Opera Plot Happy Hour

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A podcast where Tina (a real live opera singer) tells Amanda (a real live human) about the plot of an opera…and they probably ruin it for everyone

Amanda Carlson and Tina Christensen


    • Dec 4, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 9m AVG DURATION
    • 54 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Opera Plot Happy Hour

    Ep. 52 - Thank you, Sondheim

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2021 74:15


    There are many more links to come, but this is a good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04E8Y8nDfRQ

    Ep. 51 - Tannhäuser

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 84:53


    Ep. 13 - Wagner and Cancel Culture: https://www.operaplothappyhour.com/episodes/ep-13-wagner-and-cancel-culture

    Ep. 50 - L'Italiana in Algeri

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2021 75:57


    Join us as we once again chew on the bitter fruit that is Orientalism, and we ask ourselves if the rarity of a strong female lead makes this opera any more palate-able than other Orientalist comedies.

    Ep. 50 - Abduction from the Seraglio

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2021 45:48


    Westley Montgomery - “Opera is Racist: Confronting the Canon” https://3viewstheater.com/westley-montgomery-opera-is-racist-confronting-the-canon

    Ep. 49 - Proving Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 77:52


    Missy Mazzoli's website: https://missymazzoli.com/Radiolab, The Cataclysm Sentence: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/cataclysm-sentenceOld Greg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZo9ugJTWQ

    Ep. 47 - Elizabeth Cree

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2021 59:59


    Welcome to your new favorite serial killer podcast.

    Ep. 46 - The Nose

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2021 58:06


    Giant Tap Dancing Noses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YotMwwixPswInterview with Director Barrie Kosky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjDhrsX_MmE

    Ep. 45 - Der Vampyr

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 56:48


    I'm serious, Vanilla Ice is flipping houses: https://www.diynetwork.com/shows/the-vanilla-ice-projectEverything you didn't want to know about…soaking: https://www.distractify.com/p/mormon-soaking-tiktokDer Vampyr: The modern, erotic English soap opera mini-series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CdE8A3dtgs&list=PLt12z-vCI0WF5GPwt_zT8u9tBJXfOMW3q

    Ep. 44 - Lord of Cries

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2021 59:28


    https://kellykomics.com/2013/09/24/a-greek-poet-walks-into-a-tailor-shop/

    Ep. 43 - La Cenerentola

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2021 71:33


    That Act I finale Tina mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS4Jdho83uU

    Zombie Bohème in Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2021 67:27


    Tina is joined by special guests Cassie and Sam Vasta and Octavio Cardenas, as they tell her about some interesting alternative staging ideas for this Puccini classic.

    Libations for Everyone

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2021 114:49


    Here are all the places you can subscribe to LFE:https://linktr.ee/libationsforeveryone

    Ep. 42 - La Bohème

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2021 77:04


    It's our Anniversary!!! Thank you to everyone who has listened to our silly opera podcast over the past year. We truly wouldn't have made this far without you. For this episode, our fabulous Patreon members chose the opera, and they voted unanimously to hear us destroy Puccini's La Bohème...and we certainly deliver on the destruction bit. Seriously, though, we are NOT on team Rodolfo.

    Ep. 41 - Il Matrimonio Segreto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 60:07


    Happy Treason Day, Peasants! This week, we bring you poor man's Mozart; the off-brand cereal your mom bought, even though you specifically asked for Lucky Charms. And you know what? It tastes exactly like the real thing anyways, so stop complaining.

    Ep. 40 - Der Freischütz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 61:48


    Check out our Patreon for access to awesome bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/operaplothappyhour?fbclid=IwAR39uRQLgBfvSAwG30cXo2Gnemgr0An1LtKdqeOQd3maFUME9E2cjwHV_oIThe Queen herself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK5Q5XODbqY

    Ep. 39 - Der Rosenkavalier

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2021 76:26


    Rafal Olbinski's poster for Der Rosenkavalier: https://rueroyalefinearts.com/shop/contemporary-lithos/rafal-olbinski/der-rosenkavalier-rafal-olbinski-digital-print/

    ep. 38 - Lucia di Lammermoor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2021


    Glass Armonica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEKlRUvk9zcThe Mad Scene with glass armonica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtUcTREkLFo

    lucia di lammermoor glass armonica
    Ep. 37 - Faust

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 80:21


    Join Amanda and Tina for a little dance with the devil...or rather the devil's real-estate agent.

    Ep. 36 - Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2021 75:38


    David’s website: https://www.dtorodirects.com/The article Tina mentions: http://massreview.org/node/7537YouTube nostalgia from over a decade ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE_NpMsE

    Ep. 35 - Béatrice et Bénédict

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 64:02


    Buckle up for inappropriate relationships, stalking, murder plots, and more…and we haven’t even gotten to the opera yet.

    Ep. 34 - Orfeo ed Euridice

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2021 73:33


    In which Amanda and Tina make an innuendo out of the entire plot...

