Podcasts about puccini's turandot

Sometimes, the only thing that gets us through the darkest moments is knowing that the sun will rise again on a new day. Puccini's final opera, Turandot, is about courage in the face of adversity, and love triumphing over fear. In other words, it is exactly what the world needs right now.  The aria “Nessun dorma” is Prince Calaf’s declaration of love and resounding victory cry. In this episode, host Rhiannon Giddens and three guests explore what makes this aria so popular even beyond the opera house, and how it became an anthem of resilience and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode features Italian tenor Franco Corelli in a Metropolitan Opera performance from the Before Times (a.k.a. 1966). The Guests: Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is the Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal.  He loves conducting Puccini’s biggest, most majestic opera, but his favorite moments are the intimate arias like “Nessun dorma.” Writer Anne Midgette is the former classical music critic for The Washington Post. She first heard the aria on a Book of the Month Club cassette tape in college, and thinks the secret sauce for “Nessun Dorma” is in its climactic underdog declaration of “Vincerò” -- “I will win.” Dr. Michael Cho is a pulmonary and critical care physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s also a violist, and has been playing with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra for more than 15 years. Recently, he joined the National Virtual Medical Orchestra, a group that formed during COVID to give people in the medical field a chance to play together. Watch their performance of "Nessun Dorma." In April of 2020, 700 children sang a virtual performance of "Nessun Dorma," as a message of hope and solidarity to the world, from Europa InCanto.

Aftab Darvishi is a composer who's love of vocal music is expressed everywhere from her Persian reimagining of Puccini's Turandot to “Without Words" a multilingual piece which received its premiere from Chamber Choir Ireland.

The pain and fear of trauma can have a dramatic effect on your desire for love and intimacy. This is true for Puccini’s Turandot, the titular ice princess who cuts off her feelings… and the heads of her suitors. In her first aria, “In questa reggia,” Turandot explains that she will avenge the rape and murder of her ancestress from thousands of years ago, and that she is determined never to be possessed by any man. In this episode, host Rhiannon Giddens and her guests explore the truth at the heart of this aria: that time doesn’t heal all wounds, and that some are played out and recreated with every generation. At the end of the show, Christine Goerke sings “In questa reggia” from the Metropolitan Opera stage. The Guests  Soprano Christine Goerke loves the challenge of playing characters that seem unsympathetic, uncovering their complexity and somehow winning over the audience by the end of the opera. This is one of the many things that draws her to Turandot.  Actor Anna Chlumsky became an opera fanatic after working on the Broadway show Living on Love with co-star Renée Fleming. Turandot is a particular family favorite, and the former “Veep” star enjoys watching Puccini’s grand spectacle over breakfast with her daughters.  Will Berger is the author of Puccini Without Excuses, a funny and informative guide to one of opera’s greatest composers. Berger is equal parts opera buff and metalhead, bringing his love of intense storytelling to his work as a writer and media commentator for The Metropolitan Opera.

Operatic bass Morris Robinson appears on "The MOJO" with Stephanie Renee on Friday, September 16, to discuss his upcoming recital and his appearance in Puccini's TURANDOT with Opera Philadelphia.

And so we begin with a new element in our San Diego Opera podcasts: interviews with some of the personalities involved with our 2011 productions.  Let's begin with a chat with tenor Carlo Ventre, who will be singing the role of Calaf in Puccini's Turandot, opening January 29.  In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, Ventre reveals the challenges of the role as well as the physical sensation he experiences in performing great tenor roles like Calaf on stage in front of a large audience.

Well, folks, it's here: 2011, and we open our season in four weeks!  Let's take some time to survey the wonderful musical and vocal pleasures that we're about to enjoy in Puccini's Turandot, Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Gounod's Faust and Bizet's Carmen.

It's the classic problem with Puccini's Turandot: how do you move the audience's sympathies from Liu to the title character after falling in love with the beautiful young slave girl?  It was Puccini's problem, and we're not sure he entirely solved it.  Let's explore and listen!

Thanks to an Italian diplomat who'd spent some time in China and gave a Chinese music box to the composer, Puccini was able to discover and then use actual folk tunes within the fabric of his score for the opera Turandot.  This podcast will introduce you to those tunes as they are utilized by Puccini in order to help you get to know more about the opera.  Have fun!

One of the most exciting male roles in all of Puccini's operas is the role of Calaf, the Tartar Prince who comes to China and falls in love with Turandot.  Although Miguel Fleta, who created the role in 1926, did not record anything from the role the tenor whom the composer had in mind all along did.  Take a listen to some of the tenors who made the role famous, find out more about Calaf and hear some beautiful music!

Announcing San Diego Opera's 2011 International Season!  Listen to Dr. Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach introduce Puccini's Turandot, Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Gounod's Faust and Bizet's Carmen, operas that will be brilliantly produced and performed at the Civic Theatre.  Join Dr. Reveles for an operatic adventure in listening!