Operation Opera

Composer, conductor and educator Russell Steinberg on transformative and informative musical moments, finding and keeping our artistic and personal truths.

Finding your inner clown with Diane Fourès!

New Zealand based journalist and music critic Richard Betts on art, work, and the journey of young singers in New Zealand.

Actress and Human rights advocate, Nazanin Boniadi on bringing together our artistry and humanity.

Vocal pedagog and professor Arden Hopkin on the university system and the place for vocal pedagogy with in it.

Opera as Improv? Amanda Neal shows us how!

Fine visual artist and mother of three gets into the nitty gritty of art and the importance of showing up.

Rachel Willis Sørensen is a fantastic operatic soprano who has won several awards and sung all over the world. Also, she’s a fantastic human. Rachel Payne and Alisa Peterson sat down with her to have their most Mormon-centric interview to date.

Alisa and Rachel have a discussion involving the sensations of head voice and the challenges of singing in your own church congregation.

Robert Norman is a talented character tenor with incredible comedic timing. Rachel and Alisa sit down with him for a discussion about his career and the direction opera is heading today.

Friend and fellow opera singer, Bradley Wisk, came to visit this month, and we got to discuss the merits of the crossover artist among other things.

Ep 10: Fernando Amozorrutia by Operation Opera

Rachel and Alisa meet with Diana Jacklin, dramatic soprano and voice teacher based in Vienna, Austria to discuss technique and how to know if you have it.

Rachel and Alisa have a discussion about physical sensations in singing.

Reena Esmail is an Indian-American composer who enjoys working in both the Western and Hindustani (North Indian) classical music idioms. Reena and Rachel Payne sit down to discuss the similarities between eastern and western signing and much more.

Rachel and Alisa discuss the musical triumphs and struggles of La La Land and the eternal question: Can two artists fully pursue their dreams and stay in a relationship? Spoiler Alert!

Rachel and Alisa sit down with Scott Hiltzik to discuss the relationship between musicians and teachers in the world of classical music.

Alisa and Rachel have a discussion about the differences between art and music and how it relates to classical singing.

Sara Moncivais is a professional yoga teacher and protégé of yoga guru Sharath Jois in Mysore, India. Professional Sopranos Rachel and Alisa sat down with Sara to discuss the similarities between yoga and classical singing.

Alisa attended a Joyce Didonato Masterclass and we sat down to discuss how it went.

With the release of the recent "Florence Foster Jenkins" biopic, sopranos Rachel and Alisa sit down to discuss self-awareness and self-deception in singing and in life.

From home studios to microphones, what a singer needs to get started.

You can find Richards Website here as mentioned in the podcast cochlearimplantbasics.com/

Ep 31: Fach Changes and Listening to your gut with Amy Shoremount-Obra by Operation Opera

Ep 32: Deficiencies in the Education & Business Side of Performing w/ Conductor Stephen P Brown by Operation Opera

Ep 30: First Rehearsal Process with Mark Lamanna(Part Two) by Operation Opera

Ep 29: Rachel and Alisa discuss artistic & personal integrity by Operation Opera

Ep 28: Artistic Co-Dependency With Stage Director, Mark Lamanna (Part One) by Operation Opera

Alan E. Hicks joins us in this episode as we discuss the many diverse and albeit unexpected paths into finding a consistent career in the theater and opera world.

In this episode, we talk with American Soprano, Amber Opheim on the character of resilience, the act of determination and what European singing contracts look like.

In this episode, we discuss the nuances of auditioning and performing in the US and Europe with classically-trained singer and agent, Anna Berg.

Rachel and Alisa have a chat with songwriter Bryan Benner about things old and new relating to opera and the role it can play in modern media.

After their engaging discussion with Stephen P. Brown, Alisa and Rachel sit down to unpack and further dig into some of the ideas brought up.

A two-time Global Music Awards Winner, Stephen P. Brown is a British-American Conductor-Composer bringing good music to life by performing on four continents for over 35 years. Alisa and Rachel had the opportunity to chat with him on his revolutionary ideas for approaching performing and building an audience.

Alisa and Rachel sat down with Kathleen Kelly to talk about being mothers in this business of opera and creating new works to satisfy new audiences. Kathleen Kelly enjoys a wide-ranging and dynamic musical life as a pianist, opera coach, conductor, and master teacher. The first woman and first American named as Director of Musical Studies at the Vienna State Opera, Kathleen joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 2015 as that school’s first Coach/Conductor of Opera.

This month Alisa Peterson Larsen and Rachel Payne chatted with Irish Soprano Mairead Buicke about balancing performance and family and the community we want to build.

Alisa and Rachel have another discussion on auditions, specifically the side of dealing with rejection and criticism.

We sit down with Deirdre Brenner and Chanda Vanderhart of the Concert series "Mosaique" to discuss their work in Vienna and some thoughts on music and teaching in the world today!

Alisa Peterson and Rachel Payne have a discussion about surviving audition season in the classical singing world.

Alisa Peterson and Rachel Payne have a discussion about the "me too" hashtag that's been trending recently and everything surrounding it.

Classical singers Alisa Peterson and Rachel Payne discuss music as a connecting force to bring people together through trying times.