Living with a Genius Interviews

Positivity guru, Shola Richards, is my guest this week! This guy's the real deal- we talk about very personal memories and events in our lives, and the catalysts for change. Shola's hot button is bullying, especially in the workplace )something adults don't talk about) and he's on a mission to educate, enlighten and sow the seeds of positivity, kindness, and empathy- this is a guy I can get behind, because these are the most important qualities within all of us, and sometimes, we need a little help remembering to get out of our own little worlds. AMIRIGHT? Pick up his book, "Making Work Work" on Amazon and get to know him- Hardcover for $8.44... WHAAAT?(there's a link on the LWAG website). He's definitely a fellow worth knowing! Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Hey y'all! It's our, "Three Tenors of the LAO Chorus" episode! Yup- Todd Strange and Arnold Geis are my guests this week, and I couldn't be happier. It was a VERY last minute proposition, but this episode is certainly in keeping with my need to mix things up. Totally improvised, off the cuff, and EXACTLY the conversation you'd get if you were a fly on the wall in the dressing room. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Marty Schaefer is my guest this week. Marty and I have known each other for twenty years now. I thought I needed a little break this week, so this chat is just a convo between buddies- nothing more. We're not experts in any of the topics we discuss and we don't talk about music. At all. Bathroom accidents, aliens, healthcare, Trump, and religion are all on the table, with this one- you get the idea. Maybe next time, we'll go in with more of an agenda, who knows. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Bass-baritone, Phil Cokorinos is my guest this week. Phil has sung with us at least a half-dozen times in my twelve years with LAO. Always the consummate professional and great colleague, Phil manages to turn in great performances, night after night. This is a particularly interesting chat for all of you aspiring opera singers out there, and for those of you who want to get a glimpse into the dedication that goes into it. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Superstar tenor, Vittorio Grigolo is my guest this week. I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to sit and chat with this powerhouse of a performer. He's frank, candid, and very sure of his place in this crazy business. We talk about passion, life on and off stage, the pressures of performing and the challenges of balancing the personal with the professional. I hope you enjoy our chat, and thanks for listening!

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Rising star, Nicholas Brownlee is my guest this week. He's a bass-baritone currently working in the Domingo-Colburn Young Artist Program at LAO. I've watched and heard him grow over the past few seasons, and man, you all better watch out for him! There are a lot of great insights for young singers, and a great come-up story for those of you who are interested in how a singer makes the rise. Nick is a genuine, friendly guy, a great colleague and one hell of a singer. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Producer, arranger, performer, Ted Perlman is my guest on this episode, and man is it a great one! Ted has worked with many of the greatest performers of all time, spanning four-plus decades. We talk about religion, forgiveness, fatherhood, and the meaning of life- and Burt Bacharach, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, and you know, other superstars, too. It was great getting to know Ted over the course of our conversation, and I know you'll find him just as fascinating as I did. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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Film and TV composer, Sharon Farber, is my guest this week. I've known Sharon for a number of years, and I'm always excited to bump into her around town. She's a brilliant composer of concert music (as well as the Hollywood stuff), and through her music, she is also an admirable advocate for issues near and dear to her, particularly gender equality in music and Holocaust remembrance, both of which we talk at great lengths about in this interview. Sharon has always fought the good fight, and I was really happy to spend some time catching up with her. Thanks for listening!

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Film and TV composer, Haim Mazar is my guest this week. I met Haim a few years ago on a crazy gun-for-hire musical theater project. Taking a variety of work is one of the topics we discuss, along with the process of composing, orchestrating and the pitfalls and challenges of the film and TV business. I think Haim is a great guy, and I know you'll think so, too. Thanks for Listening!

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This week, I got to sit and chat with another one of my dear friends, the indomitable Tali Tadmor. An extraordinary pianist and collaborator, Tali makes the rounds around town with the best singers and organizations- and when I say around town, I mean from LA Opera to Carnegie Hall. She's good. I hope you enjoy our conversation- thanks for listening!

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