Épisodes

  • Conducting Puccini with Carlo Rizzi

    Conducting Puccini with Carlo Rizzi
    Feb 27 2026

    Giacomo Puccini is famous for his soaring melodies and heartbreaking arias, but his genius extended far beyond the vocal line.

    In this episode of Lives in Song, host Flora Willson sits down with Carlo Rizzi, world-renowned conductor and Artistic Director of Opera Rara, to explore Puccini's mastery of the orchestra.

    Maestro Rizzi takes us deep into the score, explaining the technical challenges of conducting Puccini’s signature rubato and revealing why he believes the composer’s orchestration rivals that of Strauss or Wagner.

    He also shares personal stories from his own life in music, including a vivid memory of the La Scala audience expressing their displeasure at a performance of Turandot.

    We also get an inside look at two of Carlo’s major recent projects: his Symphonic Suites, which reimagine Tosca and Madama Butterfly without voices, and Opera Rara’s ground-breaking recording of the 1921 version of La Rondine—a version the composer fought for, but which has never been performed as he intended until now.


    "When you shape a phrase of Puccini, it's completely different... You need more input from the conductor. Because, you know, Puccini is incredibly particular about what he wants. He's so detailed." — Carlo Rizzi


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Welcome to Lives in Song: Puccini

    01:51 Recording the 1921 Version of La Rondine

    05:07 Buying Scores at Age Nine

    07:46 A Night at La Scala: A Turandot to Remember

    10:47 Defending Puccini: The Genius of His Orchestration 1

    4:24 From Student Work to Masterpiece: The Capriccio Sinfonico

    17:14 The Conductor’s Craft: Shaping Puccini’s Rubato

    21:21 Villains with Class: Scarpia in Tosca

    23:22 Puccini Without Words: Creating the Symphonic Suites

    30:36 Reimagining the Score: Putting the Orchestra Centre Stage

    34:43 Why Puccini Endures: Speaking to the Human Experience

    36:59 Listener Q&A: Fulfilling Puccini’s Final Wish


    GET INVOLVED

    Thank you for listening. Lives in Song is a Creative Kin production for Opera Rara.

    ► REVIEW & SUBSCRIBE Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.

    ► DISCOVER Opera Rara's mission to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers: Opera Rara

    ► SUPPORT a unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this: Support Us

    ► EXPLORE the full Opera Rara catalogue: Shop Catalogue

    ► FOLLOW Opera Rara: Instagram X / Twitter Facebook LinkedIn BlueSky YouTube


    SUPPORTERS

    Lives in Song is brought to you by Opera Rara and supported by the generosity of listeners like you.

    Opera Rara is all about uncovering and sharing the hidden gems of the operatic world, giving new life to music that deserves to be heard.

    Your generosity helps us share rare operas and songs with audiences around the world.


    CREDITS

    Host: Flora Willson

    Audio Engineer: Phoebe Murdoch

    Videographer: Robin Bharaj

    Producer: Jason Caffrey

    Executive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    42 min
  • Puccini's Le Willis

    Puccini's Le Willis
    Jan 30 2026

    In 1883, a young Giacomo Puccini entered a one-act opera competition in Milan. He lost. But that failure - his first opera, Le Willis - caught the attention of the powerful Ricordi publishing house, launching the career of the man who would become Italy’s greatest post-Verdi composer.

    In this episode of Lives in Song, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar Alexandra Wilson to uncover the fascinating origins of Le Willis. Together, they explore Puccini’s student days in Milan, his early symphonic ambitions, and the supernatural legend of the Willis - ghosts of jilted brides who dance men to death. Featuring extracts from Opera Rara’s complete recording, discover the energy of La Tregenda - the witches’ dance - and the melodic genius that signalled the arrival of a new operatic master.

    To support Opera Rara’s mission to restore and record lost operatic masterpieces, please visit opera-rara.com/support.


    "It's incredible to think that symphonic music, orchestral music, was new music as far as Puccini's generation were concerned. I mean, I don't think a Beethoven symphony was heard in Italy until Puccini's teenage years." - Alexandra Wilson


    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction: Uncovering Puccini’s Debut Opera

    04:15 Escaping to Milan: Bohemian Life and Musical Education

    07:27 The Sonzogno Competition: Failure and Opportunity

    11:11 Symphonic Ambitions: Listening to the opening of Le Willis

    12:40 The Legend of the Willis: The Ghosts of Jilted Brides

    17:39 La Tregenda: Analysing Puccini’s witches’ dance

    26:05 The Premiere of Le Willis and Ricordi’s Intervention

    33:37 Ask Opera Rara: Essential Reading and Puccini’s Legacy


    Get Involved

    • Instagram
    • X / Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • BlueSky
    • YouTube


    SUPPORTERS

    Lives in Song is brought to you by Opera Rara and supported by the generosity of listeners like you.