    Ep. 33 - #JusticeForDaunteWright

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2021 65:33


    Black Table Arts: https://www.blacktablearts.com/home#aboutBlack Opera Live: https://anchor.fm/blackoperaClassically Black Podcast: https://www.classicallyblackpodcast.com/Trilloquy: https://www.trilloquy.org/The Score: https://mnopera.org/edi/the-score/#:~:text=The%20Score%20is%20their%20new,racist%20and%20anti%2Doppressive%20lens.The ARCC of Change: https://www.joinarcc.org/events/release-of-first-arcc-podcast-the-arcc-of-change-with-donzel-leggettMapping Police Violence: www.mappingpoliceviolence.org Instagram Accounts to Follow:@operaisracist@composingisracist@balletisracist@orchestraisracist@blackgirlssingopera@blackwomeninoperaNK Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/articles/n-k-jemisin-broken-earth-trilogy-books-in-order/Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250170972When Marian Sang: https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/when-marian-sang-by-pam-munoz-ryan/Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: https://www.rebelgirls.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwjuqDBhAGEiwAdX2cj5O54IxtGNEWjBYdDs7nE1SZEuXjQl3Bzf7gUfqJRMcqByQl0xu-EhoCrqcQAvD_BwEIf you choose to buy any of the books on the list, we recommend these vendors:Black Garnet Books: https://www.blackgarnetbooks.com/Or purchase audiobooks through Libro.Fm and select Black Garnet Books or your favorite independent BIPOC Bookstore to support with your audiobook purchase. Check out the Black Opera Alliance and support their mission by donating and signing the pledge: https://www.blackoperaalliance.org/mission

    Ep. 32 - The Pearl Fishers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2021 76:19


    Join us for a rousing game of popcorn with The Drunken Tenor Rob McPherson, as we ruin the very opera that led Tina down the path to becoming an opera singer.

    Ep. 31 - Orpheus in the Underworld

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2021 60:14


    "Goin' on an adventure to hell. Pack a lunch."This episode was a special request from our #1 fan, Savannah D. Enjoy the wild romp through the mortal realm (where the love lives suck and the violin playing is mediocre, at best), Olympus (where we're not sure what's worse, the politicians or the food), and finally hell (where there is fly sex (???) and everyone dances the Can-Can).

    Ep. 30 - Harriet: The Woman Called Moses

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 76:29


    "People did a lot of regrettable things in the 70s"This opera should be re-titled "Harriet Tubman: Badass."The music was written by a composer at the top of her craft. The libretto is also by the composer...which we have a few questions about. But that aside, Amanda and Tina enjoyed this one!

    Ep. 29 -Dialogues of the Carmelites

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 66:11


    "That's the kind of spooky Catholic nonsense I'm here for."You'll cry, you'll cry, and you'll probably cry.But don't worry, Amanda and Tina try to keep things light with anecdotes about spooky relics, catacombs, and TV shows about waking the dead.

    Ep. 28 - L’amour de loin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2021 59:29


    "Don't get your fist swallowed by a catfish, cuz I wont eat it."In other news, we're trending in Sweden!"

    Ep. 27 - Der Wald

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2021 60:01


    "Please sir, may I have another?"An episode in which Amanda and Tina discuss the first opera by a woman ever to be performed at the Met and are then enraged by newspaper reviews from 1904.

    Ep. 26 - Treemonisha

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 77:05


    "She's a tenor. Watch out." This week, we are joined by special guest Dominique Wooten Embretson, as we explore what was perhaps the first truly American opera. Also, Tina was conceived in a waterbed and other things you wish you didn't know...

    Ep. 25 - Norma

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 56:36


    “We just got a text from the Gods. They’re angry.”What?!? A Bel Canto opera that passes the Bechdel test? Color us surprised!

    Ep. 24 - Così fan tutte

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 57:57


    "That's what our honor is worth, Tina: 50 Bucks." We thought it would be a good idea to invite our husbands on to the show for Valentine's Day...This episode has 2x the fun, 100% more facial hair, and 5000% more poop and fart jokes than probably all other episodes combined...talk about romantic.

    Ep. 23 - Nabucco

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2021 68:50


    "Yeah, you heard that right: Space Lasers."We laugh, we cry (or Tina does, anyway), and we get a little (okay, a lot) cynical - and we do all of those things while sipping on delicious cocktails from this week's fabulous sponsors J. Carver Distillery.

    Ep. 22 - Albert Herring

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2021 55:41


    "We open on an April day in May of 1900."Contrary to what the title may lead you to believe, this opera has very little to do with fish.

    ep. 21 - Rigoletto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2021 60:39


    "He's a suave, secretive, and stealthy sleuth, Sparafucile." What do modern optometry and Verdi's Rigoletto have in common? Nothing. But Amanda and Tina manage to talk about both at length. Come for the banter, stay for Amanda's funeral plans.

    Ep. 20 - Mignon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2021 65:13


    “We’re Sorry, Andy Serkis. We really admire your work.”Do you really like tacky Hallmark Christmas movies? Then you’ll probably like this opera. We still shit all over it, though.

