San Diego Opera Podcast

Herb Kellner is directing our upcoming production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville in a production original conceived by John Copley, a longtime guest director here at San Diego Opera. The production is based on the images and motifs that occur in the work of the Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte. Join Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, in a discussion of the Magritte influences on this Barber and its unique look.

Our final installment of the 2012 Season is upon us: Rossini's The Barber of Seville. In a free-wheeling interview with Geisel Director of Education and Outreach Nicolas Reveles, baritone Lucas Meachem talks about his roots, his musical upbringing and his special take on the character of Figaro, the pivotal character in Barber who pulls all the strings and pushes all the plot points. Enjoy!

An old friend to the company, John Del Carlo has been involved with us since his days as a young artist in the mid-seventies. Tune in and hear his views on the basso buffo repertoire, his career and the role of Don Pasquale, a delightful conversation with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach. 

Tenor Charles Castronovo was last with us as Nadir in The Pearl Fishers. According to this interview, his voice has darkened and he's been taking on heavier, albeit still lyrical, roles like Romeo (Gounod). In a wide-ranging conversation with Education Director Nicolas Reveles, Castronovo describes the vocal challenges involved in taking on Ernesto in Don Pasquale. Enjoy!

In a fun, fast-paced interview, soprano Danielle de Niese talks about her career and her upcoming performances as Norina in Don Pasquale. Education Director Nicolas Reveles, as always, asks the right questions. Enjoy!

One of the stars of the opera Moby Dick is baritone Morgan Smith who portrays Captain Ahab's first mate, Starbuck. The characters' conflict is at the heart of the opera. In a wide-ranging interview with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, the singer discusses his career and how the role of Starbuck came to him through an earlier work with composer, Jake Heggie.

In this audio-only and very special podcast, we offer an interview with the creators of Moby Dick, composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. They reflect on their work together and on the sometimes daunting task of taking an 800 page book and simmering it down into a piece for musical theatre, a stirring opera that's been exciting audiences since its premiere in 2010. Listen in as Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, questions them about their stunning work.

We've waited a long, long time for this; but we finally have the great Canadian heldentenor Ben Heppner in our cast of Moby Dick, singing the role of Captain Ahab. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, the tenor talks about the creation of the role, its similarity to other roles he sings and the challenges of wearing a peg leg! Enjoy.

Bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu has had a meteoric rise in the opera world. This singer from a Samoan family in New Zealand is a favorite with conductors and audiences because of his natural presence, friendliness and, of course, his sumptuous voice. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, Jon talks about his background, his training and the role of Queequeg which he debuted at the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick at Dallas Opera in 2010.

What's it like to be the only woman in a cast literally overrun with men? Find out as soprano Talise Trevigne, who graced our stage last season as Micaela in Carmen, speaks with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach. Talise talks about the opera Moby-Dick, its overwhelming music and the challenges of taking on a 'pants' role as Pip, the cabin boy of Captain Ahab. Not incidentally, her big moment in this opera is sung from 30 feet in the air!