GBH Music introduces new listeners to opera in a video series produced in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) and New England Conservatory (NEC). Designed for newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts alike, “Getting into Opera” aims to ignite a passion for the genre by showcasing how powerful performances are shaped by vocal coaching and stage direction.
 
The innovative multi-platform video series will be filmed in front of a live audience in GBH’s acoustically acclaimed Fraser Performance Studio. The first episode featured a masterclass with renowned American soprano Patricia Racette teaching rising young singers from BLO’s Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artists and students from NEC. The second episode featured performances of some of the most emotionally resonant arias ever written. 
 
“Getting into Opera” will be hosted by Anthony Rudel, General Manager of GBH Music and author of Tales from the Opera, Classical Music Top 40, and Imagining Don Giovanni. Joshua Major, NEC’s Chair of Opera Studies and a celebrated opera stage director, will demonstrate how movement and direction add emotional depth to opera scenes. Bradley Vernatter, BLO’s Stanford Calderwood General Director & CEO, will share perspectives on producing operas as part of the series.

 

Past Events

Patricia Racette
Recorded January 18, 2024

The first episode featured renowned soprano Patricia Racette leading a masterclass for BLO Emerging Artists and New England Conservatory students. By pulling back the curtain on how great vocal performances are made, the masterclass drew in new opera lovers while delighting fans of the genre. Selections included works from more than 150 years of opera in four different styles and languages, including Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” Puccini’s “La bohème,” Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers” and Floyd’s “Susannah.”

Joshua Major
Recorded March 7, 2024 

The second episode featured BLO Emerging Artists and New England Conservatory students performing some of the most emotionally resonant arias ever written. Joshua Major, Chair of Opera Studies at NEC and a celebrated opera stage director, demonstrated how movement and direction add new emotional depth to opera scenes.

Davóne Tines
Recorded October 8, 2024
 
The third episode featured acclaimed bass-baritone Davóne Tines coaching BLO Emerging Artists and New England Conservatory students on dramatic interpretation and vocal technique to unlock their power and resonance.
 
Susan Graham
Recorded February 6, 2025
 
The fourth episode featured renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Graham leading a masterclass for BLO Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artists and New England Conservatory students. By pulling back the curtain on how great vocal performances are made, the masterclass drew in new opera lovers while delighting fans of the genre.