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The Leonard Lopate Show
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Ira Glass in his office at WBEZ (thislife.org/Sean Hemmerle)Rising Through the Ranks
Joseph Volpe worked his way up from a carpenter’s apprentice to the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera. Meanwhile, Ira Glass started out as an intern and became one of the most beloved hosts in public radio. They’re both here today with behind-the-scenes accounts of the institutions they love. Joseph Volpe starts the show off with a look at 40 years of intrigue on and off stage at the Met. And Ira Glass joins us for this week’s Please Explain, which is all about public radio.
Joseph Volpe’s Rise and Reign at the Metropolitan Opera
Joseph Volpe is the only person in the history of the Metropolitan Opera to have risen through the ranks from a carpenter’s apprentice to the general manager. In The Toughest Show on Earth, He gives us the inside story of his 40-plus years at the Met—from his working relationship with James Levine, to the move to Lincoln Center, to balancing the needs and desires of high-profile artists like Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Renée Fleming.
Events: Joseph Volpe will be reading and signing books
Friday, May 12 at 7 pm
Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble
Broadway at 66th Street
Please Explain: Public Radio
This week’s Please Explain gets to the bottom of a subject that’s very close to our hearts: public radio! Ira Glass, the host of This American Life, and Mikel Ellcessor, WNYC’s Senior Director of Programming Operations and Distribution, answer your questions on everything from the difference between NPR and WNYC, to what it takes to operate a radio station…to how get a job in public radio. Call 212-433-9692.
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National Book Award Winners
The Leonard Lopate Show
A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!
Tributes: Jeanne-Claude
The Leonard Lopate Show
Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.
Video Pick: David Chang on Momofuku
The Leonard Lopate Show
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- Comments [1]
Please Explain: Eco-Labels
The Leonard Lopate Show
Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.
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Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.