Ep. 173: Jazz and Opera Part I with Deidre Bird

In recent years, DiDonato, Racette, and Upshaw have all released jazz albums, such as Songplay, Diva on Detour, and Winter Morning Walks. Sometimes we think that singers are either categorized as opera singers, or as singers of popular music, including jazz. However, these two genres are actually very closely linked together and share a lot of similarities. I’m your host, Stuart Holt, and on today’s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Deidre Bird will discuss how aspects of jazz, such as improvisation, have also had a long-standing history in other forms of vocal music.