Phillip Gainsley's Podcast

Stephanie Childress is principal guest conductor of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and she is a rising star on both sides of the Atlantic, equally at home in opera and in concerts.Born in London to a non-musical family, as a teenager she would often skip classes and spend her afternoons watching stage and orchestra rehearsals at the English National Opera, eventually dropping out of school to pursue musicology at the University of Cambridge, aged 16. Stephanie has received much critical acclaim over her interpretations of Mozart’s operas, and she will make her Paris Opera debut in Spring of 2027 with Don Giovanni.She is passionate about cross-disciplinary projects, whether they involve cinema, theatre, dance, or a DJ set. Reimagining the concert experience lies at the heart of her artistic mission, and in June 2026 she collaborated with director Tom Morris on an exploration of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 at St John’s Smith Square in London.In 2020, she gained international recognition following her second-prize win at the conducting competition ‘LaMaestra’. She previously undertook a residency at the Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, a division of the French Embassy in the United States. 

     James Robinson is a stage director and arts administrator who has worked at opera houses throughout the world.  His double-calling is unique.     He currently is Seattle Opera’s fifth general and artistic director.  As I record this, we regret the recent passing of SpeightJenkins, a predecessor of James Robinson at Seattle Opera between 1983 and 2014.      James Robinson had been the artistic director at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for 16 years, where he directed numerous world premieres. He also mounted innovative revivals of operas by John Adams, Ricky Ian Gordon and Philip Glass.      James Robinson has directed three productions for the Metropolitan Opera: George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the company’s first opera by an African American composer.  He’s due back at the Met next March with Kevin Putz’s and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night.  James Robinson has directed numerous productions for Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, and the Santa Fe Opera.

Daniel Okrent is the author of seven books, most recently, “Stephen Sondheim Art Isn’t Easy,” of which The Guardian said: “The entire book is sheer delight and Okrent, formerly an editor at The New York Times and a baseball fanatic who effectively invented the modern fantasy baseball league, does a terrific job of telling Sondheim’s life story alongside shrewd analysis of his body of work.”Other reviews have been just as positive, and why not?  It’s the most comprehensive story yet of Stephen Sondheim the man and Stephen Sondheim the composer.  It’s a real pleasure to have him with me on this episode.  

Steven C. Smith is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer, author, and speaker who specializes in Hollywood history and profiles of contemporary filmmakers.A four-time Emmy nominee and 16-time Telly Award winner, Steven has produced and written over 200 documentaries. They include The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg; The Lure of the Desert: Martin Scorsese on Lawrence of Arabia; A Place for Us: West Side Story’s Legacy; and Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood.He is the author of three acclaimed books: A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann; Music by Max Steiner: The Epic Life of Hollywood’s Most Influential Composer; and, just recently, Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship & Film Scores That Changed Cinema.  It's a real treat to welcome Steven back to my podcast!

     For over 45 years, Sir Donald Runnicles has built his reputation with several of the most significant opera companies and orchestras, and he is especially celebrated for his interpretations of Romantic and post-Romantic symphonic and opera repertoire which are core to his musical identity.      He has held chief artistic leadership positions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (since 2009), Grand Teton Music Festival (since 2005), San Francisco Opera (1992-2008), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (2009-2016), and Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2001-2007).       Sir Donald was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for more than two decades (2001-2023), and he is the first ever Principal Guest Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (since 2019).       In February 2024, Runnicles was appointed as Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, beginning in the 25/26 season.      Sir Donald spends his summers at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. This eight-week festival of symphonic and chamber music, five of which are conducted by him as music director, takes place amid the breathtaking beauty of Grand Teton National Park.  Come join our conversation about this hallowed festival.