Tune in to Portland Opera's podcast, now in its third season! Hosted and created by Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts this program sets out to confront opera stereotypes, explore the stories and characters, share behind-the-scenes info about upcoming productions, and more. New episodes are released each week here and on Spotify.
Opera Talk
Portland Opera's podcast
Season 3: Episode 62
September 30, 2026
Painting the Season: A Conversation with Season Artist Jeremy Okai Davis and Christina Post
What does an opera season look like before the curtain ever rises?
This week on Opera Talk with Portland Opera, we step outside the rehearsal room and into the visual world of our 2026–27 season with Portland Opera Season Artist Jeremy Okai Davis and Marketing Director Christina Post.
Jeremy's distinctive work uses pointillism and portraiture to explore identity, history, representation, and people whose stories have too often been overlooked. As Portland Opera's Season Artist, his work becomes part of the visual language connecting La traviata, The Crown Maker, and Porgy and Bess throughout our Driven by Vision season.
Jeremy and Christina join the conversation to talk about the collaboration between artist and opera company, how visual art can invite audiences into a story before they hear a single note, and what it means to build a season identity around the places where different artistic forms and stories meet.
Because an opera season isn't created only onstage. It begins with an idea, and sometimes the first way we experience that idea is through an artist's eyes.
Explore the 2026–27 season and the artist and get your tickets at portlandopera.org.
And help us write Portland Opera's next chapter by supporting the Keep Portland Operatic campaign. Save Our Song. Secure Our Future.
Learn more and give at portlandopera.org/donate.
Driven by Vision. Where the Stories Meet.
Season 3: Episode 61
September 23, 2026
Why is everybody singing?
It may be the question people ask about opera more than any other. Why can't Violetta tell Alfredo how she feels? Why does someone who has been stabbed still have enough energy for another three pages of music? And why, eventually, does everybody onstage start singing at the same time?
In this episode, Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts takes on one of opera's biggest conventions and discovers that the answer is actually the reason opera exists. Because sometimes speaking isn't enough.
We'll explore how music lets us hear what characters aren't saying, why an aria can stop time, what happens when several characters sing different emotions at once, and why the chorus can become the voice of an entire community.
Opera may not reflect real life, but the emotions beneath it are very real. Speech can tell us what happened. Music can tell us what it felt like.
This season, we're Driven by Vision, exploring where the stories meet and discovering the ways opera connects to the stories, music, and experiences already around us.
Explore Portland Opera's 2026–27 season and get your tickets at portlandopera.org. And help us write Portland Opera's next chapter by supporting the Keep Portland Operatic campaign. Save Our Song. Secure Our Future.
Learn more and give at portlandopera.org/donate.
Season 3: Episode 60
September 16, 2026
Think you don’t know opera? You might be surprised.
Opera is everywhere. It’s in the movies we love, television, cartoons, commercials, sporting events, Broadway, and popular culture. Chances are, you’ve heard some of opera’s most famous music without ever knowing where it came from.
In this episode of Opera Talk with Portland Opera, we explore the unexpected places opera shows up in our everyday lives and why this centuries-old art form may be much more familiar than you think.
Because opera doesn’t have to feel unfamiliar or intimidating. Sometimes, all it takes is recognizing that you already know the music.
You may know more opera than you think.
Ready to experience it live? Explore Portland Opera’s Driven by Vision season and get your tickets at portlandopera.org.
And as we continue creating opera that connects artists, audiences, and our community, you can help shape what comes next. Support the Keep Portland Operatic campaign and help ensure that opera continues to have a vibrant home in Portland.
Listen. Discover. Come see what opera can be.
Season 3: Episode 59
September 9, 2020
Driven by Vision: Where the Stories Meet
We’re back for Season 3 of Opera Talk with Portland Opera, and this year, we’re inviting you to join us where the stories meet.
Inspired by Portland Opera’s 2026–27 season, Driven by Vision, we’ll explore the people, music, history, and ideas behind La traviata, The Crown Maker, and Porgy and Bess.
Along the way, we’ll make surprising connections between opera and Broadway, revisit some favorite Opera 101 conversations, and welcome artists, community leaders, and new voices to the conversation.
