LA Opera Extends Podcast Series Through Remainder of 2006/2007 Season

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Extending the reach of the oldest form of musical theater to the iPod generation, the LA Opera (http://www.laopera.com) has committed to producing an additional fourteen episodes of its “Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera” podcast series available at http://www.behindthecurtainpodcast.com.

“The Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera podcast is a great opportunity for us to leverage new media marketing to build anticipation for our operas with young audiences, technophiles and opera fans around the world”

Enthusiastic listeners to the first 4 episodes, which featured an inside look at LA Opera’s Manon, directed by Vincent Paterson, and starring Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón, outnumbered actual seats at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion by more than 5 to one in the first 4 weeks the shows were available online.

“The Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera podcast is a great opportunity for us to leverage new media marketing to build anticipation for our operas with young audiences, technophiles and opera fans around the world,” said Phil Koester, director of marketing, LA Opera. “We’re providing a rare and exciting look at how our productions come together, which whether you’re a lifelong patron or an aspiring aficionado, is a company first,” continued Koester.

Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera podcast, executive produced by Los Angeles-based iPressroom Corporation (http://www.ipressroom.com), a new media marketing technology and services provider, will feature episodes of podcasts for each of the LA Opera’s productions, including, Hansel and Gretel, The Coronation of Poppea, Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, Tannhäuser, The Merry Widow, Porgy and Bess, and Luisa Fernanda.

Recently released podcasts include Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera, Podcast #5 – Hansel and Gretel: New visions of a classic fairytale, which features director/designer Douglas Fitch sharing his vision behind the unconventional new setting of Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved masterpiece, and Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera, Podcast #6 – The Coronation of Poppea: Susan Graham’s Riveting LA Opera Debut, which reveals internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Susan Graham discussing her title role, the challenges and opportunities involved with making a company debut, and her devotion to early music.

Behind the Curtain at the LA Opera podcast is available at www.laopera.com and www.behindthecurtainpodcast.com. Listeners can download and play the podcast on demand on their computer, on their MP3 player, or subscribe to the RSS feed to receive new episodes automatically as soon as they are released.