Conducted by SF Opera general director David Gockley, the interview was recorded live on the stage of San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House in September. Voigt discusses her recent weight-loss surgery as well as personal and professional topics ranging from her singing career and future operatic roles to dating. She even talks about her dog, Steinway.

The podcasting venture is a partnership between San Francisco Opera and MobileCast Media. In addition to the Voigt interview, the initial launch includes the company's 2006-07 season preview, a synopsis of each opera written and narrated by Gockley.

"Deborah Voigt is a major international star," Gockley said, "and I imagine that her fans around the world will want to hear her discuss, in her own voice, the recent issues that have been so widely reported."

Former opera singer John Houghton, CEO of MobileCast Media, commented, "I realized that I could literally reach millions through podcasting, and this perfect marriage of my passion and my profession came about ... I fell in love with opera as a young music student and I cannot think of a better way to give back to the art form than by making it possible for opera lovers worldwide to access the programs and music of the legendary San Francisco Opera."

Users can access SF Opera podcasts from http://podcast.sfopera.com, or from iTunes by searching for "San Francisco Opera Podcast."