Because you don’t have to know opera to love a great story. Subscribe to Opera Talk and join us throughout the season.
Explore the season and get tickets at portlandopera.org.
Help write Portland Opera’s next chapter by supporting the Keep Portland Operatic campaign. portlandoper.org/donate.
Driven by Vision. Where the Stories Meet.
Season 1
Listen to episodes from our first season of Opera Talk.
Episode 1:
Join us for an introduction to our 60th anniversary season and learn more about upcoming productions, programming, and special events.
Episode 2:
In this episode, we sit down with Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera’s Manager of Education and Community Engagement, to explore the transformative power of opera in our communities.
Episode 3 - Part 1:
In the first part of this episode, we explore the creation of Shizue: An American Story with composer Kenji Oh and librettist and director Dmae Lo Roberts.
Episode 3 - Part 2
Episode 3 - Part 3
The second and third parts of this episode continue with the cast and creative team of Shizue: An American Story discussing the emotional depth of the production and how the music and narrative intertwine. As a bonus, the cast presents select musical moments of the opera's most moving scenes.
Episode 4:
In this episode, meet two of Portland Opera's rising stars: Resident Artists Erin Roth Thomas (mezzo soprano) and Nathaniel Catasca (tenor).
Episode 5:
This episode is the first segment in the Opera 101 series. Alexis Hamilton, Manager of Education and Community Engagement at Portland Opera, tackles common opera stereotypes that often deter audiences from experiencing this incredible art form.
Episode 6:
In this episode, we introduce you to more of Portland Opera's exceptional Resident Artists: soprano Ginaia Black, baritone Matthew Maisano, and returning collaborative pianist Claire Forstman.
Episode 7:
In this special episode, Sue Dixon, General Director of Portland Opera, delivers a powerful message on the essential role of the arts and the impact of civic engagement.
Episode 8:
Dive into the artistry behind Howard Blake's Shakespeare Songs and The Juliet Letters by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet.
Coming soon!
Episode 9:
Join us for a unique narrated journey into The Juliet Letters and Shakespeare Songs. Contributors Alfrelynn Roberts, Fenlon Lamb, and Marty Hughley will each read their thoughts on the works.
Episode 10:
In this episode, we explore Guiseppe Verdi's Falstaff, a comedic masterpiece brimming with wit, charm, and human folly. Whether you're new to opera or a seasoned enthusiast, this episode offers a bite-sized look into the humor, heart, and artistry that make Falstaff a unique and delightful experience.
Episode 11:
Celebrate the conclusion of Portland Opera to Go's inspiring education tour across Oregon, presenting Shizue: An American Story. This episode features the voices of POGO artists soprano Lindsey Nakatani, mezzo-soprano Chihiro Asano, tenor Jietong Fu, and baritone Edward Tavalin. They are joined by music director Gyan Singh Maria, cellist Casey Johnson, and stage manager Stephen Gardner to bring this poignant production to life.
Episode 12:
In this installment of our Opera 101 series, Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera's Manager of Education and Outreach dives into the fascinating world of operatic conventions, introducing the essential elements that make opera the art form we know and love.
Episode 13:
Join Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera's Manager of Education and Community Engagement, for the final installment of our Opera 101 series: a whirlwind tour of opera history!
Episode 14:
This month, we're celebrating Black History Month with our Opera in Black series, highlighting the artistry and contributions of Black opera singers, creators, and administrators.
In our inaugural episode, we sit down with extraordinary Jasmine Johnson—a powerhouse contralto and Portland Opera's Civic Engagement and Partnerships Manager.
Episode 15:
In the second episode of our Opera in Black series, we spotlight the powerful voices of Black artists in the Portland Opera Chorus. This insightful conversation with Onry, Quinton Gardner, and Gregory Brumfield captures their journeys in opera, the challenges and triumphs of their careers, and the importance of representation in the industry.
Episode 16:
Prepare to step in the haunting world of The Shining! Portland Opera's upcoming production brings Stephen King's iconic horror novel to the operatic stage, and in this special episode of Opera Talk, we take you behind the scenes.
