6 & 109-112 News & comment + ew boss in Berlin + Katia Ri cc iarelli Lakes O\'er· at ~lacerata • Silake- up in Stockllolm • Role_x Protege & .\lentor· scil em '

Celebrating 15 years of Opera Now Reports from around the world: Opera Now magazine was founded in the same year as the fall of the Berlin Wall. In this issue, we look at the cultural changes that have affected opera in the new world order of the past 15 years ...

Austra li a 22

Italy 20

Eastern Eur·ope 12 Ru ssi a 9 France 25 Germany 16 Scandinavia 21 Soutil Arr·ica 19

UK8 SA 14

29 Aria Joiln Steane assesses inter·pretalions of Leila·s aria 'Comme autrefois· from Des peclleurs cle perles

32 Repertoire guide Roderi c Ounnett appraises til e operatic output of Antonin Ovoi·ak in til e centenary year· or ili s deatil

43 Singles' night David Blewitt reports on tile success or Oper·a Nortil "s innovative season of one-act opems

Nowhere to hide: Savoy Opera closes after just one month. Post mortem on page 114

Festival news 30 years or Batignano 35 Carmen in Sevi ll e 3 7 Die tote Stadt at Sa lzburg 3 8

Festi val l'eports: Sa r asota 40 Budapest Spring Festi va l 4 1

Regulars Editorial4 Subscriptions 44 Live reviews 45 Young artist reviews 84

In recital 88 CD features Be reviews 92

Opera in view 99 Book reviews 101 Webwatch 104

Letters 107 News in brief 110 Centre-stage 114

JULY/AUGUST 2004 Opera Now 3