What do you do when you find yourself filled with rage? In the opera world, you sing an emotionally charged Rage Aria. In this episode, we're talking about some of opera's most rageful moments.

Ep. 132: Rage Arias

Following our last episode all about Philip Glass, this episode goes deep into the third opera in his portrait trilogy: AKHNATEN! We talk about the music, the inspiration and creative process, the source material, the text of the libretto, the real historical Akhnaten (including theories that his whole family were aliens) and his very complicated family (hint: recent DNA testing reveals that the family tree is REALLY MESSY, involving Nefertiti, King Tut, half-sisters that are also wives, aunts that are also mothers, husbands that are also siblings of some kind, daughters that are also wives, etc. etc. etc.), and all kinds of other interesting stuff!

Ep. 107: Akhnaten

With Memorial Day upon us (USA) and Victoria Day (Canada) just passed, we are taking the opportunity to talk about Queen Victoria and her love of opera, which she shared with her husband Prince Albert.

Ep. 123: Victoria and Albert

Opera After Dark is back for season 5!! And we're kicking things off by talking about the greatest ragtime composer of all, Scott Joplin. Don't worry, we're not abandoning our roots. In addition to being the king of ragtime, Mr. Joplin also composed for the operatic stage.

Ep. 124: Scott Joplin & Treemonisha

Who knew that the most popular opera from the 17th-century was about some guy named Jason?! Apparently Elspeth did. Before you start imagining an opera about a '90s frat boy, you should know this opera is actually based on a Greek myth and composed by the most successful composer of its era.

Ep. 125: Il Giasone

In addition to his many accolades in the jazz world, Duke Ellington is another notable composer that tried his hand at opera. Though Ellington never finished his opera Queenie Pie, he definitely left us with some great tunes!

Episode 126: Duke Ellington and Queenie Pie

Haven't heard of José Maurício? Neither had we! But it turns out he was a prolific Brazilian composer of the Classical Era, with over 200 published works and a Requiem that got the attention of Europe's best composers.

Ep. 127: José Maurício Nunes Garcia

In the realm of classical music, there are few individuals as influential as Franz Joseph Haydn. Though not known for his operas, Haydn is the original master of the symphony and string quartet, and definitely lived an interesting life.

Ep. 128: Papa Haydn

When you think about an opera about the Moon, does 20th-century music come to mind, or maybe the 21st? It turns out the first opera about space came way back in 1777. We hope you enjoy hearing about the Classical Era space opera, Il mondo della luna.

Ep. 129: The opera about the moon

Happy Holidays from Opera After Dark! We all love (or love to hate) a good holiday album. In this episode we discuss some of the most notable holiday albums by opera stars.

Ep. 130: Holiday Albums

What is a singer to do when the composer didn't right a banging aria for their character, or their aria leaves something to be desired? Insert a favorite aria of their choosing! It's hard to believe that this actually happened in the world of professional opera, but it turns out this was commonplace for much of opera's history.

Ep. 131: Insertion Arias

Forget what you thought you knew about classical music, and leave your preconceived notions at the door! Co-hosted by Naomi Barrettara, Elspeth Davis, and Kyle Homewood, Opera After Dark is a journey into the surprisingly wild, sometimes sexy, ALWAYS weird world of classical music. Join us as we settle in, open a bottle of wine, get tipsy, and discuss and share the crazy stories and bizarre facts about the “high art” that we love.

Ep. 107: Akhnaten

Opera After Dark

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