Opera Cheat Sheet | Houston Public Media

This week, Classical 91.7's program director, St.John Flynn, and opera expert, Eric Skelly, discuss Mozart’s famed Don Giovanni, the story of the downfall of the notoriously unrepentant womanizer, a work composer Charles Gounod described as “that unequalled and immortal masterpiece, that apogée of the lyrical drama.”  You can hear Houston Grand Opera's production of Don Giovanni Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week's Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7 program director, St.John Flynn, shares excerpts from an interview with soprano Laura Claycomb and counter-tenor David Daniels from the cast of Houston Grand Opera’s 2010 production of Handel’s opera, Xerxes, the story of the love quadrangle between Xerxes, King of Persia, his brother Arsamene, and Romilda and her sister Atalanta.  You can hear Houston Grand Opera's production of Xerxes Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online... Read More

This week, Classical 91.7's St.John Flynn and Eric Skelly talk about Verdi’s masterpiece Il Trovatore, the story of the gypsy Azucena’s deep and abiding love for her son, and her quest for revenge on those who took her mother’s life, set against the backdrop of 15th-century Spain. Tune in to hear the Houston Grand Opera production of Il Trovatore, Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Rossini’s hilarious comedy L’Italiana in Algeri, the story of the wily Italian girl, Isabella, and her plan to outwit the buffoon Mustafà, Bey of Algiers.  You can hear the Houston Grand Opera production of L’Italiana in Algeri Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Luisa Miller, a tale of social class, concealed identities, treachery and tragic love set in the Tyrolean Alps.  You can hear the San Francisco Opera production of Luisa Miller Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week's Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7 Program Director, St.John Flynn, and opera expert, Eric Skelly, take a quick and, as always, light-hearted look at how opera composers over the years and the centuries have used biblical texts and stories as the subject of their works.  You might be surprised at what the OCS guys have to say! Tune in to Classical 91.7 Saturday at noon for the San Francisco Opera broadcast of the... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Lohengrin, a work that gives the first taste of the musical style Wagner was to perfect in his Ring Cycle.  It’s the story of the mysterious Knight of the Swan who appears out of a dream to defend the honor of and then marry the innocent Elsa who, in turn, cannot resist asking the one question she... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly take a light-hearted look at Mozart's beloved "Singspiel," The Magic Flute, an allegory of the education of humankind progressing from chaos to rational enlightenment to make "the Earth a heavenly kingdom, and mortals like the gods."  You can hear the San Francisco Opera production of The Magic Flute Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss some of the operas written by American composers since the 1950s that have made their way into the standard operatic repertoire.  You can hear one such piece, Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick, performed by San Francisco Opera, Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7FM and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Bellini’s rarely-performed I Capuleti e i Montecchi, a non-Shakespearian treatment of the story of Romeo and Juliet and the devastating effect their families’ feud has on their young lives.  You can hear the San Francisco Opera production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Wagner’s Die Walküre, the second installment of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, in which the story begun in Das Rheingold now shifts from the gods to the human world as Siegmund and Sieglinde meet and fall in love.  You can hear the San Francisco Opera production of Die Walküre Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Puccini’s Tosca.  Based on the play La Tosca by French playwright Victorien Sardou, this melodramatic opera is set in Rome in June 1800, with the Kingdom of Naples's control of Rome threatened by Napoleon's invasion of Italy, and it tells a story about the intersection of love, art and politics in the life of singer Floria Tosca. ... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella).  Based on the Perrault fairy tale of Cinderella, it’s the story of the kind-hearted young girl, abused by her step-sisters, who meets, falls in love with, and marries the handsome prince.  You can hear the LA Opera’s performance of La Cenerentola Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Wagner’s early drama Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman).  Based on an old nautical legend, it tells the story of the ghostly Dutch sea captain and his ship, condemned by the Devil to sail the oceans forever unless he can find a woman who will redeem him through her love.  You can hear the LA Opera’s performance... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Puccini’s 1904 drama Madama Butterfly, based on the play “Madame Butterfly” by David Belasco.  Set in Nagasaki, Japan, in the early years of the twentieth century, it’s the story of the young, trusting Japanese girl, Cio-Cio-San and her fateful love for the American naval lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton.  You can hear the LA Opera’s performance of Madama... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Franz Schreker’s 1918 The Stigmatized (in German Die Gezeichneten), a work suppressed by the Nazis as "degenerate."  Set in sixteenth-century Genoa, it’s the sad story of the hunchback Alviano Salvago who, having renounced the love of women, turns the island he owns into a haven of beauty only to see it defiled by the decadence of his fellow... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Verdi’s 1844 drama I Due Foscari, based on the play The Two Foscari by Lord Byron.  Set in Venice in 1457, it’s the story of the decline and downfall of the long-serving Doge, Francesco Foscari, caught between his love for his family and the duties of the office he holds.  You can hear the LA Opera’s performance... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss the very first collaboration between the great team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.  Set in 1906 in Oklahoma Territory, Oklahoma! is the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams as it plays out against the development of the American West.  You can hear the Lyric Opera of Chicago's production... Read More

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss Verdi’s searing 1851 tragedy Rigoletto, the story of Gilda, the beautiful young girl sacrificed on the altar of her father’s malevolence.  You can hear the Lyric Opera of Chicago production of Rigoletto Saturday at noon on Classical 91.7 and online at classical917.org.

In this week’s Opera Cheat Sheet, Classical 91.7’s program director St.John Flynn and opera expert Eric Skelly discuss one of the most massive operas ever written, Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. The ancient guild of Mastersingers in Nurenburg is searching for the greatest singer in the world, and hosts a singing contest to find that man. Besides earning this honor, the winner gets to marry Eva, the beautiful daughter of the contest’s sponsor. You... Read More