Central City Opera Podcast

In the final episode of Season 10, we sit down with star of Once Upon a Mattress, Marissa Rosen, to discuss what a career on Broadway is like, and what it's like for a performer to cross over from musical theatre to opera. We then chat with John Heginbotham, choreographer for this year's production of Once Upon a Mattress, to discuss movement in an opera on a jewel-box stage. Finally, we'll hear from Candace Leyland, CCO's resident wig and makeup designer, about the dozens of wigs used in this years shows, and how she works to ensure the hair and makeup you see on stage is beautiful without interfering with singing and dancing. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2025-festival/

Hear from Deborah Brevoort, librettist of The Knock, about the process of writing an opera, bringing The Knock to Central City, and where she sees the future of contemporary opera and world premieres. Then, listen in to our conversation with Armando Contreras, star of The Knock, about originating a role in a new work, his Colorado roots, and why this opera in particular holds a special place in his heart. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2025-festival/

Join Louis Lohraseb, principal conductor, and Luke Sutliff, playing Figaro, for conversations about this season's production of The Barber of Seville, how they got their starts in opera, and what it's like collaborating and singing on the CCO stage.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2025-festival/

In this episode, we sit down Artistic Director Alison Moritz to discuss the 2025 Central City Opera Festival, our inagural CCO in Concert, and a preview of what's on for next year! We then check in with Dave Mazzeno, our Supervising Stagehand and Head Lighting Electrician, to talk about what our stagehands do behind the scenes to make every show come to life. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2025-festival/

In this episode, sopranos Kara Shay Thomson and Jasmine Habersham reflect on forging your own path in opera. Both began their journeys at Central City Opera as Young Artists in the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program and returned last season as principal performers. They share advice and encouragement for the next generation of Young Artists. Later, meet Eric Chinn, Director of Historic Properties, who oversees the care and preservation of Central City's iconic historic buildings. Be sure to tune in for this engaging and enlightening episode!   Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2024-festival/     Read More      

On this episode, Cecilia Violetta López and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas Cecilia's role as Desdemona in this year's production of Othello. Cecilia dives into how her mom taught her to sing while working on a sugar beet farm, how she got her own day in Idaho, and how she acclimated to Central City's altitude.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/ https://www.ceciliaviolettalopez.com/  

On this episode, Developing Artist Kameron Alston and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas discuss Kameron's role as Tybalt in this year's production of Romeo & Juliet. Learn about one of the youngest members of the Developing Artist troupe and what it's like duel-wielding on stage.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/ https://www.kameronalston.com/  

On this episode, Developing Artist Isaiah Feken and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas discuss Isaiah's role as a "gangster" in this year's production of Kiss Me, Kate. Learn about what it's like to be on stage with Broadway legends as an opera singer, why it's more fun being the villian, and the commonalities between opera and dogs.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/

On this episode, Music Director John Baril and Central City Opera CEO Pamela Pantos discuss the three main-stage productions being featured in this year's Summer Festival. Brush up on your Shakespeare, because this season includes productions of Romeo & Juliet, Kiss Me, Kate, and Othello. Join John and Pamela as they detail the rarity of seeing six tenors in one opera, how Cole Porter keeps the drama on the stage, and how Central City Opera is making opera relevant for contemporary audiences.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/    

