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674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?

May 8, 2026·45m

Great. Then depressed. Then great again. Stephen Dubner gets the full story from David Lang; we also hear from some fans, and the New York Philharmonic’s president. The math and the aftermath of wealth of nations. (Part two of a series.) SOURCES: David Lang, composer and professor at the Yale School of Music. Matías Tarnopolsky, president and C.E.O. of the New York Philharmonic. RESOURCES: "Finally, an Opera About Economics," by Stacey Vanek Smith (Bloomberg, 2026). "The Little Match Girl Passion," by David Lang (2023). The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith (1776). EXTRAS: "David Lang’s the wealth of nations," series by Freakonomics Radio (2026). "In Search of the Real Adam Smith," series by Freakonomics Radio (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company.