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Opera Road Trip

Opera Road Trip

Written by: OperaVision
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 Opera Road Trip (2025-2027) is OperaVision's two-year podcast series, a journey through the 17 countries that currently partner with OperaVision, discovering their operatic history and current relationship with the artform, and meeting along the way young talents finding their voice and seasoned professionals who have devoted their lives to the stage, discovering the diverse paths that have led them to opera and the enduring belief in its relevance, past, present, and future. Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz. Before Opera Road Trip, OperaVision Next Generation podcast series (2022-2024) charted the journeys of singers on four competitive young artist programmes across Europe. From masterclasses and performances, to rehearsal rooms and dressing rooms, we hear the motivations, desires and the challenges they face - along with insight from experts on how they are nurturing the next generation of opera talent.2025 Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • Singing competitions - Has the jury reached a verdict?

    Singing competitions - Has the jury reached a verdict?
    Jan 1 2026
    In this episode of Opera Road Trip, host Sebastian Schwarz turns the spotlight from national operatic traditions to a crucial gateway for emerging artists: singing competitions. Against the backdrop of increasingly opaque casting processes, the episode explores why competitions continue to play a decisive — and controversial — role in operatic careers today. Schwarz is joined by key figures from some of Europe's most influential competitions, including Beata Klatka (Stanisław Moniuszko International Vocal Competition, Warsaw), Lars Flaaten (Queen Sonja Singing Competition, Oslo), and Andrew Watts (International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch). They discuss what distinguishes serious, transparent competitions from flawed or purely instrumental ones, and how juries actually think. The episode also features first-hand perspectives from internationally active singers Kristina Mkhitaryan and Shira Patchornik, reflecting on how competitions shaped their careers — for better and for worse. Through live excerpts, career data, and candid discussion, this episode offers young singers realistic insight, practical guidance, and a nuanced view of competitions as one — but not the only — path into the operatic profession. Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz whose curriculum as an opera manager includes positions at Theater an der Wien, Glyndebourne, Teatro Regio Torino, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wexford Festival Opera. He is Vice-president of the International Richard Strauss Society, member of the board of the European Musical Theatre Academy and co-founder of the Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera. All episodes: https://operavision.eu/feature/operav... Music extracts for Episode 5: Introduction: Fidelio (Beethoven): Overture, op. 72 Cisza dokoła from Straszny Dwor – The haunted manor (Stanisław Moniouszko): Samuel Stopford, Stanisław Moniouszko International Vocal Competition, 2025 Das war sehr gut, Mandryka from Arabella (Richard Strauss): Kathleen O'Mara, Queen Sonja Singing Competition, 2025 Non so le tetre immagini from Il Corsaro (Giuseppe Verdi): Kristina Mkhitaryan, Valencia Mon cœur s'ouvre a ta voix from Samson et Dalila (Camille Saint Saens): Claudia Ribas, International Voice Competition s'Hertogenbosch, 2024 Se pietà per me non senti from Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Georg Friedrich Händel): Shira Patchornik, International Singing competition for Baroque Opera Pietro Antonio Cesti, 2021 OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision. ABOUT OPERA ROAD TRIP Opera Road Trip is OperaVision's new two-year podcast series, a journey through the 17 countries that currently partner with OperaVision, discovering their operatic history and current relationship with the artform, and meeting along the way young talents finding their voice and seasoned professionals who have devoted their lives to the stage, discovering the diverse paths that have led them to opera and the enduring belief in its relevance, past, present, and future. Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz whose curriculum as an opera manager includes positions at Theater an der Wien, Glyndebourne, Teatro Regio Torino, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wexford Festival Opera. He is Vice-president of the International Richard Strauss Society, member of the board of the European Musical Theatre Academy and co-founder of the Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera.
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    58 mins
  • Toast au champagne - Opera in Vienna

    Toast au champagne - Opera in Vienna
    Dec 1 2025

    Opera Road Trip is Operavision's new two-year podcast series, a journey through the 17 countries that currently partner with OperaVision, discovering their operatic history and current relationship with the artform, and meeting along the way young talents finding their voice and seasoned professionals who have devoted their lives to the stage, discovering the diverse paths that have led them to opera and the enduring belief in its relevance, past, present, and future.

