Summary: <p>When the Voyager spacecraft set off to explore the galaxy in 1977, it carried a recording to represent the best of humanity. The <span>“</span>Golden Record<span>”</span> featured everyone from Bach to Chuck Berry, but there was only one opera aria: the rage-fest from Mozart<span>’</span>s <em>The Magic Flute</em>.</p> <p><span>In this episode, host</span> Rhiannon Giddens<span> is joined by soprano Kathryn Lewek, musicologist Carolyn Abbate and author Jan Swafford. Together they consider why the Queen of the Night’s big moment – “<span>Der Hölle Rache</span>”<span></span> – is an out-of-this-world achievement, how Mozart created a profound fairy tale for adults and what it takes for a soprano to reach the stratosphere. You’ll hear Kathryn Lewek hit all those high notes <span>onstage at the</span> Metropolitan Opera<span> and</span> talk to Timothy Ferris, the man who produced NASA’s <span>“</span>Golden Record.<span>”</span> </span></p>
