San Diego Opera Podcast
316 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 20 ratingsGive us 15 minutes a week, we'll give you the operatic world! Learn all about the music and stories behind this great art form, and explore the San Diego Opera 2008 Season: Tannhauser, Maria Stuarda, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Aida and The Pearl Fishers.
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Episodes
Opera 101: The Duet
June 18, 2013 19:12 - 11 minutes - 84.6 MB VideoThe duet may seem to be a pretty simple musical form featured in opera that really doesn't need any explanation, right? But there's a little more to it than just "this person sings, then that person sings, then they sing together!" Dr. Nic Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education & Outreach for San Diego Opera, lets you in on what kinds of duets exist in opera and how they communicate the feelings of the characters using the love duet from Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, A Masked Ball. Enjoy!
Opera 101: "I've Heard This Before!"
June 11, 2013 17:03 - 15 minutes - 117 MB VideoWhenever an opera company prepares to do an important work from the standard repertoire (like Pagliacci for instance) we hear the complaint, "Oh, I've heard (or seen) that opera before. I think I'll pass this time." But WAIT:approaches to the standard rep can be very different, depending entirely on the artistic team that's put together by the management. Let Dr. Nic, our Director of Education and Outreach, explore this issue with you and listen, through examples from Leoncavallo's great ope...
Opera 101, #3: What Is An Aria?
June 03, 2013 23:57 - 14 minutes - 111 MB VideoContinuing our 'summer school series' on opera basics, today we explore the aria, moving very quickly from Monteverdi's L'Orfeo to Verdi's A Masked Ball (Un ballo in maschera). Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education & Outreach for San Diego Opera explains it all for you in a fun and informative way. Enjoy!
Opera 101: Words & Music
May 28, 2013 18:38 - 16 minutes - 124 MB VideoContinuing our Summer School for Opera Fans, Dr. Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, gives us more information on the intimate connection between two of opera's most potent elements...the words and the music! With generous examples from our first opera for the 2014 season, Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, Dr. Nic tries to help you make the connection between what the characters are communicating through their words and what we actually hear in the music!
Opera 101: Summer School for Opera Fans
May 20, 2013 13:55 - 14 minutes - 117 MB VideoAt the end of this week we'll be celebrating the beginning of summer, 2013, and we'll begin getting ready for our exciting 2014 International Season! What better way to do that then to have a few podcasts dedicated to a 'refresher' course in opera? Today Nicolas Reveles, our Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera takes a look at the essence of the art form, how composers approach a dramatic idea and "musicalize" it. We'll explore the connection between what we see on t...
The International Season 2014: An Overview
April 23, 2013 23:39 - 20 minutes - 161 MB VideoJoin the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, Nicolas Reveles, in a brief exploration of the 2014 from Pagliacci to Don Quixote, The Elixir of Love to A Masked Ball with a dollop of Verdi's Requiem thrown in to the mix. This exciting season has something for everyone, as you'll discover. For each opera Dr. Reveles gives us some of his own personal reasons for looking forward to each of these great masterworks. Enjoy!
The 'Look' of Aida: An Interview with Zandra Rhodes
April 19, 2013 17:42 - 12 minutes - 99.1 MB VideoSan Diego Opera's exciting production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida opens this Saturday night, April 20, and one thing we can say about it: it's not your grandma's Aida! Internationally renowned fasion designer Zandra Rhodes has created this production (sets as well as costumes) and it's a visually stunning, indeed delightful version of this evergreen classic with colors and shapes inspired by ancient Egypt. Join Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education & Outreach, as we explore Zandra's inspiratio...
An Interview with Maestro Daniele Callegari
April 16, 2013 15:00 - 14 minutes - 111 MB VideoMeet Daniele Callegari, a San Diego Opera debut artist who hails from Milan and lives in Barcelona! He has taken the company by storm with his energy, his enthusiasm for music and opera, as well as his positive presence in rehearsals for Verdi's Aida. Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, has a conversation with him about this wonderful opera and what draws it to him again and again.
Meeting Amneris: An Interview with Mezzo-Soprano Jill Grove
April 15, 2013 20:21 - 14 minutes - 112 MB VideoWe all know and love Verdi's great opera Aida. We thought it might be informative for our podcast audience to hear a different 'take' on our production of this wonderful opera to ask mezzo-soprano Jill Grove, our Amneris, about the current state of the opera business. What's it like for singers out there right now? How is the HD operas-at-the-movies effort effecting regional companies? What's it like to be involved in the opera business today? Jill offers her thoughts on these and other subj...
