The CVH Podcast

Christian Van Horn

Extreme confidence by day, crippling self-doubt by night. You will get rare access to the behind the scenes life of an international opera singer. ZERO Bullshit- Nothing Curated or framed. Opera Singer, Christian Van Horn.

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20 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 1 hr 19 min
BEN BLISS
Send us Fan Mail Most of us spend years learning how to sing... and almost no time learning how to build a career. For Podcast #314, tenor Ben Bliss came all the way to my home in Virginia to sit down and talk about both. Ben's new book, Making It Work: The Practical Guide to Financial and Entrepreneurial Literacy for Freelancers in the Performing Arts, tackles the side of this profession that rarely gets taught—money, contracts, business, long-term thinking, and how to make a life in the arts that's actually sustainable. We also talk about his own career, the realities of freelancing, and the lessons we both wish we'd known much earlier. If you're a singer, musician, actor, or anyone making a living as a freelancer, I think you'll get a lot from this conversation. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
July 19 · 20 min
WHY SINGERS CANCEL...
Send us Fan Mail Why do singers cancel? Episode 313 of the CVH Podcast is a conversation about something audiences rarely see: the importance of stepping away. Life on the road is a privilege, but staying healthy, recharging, and remembering why we do it all matters just as much as the performances themselves. I also share an update on the upcoming album and everything happening in CVH World. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and join the mailing list at christianvanhorn.com for exclusive album updates, behind-the-scenes content, and music you won't find anywhere else.
July 6 · 25 min
THIS IS HOW THE CLASSICAL RECORDING INDUSTRY WORKS
Send us Fan Mail Episode 312 of THE CVH PODCAST The classical recording industry is broken. Streaming has transformed the way we listen to music—but for many classical artists, it has also made traditional recording projects financially unsustainable. In this episode, I explain where the money actually goes, why major label recordings often generate surprisingly little income for the artists themselves, and why so many singers simply stop recording altogether. I'm also making the case for a different future. Instead of waiting for permission from a record company, I chose to produce and release my own album independently. It's a massive risk, but it also gives artists something they've largely lost: ownership. Maybe the future of classical recording isn't fewer albums. Maybe it's more artists betting on themselves. I'd love to hear your thoughts after listening.
June 21 · 19 min
WHEN IT GETS QUIET
Send us Fan Mail Episode 311 of the CVH Podcast is out now. When the curtain comes down and the applause fades, road life gets very quiet. The days are filled with rehearsals, performances, airports, hotels, and constant movement. Then suddenly there’s nothing but silence and another unfamiliar room. That's often when the mind starts wandering. Lately I've been having the same recurring dreams, the kind that seem to follow you from city to city. Maybe it's just the miles adding up. Maybe it's my subconscious counting down the days until this tour finally comes to an end. Life on the road can be extraordinary, but the quiet moments are where the real conversations happen. Episode 311: When It Gets Quiet is available now.
June 13 · 1 hr 30 min
CHRISTOPHER MALTMAN
Send us Fan Mail The great Christopher Maltman joins me for Episode #310 of the CVH Podcast. We discuss what happens when the entire world has seen your ass, the challenge of moving into Wagner repertoire later in a career, and a fascinating conversation about Don Giovanni that opera lovers won't want to miss. One of the smartest, funniest, and most thoughtful conversations I've had in a long time. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. #Opera #Wagner #DonGiovanni #ChristopherMaltman #CVHPodcast
June 6 · 1 hr 15 min
FREDDIE DE TOMMASO
Send us Fan Mail This week on the CVH Podcast, my guest is my brother, tenor Freddie De Tommaso. No subject is off limits. We talk about the sacrifices, pressures, victories, and absurdities that come with building a life on the operatic stage. From family and friendship to career, competition, and what it's really like when the spotlight goes off, this is one of the most honest conversations we've ever had. Heartfelt, hilarious, and packed with stories from a tenor who is rapidly taking over the world's great opera houses. Tune in and get an inside look at the life behind the voice.
May 31 · 15 min
FOOLISHLY JUMPING ON CARS