Recorded live at the Meet & Greet with the cast and creative team, this conversation offers a first look at the artistic vision, musical challenges, and spine-tingling moments that make this production unforgettable.
Episode 17:
What makes The Shining such an enduring and terrifying story? In this episode Dr. Harry Baechtel - Portland Opera's resident scholar and pre-show lecturer unravels the impact of The Shining across literature, film, and now, opera.
Episode 18:
In this special two-part series, Opera on the Couch, we jump into the fascinating intersection of opera and psychoanalysis. Portland Opera's Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Alexis Hamilton, is joined by experts Dr. Kathryn Zerbe and Dr. Cody Evans from the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center. Together, they explore the foundations of psychoanalysis and its profound connections to the arts.
Episode 19:
In this second episode of our Opera on the Couch series, Portland Opera's Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Alexis Hamilton, continues the conversation with Dr. Kathryn Zerbe and Dr. Cody Evans from the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center—this time delving into The Shining through the lens of Stephen King's novel.
Episode 20:
We celebrate the opening night of The Shining with an exclusive conversation featuring composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell.
Episode 21:
In this episode of Opera Talk, we are celebrating Women's History month a bit differently as we explore the brilliant, dynamic women at the heart of Verdi's final masterpiece, Falstaff.
Episode 22:
In this episode of Opera Talk, we are thrilled to unveil our 2025/2026 season! A season that embraces the very core of opera's emotional power: Love Through Adversity.
Episode 23:
We're joined by Dr. Harry Baechtel, Portland Opera's Resident Opera Scholar from Portland State University, as he dives into Verdi's Falstaff, a comic masterpiece and the final opera from one of the greatest composers ever.
Episode 24:
On Friday, June 13, at the Winningstad Theatre, we'll host a special 60th anniversary celebration concert at 6PM.
This concert features the Portland Opera Orchestra, conducted by Damien Geter, with our incredible Resident Artists—Ginaia Black, soprano, Erin Roth Thomas, mezzo soprano, Nathaniel Catasca, tenor, and Matthew Maisano, bass—and guest soprano, Ibidunni Ojikutu.
Episode 25:
In this encore episode, we explore Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff, a comedic masterpiece brimming with wit, charm, and human folly.
This episode offers a bite-sized look into the humor, heart, and artistry that make Falstaff a unique and delightful experience.
Episode 26:
In this episode, we're shining a spotlight on the people who help guide and grow the company from behind the curtain, our Board of Directors and Young Patrons Society.
Season 2
Listen to episodes from our Season 2 of Opera Talk with Portland Opera.
Season 2: Episode 27
In this special kickoff episode, we sit down with Grammy Award-winning soprano and Portland Opera Artistic Ambassador Karen Slack for a conversation with Marketing Director Christina Post. Together, they discuss Karen's powerful program, African Queens, opening the season at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, and the inspiration behind this celebration of resilience, history, and song.
We're proud to record Opera Talk at the Audacy studios, with sound engineering by the phenomenal Brian Blair. Huge thanks to our friends at Audacy for their support as our corporate partner in bringing these stories to life.
Join us as we kick off a season filled with unforgettable performances, meaningful connections, and the enduring spirit of Love Through Adversity.
Season 2: Episode 28
In this episode, we're bringing you a special treat! We go behind the scenes with the cast and director of Portland Opera to Go: The Elixir of Love, recorded live, just ahead of performances on September 19 & 20 at the Winningstad Theatre in downtown Portland.
Associate Director of Education & Outreach, Alexis Hamilton, moderates a lively conversation full of laughter, insight, and a few surprises. You'll hear directly from acclaimed stage director Kristine McIntyre as well as artists Jietong Fu, Stacee Firestone, Wayne Arthur, and Edward Tavalin. They will talk about what it's like to bring Donizetti's romantic comedy to life in this unique touring production, from playful character dynamics to the magic of sharing opera with schools and communities across Oregon.
Don't miss this fun, engaging chat with the creative team that makes the music (and the love potion!) sparkle onstage.
Season 2: Episode 29
In this special episode of Opera Talk, General Director Sue Dixon and Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts sit down to share an inside look at Portland Opera's new season. With the theme "Love Through Adversity," this season presents stories of passion, resilience, and the transformative power of music to overcome life's challenges.
