So glad that the old episodes are restored!

I started following this podcast just a month or so ago and saw tons of episodes on operatic voice types and a bunch of other stuff and now there’s only 2, what happened to the rest?!

Most episodes are genuinely interesting and informative. The speaker never talks down to the audience and avoids generalization, oversimplification, and elitist pontification that plague so much music and art history. The podcasts are very concrete, with great examples. Enthusiasm and love for music pervades every discussion. Thanks!

I love Wagner this was amazing

I was excited to discover this podcast and looked forward to hearing “The Myth and Mythos of Wagner’s Male Characters” as my first selection. What a disappointment! The speaker spent the first half hour reciting a laundry list of definitions of “myth.” Many of them were repetitive, and there was no logic to the discussion, or coherent analysis of the topic. When we finally arrived at Wagner around Minute 30, we were treated to another series of generalizations — Wagner loved myth, he lived a life of myth, etc., etc — completely lacking in useful insights or analysis. I didn’t stick around to hear the same hot air about his male characters. I’ll try one or two other episodes, but if this one is representative of the overall quality, I will give up after that.

Appears to be an interesting little show, but the sound is rather antiquated.

I love operas. I thought I would love these podcasts, and indeed I found the contents of these podcasts as high quality as I expected from MET, but alas, the sound engineering is so bad that many episodes are just not listenable. Volume is ridiculously low most times and also inconsistent. Ironic as MET is supposed to be in the business of beautiful sound making. With such poor production you cannot reasonably expect anyone to be willing to contribute to this financially.

For an opera podcast, you would think there would be better audio. The lecturers are incredibly sophisticated and informative, but even with the volume turned up all the way, I can still barely hear.

Thanks for providing great detail, context, & history to so much of the opera world. Enhances my enjoyment & appreciation so much

Confirmation bias. Episode on Maria Callas by a pompous expert. Once I spoke with the wife of a Met tenor who sang with Maria Callas; she told me her husband said that Renata Tibaldi was the better contemporary soprano. All statements are opinions; I, too, am a Callas fan. Renata Scotto, too, was a Diva to respect for her gifts to Italian opera. My singing maestro, a retired tenor centenarian, was singing at the Edinburgh festival and was giving a ticket by his friend to hear Callas sing. He went. She did not show, and was replaced by a young soprano who made her debut, Renata Scotto. He told me that at that moment “Renata Scotto out-Callased Callas”. The presenter and expert speaks to the rich Met fans who are bored and spend their money on his opinions. And he adds critical race theory and social justice in his lecture: if he is a crusader for social justice—advocate that the wealthy pay more taxes. A few billionaires advocate for tax equity. An expert preaching in luxury to the wealthy—and getting their money. Flatter the cows to milk them. How transparent to me. Maria Callas is a lightening rod. Don’t tap & pocket her electricity.

I subscribe to many but this is my favorite. From classic lectures to new interpretations, I’m well informed and delightfully energized about opera and the specific topics at hand.

What an informative podcast: Tosca. September is my learn about Opera month and I have done so with your episode 156! Thank you!

Amazing. Matt Timmerman on Wagner was so good.

OMG Carl Raymond has me intrigued and laughing from beginning to end. I want to see him in person the next time I’m in NYC.

Having listened to the podcasts from their inception, I continue to enjoy them immensely. My favorite speaker by far is the marvelous Desiree Mays. Her insightful and literate reviews go beyond just summarizing the plots and characters of the operas, and also include many historical and other appropriate anecdotes about the pieces.

As a uninformed opera lover I was delighted with live at the Met in theaters. This podcast series is wonderful & excellent addition to enjoying each opera. Bravo!

Went to check out Aria Codes podcast but was really disappointed, but then found this one. It has everything that anyone looking to learn about Opera! Great work by the Met

I enjoy this podcast especially to prepare for the Met in HD performances.

I have learned so much about the opera world from listening to this podcast! Thank you, Met Opera Guild!

I absolutely love the content of this podcast, but there is some absolutely horrendous pronunciation. A little bit of practice of foreign terms and titles would make this much more this morning.

Reallyinformative and interesting!

Listened to episode 10 about tenors on this podcast. Could you please get someone who knows how to pronounce the names of these arias? Italian G before E and I are soft and this woman pronounces rodolfo Che Gelida Manina like a G on Garden. Two L's in French is pronounced like a Y, and this person pronounces pourquoi me reveiller with an actual L. The met has hundreds of singers and language coaches, surely you could check your pronunciation of things....unless these fall under "alternative pronunciation." I expect better from the Metropolitan opera.

How terrific to have these invaluable lectures, talks and interviews from the Metropolitan Opera Guild available as podcasts! They range from current talks related to this season's Met broadcasts, to out of print archived episodes from the "Talking About Opera" series. They even include interviews with major international opera stars - this is opera education at its best. Bravo!

