Behind The La Opera Curtain

Composer Juhi Bansal and Classical KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen discuss Bansal’s new work, “We All Look to the Stars”, commissioned by LA Opera for the upcoming Eurydice Found festival. This new work draws on myths, legends and writings from different cultures, and - inspired by the constellation Lyra - the piece is a musical celebration of the wonders of the night sky. Across history, culture, time and space—every division and divide among us—we all look at the same stars. Bringing together professional musicians, students and faculty from Pasadena City College, CalTech and the local community at The Huntington Library, “We All Look to the Stars” will be performed on Thursday, February 13th at The Huntington in San Marino. More information: Eurydice Found festival – www.LAOpera.org/EurydiceFound Juhi Bansal – www.juhibansal.com

LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon explores Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute" during his pre-show talk prior to LA Opera's opening performance on November 16, 2019.

Frederick Ballentine, who plays the role of Monostatos in LA Opera’s production of “The Magic Flute," takes us through a scene-by-scene telling of the story. Follow along as Mozart’s dazzling celebration of love conquering all transports you into an enchanted world where good battles the forces of darkness. More information on LA Opera’s production can be found here: https://www.laopera.org/performances/201920-season/the-magic-flute/

Listen in as LA Opera’s Resident Conductor Grant Gershon and Classical KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen talk about Gershon’s history with LA Opera, his journey of becoming a conductor and upcoming performances of LA Opera’s production of "The Magic Flute". Gershon cracks open his experience with the challenges and excitement behind performing with animated scenes and characters, as well as the themes and entertainment value in this fantastical production. For more information on "The Magic Flute", visit LA Opera's website: www.LAOpera.org.

Classical KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen chats with Dr. Ed Krupp, an astronomer, researcher, author and the director of the Griffith Observatory since 1974. Dr. Krupp will be presenting on the intersection of astronomy and opera immediately following the February 16, 2020 performance of LA Opera’s Eurydice, as a part of the Company’s “Eurydice Found” festival. Their conversation in this podcast centers on those themes as well and took place at the Observatory shortly after the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon-landing. For more information about the “Eurydice Found” festival, visit www.LAOpera.org/community.

Listen-in on two superfans of Adam Guettel's "The Light in the Piazza" - LA Opera's Resident Conductor Grant Gershon and Classical KUSC's Gail Eichenthal - dish about composer Adam Guettel and his beautiful show.

Brian Stokes Mitchell, who plays the role of Signor Naccarelli in LA Opera’s production of “The Light in the Piazza," takes us through a scene-by-scene description of the show. Follow along as American Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara take in the wonder and awe of Florence during the summer of 1953. A fateful gust of wind whisks Clara’s hat into the hand of a local dreamer...and it's love at first sight. But Clara isn’t quite what she appears, and soon they must all confront a secret kept in the shadows for far too long. More info on LA Opera's production: https://www.laopera.org/performances/201920-season/the-light-in-the-piazza/

This episode of Behind the Curtain features a panel conversation produced and hosted by bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee. Nick sings Colline in LA Opera’s current production of "La Bohème," and his career is taking off and taking him around the world. Including making his recent debut at the Metropolitan Opera. He also hosts a great, insiders' opera podcast called “Hook, Push, & Pray.” On September 17, Nick sat down with LA Opera’s Sebastian Paul and Marybell Musco President and CEO Christopher Koelsch, Senior Director for Artistic Programs Joshua Winograde, and renowned director Paul Curran, head of dramatic instruction for LA Opera’s young artists, in a wide and sometime wild conversation that includes some adult language. Thanks to Nick for letting us share the conversation and his podcast with you. If you would like to hear more of “Hook, Push & Pray,” visit his website: https://www.hookpushpray.com.

La Bohème is a opera length love song to art, following your passion and creating a space for artists in an unforgiving world. Dr. Mitchell Morris, Professor of Musicology at UCLA, discusses the impact of French society and the cultural power of aristocracy on the origin of La Bohème‎, the artistic values and characteristics behind La Bohème‎, and guides us through an aural analysis of the music itself.

Love, life, laughter(and of course, that glorious music) make La Bohème an all time favorite opera. Maestro James Conlon discusses the mastery of Puccini, Murger, and the new-to-LA production of Barrie Kosky's La Bohème in this Opera for Educators session recording. Learn what makes the music, characters, and story so memorable and everlasting, no matter what the setting.

Marina Costa-Jackson, who plays the role of Mimì in LA Opera’s production of “La Bohème," takes us through a scene-by-scene description of the opera. Follow the triumphs and toils of a band of struggling young artists as they search for love, life and laughter against impossible odds. More info on LA Opera's production: https://www.laopera.org/performances/201920-season/la-boheme/

Andrea Fuentes, Associate Director of Programming, talks with Dr. Shana L Redmond, Professor of Musicology and African American Studies at UCLA, to discuss how Puccini’s La Bohème lends itself to be adapted to contemporary audiences through its timeless themes of love and sociopolitical change.

Discover the untold history of how one of Puccini’s greatest operas, La Bohème, came to fruition. Through Puccini’s unique compositional style and creative synopsis, KUSC Opera Show host Duff Murphy discusses in a 2016 pre-show opera-talk how La Bohème captures the effervescent human experience of romance.

A discussion about the ways students find they are able to make art, make friends, and make the world a better place through Opera Camp. LA Opera’s Youth Opera Camp invites students from all over Los Angeles to rehearse and perform an opera. Thanks to partners such as the LA Museum of the Holocaust and the LA Watts Labor Action Committee students also explore the social justice histories and themes that have inspired the operas being performed.

Indre Viskontas, neuroscientist and operatic soprano, discusses the relationship between music and the brain.

What do you do when you're angry? Yell, stomp around, or nobly forgive your enemy? (Wait, what?) Explore the ideas of public relations and political messaging in Mozart’s The Clemency of Titus with Dr. Holley Replogle-Wong.

The scene is set for a romantic tale, complete with candlelight, music and...coughing? Musicologist and author, Dr. Mitchell Morris, discusses the way composer Giuseppe Verdi and his audiences would have thought about tuberculosis and how those ideas manifest in La Traviata.

Gerardo Kleinburg, former director of the National Opera of Mexico and renowned music critic, discusses the life of Giuseppe Verdi, his affinity for the work of William Shakespeare, and how the boldness of La Traviata transformed opera. LA Opera would like to thank the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) and Descarga Cultura UNAM.

Music Director, James Conlon, explores the two main themes of La Traviata during LA Opera’s pre-performance lecture on June 1, 2019. Maestro Conlon goes in depth with La Traviata’s history, plot line, and musical themes.

Ms. Southwell, who plays the role of Flora in LA Opera’s production of “La Traviata,” takes us through a scene-by-scene description of the opera. In it, we learn that high-flying Violetta, performed by Adela Zaharia, fills her nights with crazy parties and her days with rich admirers who reward her with anything she wants. Enter a nice man declaring his true love for her, Violetta must face a heart-breaking sacrifice, one that will surely doom her last chance at happiness.