 Interview: Nancy Fabiola Herrera sings Carmen at the ROH This has been quite a season for Nancy Fabiola Herrera, the mezzo-soprano from the Canary Islands. In recent months, she's been on a concert tour of China, performed zarzuela in Madrid, and has just come to London to perform the title role in the ROH's revival of the Francesca Zambello production of Carmen. more> |
 Interview: Andrew Shore sings Punch in Punch and Judy at ENO The month of April is saturated with contemporary opera in London. While the ROH prepares for the world premiere of The Minotaur, English National Opera has a less conventional offering in the form of a two-work mini-season at the Young Vic. The season includes Birtwistle's Punch and Judy, which features Andrew Shore as Punch. more> |
 Interview: Philippe Jordan on the ROH's new Salome Richard Strauss' Salome returns to the Royal Opera House this week in a new production by David McVicar. The conductor for the production is Philippe Jordan who, having already conducted Saint-Säens' Samson et Delila at Covent Garden, is now tackling a biblical opera of a different sort in Strauss' torridly decadent score. more> |
 Interview: Marina Poplavskaya sings in Eugene Onegin and Don Carlo at Covent Garden When the Royal Opera opened their season of French operas with a concert performance of Halevy's La Juive at the Barbican, an excellent evening was almost stolen by a young Russian soprano. By the end of the performance, the name of Marina Poplavskaya was ingrained on everyone's memory. more> |
 Interview: Anna Christy and Barry Banks discuss ENO's first-ever Lucia di Lammermoor For fans of Italian opera, the big event of the winter season in London is English National Opera's new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor which opens on February 16. Incredibly, this is the first time ENO has performed the piece. 'It's absolutely visceral,' says Barry Banks, who plays Edgardo. more> |
 Interview: Sarah Tynan and Robert Murray on The Mikado When I ask why the piece has endured for so long, Tynan replies: 'It's like all Gilbert and Sullivan, really: very sweet and light-hearted, funny and intelligent, witty and entertaining. It does what it says on the tin – it's not trying to be grand opera.' As Murray elaborates: 'The Britishness of those Gilbert and Sullivan pieces rings true, and... more> |
 Interview: Simon Keenlyside on The Magic Flute, Don Carlo and WozzeckWhat to make of Simon Keenlyside? The hugely popular English baritone has been described in previous interviews as 'self-effacing', 'cagey', as being like an 'emotionally rebellious teenage loner', 'restless' and 'painfully self-deprecatory'; the favourite adjective of journalists to describe him is 'troubled'. more> |
 Interview: Violinist Sarah Chang on Shostakovich with the LSO In a world seemingly awash with outstanding young violinists, one stands out of the crowd. Still some distance off her thirtieth birthday, Sarah Chang has almost two decades of a top flight career behind her. Having triumphantly overcome the pitfalls associated with the transition from child prodigy to well... more> |
 Interview: Soprano Judith Howarth on playing Madam Butterfly at ENO Madam Butterfly is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, but Howarth is quick to point out that it can often be misunderstood. 'I was talking about this to Carolyn Choa the director this morning – she doesn't want to portray Pinkerton as too much of a rogue, even though it can come off that way. more> |
 Interview: Cellist Paul Watkins on becoming Associate Conductor of the ECO There can be few more prestigious engagements for a British cellist than performing Elgar's Cello Concerto at the First Night of the Proms. It says something for Paul Watkins' standing, then, that that's exactly what he did in 2007, in a widely-praised performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Jiri Belohlávek. He will already... more> |
 Interview: Toby Spence on La Cenerentola Spence is back at Covent Garden to play Don Ramiro in Rossini's 'Cinderella'. 'It's the first time I've done the role and I'm looking forward to it very much. The aria is not an easy one! But the challenge of that role is to make it enjoyable, not to get hung up on the technical demands but to make it fun for the audience. It should be fresh rather than funny.' more> |
 Interview: Director Martin Duncan and mezzo Victoria Simmonds on Jonathan Dove's Pinocchio for Opera North On Friday 21 December, Opera North will play host to one of the most important operatic world premieres the UK has seen in the last few years. After Flight, his acclaimed opera for Glyndebourne, Jonathan Dove has created a new opera based on the Pinocchio story. more> |
 Interview: Alessandro Corbelli on La Cenerentola A favourite with British audiences, baritone Alessandro Corbelli has appeared to great acclaim in recent seasons as Gianni Schicchi at Glyndebourne and in Il turco in Italia, Don Pasquale, La fille du régiment and La Cenerentola at Covent Garden. The latter opera brings him back to London this month but in a different role. more> |
 Interview: Petra Lang on Kundry in Parsifal at the ROH One of the world's leading Wagnerians, mezzo-soprano Petra Lang is a firm favourite with London audiences. I talked to her as she was about to go into rehearsals for Kundry to ask her about her love of Wagner's music and how she hopes to help singers to cope with the strains of the opera circuit. more> |
