Composer John Adams talks about his acclaimed opera Doctor Atomic and the aria “Batter My Heart” in a new video from Boosey & Hawkes. The opera, with a libretto by Peter Sellars drawn from original sources—including, for this aria, the John Donne sonnet—tells the story of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and the first atomic bomb explosion in New Mexico in July 1945. The video features scenes from the Dutch National Opera production starring Gerald Finley, who originated the role of Oppenheimer in 2005 and can be heard on the Nonesuch first recording of Doctor Atomic, with the composer leading the BBC Singers and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Julia Bullock as Kitty Oppenheimer. You can hear “Batter My Heart” from the recording here as well.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society has released “Last Waltz for Levon,” a new song from their upcoming album, Dynamic Maximum Tension, due September 8. The track, which you can hear here, is dedicated to drummer and vocalist Levon Helm of The Band. Argue’s treatment, featuring solos by trombonist Mike Fahie and bassist Matt Clohesy, is also inspired by the horn arrangements written by legendary songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint for The Band’s classic live album Rock of Ages. Argue and Secret Society celebrate the release of Dynamic Maximum Tension with a four-night run at NYC’s Jazz Gallery, September 13–16.

David Byrne is the subject of a Financial Times Magazine feature and spoke with writer Lilah Raptopoulos on the FT Weekend podcast. They talk about some of the “million-and-a-half things” for which he is known, including Talking Heads and the just-opened Broadway production of Here Lies Love, the original 2010 double-disc song cycle album of which gets its first vinyl release this Friday. You can hear their conversation here.

Portuguese fado singer Carminho performed before Pope Francis and attendees of the World Youth Day Prayer Vigil at Campo da Graça in Lisbon’s Parque Tejo on Saturday night. She sang “Estrela,” from her 2019 album, Maria. You can watch the performance here.

Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade reunite at Newport Jazz Festival. Jeremy Denk plays Bach at Oxford. Kronos Quartet and Sarah Kirkland Snider are at Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Rachael & Vilray are in Connecticut and Long Island. Cécile McLorin Salvant performs Ogresse at Edinburgh International Festival with an orchestra led by Darcy James Argue. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway join Dierks Bentley in Tahoe.

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway have announced a US East Coast "Next Rodeo" tour for November, with stops in Brooklyn, Burlington, Albany, Portland, Boston, DC, and more. These follow their recently announced West Coast "Road to El Dorado" run in October, with stops at Portland, Seattle, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Denver, and more.

Vagabon (aka Lætitia Tamko) will tour Europe as special guest of Arlo Parks in September, with shows in Dublin, Manchester, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and London. Tickets for all but the Dublin, Manchester, and Paris shows have already sold out. Vagabon returns to North America to lead a headline tour in October before heading back to Europe to tour with Weyes Blood, then back to the North America for the next leg of her headline tour in December. 

While on your way to enjoy some live music, stop by your local record store to hear some Nonesuch tunes as part of Tomorrow Is Listening, a 24-hour event from International Anthem in which curated mixes are broadcast live to record stores around the world all day Friday. Kronos Quartet is at MASS MoCA for Bang on a Can’s Loud Weekend. Julia Bullock is at Lake Area Music Festival in Minnesota. Yussef Dayes is in Oakland and Napa. Jeremy Denk joins Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. Richard Goode plays Beethoven in Oxford. Hurray for the Riff Raff is at Calgary Folk Festival. Natalie Merchant joins Anthony Roth Costanzo at Glimmerglass. Chris Thile leads his inaugural Acousticamp on Long Island. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway headline RockyGrass Festival in Colorado.

Molly Tuttle is on The Bluegrass Situation's Basic Folk podcast hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No. Tuttle, The Bluegrass Situation Artist of the Month, returns to the show to talk about City of Gold, her new album with her band Golden Highway. “She’s writing bluegrass songs that are fun and insightful at the same time,” says Howes. “Molly Tuttle is a great hang, an inspiration for us all and has made a fabulous new album, City of Gold.” You can hear their conversation here.

Rhiannon Giddens has released “Yet to Be,” a new single from her forthcoming album, You’re the One, due August 18. “Yet to Be” features Jason Isbell and tells the story of a Black woman and an Irish man falling in love in America. You can watch the video here.

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway perform "El Dorado" and "San Joaquin," from their new album, City of Gold, and the title track to their debut album, Crooked Tree, in a new No Depression session filmed live at DelFest.You can watch it here.

David Byrne is on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast to talk with O’Brien about his childhood, his early musical experiments, his time with Talking Heads, and the just-opened Broadway production of his immersive disco pop musical Here Lies Love. “I have learned to expect the unexpected from David Byrne,” O’Brien says. "This is my dream come true." You can hear their conversation here.