Arizona Opera Podcast

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they meet Alanna Maniscalco, the Props Supervisor for Arizona Opera. Learn the difference between a prop and a costume prop, find out where Alanna worked before she joined Arizona Opera, and learn why a props person might have to take a light saber apart and then make it shoot confetti.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with Alita Lopez, Arizona Opera’s Wig & Makeup Manager. Learn how Alita came to Arizona Opera and what the Wig & Makeup Department do for each production, find out how much work actually goes into each and every wig onstage, learn what ventilating is and hear how ketchup bottles of blood can make all the difference to a show.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with Shelby Joiner the First Hand and Painter/Dyer of Arizona Opera’s Costume Shop. Learn about Shelby’s journey from an Arizona Opera intern to a full-time staff member of the Costume Shop, find out how she works her magic with dyes and paints to create the beautiful pieces you’ve seen in Riders of the Purple Sage and Madame Butterfly, discover what exactly goes in to making new costumes look dirty or bloody, and find out what the heck a First Hand actually does.

Join Cassie & Kathleen as they chat with two of the 2020/21 Marion Roose Pullin Studio Artists. Learn just how much the studio pianist does in a season, find out what a “pants role” is, discover why a good accompanist isn’t just a piano robot, and find out more about the inner workings of an opera’s rehearsal process.

Join Cassie and Kathleen as they meet two of the members of the Arizona Opera Scenic Shop. Learn what a Technical Director actually is; what it means when set pieces "fly;" get insight into the magic of scenery changes during a performance; and learn who "tied down all those road boxes!"

Join Cassie and Kathleen as they meet two of the 2020/21 Arizona Opera Costume Apprentices. Learn what an apprentice is, where they went to school, and why they want to be involved with Arizona Opera. Get a "sneak peek" into some of the costume details for the upcoming "The Copper Queen" film, and learn if there is indeed, no cheese for Karen.

Meet Cassie Robel & Kathleen Trott as they introduce this podcast series. Learn if they are originally from Arizona and why they are hosting this podcast.

Ever wonder what it takes to become a professional opera singer? In this episode, Head of Music and Director of the Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio, Christopher Cano, tells us more about the rigorous training process, and how Arizona Opera helps young artists along the path to a successful career.

This episode takes us behind the scenes and into the Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard Costume Artisan Workshop. Arizona Opera Costume Shop Manager, Kathleen Trott, tells us about the process behind costume design and creation, and the people that are bringing these costumes to life.

Arizona Opera reaches over 50,000 students each year with special performances and in-school programs aimed at inspiring a new generation of opera audiences and arts lovers. In this episode we'll hear how these programs come to life, and how children are often the most enthusiastic opera goers.

After its sold out world premiere production in 2017, Riders of the Purple Sage is back on the Arizona Opera season by popular demand. In this episode, we hear from composer Craig Bohmler and librettist Steven Mark Kohn about their inspiration and process for bringing this epic western to the opera stage.

With Arizona Opera's performances of La Boheme right around the corner, we discuss the music and characters within Puccini's hit opera that make it one of the most beloved audience favorites of all time.

Ahead of upcoming performances of Fellow Travelers, we talk with some of the artists responsible for creating and performing this brilliant work which depicts a forbidden love story amidst the 1950s Lavender Scare.

The opera Shining Brow follows a tumultuous period in the life of famed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, which included a public affair and even murder. This episode features an interview with Shining Brow's composer, Daron Hagen, who gives us behind the scenes details on the opera and how it came to life.

Our season finale features members of the Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio talking about their upcoming performances of Mozart's Così fan tutte. We hear about the intricacies of bringing Mozart's characters and music to life, as well as what it's like to be a member of the Arizona Opera Studio.

A look inside Arizona Opera's upcoming performances of The Marriage of Figaro, this episode features musicologist and Mozart fanatic, Naomi Barrettara, in addition to Arizona Opera Head of Music, Christopher Cano.

The Great War rages. It is 1914 and Europe has descended into darkness. On Christmas Eve, British, French, and German soldiers agree to a truce across the trenches. Based on inspiring true events and adapted from the film Joyeux Noel (2005), this Pulitzer Prize-winning opera explores the human cost of war, and the ultimate price of peace. In this podcast episode we hear from the creators of the opera, in addition to the artists that bring it to life.