    Ep. 19 - 2020 in review

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2021 76:58


    Join Amanda, Tina, and special guest Abe Popowitz - the official President of the unofficial Opera Plot Happy Hour Fan Club - as they ring out the old podcast year and ring in the new with a review of the first 17 episodes. This week’s episode is sponsored by Surly’s +1 Golden Ale, brewed in collaboration with First Avenue.

    Ep. 18 - Don Giovanni

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2021 105:31


    "Yeah, but I've also been drinking."An episode in which we wax philosophical.Literally.We are joined by Dr. Gordon Marino, Philosophy professor, boxing coach, and author of several books, as we try to peg down why Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard was so obsessed with this opera.

    Ep. 17 - die tote Stadt

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 72:04


    "John Wilkes Booth has no business in Coon Rapids, Minnesota." Our special guest this week is horror writer Regina Kenney. Join us for a spooky opera, stories about ouija boards, Frank the Christmas Gargoyle, and a discussion about words vs music and which has the greater emotional impact.

    Ep. 16 - Akhnaten

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2020 94:11


    "I asked for a sensitive Baritone, and you gave me a Countertenor."Fill up your glasses for Philip Glass' Akhnaten. We are joined by special guest Ben Quam from the podcast Libations for Everyone. We sip on delicious beverages from this week's sponsor Tattersall Distillery and talk about everything from Ancient Egypt to Trance Music. Also, Amanda is still a potty mouth, and Tina still can't say "narrator."

    Ep. 15 - La Donna del Lago

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 66:08


    "It's getting really 'Scooby Doo' up in here." For an opera that has nothing to do with dogs, we spend an awful lot of time talking about dogs.

    ep. 14 - der fliegende holländer

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2020 60:04


    "Whatever happened to Jonathan Taylor Thomas?"This week's episode is sponsored by Flying Dutchman Spirits. The delicious cocktails make up for the less-than-satisfying opera plot. Also: tangents about Norway, fangirl crushes, and opera characters in therapy.

    Ep. 13 - Wagner and cancel culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2020 76:47


    "I'm sure Wagner would be the president of his own fan club" To talk about a Wagner opera, we need to talk about Wagner himself...and he requires an entire episode to himself (and then some).

    ep. 12 - Ariadne auf naxos

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 58:17


    Who is the best? To find out, our world-class podcast hosts are testing history's most popular opera subjects. Using 20th Century composition, we'll see what happens when the two opera types go toe-to-toe. No rules, no safety, no mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is the best Opera Plot.

    Ep. 11 - The Nightingale

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2020 71:20


    Let go of your Election Week stress and join Amanda and Tina on a journey through a Russian Fairy Tale Opera...again, we promise we're not talking about American politics here.

    Ep. 10 - Halloween special

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2020 89:15


    "We talk out of our asses and drink wine through our mouths."Spoiler Alert!Tina and Amanda talk about 3 related plots in this episode: Benjamin Britten's "The Turn of the Screw," the Henry James novella it's based on, and the Netflix series "The Haunting of Bly Manor," They will spoil all 3 endings for you. You've been warned.

    Ep. 9 - Turandot

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 100:39


    Opera Plot Happy Hour is Back!Special guests Colleen Meier and Anna Hashizume join Amanda to talk about Turandot, an opera where the riddles aren't great, the misogyny isn't great, and the racism...also isn't great. But the music is lovely and the conversation is lively!

    Ep. 8 - The Barber of Seville

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2020 65:29


    #dopehaircutsforeveryone.This week, Amanda and Tina welcome their first ever special guest! Who better to talk about the Barber of Seville than an actual barber, right?

    Ep. 7 - Ernani

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 65:13


    "He's her...Fi-Uncle."This week, Amanda and Tina give you a sampling of their favorite tongue-twisters, make fun on 19th Century French sensibilities, and tell you about Ernani, an opera whose purpose is to flout tradition. Does it live up to its promise? You tell us.Disclaimer: We had a few audio snags this week. Thanks for listening despite that!

    Ep. 6 - May Night

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 79:04


    "Anyways, here's Wonderwall"Rimsky-Korsakov's lush Russian music mingles with a frothy plot line, fritter-eating ghosts (who theoretically could haunt other ghosts), and digressions about being attracted to cartoon characters.

    Ep. 5 - The Cunning Little Vixen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2020 70:28


    “The creepy old guy’s a wiener dog.” Come frolic in the Moravian forest with Amanda and Tina, as they tell you about the circle of life via Janáček's Cunning Little Vixen.Disclaimer: The audio quality in this episode is poor, so please Bear (Fox?) with us.

    Ep. 4 - Der Kaiser von Atlantis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2020 57:10


    Viktor Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis was written in a concentration camp. It was his final work, his ultimate act of defiance, and an ode to the mercy of dying a natural, dignified death.Warinng: Tina gives a mini lecture on the 2nd Viennese School, and Amanda and Tina find out how unqualified they are to talk about Philosophy.

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