The Opera Glasses Podcast
Hosted for Season one and two by Elizabeth Bowman, former Editor-in-Chief of Opera Canada. Season three will be hosted by Michael Jones, the new Editorial Director of Opera Canada. This is a place to hold discussions about the opera business that are tougher to editorialize in print and to expand on the current whims of the business.
Episodes
A revered classic can hide a hard truth. We sit down with director Mo Zhou to unpack how Madama Butterfly shifts when you move it out of fantasy and into the charged reality of post–World War II Japan.
Mo charts her own journey from closed doors in commercial theater to a thriving opera career, and then into the heart of a work she once refused to stage. By resetting the opera in 1946 and 1953, during and after the American occupati...
What happens when you bring together a 30-year veteran opera journalist and the complete archives of Canada's longest-running arts magazine? Magic, memories, and an unforgettable journey through operatic history.
Joseph So, who has been writing for Opera Canada since 1995, takes listeners on a captivating tour through his remarkable career interviewing the greatest singers of our time. From his first transformative o...
Why isn't anyone asking the hard questions about opera's future? In this riveting conversation, soprano Lucia Cesaroni and Tapestry Opera's Executive Director Jamie Martino challenge the status quo of an art form at a crossroads.
"Wagner ruined opera," declares Cesaroni provocatively, questioning why we still expect modern audiences to sit through four-hour performances in darkened theaters when th...
Ever wondered what it takes to succeed in the high-stakes world of international opera competitions? This candid conversation with two rising stars - Sophie Naubert and Ihor Mostovoi - offers a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the prestigious Concours Musical International de Montréal.
The two singers provide invaluable insights into competition strategy, from repertoire selection to mental preparation. Sophie emp...
Growing up in Toronto with a musical theater obsession sparked by seeing Phantom of the Opera at age five, Charlotte Siegel never imagined herself an opera singer. "I was definitely not that 10-year-old thinking I wanted to be an opera singer," she confesses, "but I always knew I wanted to sing."
Now performing Musetta in Manitoba Opera's La bohème, Siegel finds portraying this extroverted characte...
Cheryl Hickman is reimagining what an opera company can be in Newfoundland. As founder and artistic director of Opera on the Avalon in St. John's, she's built an organization that defies conventional wisdom about opera programming, audience development and digital engagement.
Starting with a budget of just $25,000 in 2009 after a successful international singing career, Hickman has grown Opera on the Avalon into ...
Prepare to be enchanted by the stories and insights of Canadian baritone John Fanning, a treasured gem in the world of opera. As a recipient of the Ruby Award and a member of the Order of Canada, John shares his remarkable journey from the grandeur of opera stages to a more family-centered life in Waterford, Ontario. We'll uncover his thoughts on transitioning from teaching at the University of Montreal to the joys of retireme...
Join us for an enchanting encounter with Arianna Maubach, the mezzo-soprano sensation who captured hearts and won accolades at the Canadian Opera Company's Center Stage Competition. Arianna takes us on a fascinating journey from her beginnings in a non-musical family to her discovery of a love for singing with the Toronto Children's Chorus. Despite having family in law and entrepreneurship, her passion was nurtured throug...
Join us for a heartfelt episode of the Opera Glasses podcast as Elizabeth Bowman hosts her final show and introduces the new Editorial Director of Opera Canada, Michael Jones. With an impressive career spanning from Choirs Ontario to the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Michael shares how his first live opera experience with Britten's “Death in Venice” ignited a lifelong passion. We discuss his vision for Opera Canada, his excitement...
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is presenting a reimagined take on Poul Ruders's The Handmaid's Tale, a work-in-progress based on Margaret Atwood’s sobering novel. Composer Dan Scholsberg was commissioned to arrange the work for chamber ensemble using different technologies to evoke Gilead. The hope is for this arrangement to be used by more arts companies across the globe.
Prepare to be captivated as the extraordinary Irish-Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta graces our podcast. She makes her Carnegie Hall debut tonight singing Christian Muthspiel’s brand-new arrangement of Kurt Weill 's The Seven Deadly Sins.
Wallis, a mother and a luminary on the international opera stage, dives deep into how she successfully balances her career and motherhood. Transitioning from the personal to th...
Greek-Canadian soprano Soula Parassidis joins us on The Opera Glasses podcast to talk about her organization, Living Opera, her Canadian debut in Montreal, and the international opera scene.
Soula, the driving force behind Living Opera, talks about how it all began—spoiler alert: the catalyst was her husband and Living Opera partner, Norman Reinhardt's journey overcoming performance anxiety. Living Opera offered a fo...
Embark on a riveting journey with The Opera Glasses Podcast as we host the magnificent Canadian baritone Elliot Madore, who opens up about the nuances of embodying roles in both contemporary and time-honoured operas. Elliot unveils the behind-the-scenes magic of collaborating with composer Matthew Aucoin for his role in Eurydice (Boston Lyric Opera) and contrasts this with his most recent performances with Edmonton Opera in the tit...
Canadian soprano Simone Osborne graces the Opera Glasses podcast - currently starring in Calgary Opera’s The Elixir of Love, Feb 3 - 9, 2024. We talk about how she expertly balances career and family life. Simone offers a rare glimpse into her craft and the supportive network that helps her excel both on stage and at home. After Calgary, she will be on the Canadian Opera Company stage as Norina in Don Pasquale, Apr 26 - May 18, 20...
In this episode, I, Elizabeth Bowman, am joined by the insightful Michael Zarathus-Cook, Managing Editor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Chief Editor of Cannopy Magazine. We're peeling back the curtain on the Emerging Arts Writer Program at the Banff Centre (part of Joel Ivany's Chamber Music and Opera program), revealing the nuts and bolts of nurturing new, vibrant voices in arts journalism. Michael, leaving his ba...
Experience a journey into the world of opera with special guest, Timothy Myers, one of America's most innovative conductors. Recently appointed as Music Director at the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, Myers—who also holds the Music Directorship at Austin Opera—lends his unique insights into the changing landscape of opera and its audience in the post-pandemic world.
Join us as we delve into the evolving preferences o...
Italian-Canadian soprano and Principal at Cesaroni Consulting, Lucia Cesaroni, is a regular contributor to Opera Canada's print publications. She writes the Stage Business and Essential Perspectives columns. The Opera Glasses host, Elizabeth Bowman, chats with Cesaroni about the state of the opera business, more specifically what audiences want, music education, the worth of artists in business, and funding.
Lucia C...
On July 12, Lebanese-Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury will be making her professional stage debut in the title role of Carmen at Oper im Steinbruch (more information here).
She talks about taking on new roles, the importance of fine tuning your technique, and has great advice for emerging singers coming up in this business.
Born in Lebanon and raised in Canada, Joyce’s discography includes three rare Donizetti ...
Canadian bass-baritone joins Elizabeth Bowman to talk about the wholehearted reimagining of one of the greatest operas of the 20th century: Béla Bartók's Bluebeard’s Castle. Against the Grain Theatre will present this work March 29-April 1 at Harbourfront's Fleck Dance Theatre in Toronto.
This radical retelling, originally produced by the ground-breaking opera company Theatre of Sound in London, England, features a new En...
Guests: Ian Cusson, Composer; Kanika Ambrose, Librettist; Jorell Williams, Baritone
We talk about the upcoming WORLD PREMIERE of the Tapestry Opera/Obsidian Theatre Group production of OF THE SEA (opens MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2023). The work is a powerful new opera flowing with hope and heartbreak, written by Kanika Ambrose, composed by Ian Cusson—both are guests on this podcast. Also joining the podcast is American baritone...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.