Classical music has long been shaped by the traditions, and occasional barriers, of the concert hall and theater. Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson welcome USUO Opera Education Manager Kevin Nakatani and Front of House Manager Melissa Robison to explore how we can reimagine those spaces to be more inclusive, responsive, and welcoming to people with diverse abilities and needs. Join us for a timely conversation about making opera and symphony performances a richer, more accessible experience for all audiences. To learn more about or register for Access to Music, visit https://usuo.org/education/access-to-music/ Explore this list of resources on accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Visit www.usuo.org for information on upcoming concerts and performances at our venues across Utah. To submit a question to our team, or suggest a topic for an upcoming episode, send an email to ghostlight@usuo.org USUO’s Ghostlight podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson.

When the Utah Symphony introduced German conductor Markus Poschner as Music Director Designate last fall, it marked an exciting new era for the orchestra—just the eighth music director in its 85-year history! Renowned for his dynamic artistry and contagious enthusiasm, Maestro Poschner is already transforming the connection between the orchestra and its audiences. He spoke with Carol and Jeff from Linz, Austria, about his vision for what comes next.

Two little pieces of gristle in our throat - they produce amazing sounds that represent our identity as speakers and maybe even singers, and they are remarkably durable, until they aren't. Vocal injury is often discussed in hushed and secretive tones, and we’re bringing the conversation into the open. Singer and USUO Board Chair Annette Jarvis and Vocologist Dr. Lynn Maxfield join Jeff and Carol to tell an inspiring story of determination, discipline, and a voice reborn.

At just 28, Gustav Mahler redefined the symphony with his bold and deeply personal Symphony No. 1. From the stirrings of nature to the depths of human sorrow, Mahler poured his heart into this work—revising it several times as he refined this symphonic debut. Avid Mahler enthusiasts Jeff and Carol take a Deep Dive into this monumental piece, setting the stage for Music Director Designate Markus Poschner’s return to the Utah Symphony podium.

It’s October, which means it’s time for the second annual Bloodcurdling Opening Opera, (aka BOO). This week, in Jeff and Carol's first Utah Opera Prelude of the podcast season, they discuss Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s chilling adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shining, based on the 1977 bestseller penned by the “King of Horror.” What does it take to turn such an iconic book into a riveting operatic thriller? Join us to find out!

From its dramatic opening that gave its composer “no peace,” to its sparkling finale, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor has been delighting listeners for almost two centuries. To open the USUO Ghost Light Podcast’s tenth season, Jeff and Carol uncover the artistic partnership behind this landmark (and revolutionary) work and consider why it remains a cornerstone of the concerto repertoire.

What does it take to reimagine "Madame Butterfly" for today’s stage? Director Matthew Ozawa and mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen join us for a candid conversation about creativity, representation, and reshaping a classic from the inside out.

If at first you don’t succeed, rewrite it four times—just ask Puccini. In this season’s final opera prelude, Jeff and Carol explore Madame Butterfly, from its rocky premiere to eventual triumph. They delve into the opera’s complex cultural backdrop, examine its literary roots, and confront the tension between the troubling elements within its story and its lasting popularity with opera audiences.

Mysterious cloaked figures, thoughts of poisoning, and genius cut off at its prime...the lore surrounding Mozart's Requiem, unfinished at his untimely demise, is substantial, but the truth is even more compelling. Jeff and Carol, joined by special guest Utah Symphony Chorus director Austin McWilliams, dive deep to uncover the real story behind the music.

Jeff and Carol invite musicologist Catherine Mayes to help unpack the thorny topic of exoticism and colonialism in Western Music. This is part one of a three-episode introduction to Utah Opera's upcoming production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly.

You've heard the aria and you've seen the iconic sad commedia clown face. Now join Jeff and Carol as they look beyond the greasepaint into the bleeding heart of Ruggero Leoncavallo's visceral opera. 

This week Jeff and Carol sit down with Utah Symphony's Music Director Emeritus Thierry Fischer to talk about his upcoming Mahler mini-festival. Thierry also catches us up on his life since leaving Salt Lake City (hint: busy and fulfilling), his passion projects, and his new role of grandfather!

From riots to radicalism to Disney and dinosaurs, Igor Stravinsky's ballet "The Rite of Spring" blasted on the classical music scene in May of 1913 and has been captivating audiences ever since. In one of their Deep Dives, Jeff and Carol talk about the man behind the music, the stories around the premiere, and the music that still sounds modern more than a century later (even though it isn't).

Though there is a children’s chorus, a children’s ballet, and adults playing children, "Hansel and Gretel" is much more than a children’s opera. In preparation for Utah Opera’s presentation of this beloved fairytale, Jeff and Carol talk about the opera’s backstory and why it’s one of the more underrated and sophisticated scores of the late nineteenth century.

For over 50 years, John Williams has delighted millions of listeners with his epic film music. Compositionally sophisticated and melodically inventive, his more than one hundred cinematic scores are masterpieces of virtuosic story-telling. In one of their patented Deep Dives™️, film score devotees Jeff and Carol talk about John Williams' life and amazing body of work, while sharing their personal experiences of Williams' music, both as listeners and performers. For tickets to Utah Symphony's January 2025 performance of the Film Music of John Williams, visit: https://utahsymphony.org/event/id/33383/

From Salsa to Symphony—get to know newly appointed Utah Symphony Assistant Conductor Jessica Rivero Altarriba. The Ghostlight Team welcomes Maestra Altarriba to Utah and learns about her path to the podium. With a joyful commitment to audience engagement and a vision for the future of symphonic programming, she's a vibrant addition to our organization and our community.

Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson share background information about the upcoming Utah Symphony performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. For tickets to Utah Symphony's November 2024 performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, visit: https://utahsymphony.org/event/id/33379

The Ghost Light team sits down with Leslie Peterson (Vice President of Development, USUO) to discuss arts funding in America. She shares insights from her experiences at Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, and the organization's support for the local Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) program in Salt Lake County.

Jeff Counts and Carol Anderson share background and behind-the-scenes information about the upcoming Utah Opera production of Sondeim’s Sweeney Todd. In short, Sweeney Todd is a vengeance story in the vein of so many of the tragedies Utah Opera has staged in recent years. Although there is a high body count in this production, it’s about more than just murder. The complex stories and motives of both the principal and chorus characters are intricately weaved together with musical motifs that add depth to their respective roles in a way that only Sondheim could achieve. The original production featured an industrial set and staging with turntable and trap doors. Early reviews claimed the combination of music and theater “magic” of the now beloved work was almost too much for its own good. Utah Opera’s production is cast with opera singers that are able to vocally straddle the fine divide between opera and music theater. For tickets to Utah Opera's October 2024 production of Sweeney Todd visit: utahopera.org/sweeney

The Ghost Light team sits down with Maestro John DeMain (Music Director, Madison Symphony) to discuss the intersection of Opera and Musical Theater. He shares insights from his experiences conducting Houston Grand Opera, his conversations with Stephen Sondheim regarding Sweeney Todd, and what subject he would like to see be made into an opera. To get tickets to the upcoming Utah Opera performance of Sweeney Todd visit https://bit.ly/3XANdH3