Arizona Opera Podcast

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by two musical couples, international opera tenor Stephen Costello, and Metropolitan Opera violinist, Yoon Kown Costello, as well as co-writers of musical scores such as Frozen, Frozen 2, Coco, and Finding Nemo the Musical, Bobby and Kristen A Lopez. Learn how these individually successful artists met and joined together as musical forces in marriage. Enjoy discussions about married life in the music business and how working as a musical unit can create some of the most impactful forms of art.

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined for a delectable discussion featuring Food Network Star and AZ Chef Beau Macmillan, and opera singer and food enthusiast, Kate Kinhan-Specter. Both discuss the crossroads between food and human connection, the importance of creating an environment in which all feel welcome, and the thought that goes into planning the perfect menu. From simple conversations around the table to elaborate dinner parties, no stone is left unturned as these two master chefs share their hearts and experience in and out of the kitchen. You won’t leave hungry for answers after this episode of UnMic’d!

In today’s media dependent society overnight sensations are the new normal. These media platforms reach larger audiences than ever before, and success is now measured through Likes and Followers. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by Marco Cammorata, Classical tenor, multifaceted vocal artist, and founder of Youtube Channel “MarcoMeatball” and Cole Skory, Singer Songwriter and founder of Youtube sensation “The Skorys”, to discuss how the utilization of social media provides a pathway of connection between music and people. How can music of any genre tell a story? How can you navigate the vulnerability of putting yourself out there on social media musically? What advice do they have for aspiring social media entrepreneurs? Tune in as we dive into the world of Youtube and social media, discovering what it means to be human in a social age.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Bradley Taylor Arizona Opera’s Lighting Supervisor and Assistant Lighting Designer.  Learn how the lightening department brings our shows to life through color and foot candles, and learn what a foot candle is.  Find out how Bradley came from a 3rd grade Mr. Bundles in Annie Jr, through Disney pyrotechnics, all the way to Arizona Opera.  Find out Bradley’s dream theatre projects and learn why spicy snakes would be Bradley’s nightmare!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Jefferson Ridenour, the Set Designer for Ariadne auf Naxos. Learn what a Scenery Designer does and how they communicate their designs to the Scenic Shop. Find out how Jefferson came to Arizona Opera - it truly is a small opera world - and get a sneak peek into what a Set Designer does during a pandemic. Join us as we find out exactly how marinated in research Jefferson actually is and listen in to discover if he gives up the secret of the “Sprinkle of Surprise” in Ariadne auf Naxos.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s new Director of Production, Clayton Rodney. Learn how Clayton made his way to Arizona all the way from Canada and why he's excited to be part of the Arizona Opera Team. Join us as we discover the ins and outs of the what it’s like to be a Director of Production, what Clayton is most excited for in our upcoming 2022/23 Season, and why all he needs for success is Oregon wine and NO mushrooms!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s President and General Director, Joseph Specter. Learn why Joe and his family love living in Phoenix; recap how he came to be the President and General Director for Arizona Opera, and join us as Joe gives us an exciting preview into the 2022/23 Arizona Opera season. Find out why Jiu-Jitsu will always be a part of Joe’s dream opera season and learn if there is an Anti-Celery Illuminati and if Joe is indeed a member.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Arizona Opera’s Director of Community Alliances, Courtney Clark, and Founder & CEO of VerveSimone, Teniqua Broughton.  Learn what the newly created position of Director of Community Alliance entails and how Courtney came to join the team.  Find out what VerveSimone is and how Teniqua’s company started working with Arizona Opera.  Discover how vital community engagement and outreach programs are, learn the winding path that brought both Courtney and Teniqua to Arizona Opera, and why squash and oatmeal won’t be part of their dinner with Oprah!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Greg Hirsch, Arizona Opera’s Director of Production and Resident Lighting Designer. Find out what a Director of Production actually does and learn how in the hubris of youth, Greg became a Lighting Designer by buying a book. Discover what gels and gobos are, learn Greg’s favorite gel color and find out what a rouge elephant has to do with opera!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Cody Grasher, Tenaya Tidwell, and Kayla Zeimet, this season’s Costume Shop Apprentices. Learn the difference between a Journeyman apprentice and an Apprentice I. Find out how Kayla and Tenaya came to Arizona Opera and what they are looking forward to the most for this season. Join us as we talk fashion styles that should go and ones that we love and find out why socks, pockets and zippers could be controversial.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Dr. Miriam Schildkret, PN1. Find out what an Arizona Opera Teaching Artist does and learn how she came to fill such a vital and rewarding position in the Education Department. Join us as Miriam talks about the importance of both physical and mental health, while she shares stories of being saved from witches, collecting broken leaves and why okra can go!

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they talk with Arizona Opera’s President and General Director, Joseph Specter. Learn about the winding road that led Joe from Pee-wee football player, to aspiring rock-star, all the way to Arizona Opera. Discover what a General Director actually does, get a peek behind the curtain, and learn why Joe and the Arizona Opera team might be sipping lattes and Kool-Aid around the proverbial campfire.

