Why do we need conductors?

Behind the heavy velvet curtain and beyond the final bow, there’s a world of craft, passion, and sheer hard work that brings opera to life. The O Word, from the Welsh National Opera, pulls back that curtain. This podcast isn't a formal lecture; it’s an invitation into the rehearsal rooms, workshops, and creative minds that make up one of the UK's leading opera companies. You’ll hear from the people who are rarely in the spotlight but are utterly essential-the chorus masters, the costume dyers, the stage technicians, and the répétiteurs. Alongside them, singers, conductors, and directors discuss the unexpected challenges and quiet triumphs of a production, offering a perspective you simply can't get from a programme note. Each episode delves into the realities of creating grand spectacle, from the first musical note to the last set change. Tune in for honest conversations about what opera really is, stripped of pretence and full of the vibrant, sometimes chaotic, humanity that defines it. This series reveals the art form in all its complexity, making the monumental feel intimate and the timeless feel urgently present.