Opera Apéro – Details, episodes & analysis

On this episode of Opera Apéro, I talk to my friend Maxwell (he/him) about Leos Janacek's opera Jenůfa. It's the story of a young woman in a small town in love and pregnant by a man who can’t commit. As time progresses, they face the consequences of the decisions made to avoid community shame. We discuss parallels with other operas like Madama Butterfly and Pagliacci, how story meaning can change based on opera director’s artistic choices, and we mispronounce many Czech names. This is also the first episode where we play a drinking game along to the opera so tune in to hear how many times we need to take a shot. Play along if you’re feeling brave.

Let me know what you thought on social media: on Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee.

Chapters

Act 1 - 08:31

Act 2 - 21:42

Act 3 - 40:33

Discussion - 58:15

On this episode of Opera Apéro, I talk to my friend Caitlin (she/her) about Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci. It's the story of a clown burying his feelings under his makeup and costume leading to an explosive ending. We talk about all kinds of clownery: toxic masculinity, the American double sided friendliness/fakeness, and The Simpsons. Stick around at the end to hear more about what I've been up to during the show hiatus.

Let me know what you thought on social media: on Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero. You can find show notes for this episode and more about the podcast on operaapero.com 

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee.

Chapters

Prologue - 11:13

Act 1 - 12:00

Act 2 - 21:33

Discussion - 26:40

On this episode, I talk to my friend Marguerite (she/her) about Gioachino Rossini's opera Le Comte Ory. It's a wacky comedy about a licentious man scheming his way into a castle of women while the men of the area are gone on the Crusades. Just wait for the sexy surprise at the end. My guest Marguerite happens to also be a young opera fan as well. We discuss how opera can be silly and sexy, the use of a pants role to create extra tension in the story, and how we got into opera and why we think more people should appreciate it. Plus, some tips from Marguerite on how to get started!

Let me know what you thought on social media: On Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee to help cover operational costs.

On this episode, I talk to my friend Kristina (she/her) about Stravinsky's English language opera The Rake's Progress. It's the story of one man's path from naive country man to disillusioned urbanite to doomed soul and all the people pulling him between good and bad along the way. Get ready for some fairy tale names and silly plot points. Afterwards, we discuss the city (and our home of Berlin) as a place to live outside societal norms and how opera prioritizes relatability over realism. 

Let me know what you watch by connecting with me on social media: On Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee to help cover operational costs.

Chapters

Act 1 - 08:13

Act 2 - 16:12

Act 3 - 28:37

Epilogue - 39:43

Discussion - 43:14

On this episode, I talk to my first Berlin friend Ellen (she/her) about the super sexy opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. It's the tragic story of a young Spanish soldier seduced by a free-spirited gypsy woman Carmen, and what comes after the flames of passion have burned out. We discuss the culpability of Carmen in the story, if she is a role model or not, whether or not passion can be a form of love, and what that looks like in romance and in friendship. So are you team Jose or team Carmen? 

Let me know on Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee to help cover operational costs.

It's a surprise bonus mini-episode! On the show, we talk so much about operas, the staging, the costumes, the acting. It's about time we talk about how to watch some of these magnificent productions. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the options for streaming an opera at home are numerous. All you need is a solid internet connection. Tune in and then go forth and watch operas! 

Let me know what you watch by connecting with me on social media: On Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee to help cover operational costs.

On this episode, I'm flying solo. We take a brief pause from working through operas to have an "Opera Appreciation" lesson on the different types of voices in operatic singing. These come from the German Fach system for categorizing voices by their range and depth. Beyond the currently sung voice types, I'll also get into the unfortunate history of the castrato voice and why it's no longer in existence. As I cover each voice type, you'll hear examples from operas this show has already covered and learn names of current singers from the soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, bass-baritone, baritone, and countertenor types. 

Connect with me on Instagram @opera.apero and on Twitter @OperaApero.

If you like this show, please consider supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee to help cover operational costs.

On this episode, I talk to Aubrey (they/them), friend and creator of our show art, about Strauss' opera Salome. In this second installment of Women's History Month, the story focuses on an evil woman, a femme fatale if you wish. She is female sexuality completely unhinged. We discuss art that is upsetting, sexuality and achieving power through others', recognizing women's capacity for evil, and many dysfunctional family dynamics.

On this episode, to celebrate Women's History Month, I talk to my friend Theo (they/he) about Giacomo Puccini's La fanciulla del West. It's a love story set in the Wild West about Minnie, a saloon owner who gets caught up with a bandit on the run. We chat about the aesthetics of the West, how tropes are useful in relating to stories, and why we admire Minnie, her bandit, and their relationship.  Yeehaw!

Update: Since the recording and release of the episode, Tess changed his name to Theo. While episode title and info has been updated with new naming, the original recording has not been altered. 

On this episode, I talk to my friend Sophia about Antonín Dvořák's Rusalka. It's the story of a water nymph who just wants to know human love and what she does to achieve that. We spend some time talking about just "Sophia" things, debating parental advice, and what Tinder would be like if we took Rusalka's approach to love. Sophia declares the winners of this story, and it's certainly not Rusalka.