Aria Code, the Rhiannon Giddens–hosted podcast series presented by The Metropolitan Opera and WQXR, New York's classical music station, returns for its second season today. This time around, Giddens leads the conversation as opera singers and experts examine ten arias centered on the theme of desire. "I've been thinking about what makes great arias so powerful," Giddens says, "and I think a big part of it is that they tap into our strongest emotions. One of the emotions that come up over and over again in opera, and in life, is desire."

In its first season, Aria Code became a low-key hit for both longtime opera fans and folks discovering it for the first time. Each episode opens a window into one and explores how and why these brief musical moments have imprinted themselves in our collective consciousness and what it takes to stand onstage and sing them. The second season will explore the many facets of desire, from pining for an absent lover to killing for power, with insight from singers Anna Netrebko, Jamie Barton, Eric Owens, and others.

For the first episode of the new season, focused on Verdi's Lady Macbeth and her aria "Una macchia è qui tuttora," Giddens gets some insight on the character from Dame Judi Dench and hears from Netrebko, music critic Anne Midgette, and author Tana Wojczuk. You can hear the episode here:

Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi bring music from their album there is no Other to the UK and Europe to tour staring next week with performances for the EFG London Jazz Festival. For details, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour. To pick up a copy of there is no Other, head to the Nonesuch Store, iTunes, and Amazon, and listen on Spotify and Apple Music.