What does it take to rise to the top of an arts organization? And what does it take to break through the barriers of gender and race in order to reach that peak? Classical arts organizations across the US—including opera companies and symphony orchestras—are engaged in an important moment of self-reflection on the subjects of leadership and representation. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by Afton Battle, General Director of Fort Worth Opera and Deborah Borda, the Linda and Mitch Hart President and CEO of the New York Philharmonic, to discuss how these remarkable arts leaders reached the roles in which they serve today. What journey did they take as women in an industry led primarily by men? What obstacles did they face overtime in their rise into leadership? What advice do they have for future leaders, aspiring to follow in their footsteps? Come be inspired with us as Afton and Deborah share their stories and the impact they are continuing to have on the arts community.

There are few performing arts events that capture the imagination as much as the “music festival.” Pop music festivals—and opera festivals alike!—ignite the senses, from the excitement of experiencing a broad range of artists, to the opportunity to bond socially with fellow cultural thrill-seekers. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by David Devan, General Director of Opera Philadelphia and Festival O20, and David Beame, Vice President of Global Events & Experiences for Global Citizen, and partner at the entertainment law firm of Beame & Mencher LLP. Join Arizona Opera, as David Devan and David Beame discuss with Joe the magic of the festival experience, and the mission driven focus of their organizations. What possesses someone to take on the mammoth challenge of running these complex festivals, what are the greatest rewards, and what is the future of the festival as we emerge from the pandemic? Come with us to learn how Global Citizen and Opera Philadelphia think about these questions, and how the “festival” helps these organizations reach their respective goals of international impact. Find the blurry edge with us once again on this episode of UnMic’d!

Top performers in fields that require great physical feats—whether they are on the opera stage or the football field—rely on the best guidance from the ever-growing field of medicine in order to keep them functioning at the highest level. In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined by renowned New York otolaryngologist Dr. Gwen Korovin, who keeps many of the world's top entertainers in good voice, and Dr. Michael Lee, the former head team physician and orthopedic surgeon for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Cardinals. Join Arizona Opera, as Dr. Korovin and Dr. Lee discuss with Joe their passion for treating high performers in their respective fields, how they achieve high performance themselves every day, and what formative experiences in their youth drove each physician to their specialty. It's a fascinating behind-the-scenes discussion of the life of the medical professionals that help make great athleticism—on the stage and on the field—possible for the enjoyment of the ardent fans of opera and sports alike. Find the blurry edge with us once again on this episode of UnMic’d!

In this episode of UnMic’d, host Joe Specter is joined for a spirited discussion by three world-renowned singers, each a part of an internationally-celebrated vocal quartet: Lauren Kinhan, a member of New York Voices and a jazz vocalist who has released four highly acclaimed solo albums; David Miller, a member of the multi-platinum selling quartet Il Divo, who is also an opera singer and starred in Baz Luhrman’s La bohème on Broadway; and Janis Siegel, a nine-time Grammy Award-winning member of the iconic jazz voice quartet, The Manhattan Transfer. When it comes to these acclaimed artists, thought-provoking questions and answers abound. How do they balance their individual artistic voice in with their ensemble collaboration? How do their seemingly different singing styles relate to one another? And – inquiring minds want to know! – if they were judging a vocal competition such as American Idol, are they Simon, Randy, or Paula?! All of these answers – and more – will be revealed in this episode of Arizona Opera’s UnMic’d.

There are few experiences that capture the essence of human drama as powerfully as opera and prize fighting. Join host, Joe Specter, as he explores the connection between these two seemingly distant worlds on the next episode of UnMic’d. Joe is joined by one of the most dominant trainers in MMA, Greg Jackson of Jackson Wink MMA, whose gym has prepared some of the world’s greatest professional MMA fighters, such as Jon Jones and Holly Holm; Joe Isenberg, an accomplished fight choreographer who has worked with opera companies including Washington National Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, and has won awards including the 2013 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and The Kennedy Center Kenan Fellowship; and George Birkadze, an internationally recognized dancer and choreographer with Boston Ballet who works around the globe, and who is also a martial arts expert with black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kyokushin-kai Karate, and Judo. How do the worlds of opera, dance, and stage combat connect to the raw reality of the Octagon? How does preparing for the ring differ from preparing for the stage? You’ll also discover more about what we know everyone is wondering – if you had to have a street fight with a character from an opera or ballet, which character would you choose, and why?

In the premiere episode of Arizona Opera’s new video series, UnMic’d, Arizona Opera President and General Director, Joe Specter, is joined by Alex Lacamoire, the multi-talented and award-winning music director, arranger, and composer best known for his work on Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and In the Heights. Also joining Joe in this exciting new “idea exchange” forum is the award-winning composer, Clint Borzoni, best known for his work on The Copper Queen, When Adonis Calls, and My Life as a Bald Soprano. How do these two professionals connect to each other, and to the world of opera? Join us as we “dive deep” into understanding how orchestration factors into a composer’s overall career, how music writers gain the trust it takes to hand over their work to be orchestrated, and learn these two music professionals’ thoughts on the ever-burning question, “Just what IS the difference between musical theater and opera?”

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Keri Muir, Arizona Opera’s Production Stage Manager. Learn how Keri came to Arizona Opera and why the Stage Manager is such a vital and pivotal role in every theatrical production. Find out the difference between stage management tasks during rehearsals versus during performances, learn what spike tape is and discover why Stage Managers would have giant balls of it.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Alice Fredrickson, the Costume Designer for our upcoming The Copper Queen Film. Learn how Alice ended up being a costume designer for an opera company, get some insight into the design process, discover the differences between costume design for film and stage, and learn when a parachute might indeed be a dress!