Tuesday, April 11, 2017
What is North Carolina’s new attorney general doing to fight the growing problem of opioid addiction? Mike Collins talks with Josh Stein, and then a world-renowned tenor tells us about working with young singers and about Opera Carolina’s "The Girl of the West."
PART ONE
Josh Stein, North Carolina's new attorney, has made opioid abuse an early top priority. Like the rest of the country, North Carolina is seeing an increasing number of deaths linked to prescription drugs and heroin. In fact, four Tar Heel cities, including Hickory, are among the top 20 for opioid abuse nationally. The top city? Wilmington.
Stein, a Democrat, is making a bipartisan effort with Republican lawmakers in Raleigh to crack down on the epidemic. Proposed legislation would add new requirements for doctors, pharmacists and others to track prescriptions.
Mike Collins talks with Josh Stein about his plan of attack in the opioid fight.
GUEST
Josh Stein, North Carolina Attorney General (@NCAGO, @JoshStein_)
PART TWO
Opera Carolina’s season finale, The Girl of the West (La fanciulla del West), will be the first Charlotte performance of the production for world-renowned tenor Marcello Giordani.
Giordani, whose long, successful career has included lead opera roles for the top companies around the world, made an early promise to his father: if he became a success, he’d work to help other young singers. He’s made good on that promise through the Marcello Giordani Foundation, which holds festivals and singing competitions all over the world.
One such singing competition is coming to Charlotte while Giordani is in town. More than 100 young singers will compete.
Giordani joins Mike Collins to discuss The Girl of the West and the competition.
GUEST
Marcello Giordani, tenor; founder, Marcello Giordani Foundation
James Meena, general director and principal conductor, Opera Carolina (@OperaCarolina)
PERFORMANCES
Sunday, April 23; Thursday, April 27; Saturday, April 29
Information: https://www.operacarolina.org/season-and-tickets/operas/the-girl-of-the-west/264