Lyric Opera of Chicago Podcasts

American baritone Mark Delavan has demonstrated remarkable versatility at Lyric, where he has scored major successes in operas by Gluck, Verdi, Wagner, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, and Bolcom. The Verdi repertoire has brought Delavan many triumphs at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Munich, San Francisco, and Santa Fe. He's making his role debut this season at Lyric in his 14th Verdi role, Anckarstrom/A Masked Ball, which he discusses here in a lively conversation with Lyric broadcast producer Mark Travis.

Currently principal guest conductor of Seattle Opera, Israeli conductor Asher Fisch Fisch appears frequently at the Vienna Staatsoper and is former music director of both the Vienna Volksoper and the Israeli Opera. He is returning to Lyric Opera to conduct his first performances of A Masked Ball. In a lively conversation with Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines, he discusses this latest addition to his repertoire, while also recalling other career highlights.

American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky is acknowledged by audiences and critics throughout North America and Europe as one of today's few true Verdi sopranos. She is returning to Lyric this season to sing her first Amelia, one of the most eagerly awaited role debuts of her career. Here she discusses the formidable challenges of the role in relation to other heroines in her repertoire. Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines poses the questions.

The four exceptional young American artists who are portraying the lovers in A Midsummer Night's Dream are all enjoying highly successful careers throughout North America and with major European opera companies. Here they get together for a roundtable discussion about Britten's opera with WFMT's George Preston, host of the Lyric Opera broadcasts.

American soprano Anna Christy, memorable at Lyric in both A Wedding (world premiere) and Dialogues of the Carmelites (company premiere), is portraying Tytania in Lyric's first production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lyric Opera dramaturg and broadcast commentator Roger Pines speaks with her about her role, this production, and other important career highlights.

A Swedish monarch flirts with his trusted friend's wife and soon enough, they're on the road to perdition. Join A Masked Ball's director, opera legend Renata Scotto and celebrated tenor Frank Lopardo (King Gustavo) as they explore duty, honor, and middle-period Verdi.

American countertenor David Daniels, the most renowned countertenor of our time, counts Oberon (his fourth Lyric Opera role) among his most acclaimed portrayals. Here he speaks about the music and his characterization of this formidable figure. Asking the questions is WFMT's George Preston, host of the Lyric Opera broadcasts.

British bass Peter Rose is internationally acknowledged as today's most celebrated exponent of the role of Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Here, in conversation with Lyric dramaturg and broadcast commentator Roger Pines, Rose discusses important details regarding this portrayal, which has brought him enormous acclaim in major houses internationally.

Shakespeare has inspired more than a few memorable operas, and this season Lyric is offering two of them -- Verdi's Macbeth (1847) and Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960). This two-hour symposium features director Barbara Gaines (Macbeth) of Chicago Shakespeare Theater; singers David Daniels (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Thomas Hampson (Macbeth), and Nadja Michael (Macbeth); conductor Rory Macdonald (A Midsummer Night's Dream); and University of Chicago Shakespeare scholar David Bevington. Moderated by classical music critic Wynne Delacoma and Chicago Public Radio's Steve Edwards.

American soprano Elaine Alvarez has developed an impressive international career (Munich, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Genoa, Athens, and more) since she first appeared at Lyric three seasons ago. She's returning to Lyric this season as Micaela in Carmen. Here, speaking with Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines, she discusses that role, while also explaining what brought her to singing and reminiscing about the circumstances of her eleventh-hour Lyric debut as Mimi in La boheme.