Phillip Gainsley's Podcast

British-Italian tenor and “opera superstar” (The Times) Freddie De Tommaso is one of the most sought-after singers today.

Freddie’s current season began with the season opener at the Royal Ballet & Opera, London, a highly anticipated new production of Tosca. He appears three times as Rodolfo La bohème: at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Ballet & Opera and at the Puccini Festival, as well as as adding a new Verdi role to his repertoire, Rodolfo in Luisa Miller at Palau de les Arts Valencia and Wiener Staatsoper in new productions.

He also makes his house debut at Opéra national de Paris in their beloved Pierre Audi production of Tosca.

Last season saw him open the season for Staatsoper unter den Linden and Bayerische Staatsoper with a series of performances of Tosca, which was a vehicle for his Metropolitan Opera debut, broadcast live in HD in cinemas across the world. Another major highlight was the role of Pollione in Bellini’s Norma which he performed in new productions at Teatro alla Scala Milan, Theater an der Wien and at the Wiener Staatsoper. De Tommaso was also heard as Rodolfo La bohème in Hamburg; Tosca at Wiener Staatsoper and in Bonn; Don José Carmen at the Royal Ballet & Opera and Wiener Staatsoper. On the concert platform, his appearances included a concert with Angela Gheorghiu at the Broadstage Theatre; a gala concert for the Solti Academy at the Hungarian State Opera; and a concert with Lise Davidsen and James Baillieu at the Gstaad Festival.
An exclusive artist with Decca Classics and the first tenor to be signed to the label since 2007, his debut album, Passione, debuted at No. 1 in the classical charts and won the BBC Music Magazine Award for Best Newcomer. In June 2022 his second album, Il Tenore, shot straight to No. 1 in the charts upon its release, whilst his rendition of “Nessun Dorma,” featured on the album, reached over one million streams. De Tommaso released an EP titled Puccini in 2024, celebrating the centenary of the composer’s death.

Karita Mattila continues to captivate audiences worldwide in a career spanning more than four decades. The Finnish soprano is celebrated for her compelling dramatic portrayals and acclaimed interpretations of 20th-century and contemporary repertoire.

In 2026/27, Karita returns to Finland for an opening concert with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, an 80th Anniversary Gala with the Tampere Philharmonic, and continues with debuts at the Verbier Festival in Salome, as Herodias, and the Sarasota Opera in Jenůfa, as Kostelnička.

Last season, Karita appeared in the closing concert of the Sibelius Festival in Lahti and a recital in Iitti, Finland, and led masterclasses at the Finnish National Opera. She also returned to the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Dresdin Philharmonie for concert performances of Elektra, as Klytämnestra. 

Her distinguished career has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Order of the Lion of Finland (First Class Commander), Musical America’s Musician of the Year, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for her performances in Jenůfa (Kostelnička) and The Makropulos Case (Emilia Marty).

Karita Mattila studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Liisa Linko-Malmio and later with Vera Rózsa. A sought-after mentor, she has recently led masterclasses at the Peabody Institute, Lauluakatemia Helsinki, the Birgit Nilsson Museum, Wigmore Hall in partnership with the Sibelius Academy and Keval Shah, and Savonlinna Music Academy.

It’s homecoming time on the main stage of Chanhassen Dinner Theaters.  Tamara Kangas Erickson returns to the theater as president and artistic director 45 years after starring as one of the von Trapp Family Singers in The Sound of Music.

Tamara and the late Michael Brindisi forged a strong artistic partnership beginning in 2004, with her first serving as  resident choreographer on Michael’s artistic team, when he was president and artistic director. Together, they collaborated on more than 50 musical productions at Chanhassen.  Tamara has also directed productions for Chanhassen such as Musical of Musicals: The Musical and Respect: The Musical Journey of Women. Her recent directing credits also include Little Women, for Artistry, and the Off-Broadway production of This One’s for the Girls. 

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is the nation’s largest professional dinner theatre. Since 1968 it has hosted nearly 13 million visitors. It is a fully-professional, producing musical theater company.   I'm so happy Tamara could join me, as the company opens its production of Annie.

Quinn Kelsey has been called “the premier Verdi baritone of his generation” His Rigoletto has become the standard.

His mastery of Verdi’s baritone roles extends far beyond Rigoletto.  He has contributed his artistry to the title roles in Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, and Falstaff, as well as Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Il Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Amonasro in Aida, Germont in La traviata, and Don Carlo in Ernani. While Verdi forms the cornerstone of Kelsey’s artistry, his versatility as a performer is evident in his ability to shine in other repertoire. He has achieved great success in a number of career-defining roles, including his richly-sung Marcello in Puccini’s La bohème and his darkly compelling interpretation of Scarpia in Tosca,

He made his debut at The Royal Danish Opera, singing the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth in concert and now is due to repeat the role at the Metropolitan Opera.

