Frederica von Stade, Part 1: The world-class opera singer, recitalist, concert artist, and philanthropist: Sing from the heart!

Frederica von Stade has had a fabulous career as an opera singer, recitalist, and concert artist. In her long career, she has performed and recorded internationally, working with major conductors around the world (Karajan, Bernstein, Abbado, to name just a few.) In addition, she has championed the works of many contemporary composers, most notably Jake Heggie, with whom she has a strong friendship. Known as Flicka, she is both unassuming and gracious, and it was a highlight to have the opportunity to speak with her about her life and career.We begin our conversation by talking about her connection with composer Jake Heggie, how they met, how she was instantly attracted to his music, and how Heggie's first and most popular opera, Dead Man Walking, came into being. Using that as a springboard, I then ask how an opera is put together from a singer's point of view. She then talks about how to maintain a healthy voice, working with nerves, and we end Part 1 discussing two of her favorite composers - Mahler and Debussy.[Part 2 for Subscribers]: As a young girl, Frederica von Stade was first drawn to musicals and only later became involved in opera, and so she speaks of some of her early experiences with musical theater. I ask if she feels that she has been influenced as a singer by any instrument, and (no spoiler alert) her answer came as a total surprise! We end with a discussion of the charitable work she has done, specifically with the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra.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!