 Interview: Ian Bostridge on his Barbican 'Homeward Bound' Series One of the biggest events in the UK classical music calendar over the next year is a series of concerts at London's Barbican Centre celebrating the artistry of British tenor Ian Bostridge CBE. Entitled 'Homeward Bound', it is Bostridge's first UK retrospective. 'I wanted to cover a lot of the things that I do,' says Bostridge. more> |
 Interview: Pianist Barry Douglas on Camerata Ireland On 13 December 2007, Camerata Ireland will present a concert at Cadogan Hall under Barry Douglas, the acclaimed pianist and conductor who brought the team of all-Irish musicians together for the first time in 1998. 'Music is in a unique position to bring people together', says Douglas. 'It can bridge the gaps in society.' more> |
 Interview: Paolo Gavanelli Probably the greatest performance of a Verdi opera I've ever heard was at the ROH in June 2005, when Sir Edward Downes led a stellar cast including Paolo Gavanelli in Rigoletto. Gavanelli returns to Covent Garden this month for another new production, this time of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. He tells me what made him decide to take on Dulcamara... more> |
 Interview: Claire Rutter and John Hudson on ENO's new production of Verdi's Aida For the first time in over twenty years English National Opera is going to unveil a new production of Verdi's quintessential grand opera. It's part of the company's ongoing plans to rejuvenate the repertoire. I met up with the stars of the show – soprano Claire Rutter (Aida) and tenor John Hudson (Radamès). more> |
 Interview: Patrizia Ciofi on Bellini's La straniera Italian soprano Patrizia Ciofi is a beloved singer in her homeland, but British audiences haven't seen nearly enough of her. She last appeared at Covent Garden in 2002 as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, and now she's back to reprise a role at which she excels. I caught up with her to discuss her approach to the opera, and her plans for the future. more> |
 Interview: Ann Murray on ENO's new production of Turn of the Screw 'Now nothing too intelligent, OK?', says Ann Murray when I walk into her dressing room backstage at English National Opera. One of the most distinguished singers of her generation, Murray has had a long career built on roles by Mozart and Strauss and is now back to play Mrs Grose in David McVicar's new production. more> |
 Interview: Rosalind Plowright on the ROH Ring Cycle Amongst the country's operatic elite, Rosalind Plowright is known for her intelligent musicianship, versatile acting ability and compelling stage presence. Having conquered most of the leading soprano roles in Italian opera in the 1980s, she overcame a vocal crisis and gravitated towards the dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire. more> |
 Interview: Andrew Kennedy on ENO's Magic Flute Since leaving The Royal Opera's Young Artists' programme in 2005, Andrew Kennedy has emerged as one of the brightest young tenors on the international circuit. Having played Tamino in English National Opera's revival of Mozart's The Magic Flute in 2005, he went on to star in Lepage's new production of The Rake's Progress in Brussels. more> |
 Interview: Susan Graham on Iphigenie en Tauride American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who is one of the most gifted singers ever to appear on the operatic stage, returns to Covent Garden on 10 September after an absence of more than three years to sing the title role in a new production of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride. For Graham, it is part of a season that is almost entirely... more> |
 Interview: Sally Potter on Carmen Filmmaker Sally Potter is no stranger to opera: her first film, Thriller (1979), investigates the story and score of La bohème from Mimi's point of view. She set her later feature film The Man Who Cried (2000) in an opera company in WWII Paris. Tenor Dante Dominio (John Turturro, voiced by Salvatore Licitra) sings many of the Romantic tenor leads, including... more> |
 Interview: Ana James on the ROH Young Artists Programme The New Zealand soprano has had a number of successes since joining the Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists programme. A memorable Barbarina in last year's new production of Le nozze di Figaro, she made an outstanding contribution to the recent concert performances of Massenet's Thaïs. more> |
 Interview: Jose Cura on Stiffelio and Peter Grimes Almost exactly twelve years ago, a young and largely unknown Argentinean tenor opened the Royal Opera's Verdi Festival playing the title role in Stiffelio, Verdi's long-neglected masterpiece of 1850. But in the interim, José Cura has risen to become one of the most highly-acclaimed and beloved singers of his generation. more> |
 Interview: Marcello Giordani on Faust and the Met British operagoers have had few opportunities to see the Sicilian tenor since his debut in Simon Boccanegra at Covent Garden in 1997. But the good news is that he is appearing at the Proms on 6 September in Berlioz's La damnation de Faust with James Levine and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. more> |
