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It’s homecoming time on the main stage of Chanhassen Dinner Theaters.  Tamara Kangas Erickson returns to the theater as president and artistic director 45 years after starring as one of the von Trapp Family Singers in The Sound of Music. Tamara and the late Michael Brindisi forged a strong artistic partnership beginning in 2004, with her first serving as  resident choreographer on Michael’s artistic team, when he was president and artistic director. Together, they collaborated on more than 50 musical productions at Chanhassen.  Tamara has also directed productions for Chanhassen such as Musical of Musicals: The Musical and Respect: The Musical Journey of Women. Her recent directing credits also include Little Women, for Artistry, and the Off-Broadway production of This One’s for the Girls.  Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is the nation’s largest professional dinner theatre. Since 1968 it has hosted nearly 13 million visitors. It is a fully-professional, producing musical theater company.   I'm so happy Tamara could join me, as the company opens its production of Annie.

Quinn Kelsey has been called “the premier Verdi baritone of his generation” His Rigoletto has become the standard. His mastery of Verdi’s baritone roles extends far beyond Rigoletto.  He has contributed his artistry to the title roles in Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, and Falstaff, as well as Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Il Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Amonasro in Aida, Germont in La traviata, and Don Carlo in Ernani. While Verdi forms the cornerstone of Kelsey’s artistry, his versatility as a performer is evident in his ability to shine in other repertoire. He has achieved great success in a number of career-defining roles, including his richly-sung Marcello in Puccini’s La bohème and his darkly compelling interpretation of Scarpia in Tosca, He made his debut at The Royal Danish Opera, singing the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth in concert and now is due to repeat the role at the Metropolitan Opera. Quinn appeared with his hometown opera company, Hawaii Opera Theatre, for the world premiere of Herb Mahelona’s Kamalehua: The Sheltering Tree. Quinn’s artistry has earned him numerous accolades, including The Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award in 2015 and the prestigious Opera News Award in 2022. He was a finalist of the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition in 2004, and represented the United States in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2005.

Gary William Friedman is a versatile composer best known for his groundbreaking score for the TONY nominated, OBIE Award winning musical The Me Nobody Knows. In addition to the theater, his music spans the genres of jazz, film, symphonic and liturgical works. His orchestral, operatic and dance works have been commissioned and performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lancaster Music Festival, the Columbus Symphony, The Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho, and Encompass New Opera Theatre.  In addition to scoring features and highly acclaimed television films, he served as music director for television's The Electric Company, for which he wrote many songs including the popular "Spider Man Theme Song".

Bill McLaughlin was a classical music radio host, a music educator, a musicologist, a composer and a conductor.  He was a Peabody Award–winning classical music radio host. In 1980, he launched the popular St. Paul Sunday Morning on NPR.  Later he hosted Exploring Music, heard on the WFMT network.  He was known for his ingratiating personality. Bill was also a professional orchestra musician, over three decades as a conductor, and a decade as a composer.Trained as a trombonist, Bill took up conducting in1969 after completing a Master of Music degree in conducting at Temple University, studying under Robert Page. He also worked with William R. Smith, associate conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the esteemed Max Rudolf. He had stints with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony, leaving his mark wherever he served.

At age 16, violinist Ariana Kim made her debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and at age 24, she was appointed acting concertmaster of the Louisiana Philharmonic.  Ariana made her New York recital debut at Carnegie’s Weill Hall during her doctoral studies at Juilliard and she is now a tenured professor at Cornell University.  Equally devoted to contemporary and long-established literature, Ariana held a 10-year position with the New York New Music Ensemble Ne(x)tworks and she is currently in her 19th season with The Knights. The 2024-2025 season brought a 6-performance residency at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and she gave a rare performance of Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 1 at Jordan Hall in Boston with the Cornell Symphony.  Her solo album, (un)common thread, explores improvisation through the lens of Mozart and Beethoven sonatas alongside world folk music, with collaborators Roger Moseley (fortepiano) and Shane Shanahan (percussion) was recently released on Tiger Turn Records.