An Interview with Amonasro: Bass-Baritone Mark S. Doss
April 08, 2013 20:50 - 9 minutes - 77.3 MB VideoWe're welcoming back bass-baritone Mark S. Doss after a rather lengthy hiatus: he was last here as Friar Lawrence in Gounod's Romeo and Juliet in 1998. He has since established himself as one of the most exciting Escamillos (Carmen), Mephistopheles (Faust) and Amonasros (Aida) in the world. Watch and listen as Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera discusses his career and the role of Amonasro with this wonderful artist.
An Interview with Aida: Latonia Moore
April 05, 2013 23:11 - 18 minutes - 147 MB VideoWe have long awaited the arrival of soprano Latonia Moore (pronounced lah-TAH-nee-yah) since her dramatic debut at the Metropolitan Opera a few years back in the role of Aida. Her performance made front page news in the New York Times and was feted throughout the opera world as being one of the most auspicious debuts in recent Met history. She's delightfully open and forthcoming about that exciting moment and about all things vocal and dramatic in her conversation here with Education Directo...
The Music of Murder!
March 29, 2013 15:47 - 12 minutes - 95.8 MB VideoWe're hearing lots of folks wondering what the music of Murder in the Cathedral is like. We suspect that they might be just a bit fearful that it may be off-putting or that it sounds like some of those "other" pieces of music from the mid-twentieth century that were so tough on audiences. Fear not! Dr. Nic is here to help you! Watch and listen as he tackles this important subject in a short eleven-minute podcast. Share with your friends!
An Interview with Ferruccio Furlanetto
March 21, 2013 16:46 - 17 minutes - 137 MB VideoWe're always honored and delighted to have the return to San Diego Opera of one of the world's greatest singers, bass Ferruccio Furlanetto. This season he sings, for the first time in the U.S., the role of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Ildebrando Pizzetti's Murder in the Cathedral, a role that he thinks compares to the other great roles for bass: Boris, Philip in Don Carlo, Don Quixote. In this wide-ranging conversation with Nicolas Reveles, Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, he talks ...
An Interview with Maestro Donato Renzetti
March 18, 2013 20:27 - 11 minutes - 87.9 MB VideoConducting for San Diego Opera for the first time is Maestro Donato Renzetti, the wonderful Italian conductor who led the La Scala forces for a revival of Pizzetti's Murder in the Cathedral with Ferruccio Furlanetto a couple of years ago. He comes to us, then, with unique experience of the work. As well, as you'll hear in this interview, he studied conducting with Gianandrea Gavazzeni, the original conductor of the La Scala orchestra, chorus and soloists at the premiere of the work in 1958. ...
An Interview with Soprano, Susan Neves
March 14, 2013 16:21 - 19 minutes - 156 MB VideoIs it a "star turn" or a "dubious distinction" to be cast as the First Chorister in Pizzetti's Murder in the Cathedral? Well, however ungracious the name of the character, the music for her is wonderful and she's in the unique position of having the only full aria in the opera. So according to Susan Neves (an Abigaille, Norma, Turandot and Lady Macbeth with stunning qualifications!), this role is a remarkable opportunity to stake claim to an unusual piece of the operatic repertoire. Watch an...
Mariachi! An interview with Jeff Nevin
March 06, 2013 23:00 - 20 minutes - 162 MB VideoAs we look forward to next week's performances of Cruzar la cara de la luna, the first-ever mariachi opera by Jose 'Pepe' Martinez, it's time to get more familiar with mariachi as a musical form. Just what is mariachi, what are its roots, how has it developed and what has it to do with opera? Professor of Mariachi Studies at Southwestern College, classical and mariachi trumpet player Jeff Nevin has some answers for us and we think you'll find entertaining and interesting. Join Nicolas Revele...
Murder in the Cathedral: An Interview with Ian Campbell
February 19, 2013 19:20 - 20 minutes - 165 MB VideoThe opera Murder in the Cathedral by Ildebrando Pizzetti is unknown to most of our audience members so here's an opportunity to fix that! Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera interviews General & Artistic Director Ian Campbell about why he chose this unusual work for staging and what he expects to do with it as the stage director of the work which goes up on our stage March 30. There's lots of information here, especially designed for those of you who have questions ...
