Unequal Temperament Timothy Long

Episode 8: Tim Welcomes internationally acclaimed tenor, Russell Thomas (https://www.russellthomastenor.com/).
 
Tim drinks a Chimay and Russell a fancy lemonade.


Tim and Russell reminisce about their first meeting at The Aspen Music Festival, and how that summer was pivotal for Russell on his artistic path. Russell tells how he fell in love with Opera by flipping through radio stations.


They discuss Russell’s approach to technique, the importance of being able to ask questions during the learning process, and just how far he’s willing to go to work with the right teacher. They chat about what Russell thinks about while singing an aria and his complex internal balancing act. Russell also shares about his ‘big break’ and the long process of putting himself out there. Russell speaks about his time at the Metropolitan Opera and the disparity in how he was treated there. He speaks to the impact that James Levine, John Fisher, and Ken Noda had on his artistic development.


Russell talks about growing up in a primarily Cuban neighborhood in Miami, coming to understand his racial identity until he entered the classical music community and moved away/lived on his own, and repeatedly being pulled over by the police for driving in his own neighborhood. Russell shares a response to an early audition, and how this comment fueled Russell’s drive to succeed. They discuss whether things are changing for BIPOC people and the general futility of hosting panels as a supposed action, the importance of white people joining the conversation about race today, and how white outrage is not enough.


Russell talks about his new position at Los Angeles Opera as Artist in Residence. He reveals how he got the job and his vision for his work there. They talk about Russell’s hopes for someday running an opera company, how racial disparity in the operatic world affects the makeup of general directors at companies across the country, and how this appointment at impacts his trajectory. More information on the program Russell is developing as part his tenure there, the HBCU Opera Career Comprehensive, can be found on the Los Angeles Opera Website here: https://www.laopera.org/about-us/hbcu-opera-career-comprehensive/ (https://www.laopera.org/about-us/hbcu-opera-career-comprehensive/)


Tim shares more about the history and etymology of the Mvskoke and Seminole peoples in this episode during the land acknowledgement at the opening of the show. At the beginning of every episode, Tim and Russell perform a land acknowledgement, and Russell comments on how his ancestors were not brought to this land willingly as part of his acknowledgement. If you want to know more about land acknowledgments, and the original tenants and cultures of your current location, Tim suggests using the Native Land App

Episode 7: Tim welcomes scholar and author Steven Newcomb for a topical discussion on Steven’s work investigating the Doctrine of Discovery. Together, they dig into the doctrine’s colossal impact on history, including its emergence from the “Right of Discovery” and the Papal Bulls of 1493 and its traumatic and destructive effect on First Nation culture. They delve into the doctrine’s imprint on the American legal system, including references in an Supreme Court opinion by Ruth Badger-Ginsburg, as well as its extensive influence on American Politics, including recent comments by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Steven explains the progression of the papal bulls, outlining the language of domination which is explicitly used in each of them, stripping away the concept of ‘discovery’ to reveal a clear intent of domination. To this day this is still the basis of federal Indian law.

The clip from the documentary Steven co-produced, The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code, directed by Sheldon Wolfchild can be found here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/dominationcode (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/dominationcode)

Steven talks about the process going forward, the problems inherent to moving ahead when millions of people share an erroneous construct regarding the foundations of current law and practice. He invites us to continue this work by simply talking about the doctrine of discovery and its impact with each other, giving some hints for fostering deep friendly conversation, sharing more about his own ‘intellectual running partners’.

Steven reminds us that every part of our culture, language, and modern world have been impacted by this Doctrine of Domination. He invites us to watch his movie and even to host viewing parties. Here are some tools to help with creating those conversations:

The Indigenous Law Institute, founded by Steven with Birgil Kills Straight can be found here: http://ili.nativeweb.org/ (http://ili.nativeweb.org/)

Steven’s other site, which shows his work on the Doctrine of Discovery and the books he has published, is here: https://originalfreenations.com/ (https://originalfreenations.com/)

Steven’s published article from 1993 in the NYU Review of Law and Social Change: “The Evidence of Christian Nationalism in Federal Indian Law: The Doctrine of Discovery, Johnson v McIntosh, and Plenary Power” can be found here: https://socialchangenyu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Steven-Newcomb_RLSC_20.2.pdf (https://socialchangenyu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Steven-Newcomb_RLSC_20.2.pdf)

Tim’s basic overview of the Doctrine of Discovery from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_doctrine

Stephen mentions this article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/27/only-racist-ignorance-lets-rick-santorum-think-america-was-birthed-from-nothing (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/27/only-racist-ignorance-lets-rick-santorum-think-america-was-birthed-from-nothing)

