Opera Box Score

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…In addition to everything else that’s happening in the world, there’s a War On Opera! We go Inside the Huddle with librettist (and war correspondent) Caitlin Vincent, author of 'Opera Wars: Inside the World of Opera and the Battle for its Future.' [@ 39 min] Then, in Listener Mailbag, an OBS fan asks us if Caleb Williams is the Pavarotti of football? Glad Ash...

[@ 3 min] Alright, this week…we tip off 2026 with a Free Throw from WIll Liverman. The baritone, composer and pianist has a shot at winning TWO Grammys next month! He’ll share a story on the making of his grammy-nominated album, 'The Dunbar-Moore Sessions.' [@ 18 min] Then, it’s the first episode of the year, which means new resolutions....and an update on our resolutions from last year....

Happy New Year!  This week, enjoy a Replay of some of our favorite segments of 2025! [@ 2 min] First up, from August, a 'Chalk Talk' on the history of Grammy winning operas and singers...If you had to guess who had more nominations, would you say Leontyne Price or Kathleen Battle? [@ 32 min] Then, we go Inside the Huddle with Michael Spyres! When he joined us in February, the latest volu...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…it’s the best of OBS, Holiday Edition! The team recommends their favorite performances by opera singers singin’ Christmas… [@ 11 min] Plus, Ashlee Hardgrave gives us a roundup of the most important remixes of Handel’s Messiah, including A Soulful Celebration and Blue Claw Philharmonic…and since we don’t want any news to spoil the fun, we’ll skip the ‘Two Minute Drill.’...

[@ 5 min] Alright, this week…a field report from the New Opera Dialogues convention with free throws from some of this year’s panelists, including composer Kevin Puts, librettist Mark Campbell, and singer-composer Diana Syrse, and more… [@ 31 min] And then…as 2025 reaches its final inning, the Team drafts their own BEST OF lists  in what will go down in history as one hell of a year…in opera, that...

[@ 3 min] Alright, this week…Gregory Spears goes Inside the Huddle! The American composer is in the middle of a banner season, which includes the 10th anniversary of his opera, Fellow Travelers. Find out about his new opera, Sleepers Awake, a reimagining of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, which gets its world premiere this spring... [@ 35 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...a protestor apologizes...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…Soula Parassidis goes Inside the Huddle! Find out how the Greek-Canadian soprano amassed a loyal Instagram fan base by poking fun at the opera industry, and then pivoted to create a platform to address all the real issues for those who want to enter into this career. [@ 34 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...it’s curtains for the Royal ballet and Opera, plus more stud...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…It’s Thanksgiving! There are so many ways to find, experience, and learn about opera in the 21st century, and we at Opera Box Score are feeling grateful for all of them. And, hey, if you’re feeling grateful for opera content, I can suggest at least one donation link on operaboxscore.com that you can use to prove it… [@ 28 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...protestors...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…James Gaffigan goes Inside the Huddle! The American conductor, who was recently named Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, is set to conduct Salome at the Komishe Oper, which opens this Saturday in Berlin. Gaffigan shares his perspective on making music in Germany, and what Americans always bring to the table... [@ 41 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...The Hymens,...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…Victor Ryan Robertson goes Inside the Huddle! The genre-defying tenor is wrapping up performances of La Traviata with Louisville Opera and is set to star in a double-bill of two rarely performed American works: William Grant Still’s 'Highway 1,' and Kurt Weill’s 'Down in the Valley 'with Detroit Opera. AND it turns out that he gave up  a career in t...

[@ 10 min] Alright, this week…Jeanine De Bique goes Inside the Huddle! The Trinidadian soprano is on her way to the US for a recital tour, including stops in New York and Chicago before making her subscription series debut with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Orchestra in Mozart’s Requiem! [@ 35 min] And then…we reach into the Listener Mailbag for a report on the Met’s 'Don Giovanni' fro...

[@ 6 min] Alright, this week…it’s our Halloween Spooktacular! This year, we ask what the scariest moments in opera are…if you’re performing in one. It’s the showiest moments that bring delight to the audience, but dread to the tenor. Listen … if you dare! [@ 30 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...Katie Mitchelll quits opera, and Francesca Zambello asks everyone else not to. GET YOUR VOICE HEARD S...

