 131: Villains and Victims, Part 2 with Ira Siff

While victimized characters often sing through their death in virtuosic song, successfully bringing a villain to life on the opera stage also takes a special kind of artistry. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, we have Met Radio commentator Ira Siff, in Part 1 of his “Villains and Victims” live lecture series from this past season!

Ep. 130: Villains and Victims, Part 1 with Ira Siff

John Dexter’s classic production of Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES is currently on stage at the Met during the final weeks of the 2018-19 season and can be seen in cinemas worldwide on May 11th, 2019, through the Met’s upcoming Live in HD broadcast. Poulenc’s opera tells the story of a group of Carmelite nuns who refused to renounce their faith during the Reign of Terror. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Desirée Mays takes a closer look at this 20th-century French masterpiece.

Ep. 129: Dialogues of the Carmelites with Desirée Mays

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus is one of the most revered opera choruses in the world, requiring long hours of rehearsal and a demanding performance schedule. What is a day, week, or year in the life of a Met chorister like? How much time is spent on learning music and rehearsing? How do you get into the chorus in the first place? In this episode, drawn from a live event in the Met Opera Guild's Opera Boot Camp series, lecturer and podcast co-host Naomi Barrettara sat down with three Met Opera choristers - Ross Benoliel (baritone), Angela Deverger (soprano), and Danielle Walker (soprano)- to get the inside scoop on a day in the life of a Met Opera chorister!

Ep. 128: Opera Boot Camp - A Day in the Life of a Met Chorister

During the last year of his life, Mozart was deep into writing THE MAGIC FLUTE when he suddenly got a commission to write a new opera seria: LA CLEMENZA DI TITO. This season, powerhouse mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sings her world-renowned portrayal of the tortured Sesto for the very first time at the Met! She is joined onstage by audience favorite, Matthew Polenzani, who adds the title role of Tito to his vast repertoire. In this episode, Guild lecturer and podcast co-host Naomi Barrettara discusses the historical context and musical highlights of this monumental work. (Musical examples from CLEMENZA within the lecture are from the Met’s 2012 Live in HD Broadcast, featuring Kate Lindsey singing Annio, Lucy Crowe singing Servilia, Elīna Garanča singing Sesto, Barbara Frittoli singing Vitellia, and Giuseppe Filianoti singing Tito.)

Ep. 127: La Clemenza di Tito with Naomi Barrettara

From Puccini's SUOR ANGELICA to Wagner's PARSIFAL, opera is full of works with religious themes, drawn from a variety of different cultures, and using music to express the emotional contours of faith and devotion. On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Desiree Mays continues a discussion on religion and opera throughout history.

Ep. 126: Religion in Opera, Part 2 with Desirée Mays

Religious themes have long been a foundational element of classical music, but what makes these divine topics such a recurrent source of operatic inspiration? On this episode of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, lecturer Desirée Mays discusses the musical and textual treatment of religion in opera throughout history.

Ep.125: Religion in Opera, Part 1 with Desirée Mays

When we first sat down with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, we intended to record enough for one special podcast episode, in celebration of Black History Month. However, the discussion really took off, and the content was so rich, that we split things into two parts, so that our listeners could hear it all! This episode is Part 2 of 2, jumping in right where we left off!

Ep. 124: A Conversation with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, Part 2

In celebration of Black History Month, this episode is Part 1 of a special conversation between operatic legend Harolyn Blackwell and Broadway veteran Robyn Payne! Harolyn is one of America’s legendary sopranos, having made her mark on both the operatic and musical theatre repertory. Her performance career began with singing in Leonard Bernstein’s stage production of West Side Story, and soon after, she began breaking into the operatic realm when she was selected as a finalist in The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Robyn Payne is a singer, actor, and producer here in New York City, known for her long run singing Sarabi in the Julie Taymor production of THE LION KING on Broadway, as well as touring roles in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and SISTAS, the musical. On this episode, they compare musical styles and influences, share insights about their careers, and swap stories of struggles and successes along the way.

Ep. 123: A Conversation with Harolyn Blackwell and Robyn Payne, Part 1

LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT is an operatic tale of young love and larger-than-life comic hijinks, featuring one dazzling vocal display after another! On this episode, Met Opera Guild Lectures and Community Engagement Senior Associate Sarah Rotker discusses this musical feast of bel canto singing, which is coming soon to movie theaters around the globe in a Met: Live in HD broadcast.