Season 2: Episode 30
In this episode, Associate Director of Education Outreach Alexis Hamilton sits down with internationally recognized director Kristine McIntyre. Known for her innovative productions across the country and her work creating and adapting youth operas for Portland Opera, Kristine shares how she brings stories to life on stage.
Season 2: Episode 31
In this episode, we sit down with two extraordinary artists bringing an untold American story to the stage.
Grammy-nominated composer Aaron Nigel Smith and world-renowned director Jerry Dixon join us for an intimate conversation about their groundbreaking new work, York, the Explorer!, a folk opera that illuminates the life of an enslaved man whose journey alongside Lewis and Clark has remained in the shadows of history for far too long.
Discover how Smith's evocative score and Dixon's visionary direction merge to create a powerful theatrical experience that honors York's humanity and resilience. Our guests share the creative process behind this historic world premiere, exploring how they've woven together folk traditions, operatic artistry, and historical truth to tell a story that resonates deeply with our current moment.
York, the Explorer! makes its world premiere October 24 & 25 at the Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton. Don't miss this opportunity to witness opera history in the making. For tickets, visit reser.org.
Season 2: Episode 32
In this episode, we dive into Puccini's La Bohème and talk about the romance between Rodolfo and Mimì, and the deep, messy, and moving friendship among the men who share that drafty Paris garret.
We'll explore where the word bohemian comes from, how Puccini transformed Henri Murger's stories into one of opera's most beloved works, and why this tale of love, art, and survival still resonates today.
With a touch of humor and a lot of heart, we'll uncover how La Bohème captures this season's theme: Love Through Adversity.
Season 2: Episode 33
In this episode, Associate Director of Education and Outreach Alexis Hamilton sits down with licensed therapist and accomplished Portland Opera Chorus soprano Gina Adorno for a fascinating conversation about Puccini's La Bohème. Together, they explore how Puccini masterfully builds relationships between his characters, capturing the love, friendship, and heartbreak that make this opera so deeply human.
Season 2: Episode 34
In this episode, we go behind the scenes of Puccini's beloved masterpiece with the cast and creative team of La Bohème.
General Director Sue Dixon moderates this engaging conversation, beginning with an exclusive design presentation by Director of Production Anna Labykina, offering insight into the visual world of our production. Then, hear directly from the artists and creatives about the challenges, discoveries, and magic of bringing this iconic opera to the stage, from the emotional depths of "Donde Lieta" to the soaring romance of the garret duet.
Season 2: Episode 35
In this episode, we're thrilled to share a captivating pre-show talk featuring our Portland Opera's Scholar in Residence and Portland State University Professor, Dr. Harry Baechtel.
From the opera's historical context and the bohemian world of 1830s Paris to the emotional depth of its unforgettable characters like Mimì, Rodolfo, Musetta, and Marcello, Dr. Baechtel illuminates the genius behind this timeless love story.
Discover the musical themes that makes La Bohème one of the most performed operas in the world, learn about Puccini's compositional techniques, and gain insights that will enrich your experience of this heartbreaking tale of young love, friendship, and loss.
Season 2: Episode 36
In this episode, we explore Puccini's timeless masterpiece, La Bohème, and discover how opera serves as a powerful vehicle for social change.
Join us as we discuss Portland Opera's partnership with One Warm Coat and Dress for Success Oregon, connecting the urgent themes of poverty and survival in La Bohème to the real needs in our community today. We'll delve into the opera's history, its most moving moments - including Colline's heartbreaking sacrifice of his beloved coat - and why this 130-year-old story resonates now more than ever.
Learn how Portland Opera is reclaiming opera's original mission as social commentary and what it means to be the people's opera company.
Season 2: Episode 37
In this episode, we're excited to launch Opera Talk Live!, our brand-new series hosted by Portland Opera Artistic Ambassador, the incomparable Karen Slack.
