Interviews and Conversations

The following conversation with basso Raymond Aceto is in conjunction with the San Francisco Opera’s revival of the David Hockney production of Puccini’s “Turandot”.    [Below: Basso Raymond Aceto; edited image of a publicity photograph, courtesy of Raymond Aceto.] Wm: This fall’s performances of Timur in Puccini’s ‘Turandot” represent the 20th anniversary of your San Francisco … Read more

The following interview of Ben Edquist, creator of the lead role of Edward Kynaston in Carlisle Floyd’s  opera “The Prince of Players”, took place in the administrative offices of the Houston Grand Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated. (Although the interview was scheduled to be posted a few days ago, the destruction … Read more

The following conversation was based on a meeting at the War Memorial Opera House with the much-appreciated facilitatation of the San Francisco Opera. For previous communications between myself and tenor Brian Jagde, see:  Rising Stars: An Interview with Brian Jagde.   [Below: Tenor Brian Jagde; resized image of a photograph, courtesy of Brian Jagde.] Wm: You … Read more

The following interview took place on the Santa Fe Opera “ranch”, between rehearsals of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Golden Cockerel” with the deeply appreciated facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera: [Below: Scottish director Paul Curran; edited image, based on a Christopher Reece Bowen photograph.] Wm: I like to begin each interview with some questions about an artists’ … Read more

The following interview took place with the deeply appreciated facilitation of the San Francisco Opera.   [Below: Bass Erik Anstine; edited image, based on a Rebecca Fay photograph, from erikanstine.com.] Wm: I’ve enjoyed watching your career develop over the past seven years, having first seen you in performances of the Seattle and Los Angeles Operas. However, your debut at … Read more

The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Houston Grand Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is very much appreciated:   [Below: Bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni; edited image, based on a photograph by Catherine Pisaroni.]   Wm: My first question of most artists I interview is of their earliest memories of music and … Read more

The following interview took place at the 2016 Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation of the interview is deeply appreciated.   Wm: Typically, my opening interview questions relate to one’s childhood experiences with music and opera. However, you have given quite a summary of your life so far in your autobiography Odyssey of an African Opera Singer: From Zwide Township to … Read more

The following interview was conducted at the “ranch” of the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of the interview is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Michigan soprano Leah Crocetto; edited image of a publicity photograph, courtesy of Leah Crocetto.] Wm: What were your first memories of music and of opera? LC: I was born in South Carolina, and … Read more

The following interview took place at the War Memorial Opera House, in conjunction with a rehearsal of Francesca Zambello’s new production of Verdi’s “Aida”, with the much-appreciated facilitation of the San Francisco Opera.   [Below: Georgian baritone George Gagnidze; edited image of a Maik Reishaus photograph, courtesy of George Gagnidze.] Wm: What are your earliest … Read more

The following conversation took place at the Santa Fe Opera Cantina, with the much-appreciated facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera.   [British Director Stephen Lawless; edited image, based on a photograph from Askonas Holt.] Wm: My traditional first question is: What are your earliest memories of music, and of opera? SL: My parents were of the … Read more

The following interview was conducted in the Santa Fe Opera Cantina, with the much-appreciated facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera:   [Below: Bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen; edited image of a publicity photograph from kylek.net.] Wm: I have a question that I ask all my first time interviewees: What are your earliest memories of music? KK: I come from … Read more

This interview of Stephanie Blythe took place in her dressing room, preparing for the final dress rehearsal of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” at the Houston Grand Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated.    [Below: Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe; edited image, based on a publicity photograph from stephanieblythemezzo.com] Wm: Let me begin this interview with my … Read more

The following conversation took place in part at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House and in part at the 2016 Glimmerglass Festival with the much-appreciated facilitation of the San Francisco Opera and Glimmerglass Festival. It is posted in coordination with Brian Mulligan’s appearances at the 2016 Glimmerglass Festival as John Proctor in Ward’s “The Crucible”.   … Read more

The following conversation took place with the facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera, in conjunction with Mark Delavan’s appearances as Sheriff Jack Rance in Puccini’s “Girl of the Golden West [La Fanciulla del West]”. [Below: Mark Delavan as Jack Rance in Richard Jones’ 2016 Santa Fe Opera production of Puccini’s “Girl of the Golden West”.]   Wm: You play … Read more

The following interview took place with the facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera, in conjunction with Patricia Racette’s appearances as Minnie in Puccini’s “Girl of the Golden West”.   [Below: Minnie (Patricia Racette, center) stands among the regular ragazzi at her Polka Dot Saloon in Richard Jones’ 2016 Santa Fe Opera production of Puccini’s ‘The Girl of the Golden … Read more

The following conversation with lyric tenor Stephen Costello took place at the Santa Fe Opera’s cantina, with the much-appreciated facilitation of the Santa Fe Opera.   Wm: You are here for on the Santa Fe Opera’s ranch rehearsing for your Santa Fe Opera debut as Roméo in Gounod’s “Roméo and Juliette”. You will be in the company premiere … Read more

The following interview took place in the administrative offices of The Dallas Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is much appreciated.   [Below: Conductor Emmanuel Villaume; resized image of an Akos Photography publicity photograph.] Wm: One of the first questions that I ask artists whom I am interviewing relates to their earliest musical experiences. What … Read more

My  conversation A Year of Operatic World Premieres: A Conversation with Basso Kevin Burdette resumed at the Santa Fe “Ranch” and has subsequently continued after the world premiere of “Great Scott” at The Dallas Opera. [Below: Basso Kevin Burdette; edited image of a Simon Pauly photograph, from jakeheggie.com.] Wm: 2015 turned out to be quite a year for you, with four world … Read more

The following interview took place at the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Baritone Eric Owens; resized image of an Paul Sirochman photograph for IMG Artists.] Wm: I ask each of my interview subjects, what are your earliest memories of music, of vocal music, and of opera? EO: My mom … Read more

The following interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated.    [Below: Tenor Brian Jagde; edited image of a publicity photograph.] Wm: My usual first questions of artists are about your earliest memories and experiences with music. What were yours? BJ: For me, I first bonded with music … Read more

This is the second part of a conversation began at the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is greatly appreciated. See Singing Opera and Unexpectedly Famous: A Conversation with Sean Panikkar, part 1.   [Below: Tenor Sean Panikkar; edited image of a Kristina Sherk photograph.] Wm: We began this conversation during your run of Glimmerglass Festival performances of Mozart’s “The … Read more

The following conversation began at the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is greatly appreciated. The conversation follows previous interviews posted at Rising Stars: An Interview with Sean Panikkar, Part 1 and Rising Stars: An Interview with Sean Panikkar, Part 2.   [Below: Tenor Sean Panikkar; resized image of a publicity photograph from Facebook/Sean Panikkar.] Wm: Since we last spoke … Read more

Maestro Lawrence Foster is currently music director at the Opera Marseille, and conductor of the production of Lalo’s “Le Roi d’Ys” that I reviewed last year. This season he made his San Francisco Opera debut, conducting Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. He will also conduct the double bill of Getty’s “Usher House” and Debussy’s “The Fall of … Read more

The following interview took place at the War Memorial Opera House, home of the San Francisco Opera, where René Barbera is scheduled to perform the role of Count Almaviva in Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”. The facilitation of this interview by the San Francisco Opera is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Tenor René Barbera; resized image of a … Read more