What's On Your iPod? BWW Classical Talks to Conductor Gil Rose

TELL US WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD!

GIL ROSE, Artistic & General Director of Odyssey Opera, Founder & Artistic Director of Boston Modern Orchestra Project.

Gil Rose is one of America's most exciting and versatile conductors. He is the founder of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), the foremost professional orchestra dedicated exclusively to performing and recording symphonic music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

And now Maestro Rose is about to embark on a new journey: the launch of a brand new opera company in Boston called: Odyssey Opera. For their maiden voyage they have chosen a daunting work, Wagner's "Rienzi." Broadway World Classical recently sat down for a conversation with him to discuss his new venture, and we asked him to share with our readers "What's on your iPod?" The maestro was a delight and his choices were fascinating.

"You might be surprised to hear that I don't listen to a lot of opera during my down time. I'm around opera all day, every day and when I get a chance to unwind I prefer to listen to other kinds of music.

Generally speaking, I'm more of a fan of song stylists, than artists with merely beautiful pure voices, one's that have a real style. Of course, I enjoy Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, they both have a way with a song, but I really prefer, stylists that make a song their own. I listen to a lot of Nat King Cole and Keeley Smith, singers with a really unique style and a phrasing all their own. I also listen to Peggy Lee, she's kind of the ultimate interpreter. I know it sounds like I only listen to jazz singers, but that's not the case! It's just that they tend to have a very expressive style, and as I said, I'm partial to song stylists.

Another singer I really love is Johnny Hartman. After I have a cocktail and start to unwind from my day, Johnny Hartman is almost always on my playlist.

I'm also listening to quite a few young and upcoming composers. One in particular is Andrew Norman. He is a young composer from California, who was recently the composer in residence at BMOP. He is certain to be one of the next really big names in orchestral music. We recently premiered an incredible new work of his called, "Play." And BMOP will be recording the piece very soon as well.

Another composer I'm partial to is Lisa Bielawa. She's another former composer in residence at BMOP. In addition to being a wonderful composer, she is a very talented singer. In fact she was one of the vocalists for the Phillip Glass ensemble.

That's what I'm listening to currently, until next week when it's back to "Rienzi" full time!"

Broadway World Classical thanks Maestro Rose for sharing his currently play list with us and wish him the best of luck with his new company.

Odyssey Opera's performs Wagner's "Rienzi"

Sunday, September 15 | 3:00pm

Jordan Hall | 30 Gainsborough St.

Acts I-II - 3:00-5:30 [2-hour dinner break] Acts III-V - 7:30-10:00

Tickets available at: http://www.odysseyopera.org

Or at the Jordan Hall box office

Phone 617-585-1260