November/December 2008

The rowdy bunch: Audience members at Prague State Opera prepare themselves

for the New Year's party.

See page 118

Front of house 4 Editorial 6 News & comment + 'ew Wex forcl opera house opens + Skellig at The Sage, Gateshead + Cutting-ecl ge opera in Tha il ancl

+ l~ clu ca li o n : English Touring Opera 's schools initi ative

Features 12 Who's Hot? Opera ow's intemati ona l Learn of correspondents higl11ights the most promising tal ent of tocl ay (an cl the ones to keep an eye on for the future ... ) 21 Stage combat Ernrna Pom f1·et ta lks to some leacl ing figu J•es among a new generation of opera di• ·ccLo• ·s as th ey strive Lo make a name for themselves in an industry th at is increas ingly look ing to crowd-pulling names of celebrity status but littl e opem experience 26 In safe hands Debussy's Pclleas et l'\'leli sa ndc goes uncl er the kn ife as compose1· Stephen McNeff performs some skill eclm usica l su1·gery. cloll'nsizing an cl J'eshaping this modernist masterpi ece 31 Men in Black Opera Now meets four opera co nductors who are lea cling th e fl elcl in opera on both sid es of the Atlanti c 39 Aria A tmn scendental ending: John Steane concludes hi s seri es 1 ith the 'lovedea th ' tmnsl1guralion aria whi ch closes Wagner 's 'l 'ri stan und Isoldc 42 The Performing Voice Ge~·a ld Jlinl cy revea ls to Mark Glanville the tJ'ials ancl tribulati ons he has faced in his ca reer and how he has emerged with a new outl ook and app1•oac h to his singing 45 In the wings Opera ow mee ts opera people: Ca rlo Vita li meet the stunning and styli sh mezzo Vi\ri ca Gcnaux 63 Webwatch Opera singers and th eir unlikely origins 64 From Foundations to Front of House Opera Now's architectuml correspondant Aclrian Motu•by co ntinu es his seri es on new opera houses focusi ng on the clebate between aestheti cs and acoustics

Reviews 46 In recital Ed inburgh Festi val, Wagner and Ista nbul co mpetiti ons 50 CD reviews Chandos· Pearll1sh ers 57 DVD reviews 67 Festival reviews 107 Salzburg Festival Focus 110 live reviews 114 Young artist reviews 118 New Year's opera Popping the champagne co rks in Prague

121 Opera worldwide The guide to international opera performances, plus Amanda Holloway's Travel Tips take her on some exotic winter breaks