Ep. 122: Carl Maria von Weber

Ep. 122: Carl Maria von Weber

Author: Opera After Dark May 2, 2020 Duration: 34:56
In today's episode, we talk about opera composer/conductor, Carl Maria von Weber. He was revolutionary in developing the role of the modern conductor, but of course, his life was full of scandal as well....

The backstage world of opera and classical music is far stranger and more human than its polished, public facade suggests. Opera After Dark pulls back the velvet curtain, guided by the informal, wine-fueled conversations of hosts Naomi Barrettara, Elspeth Davis, and Kyle Homewood. This isn't a lecture hall; it's the feeling of lingering at a kitchen table after a show, dissecting the scandalous affairs, bitter rivalries, and outright bizarre true stories that fueled the creation of history's most revered music. Each episode feels like an intimate gathering where the "high art" is approached with genuine curiosity, irreverent humor, and a shared sense of discovery. You'll hear about composers' chaotic personal lives, the hidden meanings in iconic scores, and the moments where sheer genius collided with utter madness. The tone of this podcast is conversational and unpretentious, built on the idea that the most profound connections to this music often happen when we're relaxed enough to see the people behind the pedestals. Tune in for stories that are passionate, surprising, and deeply entertaining, all shared with the warmth and ease of friends who love pulling the thread to see what unravels.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Opera After Dark
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 62: Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:51
In this episode, we return to another bad ass lady who deserves a lot more love and recognition in the classical music canon: Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel! Her music is beautiful, complex, genius, and moving, and we think it…
Ep. 61: Synesthesia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:08
Think colors are simply something that can be seen? Today's episode features our friend, Lauren Miller, who is part of a special group of people whose brains associate colors with what they hear. If you listen, you may j…
Ep. 60: Lully [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:36
In today's episode, we talk about the father of French opera, Jean-Baptiste Lully. This non-French dude had quite the scandalous life is very much responsible for shaping French opera as we know it before coming to a hil…
Ep. 59: Claude Debussy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:58
Debussy composed some of the most beautiful music we have ever heard. Does that automatically make him a good person? In today's episode, we find out the answer! The answer is no, he wasn't a good person...
Ep. 58: Michael Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:23
Which classical music figure connects Mozart, King George III, and Jane Austen? In today's episode we learn about tenor and friend of Mozart, Michael Kelly. It's amazing the things we believe to be factual because somebo…
Ep. 57: The "Bel Canto Bully" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:34
At OAD, we spend a lot of time talking about the people that composed or performed opera, but very little talking about those behind the scenes in opera history. That changes today when we talk about the man who funded a…
Ep. 56: George Antheil [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:28
Hold on to your hats and wigs, because we're talking about the self-proclaimed bad boy of 20th Century music, George Antheil! Though he never realized lasting acclaim as a composer, he is definitely fun to talk about, an…
Ep. 55: Tosca [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:33
Jealousy, lust, imprisonment, torture, fugitives, murder, mayhem , and epic love - TOSCA has got it ALL! The music is awesome - and we'll tell you why. It's one of those [SPOILER ALERT] "everyone dies at the end" kind of…
Ep. 54: Operatic Rejections [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
In honor of Valentine's Day, we bring you the most epic operatic rejections! We often think of opera's many romantic love stories, but it turns out there are just as many, if not more, painful rejections. And by painful,…
Ep. 53: The Mute Girl of Portici [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:59
This week's unknown opera is a quintessential example of the French Grand Opera style. In addition to being perhaps the only opera in which the title character doesn't sing, La Muette de Portici is credited for igniting…