An Interview with Samson: tenor, Clifton Forbis
February 14, 2013 19:07 - 14 minutes - 116 MB VideoHeldentenor Clifton Forbis has been here before: as Samson in our last go 'round with the opera in 2007. But he's as fresh as ever, fun to be with, exciting to watch and hear, and delightful to chat with. Join Director of Education and Outreach Nicolas Reveles in an interview with this international opera star.
An Interview with Anooshah Golesorkhi
February 11, 2013 18:31 - 14 minutes - 111 MB VideoWelcome to 'old home week', or alumni day as we're calling it! Anooshah Golesorkhi, baritone, is making his debut with San Diego Opera as the High Priest of Dagon in Samson and Delilah which opens this week. But many local folks remember him as an undergraduate student at USD and graduate student at SDSU. As Dr. Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach explains, Anooshah was being trained as a young voice student when Dr. Reveles began teaching at USD, so many memories are shared ...
An Interview with Karen Keltner
February 07, 2013 19:00 - 12 minutes - 101 MB VideoIn a wide-ranging interview with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, our resident conductor Karen Keltner discusses the music of Samson and Delilah, our exciting next production. The Saint-Saens' sensitivity to the Hebrews as well as his touches of exoticism in the score are discussed, as well as the overall spectacular effect of this French 'grand opera'. Enjoy!
An Interview with Delilah: Nadia Krasteva
February 04, 2013 20:20 - 12 minutes - 97.2 MB VideoThe beautiful Bulgarian mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva is making her company debut with us in the role of Dalilah in our upcoming production of Samson and Delilah. Nadia has already impressed the company with her good nature, delightful sense of humor and fantastic (and seductive!) voice. Join Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for a fun interview with this terrific new artist.
An Interview with Yves Abel
January 23, 2013 19:59 - 14 minutes - 113 MB VideoFranco-Canadian conductor Yves Abel is our maestro for the first opera in our 2013 Season, The Daughter of the Regiment. In this free flowing conversation with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, he shares his background, information on his studies in New York and his career. This exciting young conductor has wonderful ideas about music, conducting and theatre. Tune in!
An Interview with Tenor, Stephen Costello
January 13, 2013 20:45 - 11 minutes - 92.6 MB VideoIn past seasons tenor, Stephen Costello has appeared on the San Diego Opera stage in the serious roles of Faust and Romeo in Gounod's two masterworks. Opening January 26, he takes on comedy in the role of Tonio in The Daughter of the Regiment for the first time. In this interview Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education & Outreach, talks to Costello about his career and how he's approaching this challenging comic character.
Basses and Baritones in the 2013 Season
January 05, 2013 00:45 - 16 minutes - 120 MB VideoFrom Thomas Becket to Sergeant Sulpice, from Amonasro to the High Priest of Dagon, we have a parade of exciting lower voices coming to you this season. Watch and listen as Nicolas Reveles, The Geisel Director of Education & Outreach for San Diego Opera, reveals it all to you!
Some Random Thoughts on Opera
December 10, 2012 23:07 - 10 minutes - 80.1 MB VideoTaking a break from our series on voice-types for the 2013 Season, Dr. Nicolas Reveles, The Geisel Director of Education & Outreach for San Diego Opera, reflects on the meaning of opera, what it is about this art form that attracts us, why we go to the opera and what is the essence of it, what makes it 'tick'. You're invited to come along on a meditative journey about the artform that transforms us!
The Tenor in the 2013 Season
December 04, 2012 21:12 - 15 minutes - 118 MB VideoTenors are considered by many audience members as the 'glories' of opera. What they do seems beautiful, athletic, stunning and unreasonable, all at once. Well, we have some wonderful tenor roles this upcoming season: Tonio in The Daughter of the Regiment, Samson in Samson and Delilah, and Radames in Aida. Tune in as Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach opens up the world of the operatic tenor in this week's installment.
Mezzo-Sopranos in our 2013 Season
November 19, 2012 22:31 - 13 minutes - 90.6 MB VideoThere are two major mezzo-soprano roles in this upcoming opera season: Delilah in Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah and the Princess Amneris in Verdi's Aida. Both roles are major dramatic commitments for the mezzo that demand lyricism and declamatory singing. Let Nicolas Reveles, our Director of Education and Outreach, give you a quick review of these two roles!
