About this episode
<p>That’s what the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang wanted to learn. So he turned Adam Smith’s <i>The Wealth of Nations </i>into an oratorio. We tag along as Lang’s piece heads toward its world premiere with the New York Philharmonic. (Part one of a <a href="https://freakonomics.com/david-langs-the-wealth-of-nations/" rel="noopener noreferrer">two-part series</a>.)</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>SOURCES:</strong> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.fleurbarron.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fleur Barron</a>, opera singer and mezzo-soprano.</li> <li><a href="https://davidlangmusic.com/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer">David Lang</a>, composer and professor at the Yale School of Music.</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>RESOURCES:</strong> <ul> <li>"<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-20/gustavo-dudamel-s-the-wealth-of-nations-melds-opera-and-economics?embedded-checkout=true" rel="noopener noreferrer">Finally, an Opera About Economics</a>," by Stacey Vanek Smith <i>(Bloomberg,</i> 2026).</li> <li>"<a href="https://davidlangmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-little-match-girl-passion" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Little Match Girl Passion</a>," by David Lang <i>(2023).</i></li> <li><a href="https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.207956/page/n3/mode/2up" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>The Wealth of Nations</i></a><i>, </i>by Adam Smith (1776).</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong>EXTRAS:</strong> <ul> <li>"<a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/in-search-of-the-real-adam-smith/" rel="noopener noreferrer">In Search of the Real Adam Smith</a>," series by <i>Freakonomics Radio </i>(2022).</li> </ul></li> </ul><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>