Listening to Singers with Oliver Camacho

Saturdays at 4:00 pm

Discover or rediscover your love for the art of singing: an hour for newcomers and connoisseurs alike

Have you ever wondered why people become obsessed with opera? Do you know the difference between an art song and an aria? Is there a singer whose voice goes right to your heart, but you can’t put your finger on why? Each week, Oliver Camacho shares his passion for vocal performance across many genres with highly personal analysis and anecdotes. Learn about the technical aspects of singing, the qualities that make certain artists beloved, opera highlights to help you prepare for upcoming Chicago-area performances, and more.

Upcoming Episodes
Latest Episodes

Juan Duego Florez in black sportscoat and white shirt, urban background out of focus.

An Interview with Juan Diego Flórez

June 20, 2026, 4:00 pm

The Peruvian tenor previews his upcoming Chicago recital for Symphony Center Presents.

James Conlon wearing a dark suit, white shirt, light grey tie, posing in the orchestra pit of LA Opera's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

An Interview with James Conlon

June 27, 2026, 4:00 pm

The former Ravinia music director joins WFMT to share stories from his career in advance of his return to Ravinia next month.

Jory Vinikour poses with a harpsichord

On French Baroque Opera with Jory Vinikour

June 13, 2026

The renowned harpsichordist and conductor leads Haymarket Opera Company's upcoming produciton of David et Jonathas by Marc-Antoine Charpentier.

Jonathan Burton as Canio in "Pagliacci" in and all-white three piece suit and fedora; chorus in background.

Opera Festival of Chicago’s 2026 Season

June 6, 2026

A preview the festival's upcoming productions of La bohème and Adriana Lecouvreur with music director Emanuele Andrizzi.

Portrait of Robert K. Meya in a grey suit, posing in the open air Crosby Theatre on a sunny day.

The Santa Fe Opera with Robert K. Meya

May 30, 2026

A preview of the 2026 festival season with the company's general director.

Portrait of Patricia Racette in a black blouse with elbow-lenght sleeves, looking directly into camera, hands folded in front of her; dark blue-green backdrop creating strong contrast .

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis with Patricia Racette

May 23, 2026

Artistic director and stage director Patricia Racette joins WFMT to preview the company's 2026 spring festival season.

Performance image of Bruce Tammen conducting, perspective from within the choir.

A Celebration of Chicago Chorale’s Bruce Tammen

May 16, 2026

An interview with the founder of Chicago Chorale as he prepares to conduct his final concert as the ensemble's artistic director.

Black and white image of Geraldine Farrar, kneeling child on knee, facing slightly left, in Madame Butterfly.

(The Good) Mothers in Opera

May 10, 2026

This program does NOT include Azucena, Medea, or the Queen of the Night.

Performance image of "The Cunning Little Vixen" in the Pote Theatre at the Blank Performing Arts Center at Simpson College: Capacity audience watching well-lit set in colorful, rustic costumes; digital projections of a forest setting.

Des Moines Metro Opera’s 2026 Season

May 2, 2026

David Neely, DMMO's principal conductor and music director, joins WFMT to preview this summer's festival season.

José van Dam portrait in wool grey shirt; blue backdrop; probably photographed in 70s or 80s as he still has natural hair color.

A Tribute to José van Dam

April 25, 2026

WFMT honors the late Belgian bass-baritone in a program co-hosted by Ryan Opera Center bass-baritone Benjamin R. Sokol.

Christopher Tin in blue sit, white shirt open at collar, standing against window of a boutique creating mirror image to his left; mannequins visible behind reflection. Natural lighting.

Christopher Tin’s Epic Vocal Music

April 18, 2026

An interview with the Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor.

Portrait of Rosa Feola taken overhead; Feola is leaning back in a neutral colored armchair wearing a black dress; he hair and dress creating a strong contrast with the chair; and hardwood floor which serves as the background.

An interview with Rosa Feola

April 11, 2026

The Italian soprano shares her approach to singing bel canto and newly discovered songs by Gaetano Donizetti.

Portrait of Randall Scotting in a navy blue three-piece suit, matching blue shirt, no tie; leaning on a mantle, complicaated moulding and wall also in blue.

Randall Scotting on Nicolini, a superstar of Baroque opera

April 4, 2026

The countertenor and musicologist shares a portrait of the celebrated castrato Nicolò Grimaldi.

Painting of Pauline Viardot looking over her bare left shoulder.

Pauline Viardot — Diva, Muse, and Composer

March 28, 2026

A program on one of the most fascinating figures of the 19th century.

Lise Davidsen in green brocade as Isolde and Michael Spyres in blue brocade as Tristan in the Metropolitan Opera's new production of "Tristan und Isolde." The production seems to have a minimalist set with bold ligthing design.

No Listening to Singers | Preempted by Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde

March 21, 2026

Due to the length of the live broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera, there will be no Listening to Singers this week.

Portrait of Karina Gauvin in dressing room surrounded by mirrors with make-up lights.

Karina Gauvin, Canadian primadonna

March 14, 2026

An interview with the distinguished soprano who makes her debut with Haymarket Opera later this month.

Performance image of conductor Richard Webster in black tuxedo, white bow tie; looking over his left hand, gesturing with both hands, dark background out of focus.

Great Vocal Works of Bach with Richard Webster

March 7, 2026

A conversation with the music director of Bach in the City, Chicago's newest early music organization.

Leontyne Price as Leonora in Verdi's 'Il trovatore'

On Leontyne Price with Kenneth Overton

February 28, 2026

A playlist curated by baritone and advocate Kenneth Overton to celebrate a living legend.

Muted portrait of Hugh Cutting in a black mock turtle neck, staring into the middle distance; green background.

Introducing countertenor Hugh Cutting

February 21, 2026

An interview with the winner of the Rising Star Award at the 2025 International Opera Awards and a WFMT "Artist to Watch" in 2026.

An interview with Denyce Graves

February 14, 2026

The legendary American mezzo-soprano looks back on her celebrated opera roles and ahead to the next stage of her career.

Black and white portrait of Zacahary Wilder in 50's style attire, white shirt, neck-tie, suspenders, leaning over an old-fashioned radio microphone.

Zachary Wilder’s Brooklyn Suite

February 7, 2026

An interview with the American tenor whose new album weaves together Yiddish song, Romantic lied, opera arias, jazz, and musical theater.

Schubert’s Mayrhofer- and Goethe-Lieder

January 31, 2026

A program of song to mark the composer's birthday.

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Meet the Host

Oliver Camacho joined the announcer team in February of 2019. He is the co-host and creative consultant of Opera Box Score and co-host of OperaNow! Podcast. A proud graduate of Chicago’s Lane Technical High School, where he was mentored by George Rico, Oliver went on to study music at Northwestern University, and historically informed performance practice at the Amherst Early Music Festival and Early Music Vancouver. His musical passions are opera, art song, choral music, Early Music, and discovering new composers as well as those who have been previously marginalized or disenfranchised. In January of 2021, Oliver began hosting Listening to Singers, and in October of the same year, he was named WFMT’s Music Director.