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.
There are no upcoming broadcasts at the moment.
Introducing Jesse Blumberg
February 25, 2023
An interview with the stylish baritone in advance of his recital with Martin Katz next month.
On Leontyne Price with Kenneth Overton
February 18, 2023
A playlist curated by baritone and advocate Kenneth Overton to celebrate a living legend.
William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA
February 11, 2023
An intimate one act opera blending elements of blues, Romanticism, and musical theater by the 'Dean of African-American Composers."
The American Bass-Baritone
February 4, 2023
A playlist spotlighting great African-American artists curated by bass-baritone Nicholas Newton.
An Interview with Juan Diego Flórez
January 28, 2023
The Peruvian tenor previews his upcoming Chicago recital for Symphony Center Presents.
Klaus Mäkelä conducts Mozart’s “Great” Mass in C Minor
January 21, 2023
The imaginative conductor, still in his twenties, leads the Oslo Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra in an unfinished masterpiece by Mozart.
Dame Jane Glover on Albert Herring
January 14, 2023
The English conductor returns to Chicago Opera Theater to lead Britten's comic masterpiece later this month.
Artists to Watch in 2023
January 7, 2023
Highly anticipated performances that can be heard by Chicago audiences in-person or on WFMT.
2022 In Memoriam
December 31, 2022
A tribute to artists we lost in 2022, including John Aler, Maria Ewing, Ned Rorem, and Antonietta Stella.
When Opera Singers Sing Christmas
December 24, 2022
Favorite interpretations of carols — sometimes camp, sometimes sublime.
Karl Jenkins’s Stella Natalis
December 17, 2022
Meaning ‘star of birth,’ Jenkins's 2009 Stella Natalis conveys the Christmas message of peace, goodwill, compassion and a new beginning.
Samuel Hasselhorn on the songs of Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert
December 10, 2022
The German baritone discusses his two new lieder recordings with pianist Joseph Middleton.
Introducing soprano Sonya Headlam
December 3, 2022
An interview with the rising star soprano and a preview of her upcoming Chicago-area performance with Apollo's Fire.
Chanticleer: An Orchestra of Voices
November 26, 2022
A brief history of the iconic ensemble and a preview of next month's A Chanticleer Christmas.
On Singing Bach with Countertenor Reginald Mobley
November 19, 2022
One of the foremost interpreters of J.S. Bach, shares his approach to singing what is considered to be the most technically and intellectually challenging music in the vocal repertoire.
A Preview of Chicago Opera Theater’s King Roger
November 12, 2022
COT Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya joins Oliver to preview Karol Szymanowski's benchmark opera receiving it's Chicago premiere this month.
Lawrence Brownlee – Bel Canto Royalty
November 5, 2022
The leading American bel canto specialist on singing Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, and welcoming new audiences with his Lawrence Brownlee & Friends concerts.
No Listening to Singers | Fall Membership Drive
October 29, 2022
Donate to Classical WFMT so we can keep bringing you Listening to Singers and other great programming. Call (773) 279-2100 or visit wfmt.com/donate.
Kathryn Lewek, a Coloratura Queen
October 22, 2022
The American soprano, starring in Lyric Opera of Chicago's upcoming Le Comte Ory, joins Oliver to discuss her new album of Handel cantatas.
On the Monteverdi Vespers with Jacob Perry
October 15, 2022
Jacob Perry, acclaimed for his interpretations of Baroque and Renaissance repertoire, previews his upcoming performance of Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers with Apollo's Fire.