In this inaugural episode, Karen sites down with three extraordinary artists bringing La Bohème to life this season; director Cara Consilvio, soprano Aubry Ballarò performing the role of the vivacious Musetta, and acclaimed visual artist Samantha Wall, Portland Opera's season artist. Each guest offers a unique window in the production, from the director's vision and staging choices to the performer's journey inhabiting one of the opera's most dynamic characters, to the visual artist's interpretation that graces our season imagery.
Karen's warm, insightful style draws out candid conversations about the creative process, the enduring power of Puccini's score, and how opera continues to evolve and resonate with contemporary audiences. Along the way, she invites listeners into the dialogue, creating a vibrant exchange between artists and opera lovers alike.
This is Opera Talk like you've never experienced it, an intimate, engaging, and passionate one that makes live performance unforgettable.
Season 2: Episode 38
In this episode, we explore Everest, the true story of three climbers, a deadly storm, and the love that transcends even the most extreme circumstances.
Join us as we introduce the creative team behind the genre-defying immersive production, reveal the harrowing events of May 10, 1996, and discover why this fusion of opera and animated graphic novel is the perfect work to inaugurate our new World Trade Center Theatre.
Because at 29,000 feet, when death is near, only love remains. Portland Opera brings this graphic novel to life December 12-21, 2025 at the World Trade Center Theatre.
Season 2: Episode 39
In this episode, we tell the story of two men who reached the summit of Mount Everest and never came home.
Rob Hall was the legendary guide, with a pregnant wife waiting in New Zealand, and Doug Hansen was the postal worker who had saved for years and once turned back just 300 feet from the top.
On May 10, 1996, their fates became one of mountaineering's greatest tragedies and one of opera's most powerful stories. Witness this heroic story of love, loss, and resilience.
Portland Opera brings this graphic novel to life December 12-21, 2025 at the World Trade Center Theatre.
Season 2: Episode 40
In this video episode of OperaTalkLive!, Grammy Award-winning soprano Karen Slack moderates an intimate and illuminating conversation with Everest's visionary creative team with Director Brian Staufenbiel and Projection Designer David Murakami.
Discover the artistic vision behind Portland Opera's thrilling production as these acclaimed artists share insights into bringing Joby Talbot's gripping opera to life. Explore how cutting-edge projection technology transforms the stage into the treacherous slopes of Mount Everest and delve into broader conversations about innovation's role in shaping opera's future.
Season 2: Episode 41
In this special bonus episode, we reunite with the incredible young artists from Portland Opera to Go's touring production of The Elixir of Love.
Earlier this season, we met these talented performers as they embarked on their journey, and now they return to share their transformative experiences bringing opera to communities across the region.
Host Alexis Hamilton, Associate Director of Education and Outreach, sits down with singers Edward Tavalin, Jietong Fu, Stacee Firestone, and Wayne Arthur, along with tour manager Stephen Gardner, to discuss the joys, challenges, and monumental artistic growth that came from this touring adventure.
Season 2: Episodes 42 & 43
In this special episode, Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts sits down with General Director Sue Dixon for an intimate and heartfelt conversation celebrating her remarkable tenure at Portland Opera. As Sue prepares for retirement, the two leaders reflect on her profound impact on the organization, her unwavering passion for opera in Oregon, and why this art form matters so deeply to the Portland community. Hear about Sue's extraordinary leadership during the pandemic years—how she kept Portland Opera not just operational but thriving, discovering innovative opportunities amid unprecedented challenges. Sue shares her vision for her legacy, the values that have guided her work, and offers a touching love letter to the Portland community that has supported this organization through every triumph and trial. Join us in celebrating Sue Dixon's dedication, resilience, and transformative leadership.
Season 2: Episode 44
In this episode, we delve into the American spiritual, the Black American musical tradition that gave rise to jazz, blues, gospel, and every genre we collectively call American music.
Discover how four legendary composers (Lena McLin, Dr. Roland Carter, Jacqueline B. Hairston, and Dr. Uzee Brown, Jr.) are keeping this vital art form alive for contemporary audiences. Hear about the world-class singers bringing these arrangements to life, including a special mother-son performance by Portland residents, international opera singer Cynthia Clarey and Portland Opera chorister and comprimario artist Quinton Gardner.
