Opera For Everyone

Ep. 110 Das Liebesverbot by Wagner

Richard Wagner’s style is one of the most distinctive and recognizable in all of opera.  But Wagner wasn’t always the Wagner we’ve come to know. The earliest of Wagner’s operas to be performed in his lifetime was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure,  Das Liebesverbot, where he is still developing his craft and working on his relationship to German opera.  The result is an opera which does not shy away from Italian styles. It even makes the villain of the piece the one German character among a multitude of Italians bumping up against the moral codes of their city, Palermo, Sicily!  Discover this infrequently performed opera with us, learning about how Wagner became Wagner… and experiencing a lively story of the conflict between personal morality and the enforcement of communal rules.

 Hosted by Pat and Kathleen

For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.

Ep. 109 Die Frau Ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss

At once a sweeping story about humanity and a deeply personal look at a married couple with unfulfilled aspirations, Die Frau Ohne Schatten is often considered the magnum opus of the famed partnership between composer Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal.  Moving between lofty, other-worldly, and gritty settings, this opera simultaneously puzzles and inspires audiences.  Being human, this opera tells us, is a messy business, but ultimately, the greatest pursuit and prize in all creation.

Hosted by Pat and Kathleen

For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.

Ep. 108 Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti

One of history’s most infamous women, Lucrezia Borgia has inspired artists, dramatists, and TV show writers for centuries.  Donizetti’s opera follows the play by Victor Hugo, telling of Lucrezia’s effort to find the kind of love that might change her life.  However, it isn’t easy being a powerful woman in Renaissance Italy.  Gaetano Donizetti, a prolific composer in the Bel Canto style, gives us an opera with a fascinating story, and, of course, “beautiful singing.”

Hosted by Pat, Kathleen, and Grant

For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.

Ep. 107 Macbeth by Verdi

“Double, double toil and trouble.” 

Composer Giuseppi Verdi enthusiastically declared that Shakespeare’s Macbeth “is one of the greatest creations of man!”  Harnessing this passionate admiration, he went on to craft the first of his three completed operas based on Shakespeare plays.  Verdi’s Macbeth is full of powerful choral pieces, arias from a royal couple lurching toward self-destruction, and Verdi’s own personal vision of a people yearning to free themselves from despotic oppression.  In the end, Macbeth concludes that life is “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing,” but to Verdi, the tyrant’s downfall brings soaring triumph to a suffering people, and perhaps something closer to self-determination.

Hosted by Pat & Kathleen Van De Wille

 For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.

Ep. 106 Giulio Cesare in Egitto by Handel

One of the world’s most formidable generals and one of history’s most beguiling politicians are joined by two frustrated young men and an irresistible widow in Handel’s Baroque masterpiece, Giulio Cesare in Egitto.  Join Pat, Kathleen, and Grant for a journey through history, literature, and myth in exploring the influences and meaning of this enduring opera.

 

For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.

Ep. 105 The Marriage of Figaro and Elly Uncomposed with Valerie Niemerg

One of the world’s most beloved operas, Mozart’s  Le Nozze di Figaro, is not only the focus of this episode, but also the inspiration for Elly Uncomposed: A Novel Opera, a magical realist novel by author and retired opera singer, Valerie Niemerg.  Like the opera Figaro, some truly serious and important topics are addressed in Elly Uncomposed, but with a charmingly comical touch.

Join Valerie and Pat for a wide-ranging conversation about her delightful book, stories about her time in professional opera, and an exploration of Le Nozze di Figaro.

Ep. 104 Nabucco by Verdi

A people yearns for freedom.  The power of their prayers, set to Verdi’s incomparable music, have stirred audiences ever since the première of Nabucco in 1842.  The impact of this opera may relate to Verdi’s own struggle to overcome personal tragedies preceding the composition the music.  It also resonates with the passions of the Italian people of his day, and their desire to free themselves from foreign domination.  Drawing inspiration from scripture, Verdi and his librettist created an opera that tells a timeless story, and gave Italians one of their great anthems, Va pensiero.

Hosted by Pat and Grant

Ep. 46 Remastered: Handel’s Messiah OFE Holiday Special

Handel’s beloved Messiah, known for its thrilling Hallelujah Chorus, is a long-standing favorite during the Christmas season.  Neither an opera, nor Christmas music, this English-language oratorio was composed for the Easter Season and premièred in Dublin in 1842.  The magnificent text was crafted from the King James Bible by Handel’s friend, Charles Jennens.  Join Pat and Grant for their newly remastered conversation about this enduring Baroque masterpiece.

 

Ep. 103 OFE Presents Opera Mysteries with Erica Miner

Have you ever asked what might be going on backstage at an opera house?  Or wondered about what secrets hide behind those glittering stages?  Drawing on 21 years as a violinist in the Metropolitan Opera, Erica Miner guides her readers through a dramatized version of the opera world in her mystery novel, Aria for Murder, the first in the “Julia Kogan Opera Mystery” series. Join Pat for a conversation with Erica about her experiences in professional opera and the work of crafting them into thrilling works of fiction.

Find Erica at: ericaminer.com

Ep. 102 Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II

Glittering and gloriously tuneful, Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) is the most enduring operetta of Vienna’s famous “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss II.  Its plot features revenge, infidelity, disguised identities, and a glamorous ball at its center, given by a wealthy host who requires his guests to keep the party lively.  Toasting “King Champagne,” the characters of this “spirited” operetta recognize the royalty of sparkling wine: the beverage that motivates, infuriates, and ultimately exonerates them. 

 

Hosted by Pat and Rosie

(www.rosiebrooks.com)