In these conversations with Bob Chapman and Rob Kennedy, distinguished musicians talk about their new recordings, their art, and much more. These musicians love what they do and are most eager to share their art with everybody. Let your family and friends know about these conversations, which they can listen to or download anytime. You can also listen to these conversations on our apps.
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe was our guest on the June 2019 edition of My Life In Music. Winner of the 1994 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Ms. Blythe enjoys an active career on the opera stage as well as in teaching. Stephanie speaks with Bob Chapman about her career and what got her started as a professional musician.
Photo: StephanieBlythemezzo.com
From his website: “Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo began performing professionally at the age of 11 and has since appeared in opera, concert, recital, film, and on Broadway. His debut album, ARC, on Decca Gold was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY Award, and he is Musical America’s 2019 vocalist of the year.” In this podcast, Anthony speaks with Bob Chapman about his role in Philip Glass’ opera Ahknaten.
Photo: Matthu Placek
From Joyce’s website: “On Songplay, along with her hand-picked band led by pianist and arranger Craig Terry, Joyce draws inspiration from Cavalli and Chet Baker in equal measure. The languishing heart in Giordani’s Car mio ben is as emotionally charged as Jerry Bock’s hopeful Will he like me? Perhaps the most compelling reminder of how the music of Songplay breaks down barriers is from DiDonato’s experience leading vocal and composition workshops in the New York prison Sing Sing, where one of the men who is incarcerated was particularly moved upon hearing her rendition of Car mio ben: ‘I feel like I’ve known this song my whole life.'” Bob Chapman speaks with Joyce DiDonato about Song Play which you can listen to on Spotify.
Photo: Joyce DiDonato/Simon Pauly
From Bridge Records website: “A delight in the friendships of one’s youth, the pain of unrequited love, and the destruction, horror and futility of war, are themes that run through A Lad’s Love, a disc that brings together the profound beauty created by Britain’s poets and composers during the turbulent years of the early 20th-century.” In this podcast, Brian Giebler discusses his record A Lad’s Love with Rob Kennedy.
Photo: J. Demetrie Photography
From his website: “Elijah McCormack, male soprano, is a specialist in early music vocal performance and currently resides in Arkansas…Mr. McCormack graduated from Indiana University’s Historical Performance Institute in 2019 with a Master’s of Music. During his time there, he received a Judges’ Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions of 2018.” In this podcast, Elijah speaks with Rob Kennedy about his education and career as a singer.
Photo: Julian Morris
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From Lucas’s website: “Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem is one of the most accomplished, in-demand singers of the moment, captivating audiences around the world with his “earnest appealing baritone” (The New York Times) and “commanding presence” San Francisco Chronicle. “A rock star of opera” (Opera Pulse). Rob Kennedy speaks with lyric baritone Lucas Meacham about his career and life as a singer.
Photo: Simon Pauly
From her website: “At 26, stepping in at short notice at the Metropolitan Opera, Millo made her formal debut with her mentor, James Levine, and the Metropolitan Opera in a critically acclaimed debut as Amelia in 1984 in Simon Boccanegra. She went on to sing for 14 seasons straight as the leading Verdi soprano of the Italian wing, and last was heard making a role debut in La Gioconda and a return to Andrea Chenier and Tosca in 2006. Over 15 different roles of opera over a nearly 25-year career at the Met.” In this podcast which was originally aired on My Life In Music with several tracks from Ms. Millo’s recordings, Bob Chapman spoke with Aprile Millo about her life and work as an operatic soprano.
Photo: Christian Stein
From his website: “Sherrill Milnes is universally acclaimed as the foremost operatic baritone of his generation. With his powerful voice, commanding stage presence, and rugged handsomeness, he achieved the kind of adulation that is usually reserved for tenors. He sang over 650 performances at the Met, where he was honored with sixteen new productions, seven opening nights, and ten national telecasts. As a leading artist in all of the world’s great opera houses, Mr. Milnes performed and recorded with the likes of Domingo, Pavarotti, Caballé, Sutherland, Sills, Horne, Price, and Tebaldi. He is the winner of three Grammy Awards and the most recorded American singer of his time. In 2008 he received the Opera News Award for Distinguished Achievement.”
In this podcast which aired originally on My Life In Music in May 2020, Bob Chapman speaks with Sherrill Milnes about his life and career.
Photo: Dario Acosta
From Anne Sofie’s website: “Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter is one of the finest singers of her generation with a wealth of recordings and numerous awards including two Grammy Awards for Best Classical Vocal Performance, the most recent being awarded in 2015 for her double-CD, Douce France.” In this podcast, Anne Sofie speaks with Rob Kennedy about her recording PBO and Caroline Shaw.
Photo: Mats Backer
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From her website: “American soprano Christine Weidinger has enjoyed an international career starring in most of the world’s major opera houses and appearing in concert with world-renowned orchestras and conductors. She began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, where she sang regularly for four years before opting to move to Europe to gain experience in opera’s homelands. From 1976 until 1990 she was a resident artist in Germany, first with the Wurttemberg State Opera in Stuttgart, subsequently with the Municipal Opera of Bielefeld. From the 1970s through the ‘90’s she starred as a guest artist with leading opera houses throughout Europe, South America, and the United States.”
In this podcast originally broadcast as My Life In Music in July 2017, Bob Chapman chats with Christine about her life and career as one of the world’s leading operatic sopranos.