The Ghost Light Podcast (Utah Symphony | Utah Opera)

Though there is a children’s chorus, a children’s ballet, and adults playing children, "Hansel and Gretel" is much more than a children’s opera. In preparation for Utah Opera’s presentation of this beloved fairytale, Jeff and Carol talk about the opera’s backstory and why it’s one of the more underrated and sophisticated scores of the late nineteenth century.

For over 50 years, John Williams has delighted millions of listeners with his epic film music. Compositionally sophisticated and melodically inventive, his more than one hundred cinematic scores are masterpieces of virtuosic story-telling. In one of their patented Deep Dives™️, film score devotees Jeff and Carol talk about John Williams' life and amazing body of work, while sharing their personal experiences of Williams' music, both as listeners and performers.

For tickets to Utah Symphony's January 2025 performance of the Film Music of John Williams, visit: https://utahsymphony.org/event/id/33383/

From Salsa to Symphony—get to know newly appointed Utah Symphony Assistant Conductor Jessica Rivero Altarriba. The Ghostlight Team welcomes Maestra Altarriba to Utah and learns about her path to the podium. With a joyful commitment to audience engagement and a vision for the future of symphonic programming, she's a vibrant addition to our organization and our community.

Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson share background information about the upcoming Utah Symphony performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

For tickets to Utah Symphony's November 2024 performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, visit: https://utahsymphony.org/event/id/33379

The Ghost Light team sits down with Leslie Peterson (Vice President of Development, USUO) to discuss arts funding in America. She shares insights from her experiences at Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, and the organization's support for the local Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) program in Salt Lake County.

Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson share background and behind-the-scenes information about the upcoming Utah Opera production of Sondeim’s Sweeney Todd.

In short, Sweeney Todd is a vengeance story in the vein of so many of the tragedies Utah Opera has staged in recent years. Although there is a high body count in this production, it’s about more than just murder. The complex stories and motives of both the principal and chorus characters are intricately weaved together with musical motifs that add depth to their respective roles in a way that only Sondheim could achieve.

The original production featured an industrial set and staging with turntable and trap doors. Early reviews claimed the combination of music and theater “magic” of the now beloved work was almost too much for its own good.

Utah Opera’s production is cast with opera singers that are able to vocally straddle the fine divide between opera and music theater.

For tickets to Utah Opera's October 2024 production of Sweeney Todd visit: utahopera.org/sweeney

The Ghost Light team sits down with Maestro John DeMain (Music Director, Madison Symphony) to discuss the intersection of Opera and Musical Theater. He shares insights from his experiences conducting Houston Grand Opera, his conversations with Stephen Sondheim regarding Sweeney Todd, and what subject he would like to see be made into an opera.

To get tickets to the upcoming Utah Opera performance of Sweeney Todd visit https://bit.ly/3XANdH3

Co-hosts Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson sit down to discuss Scheherazade, Utah Symphony’s May performance featuring both Rimsky-Korsakov's famous orchestral suite as well as Ravel’s lesser-known Shéhérazade (a lovely song cycle originally inspired by Rimsky-Korsakov's version sung by Utah Opera Favorite Wendy Bryn Harmer).

These two evening concerts perfectly captures the sultan’s savagery, the storyteller’s mesmerizing quality, and the exotic tales Scheherazade weaves over the course of 1001 Arabian Nights.

Hosts Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson preview the upcoming Utah Opera presentation of Massenet's "Thaïs." Giving you a behind the curtain look into this grandiose production, what to expect, and the history of Massenet's timeless work.

The Ghost Light Podcast sits down with guitarist Gretchen Menn and USUO VP of Education and Community Outreach Ben Kipp to discuss the upcoming Guitar Celebrations Festival featuring Another Night On Earth guitar ensemble with the Utah Symphony.