LA Opera Podcasts: Behind the Curtain

Written in 1942 under the title A Southern Interlude, William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA was not performed by a professional opera company until 2021. In this podcast, Dr. Tiffany Kuo explores the work’s production history and reception. Tickets to Highway 1, USA are available now at LAOpera.org.

Erica Petrocelli and Roderick Dixon are no strangers to the LA Opera stage. Listen as they join Senior Director of Artistic Planning Paul Hopper to explore their characters and favorite musical moments in Zemlinsky's The Dwarf, as well as what it means to truly see oneself. Don't miss this rarely performed one-act opera, playing now through March 17. Tickets are on sale at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Karen Mack, founder of LA Commons, reads the synopsis for Highway 1, USA and The Dwarf. Playing February 24-March 17, tickets to this exciting Double Bill are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon walks us through the history, the plot and of course the music of Highway 1, USA by William Grant Still. Don't miss this rarely performed one-act opera featured in our upcoming Double Bill, tickets are on sale now at LA Opera.org.

In this episode, Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon walks us through the history, the plot and of course the music of The Dwarf by Alexander Zemlinsky. Don't miss this a rarely performed one-act opera featured in our upcoming Double Bill, tickets are on sale now at LA Opera.org.

Looking forward to this season's Recovered Voices project, Dr. Tiffany Kuo shares the history of Traces, a staged vocal work by Luciano Berio, censored at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Listen in as Dr. Kuo explores the intricacies of this controversial and important work. Tickets to LA Opera's Recovered Voices Double Feature are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this special episode of Behind the Curtain, join LA Opera Connects' Vice President Tehvon Fowler-Chapman and LA Opera staff as they share their favorite songs and recordings to listen to during the holidays.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are the center of an otherworldly romance set in Mexico during Día de los Muertos. In this pre-performance talk, Dr. Tiffany Kuo guides you through Gabriela Lena Frank's stunning new opera; the plot, the history and of course the music. Tickets to El último sueño de Frida y Diego are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, CEO for La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Leticia Rhi Buckley, reads the synopsis for El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Playing November 18-December 9, tickets are available now at LA Opera.org

Louis Lohraseb has been an opera fan for as long as he can remember, first becoming enamored with the art form after hearing a performance on tv. Now, he's back in Los Angeles, a former Young Artist here at LA Opera, conducting this season's The Barber of Seville. Listen in as Louis discusses his journey to conducting, the mentors who shaped his career and his favorite musical moments in The Barbe...

In this episode, Senior Director of Programs for LA Opera Connects, Dr. Andréa Fuentes, reads the synopsis for The Barber of Seville. Playing October 21-November 12, tickets to The Barber of Seville are available now at LA Opera.org

Hell for Don Giovanni is loneliness, according to director Kasper Holten, who portrays the titular character as a reactive nobleman, lost in excess and the labyrinth of his own mind. Dive deep into the psyche of Don Giovanni with Kasper Holten and Dr. Tiffany Kuo. Tickets for Don Giovanni are available now at LAOpera.org.

Who is Don Giovanni? In this pre-performance talk, Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon guides you through Mozart's Dramma Giocoso; the plot, the history and of course the music. Tickets to Don Giovanni are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Vice President of LA Opera Connects, Tehvon Fowler-Chapman, reads the synopsis for Don Giovanni. Playing September 23-October 15, tickets to Don Giovanni are available now at LA Opera.org

Looking forward to this season's Recovered Voices Project, Chorus Director Jeremy Frank shares a few of his favorite 'Unsung Operas', works that have been underperformed or omitted from the standard repertoire. Listen in as Jeremy breaks down what makes each of these works so exciting and worth exploring. Tickets to LA Opera's 23/24 Season are available now at LAOpera.org.

This fall, LA Opera presents Gabriela Lena Frank’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego, a fantastical exploration of the turbulent relationship between artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In this episode, Ms. Frank joins Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano to discuss how the composer’s multicultural heritage has influenced her work and inspired this innovative opera. Tickets to El último sueño de Frida y Di...

As an arts and health advocate, internationally acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming has brought global attention to the ways in which singing, dancing, painting and more can improve the quality of life for those affected by illness. Ahead of LA Opera’s June 9th Arts and Health Summit, hear Renée in conversation with Dr. Andréa Fuentes, Director of LA Opera Connects, as they discuss the research and pr...

Resident Director Eli Villanueva and Conductor Karen Hogle-Brown want to meet young performers where they are, and at Opera Camp, they do just that. Regardless of background or experience, Opera Camp students will gain confidence and grow as performing artists. Applications are open now, and scholarships are available. Sign up today at LAOpera.org/OperaCamp

A maddening descent into jealousy and rage ends in murder. Join LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon as he explores the drama, the history and of course the music of Verdi's Otello. See Otello now through June 4, tickets are available at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Sarah Saturnino, member of the LA Opera Young Artist Program, reads the synopsis for Otello. See the opera hailed as the pinnacle of the Italian operatic repertoire, May 13 - June 4. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

Beth Morrison launched her production company to create space for diverse artists. Sixty world premieres later, Beth Morrison Projects' intimate and cutting-edge operas share universal stories. Listen as Beth Morrison and musicologist, Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano, dig deeper into why these works are so important for long-time opera lovers and those new to the art form. Catch the west-coast premiere...

Listen as Dr. Michael Hackett discusses "Pelléas et Mélisande: From Play to Opera" in this recording from LA Opera Connects professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators. Tickets to Debussy's only opera are available now at LAOpera.org.

Dreamy, mystical, emotional. In this pre-performance talk, Maestro Conlon guides you through the atypical soundscapes and enigmatic plot of Claude Debussy’s only opera; Pelléas and Mélisande.

In this episode, Anthony León, member of the LA Opera Young Artist Program, reads the synopsis for Pelléas and Mélisande. See Debussy's only opera, tickets are available now at LAOpera.org

Eli Villanueva and Natalie Iscovich share a passion for creating environments where students and community members feel comfortable expressing themselves creatively. This shared passion has brought them together as a dynamic duo of teaching artists, who both got their start with LA Opera Connects on the same production, almost 30 years apart. Eli and Natalie talk to Tehvon Fowler-Chapman, Vice Pre...