He Sang/She Sang
He Sang/She Sang is a new podcast from WQXR for the opera-curious and opera superfans who want to know what all those big voices are really singing about. The podcast follows the radio broadcast season of the Metropolitan Opera with a weekly roundtable chat that discusses the plots, characters, music, productions, social significance and great performances of that week's opera. Following the Met's radio broadcast season, He Sang/She Sang will dive into the new productions of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Rossini’s William Tell, the Met premiere of an opera by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho and fan favorites by Verdi, Puccini and Mozart. He Sang/She Sang is hosted by Merrin Lazyan and Michael Shobe, with appearances by superstar soprano Anna Netrebko, Met Opera tenor Stuart Skelton, WQXR hosts Jeff Spurgeon and Nimet Habachy, BBC 3 host Clemency Burton Hill and others.
Episodes
Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier is an opera about the passage of time — what it means to grow older, what we lose and what we gain as the years pass, and how we know when it's time to let go of the people that we love. Mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča knows all about letting go, because after singing the role of Octavian for 17 years, she is giving her final performance as the passionate count this week. But Garanča has no regrets. S...
Soprano Jennifer Rowley is singing the role of Roxane in Franco Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac, and she says that there's a little bit of Cyrano in all of us. This week, we discuss the sentimental story about love, self-doubt, and the disproportionately large facial feature that has captured our imagination for more than a century.
This week on He Sang/She Sang, William Berger, author of the book Wagner without Fear, discusses one of history's most controversial and visionary composers. He explores the hit tunes and earworms, the power of transformation, and the unexpected parallels between Wagner and The Beatles.
When we think of Verdi's Aida, we imagine the stunning grandeur of the Triumphal March, with its enormous cast of singers, dancer, acrobats, and animals. But stage director David Paul argues that at its heart, Aida is a surprisingly intimate opera about a love triangle.
Wagner's Tristan und Isolde is an extraordinary journey through the human psyche, and through the two most powerful forces guiding our lives: love and death. Merrin Lazyan speaks with writer Paul Thomason about the intoxicating magnetism of the music, and tenor Stuart Skelton compares singing the role of Tristan to climbing the Himalayas.
Beethoven spent more than ten years revising Fidelio, the only opera he ever wrote. This was about more than music for the great composer. It was about freedom, devotion, and the triumph of human dignity over tyranny. In this episode, host Merrin Lazyan speaks with clarinetist Jessica Phillips and soprano Adrianne Pieczonka about Beethoven's revolutionary sound and spirit.
World-renowned mezzo Alice Coote marvels at Mozart's early insight into fate, sacrifice, and parental love in his first great opera, Idomeneo. She also describes in vivid detail the perils of dressing (and undressing) for a trouser role.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, hosts Merrin Lazyan and Julian Fleisher are joined by author Fred Plotkin to discuss the glorious music of Rossini's final opera, William Tell. We also speak with the Tony-nominated set designer George Tsypin about the themes of nature and freedom that inspired him.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, hosts Merrin Lazyan and Julian Fleisher are joined by dramaturg Cori Ellison to discuss Verdi's mythical and timeless masterpiece, La Traviata. We also speak with baritone Thomas Hampson, who has been singing the role of Germont for 25 years. Hampson tells us how the complex and beautiful dilemmas that we find in this opera help us to better understand who we really are.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, Merrin Lazyan and Jeff Spurgeon speak with writer James Kuslan about Massenet's lovelorn hero, Werther. We also hear from mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard about the magnetic power of love at first sight.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, Merrin Lazyan and Julian Fleisher speak with WQXR overnight host Nimet Habachy about Dvorak's supernatural masterpiece, Rusalka. We also hear from soprano Kristine Opolais about her special connection to this role, and about the sacrifices that we make for love.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, Merrin Lazyan and Jeff Spurgeon speak with director Sarah Meyers about why, despite its utterly implausible plot, some consider Bellini's I Puritani to be among the greatest operatic masterpieces ever written. We also hear from bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni about his role debut as Georgio, the best singing advice he's ever received, and the joys of traveling with his two dogs, Lenny and Tri...
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, hosts Merrin Lazyan and Julian Fleisher speak with conductor Asher Fisch all about Bizet's masterpiece, Carmen. Hear why this opera is loved by opera newbies and connoisseurs alike, and listen to an interview with mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine, who is playing opera's most famous femme fatale at the Met.
This week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, we chat with Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer and soprano Olga Peretyatko about Verdi's Rigoletto. Listen to hear how Mayer came up with this "Rat Pack," Vegas version of the opera in just 48 hours.
Despite its disastrous premiere in 1816 — complete with raucous heckling, a bloody nose and a stray cat scampering across the stage — Rossini’s The Barber of Seville quickly joined the ranks of the best-loved and most-performed operas in the world. Based on the first of a trilogy of plays by the French writer Pierre Beaumarchais (the second of which is The Marriage of Figaro), Barber is full of characters and tunes that have deligh...
This week on He Sang/She Sang, we have a special bonus episode! Join us at the Metropolitan Opera for a discussion with soprano Diana Damrau, who is making her role debut as Juliette in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.
This week, the He Sang/She Sang team is joined by WQXR morning show host Jeff Spurgeon to discuss Charles Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. Hear how this opera is really a vehicle for four gorgeous love duets, how opera companies protect their "gazillion dollar voices" from dangers on stage, and what makes the brand-spanking-new production at the Met so great.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, soprano Ailyn Pérez and bass Edward Hanlon discuss one of the best-loved operas in the world, Puccini's La Bohème. Get a behind-the-scenes listen into the life of a Met Opera chorister, hear why the Franco Zeffirelli production is so iconic and learn how you can go on a treasure hunt of sorts when you see it. We'll also take you to the Met to hear about what it takes to sing ...
Nabucco is the opera that got Verdi back in the game after a long time away from composing, but its premiere almost didn't happen. Hear how it was saved and in an ironic twist of fate, how the opera shortened the career of the soprano who saved it.
On this week's episode of He Sang/She Sang, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton and dramaturg Cori Ellison discuss Verdi's connection to the plight of the Hebrew slaves, why this year's revival a...
L'Italiana in Algeri may seem like a classic battle of the sexes story set in North Africa, but it's really all about Italy. At least that's one way to look at it. On this episode of He Sang/She Sang, author Fred Plotkin, soprano Ying Fang and mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb discuss the politics, patriotism and musical brilliance of Rossini's escape-story masterpiece.
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