On this episode, we hear from David Duffield, a historian with The Center on Colfax in Denver, Colorado. David was part of a panel of experts hosted by Central City Opera on June 12, 2022, to give perspectives on the themes within the chamber opera TWO REMAIN. I asked him to be on the podcast to dig even deeper, and he shares about LGBTQ history in Colorado and beyond, art as activism, and cultural representation. One of my favorite things he says in the interview is, "You feel a little more human when you see yourself in the artmaking." David Duffield is from Denver and is a social studies teacher with Denver Public Schools. He helped found the Colorado LGBTQ History Project in 2014 with The Center on Colfax, focusing on Oral History, Archiving, Education, and Networking. Among the accomplishments of the History Project are over 100 oral histories, the donation of 36 archival collections to receiving institutions, the creation of lesson plans, exhibits, and public tours of queer history in Colorado, and dozens of other talks and collaborations with people around the world. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we hear from sopranos Rebecca Caine and Diana Newman, principals in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. Rebecca plays the role of Margaret Johnson, and Diana plays the role of Margaret's daughter Clara. This is the first time they've worked together, and watching them onstage, you'd think they were old friends. Rebecca shares how much she loves playing a woman of a "certain age," and Diana talks about how she approaches Clara's neurodivergence. You'll hear more about how the perfect costume helps get an actor into character, how much Rebecca and Diana love being onstage with each other and their castmates, and how the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe versus Wade influenced how they thought about this story. This interview was recorded on July 7, 2022. Canadian soprano Rebecca Caine has had a career divided between Opera and Musical Theatre, making her West End debut at age 19 as Laurey in OKLAHOMA! She then sang the role of Eliza in MY FAIR LADY on the National Tour. While at Glyndebourne Opera Festival, she was asked to join the Royal Shakespeare Company where she created the role of Cosette in LES MISERABLES. She was also part of the original cast of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as Christine. Her long career continues to span the realms opera, musical theatre, straight theatre, and cabaret in the UK, United States, and around the world.   American soprano DIANA NEWMAN brings "fresh and intense" performances to opera houses and concert stages across the United States and Europe. She has recently appeared with the Dallas Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. A recent graduate of the Lyric Opera of Chicago's Ryan Opera Center, she returned this season for the company's Ring Cycle. Diana was also recently a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl for AMERICA IN SPACE in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we hear from conductor Brandon Eldredge and soprano Tessa McQueen about Act One of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer's chamber opera, TWO REMAIN. Act One focuses on the true story of Polish poet Krystyna Zywulska surviving the Holocaust – and the psychological trauma she dealt with the rest of her life. It's based on her searing memoir of 1946, "I Survived Auschwitz." Brandon and Tessa share more about Krystyna's life, about how challenging it is to perform and interpret a story of this magnitude, and how important it is to keep telling these stories. Brandon Eldredge has built a broad-scoped knowledge and experience as a conductor, pianist, and operatic coach, working across the United States, Germany, and Sweden. He is CCO's Associate Conductor and Chorus Master this summer, working on all three productions. During the year, he is on staff at Virginia Opera as Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master. Soprano Tessa McQueen is a first year Studio Artist in the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program, and in addition to her role of Krystyna Zywulska in TWO REMAIN, she is in the chorus of Die Fledermaus and several opera scenes for the Short Works performances. Tessa received her Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Oklahoma City University and will begin her Master's degree at Rice University this fall. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  

On this episode, we pull back the curtain and hear from the Costume Designer for THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, Edina Hiser. There are a LOT of costumes in this production, and Edina gives us the insights into the symbolism she embeds in the design, the anatomy of a quick change – since there are so many! – how she is able to engineer costumes to function efficiently yet not alter their authenticity, and the joy she gets from helping performers become more comfortable with their body images through well designed costumes. Edina Hiser graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre design, and she is now the Resident Costume Designer for the Thornton School of Music at USC. As a designer, she is bold, colorful, and collaborative, with a passion for storytelling and a talent for creative problem-solving. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we hear from two principal singers in DIE FLEDERMAUS: mezzo-soprano Kira Dills-DeSurra who plays the role of Prince Orlofsky, and tenor William Ferguson, who plays the role of Eisenstein. Both Kira and Will are seasoned comedic performers, and their healthy senses of humor are on full display during this episode. Will and Kira talk about the magic of live performance and how much the audience influences them, how April Fools' is a recognized holiday in both their families, how they got into opera in the first place, and the role that Central City Opera plays in the context of opera in America. Kira Dills-DeSurra is a vibrant American mezzo-soprano whose magnetic stage presence communicates effortless charm and truth. A champion of new and rarely performed works, Kira has appeared in many American premieres, and she also cultivates skills in musical improvisation and circus arts as part of her broad-ranging palate of storytelling tools. She is a graduate of Roosevelt University and the University of Southern California. Tenor William Ferguson has always pushed the boundaries of opera performance through his exploration of new repertoire and through the commitment of his characterizations. A Juilliard graduate, he has sung with Santa Fe Opera, Opera Australia, New York City Opera, Salzburger Landestheater, Opéra de Québec, Opera Philadelphia, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Dallas Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, as well as symphonies around the world. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. 

