12
May
2018
Ep. 65: La Fanciulla del West
In the final episode of Season 2, we discuss Puccini’s poorly researched “Spaghetti Western” opera, La Fanciulla del West. This epic tale is your classic gold-mine-and-chill story in which a female protagonist is fending off advances from literally every single man in the mining camp.
05
May
2018
Ep. 64: Don Giovanni
Ahead of Heartbeat Opera’s performances of the opera next week, Elspeth and Naomi talk about Mozart’s take on the legendary Don Juan. In addition to listening to some of Mozart’s best composed music, they will also shed some light on the classic Donna Anna debate.
13
April
2018
Ep. 63: Felix Mendelssohn
This week, we talk about the Mendelssohn sibling with more notoriety but less moral fiber! Felix was a very talented composer and father of five, but that didn’t stop him from getting into trouble with a famous soprano who is also portrayed in the film The Greatest Showman. Plus, we are lucky to have surprise... Read More
06
April
2018
Ep. 62: Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
In this episode, we return to another bad ass lady who deserves a lot more love and recognition in the classical music canon: Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel! Her music is beautiful, complex, genius, and moving, and we think it is pretty amazing that she turned out as much music as she did, especially considering that she... Read More
02
April
2018
Ep. 61: Synesthesia
Think colors are simply something that can be seen? Today’s episode features our friend, Lauren Miller, who is part of a special group of people whose brains associate colors with what they hear. If you listen, you may just hear what color your favorite opera singer’s voice sounds like.
27
March
2018
Ep. 60: Lully
In today’s episode, we talk about the father of French opera, Jean-Baptiste Lully. This non-French dude had quite the scandalous life is very much responsible for shaping French opera as we know it before coming to a hilariously sudden death.
20
March
2018
Ep. 59: Claude Debussy
Debussy composed some of the most beautiful music we have ever heard. Does that automatically make him a good person? In today’s episode, we find out the answer! The answer is no, he wasn’t a good person…
13
March
2018
Ep. 58: Michael Kelly
Which classical music figure connects Mozart, King George III, and Jane Austen? In today’s episode we learn about tenor and friend of Mozart, Michael Kelly. It’s amazing the things we believe to be factual because somebody wrote them in their memoirs…
02
March
2018
Ep. 57: The “Bel Canto Bully”
At OAD, we spend a lot of time talking about the people that composed or performed opera, but very little talking about those behind the scenes in opera history. That changes today when we talk about the man who funded and produced many of the Bel Canto greats in addition to inventing the cappuccino. And... Read More
23
February
2018
Ep. 56: George Antheil
Hold on to your hats and wigs, because we’re talking about the self-proclaimed bad boy of 20th Century music, George Antheil! Though he never realized lasting acclaim as a composer, he is definitely fun to talk about, and eventually did some sciencey things that made a lasting impact on technology we use every day.
