Contents
FRONT OF HOUSE EDITORIAL The lessons of history
LETTERS Your views and suggestions
ESSAY Can opera singers have a real life?
NEWS & NOTES Britain’s critics honour Dame Janet Baker; new course for opera lovers; Christmas treats
LETTER FROM… Los Angeles… where opera meets the glamour of Hollywood
J E N N Y
S T E
W A R T
‘I enjoyed being able to attend to so many things that I had left unfinished, postponed or forgotten. At last, I had the chance to rummage
through my sound archives in
search of hidden gems’
REVIEWS - LIVE REVIEWS Royal Opera House, London Jenůfa (42); Scottish Opera The Gondoliers (44); English National Opera HMS Pinafore (46); Northern Ireland Opera La Bohème (48); Flanders Opera Der Silbersee (50); Opera Halle A Midsummer Night’s Dream (52); San Francisco Opera Fidelio (54) New National Theatre Tokyo La Cenerentola (56) Callas tributes in Athens (58) Wexford Festival Opera 2021 Round-up (60)
- RECORDINGS New releases on CD & DVD including solo albums from Renée Fleming, Emily D’Angelo and Hila Fahima; Albeniz –complete songs; Hahn’s Ciboulette; Michael Spyres –Baritenor (Opera Now Choice); The Bayreuth Edition –30-CD box set from Opus Arte
- SPOTLIGHT
COVER PHOTO: ULLI WEBER
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CONTENTS
Unfinished business James Imam talks to best-selling mezzo Cecilia Bartoli about her new album which brings together some of the most challenging pieces from her repertoire, performed over a period of 10 years.
Gigli’s dark side Benjamino Gigli remains one of the most revered opera singers of the 20th century. But, says Benjamin Ivry, his allegiances to Fascism should not be ignored…
The joy of opera tours Adrian Mourby shares his long experience and expertise in the art of travel to the opera
W I L F R I E D
H Ö S L
Remembering Edita Gruberová Francis Muzzu sums up the qualities of one of the greatest sopranos of our time
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46
58
Travels With My Opera Glasses Professor Anthony Ogus is back on the road – or in this case the rails – as he recommences his exploration of some of Europe’s lesser-known operatic gems
My Favourite Things The veteran soprano Anja Silja, a great operatic muse in her day, introduces us to her Favourite Things
Quiz Test your knowledge of operatic adventures at the cinema
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