Opera Box Score

The OBS lads go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen, who just finished a run of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” at the Metropolitan Opera. They talk to her about performing in HD and why this show is returning to the Met so soon... South Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim was just appointed music director at San Francisco Opera. Hear how she got to SF and what her hire means for the company and for the art form... In ‘The Two Minute Drill’, “Porgy and Bess” is extended at the Met, and Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo is fired at the Met... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Rapper Kanye West’s opera premiered in Hollywood a few weeks ago. The OBS crew are joined by guest co-host K. F. Jacques to take a closer look into the piece itself and if the harsh critical reception was justified... In ‘The Hometown Team': Lyric Opera of Chicago recently announced that it was getting new seats in its home. The OBS team spitballs about what sort of amenities their dream opera house would have... Then, they go on to make some predictions on the upcoming Grammy awards in the classical music division... In ‘The Two Minute Drill’, a legendary director exits stage right... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

It’s a Thanksgiving 'Chalk Talk'! The OBS-ers share what they’re grateful for in Operaland just in time for Turkey Day... But first, it’s a very special 'HOF' from Matt, where he brings you a long overdue tribute to the late, great Jessye Norman... In the 'Two Minute Drill', the Met’s credit rating gets downgraded, a Glyndebourne director gets fired, and the Vienna State Opera puts on an opera written by a woman... Hey, it only took ‘em 150 years... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with Clay Hilley who is quickly becoming known to Lyric Opera of Chicago audiences singing Father Grenville in Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking”. The American heldentenor returns later this season to cover Siegfried in Wagner’s ‘Ring’ Cycle… Venice is underwater! At least, more underwater than usual. The OBS gents take you through why losing the city of bridges would be an irreplaceable loss for the world of opera... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, you’ll never guess who’s written his first opera... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The OBS crew go ‘Inside the huddle’ with composer David T. Little, whose works have been hailed by the 'New York Times' as “proving beyond any doubt that opera has both a relevant present and a bright future..." Ashlee plays 'Monday Evening Quarterback' on the production of Jake Heggie’s opera “Dead Man Walking” at Lyric Opera of Chicago... In the 'Two Minute Drill', opera singers get new bodies and opera houses get new seats... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

American bass Soloman Howard, winner of the 2019 Marian Anderson Vocal Award, joins the OBS crew 'Inside the Huddle' to talk about leading the way as a black artist at the apogee of American opera... Then, the team bring you their guide to Wagner's Ring Cycle! What is it? What does it take to survive four nights of opera? Why do us opera people like talking about it so much...? In the 'Two Minute Drill', figure out the value of a giant golden statue head... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

PROGRAM ALERT: There's a couple of scary loud audio levels in this week's show. Was it a ghost in the machine?! Get ready for some ghoulish high notes from a menagerie of monstrous co-hosts as Team OBS battles it out to see who’s got the spookiest opera with which to torment their audience...! But first, it’s the return of 'Monday Evening Quarterback' and Oliver’s got some terrifying opinions...! In the 'Two Minute Drill', the OBS zombies talk about ghosts! And other opera related things... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Team OBS goes 'Inside the Huddle' with American mezzo-soprano Lindsay Metzger, asking about her upcoming appearance in Haymarket Opera Company’s production of “The Dragon of Wantley"... Opera America preps for its 50th anniversary celebrations, asking what is it, why is it important, and what is its place in history... In the 'Two Minute Drill', Zubin Mehta retires, while two friends of the show win big at the Gramophone Awards... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

As LA Opera comes to terms with the Plácido Domingo scandal, the tenor seems to be doing just fine in Europe. The OBS-ers try to figure out why that is, in 'Chalk Talk'... The newest co-host makes her 'Hall of Fame' debut selection. Who will Ashlee choose to receive the highest honor an opera radio show can bestow?... In the 'Two Minute Drill', what do you do when you’re an opera company that’s gotten too big? Find a bigger barn, of course... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The OBS crew join the ‘Hometown Team’ and chat live in-studio with Ashley Magnus, the General Director of Chicago Opera Theater... In ‘Chalk Talk’, the panel walks you through an article in the “Washington Post” that argued “to save opera, let it die”... In the 'Two Minute Drill', Giordani leaves too soon and Domingo leaves too late... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

