Unpopular opinions: when "bravo!" kills the mood

Op-ed

Frankly, a "bravo" best follows an aria with a great high note near the end, or some stellar coloratura, or one of those spinning-to-the-bitter-end final notes that singers love to do in bel canto. In other cases, where an aria should leave you sunken in your seat, fading out into the sounds of a pin-drop silence, shouting "bravo" is just obscene.

Don't miss: Sasha Regan's All-male Mikado

Interview

"The innocence, the memories of laughter, the pure voices and the playfulness of us all dressing up. All of these elements remind me of school and when I wanted to stage a Gilbert & Sullivan with a fresh take, my school days gave me the inspiration. I always try to retain that child-like, innocent feel in my productions."

In review: Sondra Radvanovsky's stunning London recital debut

Review

Looking around the crowd in Cadogan Hall, we've never seen so many people wiping their eyes or stifling sniffles. Radvanovsky pairs truly excellent singing with her whole heart and soul; she's honest and candid with her audiences, and with that bridge of personal connection come all the listeners' waterworks.

Alexandra Bourque: "It is such a rush of adrenaline."

Interview

"I believe it is because of the subjectivity within the audition process that it is still difficult for women to gain entry into this profession. Even with the best education and experience, if you do not fit "the vision," which has traditionally been of a male conductor, you do not have a chance."

In review: Partenope at ENO

Review

There's no envy on our end for directors who put up Handel operas, and Partenope seems another which poses tricky dramaturgical questions; the biggest of these is the problem fo where these characters are, and why they share a common space. Alden's open-house concept, where everyone seems to hang out chez Partenope, works well; he finds an organic way to waver between real-time action and inner monologues, as though he hits "pause" and "play" on the general timeline of the story.

Gok's Divas: solid picks, despite the packaging

Editorial

For folks like us - who often get accused of opera snobbery - hearing Wan talk about how great the "songs" are, and singling out picks like "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess can be annoying. But in reality, Wan is choosing smart talking points for interviews on mainstream TV.

Stormy weather: 6 nasty opera tempests

Editorial

Storms are a show unto themselves. The lightning, the horizontal rain, the howling winds; it's no wonder that opera is among the many art forms that capitalize on the inherent tension in a tempest to boost the drama in their stories. Composers seems to relish the opportunity to capture the power of a storm, and the fear and uncertainty they can instill in us mere mortals.

Tee-oh, eh?

Editorial

It's been a year and change of fantastic musical experiences here in London. The companies have been generous and welcoming, the shows have been full of ear- and eye-candy, and the sheer quantity of operatic offerings have been a total treat.

Conundrums: singing on command

Op-ed

I've heard countless responses to this request, from the benign, "I'm not warmed up," to the passive-aggressive, "Will you perform your job for me afterwards, then?" to the downright aggressive, "I'm not a performing monkey," and have admittedly offered a few of my own responses when I haven’t been in the mood to sing.

She said, they said: crossed wires in Buenos Aires

Editorial

She continues, "Due to pre-contractual breaches and the failure of Teatro Colon to fulfil my contractual terms, which are unquestionably respected wherever I sing, in opera houses and concert halls all over the world, I find myself in the impossibility to perform for the Argentinian audiences, which I love and highly adore."