Ep. 135 The Rake's Progress

Ep. 135 The Rake's Progress

Author: Opera for Everyone October 5, 2025 Duration: 1:58:18

Which is stronger: the temptations of a shadowy wish-granter, or the love of a virtuous woman?  In The Rake’s Progress, Tom’s true love Anne seeks to save him from himself, seeking to unwind the schemes of the literal devil.  Yet when the dust settles, it is hard to say who has triumphed… Tom is saved, but it is a messy and piteous sort of salvation.

In the only full opera composed by Igor Stravinsky, powerful supernatural elements are key to the drama, but the characters–archetypal in many respects–become believable individuals given full life by Stravinsky’s shimmering, evocative, and powerful music.

Hosted by Pat and Kathleen

For more cultural and arts commentary by Kathleen Van De Wille, visit Constructive Criticism on Substack.


There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when the curtain rises, but you don’t need a ticket to experience it. Opera For Everyone is a conversation that pulls back the velvet rope, hosted by Pat Wright. It grew from her lively talks with Keely Herron after seeing performances together, sparking a mission to make this grand art form feel like a shared discovery rather than a distant spectacle. Each episode invites a guest co-host into the mix, where the focus is on connection-breaking down stories, history, and the sheer power of the human voice without relying on jargon or pretense. You’ll hear the music itself, of course, those moments where everything soars, but you’ll also find plenty of epiphanies and genuine hilarity along the way. It’s a reminder that opera is about raw emotion and dramatic storytelling, elements that resonate with anyone. Originally broadcast on 89.1 KHOL in Jackson, Wyoming, this radio show found its second life as a podcast, allowing these accessible and enjoyable discussions to reach listeners anywhere, anytime. Tune in and you might just find yourself swept up in a world you thought was meant for someone else.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 139

Opera For Everyone
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 1:58:23
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Duration: 1:58:07
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Ep. 31 Semiramide by Rossini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54:23
On this episode of Opera for Everyone we listen to Semiramide by Gioachino Rossini which is based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Assyria. This is an opera in two ac…
Ep. 30 Tamerlano by Handel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:20
On today's episode of Opera for Everyone, we review Handel's opera Tamerlano. The story takes place in 1402 in Prusa. The defeated Ottoman Emperor Bajazet is brought in chains to the court of Tamerlano. He has ordered An…
Ep. 29 LaBoheme by Puccini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:05
On this episode of Opera for Everyone we review the much beloved opera classic LaBoheme by Giacomo Puccini.
Ep. 27 L'Elisir D'Amore by Donizetti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:05
This episode of Opera for Everyone features Luciano Pavarotti as Nemorino and Kathleen Battle as Adina in a 1990 Metropolitan Opera production of Gaetano Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore conducted by James Levine. This "Oper…
Ep. 26 Tosca By Puccini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:33
On this episode of Opera for Everyone we listen to the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini. Tosca is an opera in three acts with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered in 1900 in Rome, Italy at…