The Sopranos of the 2013 Season
November 07, 2012 21:58 - 13 minutes - 103 MB VideoStarting today, a new series of podcasts about the various voice-types that you'll hear in the 2013 Season. Let's start with the sopranos; we have three stunning roles for soprano this season in Marie from The Daughter of the Regiment, the corifea or 'chorister' from Murder in the Cathedral and Aida in the Verdi opera of the same name. Let Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, introduce you to the lovely music written for soprano by composers Donizetti, Pizzetti and Verdi in t...
What is Mariachi?
October 29, 2012 18:02 - 4 minutes - 36 MB VideoAs we look forward to the presentation of Cruzar la cara de la luna, the first mariachi opera, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at mariachi style and its history. This is an easy, brief introduction to the style that you may think you know (but probably really don't!) Watch and listen to Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, as he unfolds the style and history of mariachi for you.
The Orchestra in the 2013 Season
October 16, 2012 16:02 - 16 minutes - 127 MB VideoThe orchestra is a major element in the presentation of an opera, and is foremost in the establishment of setting, time, emotion, psychological state...creating the 'sonic environment' for the telling of a powerful story. Watch and listen as Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, shares some important orchestral moments from the upcoming 2013 Season!
The Chorus in 2013
October 04, 2012 19:30 - 17 minutes - 123 MB VideoEvery opera has a chorus. Well, not quite every opera: Cruzar la cara de la luna doesn't have an 'official' chorus, although the band (in this case the Mariachi Vargas) joins in enthusiastically with some of the singers in the opera! But Daughter of the Regiment, Murder in the Cathedral, Samson and Delilah and Aida definitely DO have choruses, and great ones at that! Join Dr. Nicolas Reveles as he shares some of that wonderful music with you!
The Duet in the 2013 Season
September 25, 2012 21:31 - 13 minutes - 98.6 MB VideoLast week, arias: the solo 'songs' for singers in an opera. Today, duets: compositions or pieces for two singers in an opera. There are some stunning examples of duets this coming season, and Dr. Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, gives you some examples for your listening (and educational!) pleasure.
The Aria in the 2013 Season
September 17, 2012 17:47 - 21 minutes - 169 MB VideoIn a series of video podcasts Nicolas Reveles, The Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, will cover various elements of the operatic artform in order to help us get to know the 2013 International Season. We'll start with the aria, that one thing in opera that so many of us wait for, especially in operas that we know well. What about in operas that we don't quite know as well, like Murder in the Cathedral or Cruzar la cara de la luna? Tune in and find out!
Aida: The Sound
August 16, 2012 19:05 - 5 minutes - 38.9 MB VideoVerdi's sound world for Aida conjures up the ancient environment of the story but never strays far from Italian opera at its grandest. Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education for San Diego Opera, gives you a brief summary of the special music carrying this story of a doomed love.
Aida: The Look
August 16, 2012 19:02 - 2 minutes - 16.5 MB VideoThe wonderful thing about Aida this time around is that it will be sporting a new 'look': the costume and set designs of internationally renowned fashion designer, Zandra Rhodes. Nicolas Reveles, Education Director of San Diego Opera, gives you a preview.
Aida: The Story
August 16, 2012 19:00 - 2 minutes - 19.6 MB VideoGiuseppe Verdi's Aida is one of the best known repertory items in opera, but that doesn't mean that there aren't people out there who've never seen it! So here is a brief overview of the story which takes place in ancient Egypt during the time of the pharoahs. Education Director Nicolas Reveles takes you there!
Murder in the Cathedral: The Sound
August 08, 2012 18:20 - 5 minutes - 36.8 MB VideoAlthough the story is English, influenced by English history and literature, the opera Murder in the Cathedral is Italian. It was written by Ildebrando Pizzetti and premiere at La Scala in 1958. And although the music is lyrical and quite approachable, it isn't your grandma's typical Italian opera! Listen to this brief overview of the music of this outstanding opera by Education Director Nicolas Reveles.
Murder in the Cathedral: The Look
August 08, 2012 18:15 - 1 minute - 11 MB VideoSan Diego Opera is building its own production of Murder in the Cathedral with sets designed by renowned designer Ralph Funicello. Get a brief preview of the look of Murder in this podcast by Education Director Nicolas Reveles.
