Described by Broadway World as a "richly powerful singing actress," Nina is redefining what it means to be an opera singer. Beyond her international singing career, she is the Artistic Director at the Boston Lyric Opera and the co-founder and President of the Asian Opera Alliance. Nina is someone who not only talks the talk but walks the walk, using her career to expand the boundaries of the opera world. It was a true pleasure and honor to speak with Nina about her journey as an artist, administrator, and advocate.

Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more!

As a Contributing Listener of "Anthony Plog on Music," you'll have access to extra premium content and benefits including:

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• Ask Me Anything: Both as written messages and occasional member-only Zoom sessions.
• The Show's Discord Server: Where conversations about interviews, show suggestions, and questions happen. It's a great place to meet other listeners and chat about all things music!
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In Part 1, Maestro Slatkin shares stories from his musical upbringing in Los Angeles, enriched by his family's deep musical roots. He reflects on his formative years studying under renowned mentors Jean Morel and Walter Susskind. We explore his process for learning new pieces and his insights on the unique approaches and sounds of various orchestras. The episode concludes with a poignant recollection of a moving performance of Barber's Adagio for Strings at the BBC Proms on September 15, 2001, just days after the tragic events of 9/11 (see links below).

In Part 2 (Subscriber Content), we highlight a significant aspect of Leonard Slatkin's legacy: his dedication to promoting and premiering contemporary composers. His extensive contributions to the discovery and revival of earlier American music are equally impressive. We wrap up our conversation with delightful anecdotes about his love for baseball and his friendship with trumpet legend Bud Herseth, complete with a tale of how they pranked each other!

Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more!

As a Contributing Listener of "Anthony Plog on Music," you'll have access to extra premium content and benefits including:

• Extra Audio Content: Only available to Contributing Listeners.
• Podcast Reflections: Tony's written recaps and thoughts on past interviews, including valuable tips and suggestions for students.
• Ask Me Anything: Both as written messages and occasional member-only Zoom sessions.
• The Show's Discord Server: Where conversations about interviews, show suggestions, and questions happen. It's a great place to meet other listeners and chat about all things music!
• Can I just donate instead of subscribing? Absolutely!
• Cancel at anytime and easily resubscribe when you want all that extra content again.

Learn more about becoming a Contributing Listener @ anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com!

Imagine being a multi-talented artist, a composer who has crafted scores for TV and iconic films like Jeremiah Johnson and The Candidate. Now, imagine you're also an acclaimed actor, having graced countless movies and winning a Tony Award for Children of a Lesser God Picture collaborating with legendary directors such as Bob Fosse, Mike Nichols, and Stephen Sondheim. Oh, and did I mention your father was the renowned pianist Artur Rubinstein? Growing up, you played for distinguished guests like Stravinsky, Milhaud, and Lawrence Olivier. With that incredible background, you can only imagine how thrilling it was for me to chat with the extraordinary John Rubenstein!

In Part 1, we delve into John's fascinating childhood and his initial steps into the world of composing. He began by writing for school projects and eventually transitioned into film scoring. John shares how the movie Chinatown influenced him and his special connection with trumpeter Uan Rasey, whose haunting solos left a lasting impact. We also explore the art of writing scores in Hollywood, discussing the nuances between composing for TV series and films. Then, we shift to John's acting career, highlighting his lead role in Pippin under the direction of the legendary Bob Fosse. We wrap up this segment by discussing the challenges of dealing with nerves and taking auditions.

In Part 2, we take a detour to discuss a memorable evening when John starred in Children of a Lesser God at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, while his father performed at the Music Center. John reminisces about playing for George Szell and shares insights into his father's experience recording with Fritz Reiner. We conclude with a wide-ranging conversation covering John's favorite books and composers.

Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more!

As a Contributing Listener of "Anthony Plog on Music," you'll have access to extra premium content and benefits including:

• Extra Audio Content: Only available to Contributing Listeners.
• Podcast Reflections: Tony's written recaps and thoughts on past interviews, including valuable tips and suggestions for students.
• Ask Me Anything: Both as written messages and occasional member-only Zoom sessions.
• The Show's Discord Server: Where conversations about interviews, show suggestions, and questions happen. It's a great place to meet other listeners and chat about all things music!
• Can I just donate instead of subscribing? Absolutely!
• Cancel at anytime and easily resubscribe when you want all that extra content again.

Learn more about becoming a Contributing Listener @ anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com!