Courtney Lewis is currently celebrating 11 years with the Jacksonville Symphony, having established himself as one of his generation’s most dynamic conductors.Deeply committed to new music, Courtney has worked with many of today's leading composers. In Jacksonville, recent and upcoming commissions include works by Carlos Simon, Tarik O'Regan, Lowell Liebermann, Courtney Bryan and Conrad Tao.In the summer of 2022, Coutney Lewis returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, making his debut at the Hollywood Bowl.In May 2023, Courtney made his debut at the Opéra national de Paris Ballet, conducting Thomas Adès’ Dante.Recently, Courtney led the Minnesota Opera in its revival production of Silent Night, composed by Kevin Puts with libretto by Mark Campbell, recorded on the Naxos label.

Stephanie Childress is principal guest conductor of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and she is a rising star on both sides of the Atlantic, equally at home in opera and in concerts.Born in London to a non-musical family, as a teenager she would often skip classes and spend her afternoons watching stage and orchestra rehearsals at the English National Opera, eventually dropping out of school to pursue musicology at the University of Cambridge, aged 16. Stephanie has received much critical acclaim over her interpretations of Mozart’s operas, and she will make her Paris Opera debut in Spring of 2027 with Don Giovanni.She is passionate about cross-disciplinary projects, whether they involve cinema, theatre, dance, or a DJ set. Reimagining the concert experience lies at the heart of her artistic mission, and in June 2026 she collaborated with director Tom Morris on an exploration of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 at St John’s Smith Square in London.In 2020, she gained international recognition following her second-prize win at the conducting competition ‘LaMaestra’. She previously undertook a residency at the Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, a division of the French Embassy in the United States.

James Robinson is a stage director and arts administrator who has worked at opera houses throughout the world.  His double-calling is unique.     He currently is Seattle Opera’s fifth general and artistic director.  As I record this, we regret the recent passing of SpeightJenkins, a predecessor of James Robinson at Seattle Opera between 1983 and 2014.      James Robinson had been the artistic director at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for 16 years, where he directed numerous world premieres. He also mounted innovative revivals of operas by John Adams, Ricky Ian Gordon and Philip Glass.      James Robinson has directed three productions for the Metropolitan Opera: George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the company’s first opera by an African American composer.  He’s due back at the Met next March with Kevin Putz’s and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night.  James Robinson has directed numerous productions for Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, and the Santa Fe Opera.

Daniel Okrent is the author of seven books, most recently, “Stephen Sondheim Art Isn’t Easy,” of which The Guardian said: “The entire book is sheer delight and Okrent, formerly an editor at The New York Times and a baseball fanatic who effectively invented the modern fantasy baseball league, does a terrific job of telling Sondheim’s life story alongside shrewd analysis of his body of work.”Other reviews have been just as positive, and why not?  It’s the most comprehensive story yet of Stephen Sondheim the man and Stephen Sondheim the composer.  It’s a real pleasure to have him with me on this episode.

Steven C. Smith is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer, author, and speaker who specializes in Hollywood history and profiles of contemporary filmmakers. A four-time Emmy nominee and 16-time Telly Award winner, Steven has produced and written over 200 documentaries. They include The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg; The Lure of the Desert: Martin Scorsese on Lawrence of Arabia; A Place for Us: West Side Story’s Legacy; and Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood. He is the author of three acclaimed books: A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann; Music by Max Steiner: The Epic Life of Hollywood’s Most Influential Composer; and, just recently, Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship & Film Scores That Changed Cinema.  It's a real treat to welcome Steven back to my podcast!

