Xm Divas

The diva and the divo are back in the booth, this time with a different point of view! We’re lucky to have the fabulous stage director Eve Summer. We discuss everything from new staging ideas post pandemic and fresh re-tellings of age old stories while simultaneously building audience. We’ve enjoyed lots of interviews with lots of singers but this point of view is, indeed, entirely different!

Social Media!! It is legitimately everywhere. The diva and the divo sit down with Aaron Dodge, the social media master, to talk about harnessing the power that can be social media. With endless possibilities for an artist set on self promotion Aaron leads us through the technology jungles giving us invaluable insights and tips for all these platforms but especially the newer to the scene Tik Tok. With the singer, actor, dancer, director directly linked to their daily promotion you can’t miss the diva/o conversation with Aaron Dodge. 

BROADWAY IS BACK BABY!! The diva and divo can barely contain their excitement. Theaters are opening back up in the big apple and friends are getting back to work. Megan and Johnathan chat with the incomparable Raquel Suarez Groen of Broadway fame. Raquel chats with the diva/o about what she has been doing during her time off and after doing hundreds of performances as Carlotta in Phantom how excited she is to get back to it!

The diva and divo are back together again! Today, as we continue moving forward into a more positive space as companies and colleagues continue to announce live performances in a world post-pandemic, the diva puts on her marketing hat! We discuss the exciting space of “Opera-tunities”. Is opera bingeworthy? Is there a continued need for the virtual space as we head back to the stage? What about the chance to build a base with a different sort of opera-goer? The marketing mezzo talks big picture ideas about the exciting ways opera can branch out as we finally start to put this nightmare of a year in the rear-view.

TOGETHER AGAIN!! After a couple of months of interview episodes with some absolutely incredible guests the diva, Megan Miller, and the divo, Johnathan White are back together again! It’s just he and she along with a little bit of hope! With many us getting vaccinated the industry is starting to...dare we say it... make plans for the future! With that in mind Megan and Johnathan talk about everything auditions...from college to general to summer programs. Come spend some time with the diva and divo as they reminisce about their own experiences and talk about the future of how the audition process may look like in the industry. 

We are so excited to extend a warm welcome to two incredibly talented women, Kathryn Lewek and Janai Brugger! You may have seen Lewek on the stage in more complex roles as her voice fares well as The Queen of the Night in Mozart’s famed “Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)” or even Ginevra in “Ariodante”. Brugger has not only had several impressive roles (such as Pamina in “The Magic Flute), but she’s also a vocal coach on the Resonance app and has had her voice featured on one of the episodes of “Lovecraft Country”. Both have had a huge impact on the opera community and we can’t wait to shed a little light on their genius. 

Our final guest of the Black History Month series is one you won’t want to miss! Known for her astounding voice, masterful performances, and passion for opera, Denyce Graves is an absolute opera star. Not only that, but she’s using her new foundation (The Denyce Graves Foundation) to advocate for the revival of The National Opera House which was originally The National Negro Opera House. This commitment to the arts and passion for diversity is what makes us proud to have her on the show!

This week’s guest for our fourth Black History Month episode is one of incredible caliber! Join us as Kenny Overton introduces the wildly talented Mark Rucker. His voice has been heard all over the world, leaving critics in awe of his ability to bring characters to life. 

We are delighted to welcome our guest Babatunde Akinboboye, founder of HipHopera, to our third episode for Black History Month. Akinboboye, known for his revolutionary mixture of hip hop and opera, will be joined by our favorite co-host Kenny Overton.

For our second weekly installment celebrating Black History Month, the diva and divo are excited to have our very special co-host, Kenny Overton from the “Black Opera” live broadcast! In addition, we are also honored to invite the talented Othalie Graham, whose performances have captivated countless audiences. The Charlotte audiences will remember her brilliant portrayal of Lady Macbeth in 2019 which she had added to her already vast repertoire. Conversations continue about us moving forward as better artists and better people post-pandemic.

The diva and divo bring in February with a bang. Fresh off a spread in Opera News and a Grammy Nomination Kenny Overton from Black Opera joins the duo for an honest and open conversation. More exciting than that Kenny has agreed to join the show for the entire month! With so much content and so many exciting headline guests expect an episode EVERY WEEK while we celebrate Black History Month.

Megan & Johnathan hosted Opera Carolina's pre-show dialogue with the with composer Douglas Tappin and the incredible cast of "I Dream." We are excited for you to listen to this incredible dialogue with the entire cast on the production of I Dream and the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #opera #operacarolina #idream #ocidream

Megan Miller is joined once again with guest host Johnathan White to continue their conversation on Pandemic Productions. The diva and divo are once again joined by two guest callers, this time by performers from two different productions. Fan favorite of XM divas Reginald Smith Jr discusses his Atlanta Pagliacci and newcomer Veronique Filloux discusses her Cosi in Pittsburgh. Both callers have ideas for measures we can take so that our art form can grow even during these difficult times. 

In these difficult time...erm...during this unprecedented...well we’ve all grown tired of sentences that start with those words...the diva and divo get together to hash out what has surely been a trying year for all of us. What’s the future of our industry? How do we fix it? Who knows...but whatever it is we will get through it together. Cheers to a better year...bring on 2021

The diva, Megan Miller, is joined by the divo, Johnathan White to discuss this most wonderful time of year. However, for performers of all types, there are certainly stories of Ho-Ho-Horrendous parties and events that center around this magical time of year. They reminisce about some of these ridiculous stories while being joined by a guest caller to share some other outlandish tales. Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus all performers can relate to some of these merry mishaps.

After a bit of a hiatus an XM Diva is back in the booth joined by a guest host, Johnathan White, to talk about productions during the Pandemic. Fresh off a production himself, the divo joins the diva with some guest callers, Chrissy Amon and Michael Colman, to talk about their recent performances of Cosi fan tutte with Opera Grand Rapids and how opera in general can move forward during this crazy time. 

Allergies can be difficult to deal with as a singer-- or in our normal lives for that matter. XMDivas is here to help! We sat down with Dr. Klotz and got the skinny on treatment options with singers in mind. This episode is in partnership with Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A. (CEENTA) and Opera Carolina. For more info about CEENTA Visit https://www.ceenta.com For more info about Opera Carolina Visit https://operacarolina.org/  

On this episode we have the extreme honor of talking with the Current Miss America and composer Nia Franklin. We loved talking to Nia about music education, just one of the things she's passionate about! In case you didn’t know Nia has been a teacher and music mentor, and has written over 100 songs, including one she began performing at age five. For the Miss America 2019 competition, Franklin sang “Quando m’en Vo'” from Puccini’s La Boheme and wowed audiences and judges alike. So put on your pageant best and download our latest episode!  

The divas get to chat with Babatune Akinboboye, nigerian American Baritone, youtube sensation and founder of Hiphopera. For more info about Babatunde and Hiphopera visit https://hiphoperaworld.com/

The Divas dive into modern operas with relevant topics for today. Highlighting public figures such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Martin Luther King, Jr., and more. Not to mention, you’ll get their unfiltered review of Kayne West’s opera Nebuchadnezzar.