Central City Opera Podcast

Dive into Master Class with Jennifer DeDominici (portraying Maria Callas) and scenic designer Lawrence E. Moten III.

Season 11, Episode 3 - Cynthia Lawrence and Lynly A. Saunders

Join our Director of Choruses, Tyler Tucker, and Stage Manager Kendra Green for an exploration of all things Marriage of Figaro. centralcityopera.org/2026-festival

Welcome to the 2026 season of the Central City Opera Podcast! This summer's festival is full of music, drama, and fun. On today's episode, take a tour of what we will SEE and HEAR this summer with our Director of Production, Emily Barber, and our Head of Music, Jeremy Reger. For tickets and more, head to centralcityopera.org/2026-festival. See you at the opera!

In the final episode of Season 10, we sit down with star of Once Upon a Mattress, Marissa Rosen, to discuss what a career on Broadway is like, and what it's like for a performer to cross over from musical theatre to opera. We then chat with John Heginbotham, choreographer for this year's production of Once Upon a Mattress, to discuss movement in an opera on a jewel-box stage. Finally, we'll hear from Candace Leyland, CCO's resident wig and makeup designer, about the dozens of wigs used in this years shows, and how she works to ensure the hair and makeup you see on stage is beautiful without interfering with singing and dancing. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2025-festival/

Season 10, Episode 3 - Deborah Brevoort and Armando Contreras

Join Louis Lohraseb, principal conductor, and Luke Sutliff, playing Figaro, for conversations about this season's production of The Barber of Seville, how they got their starts in opera, and what it's like collaborating and singing on the CCO stage. 

In this episode, we sit down Artistic Director Alison Moritz to discuss the 2025 Central City Opera Festival, our inagural CCO in Concert, and a preview of what's on for next year! We then check in with Dave Mazzeno, our Supervising Stagehand and Head Lighting Electrician, to talk about what our stagehands do behind the scenes to make every show come to life. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2024-festival/

In this episode, we sit down with our inspiring CEO, Scott Finlay, to learn more about the man behind the leadership. With over 12 years at Central City Opera, Scott shares his journey, from his early days with the company to stepping into the role of CEO. He reflects on the challenges and triumphs of leading an opera company, the importance of transparency, and how he navigates issues like audience preferences, artist satisfaction, and operational challenges. Scott’s positivity and encouragement have left a lasting impression on the team, and in this conversation, you’ll get a glimpse of his vision, charisma, and dreams for the future of CCO. Don’t miss this engaging episode filled with thoughtful insights, personal stories, and a look ahead at what’s in store for the next decade of Central City Opera!   Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2024-festival/     Read More  

In this episode, sopranos Kara Shay Thomson and Jasmine Habersham reflect on forging your own path in opera. Both began their journeys at Central City Opera as Young Artists in the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program and returned last season as principal performers. They share advice and encouragement for the next generation of Young Artists. Later, meet Eric Chinn, Director of Historic Properties, who oversees the care and preservation of Central City’s iconic historic buildings. Be sure to tune in for this engaging and enlightening episode!   Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2024-festival/     Read More      

Season 9, Episode 2 - Principal Artist, Lauren Gemelli and Senior Director of Finance, Chuck Calkins

On this episode, Central City Opera's new Artistic Director Alison Moritz, and Managing Director of External Affairs Adam Scurto discuss the 2024 Festival Season. Join Alison and Adam as they discuss the future of Central City Opera, give tips on how to get the best out of Central City whether it's your first time or your hundredth, and talk about the places Opera can take you. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2024-festival/    

On this episode, Cecilia Violetta López and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas Cecilia's role as Desdemona in this year's production of Othello. Cecilia dives into how her mom taught her to sing while working on a sugar beet farm, how she got her own day in Idaho, and how she acclimated to Central City's altitude.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/ https://www.ceciliaviolettalopez.com/  

On this episode, Developing Artist Kameron Alston and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas discuss Kameron's role as Tybalt in this year's production of Romeo & Juliet. Learn about one of the youngest members of the Developing Artist troupe and what it's like duel-wielding on stage.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/ https://www.kameronalston.com/  

On this episode, Developing Artist Isaiah Feken and Digital Marketing Manager Peter Constas discuss Isaiah's role as a "gangster" in this year's production of Kiss Me, Kate. Learn about what it's like to be on stage with Broadway legends as an opera singer, why it's more fun being the villian, and the commonalities between opera and dogs.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and to buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org. https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/