For over 45 years, Sir Donald Runnicles has built his reputation with several of the most significant opera companies and orchestras, and he is especially celebrated for his interpretations of Romantic and post-Romantic symphonic and opera repertoire which are core to his musical identity.      He has held chief artistic leadership positions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (since 2009), Grand Teton Music Festival (since 2005), San Francisco Opera (1992-2008), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (2009-2016), and Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2001-2007).       Sir Donald was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for more than two decades (2001-2023), and he is the first ever Principal Guest Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (since 2019).       In February 2024, Runnicles was appointed as Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, beginning in the 25/26 season.      Sir Donald spends his summers at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. This eight-week festival of symphonic and chamber music, five of which are conducted by him as music director, takes place amid the breathtaking beauty of Grand Teton National Park.  Come join our conversation about this hallowed festival.

Max Volbers is one of the most versatile young musicians in the field of early music.  He’s  a recorder player, a harpsichordist and now a conductor. He’s a representative of the sound worlds of the 17th and 18th centuries, when musicians mastered several instruments without question. He also devotes himself to new music and regularly works withcomposers on commissioned compositions. Max has performed in major concert halls such as the BerlinPhilharmonie, the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Elbphilharmonie, the KKL Luzern, the Casa da Musica Porto, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and the Philharmonie de Paris. In addition to his concert activities, Max teaches at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and at various master classes.

American conductor James Gaffigan is recognized worldwide for his extraordinary collaborative spirit, and he has attracted international attention for his work as a conductor of symphony orchestras and opera.  James was recently named the next music director of Houston Grand Opera, and he will assume his new role in the 2027/28 season.  James is in demand at opera companies and symphony orchestras across the world. He serves as the general music director of Komische Oper Berlin, where he leads his third season in 2025/26. He also serves as music director of the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra.  James Gaffigan has conducted for the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Zürich Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Dutch National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Santa Fe Opera, among many others.  He regularly leads the world’s greatest orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony,Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia  A champion of new music, James has led more than 30 premieres by composers including Thomas Adès, Kaija Saariaho, Anders Hillborg, Andrew Norman, Sarah Kirkland Snider, and Wynton Marsalis.

William Eddins is the music director emeritus of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.  He has also served as principal guest conductor of the National Symphonie of Ireland, resident conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra. Bill is co-founder of MetroNOME Brewery LLC, a socially-missioned brewery established in the wake of the public unrest during the summer of 2020 with the objective of nurturing outstanding music education in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area.   Proceeds from MetroNOME go to providing musical instruments, lessons, and education for underprivileged youth in the Twin Cities Metro.  Bill strongly believes that education in general, and music education in particular, is the gateway to a better, more fulfilling life, and he wants to ensure that any child who loves music should be able to find a way to play. Bill has an active and liberal life outside the music world. He is a certified Thai Yoga Massage practitioner who specializes in helping performing artists and athletes, an umpire for the United States Tennis Association, and is in an apprenticeship to become a concert piano technician. His many hobbies include road cycling, cooking, home brewing, and learning. Bill hopes that the music he makes brings you joy.

Kent Nagano is one of today’s outstanding conductors for both operatic and orchestral repertoire. He will be the next chief conductor and artistic director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España (OCNE) in Madrid starting in September 2026 and is the newly appointed principal artistic partner of Filarmonica Toscanini.  He has been honorary conductor of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin since 2006, Concerto Köln since 2019, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since 2021 and the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg since 2023 and is as patron of the Herrenchiemsee Festival.  Kent regularly works with leading international orchestras worldwide, 2025/26 season highlights include several projects with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Maggio Musicale, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Opera de Paris, and the Philharmonia Orchestra amont others.    In 2015 Kent published "Erwarten Sie Wunder!" in Berlin Verlag, a passionate appeal for the relevance of classical music in today's world.  In 2019 the book was released in English by the Canadian McGill-Queen's University Press under the title “Classical Music - Expect the Unexpected.”   In September 2021, he published his second book with Berlin Verlag. In "10 Lessons of my Life", he recalls ten deeply personal encounters from which he learned important lessons, not only for his career but for his life more broadly. Among those experiences are encounters with the Icelandic pop artist Björk, Frank Zappa, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez and the Nobel Prize winner in physics Donald Glaser.  We’ll talk about both books!