Talking with composers: Brian Harman

Interview

"To get some ideas flowing, I need time and space to think and explore. I have a notebook of ideas that I return to, which can help, but the idea needs to feel fresh and relevant to my current work and life. Even if it's challenging, this creative exploration is a really enjoyable part of composing for me."

Talking with composers: Kieren MacMillan

Interview

"I think people believe I can punch in at 9AM, and by 5PM I'll have written a few minutes of music I'm proud to send out the door. There are lots of composers who can, of course — I truly wish I were one of them, but it can take me hours or even days to get out of one mindset and into 'the zone' of music composition."

Matjash Mrozewski: "Delight & wonder are great things."

Interview

"What fascinated me when I started talking to singers was this idea that in some cases they won't be ready vocally for some roles for another 5 to 10 years. It seems like a no-brainer now, but I remember thinking that this required a huge amount of patience and view of the long game."

Talking with composers: Cecilia Livingston

Interview

"When people reach for a musical comparison they usually say I remind them of Britten, which is a huge compliment – and what a comparison to live up to! And it makes sense of the darkness that's in a lot of what I write. (I really enjoy writing music that is witty and satirical; I just keep getting asked for those darker emotional journeys.)"

Spotlight on: Alice Privett

Interview

"Mozart chose a libretto in which the principal female character has to forgive some heinous misdoings of her male counterpart. However, Like Rosina, she does get to exact her own revenge on him throughout the opera before finally capitulating. The main message seems to me to be that forgiveness is an integral part of loving somebody."

Spotlight on: Emily Edmonds

Interview

"I value making, creating, and empathy - I believe our work as singers is a rich environment for these pursuits. If we are courageous enough to allow ourselves to be heard, and really seen, I think we can create things that speak to an audience. Perhaps through seeing and hearing us, they can be encouraged to see and hear others."

Faces in the crowd: opera's supernumeraries

Interview

"Being on stage with these performers is truly a magical experience. You learn very quickly that these people are like high-level athletes. Their instrument is wonderous when you're close to them. Also, you learn quickly that most of them are pretty funny and entirely approachable (they like to hear how wonderful they are all the time!). Onstage the performers are incredibly focused but also have fun if the opportunity presents itself."

Spotlight on: Danielle Buonaiuto

Interview

"A successful performance is happening when I can make some eye contact, elicit laughter or other commentary, feel energy coming back from the audience - in short, when everyone in the room is engaged in the moment with me. After such a concert, I'll often have audience members want to connect with me directly to talk with me about the experience."

Spotlight on: Jennifer Davis

Interview

"Honestly, I think that most of my learning has taken place in a rehearsal room. It's there that you get to explore yourself and you also gain so much from your colleagues; their input cannot be emphasised enough. The conversations you have in those spaces are where a lot of my own self-discovery and development have taken place."

Talking with composers: Alexina Louie

Interview

"Inspiration doesn't just suddenly strike. Most often, I sit at the piano and improvise until I find a musical idea that is worth keeping. I will sketch it out and work with it. Sometimes when I am stuck on a passage unable to come up with a musical solution, I think about it when I am not at the piano. Sometimes I work out possibilities in my head and get back to the piano to realize them. I have pages and pages of drafts, most of which I don't use, but working out the ideas gets me to a new place."