Page 375 - Opera News Today

So im on a mission to find out how opera is making itself fit for the future. this time im meeting some of the top creatives who make sure that the magic happens so that the big stars can shine so brightly on the night. i feel it really like a pilot. i mean, we are ready. the plane is fine. we have checked everything we could check. everybody is on board on time. we take off, but then anything can happen. la scala in milan is one of the greatest opera houses and a firm favourite here is the thri...

Let me take you to the opera. voices chatter sitting in the audience at la scala in milan waiting for the curtain to go up is an experience that always excites me. and the reason why is that for me, opera is a complete artform. theres great singing, of course, but also music skills, acting, movement and even sometimes dance. and the artistic and technical teams working behind the scenes to deliver amazing sets, costumes, makeup and wigs, well, the listjust goes on and on.

We need lips. that is probably critical. her name is emily, maybe. emily, oh? it gave me a chance to hang out with istanbulites. its coming to life in quite creepy fashion. ifeel like i have made an actual person now. look at that face! but what do the judges think? she says its perfect. thank you. we all have work but with these activities we can have fun. make some new friends. actually after covid—19, its a big relief for all people in istanbul. art certainly has a way of bringing people to...

We all have work but with these activities we can have fun. make some new friends. actually after covid—19, its a big relief for all people in istanbul. art certainly has a way of bringing people together. a short hop on the old tram takes you to pera, which this hotel was named after. opened in 1885 to accommodate passengers fresh off the orient express, the pera palace hotel is steeped in history. the walls which agatha christie would write from. joining me for a cuppa is defne tulga, a loca...

All opera houses are having to deal with the challenges of sustainability, as well as ensuring that audiences can enjoy the big spectacle they expect from a live performance. now we must change every action and we can choose action that creates value with the sustainability and the theatre can tell, can, can communicate the importance of sustainability to our society. so staging a traditional opera in the 21st century is complex, but opera is musical theatre. so above all, the role of the musici...

La gioconda was written in the 18705 by italian composer ponchielli. it means "the happy woman." but in fact, its a tragic story of a young heroine in 17th century venice who sacrifices her life to save her true love, the sea captain, enzo. dominique mayer runs la scala. he says its important to take a gamble with an opera like la gioconda. i think, first of all, its very difficult to find the right performance to do it. and of course, its also maybe more difficult to sell out because people lik...

And the coordination, it seems to be so, such a huge work. im kind of a little bit of a technical person coming from a lot of technical backgrounds. so that definitely plays into enjoying the opera as well as the singers. yes, lots of talent. im sitting there thinking, how are they even doing this? i dont know how they created these amazing sets. so for sure, i think thats as much a part of it as the singing. its such an expression of emotion. and so its the singing, _ its the costumes, its the ...

Lydia Steier's adaptation features some admirable innovations but gets bogged down in anti-war allusions

The hugely talented soprano Asmik Grigorian is mesmerising in Christoph Loy’s new production of three one-act operas

Thank you. we all have work but with these activities we can have fun. make some new friends. actually after covid—19, its a big relief for all people in istanbul. art certainly has a way of bringing people together. a short hop on the old tram takes you to pera, which this hotel was named after. opened in 1895 to accommodate passengers fresh off the orient express, the pera palace hotel is steeped in history. the walls which agatha christie would write from. joining me for a cuppa is defne tu...