    Opera Road Trip's fourth episode is dedicated to opera in Vienna. We hear from Kristine Tornquist and Jury Everhartz, founders and directors of Sirene Operntheater about the work of the independent opera companies and their newest opera Abendsonne, set in a retirement home. We speak with Stefan Herheim, Intendant of Theater an der Wien about his thoughts on running an opera house. 200 years ago, Vienna's most prominent music critic Eduard Hanslick was born – known for his scathing reviews especially of Richard Wagner's work. Time to have a look at the role of the critic – back then and today - with Vienna's leading music journalist and critic Walter Weidringer.

    Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz whose curriculum as an opera manager includes positions at Theater an der Wien, Glyndebourne, Teatro Regio Torino, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wexford Festival Opera. He is Vice-president of the International Richard Strauss Society, member of the board of the European Musical Theatre Academy and co-founder of the Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera.

    All episodes: https://operavision.eu/feature/operav...

    Music extracts for Episode 4:

    Introduction: Fidelio (Beethoven): Overture, op. 72

    Champagner hat's verschuldet from Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss jun.): Zoryana Kushpler, Ensemble der Wiener Staatsoper

    Toast au champagne from Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss jun.): Héloïse Mas, Marie-Eve Munger and Guillaume Andrieux from Opéra de Lille

    Tarot Scene from Abendsonne (Tomasz Skweres): Juliette Mars from Sirene Operntheater, Vienna

    Ouverture, from Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss jun.): Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Franz Welser-Möst

    OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme.

    Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.
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    52 mins
  • The Three Mezzos - Opera in Ireland

    The Three Mezzos - Opera in Ireland
    Nov 1 2025

    Opera Road Trip is Operavision's new two-year podcast series, a journey through the 17 countries that currently partner with OperaVision, discovering their operatic history and current relationship with the artform, and meeting along the way young talents finding their voice and seasoned professionals who have devoted their lives to the stage, discovering the diverse paths that have led them to opera and the enduring belief in its relevance, past, present, and future.

    Opera Road Trip's third episode is dedicated to opera in Ireland. We hear from Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera about rediscovering forgotten repertoire; from Fergus Sheil and Diego Fasciati, respectively Artistic Director and CEO of the relatively young Irish National Opera about the birth of their national institution, and from the three mesmerizing Irish mezzosopranos Ann Murray, Tara Erraught and Niamh O'Sullivan about their paths to opera in a country without a developed operatic infrastructure.

    Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz whose curriculum as an opera manager includes positions at Theater an der Wien, Glyndebourne, Teatro Regio Torino, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wexford Festival Opera. He is Vice-president of the International Richard Strauss Society, member of the board of the European Musical Theatre Academy and co-founder of the Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera.

    All episodes: https://operavision.eu/feature/operav...

    Music extracts for Episode 3:

    Introduction: Fidelio (Beethoven): Overture, op. 72

    He was despised from Messiah (Georg Friedrich Händel): Niamh O'Sullivan

    Freude schöner Götterfunken from The importance of being Earnest (Gerald Barry) - Nouvel Opéra Fribourg

    Tranquille nuit, le monde sommeille (Tacea la notte placida) from Le Trouvère (Giuseppe Verdi): Lydia Grindatto, Wexford Festival Opera 2025

    Ah! dal ciel discenda un raggio, from Maria Stuarda (Gaetano Donizetti): Tara Erraught, Fergus Sheil (cond.) Irish National Opera 2022

    He promised me at parting, from 12 Irish songs, WoO 154 (Ludwig van Beethoven): Ann Murray, Graham Johnson

    Bonus: Irish National Anthem, Wexford Festival Opera 2025

    OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme.

    Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
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