Spotlight on: Samantha Pickett

Interview

"The actual concept of opera is quite simple: Remember all of those angst-laden journal entries, love letters and hyper-realistic hormone-induced dreams you would have as a teenager? Imagine if those came to life, accompanied by the most glorious soundtrack you can fathom. That's opera."

Spotlight on: Stephanie Tritchew

Interview

"Why am I doing it professionally? That's easy: because I'm lucky enough to have that opportunity. If I wasn't doing it professionally, I'd be doing it for fun. I think if anyone could do their absolute favourite thing on the planet and get paid for doing it, they would every time."

Being a nice person: why art really, really matters

Editorial

Ignorance like this is the real reason why art matters. Fixing this kind of problem is a more important and more universal benefit of the arts, moreso than honing your fine motor skills or learning a foreign language. Without the arts, people are left with an alarmingly low chance of understanding the world which they share with others.

Great ideas: Fenlon & Fenlon

News

It's an extremely personal way of presenting music; with Liebesbotschaft, Fenlon shows audiences not only what she feels about Schubert's songs, but distills her interpretation of the voice and piano parts into a singular source. The cycle is compiled to evoke "striking poetic and harmonic expedition", and the autonomy she earns by self-accompaniment offers "a spontaneous, relevant, and impromptu feeling" to familiar music.

"How was it?" and other dangerous questions

Editorial

You're conscious of the difference between creation and reception, you respect things like lighting and acoustic and comic timing, and you're seeking the right balance of all the factors that add up to a great piece of art. But it's a risky way to seek that balance; by hungrily asking for feedback, you're saying to the world that you, the artist, aren't sure about your decisions.

All about the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute

Interview

We had the chance to hear from with baritone Brian Mummert, soprano Marjolaine Horreaux, and mezzo-soprano Georgia Burashko, three singers from this summer's Baroque Summer Institute; they chat about their experience so far, and why they've sought the focused training offered by Tafelmusik.

Talking with singers: Gregory Kunde

Interview

"I try to make a connection with EVERY role I do. But, I will say there have been a few that have made an impact and left an impression on me. The first is Otello. One can't help but sympathize with this character. He is so amazing to play. There is every emotion in this role. I have been extremely fortunate to have played him in both the Rossini and Verdi versions and musically, they couldn't be more different. But Otello is always Otello."

Spotlight on: Sydney Mancasola

Interview

"It's probably a bit of dangerous advice, but selfishly, I'd like to see young singers push the limits a little more. Sing the aria you love that no one thinks you should sing, tell your director that you don't buy the staging they are giving you, give up the big YAP to sing the role of your dreams at a small company. Make the choice that will fulfill you spiritually."

Spotlight on: Beth Hagerman

Interview

"I think that young singers need to know from a very early stage in their development that they have the authority to be an artist. It's hard when you’re in school and you’re focusing so hard on technique. You have teachers telling you which aspects of your singing are good or bad. You start to think in terms of absolutes and you forget about things like interpretation, artistry and connecting with the text because that feels so wishy-washy in a world where you need to find that seemingly mythical perfect 'ah' vowel."

In review: Tristan and Isolde at ENO

Review

Tristan's ship was full of looming angles and barriers, allowing for beautiful symmetry of the two would-be lovers and their respective servants. Act II seemed an otherworldly spot for Tristan and Isolde's nocturnal tryst; it looked like its own planet, or perhaps the very center of the earth, in either case clearly underlining the singular, primordial ur-love that this couple embodies. Act III was bleak, harsh white against thick black, evolving only to blood red and a charred vista of dead rock, where Isolde and Tristan reunite in life for the last time.