Arizona Opera Podcast

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by two musical couples, international opera tenor Stephen Costello, and Metropolitan Opera violinist, Yoon Kown Costello, as well as co-writers of musical scores such as Frozen, Frozen 2, Coco, and Finding Nemo the Musical, Bobby and Kristen A Lopez. Learn how these individually successful artists met and joined together as musical forces in m...

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined for a delectable discussion featuring Food Network Star and AZ Chef Beau Macmillan, and opera singer and food enthusiast, Kate Kinhan-Specter. Both discuss the crossroads between food and human connection, the importance of creating an environment in which all feel welcome, and the thought that goes into planning the perfect menu. From simple...

In today’s media dependent society overnight sensations are the new normal. These media platforms reach larger audiences than ever before, and success is now measured through Likes and Followers. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by Marco Cammorata, Classical tenor, multifaceted vocal artist, and founder of Youtube Channel “MarcoMeatball” and Cole Skory, Singer Songwriter and...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Bradley Taylor Arizona Opera’s Lighting Supervisor and Assistant Lighting Designer.  Learn how the lightening department brings our shows to life through color and foot candles, and learn what a foot candle is.  Find out how Bradley came from a 3rd grade Mr. Bundles in Annie Jr, through Disney pyrotechnics, all the way to Arizona Opera.  Find out Bradley’s dream...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Jefferson Ridenour, the Set Designer for Ariadne auf Naxos. Learn what a Scenery Designer does and how they communicate their designs to the Scenic Shop. Find out how Jefferson came to Arizona Opera - it truly is a small opera world - and get a sneak peek into what a Set Designer does during a pandemic. Join us as we find out exactly how marinated in research Je...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s new Director of Production, Clayton Rodney. Learn how Clayton made his way to Arizona all the way from Canada and why he's excited to be part of the Arizona Opera Team. Join us as we discover the ins and outs of the what it’s like to be a Director of Production, what Clayton is most excited for in our upcoming 2022/23 Season, and why all he...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s President and General Director, Joseph Specter. Learn why Joe and his family love living in Phoenix; recap how he came to be the President and General Director for Arizona Opera, and join us as Joe gives us an exciting preview into the 2022/23 Arizona Opera season. Find out why Jiu-Jitsu will always be a part of Joe’s dream opera season and...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Arizona Opera’s Director of Community Alliances, Courtney Clark, and Founder & CEO of VerveSimone, Teniqua Broughton.  Learn what the newly created position of Director of Community Alliance entails and how Courtney came to join the team.  Find out what VerveSimone is and how Teniqua’s company started working with Arizona Opera.  Discover how vital community eng...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Greg Hirsch, Arizona Opera’s Director of Production and Resident Lighting Designer. Find out what a Director of Production actually does and learn how in the hubris of youth, Greg became a Lighting Designer by buying a book. Discover what gels and gobos are, learn Greg’s favorite gel color and find out what a rouge elephant has to do with opera!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Cody Grasher, Tenaya Tidwell, and Kayla Zeimet, this season’s Costume Shop Apprentices. Learn the difference between a Journeyman apprentice and an Apprentice I. Find out how Kayla and Tenaya came to Arizona Opera and what they are looking forward to the most for this season. Join us as we talk fashion styles that should go and ones that we love and find out why...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Dr. Miriam Schildkret, PN1. Find out what an Arizona Opera Teaching Artist does and learn how she came to fill such a vital and rewarding position in the Education Department. Join us as Miriam talks about the importance of both physical and mental health, while she shares stories of being saved from witches, collecting broken leaves and why okra can go!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s President and General Director, Joseph Specter. Learn about the winding road that led Joe from Pee-wee football player, to aspiring rock-star, all the way to Arizona Opera. Discover what a General Director actually does, get a peek behind the curtain, and learn why Joe and the Arizona Opera team might be sipping lattes and Kool-Aid around th...

What does it take to rise to the top of an arts organization? And what does it take to break through the barriers of gender and race in order to reach that peak? Classical arts organizations across the US—including opera companies and symphony orchestras—are engaged in an important moment of self-reflection on the subjects of leadership and representation. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Spec...

There are few performing arts events that capture the imagination as much as the “music festival.” Pop music festivals—and opera festivals alike!—ignite the senses, from the excitement of experiencing a broad range of artists, to the opportunity to bond socially with fellow cultural thrill-seekers. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by David Devan, General Director of Opera Phi...

Top performers in fields that require great physical feats—whether they are on the opera stage or the football field—rely on the best guidance from the ever-growing field of medicine in order to keep them functioning at the highest level. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by renowned New York otolaryngologist Dr. Gwen Korovin, who keeps many of the world's top entertainers in...

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined for a spirited discussion by three world-renowned singers, each a part of an internationally-celebrated vocal quartet: Lauren Kinhan, a member of New York Voices and a jazz vocalist who has released four highly acclaimed solo albums; David Miller, a member of the multi-platinum selling quartet Il Divo, who is also an opera singer and starred i...

There are few experiences that capture the essence of human drama as powerfully as opera and prize fighting. Join host, Joe Specter, as he explores the connection between these two seemingly distant worlds on the next episode of UnMic’d. Joe is joined by one of the most dominant trainers in MMA, Greg Jackson of Jackson Wink MMA, whose gym has prepared some of the world’s greatest professional MMA...

In the premiere episode of Arizona Opera’s new video series, UnMic’d, Arizona Opera President and General Director, Joe Specter, is joined by Alex Lacamoire, the multi-talented and award-winning music director, arranger, and composer best known for his work on Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and In the Heights. Also joining Joe in this exciting new “idea exchange” forum is the award-winning composer,...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Keri Muir, Arizona Opera’s Production Stage Manager. Learn how Keri came to Arizona Opera and why the Stage Manager is such a vital and pivotal role in every theatrical production. Find out the difference between stage management tasks during rehearsals versus during performances, learn what spike tape is and discover why Stage Managers would have giant balls of...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Alice Fredrickson, the Costume Designer for our upcoming The Copper Queen Film. Learn how Alice ended up being a costume designer for an opera company, get some insight into the design process, discover the differences between costume design for film and stage, and learn when a parachute might indeed be a dress!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Alanna Maniscalco, the Props Supervisor for Arizona Opera. Learn the difference between a prop and a costume prop, find out where Alanna worked before she joined Arizona Opera, and learn why a props person might have to take a light saber apart and then make it shoot confetti.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with Alita Lopez, Arizona Opera’s Wig & Makeup Manager. Learn how Alita came to Arizona Opera and what the Wig & Makeup Department do for each production, find out how much work actually goes into each and every wig onstage, learn what ventilating is and hear how ketchup bottles of blood can make all the difference to a show.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with Shelby Joiner the First Hand and Painter/Dyer of Arizona Opera’s Costume Shop. Learn about Shelby’s journey from an Arizona Opera intern to a full-time staff member of the Costume Shop, find out how she works her magic with dyes and paints to create the beautiful pieces you’ve seen in Riders of the Purple Sage and Madame Butterfly, discover what exactly goe...

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with two of the 2020/21 Marion Roose Pullin Studio Artists. Learn just how much the studio pianist does in a season, find out what a “pants role” is, discover why a good accompanist isn’t just a piano robot, and find out more about the inner workings of an opera’s rehearsal process.

Join Cassie and Kathleen as they meet two of the members of the Arizona Opera Scenic Shop. Learn what a Technical Director actually is; what it means when set pieces "fly;" get insight into the magic of scenery changes during a performance; and learn who "tied down all those road boxes!"