An OBS duo remembers Jessye Norman, who died Monday at age 74, going through some of their favorite performances from the famed soprano to talk about what makes her great... Oliver goes 'Inside the Huddle' with director James Darrah, whose production of Handel's "Semele" just closed at Festival O19... In ‘The Two Minute Drill’, the fallout from the Domingo scandal continues... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Oliver and Tobias return from a weekend at Festival O19 at Opera Philadelphia. You’ll get their hot takes on the shows they saw, plus testimonials from audience members that our boys tackled in the lobby, a double interview with Opera Phila’s New Works Administrator Sarah Williams and mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack, and, most importantly, find out who drank too much from the hotel minibar... In ‘The Two Minute Drill’, the Met season starts tonight, as well as AGMA and NYCO heading for blows... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The OBS-ers go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with the Samuel Hasselhorn, with the German baritone talking to Oliver about winning the Queen Elizabeth competition and what it's like to have a Fest contract at the Wiener Staatsoper... But first, in ‘Chalk Talk’, the team continues the conversation about sexual harassment and the abuse of power in opera, with reference to Schmopera.com’s recent call for stories about abuse and assault in the world of classical music... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, there’s a new Music Director coming to Lyric Opera of Chicago... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Season 5 starts with Oliver going ‘Inside the Huddle’ with the star of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Philip Glass’s “Akhnahten”, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo... American soprano Kathyrn Lewek shamed the critics that shamed her last week. Mic drop! Plus, a recap the fall out of the allegations of sexual assault against famed tenor Plácido Domingo... The OBS’s newest cohost, Ashlee Hardgrave, shares one of the operas on her ‘must-see’ list for the coming season… In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, critics complain about English National Opera, but not about a production... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The three-hour epic season finale concludes! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-hour releases on August 13, 20 and 27… In Part III, Oliver goes 'Inside the Huddle' with American soprano Marisol Montalvo... Then, Oliver and Matt battle it out in a mad scene 'T.K.O.' with George and guest co-host conductor Anthony Barrese picking a winner... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The three-hour epic season continues! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop last week, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-hour releases on August 13, 20 and 27… In Part II, the Fab Five OBS guys - along with guest co-host conductor Anthony Barrese - each confess about one production they just HAVE to see in the upcoming season… Plus Barrese throws a wild pitch and inducts an opera score into the HOF… www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

The three-hour epic season finale begins! Our live listeners on WNUR 98.3 FM Chicago got it all in one fell swoop, while our podcast listeners get this marathon show split up into three one-hour releases on August 13, 20 and 27… In Part I, the Fab Five OBS guys - along with guest co-host conductor Anthony Barrese - get into a ‘Chalk Talk’ segment about protests at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music... George goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with American soprano and director Patricia Racette... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, one sexual assault case in Operaland is apparently settled, while another one apparently gets even worse... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

Oliver goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ with two-time Grammy award winner mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung.... But first, in ‘Chalk Talk’, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton blends her musical activities with frankly stated positions on social and political issues... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, two summertime young artist programs take new directions... Guest co-host guest Ashlee Hardgrave joins the OBS nuts for the whole show, and they take a phone call from a listener... Next time, it could be you! Plus, don't miss the 3-hour epic live show on August 12 starting at 7 pm CT... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com www.wnur.org/popup

It's an exclusive interview with Thor! Conductor Gary Thor Wedow, that is. Oliver goes 'Inside the Huddle' with the God of Thunder - or at least the orchestra pit - to talk about what young singers need to succeed in the 21st century... It’s another summertime HOF on the OBS. Matt decides who gets to join what is fast becoming the most prestigious opera honorarium in audio media... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, soprano Tamara Wilson drops out of Verdi's 'Aida' for a pretty important reason, the opera 'Prism' wins again, and the Operalia winners get lots of money... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com

The summer festival road trip continues as the OBS yobs gatecrash the Glyndebourne Festival in England... 'Pop Quiz' returns, as Matt tests the collective brainpower (some would say brain freeze) of Oliver and Tobias... In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, hirings and firings are happening fast and furious this week in Operaland… www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1 www.operaboxscore.com