Central City Opera Podcast

The stage director of The Burning Fiery Furnace is Ken Cazan, who has directed at Central City Opera for 16 seasons. This one-act opera by Benjamin Britten is a timeless tale from the Bible, and Ken walks us through the storyline and background of the piece, as well as his friendship with the opera's original director, why he has such a connection to Britten's works, and why you don't need to be religious to appreciate this opera.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

You'll finally get to meet tenor Matthew Plenk on this episode of the podcast. He's playing the role of Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte this season. We talk about his favorite aspects of Ferrando's character and music, his experiences at the Metropolitan Opera during the National Council Auditions and the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, teaching at the University of Denver, his musical young children, and his circuitous path to a career in opera.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

On this episode of the podcast, get to know soprano Angela Mortellaro, who is performing the role of Micaela in Carmen this season. She shares her thoughts on the symbolism of Micaela in the opera, how she loves the rehearsal process of any show she's in, prepping for a new role and a new company, life on the road, and how she got into singing.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

On this episode of the podcast, meet mezzo soprano Tamara Gura who is performing the role of Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte this season. Tamara talks about living and working in Europe, the magic of Mozart's music, how the experience of losing her father 10 years ago has made her into a more honest and authentic performer, and the inner workings of Dorabella.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

Get ready for a long conversation between good friends on this episode of the podcast. Mezzo-soprano Megan Marino and I have known each other for nearly 12 years, and she is our Despina in COSI FAN TUTTE this summer. We get into how she's a lot like Despina in real life, her journey with classical singing after starting as a jazz vocal major in college, and how her previous impressions regarding the treatment of women in Cosi has changed now that she's dug deeper into Mozart's music.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

A fan favorite at Central City, baritone Michael Mayes is back this summer as Escamillo in Carmen. On this episode, Mike talks about the difference between singing this kind of a role versus roles he's done in the past at CCO, and he digs into the psychology of the lead characters. Mike also shares what it's like having his wife Megan Marino here (Despina in this season's Cosi fan tutte) and gives his opinion on why Carmen is being performed all the time, around the world. We also talk about the art of bleeping…there's a lot of laughing.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

On this episode of the podcast, meet baritone David Adam Moore who is performing the role of Guglielmo in COSI FAN TUTTE this season. David shares why he loves stepping into the shoes of this "bull in a china shop" –type character, and reflects on how much he learned from his Studio Artist days at Central City two decades ago. He also is one of the founders of GLMMR, an art/design collection which recently created a unique performance of Schubert's song cycle "Winterreise." An avid performer and creator of new music, David tells us about his journey with GLMMR and the exciting projects in store for them.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi is our Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte this season. On this episode of the podcast, Patrick dives deep into the psyche of this professor who is more complex than meets the eye. Last seen at Central City Opera in 2013 as Don Bartolo in The Barber of Seville, Patrick shares why he loves to perform comic roles, why Mozart's music continues to be at the top of his list, and how singing kept him sane during a serious childhood illness.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

On this episode of the podcast, meet soprano Hailey Clark, our Fiordiligi in this season's Cosi fan tutte. Hailey describes Fiordiligi's personality and shares how she identifies – and doesn't – with this reserved character. She also discusses the musical challenges and delights of the role, her self-described obsession with podcasts, and how she found her way to opera from a childhood steeped in folk music.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at CentralCityOpera.org.

On this episode of the podcast, we hear from Central City Opera’s Music Director, John Baril, who is also conducting COSI FAN TUTTE this season. He delves deep into the opera, discussing what makes Mozart’s music stand out for him, how Cosi compares with the other Mozart/Da Ponte operas, and the art of singing and conducting recitative. He also gives us a rundown of what’s going on in his head during an ensemble rehearsal…imagine an empathetic air traffic controller.

Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at [email protected]. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at www.centralcityopera.org.