The holidays are here, and we’re continuing our three-part series listening to and talking about our favorite holiday pieces of classical music. Tonight, creative consultant Oliver Camacho tells us what’s on his Christmas playlist and introduces us to a few major works that don’t get as much play as Handel’s 'Messiah' or Mariah Carey’s 'All I Want for Christmas'...

But first, in ‘Chalk Talk’, we talk about Russian baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky. He’s been battling brain cancer for months, and now he’s withdrawn from all future opera performances. Can he return to the stage? If not, who’ll take his place? And what sort of a void will not singing roles leave in the life of one of the world’s biggest opera stars? Guest co-host and baritone Matthan Black chimes in...

And you get all your opera headlines and our hot takes on them in ‘The Two Minute Drill’...

@operaboxscore #operaballs