Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

The baseball master talks to Jay about a slew of issues: How was the 2019 season? What about the (current) playoffs? Who are the future Hall of Famers? Is the Hall selective enough? What reforms of the game would be advisable? What about the relative paucity of black American players? What about the preeminence of Latin American players? What is the role of managers? And of GMs? And of owners? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Today, Jay turns “Q&A” into an old-fashioned “Need to Know,” with his “friend, colleague, heroine, and podcast partner,” as he puts it: Mona Charen. They talk Trump-Ukraine-impeachment, of course. And then Greta (the teen climate-change activist), China, Turkey, Egypt, etc. A lot of laughs, a little yelling, and some keen analysis. At the beginning, Jay asks Mona a potentially sensitive question... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Tanya Chan is a legislator from Hong Kong and a democracy leader. She has just given testimony before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva (as an invitee of UN Watch, a non-governmental organization accredited at the U.N.). Chan talks with Jay about the democracy movement in Hong Kong. What does it want? What is its current mood? Who calls the shots in the city, the local government or the... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

At some point in this conversation, the guys get into “The Super Bowl Shuffle” – from the Chicago Bears in the 1980s. That leads to other music associated with particular teams: “Another One Bites the Dust” and the Detroit Lions; “We Are Fam-i-ly” and the Pittsburgh Pirates. This is a sportscast, with David French and Vivek Dave (hosted by Jay). We’ve got college football: Nick Saban and them. We’... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

As Jay says in his introduction, John Relyea is a wonderful singer, a wonderful guy – and, it turns out, a wonderful conversationalist. You will enjoy getting to know this Canadian bass-baritone, who has many insights, observations, and stories, related amiably. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

One of Jay’s favorite conductors – and favorite conductor-interviewees – is Manfred Honeck, the Austrian who leads the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He played in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for some years. His brother Rainer is still there: as a concertmaster. Jay had a conversation with Maestro Honeck – Manfred Honeck – at the Salzburg Festival last week. They discussed music and his life. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

René Pape is one of the greatest singers of our time, a living legend. He is a bass from Germany – East Germany. He and Jay talk a little bit about that. They also talk about a range of other issues, as they sit outside in Salzburg, with bells occasionally ringing out. Pape does a little singing, just quietly: “Follow Me,” by John Denver. A very interesting person, René Pape, and great company... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

As Jay says, Anne-Sophie Mutter is not just one of the great violinists of our time, she is one of the great musicians of our time. She is also a fascinating – fascinating – interviewee. Smart as a whip, for one thing. From the Salzburg Festival, she and Jay talk about a number of things, including a number of personalities: André Previn (to whom she was married), Herbert von Karajan (who launched... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Sir John Tomlinson is a veteran, marvelous singer, a bass. He is now appearing at the Salzburg Festival. As Jay says, Sir John speaks almost as beautifully as he sings. In this conversation, they talk about the vocal life and many other things. Sir John does some singing, including the beginning of “Boris Godunov.” All free of charge. A splendid listen, the whole thing. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Jay is at the Salzburg Festival, performing his annual tasks, which include a series of conversations for the Salzburg Festival Society. One of the guests in the series is Rosa Feola, a soprano from Italy. She is a delightful, sparkling woman, as you will hear. Also an interesting one – as you will also hear. As a bonus, Rosa does a little singing – a little demonstrating. You will eat her up... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe