For opera lovers, today's guest needs no introduction. Renée Fleming is one of the most celebrated and cherished singers worldwide.  In the midst of a whirlwind tour, Renée had a moment to chat with dramaturg Cori Ellison about her Santa Fe Opera debut in a concert featuring Letters from Georgia by Kevin Puts and Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) of Richard Strauss.  Renée shares a peek inside her preparation and collaborative process for singing the role of New Mexico icon artist Georgia O'Keeffe, reflects on one of her most sung pieces of repertoire by Strauss, and shares the drive behind the growing body of arts education advocacy and neuroscience research she is championing. Follow Renée and learn more about her advocacy work at https://reneefleming.com and on Facebook and Instagram @reneeflemingmusic and on YouTube @ReneeFlemingTV. *** Learn more about the Santa Fe Opera and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.

Beyond the Opera

Renee Fleming - Portraying Georgia O'Keeffe, singing and neuroscience, and arts education advocacy

Beloved musicians and founders of Bridge Records, Becky and David Starobin make their debut as librettists in collaboration with composer Poul Ruders on this brand new fairytale thriller opera adapted from "The Twelve Brothers" by the Brothers Grimm. Cori digs deep with Becky and David into the collaborative process, the necessary changes to the source material to make it stage worthy, and addressing universal themes of family, love and loss. We also hear how the Bridge Records recording for The Thirteenth Child (recently released) almost went horribly awry and how David saved the day. Follow Becky, David and The Thirteenth Child at http://the13thchild.com. *** The Thirteenth Child runs at the Santa Fe Opera July 27 - August 21, 2019. Learn more and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.

The Thirteenth Child - A fairytale collaboration with first time librettists Becky & David Starobin

All eyes in the village are on Jenufa. Her fiancé sees only a trophy wife. Her rejected suitor sees a chance to avenge the most cutting wrongs in his past. Her righteous stepmother sees her own life’s tragedy about to play out again for her child. The results are two unspeakable crimes which lead to the opera’s true theme—that the wounds of troubled lives can be assuaged through acceptance, forgiveness, and hope. Patricia Racette returns to the Santa Fe Opera for her 10th role on our stage in this production of Jenufa by Leos Janáček, staged by David Alden. Having performed the role of Jenufa many, many times, Patricia now takes on the role of the stepmother, Kostelnicka.  Cori and Patricia talk about what it's like to prepare for a new character in an opera she knows so well; her career expansion from ingenue to more mature, dramatic roles; her passion for coaching young singers; a return to her musical theatre roots; and the answer to the burning question on all Santa Feans' minds -- red or green?    Follow Patricia at http://patriciaracette.com on Twitter @patriciaracette and on Facebook @divapatriciaracette. *** Jenufa runs at the Santa Fe Opera July 20 - August 15, 2019. Learn more and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.

Jenufa - Preparing for new roles and the evolution of a career with singing actress Patricia Racette

What makes the seemingly ridiculous plot of Così fan tutte such a compelling study of the duality of human nature that we revisit time and again? How do we understand the play of gender norms and societal pressure through a contemporary lens? And what's a director to do about a plot point that revolves around mustaches?  R.B. Schlather is one of the most creative and exciting new opera directors on the scene in America, with a strong emphasis on the visual aspect of performance. He recently he made a huge splash with a production of The Mother of Us All by Virgil Thomson at the Hudson Opera House in upstate New York, which was named as one of the 10 best opera performances of 2017 by the New York Times. R.B. makes his Santa Fe Opera directorial debut with our new production of Così fan tutte, Mozart’s and Da Ponte’s final collaboration (after Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro), which has delighted and confounded viewers ever since its 1790 premiere in Vienna. Find out why Cosi is one of Cori's "desert island operas" and how R.B. had to come around to it eventually. Follow R.B. a thttps://www.rbschlather.com on Instagram @r_b_schlather. *** Cosi fan tutte runs at the Santa Fe Opera July 13 - August 22, 2019. Learn more and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.  

Cosi fan tutte - Mythic characters, implausible plots, and the art of being watched with stage director R.B. Schlather

A conversation from the "feminine perspective" about the often underestimated opera by Georges Bizet, The Pearl Fishers, reveals insights into key themes of power dynamics, the intrinsic conflict of character Leïla, and what it means to be a leader in this day and age. Director Shawna Lucey, soprano Corinne Winters, and host Kathleen Clawson give us a fresh take on the 2019 revival of our stunning 2012 production, which was called “The best of this summer’s season,” by The Wall Street Journal.  They also offer advice for opera newcomers and veterans alike to get the richest possible experience during your visit. Follow Shawna at https://www.shawnalucey.com, on Instagram @29flames, and on Twitter @shawna_lucey. Follow Corinne at http://corinnewinters.com, on Facebook @cmwsoprano, and on Instagram @cmwsoprano.  *** The Pearl Fishers runs at the Santa Fe Opera June 29 - August 23, 2019. Learn more and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.  

The Pearl Fishers - Strong Women's Roles in Opera with director Shawna Lucey & soprano Corinne Winters

Baritone Zachary Nelson started his professional opera singing career as an apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera, following college and swiftly made his way onto the main stage in what to him felt like a dream come true. In the 2019 season, he's singing Marcello in the Santa Fe Opera's new production of Puccini's La bohème.  Kathleen Clawson talks with Zach about all things La bohème, his whirlwind stint in Germany, and what it's like to revive a role he's done in multiple productions. Follow Zach at http://www.zacharynelsonbaritone.com on Twitter @ zacharybaritone and on Instagram @zacharynelson410. *** La Boheme runs at the Santa Fe Opera June 28 - August 24, 2019. Learn more and plan your visit at http://www.santafeopera.org. We'd love for you to join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @santafeopera.  *** Beyond the Opera is produced for the Santa Fe Opera by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Our audio engineer is Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe. Our hosts are dramaturg Cori Ellison and Kathleen Clawson, associate director of the Santa Fe Opera apprentice singer program.  

La Boheme - From Apprentice Opera Singer to Main Stage Artist with Zachary Nelson as Marcello

An intimate look at the stories beyond the stories and music on stage at the Santa Fe Opera. Kathleen Clawson and Cori Ellison have candid conversations with singers, directors, designers, librettists and more as we explore The Santa Fe Opera season.