Central City Opera Podcast

On this episode, the director of this summer's production of Purcell's DIDO AND AENEAS, Dan Wallace Miller, talks about ALL the things - his outdoor, updated production in the Central City Opera Garden, his background in film and how he brings that into opera, how his love of Wagner and all things music drama started at the very young age of four, how he approaches older works to make them new aga...

On this episode, soprano Anna Christy and baritone Steven LaBrie talk about their roles of Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow in CAROUSEL. Steven and Anna discuss the big question most of us think when watching this show – why does Billy treat Julie the way that he does, and why does Julie stay? Anna also shares how the roles she's played on the Central City Opera House stage have shaped her as an art...

On this episode, soprano Alisa Jordheim and tenor Galeano Salas join the podcast from a porch in Central City – so you'll hear some wind and cars driving by. Alisa is performing the role of Gilda in this summer's production of Verdi's RIGOLETTO, and Galeano is performing the role of The Duke of Mantua in the same production. They are also fairly recent past Apprentice Artists, having gone through...

On this episode, Stage Director Jose Maria Condemi and Conductor/CCO Music Director John Baril discuss the details of this summer's production of Verdi's RIGOLETTO. John talks about the adjustments made the orchestra - including how he wrote a tuba part! - and Jose Maria tells us why and how the time period was modified to modern day. (Here's a hint - the weather is a factor.) The two also debate...

On this first episode of season six of the Central City Opera Podcast, we hear from stage director Ken Cazan. Ken is back this summer in Central City for his 19th season to direct Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical CAROUSEL. Ken dives deep into the story and themes of this beloved musical, how he and conductor Christopher Zemliauskas made the adjustments for our special outdoor production, and how he...

Opera Central and the Central City Opera Podcast proudly host the heads of two leading equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) organizations in Colorado: IDEA Stages  Founder Lisa Young and  Alliance for Music Education Equity  Director Ana Luna Uribe . They talk with CCO Audience Development Manager Teila Theisen about their goals for our local arts community, "working out" or "exer...

Colorado Music Ambassador and Flobots emcee/lead singer Stephen Brackett talks about music as a tool for liberation, working with young people through his nonprofit Youth On Record and the state of music in Colorado with CCO Director of Marketing and Communications (and longtime friend) Gail Bransteitter. From the halls of George Washington High School to leadership of the Colorado arts world, Ste...

Phebe Berkowitz-Tanners grew up in the Central City Opera House. Her family made a second home in our magical, old western town during the summers of 1953-1963 when her father, Metropolitan Opera violist David Berkowitz, played the Festival season with the Central City Opera Orchestra. Now a dedicated supporter of the company, Phebe reminisces with CCO Director of Development Katie Nicholson about...

En Mis Palabras artists share their thoughts and experiences on racially accurate casting, representation in the performing arts and the importance of telling diverse stories on the operatic stage in today's episode. Guests include Mica Dominguez-Robinson , who originated the leading role of Ana Maria, and brand-new cast members Daniela Guzmán-Égüez (Ana Maria) and Armando Contreras (Esteban). Hos...

The conversation on our original, bilingual opera En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words and diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts continues. Today we discuss Su Teatro and Central City Opera's collaboration on the En Mis Palabras workshop and premiere, Denver's rich Chicano history and art as cultural affirmation. Featuring some of the original artistic minds behind the opera, director Tony Garcia...

This interview is part of a three-episode series featuring our original bilingual opera  En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words  and exploring equity, diversity and inclusion in the arts. Central City Opera (CCO) commissioned  En Mis Palabras  more than 15 years ago, with the goal of acknowledging the 1/5 Latino population here in Colorado. The opera tackles themes of immigration, family and coming of ag...

This extra-special, bonus episode of Opera Central is a real, uncut conversation between Music Director John Baril, Orchestra Personnel Manager and Violist Brian Cook, Mezzo-Soprano Megan Marino and Baritone Michael Mayes over a couple of beers. The two couples chatted about life and art during the time of COVID outside of the historic Penrose House Complex in Central City after Meg and Mike perfo...