    Opera Rara is all about uncovering and sharing the hidden gems of the operatic world, giving new life to music that deserves to be heard.

    Your generosity helps us share rare operas and songs with audiences around the world.


    CREDITS

    Lives In Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin. To find out more, visit creativekin.co.uk/song

    • Host: Flora Willson
    • Guest: Alexandra Wilson
    • Executive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
    • Producer: Jason Caffrey
    • Audio Engineer: Phoebe Murdoch
    • Videographer: Robin Bharaj
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    39 min
  • Puccini: The Making of a Maestro

    Puccini: The Making of a Maestro
    Nov 28 2025

    Giacomo Puccini was the fifth generation of a musical dynasty in Lucca, destined for a quiet life as a cathedral organist.

    But after his father died when Giacomo was just six years old, that lineage was disrupted - and the trajectory of Italian opera was changed forever.

    In this season premiere of Lives in Song, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar, Ditlev Rindom, to explore the formative years of the man who would bridge the 19th and 20th centuries and take opera into a bold, new age.

    We examine the political upheaval of the Risorgimento, the towering influence of Verdi, and the Scapigliatura movement that brought a punk-like energy to Milan’s artistic scene.

    Ditlev also introduces us to the upcoming Opera Rara recording of the 1921 version of La rondine, arguing that Puccini’s fear of repeating himself was evident from the very start.

    If you love the history of opera and want to support the discovery of rare works, visit the Opera Rara website to learn more.


    Puccini is "a composer who has absolute fear of repeating himself, but was always looking for a radically new topic." — Ditlev Rindom


    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction: Puccini’s World

    01:53 Ditlev Rindom and the 1921 final version of La rondine

    04:32 Puccini: The Composer Of Two Centuries

    08:33 Early Years In Lucca

    11:36 A New Country: Growing up in the Risorgimento

    14:49 Listening to Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

    17:09 The Crisis in Italian Opera

    21:07 Arrigo Boito & The Scapigliatura Movement

    32:42 Ask Opera Rara: Underrated Composers & La rondine

    37:24 Conclusion


    Get Involved

    • Instagram
    • X / Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • BlueSky
    • YouTube


    Supporters Lives in Song is brought to you by Opera Rara and by the generosity of listeners like you. If you love discovery as much as we do, you can help us keep the music alive by making a donation at opera-rara.com/support.


    Credits

    • Host: Flora Willson
    • Guest: Ditlev Rindom
    • Executive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
    • Producer: Jason Caffrey
    • Audio Engineer: Phoebe Murdoch
    • Videographer: Robin Bharaj


    Lives In Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin. To find out more visit https://creativekin.co.uk/song
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    40 min
  • Donizetti Sets Eyes on Vienna – “Monseigneur le duc de Bretagne”

    Donizetti Sets Eyes on Vienna – “Monseigneur le duc de Bretagne”
    Sep 24 2025
    In the final episode of our season on Gaetano Donizetti, we trace the last chapter of the composer's life. Our Host Flora Willson and Opera Rara’s Repertory Consultant, Prof. Roger Parker, follow Donizetti from the vibrant salons of Paris to the prestigious musical world of Vienna, a move that would profoundly reshape his artistic style. This period of creative evolution, however, was tragically cut short by a devastating illness that would lead to his final, painful years.Together, we explore the powerful, complex, and surprisingly modern music Donizetti was composing in this late period, focusing on his 1843 masterpiece, La fiancée du timbalier – a dramatic and fragmented setting of a Victor Hugo poem.To round off the season, we're joined by a special guest, Martin Cullingford, editor of Gramophone magazine, to discuss Donizetti's legacy and the journey of this podcast.Opera Rara's unique mission is to bring forgotten works like these back to the stage and the studio. If you've enjoyed this journey into opera history, please visit our website to discover how you can support our work and help us share these stories with the world."It's extremely, extremely modern. You might almost say it's sort of protomodernist in some ways, that it's about fragmentation." - Prof. Roger ParkerChapters:00:00 Donizetti’s Final Chapter: From Paris to Vienna04:22 A New European Sound: Donizetti's Viennese Style07:11 The Preludio to Caterina Cornaro09:41 A Sad Decline: Donizetti's Final Illness13:25 Setting Victor Hugo: La fiancée du timbalier17:15 The Drummer's Bride: La fiancée du timbalier Part 120:18 A Social Networker: How Donizetti Used Music as a Gift23:19 Modern & Fragmented: La fiancée du timbalier Part 225:47 After the Curtain Falls: The Battle for Donizetti's Manuscripts29:43 Special Guest Finale with Martin Cullingford (Gramophone)33:48 Ask Opera Rara: What’s Next for Lives in Song?Get InvolvedREVIEW & SUBSCRIBE: Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.DISCOVER: Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers: https://opera-rara.com/SUPPORT: A unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this: https://www.opera-rara.com/supportEXPLORE: The full Opera Rara catalogue: https://opera-rara.com/shopcatalogueFOLLOW Opera Rara:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    42 min
  • Donizetti and French Culture – “Je ne me plaignis pas”

