Puccini for the People

Soundcheck | May 3, 2010
Airs weekdays at 2PM on 93.9 FM
Director Baz Luhrmann's love of spectacle has always permeated his work, from his hilarious ugly-duckling tale Strictly Ballroom, to his stylish cinematic update of Romeo and Juliet, to his splashy new Broadway production of La Boheme. WNYC’s Judith Kampfner offers a sneak preview of a documentary about the newest stage version of Puccini's opera. Plus, the masterful rabob player Quraishi stops by to discuss preserving and interpreting the music of Afghanistan, and WNYC’s David Garland reviews the soundtracks of two new films, Adaptation and Solaris.
Along with conductor and Metropolitan Greek Chorale leader Constantine Kitsopoulos, Baz Luhrmann culled the world’s best “triple threats” (age-appropriate performers with the acting and vocal chops demanded by a Puccini opera) to bring La Boheme to Broadway.
More about Baz Luhrmann

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