OPERA RAPS
Opera Raps are lively and entertaining talks featuring guest artists and opera experts who bring opera stories, excerpts, and behind-the-scenes insights leading up to each Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival season. These delightful and informative experiences will enlighten, engage, and excite both the opera-curious and seasoned opera lovers alike. FREE and open to the public. Reservations are required.
Tosca: A Roman Evening
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Cincinnati Opera Production Facility
7712 Reinhold Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45237
Throughout Giacomo Puccini’s opera Tosca, the city of Rome plays an ever-present role. The opera is set among iconic Roman landmarks like the Castel Sant’Angelo and Palazzo Farnese, and even includes music in the Roman dialect. Evans Mirageas and featured artists will lead guests on a musical tour of Rome, interweaving music from Tosca with classic Roman songs.
This Opera Rap takes place at Cincinnati Opera's Production Facility, where props and set construction and storage are centered. Get a behind-the-scenes peek at the fascinating space where the magic on stage is crafted.
A $2.50 per-ticket processing fee applies to all orders.
Fiddler on the Roof: Wonder of Wonders—How Fiddler Came to Be
Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Mayerson JCC
8485 Ridge Road • Cincinnati, OH 45236
In a special two-part evening, join preeminent Fiddler on the Roof scholar and author Alisa Solomon (Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof, Metropolitan Books) and Broadway scholar Ben Whiteley as they trace the origins, creation, and worldwide success of one of the most beloved musicals ever written. With rare video footage of the creative process and live musical performances, Solomon and Whiteley will share behind-the-scenes stories alongside excerpts from Fiddler’s beloved score. Whiteley will also offer a fascinating glimpse into “the songs that got away”—selections originally written for the show that were cut prior to its Broadway opening.
A $2.50 per-ticket processing fee applies to all orders.
Previous opera raps 2025
Rigoletto: Banned at the Box Office
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Mercantile Library
441 Walnut Street • Cincinnati, OH 45202
Though Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto now occupies a secure position in the operatic canon, at its premiere, it was the subject of significant controversy and censorship. The source material for the libretto had already been banned in France: the drama Le roi s’amuse (The King Amuses Himself) by Victor Hugo. Determined to adapt the play into an opera, Verdi fought at every turn to preserve the power of the story and integrity of the source material, with varying degrees of success. Hosts Jane Hulburt, Director of Artistic Operations, and Audrey Chait, Artistic Programs & New Works Manager, will explore Rigoletto and Verdi’s other hotly contested operatic works alongside featured musical artists.
Opera Houses Lost and Found: A Season Preview
Rescheduled: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Wilks Studio • Music Hall
The works featured during Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival—Rigoletto, Tosca, and Fiddler on the Roof—received their world or US premieres in New York City opera houses and theaters. Join Evans Mirageas and guest artists to trace the histories of these productions tied to historic and now-mostly-vanished venues. With exclusive video and live performances, they’ll share the stories of how these works came to be in America.
Opera Raps to Go
Can’t join us in person? Enjoy Opera Raps to Go! These bite-sized, virtual reincarnations of our long-running Opera Raps lecture series were served up in 2019 and 2020. Click below and engage with the incredible variety of inspiration that powers our art form.
Liz Grubow, Cincinnati Opera Board Chair
Board Chair Liz Grubow's affiliation with Cincinnati Opera stretches back four decades, to a time when her design firm LPK began branding work for the Opera. In our newest Opera Raps to Go, hear Liz's powerful story and how opera kept her family's spirits alive during difficult times.
Bass Morris Robinson, Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor
Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson reflects on what opera means to him, and how, at the age of 30, he discovered that his bass voice is perfect for opera.
Harry Fath, Past Board President
In this episode, we speak with philanthropist and past Cincinnati Opera Board of Trustees president Harry Fath, whose story begins with a 50¢ standing-room-only ticket to Rigoletto.
Chris Milligan, General Director & CEO
Find out how Cincinnati Opera’s General Director and CEO Chris Milligan first fall in love with opera, and which opera breaks his heart every time.
Soprano Adrienne Danrich
In our first few episodes, we’ll connect with opera lovers, opera professionals, and opera artists to hear how they came to love the art form. First up: soprano Adrienne Danrich!