Guest host and Central City Opera Director of Production Karen T. Federing interviews Soprano Emily Pulley and Baritone Jonathan Hays on the porch of the historic Pink House in Central City. Emily and Jonathan talk about their history with Central City as young artists and principal singers, how the pandemic has affected their lives, and about volunteering to spend the lockdown helping us maintain...

American Baritone Will Liverman talks with Central City Opera Education Coordinator Meg Ozaki Graves about his experiences as a Black opera singer, how he's staying inspired during the pandemic and his thoughts on how arts organizations can move forward. Will was last seen at Central City Opera as Papageno in THE MAGIC FLUTE, 2018. Watch the video version of this interview on the new  Opera Centra...

On this final episode of season four, I'm joined by the stars of ENCORE: A MUSICAL REVUE, Jennifer DeDominici and Curt Olds. (Curt is also the director and curator!) ENCORE is happening at the very end of summer festival. Performed in our opera house, it's 90 minutes of scenes from music theatre performed with full orchestra. Jen and Curt talk about the show and also dive into the many connections...

This episode shines a spotlight on the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program, and features three Apprentice Artists - soprano Caitlin Crabill, baritone Matthew Peterson, and soprano Véronique Filloux - as well as a graduate of the program, Developing Artist and tenor Jonas Hacker. They represent a wide swath of roles across the Festival. We find out what got them interested in the first place,...

On this episode, I'm joined by Margaret Ozaki Graves, Gil Asakawa, and Erin Yoshimura. Margaret was the cultural consultant for our production of MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Gil is a journalist and arts critic, and Erin is a consultant who does leadership and cultural diversity training. They give their thoughts on MADAMA BUTTERFLY and related issues from their perspectives of being Japanese-American. Have...

On this episode, director Alessandro Talevi talks about the unusual double-bill production this summer: Debussy's THE BLESSED DAMOZEL and Poulenc's LITANIES TO THE BLACK VIRGIN. These French cantatas, performed back-to-back, are only about 30 minutes total and were not conceived to be staged. Alessandro shares his unique concept for the pieces, the luxury of having time to develop backstories with...

On this episode, we celebrate Herman Melville, the author of BILLY BUDD, SAILOR , and talk to Dr. Dawn Coleman from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Coleman is a Melville expert, and she dives deep into Melville's extraordinary life and how BILLY BUDD the novel came to be.   Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org . Remember to subscribe to our podcast...

On this episode, I get to talk to tenor Cody Austin and baritone Troy Cook about their roles in Madama Butterfly. Cody is playing Lt. Pinkerton and Troy is Sharpless. Our conversation covers a lot, like the timelessness of this opera and how audiences can relate to it, and what it's like to sing highly emotional scenes.    Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcity...

On this episode, I talk with the three leading men of Central City Opera's Colorado premiere of Billy Budd : our Billy Budd, baritone Joshua Hopkins; tenor Daniel Norman, singing Captain Vere, and bass-baritone Kevin Burdette, who is Master-at-Arms John Claggart. These three characters make up the heart of the conflict of the story. Josh, Dan, and Kevin discuss their complex characters, Britten's...

This summer is a very special summer at Central City Opera, and that's because we are producing the Colorado premiere of Benjamin Britten's grand opera Billy Budd. On this episode, I talk with the production's director, Ken Cazan, and conductor, John Baril. What a conversation. Ken and John unpack the drama, music, the opera's significant to this company and to the operatic canon, interpretation a...

On this episode, I talk to the two principal women in Madama Butterfly : Raquel González, who plays the title role, and Annie Rosen, who plays the role of Suzuki, Butterfly's maid and companion. Raquel and Annie share how they develop the rapport necessary to portray this close relationship onstage and what they've learned about how to play characters of another race without fear and with respect....

We're back for Season Four! On this episode, I'm thrilled to talk to Alison Moritz and Adam Turner. Alison is the stage director of Madama Butterfly and Adam is the conductor. They share their insights into this masterpiece of an opera and talk about the process of putting it all together.   Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at  podcast@centralcityopera.org . Remember to subscri...

On this episode, retiring Director of Education & Community Engagement Deborah Morrow reflects on her tenure at Central City Opera. Deb has done lot, from developing new shows for school and family audiences to touring all over Colorado and Wyoming, to commissioning a Spanish-English opera for middle-school students, to creating workshops for teachers and students that foster new opera composers....