    Donizetti and French Culture – “Je ne me plaignis pas”
    Sep 23 2025
    When Gaetano Donizetti arrived in Paris in the late 1830s, he entered the undisputed capital of the 19th-century opera world. Driven from Italy by personal tragedy and professional frustration, he launched a veritable invasion, writing simultaneously for the city's three main opera houses and dazzling high society with his incredible creative energy.In this episode, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar Professor Roger Parker to explore this remarkable chapter in Donizetti's life.We discover how he adapted his style for the epic scale of French "grand opera" in works like Les Martyrs, and how he crafted a new, sophisticated voice in the intimate songs he wrote for the city's exclusive salons.Along the way, we'll hear two stunning examples of his French songs and uncover a surprising secret: how a melody written for the salon found its way into one of his most beloved comic operas, La Fille du Régiment.Opera Rara's mission is to unearth, restore, and record the forgotten gems of this period. To help us continue this vital work of musical discovery and share it with the world, please consider making a gift by visiting our support page at https://www.opera-rara.com/support."This sort of atmosphere is very common in the French songs of this, a man sort of delighting in the cruelty of the woman... which I think the Italians would have found slightly vulgar, actually." - Roger ParkerChapters00:00 - How Donizetti Conquered Paris04:41 - Inside the 19th-Century Paris Opera Scene09:07 - Deconstructing Donizetti's Grand Opera, Les Martyrs15:28 - How French Salons Shaped Donizetti's Songs20:11 - "I Didn't Complain": A Salon Lament with a Secret27:03 - From Opera to Salon: A Tale of Two Songs32:15 - The Surprising International Market for Salon Music35:05 - Ask Opera Rara: Rediscovering Lost Operas & Donizetti's BrotherGet InvolvedREVIEW & SUBSCRIBE: Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.DISCOVER: Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers: https://opera-rara.com/SUPPORT: A unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this: https://www.opera-rara.com/supportEXPLORE: The full Opera Rara catalogue: https://opera-rara.com/shopcatalogueFOLLOW Opera Rara:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    42 min
  • Love, Death, and Paris - "Amore e morte"

    Love, Death, and Paris - "Amore e morte"
    Sep 22 2025
    In 1837, the death Gaetano Donizetti's beloved wife Virginia sent him into a profound crisis, prompting him to leave Italy for Paris. This tragic turning point also marked a new direction in his music, which became darker, more harmonically complex, and emotionally charged.In this episode, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar Roger Parker to investigate this pivotal period.We contrast the extreme, gothic violence of his opera Maria de Rudenz with the subtle, melancholic beauty of his salon song, "Amore e morte" - Love and Death.Along the way, we explore the 19th century's cultural "cult of death" and reveal the story behind the star tenor nicknamed "the tenor of the beautiful death."It’s a fascinating look at how personal grief and cultural trends can shape great art.Opera Rara is dedicated to uncovering the stories behind the music. If you enjoy these deep dives, please consider making a donation to help us continue our work. Learn more at opera-rara.com/support."The tenor... was known as il tenore della bella morte, the tenor of the beautiful death. So he specialised in death scenes... He did a good stagger, you know, and all those kind of things." - Prof. Roger ParkerChapters:00:00 Introduction: Donizetti's Grief and the Move to Paris02:54 A Darker Sound: The Musical Impact of Tragedy07:22 Melodrama & The Gothic: Inside Maria de Rudenz09:31 From the Stage to the Salon: Donizetti's Songs12:01 "Amore e morte": A Song of Love and Death14:48 Romanticism 101: Unpacking "Love and Death"17:41 The 19th-Century's Beautiful Death21:19 A Glimmer of Light?: The Song's Surprising Finale26:01 Ask Opera Rara: Berlioz, Song Titles & Cello CounterpointsGet InvolvedReview & Subscribe: Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.Discover: Learn about Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas at opera-rara.com.Support: Help us create more content like this by supporting our unique operatic vision at opera-rara.com/support.Explore: The full Opera Rara catalogue is available at opera-rara.com/shopcatalogue.Follow Opera Rara:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    36 min
  • Donizetti’s Tribute to Bellini – “Lamento per Bellini”

