Variety wins at the American Traditions Competition

Op-Ed

I've written several columns for Schmopera, so I think I know this audience. While this competition would be tough to impossible for a "pure" opera singer, there are plenty of us that love to perform a huge variety of things.

In review: Skylark Opera's Così fan tutte

Review

I felt that underneath the entertaining antics of the cast there was a message to be gleaned from the night, but it was never given the time to come to fruition.

BOC's Don Giovanni smart and relevant

Review

From the beginning, the production ensures that you do not forget this is about the Me Too movement: the show begins with a slideshow of people like Harvey Weinstein and others that is prefaced with Trump's now-infamous "grab them by the pussy" comments.

The powers of fate & great singing: La forza del destino

Review

This was a fairly standard production with a bit of a modern twist from designer Christian Schmidt, directed by Christof Loy. A star-studded production, it is currently enjoying a near sold out run at the Royal Opera.

Montezuma: long-lost baroque blueprints

Review

While Handel provides so many details about characterization in his arias which speak for themselves, especially in timbre, Vivaldi, precisely because of his compositional fluency, requires a constant level of onstage interpretation to allow his stylized and always virtuosic pieces to provide a stimulating background.

The Top 5 Things Your Music Instructor Wants You To Know

How-To

Have you ever wondered, when taking on music lessons, what requirements there may be when starting? Some instructors might give you a list of their requirements ahead of time, but most probably don't.

Talking with singers: Erwin Schrott

Interview

"Let's face it: if we had the chance to clone ourselves in a younger self and keep our memories or our soul…I wonder how many of us will take the chance immediately."

If you like Star Wars, you're gonna flip for opera: shouting into the void

Op-Ed

Maybe this is how it is for everyone that has a niche interest. Indie film lovers, college sports fans, lovers of obscure graphic novels - maybe they all bristle at the ubiquitous fandom of big-budget Hollywood movies, the NFL, DC Comics.

Talking with singers: Grace Davidson

Interview

"I have always felt that Baroque music is my natural habitat. I love working with historical instrumentalists, everything about their unique colour, tone and pitch feels comfortable for me and relates to the way I sing a line or phrase."

Talking with singers: Patrick Terry

Interview

"I wish I had started to save money earlier. I wish I had invested in travel containers for toiletries earlier, because I cannot tell you how many tiny shampoos I have accumulated over the years."