Season 2: Episode 45
In this episode, we celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime moment: international opera star Cynthia Clary and her son, Quinton Gardner, sharing the stage in The Majesty of the Spiritual.
Then, hear how spirituals, passed down through generations of Black American families, have shaped American music.
Season 2: Episode 46
In this episode, we explore Fellow Travelers: the opera, a haunting love story set against the 1950s Lavender Scare, when thousands of LGBTQIA+ Americans were purged from government jobs for who they loved. Premiering in 2016 after marriage equality felt secure, this acclaimed work by Gregory Spears now tours America at a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are under renewed attack.
Season 2: Episode 47
In this episode, we step into the shadow of 1950s Washington, D.C., where thousands of gay and lesbian federal employees were investigated and fired simply for who they were, a hidden chapter of American history known as the Lavender Scare.
We explore Fellow Travelers, one of the most important American operas of our generation, and the remarkable community initiatives surrounding its 10th Anniversary national tour.
This is a story about love, erasure, and the urgent, radical act of remembering and why these stories matter now more than ever.
Season 2: Episode 48
In this episode, we're sounding the call: Keep Portland Operatic – Save Our Song. Secure Our Future.
At a pivotal moment for the performing arts nationally and here at home, Portland Opera is launching an emergency fundraising campaign designed to stabilize the company, protect its artists and staff, and secure a future for opera in our city for generations to come.
We talk about why opera has always been the "people's arts form" that tells stories of love, loss, justice, and belonging that feel as urgent today as ever, and why Portland, a city that has always shown up for itself, is exactly the community to meet this moment. This isn't about finding one big donor. It's about a chorus of voices, a city rallying together, because Portland deserves a healthy, thriving opera company.
Season 2: Episode 49
In this episode, Conductor DeReau K. Farrar, your pre-show talk host for Fellow Travelers, takes us inside one of the most talked-about operas of the last decade.
DeReau knows this world well: Portland Opera audiences will recognize him from his work on The Juliet Letters, and he brings that same sharp musical intelligence here.
This conversation goes beyond the plot; it dives deeply into the music. How does composer Gregory Spears build tension, longing, and heartbreak into the score? What are the moments you won't want to miss? DeReau has the answers, and he makes them impossible to stop listening to.
Season 2: Episode 50
In this special episode of Opera Talk Live! with Karen Slack, we go behind the curtain of Fellow Travelers, the bold, heart-stirring opera that has captivated audiences and sparked conversations across the country. Karen is joined by an extraordinary team bringing this production to life: Kevin Newbury, Director; Sara Widzer, Associate and Intimacy Director; and DeReau K. Farrar, Fellow Travelers Pre-Show Talk Host.
Together, they uncover what makes this production extraordinary, from Gregory Spears' sweeping, emotionally charged score and the delicate craft of building intimacy on stage, to the real history woven into every scene and the profound community impact of telling this story here, in Portland, right now.
Season 2: Episode 51
In this episode, we're bringing you inside one of the most exciting moments in Portland Opera's history because the people of Portland are showing up, and the numbers prove it.
Our "Keep Portland Operatic: Save Our Song. Secure Our Future." campaign is nearly at its first major milestone, and we want you to know exactly how we got here.
Season 2: Episode 52
In this episode, we're closing the season with something we've never done before and something you will never forget.
Verdi's Requiem. One of the most monumental pieces of music ever written, composed by a grieving genius for a hero he barely knew, performed for the first time by Portland Opera with an extraordinary collaboration that brings together our chorus and orchestra with Maestro David DeLyser and The Choral Arts Ensemble of Portland.
Season 2: Episode 53
This episode takes an honest, behind-the-scenes look at a pivotal moment in Portland Opera's history and what it will take to secure the company's future.
61 years of world-class opera. A community that has shown up with extraordinary generosity. And a campaign that now stands just $55,000 short of its $1.5 million goal.
We sit down with Beth Lewis, Portland Opera's Development Director, who has been at the center of this effort from the very beginning. Together, we explore how the campaign funds are allocated, what achieving this goal means for the organization and the art form, and why attending our one-night-only performance of Verdi's Requiem on May 16th at Keller Auditorium is one of the most meaningful ways our community can participate in this moment.
