ARIA SERIOUS?

Our podcasts are back - finally! We had some issue with space on our server but we've finally taken care of this problem.  For the next few weeks Dr. Nic will be putting our operas into historical context. Up first, SALOME. Which you can watch below. Please enjoy!

Who likes records? We like records! And if you're reading this, we bet you like records too. Our friends at Amoeba Records in Hollywood have sent us an email letting us know they have purchased a large collection of classical music from a "well known collector." Sounds mysterious! They'll be putting it out on Saturday, December 3, 2011. Store opens at 10:30 AM According to Amoeba: "This unique collection has many thousands of rare Classical CDs and LPs along with many collectible soundtracks. This is without doubt the finest collection of Classical Music that Amoeba Hollywood has ever acquired. We will unveil this collection on Saturday, December 3rd." They claim to have thousands of titles from rare classical labels, an enormous range of hard-to-find composers with a special emphasis on Romantic and 20th century composers, film composers (this is Hollywood after all) and rare soundtracks on private labels (!!!). The collection is said to be i

Happy Friday! It sure has been quiet here at Aria Serious. We like to think of it as the calm before the storm. Rest assured, things will pick up in the next few weeks. In the meantime, we'd like to remind you we're on Facebook - just type "San Diego Opera" into your Facebook search field and "friend" us. We're posting there daily. We're also tweeting up a storm on Twitter. You can find us there, here . What are you listening to this weekend? We're pulling out Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk because we've never heard the entire opera. Seems like as good of time as any. Share your weekend listening plans down below and please, make it a good one.

Happy Friday What are you listening to this weekend? The Aria Serious crew will give Roberto Devereux a listen. Why? It's been years, maybe a decade since we've heard it. We have the Beverly Sills / Peter Glossop recording on tap. Then we'll catch a bit of Sezio's 4-Day Weekend concert series . The Sunday concert is looking to be great with Aria Serious favorite Real Estate and Big Troubles on stage. Share your listening plans below and please, make it a good one.

Podcast Monday is back although we can't promise if all our podcasts will appear on Mondays. The move to video has proved trickier than we anticipated and these past few weeks we've been getting them up later in the week. But Monday is here and so is this week's podcast - so lets hope all the kinks have been worked on and we can be a bit more consistent on when we share these. This week, Dr. Nic explores leitmotifs in Salome . It's a good one (since we just got done listening to Salome again over the weekend). Enjoy!

Over the weekend: - There is a new book on opera and fashion designers. Here's what we had to say about our collaboration with Zandra Rhodes for both The Magic Flute and The Pearl Fishers . And yes, you read it correctly; her Aida will be part of our 2013 season. - Kate Middleton and Prince Charles have been attending the opera together . We should invite him to Moby-Dick . He is the Prince of Wales... - This video that appeared late last week on Behind-The-Scene at Voice of San Diego reminds me about this story about Joshua Bell . Both make us kind of sad. - A series that looks at the logic behind ticket pricing.

Friday - the end of the work week and time to ask as we always ask, what are you listening to this weekend? The Aria Serious has a lot going on this weekend so we'll be forced to squeeze in a short one, so we'll go with Salome . It's coming up in our season, it's only about 90-minutes long and it doesn't hurt to listen to it again before the cast starts arriving. Share your plans below and please stay dry - it is forecast to be a wet one. Well, wet by San Diego standards at least.

A look at overtures, preludes and beginings in opera. Enjoy!