Contents
FRONT OF HOUSE EDITORIAL The challenges of youth
LETTERS Your views and suggestions
PROLOGUE Leading vocal coach and mentor Dr Ralph Strehle introduces our focus on Young Artists
NEWS & NOTES Norwegian National Opera appoints new music director, Remembering Ezio Frigerio, La Scala’s iconic designer
LETTER FROM… Venice –La Fenice rises yet again
C R A I
GG I
B S O N
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REVIEWS - LIVE REVIEWS Royal Opera House Theodora (50); Der Kaiser von Atlantis LSO/Barbican (52) Opera Royal de Versaille/Les Talens Lyriques Psyché (53); Greek National Opera – Bicentenery Celebrations for the Greek Revolution of 1821 Marcos Botsaris; Kyra Frosini; Despo (54-56)
- RECORDINGS Recent releases by young artists on record (57); New releases on CD & DVD (63) including Sandrine Piau’s arias of enchantment; Rameau’s Achante et Céphis; Hans Tomalla’s Dark Spring Benet Casablancas’ L’enigma di Lea; Verdi’s Rigoletto (in French); Donizetti’s Belisario; Dido and Aeneas from the Opéra Comique in Paris (Opera Now Choice). Jessye Norman live in concert (66) Handel Cantatas (67) Rossini
- SPOTLIGHT World Wide Opera Guide and answers to last issue’s Quiz
COVER PHOTO: JULIAN BAUMANN
www.operanow.co.uk
‘A lot of it is about trial and error when you’re a young singer. You have to try various things and find
out what works for yourself ’
CONTENTS
A R T O
C A M I L L A
G R E E N W E L L
50
All the way to the top Freddie De Tommaso is one of the brightest stars of a new generation of talent. A tenor with an exceptional voice, winning
charisma and a riveting stage presence that sets him in line with greatest operatic artists of the past century
The art of talent spotting Choosing, training and mentoring a new generation of talent with Peter Katona at the Royal Opera House, Jonathan Papp from the Georg Solti Accademia, Ilias Tzempetonidis at the Teatro San Carlo Naples, and Roderick Williams, baritone
Going up Opera Now’s international panel of critics give their pick of 20 emerging opera singers. If you haven’t already heard of them, you soon will… Young Artist Profile Soprano Theresa Pilsl takes an unconventional approach to her singing career On Commission Piecing together New operas at the Copenhagen Opera Festival Quiz Test your opera knowledge My Favourite Things Laurence Cummings relaxes in the Algarve and shares suits with David Beckham
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