Murder in the Cathedral: The Story
August 08, 2012 18:12 - 3 minutes - 21.8 MB VideoBased on the historical events surrounding the assassination of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury by knights loyal to Henry II, King of England in 1170, the opera follows the story rather closely. Watch and listen as Director of Education Nicolas Reveles takes you through a brief summary of the story of this brilliant opera.
Samson and Delilah: The Sound
July 30, 2012 20:59 - 4 minutes - 28 MB VideoGrand French Romanticism at its best! That's the finest description that we can think of when trying to capture the essence of the wonderful music in Camille Saint-Saens Samson and Delilah. Hear a few brief excerpts, introduced by Education Director Dr. Nicolas Reveles, in this "fly through" to discover some of the melodic charms in this great biblical drama.
Samson and Delilah: The Look
July 30, 2012 20:55 - 2 minutes - 17.7 MB VideoBack by popular demand is the spectacular production from San Francisco Opera that you may have seen a number of seasons back, with the realistic, glitzy and colorful sets and costumes that bring the story of this exciting opera to life. Join Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education, for a few minutes to take glimpse at what's in store for you when you come to see Samson and Delilah.
Samson and Delilah: The Story
July 30, 2012 20:51 - 3 minutes - 22.8 MB VideoHere's a brief synopsis of Camille Saint-Saens' biblically based opera Samson and Delilah from Director of Education Nicolas Reveles. This summary is perfect for those of you who don't have a lot of time on your hands to prepare for opening night. Enjoy!
The Daughter of the Regiment: The Sound
July 27, 2012 16:41 - 3 minutes - 25.3 MB VideoEnjoy this brief description of the sound (the music) that you'll encounter in Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment. For an overview of the 2013 operas with Education Director, Nicolas Reveles, start here!
The Daughter of the Regiment: The Look
July 27, 2012 16:38 - 3 minutes - 23.8 MB VideoHere's a brief glimpse of the look for our production of The Daughter of the Regiment by Donizetti which comes from the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. For an overview of our 2013 Season with Education Director, Nicolas Reveles, start here!
The Daughter of the Regiment: The Story
July 27, 2012 16:34 - 2 minutes - 23.3 MB VideoHere's the first of a brand new series of seriously (!) short podcasts on the story, the look and the music of Donizetti's comedy, The Daughter of the Regiment. For a quick overview of the 2013 operas from Education Director Nicolas Reveles, start here!
The Daughter of the Regiment: An Overview
July 16, 2012 17:18 - 11 minutes - 88.9 MB VideoDonizetti was a formidable composer in his time and was the toast of Paris in 1840 when he had four operas running simultaneously at the city's largest theatres. Sounds a bit like Andrew Lloyd Webber, eh? Join Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, for an overview of this charming opera which logged 1,000 performances between its premiere and 1900 at the Opera Comique!
Aida, An Overview
July 09, 2012 19:58 - 9 minutes - 63.7 MB VideoVerdi's Aida is certainly the best-known of the operas we're producing in the 2013 Season. But do we really know this opera all that well? Watch and listen as Nicolas Reveles, The Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, takes another look at this perennial favorite, an opera with great music, great spectacle and great drama.
Murder in the Cathedral: An Overview
May 14, 2012 13:54 - 11 minutes - 90.3 MB VideoIldebrando Pizzetti is not a composer known to most U.S. operagoers, but his opera Murder in the Cathedral which premiered at La Scala in 1958, made quite a splash when it first appeared. Based on the historical assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 and more specifically the T.S. Eliot verse-play about this event, the opera turned out to be a tour de force for bass, along the lines of Boris Godunov and King Philip. Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach,...
Samson and Delilah: An Overview
May 14, 2012 13:37 - 16 minutes - 112 MB VideoCamille Saint-Saens took his time turning his idea for an opera on this biblical subject (originally conceived as an oratorio) into reality and had to have some encouragement from his friend Franz Liszt to bring it to the stage. Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, explains it all for you as we look forward to the return of this sumptuous, brilliant French opera.
2013 International Season Overview
April 23, 2012 22:30 - 22 minutes - 166 MB VideoHere it is...the summary video podcast of the 2013 Season! Dr. Nicolas Reveles tells it all, an exciting preview of our best season ever with Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment, Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah, Pizetti's Murder in the Cathedral, Verdi's Aida and the first mariachi opera ever written, Cruzar la cara de la luna (To cross the face of the moon) featuring Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan! An unbelievable season with extraordinary casts of singers and spectacular productions. E...