Doing The Work With Matthan Black

This week we have Erik Bagger on the Podcast. Erik is a gifted tenor, guitar player, and one of the co-founders of New Camerata Opera. We talk about our shared guitar history, the birth of New Camerata, and NCO’s production of The Rape of Lucretia that opens TONIGHT! I’ll be there this evening to see … Continue reading Episode #128: Doing the Work with Erik Bagger →

This week we have Matthew Gemmill on the podcast! Matthew is a dear friend and he happens to be an insanely gifted and dedicated collaborative pianist. Matthew is studying at the Guildhall School and called in to chat about working at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, studying with some of the greatest pianists in classical … Continue reading Episode #127: Doing the Work with Matthew Gemmill →

This week we have Lydia Dahling on the podcast! In addition to being a singer, Lydia co-hosts Straight from the Wolf’s Mouth, a fellow opera podcast fighting the good fight on the internet audio waves. Lydia and I talk stigmas around teaching, why Russian Opera is amazing, and life after singing! Enjoy! Doing the Work … Continue reading Episode #126: Doing the Work with Lydia Dahling →

This week we have David and Francisco Salazar on the podcast!The Salazar Brothers run operawire.com, one of the best, most up-to-date online publications about opera period. They’re also incredibly skilled filmmakers who run La Cuarta Productions, a video production house that specializes in presenting a unique Latino voice in filmmaking. These dudes are awesome! We … Continue reading Episode #124: Doing the Work with David and Francisco Salazar →

This week Rosśa Crean returns! Rosśa and I spent last week at Illinois State University working as artists in residence with the Arts Technology Department. We took some time to talk about technological reinforcement in classical music, the work that’s happening at ISU, and the world premiere of our song cycle Love Songs for the … Continue reading EPISODE #123: ROSŚA CREAN RETURNS! →

This week we have Andreas Hager on the podcast! Andreas is a stage director who is currently mounting a new production of Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters in Northwest Arkansas with Opera Fayetteville. Andreas and I had a wonderful chat about the beauty of Northwest Arkansas, the flood at Houston Grand Opera, and forcing opera singers … Continue reading Episode #122: Doing the Work with Andreas Hager →

This week Claire DiVizio returns! Claire is the general director of Chicago’s Thompson Street Opera Company and an exquisitely voiced soprano. Claire and I talk about Thompson Street’s mission and closing their current season, evaluating your satisfaction with a life in the arts, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians’ on-going strike. And, yes, I watched … Continue reading Episode #121: Claire DiVizio Returns! →

This week we have countertenor James M. Brown on the podcast! James is a spectacular musician living in D.C. who has a particular affinity for the weird and wonderful in classical music. He’s right at home with all of us. We talk restaurant jobs, re-interpreting our favorite composers’s work, and social media and “cancelled culture” … Continue reading Episode #120: Doing the Work with James Brown →

This week we have Talley Gale on the podcast! Talley is a terrifically skilled actor living here in New York who just happens to be related to my first voice teacher! Talley and I are currently working on a film project together and I thought it would be nice to catch up after so many … Continue reading Episode #119: Doing the Work with Talley Gale →

This week we have composer Felix Jarrar on the podcast! Felix is a prolific composer of experimental music who has a particular fascination with the voice. We talk about his opera, Tabula Rasa, that was premiered last year by CantantiPROJECT, our mutual love of The Fall of the House of Usher, and fondly remembering our … Continue reading Episode #118: Doing the Work with Felix Jarrar →

This week we have literal sunshine on the podcast. Kerriann Otaño is one of the best singers I have ever worked with and is also one of the only singers I’ve met that has a true love for every aspect of the singer life. We recorded this episode during the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production … Continue reading Episode #117: Doing the Work with Kerriann Otaño →

This week we have Madeleine Borg on the podcast! Madeleine and I met working at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and became fast friends! Madeleine works in production management for various arts organizations around the country and just launched a new podcast called Make-Believe. Go. Listen. Now. It’s awesome and different and important and great! … Continue reading Episode #116: Doing the Work with Madeleine Borg →

This week we have soprano and entrepreneur Eugenia Forteza on the podcast! Eugenia and I met last year working on a few projects with Bare Opera. Little did I know, she’s involved with all sorts of amazing projects! In addition to being a wonderful musician, Eugenia runs the blog 360 of Opera, created one of … Continue reading Episode #115: Doing the Work with Eugenia Forteza →

This week we have harpsichordist Dylan Sauerwald on the podcast! Dylan is a spectacular musician and friend and we have a lovely conversation that ranges from historical performance and figured bass to Aikido and meditation. Dylan performed on Frission’s soon-to-be-released short film, L’eraclito Amoroso, and will be at our screening at The Arete Venue and … Continue reading Episode #114: Doing the Work with Dylan Sauerwald →

This week we have Ryan Rivard on the podcast! Ryan is a kind and talented filmmaker that I met through collaborating on Frisson’s new classical music film project, L’eraclito Amoroso. Ryan and I had a spectacular time talking about playing guitar, dream states, and his short film, Blush. Come see a free screening of L’eraclito … Continue reading Episode #113: Doing the Work with Ryan Rivard →

This week Elly Kakacek returns to talk about her new group, Frission, and the release of their first project on January 19th! Frission is an arts collective whose goal is to capture the magic of classical music on film in new and beautiful ways and we’re going to be featuring a few of their collaborators … Continue reading Episode #112: Doing the Work with Elyse Kakacek →

This week we have Bobby Mellon on the podcast! Bobby is a killer baritone and the host of his own opera podcast, Opera Reality. Bobby and I talk about podcasting, making the art world a better place, and lot’s of baseball! Enjoy this episode and make sure to subscribe to Opera Reality wherever you listen … Continue reading Episode #111: Doing the Work with Bobby Mellon →

This week we have Clark Evans on the podcast! Clark is one of the best baritones of our generation and I was SUPER excited to have him over to chat music, family, and selling used cars. Seriously. In addition to his work in opera houses all over the world, Clark is a Lyric Opera of … Continue reading Episode #110: Doing the Work with Anthony Clark Evans →

This week we have Peter Szep on the podcast! Peter is the founder of The New York Opera Alliance and the creator of New York Opera Fest. In addition to being an astute conductor, Peter is also the host of the Indie Opera Podcast, one of the longest running opera podcasts out there. Peter knows … Continue reading Episode #109: Doing the Work with Peter Szep →

 This week we have our first countertenor! Jordan Rutter is a vastly talented and bright individual and I’m grateful to call him my friend. Jordan was one of the first people to make me feel at home here in New York because of his warmth and passion. Jordan and I have a CRAZY conversation … Continue reading Episode #108: Doing the Work with Jordan Rutter →