San Diego Opera Podcast

San Diego Opera is delighted to have tenor Piotr Beczala back to sing King Gustav ('Gustavo') in Verdi's A Masked Ball. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, he talks about the role, other Verdi characters he sings, 'updated' productions of opera and his recent appearance at The Met in Rusalka. You'll also hear a bit of one of his arias from Ballo. Enjoy!

In a continuation of her conversation with San Diego Opera Education Director Nicolas Reveles, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe turns her attention to the growth of the young singer, focusing on her work with the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. Working with young artists energizes Ms. Blythe and she has strong opinions about what singers need when they are beginning their careers. This podcast is a must see for voice students looking to connect totally with their art!

Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe is well known to opera audiences, especially through the Metropolitan Opera's HD broadcasts. She is making her debut with San Diego Opera in the critical role of Ulrika Arvidson in Verdi's A Masked Ball, one of her favorite roles. In this two-part conversation with Education Director Nicolas Reveles, she discusses the role itself and her connection with the great mezzo/contralto roles of Verdi. Enjoy!

Greek baritone Aris Argiris is making his debut with San Diego Opera in the role of Anckarstrom in A Masked Ball by Giuseppe Verdi. In this conversation with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education, he talks about his career, Verdi's baritone roles and singing with such great maestri as Zubin Mehta. Enjoy!

Soprano Krassimira Stoyanova comes to San Diego Opera for the first time to sing the role of Amelia in Verdi's A Masked Ball. Stoyanova has been receiving accolades for her singing all over the world, at all the great opera houses. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, you'll hear about her early career, singing Verdi and this wonderful opera.

One of the more delightful characters to grace the stage of San Diego Opera is coming your way in Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, and inhabiting this marvelous character is another marvelous character, bass Kevin Burdette. Last with us in the 2013 Season (Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment) Kevin is stepping in at the last minute for an indisposed singer. He fits the role like a glove and is welcome company in this interview with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education, as he talks about his career and the role he's singing.

Making her debut with us as conductor of Donizetti's Elixir of Love is Karen Kamensek, Musical Director and Chief Conductor of Opera Hannover in Germany. In this interesting conversation with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, she talks about how she got from her hometown of Chicago to Hannover with little detours to New York, Vienna and Hamburg along the way. Enjoy!

Tenor Giuseppe Filianoti hails from the southernmost tip of Italy (the 'toe' of the boot!) and has been singing his entire life. His operatic career has exploded and he can be heard in the lyric tenor repertoire in all the great opera houses of the world. In this conversation with Education Director Nicolas Reveles he speaks about the role of Nemorino, what a singer needs to be successful in the bel canto repertoire, and the influence of his two great mentors, conductor Riccardo Muti and tenor Alfredo Kraus. Enjoy!

Moldavian soprano Tatiana Lisnic joins San Diego Opera for the first time as Adina in Donizetti's The Elixir of Love. Enjoy this conversation she has with Director of Education & Outreach Nicolas Reveles as they explore her career, her first appearance in the U.S., and the nature of Adina, the heroine in this romantic comedy.

Tenor Frank Porretta was with us last in 2002, singing the role of the Duke in Rigoletto. His repertoire has darkened considerably with roles like Otello, Don Alfaro (La forza del destino), Calaf (Turandot) and Canio in Pagliacci which he's singing for us. Join Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, in a lively conversation with this wonderful artist about his career and the nature of this complicated character, Canio.