Season 2: Episode 54
In this episode, Portland Opera Resident Scholar and Portland State University professor Dr. Harry Baechtel takes us inside one of the most profound and enduring works in the choral canon, the Verdi Requiem.
In his own words, Harry unpacks the history, humanity, and the sheer musical power of this extraordinary piece, and why hearing it in person is an experience unlike any other. Don't just listen; be there. Join us for the Verdi Requiem on May 16th at Keller Auditorium, 7:30 pm, one-night-only. Tickets at portlandopera.org.
And if this music stirs something in you, we invite you to support the Keep Portland Operatic campaign at portlandopera.org/donate. Every gift counts.
Season 2: Episode 55
In this episode, we're lighting the fuse on one of the most exciting and most “Portland” partnerships of the year. Portland Opera Association is officially teaming up with Cherry Bombs FC, the city's brand-new pre-professional women's soccer team, for their inaugural USL W League season at Lents Park.
We trace the partnership back to a dream Alexis Hamilton had years ago while watching the Portland Pickles, explore the natural synergy between the high drama of opera and the high stakes of sport, and unveil how Portland Opera singers will serve as the official hype team behind the Bombs; armed with original chants Alexis crafted from some of the most iconic melodies in the opera canon. We also tip our hats to the visionary owners of Cherry Bombs FC for championing the arts at a moment when it matters most.
Grab your tickets for opening night, Sunday, May 17th, and the first regular-season home match against the West Seattle Rhodies on Thursday, May 21st, at cherrybombsfc.com.
Join the movement. Help us keep this city singing, soaring, and showing up for the arts; learn more and get involved with the #KeepPortlandOperatic campaign at portlandopera.org/donate.
Come for the soccer. Stay for the opera. And help us Keep Portland Operatic.
Season 2: Episode 56
In this episode, Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts shares two milestones worth celebrating: Portland Opera has hit its first Keep Portland Operatic benchmark of $1.5 million, ahead of schedule, and our 62nd season is officially here.
Driven by Vision brings three productions about resilience, reinvention, and self-determination: Verdi's La Traviata in concert at the Keller Auditorium (November 2026), the world premiere ofThe Crown Maker by Jesse J. Sanchez and Maya Malán-González, the third installment of our, Our Oregon Series, celebrating Mexican American healer and immigrant rights advocate Eva Castellanos (December 2026) and Porgy and Bessin a live radio-show style adaptation at the Newmark Theatre (March 2027).
Alfrelynn also introduces this season's visual collaboration with acclaimed Portland artist Jeremy Okai Davis, whose pointillist portraits of overlooked Black historical figures bring the season's theme to life.
With $3.49 million still to raise by June 2027, this is the next act and the community is invited to help write it. Donate at portlandopera.org/donate. Subscribe to the 26/27 season at portlandopera.org or call the Concierge team at 503.241.1802.
Save our song. Secure our future. Keep Portland Operatic.
Season 2: Episode 57
In this final episode for this season, we're celebrating Pride Month with a conversation that connects two of history's most powerful forces: the fight for LGBTQ+ freedom and the transformative art of opera.
We take you back to the summer of 1966, to a small cafeteria in San Francisco's Tenderloin district, and then to the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at a bar on Christopher Street in New York City, where ordinary people did extraordinary things and set the world on a different course. We'll honor the leaders of that movement, explore opera's long and deeply personal relationship with the LGBTQ+ community, and draw a direct line from Stonewall to the stage right here in Portland.
We are so grateful to each one of you who has joined us this season. Your passion for opera, for community, and for the stories that move us, that is what keeps Portland Opera alive and singing.
This episode is a call to action. Portland Opera has launched the Keep Portland Operatic campaign, Save Our Song. Secure Our Future. A $5 million effort to protect and sustain Oregon's largest opera company. We need your support now and your excitement for the 2026–27 season ahead. Learn more and give at portlandopera.org.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in this art form. And from all of us at Portland Opera: Happy Pride.
Opera Talk can also be streamed on Spotify. Don't miss an episode by following us here.
Have a story idea for our podcast? Contact host Alfrelynn Roberts at aroberts@portlandopera.org.
