The opera La Rondine by Giacomo Puccini is a story of a Parisian courtesan named Magda who longs for a life of freedom and true love. Magda becomes La Rondine, or The Swallow, as she is forced to decide whether she will fly away with her lover Ruggero, or migrate back to the safety of her nest in Paris.In this episode, first we’ll hear from master’s musicology student Kristin Rasmussen who wrote the program notes and will be giving pre-opera lectures for IU’s production in the coming weeks.Then we’ll hear from the stage director Crystal Manich, as she talks about her approach to directing for stage and her relationship to other Puccini operas.Finally, I got the chance to talk to the two women sharing the leading role of Magda. This isn’t the first time that these two have shared a role --- Tiffany Choe, who you’ll hear from first, and Rebecca Achtenberg, who you’ll hear from second, both starred as Mimi in IU’s 2021 production of La bohème.

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