Talking Classical Podcast

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I was very lucky to meet Nathan while starring in English National Opera's production of Lehár's classic operetta The Merry Widow. In this interview, we discuss his career and collegial friendships formed in London and the UK, his delightful but fully committed Wigmore Hall recital presented while in London, and his thoughts and approaches to singing and performance - and when Mandy Patinkin sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to him in Yiddish during their two-man show in front of 10,000 people.   Special thanks to: Staci Levine at Groundswell Theatricals for arranging the interview, and Nathan for additional arrangements - this interview was organised with two days' notice! Originally published on 30th March 2019. Interview recorded on 28th March 2019. Baritone Nathan Gunn has sung leading lyric baritone roles and appeared in several world premieres in many of the most renowned opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House, Paris Opera, and Bayerische Staatsoper. Also a distinguished concert performer, Mr. Gunn has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, and has been presented in recitals in New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, London, and Brussels.  His discography includes Billy Budd (Virgin Classics), Rogers & Hammerstein’s Allegro (Sony Masterworks Broadway), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (SONY Classics), and his solo albums Just Before Sunrise (Sony/BMG Masterworks) and American Anthem (EMI). Mr. Gunn recently ventured outside the standard opera repertoire with performances of the title role in Sweeney Todd at the Houston Grand Opera, Camelot and Carousel with the New York Philharmonic, Show Boat at Carnegie Hall and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Wonderful Town with the London Symphony Orchestra.  Mr. Gunn is a professor of voice at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and General Director of the Lyric Theater @ Illinois. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast YouTube - https://bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

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Last month, I was very lucky to see the first preview of the National Theatre's revival of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical Follies. As well as starring rising young talents and the cream of British musical theatre, the wonderful soprano Alison Langer plays the role of Young Heidi Schiller (an opera singer), with Heidi Schiller currently being played by Dame Felicity Lott, one of the finest sopranos of our time.* I met Alison between a two-show day to talk about her experiences of playing Young Heidi Schiller, as well as musical theatre, opera, and of course, singing Sondheim's amazing music in the stunning setting of the Olivier Theatre. Originally published on 13th March 2019. Interview recorded on 9th March 2019. *The equally fine Dame Josephine Barstow will take over the role of Heidi Schiller later in the run. British Soprano Alison Langer is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her most recent and future engagements include Oscar Un ballo in maschera (Opera Holland Park)‚ Violetta La Traviata for Opera Holland Park’s Christine Collins Performance‚ a Whistlestop tour for Opera North‚ Musetta La Boheme with Iford Arts‚ Bridesmaid Le Nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne and Young Heidi Follies at the National Theatre. Alison is grateful to be the recipient of a Richard Angas Memorial Award. Alison made her professional debut as Lisette La Rondine (Opera in the Open‚ Dublin)‚ since when she has appeared as Edith The Pirates of Penzance (Opera Holland Park)‚ Norina I Pazzi per Progetto‚ title role Erodiade‚ The Countess The Cunning Peasant and the New Queen in the world premiere of Snow in an inaugural production by The Opera Story. On the concert platform‚ she has sung most recently in Mozart’s Requiem at St Martin in the Fields‚ with other concert venues including Buxton Opera House‚ Barbican Centre‚ Birmingham Symphony Hall‚ Queen Elizabeth Hall‚ Royal Albert Hall‚ The House of Lords and The Ritz. Book your tickets to see Follies at the National Theatre: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/follies. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

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In this episode, I am talking about the influence of classical music in China with Dr Shzr Ee Tan, Senior Lecturer and an ethnomusicologist at Royal Holloway, University of London. China is a country, which has undoubtedly had a massive impact on the classical music industry in many ways, and very much continues to impact the classical sector. I am British-born Chinese myself, and this interview was recorded a few days after Chinese New Year officially finished so I thought it would be rather pertinent to make an episode on the role of Western classical music in China. This varied interview certainly challenges many of the common stereotypes of how classical music is viewed in China. It includes topics such as the history of Western art music in China, political influences, transnationalism, cultural flows and the multiplicities of classical music activities in China today. We also discuss the identities of Chinese classical musicians such as Lang Lang, Yuja Wang and Zhu Xiao-Mei, and how classical music is impacting the younger generation of Chinese musicians, for example, in conservatoires both in China and overseas. Finally, we consider what the future of classical music in China might look like. The main point to emphasise is that the idea of “Chineseness” in classical music should not be seen as one-way or monolithic but in terms of multiple identities and exchanges. Originally published on 8th March 2019. Interview recorded on 22nd February 2019 at 11 Bedford Square. Shzr Ee's bio - https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/shzr-tan_ad70e394-5ecb-4805-bdd3-5f0db9655199.html SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

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This episode is a little different to the previous ones. If anyone can talk better about the connections between music and dance, it surely has to be the dancers themselves because they have direct experience of the music, by internalising and emoting it through their amazing movements and physiques. I recorded a conversation with one of Britain’s former leading ballet dancers. In this podcast, Victoria and I talk about her formative training at the world-renowned Elmhurst School for Dance and the Royal Ballet School. We also discuss her experiences of working with live musicians, rehearsal pianists and the orchestra, and the need for ballet dancers to be musical, perhaps to have some musical training. It was so intriguing to talk to someone working in another art form and almost share something of a common language. Enjoy this conversation, occasionally interspersed with the delightful noises of Victoria’s seven-month old! Originally published on 19th February 2019. Conversation recorded on 8th February 2019 via Vidyo. Victoria trained at Elmhurst School for Dance and the Royal Ballet School before being asked by Birmingham Royal Ballet Director David Bintley to join the company in 1996. There she quickly rose through the ranks to First Soloist and during her, 17 year career danced lead roles in a wide variety of the companies repertoire the world over. Victoria has worked with some of the most renowned directors and choreographers in both classic and modern works - from Sir Peter Wright's Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and ever-popular Nutcracker to Bintley's Carmina Burana, Van Mannen's Grosse Fuge and Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room. After a final performance of Giselle in 2013 Victoria retired from full time performing to set up her own online ballet fitness business sleektechnique.com with fellow dancer Flik Swan. The Sleek method (an accessible, fun and effective blend of authentic ballet technique and fitness) has quickly caught on and after glowing reviews in publications such as Vogue, Women's Fitness and Elle Magazine, there are now women joining Sleek classes online from over 45 different countries. "Doing something that stuck close to my classical roots has always been the aim with Sleek. I still get to dance, be creative and spread the mind and body benefits of dance to an even wider audience"