    Donizetti’s Tribute to Bellini – “Lamento per Bellini”
    Sep 21 2025
    In the 1830s, Gaetano Donizetti was at the height of his powers. With his operas conquering stages across Italy, he set his sights on the ultimate prize: Paris. But beyond the grand spectacle of the opera house, Donizetti was also exploring a more intimate, personal, and commercially savvy world - the world of song.In this episode, host Flora Willson is joined by leading Donizetti scholar Professor Roger Parker to delve into this pivotal decade.They uncover how the ambition to write for the Paris Opéra shaped works like L'assedio di Calais and led to a fascination with the "exotic."You'll also hear the fascinating story behind Donizetti's Lamento per Bellini, a moving tribute where he deliberately imitates the musical style of his greatest rival. Finally, we listen to the flirtatious Neapolitan charm of La conocchia (The Spindle), a perfect example of how Donizetti's songs were becoming a popular commodity across Europe.This series is part of Opera Rara's mission to unearth, restore, and record the lost and forgotten works of opera's greatest composers - a mission made possible by our loyal supporters."None of Donizetti's operas was ever finished. They were just abandoned, basically. And if he had an opportunity to come back, he would always rewrite things." - Prof. Roger ParkerChapters00:00 - Donizetti in the 1830s: The Peak of His Italian Career03:25 - Aiming for Paris: The French Grand Opéra Influence in L'assedio di Calais08:48 - From the Stage to the Salon: Donizetti's Songs Become a Commodity10:55 - A Rival's Lament: Imitating Bellini's Style15:01 - The Allure of the 'Other': Exoticism in Donizetti's Songs17:05 - The Flirtatious Spindle: Deconstructing 'La conocchia'22:20 - Domestic Security & A Thriving Social Network24:46 - Ask Opera Rara: Your Questions Answered28:33 - Why Was Italian Art Song Overlooked?31:56 - New Discoveries in Don PasqualeGet InvolvedREVIEW & SUBSCRIBE: Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.DISCOVER: Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers: https://opera-rara.com/SUPPORT: A unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this: https://www.opera-rara.com/supportEXPLORE: The full Opera Rara catalogue: https://opera-rara.com/shopcatalogueFOLLOW Opera Rara:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    39 min
  • Young Donizetti: Escaping Rossini’s Shadow – “D’un genio”

    Young Donizetti: Escaping Rossini’s Shadow – “D’un genio”
    Sep 20 2025
    Join us as we travel back to the early 19th century to explore the beginnings of Gaetano Donizetti's career.Forget the grand, dramatic operas for a moment.In this episode of Lives in Song, we focus on his lesser-known talent for songwriting and how a young composer found his voice in a world dominated by one man - Gioachino Rossini.With host Flora Willson and esteemed opera expert Roger Parker, we listen to one of Donizetti's early compositions, "D'un genio che m'accende," written when he was just 24.It reveals a composer navigating the towering influence of Rossini, whose virtuosic and emotionally dazzling bel canto style was the global phenomenon of the day.Through musical examples from both composers, we uncover the differences in the musical style of Donizetti vs Rossini, and how Donizetti used the more intimate form of song to experiment.And we answer your questions, from how forgotten operas are chosen for revival, to the strange mystery of how so many of Donizetti’s songs ended up in an Austrian monastery.This exploration of a young genius is a core part of Opera Rara's mission to unearth and share forgotten works - a mission powered by our supporters.In this episodeThe World of a Young Composer: A look at the musical landscape of the 1820s and the inescapable influence of Rossini.A Song of His Own: An analysis of Donizetti's early song "D'un genio che m'accende" and what it reveals about his developing style.Opera vs. Song: Comparing the virtuosic demands of opera with the intimate, experimental nature of song writing.Ask Opera Rara: Answering questions about reviving obscure operas, the strange journey of Donizetti's manuscripts, and his lasting importance in music history.Dive into the early years of a master composer and hear the first sparks of a genius who would go on to change the face of opera forever.Chapters00:00 - Introduction: Exploring Young Donizetti02:22 - Musical Interlude 1: "D'un genio che m'accende" (Opening)04:02 - The Shadow of a Giant: The Dominance of Rossini06:28 - Musical Interlude 2: Rossini's "Bel raggio lusinghier" from Semiramide11:03 - Finding His Voice: Donizetti's Songs as an Escape from Rossini13:58 - Musical Interlude 3: Donizetti in "Rossini Mode" - L'esule di Roma18:48 - A Deeper Look: The Story Behind "D'un genio che m'accende"22:58 - Musical Interlude 4: "D'un genio che m'accende" (Full Performance)25:21 - Ask Opera Rara: Listener Q&A33:04 - ConclusionGet Involved► REVIEW & SUBSCRIBE Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.► DISCOVER Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers► SUPPORT a unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this:► EXPLORE the full Opera Rara catalogue► FOLLOW OPERA RARA:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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    37 min