Alright, this week…It’s the OBS year in review! From Beyoncé showing off her Italian Baroque chops to Arts Council England continuing to be the enemy of opera, to friend of the show Anthony Roth Costanzo being tapped as Opera Philadelphia’s new GD, to other friend of the show Benjamin Bernheim getting the ultimate OBS bump, 2024 certainly was…something. The team breaks it down for you…

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[@ 1 min] This week…for our annual Christmas episode, we’re going INSIDE THE CAROL. Taking a break from opera news, the OBS team wants to save you from tears, and give your heart away to someone special…

[@ 23 min] Plus, keeping with the theme of magical births, a field report on the Met’s “Die Frau Ohne Schatten.”

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[@ 2 min] This week…we go inside the huddle with Key’mon Murrah. In advance of his upcoming Washington National Opera Marian Anderson Vocal Award recital, we catch up with the in-demand countertenor almost four years after he first became a Friend of the Show. 

[@ 26 min] Then, we take a break from the opera to discuss the CSO in this week’s listener mailbag…

[@ 31 min] After that…Puccini died a century ago, and his operas are still performed all over the world. Matt and I are here to settle the question once and for all: was Giacomo the GOAT? Or GioAT, if you will?

[@ 59 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…is Bayreuth’s budget going bust? Will bad business bring about bankruptcy? We boys break down this baffling botheration…

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[@ 2 min] This week, we’re recording on December 2nd, the 101st anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas. And to celebrate, we’ll go Inside the Huddle with Sophia Lambton, author of the new biography, "The Callas Imprint."

[@ 30 min] Then, it’s a Monday Evening Quarterback on “Maria,” the film now in select theaters and coming to Netflix this month!

[@ 38 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…we may be celebrating Callas’ birthday on the show today, but Puccini’s birthday was nearly ruined at La Scala…

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Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! (Sorry, UK listeners). The OBS team is going to celebrate by taking a week off from the news and offering our thanks to artists in our industry who have striven to make this world a better place.

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[@ 2 min] This week, Frederica von Stade, a living legend, takes a Free Throw on the role of the Mother in Dead Man Walking and reveals the heartbreak of being a mother working in opera.

[@ 16 min] Then…we go Inside the Huddle with tenor Gwilym Bowen, who is setting his voice to Christmas Oratorio and Messiah mode as we enter into the most magical season of all[@ .

[@39 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…Peter Gelb is jockeying for a cabinet position with a promise to make opera great again.

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[@4 min] Later this month, Agnes Baltsa will celebrate her 80th birthday, and since her handlers won’t answer our interview request, we’ll offer you the next best thing and induct the grandiose Greek mezzo-soprano into the OBS hall of Fame.

[@ 31 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…So far there’s only one thing to look forward to in 2025: GRAMMY season! We’ll walk you through the noms while we all collectively smile through the pain…

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Alright, this week…it’s the first week in November in America and the election is the only thing we can think about. We have no idea if America will still be a thing by the time you hear this…but we will try to continue the conversation about politics…I mean opera.

Then…a free throw from bass Kenneth Kellogg who is set to make his Chicago debut in his signature role, The Father in Jeanine Tesoriu and Tazewell Thompson’s BLUE.

Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…we got one tenor chiding us and another tenor grousing about his picture not being included on the cover of a DVD and, I’m sorry, Democracy is at stake here, so forgive us if we don’t really care.

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Alright, it’s Halloween, and we’re here to warn you about opera characters you don’t want to be alone with in the woods…and wouldn’t you know it, none of them are bears!

Plus we have lots of listener mail, so we are going to do something extra horrifying and skip the Two Minute Drill.

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[@ 1 min] It’s the return of TKO, when we pit two sopranos against each other, one American and one Italian, in the obstacle course that is Madama Butterfly…

[@ 39 min] And then, Ermonela Jaho, one of the undisputed great Cio-Cio San’s of our time, takes a Free Throw on her signature role.

[@ 55 min] And, in the listener mailbag, a field report on the Met’s production of Grounded.

[@ 1 hr] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill’…Harmonia Mundi sells its soul? I mean, I guess it is almost Halloween…

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