Don’t Make Me Sing! ft. Anthony León
@anthonyleontenor goes Inside the Huddle from @operatheatrestl to tell the story of how he went from singing in the closet to winning all of our hearts — and a bunch of competitions too! In the Two Minute Drill, democratic senators occupy the @kennedycenter to mark Pride month, Bavarian State Opera launches Staatsoper TV, @operawire launches a podcast, and @bostonlyricopera remembers John Conklin.
Abso-Flute-Ly Amazing! ft. Benjamin Appl and Amanda Forsythe
A Monday Evening Quarterback on the 2025 @bostonearlymusic with special guest @forsythe_amanda whose brand new album of Handel cantatas drops next month. Then, baritone @benjaminapplbaritone takes a Free Throw on the operatic career of his mentor Dietrich Fischer Dieskau.
in the Two Minute Drill, the Diva-Whisperer retires, a decline in tourism is affecting ticket sales at the @metopera and the great flute career that never was! Plus, a Good Call for pint-size singers.
Pride Run Amuck! ft. Elijah McCormack and Julia Bullock! Go Inside the Huddle with @_juliabullock -Following her starring role in the @metopera premiere production of Antony and Cleopatra, the distinctive soprano and muse of John Adams is sticking around @lincolncenter with her collaborators at @runningamoc for the upcoming Run AMOC Festival. Then in Home Team, male soprano @elijah.mccormack helps us celebrate Pride Month in advance of his performances in @haymarketopera production of Artaserse.
In the Two Minute Drill, a Cantonese opera depicts the kidnapping of 40-Seven by aliens from Mars, and ticket sales at the @kennedycenter tank.
Out of Many, One! ft. Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang
Composer @huang.ruo and librettist @thedavidhenryhwang go Inside the Huddle to share the history and progress of their opera based on the true story of Chinese-American Army Pvt. Danny Chen. The world premiere recording of An American Soldier arrives in time for both Memorial Day and AAPI Heritage Month.
In the Two-Minute Drill, @santafeopera announces their new season, @hougrandopera partners with @londonsymphonyorchestra to expands its reach, and a Filipino Austrian countertenor reigns at @eurovision
Diva on Detour! ft. Patricia Racette
@patricia_racette goes Inside the Huddle to share how her brand of artistry might shape the future of her new artistic home. Racette’s bona fides as a singing actress and champion of new American opera made her an ideal candidate to lead @operatheatrestl Then, a Field Report from the @metopera The Barber of Seville, described by our on-the-ground correspondent as a “money machine!”
In the Two-Minute Drill, eleven-dollar tickets are back at @operaphila - the 2025 Richard Tucker Awards are announced, and the list of opera companies defunded by the NEA grows while the Kennedy Center is suddenly flush with cash. Plus, a Maria Callas Lookalike Contest is coming to New York on May 23!
The Rains of Aldeburgh! ft. Gemma New
Go Inside the Huddle with @gemmanewmusic who is set to lead The Turn of the Screw as her @santafeopera debut. The Kiwi conductor argues that climate may affect one’s appreciation of Britten operas. Then, the team plays Monday Evening Quarterback on a new production of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha and offers a lineup of other operas that premiered posthumously.
In the Two-Minute Drill, both NEA funding and the historic South Carolina cottage that inspired Porgy and Bess are at risk, @sonyayoncheva launches a social media series on mental health, and Patricia Racette is named artistic director of @operatheatrestl
Opera Singers in the Symphony! ft. Klaus Mäkelä
An exclusive with @klausmakelaofficial — the phenom Finnish conductor takes a Free Throw on his operatic future as Music Director Designate of the @chicagosymphony . In Spring Training for Your Ears, our newest Friend of the Show inspires the team to consider the use of singers in symphonic repertoire with a playlist that ranges from Gustav Mahler’s The Youth’s Magic Horn to Othmar Schoeck’s Buried Alive. Then, @pjewing_new_york files a Field Report on the @metopera Marriage of Figaro with a superb Barbarina.
In the Two-Minute Drill, @juilliardschool attempts to go tuition-free, @detroitopera risks being deported, the 100th Day Celebration had its Kennedy Center reservation cancelled, and, will you be our date to the @bbc Proms? Plus, a (Good) Call to Action for a letter writing campaign to support federal arts funding.
Passion Week Replay!
As the team does the Holy Week Hustle, enjoy a replay of two favorite segments. First, Sinéad Campbell Wallace goes Inside the Huddle on the occasion of her American debut. Find out how the Irish soprano graduated from light lyric repertoire to heroic Strauss and Wagner roles. Then, we induct Sir Georg Solti into the OBS Hall of Fame. The Hungarian-British conductor was recently dethroned by Beyoncé as the record holder for the most Grammy wins...because in America, you have to make a country album.
The Professional American Psycho! ft. Timothy Murray
Go Inside the Huddle with @timothy.j.murray the American baritone who is having a breakout season including his @metopera debut and an upcoming title role in Fantastic Mr. Fox at @operaomaha Later this month, he brings his acclaimed Don Giovanni to @operaphila
Then, the panel responds to a galvanizing essay The Truth About Church Work for Professional Classical Singers by @briancharleswitkowski the Lucrative Artist.
In the Two-Minute Drill, Ralph Fiennes is set to direct a new production of Eugene Onegin in Paris, Nicky Spence opens up about several challenges facing opera-makers today, and Anita Rachvelishvili is suing the Met.
Depuis le Czardas: the March Madness Finale!
It’s the semi-final and final match-ups of our March Madness summer opera festival bracket! Find who wins when England, France, and Austria dare to compete against the US.
In the Two-Minute Drill, @chicagooperatheater and @operaphila announce their new seasons, and Norwegian artists think twice about travel to the US.
The Sweet Sixteen of Summer Festivals
The OBS team narrows down the March Madness bracket of summer opera festivals. Find who makes the final four from these 16 contestants:
United Kingdom
Glyndebourne vs. Longborough
Grange vs. Garsington
USA
Santa Fe vs. Glimmerglass
Saint Louis vs Des Moines
Germany/Austria
Salzburg vs. Bayreuth
Munich vs. Bregenz
France
Aix-en-Provence vs. Baugé-en-Anjou
Beaune vs. Orange
In the Two-Minute Drill, @operatheatrestl is getting an extreme makeover, @brooklynartsmusicacademy reports growth in audiences, and drag queens throw the first brick (in the form of a petition) at the @kennedycenter
Chief Lady Correspondent! ft. Lucy Caplan and Joélle Harvey
Go Inside the Huddle with Dr. Lucy Caplan, author of Dreaming in Ensemble: How Black Artists Transformed American Opera, to discover a nearly forgotten Golden Age of American classical music that was a wellspring of aesthetic innovation and antiracist activism. Then, soprano @joelleharvey1 takes a Free Throw on navigating the postpartum and perimenopausal singing voice.
In the Two Minute Drill, celebrated costume designer Paul Tazewell wins an @theacademy award, ticket sales plummet at the @kennedycenter and the boycotting of performances in the U.S. begins.
