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Tenor Nicky Spence explores the deep and often-overlooked connections between classical music and the world of musical theatre.

Tenor Nicky Spence explores the deep and often-overlooked connections between classical music and the world of musical theatre.

In Episode 3, Nicky considers the influence of classical music on musical theatre from the 1980s to the present day, delving into the operatic roots of ‘sung-through’ musicals such as Les Miserables and Hadestown, as well as exploring musicals based on the lives of classical composers.

Nicky talks to the star soprano Renée Fleming, who has performed both operatic and musical theatre roles, about the joys and challenges of working across the two disciplines.

Nicky and his husband, the pianist Dylan Perez, also perform musical excerpts from Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin and Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years, drawing out hidden connections.

Produced by Rachel Gill for BBC Audio.

25 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Sunday15:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Cole Porter

    Another Op'nin', Another Show (Kiss Me Kate)

    Ensemble: 2000 New Broadway Cast.
    • DRG.

  • Andrew Lloyd Webber

    The Phantom of the Opera: Act 2 Entr'acte (Original London Cast Recording)

    Orchestra: Phantom Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Reed.
    • Polydor.

  • Jean‐Philippe Rameau

    Gavotte et six doubles RCT 5/7: Gavotte (excerpt)

    Performer: Bruce Liu.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Claude‐Michel Schönberg

    Castle on a Cloud (Les Misérables)

    Composer: Alain Boublil. Singer: Zoe Hart. Orchestra: The Les Miserables Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Koch.
    • First Night Records.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Humming Chorus (Madam Butterfly)

    Choir: Chorus of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Claude‐Michel Schönberg

    Bring Him Home (Les Misérables)

    Composer: Alain Boublil. Singer: Colm Wilkinson. Orchestra: The Les Miserables Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Koch.
    • First Night Records.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Sì, mi chiamano Mimì' (La bohème)

    Singer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. Conductor: Marco Armiliato.
    • Decca.

  • Adam Guettel

    Fable (The Light in the Piazza)

    Performer: Joseph Thalken. Singer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Rob Fisher.
    • Decca.

  • Traditional English

    Over the hills and far away (The Beggar's Opera)

    Lyricist: John Gay. Music Arranger: Johann Christoph Pepusch. Singer: Paul Elliott. Singer: Patrizia Kwella. Ensemble: The Broadside Band. Director: Jeremy Barlow.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Anaïs Mitchell

    Way Down Hadestown (Hadestown)

    Ensemble: Hadestown Original Broadway Company. Director: Liam Robinson.
    • Sing It Again Records.

  • Franz Schubert

    Die liebe Farbe (Die schöne Müllerin)

    Composer: Wilhelm Müller. Performer: Dylan Perez. Singer: Nicky Spence.

  • Jason Robert Brown

    Still Hurting (The Last Five Years)

    Performer: Dylan Perez. Singer: Nicky Spence.

  • Dave Malloy

    Not Alone (adapted from Moment Musical in D flat major, Op 16, No 5)

    Composer: Sergey Rachmaninov. Singer: Gabriel Ebert. Singer: Nikki M. James. Director: Or Matias.
    • Ghostlight Records.

  • Jeanine Tesori

    Lay Down Your Head (Violet)

    Composer: Brian Crawley. Singer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Rob Fisher.
    • Decca.

  • Stephen Schwartz

    Overture (Schikaneder)

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the United Stages of Vienna. Conductor: Koen Schoots.
    • HitSquad Records.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen (Die Zauberflöte)

    Composer: Emanuel Schikaneder. Singer: Hanno Müller‐Brachmann. Orchestra: Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Stephen Sondheim

    Broadway Baby (Follies)

    Performer: Dylan Perez. Singer: Nicky Spence.

Broadcast

  • Sunday15:00
    BBC Radio 3

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Podcast

  • Music Matters

    The stories that matter, the people that matter, the music that matters