Behind The La Opera Curtain

In this podcast, Dr. Muriel McClendon hosts "History Vs. Opera", in which Dr. Tiffany Kuo and Dr. Kara Cooney analyze Verdi's depiction of Egypt in Aida and historical records of Egypt's Old Kingdom. This recording was made as part of LA Opera Connects' professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators. LA Opera's Aida is playing from May 21 to June 12 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Get your tickets now at LAOpera.org. https://youtu.be/ZOVpQYGm3NM

In this podcast, Richard Seaver Music Director and conductor James Conlon shares his insight into the contexts and history of Aida, one of Verdi's great works. This recording was created as part of LA Opera Connects' professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators. See LA Opera's Aida at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion between May 21 and June 12, 2022. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org

In this podcast writer, music critic and cultural promoter, Gerardo Kleinburg, discusses "Aida: When Verdi (Almost) Said Good-bye". This recording was made as part of LA Opera Connects professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators. See Aida at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from May 21 through June 12, 2022. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this podcast, renowned soprano Latonia Moore shares the synopsis for Verdi's Aida, an opera with some of the most famous music in the operatic canon. Showing May 21 - June 12, see Latonia Moore and Russell Thomas star as secret lovers from rival kingdoms in this timeless romance, directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by James Conlon, at LA Opera. Tickets are available now on our website, LAOpera.org.

In this podcast, LA Opera Sebastian Paul and Marybelle Musco President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Koelsch and Aida Director Francesca Zambello discuss the challenges and joys of producing Verdi’s Aida for modern audiences. Come see LA Opera’s Aida from May 21 - June 12, 2022 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org

In this podcast, LA Opera Connects director Andréa Fuentes interviews composer Nathan Wang, author and librettist Lisa See and director Jennifer Chang regarding On Gold Mountain, an opera based on Lisa See's book of the same title. See On Gold Mountain May 5-15, in the newly expanded Chinese Garden at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Tickets are available now, only at The Huntington's website; Huntington.org.

In this special edition of Behind the Curtain LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director, James Conlon contemplates some of the rich musical works, oratorios, opera and stage festival plays, that have been associated with Easter traditions and celebrations. This recording was created in April of 2021.

In this podcast, composer Du Yun and creative producer Beth Morrison chat with musicologist Dr. Tiffany Kuo about the opera In Our Daughter’s Eyes, which is showing April 13, 14, 16, and 17, 2022 at REDCAT in Downtown Los Angeles. Tickets to the world premiere of In Our Daughter’s Eyes are available now at laopera.org

Discover On Gold Mountain, the true story of Fong See, a pioneer of Los Angeles’ Chinatown who immigrated to the United States to find his fortune. Author and librettist Lisa See and composer Nathan Wang join Li Wei Yang, curator for the Pacific Rim Collections at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, soprano Shana Blake Hill, an original cast member of On Gold Mountain, and violinist Shelly Ren. This podcast was recorded on November 19, 2020. Come see On Gold Mountain May 5-15 in the newly-expanded Chinese gardens of The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens. Tickets are available now at Huntington.org.

In this podcast, mezzo-soprano and host Suzanna Guzmán interviews Mexican tenor Javier Camarena regarding his journey to the operatic stage, his extensive career, and his love of music. See Javier Camarena in recital on March 31 and April 2, 2022, tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this podcast, composer Tamar-kali Brown and filmmaker dream hampton discuss the genesis of their work with We Hold These Truths, a musical and cinematic triptych setting three iconic poems from Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, and Claude McKay. We Hold These Truths is available now on LA Opera's digital platform LA Opera On Now available at LAOpera.org.

In this podcast, LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon explores Bach's St. Matthew Passion in this pre-recorded pre-performance talk.

In this podcast, Susan Graham, Artistic Advisor to the LA Opera's Young Artists Program, takes us through a scene-by-scene description of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. This production of St. Matthew Passion opens March 12, 2022.

In this podcast, composer Carla Lucero, poet and translator Dr. Rita Urquijo-Ruiz, and Silvia Nuñez director of UNAM (La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México en Los Ángeles) discuss The Three Women of Jerusalem or Las tres mujeres de Jerusalén the first Spanish-language work commissioned by LA Opera for performances at the Cathedral of Our Lady of The Angels. This production will premiere on Saturday, March 19, 2022. We hope you will join us for this historic production. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this podcast, musicologist Dr. Mitchell Morris continues our Exploring the Canon podcast series with a discussion of Spanish composer Manuel de Falla and his work El retablo del Maese Pedro, a puppet opera based on Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. This recording was created as part of LA Opera Connects professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators, in celebration of the premiere of The Three Women of Jerusalem, or Las tres mujeres de Jerusalén, a new Spanish-language opera by composer and librettist Carla Lucero. This production will premiere at Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels on March 19, 2022.

In this podcast, composer Carla Lucero discusses the upcoming premiere of her work The Three Women of Jerusalem or Las tres mujeres de Jerusalén with stage director Eli Villanueva and consulting Vice President of LA Opera Connects Stacy Brightman. The Three Women of Jerusalem will premiere on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles. This recording was created as part of LA Opera Connects professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators.

In this podcast, Dr. Ariane Helou, a scholar whose research focuses on drama, music and poetry in early modern Europe, and artist and choreographer Kitty McNamee discuss choreography and communication in the music, libretto and visuals of Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

LA Opera is proud to share this special conversation recorded on November 9, 2015 between renowned opera artist Maria Ewing and Michael Hackett of UCLA. Throughout her remarkable career, Miss Ewing astonished audiences with her searing performances in both soprano and mezzo-soprano roles. As one of the early leading artists at LA Opera, she spoke with Dr. Hackett as part of LA Opera's oral history project to discuss her career, roles and a life in opera. We celebrate Maria Ewing's life, honor her legacy and remember her artistry and performances across the world.

In this podcast, which continues our Exploring the Operatic Canon series, Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano takes us through the influences on the canon and helps us to examine the nature of opera as well as the possibilities and challenges for its future.

In this podcast, which continues our Exploring the Operatic Canon series, Dr. Tiffany Kuo discusses the identity and accessibility of the traditional canon, from production to reception, and the ways in which we can discover new works and address equity in the performing arts today.