In 1731, Antoine François Prévost introduced the character of Manon to the world through his "smutty" novel L'Histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut, and she has seduced audiences time and again ever since! In this episode, we talk about the two operas that have survived in the modern canon that tell her story - one by Massenet, and one Puccini!

Ep. 104: Manon vs. Manon Lescaut

Forget what you thought you knew about classical music, and leave your preconceived notions at the door! Co-hosted by Naomi Barrettara, Elspeth Davis, and Kyle Homewood, Opera After Dark is a journey into the surprisingly wild, sometimes sexy, ALWAYS weird world of classical music. Join us as we settle in, open a bottle of wine, get tipsy, and discuss and share the crazy stories and bizarre facts about the “high art” that we love.

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What do you do when you find yourself filled with rage? In the opera world, you sing an emotionally charged Rage Aria. In this episode, we're talking about some of opera's most rageful moments.

Ep. 132: Rage Arias

What is a singer to do when the composer didn't right a banging aria for their character, or their aria leaves something to be desired? Insert a favorite aria of their choosing! It's hard to believe that this actually happened in the world of professional opera, but it turns out this was commonplace for much of opera's history.

Ep. 131: Insertion Arias

Happy Holidays from Opera After Dark! We all love (or love to hate) a good holiday album. In this episode we discuss some of the most notable holiday albums by opera stars.

Ep. 130: Holiday Albums

When you think about an opera about the Moon, does 20th-century music come to mind, or maybe the 21st? It turns out the first opera about space came way back in 1777. We hope you enjoy hearing about the Classical Era space opera, Il mondo della luna.

Ep. 129: The opera about the moon

In the realm of classical music, there are few individuals as influential as Franz Joseph Haydn. Though not known for his operas, Haydn is the original master of the symphony and string quartet, and definitely lived an interesting life.

Ep. 104: Manon vs. Manon Lescaut

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