Voice of the Arts

Pittsburgh Opera opens it's 2025-2026 season with Puccini's "La Boheme" at the Benedum Center October 18th through 26th. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Vuvu Mpofu, who sings the role of Mimi. It's her role debut and she talks about her characters bravery throughout the opera. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether...

Pittsburgh Opera opens it's 2025-2026 season with Puccini's "La Boheme" at the Benedum Center October 18th through 26th. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with stage director Kristine McIntyre. She talks about her approach to such a classic opera, especially with a cast of such young voices. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region....

Pittsburgh Opera opens it's 2025-2026 season with Puccini's "La Boheme" at the Benedum Center October 18th through 26th. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Daniel O'Hearn, who sings the role of Rodolfo. Daniel is thrilled to be back in Pittsburgh after spending many years in the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist program. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source fo...

Pittsburgh Opera opens it's 2025-2026 season with Puccini's "La Boheme" at the Benedum Center October 18th through 26th. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Pittsburgh Opera Music Director Antony Walker about the music of this great opera. He's conducted the opera countless times, but still always enjoys it. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and cu...

Chamber Music Pittsburgh presents the Sphinx Virtuosi and Sterling Elliot at Carnegie Music Hall on Tuesday October 21st at 7:30pm. WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with two members of Sphinx Virtuosi - Violist/violinist Bill Neri and violinist Sandro Leal-Santiesteban. They spoke about the ensemble, what people can expect at the concert and much more. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Art...

After thirteen years of planning, Fred Rogers and George Benson are now in stone in front of the Terminal Smallman Street at 18th in the Strip District on the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame with eight other luminaries following the ceremonies on Monday October 20th. Executive Director of the Walk, Nancy Polinsky Johnson, a regular on QED Cooks with Chris Fennimore and retired publisher of Shady Ave. Maga...

There is big news coming from The Frick Pittsburgh!   Chief Curator and Director of Collections, Dawn Brean, gave WQED a sneak-peek at the Clayton House's 3rd and 4th floors! These largely never before seen floors will be open to the public for the first time ever for exclusive tours in November. Dawn talks about why they are opening it up now, and what people will be able to see.   Unlike the 1st...

On Saturday October 18th, Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra presents an evening of multicultural music featuring the World Premieres from local composers, and well known global composers who have taken elements from traditional musical styles to create new classics. For this performance the orchestra welcomes International Mexican guitarist David Huchin of Brussels, Belgium and PCO music director Alejand...

Thomas Douglas, Artistic Director of Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, joined Anna Singer of Afternoon Classics, to talk about Bach Choir's 2025-2026 season titled "Cirque du Cinéma." The season kicks off November 15th and 16th at the RowHouse Hollywood Theater, where they will perform Richard Einhorn’s majestic Voices of Light in accompaniment to Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 silent film “The Passion of Joa...

WQED-FM's Anna Singer was joined by Scott Pauley of Chatham Baroque live on the air. Scott talked about the Chatham Baroque/Renaissance and Baroque season opening concert this Sunday October 19th at Shadyside Presbyterian Church titled "Beethoven’s Opus 1: Three Groundbreaking Trios." Step into 1795 Vienna and experience the debut of Beethoven’s groundbreaking Opus 1 piano trios—his first publishe...

20 Years with Maestro Walter Morales and 38 years together as the Edgewood Symphony begins the season with a festive concert at Carnegie Music Hall Sunday October 19th at 3pm. Conductor Morales joins composers Robert Schulz and Danny English to talk abut their new music to be heard for the first time at the event. Maestra Maria Sensi Sellner conducts Gabriela Ortiz's "Kauyumari" and the Ravel Conc...

Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre is showing Sedef Ecer's play "First Lady." WQED-FM's Melissa Black interviewed the playwright Sedef Ecer, the translator for the play Amelia Parenteau, and PICT's Artistic Director Elizabeth Elias Huffman, who is also acting the lead role in the play. A satirical romp, First Lady Ishtar is oblivious to the ensuing uprising around her, as she becomes the unw...

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh begins their 2025-2026 Season with a concert on Saturday October 11th, 7:30pm at Rodef Shalom titled "Future and Fate." Joining Jim Cunningham on the QED Morning Show were Artistic Director Edward Leonard, Violist Jennifer Gerhard Mangone and bass Jeff Mangone to talk about the concert. Jennifer and Jeff will perform the Sinfonia Concertante for Viola and Bass by Di...

