Detroit Opera

“That is at the core of what Janáček is about. He’s not trying to create opera that feels completely out of touch from everyday people.” Detroit Opera’s Artistic Director Yuval Sharon, who staged this multimedia production of The Cunning Little Vixen as its Detroit Opera premiere with these performances, chats with host Arthur White and our Music Director Roberto Kalb before the final matinee.

“Everyone here plays an important role, but one of the main characters is the orchestra.” Music Director Roberto Kalb describes the work it takes to bring The Cunning Little Vixen to the Detroit Opera House stage for the first time; while Czech specialist Timothy Cheek helps the pre-opera talk audience to pronounce the composer’s name - Janáček - hosted by Director of External Affairs Arthur White.

"How can I 'animate' the ideas of a particular work?" Detroit Opera Artistic Director Yuval Sharon talks with Director of External Affairs Arthur White about the process for his production of The Cunning Little Vixen before its Detroit Opera premiere on Saturday May 11.

Host Arthur White chats with Detroit Opera's Artistic Director Yuval Sharon about the Detroit Opera premiere of this work and his production; and Music Director Roberto Kalb about bringing this renowned composer's work to Detroit. Arthur also talks with Czech specialist Tim Cheek about the language and the revolutionary use of a prose libretto.

"This is really the millennial opera" says scholar Dr. Naomi André in our Pre Opera Talk from the final performance of Breaking the Waves. Director of External Affairs Arthur White chats with Dr. André about celestial voices and Music Director Roberto Kalb talks with conductor Stephanie Childress about her process leading these performances.

What do ABBA, Brahms, and Mazzoli all have in common? They're all on Stephanie Childress' playlist! Listen to her chat with Detroit Opera Music Director Roberto Kalb during the Pre-Opera Talk before Breaking the Waves.

Artistic Director Yuval Sharon talks with composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek before the premiere of Breaking the Waves in Detroit on April 6, 2024

Director of External Affairs, Arthur White talks with Breaking the Waves composer Missy Mazzoli and Associate Artistic Director Christine Goerke.

“Before the Sunday matinee and final performance, Yuval Sharon, Detroit Opera's Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director, talks with Director of External Affairs Arthur White about his experience producing works by John Cage and how no two performances are ever the same.”

Yuval Sharon, Detroit Opera's Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director, talks with Director of External Affairs Arthur White about John Cage's experience with silence, and producing Europeras and chance operations.