Quinn appeared with his hometown opera company, Hawaii Opera Theatre, for the world premiere of Herb Mahelona’s Kamalehua: The Sheltering Tree.

Quinn’s artistry has earned him numerous accolades, including The Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award in 2015 and the prestigious Opera News Award in 2022. He was a finalist of the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition in 2004, and represented the United States in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2005.

Gary William Friedman is a versatile composer best known for his groundbreaking score for the TONY nominated, OBIE Award winning musical The Me Nobody Knows.

In addition to the theater, his music spans the genres of jazz, film, symphonic and liturgical works. His orchestral, operatic and dance works have been commissioned and performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lancaster Music Festival, the Columbus Symphony, The Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho, and Encompass New Opera Theatre. 

In addition to scoring features and highly acclaimed television films, he served as music director for television's The Electric Company, for which he wrote many songs including the popular "Spider Man Theme Song".

Bill McLaughlin was a classical music radio host, a music educator, a musicologist, a composer and a conductor.  

He was a Peabody Award–winning classical music radio host. In 1980, he launched the popular St. Paul Sunday Morning on NPR.  Later he hosted Exploring Music, heard on the WFMT network.  He was known for his ingratiating personality. 

Bill was also a professional orchestra musician, over three decades as a conductor, and a decade as a composer.

Trained as a trombonist, Bill took up conducting in1969 after completing a Master of Music degree in conducting at Temple University, studying under Robert Page. He also worked with William R. Smith, associate conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the esteemed Max Rudolf. 

He had stints with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony, leaving his mark wherever he served.  

At age 16, violinist Ariana Kim made her debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and at age 24, she was appointed acting concertmaster of the Louisiana Philharmonic.  Ariana made her New York recital debut at Carnegie’s Weill Hall during her doctoral studies at Juilliard and she is now a tenured professor at Cornell University. 

Equally devoted to contemporary and long-established literature, Ariana held a 10-year position with the New York New Music Ensemble Ne(x)tworks and she is currently in her 19th season with The Knights.

The 2024-2025 season brought a 6-performance residency at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and she gave a rare performance of Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 1 at Jordan Hall in Boston with the Cornell Symphony.  Her solo album, (un)common thread, explores improvisation through the lens of Mozart and Beethoven sonatas alongside world folk music, with collaborators Roger Moseley (fortepiano) and Shane Shanahan (percussion) was recently released on Tiger Turn Records.  

Courtney Lewis is currently celebrating 13 years with the Jacksonville Symphony, having established himself as one of his generation’s most dynamic conductors.

Deeply committed to new music, Courtney has worked with many of today's leading composers. In Jacksonville, recent and upcoming commissions include works by Carlos Simon, Tarik O'Regan, Lowell Liebermann, Courtney Bryan and Conrad Tao.

In the summer of 2022, Coutney Lewis returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, making his debut at the Hollywood Bowl.

In May 2023, Courtney made his debut at the Opéra national de Paris Ballet, conducting Thomas Adès’ Dante.

Recently, Courtney led the Minnesota Opera in its revival production of Silent Night, composed by Kevin Puts with libretto by Mark Campbell, recorded on the Naxos label.

Courtney Lewis is currently celebrating 13 years with the Jacksonville Symphony, having established himself as one of his generation’s most dynamic conductors.

Deeply committed to new music, Courtney has worked with many of today's leading composers. In Jacksonville, recent and upcoming commissions include works by Carlos Simon, Tarik O'Regan, Lowell Liebermann, Courtney Bryan and Conrad Tao.

In the summer of 2022, Coutney Lewis returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, making his debut at the Hollywood Bowl.

In May 2023, Courtney made his debut at the Opéra national de Paris Ballet, conducting Thomas Adès’ Dante.

Recently, Courtney led the Minnesota Opera in its revival production of Silent Night, composed by Kevin Puts with libretto by Mark Campbell, recorded on the Naxos label.

Courtney Lewis is currently celebrating 13 years with the Jacksonville Symphony, having established himself as one of his generation’s most dynamic conductors.

Deeply committed to new music, Courtney has worked with many of today's leading composers. In Jacksonville, recent and upcoming commissions include works by Carlos Simon, Tarik O'Regan, Lowell Liebermann, Courtney Bryan and Conrad Tao.

In the summer of 2022, Coutney Lewis returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, making his debut at the Hollywood Bowl.

In May 2023, Courtney made his debut at the Opéra national de Paris Ballet, conducting Thomas Adès’ Dante.

Recently, Courtney led the Minnesota Opera in its revival production of Silent Night, composed by Kevin Puts with libretto by Mark Campbell, recorded on the Naxos label.