 Interview: Sally Burgess looks back on her career The closing gala of this year's Chelsea Schubert Festival promises to be a particular treat, for one of the world's great singer-actresses is taking to the stage to perform an eclectic programme of songs by eight composers. Mezzo-soprano Sally Burgess has enjoyed a long international career that has spanned key roles in operas by... more> |
 Laurence Cummings on ENO's new Poppea English National Opera's new production of The Coronation of Poppea could not be in a safer pair of hands than that of conductor and early music specialist Laurence Cummings. When he returns to the London Coliseum on 18 October 2007 to conduct Monteverdi's last opera he'll be reunited with director Chen Shi-Zheng, a partnership that brought us Orfeo. more> |
 Interview: Gerald Finley on Eugene Onegin at the ROH Canadian baritone Gerald Finley has become a regular fixture at both of London's opera houses in recent years. He's performed the lead roles in operas such as Don Giovanni, The Queen of Spades, Le nozze di Figaro and The Pilgrim's Progress at the ROH, while his interpretation of Eugene Onegin at ENO attracted widespread critical acclaim. more> |
 Interview: Violeta Urmana on Tosca The Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana is a formidable woman. She has a magnetic personality that radiates self-assurance, and a ferocious intelligence. Nevertheless, as we meet to discuss her forthcoming appearance in the Royal Opera's revival of Puccini's Tosca, she is respectful and charming. more> |
 Interview: Christine Rice Critics and audiences have watched in delight over recent years as mezzo-soprano Christine Rice has put in some hugely accomplished performances, joining the front ranks of today's young opera singers by virtue of her compelling stage presence and vocal beauty. Recently, she dazzled in ENO's new production of Handel's Agrippina. more> |
 Interview: Krzysztof Szumanski on Donizetti's Rita Polish bass-baritone Krzysztof Szumanski joined the Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme in September 2006. After numerous appearances on the main stage in small roles, he has become one of the programme's most recognisable figures. On 18, 19 and 20 October 2007 he will play Gasparo in Donizetti's Rita. more> |
 Interview: Ailish Tynan on Fidelio Irish soprano Ailish Tynan is no stranger to the Royal Opera House, having spent two years there as a Young Artist between 2002 and 2004, and when we meet to discuss her latest role - Marzelline in Fidelio, which opens at Covent Garden next Sunday - she's evidently thrilled to be back with the company that fostered her artistic talent. more> |
 Interview: Rebecca Evans on Mozart and Britten The Welsh soprano has a staggering CV of leading roles around the world, for which she has won almost universal acclaim. At Covent Garden, she has sung Pamina (The Magic Flute), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Nannetta (Falstaff) and Johanna (Sweeney Todd) and her roles in America include Susanna and Zerlina at the Met. more> |
 Interview: Jacques Imbrailo on Owen Wingrave and Cardiff Singer of the World Imbrailo is unequivocally positive about the quality of training that the Young Artists programme provides. 'It's massively valuable', he says. 'There's no better place to be. The exposure you get even from just playing small parts like Morales in Carmen is amazing - I've had lots of job offers from that.' more> |
 Interview: Kyle Ketelsen on Carmen at the ROH It's been quite a year for Kyle Ketelsen. He's back at Covent Garden playing Escamillo in Carmen, a role he has sung more than any other. When I ask him whether he's looking forward to acting in Francesca Zambello's lifelike production, complete with live animals, he answers, 'I'm just hoping the horse stays forward!' more> |
 Interview: Lawrence Brownlee on Rossini with Pappano Tenor Lawrence Brownlee recently won the highest praise for his Met debut, at which he sang the role of Almaviva in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia along with DiDonato as Rosina. By all accounts, it was an astonishing occasion. Evidently Brownlee, who has yet to appear in a major role at Covent Garden is something special. more> |
 Interview: Indra Thomas on A Child of Our Time African-American soprano Indra Thomas is fast becoming one of the leading Verdi sopranos of her generation, having sung Aida, Leonora in both Il trovatore and La forza del Destino, and Amelia in Un ballo in maschera in leading houses around the world. Although she has yet to sing at Covent Garden, Thomas has appeared at the... more> |
 Interview: Johan Reuter stars in The Minotaur at the ROH Perhaps the biggest event on the international opera scene this year is the world premiere on 15 April of The Minotaur, Sir Harrison Birtwistle's new opera, at Covent Garden. Making a welcome return to the Royal Opera after his acclaimed debut as Wozzeck in 2006 is Danish bass-baritone Johan Reuter, who will play the part of Theseus. more> |
Classical and Opera Interviews
Opera interview: Amanda Roocroft chats about singing Merry Widow and Jenufa at ENO and Desdemona and Butterfly at WNO We caught up with Amanda Roocroft, one of Britain's best-loved opera singers, to ask her about her approach to Merry Widow , her forthcoming engagements and her career to date. Roocroft is well known for her assumptions of roles such as Tchaikovsky's Tatyana, Mozart's Fiordiligi and Verdi's Desdemona – the cornerstones of the soprano repertoire. So why The Merry Widow? 'Because they asked me!' she laughs. more>