On this episode, we dive deep into DIE FLEDERMAUS with stage director Joachim Schamberger and conductor John Baril. While on the surface, this operetta may seem like nothing but champagne bubbles and fun, Joachim and John reveal the complexities of the story and music that make this operetta timeless. Joachim is an acclaimed stage director and video designer who is currently Director of Opera at Northwestern University in Chicago. He is in demand as a director, designer, and teacher throughout the world. DIE FLEDERMAUS is his third production with Central City Opera. John Baril, Principal Conductor, is also the Music Director of Central City Opera, and this is his 30th year with the company. He got his start as Festival Scheduler back in 1992. John has conducted throughout the United States in the genres of opera, ballet, symphonic works, and music theatre. Both John and Joachim have been featured on the Central City Opera Podcast in past seasons – visit ccopodcast.org to find their episodes and learn more about them. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  

On this episode, stage director Ken Cazan and conductor Adam Turner share their insights into the musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. This is Ken's 20th season directing at Central City Opera, and Adam has worked on the music side for seven seasons since 2011, first as associate conductor, then as guest principal conductor. Ken and Adam dig into the story and sounds of this Tony-Award-winning musical, elaborating on the cast, the universal themes in the story, and the inspiration behind the work. And in celebration of our 90th Anniversary, they share what makes Central City Opera special to them. Ken Cazan is currently a Full Professor, Resident Stage Director, and Chair of Vocal Arts and Opera at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where he has worked since 2004. He is in demand internationally as a stage director and masterclass clinician. In 2017, he was inducted into the Grove Dictionary of Music as an expert in the works of Benjamin Britten. Conductor Adam Turner is currently Artistic Director of Virginia Opera. He is a champion of new works, and first emerged on the international stage at age 25 when he took over conducting responsibilities of a production of Les Miserables in Germany. Find out more about Ken and Adam on past episodes of the Central City Opera Podcast at ccopodcast.org. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we go behind the scenes with Technical Director Kerry Cripe and Stage Manager Angela Turner. Kerry's been TD with Central City Opera since 2017, and this was Angela's first summer with us. And what a summer it's been! Kerry and Angela share all the insider details on producing an outdoor opera festival in Colorado, complete with 100-degree weather and monsoons. They also share some of their favorite parts of Rigoletto, the show that Angela is working on, as well as what they each did to keep their spirits and skills up during their long hiatus from live performance this past year-and-a-half. After this interview, I saw Kerry and Angela backstage at a show. Kerry wanted to emphasize that while they talked a lot about challenges and things that went wrong this summer – which they then fixed – there's also 1000 things that have to go RIGHT in order to make a show happen…and if they go right, the audience is blissfully unaware of all those intricate processes and parts. The magic of live theatre – it's so good to be back! Read the show notes from this episode here.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. 

On this special "Young Artist Spotlight" episode, we meet three singers from Central City Opera's Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program: baritone Bernardo Medeiros, mezzo-soprano Michelle Monroe, and soprano Marin Tack. The two women have small but significant roles in all three shows, and Bernardo is covering the two title roles, Rigoletto and Aeneas. We talk about what this summer has been like so far and what they see as priorities to keep opera going into the future. All three auditioned for the program back in 2019 – and when the pandemic hit, CCO had to postpone the 2020 festival. Like so many others in the performing arts industry, Bernardo, Michelle and Marin had to find ways to keep going. The first line of the song "You'll Never Walk Alone" from CAROUSEL is, "When you walk through a storm, keep your chin up high." These artists, along with the rest of their colleagues, did just that. Read the show notes from this episode here.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.