Pittsburgh Festival Opera presents "Legends in the Limelight" - Sunday October 12th, 3pm at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. The concert will feature Meghan Picerno, who will be accompanied by pianist James Lesniak. Meghan was joined by Pittsburgh Festival Opera Artistic Director to chat with WQED-FM's Anna Singer about the concert, Meghan's musical background and more. For tickets and information abo...

A Pittsburgh first for Daniel Pinkham - his Concerto for Wind Quintet and Organ, plus Windfluence playing favorites at East Liberty Presbyterian Church on Sunday October 12th at 3pm in a free concert for the Cathedral Concerts series. Organist and Music Director at the Church, Dr. Edward Alan Moore and clarinet Kira Bokalders run down the plan with Jim Cunningham live on the QED Morning Show - plu...

Chatham Baroque's first concert of the new season features Beethoven's Opus 1 piano trios!   Pianist and professor at Oberlin College, David Breitman, talks on the phone with Jim Cunningham about the piano trios on the fortepiano. Alan Choo, violin, and Jaap ter Linden, cello, will join David for the concert on October 19th.     David talks about the three trios, which were written in 1795 when Be...

Attack Theatre is celebrating it's 30th Season this year, and they have an exciting lineup to kick it all off!   Executive Director, Andres Franco, talks about his first 6 months on the job, and the all the exciting events coming up at Attack Theatre. Their first performance of the season, "Some Assembly Required: At Home" was first commissioned by the Carnegie Museum of Art in 1996, is a signatur...

Want to hear local chamber music this fall? Academy Concerts has you covered!   Artistic Director and violist, Warren Davidson, talks about the upcoming season for the Academy Concerts and the Academy String Quartet. Spread across four church's across the Pittsburgh area, Warren's goal is to bring great classical chamber music to the Pittsburgh area. Warren talks about a series of concerts with th...

A new season of Academy Concerts is about to be underway!   Violist in Academy String Quartet, and Artistic Director of the Academy Concerts, Warren Davidson, talks about their first upcoming concert on Sunday, September 28th. Warren discusses the concert, called 'The Sounds of Elegance' which features harpist Marissa Knaub Avon. She, Tom Godfrey (flute), and Warren (viola) will perform some color...

The Pittsburgh Savoyards are continuing their 88th season with a 'forgotten' Gilbert and Sullivan's show Utopia, Limited.   Stage Director Robert Hockenberry, and Production Manager Lynette Garlan, talk about the upcoming show. Utopia, Limited is Gilbert and Sullivan's 13th operetta, their second to last one. It is about a small island that decides to copy Victorian England to ensure the greatness...

In this live interview, Anna Singer talks with members of Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Park's Macbeth, which runs outdoors over six weekends until October 12th.   Music Director Matt Calvetti talks about the unique live sound design that is prevalent throughout the show. He uses unconventional instruments, demonstrated live, to create tension and atmosphere in this chilling play. Actor Aaron Crut...

Celebrating it's 29th season, Prime Stage Theatre presents an exciting lineup of upcoming productions and community events! Producing Artistic Director Wayne Brinda, and PR Director, Lawrence McCullough, talk about these events.     On September 27th, it's the annual Homewood Cemetery Walk! Larry highlights the seven historical figures that will be portrayed by professional actors. The figures inc...

Artistic Director of Resonance Works, Maria Sensi Sellner, discusses live with Anna Singer about the Reson8 Vocal Octet's upcoming season launch.   The season launches with "Hero Songs", a concert featuring a five-song cycle by Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi. The cycle explores the themes of heroism through different time periods and perspectives. The concert also features a piece by Reena Esmail,...

When did Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Lorin Maazel dine alone? What did he think of the cheese heads in Wisconsin?     The Principal Horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony, William Caballero, and Principal Oboe Cynthia Koledo de Almeida talk about it all. Cynthia and Bill talk when they joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Maazel. They also talk live on the QED Morning show about...

It's a Ravel 125th birthday party with one hand behind his back. Walter Morales plays the Chatham University "Friday Afternoon Musicale: Romantic Piano Music for the Left Hand Alone." It's a free concert Friday September 19, 2025 at 4pm in the James Laughlin Music Center. Robert Frankenberry will play the orchestral reduction on a second piano for the concerto. Walter includes composers who wrote...