Decanonized

Is Peter Grimes the villain, or just his town’s biggest HR violation? Musicologist and Britten scholar Dr. Imani Mosley joins us to discuss the original problematic Grimes. And since Peter Grimes is the only Britten opera on this list, it’s a jam-packed episode as we navigate the seas of judgment in Suffolk, the work’s 1945 premiere, and the lasting influence of Britten on opera.Follow Imani on Instagram at @idm and on BlueSky at @imanimosley.bsky.social. Listen to her talk about how much Percy Grainger sucked (and heal your inner band kid who had to play “Country Gardens” at every grade-school spring concert) over at This Guy Sucked. Full show page, including a synopsis of Peter Grimes, recommended recordings, and further reading at decanonized.com.

Does Don Giovanni ever actually end? Or are we just living in a constant state of deferral with a final boss that will never be defeated? Critic Sylvia Korman joins us to delve into this question and more, including why this is your favorite philosopher's opera, whether Donna Anna is a Horse Girl, Leporello in the Manosphere, and recent productions of Don Giovanni at the Met and Berlin's Komische Oper. Additional topics include: tenors who @ Elon Musk, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Kierkegaard, and the Bardo.Full show page including a synopsis of Don Giovanni, playlist, and recommended reading. More show info at decanonized.com.Follow Sylvia on Twitter at @cowboyverismo. Follow their alter ego, People Mad at Opera, at @operacomments.Read Sylvia's opera reviews for Parterre Box.

Time, nostalgia, and very fancy lesbians? It must be Der Rosenkavalier. Writer, historian, and co-host of Bad Gays Ben Miller joins us for a discussion of Richard Strauss’s four-and-a-half hour work of where both nothing happens and everything happens. Topics include: whether Rosenkavalier is a comedy or tragedy, the Viennese aristocracy, opera queens and mezzosexuals, the “German she-devil” who sued the Met (and won), and one of opera’s most problematic characters.Show page (including a playlist, recommended reading, opera synopsis and more): https://www.decanonized.com/episodes/strauss-der-rosenkavalierMore info: https://www.decanonized.comFollow Decanonized on Instagram at @decanonizedFollow Ben at: https://benwritesthings.com, on Instagram at @benwritesthings and on Bluesky at benwritesthings.bsky.social