[@ 13 min] Alright, this week…Carlo Rizzi goes Inside the Huddle. One of the world’s foremost opera conductors and Artistic Director of Opera Rara, the latest volume of his Donizetti Song Project (featuring Friend of the Show soprano Ermonela Jaho) just dropped, as the Maestro concludes a run of Turandot at the Met. The Italian conductor joins OBS to share his passion for Puccini and to offer a fe...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…Annie Burridge goes Inside the Huddle. General Director of Austin Opera, Annie Burridge is marking her 10th anniversary with the company that is also kicking off its 40th birthday season with a Spectacular Birthday Concert. 40 is the new 30…so that makes Oliver…what, 60? [@ 36 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...Performances of Wozzeck have been  cancelled at La Fenic...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…Joshua Collier, artistic director of Opera Vermont, goes Inside the Huddle to share his company’s vision for presenting a multi-year cycle of the operas of William Grant Still. [@ 33 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...is classical music criticism dead, or is it just in charge of the obituary section at the New York Times? GET YOUR VOICE HEARD Stream new episodes ever...

[@ 3 min] Alright, this week…Sun-Ly Pierce goes Inside the Huddle. Currently starring in the Met’s premiere production of the Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, the Chinese American mezzo-soprano looks back at her break-out season, which included a leading role at Des Moines Metro Opera, being an Operalia finalist, and jumping into her Met debut. [@ 40 min] Plus, in the Two Minute Drill...Grace Bumb...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…Matthew Polenzani goes Inside the Huddle! The internationally acclaimed, Evanston, Illinois-native superstar tenor returns to his home stadium as Giasone in Medea. [@ 19 min] Then…What’s YOUR favorite season? We’ll break down the nominations for the International Opera Awards, and put a thumb on the scale for the audience choice Reader’s Award….you know there’s gotta b...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…a listener encourages us to give you our picks for operas around the US this fall. INCLUDING San Francisco, dear listener... [@ 23 min] Then…Musicologist, conductor, and vocal coach Will Crutchfield takes a Free Throw on ornamenting Bellini! [@ 34 min] Plus, a friend of the show shares her story about the stigma of vocal injury. GET YOUR VOICE HEARD Stream new episodes...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…OBS Season Eleven starts with a kickoff return touchdown! The legendary German countertenor Andreas Scholl goes Inside the Huddle to share advice for a long career, and to tell the story of making THAT recording. You’ll know which one. [@ 31 min] Plus, we add a few extra minutes to the Two Minute Drill to catch you up on all the stories you missed, including the Met…in...

[@ 1 min] Alright, this week…as the team gears up for OBS Season 11, we bring you some of the best of season 10, starting with a Free Throw from Sondra Radvanovsky on singing one of her quote unquote “EASIEST” roles. [@ 12 min] Then, it’s George’s pick for his favorite interview of 2025. We go Inside the Huddle with stage director, author, and Detroit Opera Artistic Director Yuval Sharon. [@ 32 mi...

[@ 4 min] Alright, this week…Friend of the Show Kerriann Otaño goes Inside the Huddle...again! Vice President of Engagement for Opera Delaware, Otaño returns to share news about Delaware’s revolutionary studio artists program. [@ 32 min] And as it’s our season finale, we’ll take a break from the Two-Minute Drill as all the news seems to be men behaving badly, or MAN bickering with a Russian sopran...

[@ 5 min] Alright, this week…music critic Anne Midgette goes Inside the Huddle. As the co-author of the article that launched Classical Music’s #metoo movement in 2018 AND as the former music critic of the Washington Post, today’s guest is uniquely qualified to comment on just about everything we care about on this podcast. Next month, Anne Midgette is a guest speaker for the Jussi Bjorling Societ...

[@ 3 min] Alright, this week…Grammy-winning tenor Nicholas Phan takes a Free Throw on finally winning that Grammy on his fifth nomination, for his performance in OBS Hall of Famer Kaija Saariaho’s 'Adriana Mater.' [@ 15 min] ...which gets us thinking about Grammy winning opera recordings. In Chalk Talk, we take a look at the history of the only Grammys category that matters, Best Opera R...

[@ 6 min] Alright, this week…it’s a Santa Fe Spectacular! First, we go Inside the Huddle with THEIR hometown hero, Kevin Burdette. The American bass, dubbed the “Robin Williams of Opera,” recently gave his 100th performance at Santa Fe Opera in his 15th role for the company. [@ 43 min] And then…Florian Sempey takes a Free Throw on his time at Santa Fe Opera. The French baritone is wrapping up his...

[@ 2 min] Alright, this week…Maestro Enrique Mazzola goes Inside the Huddle! The Italian conductor just wrapped up performances of Massenet’s "Werther" in Berlin, but his summer season continues stateside with debuts at the Grand Teton and Aspen Music Festivals before returning to Chicago for his *other* little gig. [@ 28 min] And then…in 'Listener Mailbag,' a vocal coach and a...