"Truth, as reconciliation": We Shall Not Be Moved

Interview

"As an artist, I am most concerned with offering an antidote to the ills of the world within our communities. As a Haitian-American composer, I am always wanting to create music that speaks to multiple, overlapping cultures, and combine sounds that might, upon an initial hearing, appear to conflict, and upon a deeper listening, offers resolution and beauty."

Don't miss Acis & Galatea: A Gender Liberation Opera

Interview

"In the world of opera and classical music, we tell a version of history that neglects LGBTQ+ people (as well as women and people of colour) and this is not because these communities and identities did not exist. It's because they were not treated equally and therefore were not as prominent in society or they assumed or feigned other identities to fit into society. Today, we embrace and celebrate diverse identities, but this is not reflected enough in our storytelling and programming in the operatic world."

Elizabeth Cree: "The story begins with her hanging."

Interview

"Just before the noose tightens she sings, cryptically, "Here we are again!" We are then immediately thrust back to her trial, in which she is on the stand for the murder of her husband. She is sarcastic and grandiose, playing to the crowd. Then she herself takes us back to the squalid reality of her childhood and we feel for her as she dreams of the music hall and its wonders. She is very complex and interesting."

David Hertzberg's The Wake World: "A strange and sexy synergy."

Interview

"I hope people enjoy the show (!), maybe even get carried away, and that afterwards they experience the collection, and maybe even opera, or dare I say, art in general, with fresh ears and eyes."

"We all wear clothes. They sit right on our skin."

Interview

"This is the perfect opera for Bicycle Opera! It has given us an amazing opportunity to tour this work to locations outside of the regular concert venue, since we don't need a piano or any space for our instrumentalists. This year, we were able to bring the show to some spaces that had a direct connection to the material."

Moral issues & well-loved tunes: BK Opera's La traviata

Interview

"I think the idea that Violetta is a delicate, fragile person who sacrifices herself for a man is a problematic one. She makes the decision to leave Alfredo with a heavy heart and is independent and strong - which then makes her death all the more heart-wrenching."

Ariadne comes to the Berkshire Opera Festival

Interview

"I anticipate that with the Berkshire Opera Festival staff and the talent we bring in, artists and designers, that we will have similar if not greater success than last year. In addition, producing a lesser-know piece like Ariadne doesn’t worry us because the Berkshire audience is a sophisticated one. They do not need to recognize a name in order to attend a show. Exploring the entire operatic repertoire is a part of the Berkshire Opera Festival mission."

Young singers in Santa Fe: Stephen Martin

Interview

"Of course there is also the house audition, where directors, agents, and other music staff from opera houses from the United States and around the world attend to hear each apprentice sing an aria. It's huge exposure for us."

Don't miss: Beatrix Potter at Edinburgh Fringe

Interview

"Beatrix Potter's storytelling was straightforward and honest. She never talked down to her young readers whilst still making them believe that it's perfectly normal for animals to talk and interact with humans."

Spotlight on: Eric Barry

Interview

"Thinking of the collective hours everyone in the room has spent honing their craft is mind-blowing, and in this brief instant it all comes together to create a magical moment in time that can never be recreated. Whoa."