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UnMic'd Podcast

Everybody's Opera Fighting
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 - 2:00pm

Now you can listen to UnMic'd anywhere you enjoy Podcasts!

 

UnMic’d is a new show produced by Arizona Opera that explores the blurry edge that connects the world of opera to, well, just about everything else. Each episode, Arizona Opera President and General Director, Joseph Specter, will be joined by a recognized professional from the field of opera, together with an individual from another field who engages in similar work. A composer from opera and a composer of pop and musical theater. A stage combat instructor and an instructor of mixed martial arts. A costume designer and a couture fashion designer. The elements of opera are the elements of our everyday lives. Explore the blurry edge with us on UnMic’d.

        
 

 

Episode Information:

There are few experiences that capture the essence of human drama as powerfully as opera and prize fighting. Join host, Joe Specter, as he explores the connection between these two seemingly distant worlds on the next episode of UnMic’d.

Joe is joined by one of the most dominant trainers in MMA, Greg Jackson of Jackson Wink MMA, whose gym has prepared some of the world’s greatest professional MMA fighters, such as Jon Jones and Holly Holm; Joe Isenberg, an accomplished fight choreographer who has worked with opera companies including Washington National Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, and has won awards including the 2013 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and The Kennedy Center Kenan Fellowship; and George Birkadze, an internationally recognized dancer and choreographer with Boston Ballet who works around the globe, and who is also a martial arts expert with black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kyokushin-kai Karate, and Judo.

How do the worlds of opera, dance, and stage combat connect to the raw reality of the Octagon? How does preparing for the ring differ from preparing for the stage? You’ll also discover more about what we know everyone is wondering – if you had to have a street fight with a character from an opera or ballet, which character would you choose, and why? 

 

MEET THE GUESTS:


GREG
JACKSON

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JOE
ISENBER​​​​G

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GEORGE
BIRKADZE​​​​​

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Arizona Opera is deeply grateful to our 2020/21 Reimagined Season Lead Digital Sponsors, Ron and Kay McDougall
UnMic'd Is made possible, in part, by Manley Films
Lead Digital Sponsorship of the Connection Lab provided by Ron and Kay McDougall. Additional sponsorship is made possible, in part, by the Arizona Community Foundation and Manley Films.