The Gould Standard

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If the mark of a great actor is the ability to transform herself completely, then Tatiana Maslany is one of the finest of her generation.

With her Emmy-winning breakout playing multiple cloned “sisters” in the TV series Orphan Black, Tatiana not only showed the world her incredible versatility but her ability to infuse her characters with compassion, diverse experiences, and an intense longing for connection.

Photo credit: BBC America.

In this exclusive conversation, Tatiana and Brian talk about her beginnings growing up in Regina, Saskatechewan, her failure in gymnastics, passion for improv, zombie flicks, her latest role as a Depression era radio evangelist in Perry Mason, and of course, Sarah Manning, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Beth and all the other “sistras” from Orphan Black… and her recent experience as a juror for The Glenn Gould Prize.

Has technology ushered in a Brave New World of creativity, connectedness and individual empowerment — or has it created an invisible tool to enable surveillance, manipulation and the invasion of our privacy?

Few people alive speak more clearly and provocatively to these issues than Cory Doctorow, award-winning science fiction writer, blogger and activist for a more open, accountable and human-rights-focused digital future. In this in-depth conversation with host Brian Levine, Cory explores the deep social engagement, sense of wonder, and occasionally, the rage that inspires his fiction and non-fiction writing.

Austin-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mobley describes his style as “post-genre,” an evocative mix of pop, soul, rock with inventive touches that defy classification.

What marks him as one of the most interesting emerging artists today is his beguiling blend of searing social criticism with captivating melodies, all brilliantly on display in his recent album, Young and Dying in the Occident Supreme. In this revealing conversation, Mobley talks about re-inventing himself as a one-man band who creates a richly layered ensemble experience while performing solo, his work in film and video and his unique and haunting collaborative video project inspired by the parlour game “Exquisite Corpse.”

Ai Weiwei is a unique presence in the world of visual art – equal parts avant-garde icon, activist and moral conscience for our times.

His courage is legendary both in pushing the boundaries between the new and the traditional in art and between art and politics. He has inspired the world with his defiance in the face of authoritarianism.

Join us for a deeply moving conversation, ranging from Ai’s origins and formative influences, his struggles to defend freedom of expression against the forces of repression, his monumental installations and his equally bold provocations of the powerful and complacent through his documentary films.

If there is such a thing as a superstar in the world of contemporary classical music, soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan ranks at the top of a very short list.

With her quicksilver voice, charismatic personality and the striking physicality she brings to each performance, she has done what most people considered impossible – making the music of Ligeti, Boulez and Schoenberg irresistible to the many. Add to that her growing fame in the still male-dominated filed of orchestral conducting, and you have Barbara Hannigan, one of today’s truly transformative musical forces.

From her beginnings in Waverley, Nova Scotia to the great stages of the world, we talked with Barbara about her meteoric rise, her work with today’s greatest composers and the joys of bringing modern masterpieces to life.

In Part II of our conversation with Viggo Mortensen, we delve into this protean artist’s multidimensional engagements following his landmark success in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

From music, to photography, painting and publishing, his multilingual acting roles and even his fascination for a masterpiece of silent film, Viggo delights and astonishes with his boundless curiosity, creativity and passion.

Sondra Radvanovsky is one of the great dramatic sopranos of our time, a singing actress who has thrilled audiences around the world in her performances of Verdi’s operas as well as mastering the virtuoso bel canto repertoire. But this down-to-earth diva defies every operatic stereotype – she is warm, open and generous, enlightening us on the way we think of the word “diva” itself.

Join us for this inside look at Sondra’s career, the impact of Covid cancellations and her unlikely emergence as a podcast queen in her own right. A treat for newcomers to opera and seasoned aficionados alike.