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Thursday, December 01, 2005
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  • An American Tragedy, a new opera by Tobias Picker
    An American Tragedy, a new opera by Tobias Picker

    Sex, Money, and Murder Opera-Style

    One of the most highly anticipated opera events of the season takes place tomorrow night at the Metropolitan Opera, with the world premiere of "An American Tragedy," Tobias Picker's opera based on the 1925 novel of the same name by Theodore Dreiser. Dreiser's book is based on a real-life murder case that grabbed national headlines in 1906. Today, a look at the opera and its inspiration with Francesca Zambello, the director of the production, and Craig Brandon, author of the book Murder in the Adirondacks. Also on the show: young Dutch violinist Janine Jansen. Her new album of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" has been making a splash in the digital domain, breaking into the overall iTunes charts -- even landing one week at No. 19 between pop stars Kelly Clarkson and David Gray. Also joining us is Tom Strini, music and dance critic of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who discusses how the Milwaukee Symphony recently became the first American orchestra to place its archival recordings on iTunes.

An American Tragedy

Director Francesca Zambello and author/historian Craig Brandon preview the first opera commission at the Met in five years.
» An American Tragedy Web site

» Craig Brandon's Web site

Classical in the Digital Realm

Violinist Janine Jansen's new CD of the Four Seasons is a hot item on Apple's iTunes. She joins us today.
» Janine Jansen at the New Jersey Symphony

Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas

Soundcheck

August 22, 2008
New Orleans singer Irma Thomas has survived 50 years in the music business - and at least two hurricanes. She joins us to talk about her record, Simply Grand.

Bon Iver

Soundcheck

July 30, 2008
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon spent a winter holed up in his father's hunting cabin in remote Wisconsin, recording songs about solitude that would be released under the name Bon Iver. He joins us to play some of them live.

Billboard Chart

Who's On Top and Who Should Be?

Soundcheck

August 14, 2008
Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music.

Janelle Monae

The Next Big Things

Soundcheck

Paste magazine editor-in-chief Josh Jackson joins us to talk about Johnny Flynn, Janelle Monae, Bon Iver, Amy MacDonald and other must-hear artists who made Paste’s list of "The Best of What’s Next: 26 Emerging Artists You Should Know."

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