On this episode, Music Director John Baril and Central City Opera CEO Pamela Pantos discuss the three main-stage productions being featured in this year's Summer Festival. Brush up on your Shakespeare, because this season includes productions of Romeo & Juliet, Kiss Me, Kate, and Othello. Join John and Pamela as they detail the rarity of seeing six tenors in one opera, how Cole Porter keeps the drama on the stage, and how Central City Opera is making opera relevant for contemporary audiences.  Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. Remember to subscribe to our podcast to get the latest episodes delivered directly to your device. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  https://centralcityopera.org/2023-festival/    

On this episode, we hear from David Duffield, a historian with The Center on Colfax in Denver, Colorado. David was part of a panel of experts hosted by Central City Opera on June 12, 2022, to give perspectives on the themes within the chamber opera TWO REMAIN. I asked him to be on the podcast to dig even deeper, and he shares about LGBTQ history in Colorado and beyond, art as activism, and cultural representation. One of my favorite things he says in the interview is, “You feel a little more human when you see yourself in the artmaking.” David Duffield is from Denver and is a social studies teacher with Denver Public Schools. He helped found the Colorado LGBTQ History Project in 2014 with The Center on Colfax, focusing on Oral History, Archiving, Education, and Networking. Among the accomplishments of the History Project are over 100 oral histories, the donation of 36 archival collections to receiving institutions, the creation of lesson plans, exhibits, and public tours of queer history in Colorado, and dozens of other talks and collaborations with people around the world. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we hear from sopranos Rebecca Caine and Diana Newman, principals in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. Rebecca plays the role of Margaret Johnson, and Diana plays the role of Margaret’s daughter Clara. This is the first time they’ve worked together, and watching them onstage, you’d think they were old friends. Rebecca shares how much she loves playing a woman of a “certain age,” and Diana talks about how she approaches Clara’s neurodivergence. You’ll hear more about how the perfect costume helps get an actor into character, how much Rebecca and Diana love being onstage with each other and their castmates, and how the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe versus Wade influenced how they thought about this story. This interview was recorded on July 7, 2022. Canadian soprano Rebecca Caine has had a career divided between Opera and Musical Theatre, making her West End debut at age 19 as Laurey in OKLAHOMA! She then sang the role of Eliza in MY FAIR LADY on the National Tour. While at Glyndebourne Opera Festival, she was asked to join the Royal Shakespeare Company where she created the role of Cosette in LES MISERABLES. She was also part of the original cast of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as Christine. Her long career continues to span the realms opera, musical theatre, straight theatre, and cabaret in the UK, United States, and around the world.   American soprano DIANA NEWMAN brings “fresh and intense” performances to opera houses and concert stages across the United States and Europe. She has recently appeared with the Dallas Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. A recent graduate of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center, she returned this season for the company’s Ring Cycle. Diana was also recently a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl for AMERICA IN SPACE in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.

On this episode, we hear from conductor Brandon Eldredge and soprano Tessa McQueen about Act One of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s chamber opera, TWO REMAIN. Act One focuses on the true story of Polish poet Krystyna Zywulska surviving the Holocaust – and the psychological trauma she dealt with the rest of her life. It’s based on her searing memoir of 1946, “I Survived Auschwitz.” Brandon and Tessa share more about Krystyna’s life, about how challenging it is to perform and interpret a story of this magnitude, and how important it is to keep telling these stories. Brandon Eldredge has built a broad-scoped knowledge and experience as a conductor, pianist, and operatic coach, working across the United States, Germany, and Sweden. He is CCO’s Associate Conductor and Chorus Master this summer, working on all three productions. During the year, he is on staff at Virginia Opera as Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master. Soprano Tessa McQueen is a first year Studio Artist in the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program, and in addition to her role of Krystyna Zywulska in TWO REMAIN, she is in the chorus of Die Fledermaus and several opera scenes for the Short Works performances. Tessa received her Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Oklahoma City University and will begin her Master’s degree at Rice University this fall. Have questions or want to provide feedback? Email us at podcast@centralcityopera.org. To hear more stories from inside Central City Opera and buy tickets to the shows, visit us at centralcityopera.org.  

Season 7, Episode 5 - Dan Wallace Miller and Curt Olds on TWO REMAIN