Always very interesting and informative. Very highly recommended.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of the podcasts. I thank you for sending them to me and hope that they will continue to be issued. There is not one of these podcasts that i didn't find fascinating.

I'm listening this podcast since its first episode and I totally love it. It's not easy to find a good podcast that talks about opera in a fresh and clear way. The Met podcast not only talks about the plot of different operas, it takes you into those small details that make this art so beautiful. Also it have different episodes, not just a glossary of opera or composers... This podcast show you different aspects of this art and their daily job that a normal fan of opera couldn't know. Totally recommend!!!

Very insightful information, including biographical information about some composers, in-depth looks at many operas, and tutorials on vocal types. This podcast has it all. And some great audio samples to illustrate topics being discussed. I absolutely love it. I can’t believe all this information is provided for free.

This is an outstanding series. I've enjoyed every single program. I could perhaps mention "From the Prompter's Box" as being unusual and hence particularly worth listening to. But this is not to detract from all other excellent episodes. I am grateful to the Met for the series, and listening to this program makes me wish I had lived in New York City.

Two thumbs up for the Met’s new podcast! It is an educational and entertaining way to help opera lovers deepen their knowledge and make performances even more rewarding. My favorite so far has been the lecture on Turandot — truly outstanding in every respect. Kudos all around, and THANK YOU!

Thanks you doing this. These podcast are to your live lectures as MET HD movie performances are to sitting in a seat at the Met. It’s like having the lecturers at our finger tips. It’s next best thing to enjoying the lectures in their fullest glory- LIVE.

When I learned there was a MET podcast, I immediately added it to my list. What a find! I have been going to the HD broadcasts from the very beginning. And I have loved most of the productions. But now I have a new level of understanding musically what is happening in each opera. The lecture on La Boheme was an eye-opener note-by-note. And the lectures detailing the different singers have been very informative. Now every time a tenor goes pianissimo I think back on this lecture. Plus, putting the composer into historical context has helped me understand how their musical vision came about. These podcasts are a valuable service to me and I want to thank the MET for providing them. And, by the way, the last time I was in NYC I did go to see a live performance (Turandot) and it was/is one of the highlights of my life.

Terrific way to learn about opera for both newcomers and long-time fans. Mix of brand new and classic lectures especially appreciated. Bring back all the Bridget Paolucci talks please!

This is a valuable podcast that goes beyond the basics. It includes new material and interviews from the Guild's archives on a variety of operas and topics. However, OperaNow podcast has, over 10 years, covered the same ground and much more with warmth, affection, humor, and vulgarity. I'm a fan.

I'm so enjoying this podcast. Each episode has been entertaining in different ways. Looking forward to more episodes in 2016.

I am an opera fan, but by no means an expert. However, listening to these excellent podcasts greatly improved my appreciation for opera.

I’ve been enjoying all these podcasts, especially two dealing with voice types.

The email about this podcast produced an excited shriek. After a listen, it's more of a casual "Meh." I expected more. The idea is great. Learn more & gain insight but it needs to be formatted more has a podcast. First off, most of the episodes are repeats for New Yorkers. They're simply pre-performance lectures shipped into the podcast. That would be fine if they were more of a variety of ideas going into the series. The format of a successful podcast is not the same has a lecture or old radio. It should be thought out while producing new episodes. Also, if you're attempting to gain a new youthful crowd, this is not doing you any favours. I'm not sure anyone producing this show is young or listens to many podcast. (Maybe I should clarify non-NPR podcast. Haha!) It's a starting point but there is certainly room to grow. That being said. The beginning announcer needs to get the nervousness out of her voice. And the audio/mic for the interviewer in lectures MUST be modified. He's muffled and can barely be heard. I would love to know whose in charge of this podcast and chat some time. I'll still be listening and hoping for improvement!

I love, love this!! Thank you. There’s no other place to get good discussion and information about opera.

Great for opera novices, experts, and those of us somewhere in between.

Thank you so much for this delightful program! Please don't stop, keep up the good work!

For a long time I have been a fan of individual opera singers and certain arias, and only occasionally attended a full opera, always in a non-traditional venue. Then I saw my first opera at Lincoln Center and was thrilled by it. Afterwards, I poked around the Met website and found these podcasts, and have found these first two to be a wonderful addition to my education in and enjoyment of opera. Bravo!

Wow! Thank you for doing this. Every moment of the first episode had me rapt. As an opera fan of only about a year, I've never seen Otello before, and this was a hugely informative and fascinating introduction to the work. I'm glad I got to listen to it before tomorrow's Live in HD broadcast! This is such a good podcast, and I can't wait to hear more episodes as the series progresses.

A wonderful way to learn more about opera.