Opera by the numbers

Op-ed

If you’re anything like me, you're already dreaming about fresh strawberries and Prosecco, long summer evenings, and outdoor opera. While a chilly fog settles over London once again, I'm getting curious about upcoming shows and trends, so here's a breakdown of what we've got to look forward to at 2017's UK summer festivals.

In review: La Colla & Katzarava in recital

Review

At the same time, Wigmore Hall is not conducive to an evening of opera scenes. The two singers seemed to fall into a groove, carved from their respective past performances of Butterfly or Turandot. They seemed to want to fill the recital stage with stuff, making up for the lack of sets and costumes and space, when instead they could have done less, and simply let their voices do the work.

Layla Claire, soprano & yogi

Interview

A portable practice focused largely on breath, it's no wonder why opera singers are such fans of yoga. Canadian soprano Layla Claire is one of those singers who swears by yoga as part of her daily warm-up; if you've ever heard her sing, it's clear that her warm-up routine is serving her very well.

Talking with singers: J'Nai Bridges

Interview

"With track, she explains, 'you're competing against people, but really what you're trying to do is get your best time.' Playing basketball as part of a team, 'you really have to be an integral part of the team that you're on,' Bridges says. 'You have to be a player.'"

In review: Der Rosenkavalier at ROH

Review

It's as though Richard Strauss envisioned the skill of singers like Renée Fleming and Alice Coote when he wrote that first scene of Rosenkavalier. It's not something that can be properly anticipated, the thrill of watching two exceptional singers perform roles for which they are rightly known.

TOT's Pirates of Penzance: "A glorious thing"

Review

Colin Ainsworth steps out as the hapless, handsome, if somewhat dim-witted Frederic. His bright face matched his clear, sailing tone throughout the house. His protrayal of Frederic's dim-wittedness was presented less as a sheer stupidity or unintelligence and more as absent-minded thoughtlessness which I thought was a strong choice. His chemistry with Mabel and Ruth was tangible through the whole show.

The Ride of the Dragkyries: how to name an opera drag queen

Humour

The attention-seeking Lucia wears her di Glammermore tartan with pride, and just a titch of morbidity. She likes cemeteries, believes in ghosts, and she has the wild eyes of someone with a past - someone you don't want to piss off. One is never quite sure if that smear of red on her kilt is from her lipstick, or from something more sinister.

Folds: the new full-length solo album from Nathan Shubert

Editorial

There's an appealing subtlety to Folds, a muted chain of pieces that wavers between improvisation and a feeling of familiarity. "Expressive and accessible, Nathan wrote these pieces purely for the pleasure and beauty inherent in them, not as exercises in composerly rigor or pianistic dexterity. Free of external meanings, the pieces take on their own deeply implicit, wordless significance. These pieces became Folds."

Barihunks' Jack Michaels: "We are in a golden age of baritones"

Interview

"We have met some of the most remarkable, talented and delightful people over the 10 years that Barihunks has been in existence. We've learned that opera is a tough business and hard on singers, which is why we post a "No Bitchiness" statement on our main page. Singers have all of the insecurities and anxieties of the non-performer, but amplified a hundred times."

DiDonato inspires inmates through song

Op-ed

"It reminds them that that part of them is perhaps not lost in a place that is dehumanizing a lot of the time" the two-time Grammy Award-winner said in an interview with The Today Show on NBC. "The first day I was there... my instinct was 'Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact' and forty-five minutes later I was staring into the eyes of these inmates and we were singing to each other."