Send us Fan Mail Episode 308 of the CVH Podcast is out now. This week: a reminder that sometimes the universe teaches the lesson twice. After spending weeks talking about being smart, staying healthy, and avoiding unnecessary injuries... I managed to hurt myself by jumping on a car during rehearsal. Brilliant. Also, album updates from the Lithuania sessions, where months of planning, thousands of miles of travel, and an incredible team came together to bring this project to life. A little self-inflicted stupidity, a lot of gratitude, and a look behind the scenes of what's next. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
May 25 · 16 min
SICK OF MY OWN VOICE
Send us Fan Mail Episode 307 🎙️ A week in Lithuania 🇱🇹 — long recording days, late-night debriefs, too much jetlag, and some unforgettable moments behind the mic. This recap is all about the chaos, the laughs, the music, and everything that happened in between. New episode out now.
May 12 · 20 min
SQUATTING OVER MY FACE
Send us Fan Mail CVH Podcast — Episode 306. A fellow gym-goer may or may not have intentionally squatted directly over my face… and somehow this episode also became a conversation about the collective effort behind making an album real. Chaos, gratitude, gym trauma, and the power of people showing up. Episode 306 is live.
April 29 · 18 min
BLUEBEARD OPENING
Send us Fan Mail Episode 305 is live 🎙️ Bluebeard opens… then it’s metal detectors, 3AM helicopter wake-up calls, and everything in between. Another chaotic chapter you don’t want to miss. Tap in now.
April 21 · 1 hr 36 min
KAREN CARGILL
Send us Fan Mail The latest CVH Podcast is…hysterical, to put it mildly 😂🎙️ I’m joined by the phenomenal mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill—my Bluebeard co-star—and let’s just say we had a lot of fun along the way. Music, mayhem, and plenty of laughs. We’re performing with the Canadian Opera Company in their stunning Bluebeard production by Robert Lepage, conducted by Johannes Debus—opening April 25 at the Four Seasons Performing Arts Center. Tune in, have a laugh, and come see the drama unfold live!
April 9 · 16 min
LOSING MY SCREWS
Send us Fan Mail FIRST WEEK OF BLUEBEARD AND THE IMPOSSIBLE FALL SCHEDULE. Back in Bluebeard’s world this week… Returning to that dark, psychological landscape where every door feels heavier than the last — and somehow it always reveals something new. Also diving into Chicago Lyric Opera’s newly announced season 👀 New episode of the CVH Podcast is live. Step inside. 🎭
March 23 · 17 min
UNEXPECTED TIME HOME
Send us Fan Mail Got sick. Had to cancel a recording session I was really looking forward to. Not gonna lie—it stung. But today slowed me down in a way I didn’t expect. Took care of things at home, got my hands dirty, and remembered there’s a kind of peace in a simpler rhythm. The recording session will be there tomorrow. For now… farmer mode 🌱 New CVH podcast episode out now.
March 8 · 17 min
DON CARLO IN DALLAS
Send us Fan Mail Final rehearsal before opening night. Moments like this bring perspective—standing in front of an orchestra, doing what I love, aware that every time could be the last. Grateful for the music, the musicians, and the chance to sing it again. New episode of the CVC Podcast.
February 25 · 1 hr 46 min
300
Send us Fan Mail 300 episodes. On this milestone episode of the CVH Podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant Etienne DuPuis and special #EveryWorder guest Aaron Arroyo. We celebrate the journey to 300 — but more importantly, we dig into what keeps this platform meaningful: the inspiration it gives to artists at the beginning of their path. The conversations, the honesty, the reality of the work. Authentic. Unfiltered. Real. And that’s why you keep coming back.
February 12 · 2 hr 3 min
NICOLE CAR AND ETIENNE DUPUIS
Send us Fan Mail Nicole Car and Etienne Dupuis join me in Texas for an episode that completely derails—in the best way. From Jeffrey Epstein to Don Carlo to my colonoscopy prep, no topic is safe. High opera, low humor, and nonstop laughing from start to finish.
February 5 · 1 hr 31 min
MATTHEW HORNER
Send us Fan Mail Want to know what a top IMG Artists manager actually wants to see from you? I’m sitting down with my manager, the great Matthew Horner, to talk career management, artist development, and the "it" factor. This is a masterclass in a podcast episode. Don’t miss it! 🎧🔥
January 23 · 1 hr 56 min
MICHAEL FABIANO
Send us Fan Mail NEVER A DULL CONVERSATION WITH FABS. MICHAEL IS FEARLESS IN TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING AND IS ENDLESSLY INTERESTING. OPERA, FLYING, COFFEE, HEALTH CARE, BASEBALL. YOU NAME IT- HE CAN SPEAK ON IT.
January 14 · 21 min
DOUBLE DUTY AT THE MET
Send us Fan Mail TWO PRODUCTIONS AT THE SAME TIME AND PREPPING DON CARLO WITH EVERY SPARE MINUTE. NO REST THIS WINTER IN NEW YORK!
Dec 23, 2025 · 1 hr 33 min
MATTHEW ROSE
Send us Fan Mail THE GREAT MATTHEW ROSE JOINS ME ON THE 75TH.