Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses the stagecraft and tradition of opera from the point of view of the production designer. He shares his thoughts on opera as a tradition, on staging classic operas in modern settings, teaching singers to be actors, breaking into the opera world, and more.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses his training in the Strasbourg method of acting, and how he goes about turning excellent singers into excellent singing actors.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, shares his experiences staging opera productions that are rooted in both modern times and in the era in which they were written.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses his education, training and early career in opera directing and production.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, walks us through the creative side of producing and staging an opera, and points out some key factors that shape any production.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses some opera directors he particularly admires, and why he likes their work.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses how he envisions his duty as an heir of a centuries-old art form and where he feels the interesting trends are in staging opera.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses the sources of his creative energy and the forces that shape his stage productions, from factors in the world around him to mentors who were instrumental in his education.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses the worldwide appeal of opera and why it's best in the original language.

Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director and Associate Professor of Music at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses how he came into the world of opera, and offers advice on how others can start introducing themselves to the art form, whether for fun or a career, and what the odds are of making money doing it.