 
Episode 6 Tim Welcomes Conductor Kelly Kuo

Episode 5: Tim welcomes world-renowned Tenor and National Treasure Vinson Cole for an unforgettable conversation.
They discuss meeting and collaborating at Aspen, how they each came to careers in opera (Vinson began singing at 9!), and what it's like being a successful boy soprano.
Vinson tells us all about auditioning for (and winning) the Metropolitan Opera National Council, and how he met Herbert von Karajan with a premiere at the Salzburg Festival.
They discuss Vinson's experience of identity during the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination riots, his experience of explicit racism, and the vital importance of parental guidance and support in the face of inequity. In answering questions from the audience, Vinson dishes on his favorite places to sing, the difference between a good colleague and a great colleague, and his time working with Sir Georg Solti.Link to Di rigori armato il seno, The Italian Tenor's Aria from Der Rosenkavalier, featuring Vinson Cole and Herbert von Karajan at the 1984 Salzburg Festival:www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpuk2cKECw8
You can find Tim's Website here: timothylongmusic.com (http://timothylongmusic.com/)
Special Thanks to Martha Redbone for her permission to use her song "Medicine Man" for the opening credits.
More of her work can be found here (https://martharedbone.com/) and you can subscribe to her Youtube channel here. (http://www.youtube.com/user/MarthaRedbone)
More information on Foundry Arts, the producer of Unequal Temperament, is available at www.thefoundryarts.com (http://www.thefoundryarts.com/)
Foundry Arts is a lab for opera using collaboration and partnership to invest in artist development, dialogue, and expression, to sustain a rich, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable cultural landscape.

Tim Long chats with Lebanese-American Tenor, Karim Sulayman and catches up on their lives and work since they first met in the baby years of their careers. They share a drink (A nice white wine for Tim and The Bee’s Knees for Karim) and celebrate the success of Karim’s two vocal albums: the Grammy-winning ‘Songs of Orpheus’ and his recent release ‘Where Only Stars Can Hear Us’. They discuss what it takes to self-produce a album, what it takes to win a Grammy and what the after party is like. They share about the importance of nurturing one's passion, the power of inner resilience in artistic development, and how failure can help one to become a more confident creator. Karim dishes about his impressive career as a boy alto in the Midwest and his work with Georg Solti, among many others, which leads to comparing experiences of Kathleen Battle. We take a deeper look at Karim’s activism in the 21st century, and in particular “I Trust You” youtu.be/lCy8Cfvoe6g (youtu.be/lCy8Cfvoe6g)
Karim shares what it was like to stand blindfolded in front of Trump tower, and what it’s like to be on the No Fly List just because of his name. Karim gives some advice on following one’s own intuition as an artist and using the butterfly effect as a lens to value the contributions we as artists make to our shared world.
More information about Karim Sulayman can be found at his website, www.karimsulayman.com/ (http://www.karimsulayman.com/)
You can find Tim's Website here: timothylongmusic.com (http://timothylongmusic.com/)
Special Thanks to Martha Redbone for her permission to use her song "Medicine Man" for the opening credits.
More of her work can be found here (https://martharedbone.com/) and you can subscribe to her Youtube channel here. (http://www.youtube.com/user/MarthaRedbone)
More information on Foundry Arts, the producer of Unequal Temperament, is available at www.thefoundryarts.com (www.thefoundryarts.com)
Foundry Arts is a lab for opera using collaboration and partnership to invest in artist development, dialogue, and expression, to sustain a rich, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable cultural landscape.

Episode 3: Miah Im, conductor, pianist, and Director of Opera at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and Music Director of Houston Grand Opera Studio joins Tim for a pre-holiday Gin Martini, and a discussion about Miah’s work at Rice and at the L. A. Opera prompting on Ghosts of Versailles with Patti Lupone.  Miah’s upbringing in Canada, and her father’s defection from North Korea, and his poetry made into a piece premiered by the L.A. Master Chorale. Also, Miah shares her views on casting in opera. Join these two old friends…long time friends?...as they catch up before the holidays.
Links:
Here is more information on the Shepherd School of Music’s Opera program (https://music.rice.edu/departments-and-ensembles/opera), and Der Kaiser von Atlantis (https://youtu.be/IEapgzDdr0) the program’s digital production from the Fall of 2020 which Miah shared at the end of the episode.
The L. A. Master Chorale performance of Mungunghwa: Rose of Sharon by Mark Grey- a choral piece based on the poetry Miah’s father wrote.
Keep an eye out at Foundry Arts (https://thefoundryarts.com/experience/unequal-temperament/ ) for a blogpost from Miah with more about her father’s poetry.
L.A.Opera’s Production of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles can be found here ( https://youtu.be/U3_VsZuzPds).  Please note both Ms. Lupone and Miah’s prompt box hood.
You can find Tim's Website here: timothylongmusic.com (http://timothylongmusic.com/)
Special Thanks to Martha Redbone for her permission to use her song "Medicine Man" for the opening credits.Martha’s work can be found here (https://martharedbone.com/). and you can subscribe to her Youtube channel here (www.youtube.com/user/MarthaRedbone).

More information on Foundry Arts, the producer of Unequal Temperament, is available at www.thefoundryarts.com
Foundry Arts is a lab for opera using collaboration and partnership to invest in artist development, dialogue, and expression, to sustain a rich, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable cultural landscape.