Contents

FRONT OF HOUSE

EDITORIAL Looking after the mental health of singers YOUNG ARTIST OF THE MONTH Meeting American mezzosoprano Lea Shaw - „ NEWS & NOTES Welsh National Opera’s orchestra takes industrial action against its pay cut, whilst the company’s production of Death in Venice receives a Sky Arts Award for Opera. John Eliot Gardiner is dismissed from Monteverdi Orchestra and Choir and sets up a new ensemble.

REVIEWS - LIVE REVIEWS UK Longborough Festival Ring Cycle (38) Edinburgh International Festival ( 3 9 ) The Grange Festival (4 0 ) Buxton International Festival (4 0 ) UK opera fringe (44) EUROPE Salzburg Festival (4 5 ) Rossini Opera Festival (4 6 ) USA Des Moines Metro Opera (47) ‡Š-‡‡ RECORDINGS Our reviews look at new recordings from Bru Zane with Massenet’s Werther, two reissues of Don Giovanni and Billy Budd on Orfeo Records, a new album from Jonas Kaufmann and Aigul Akhmetshina and Huw Montague Rendall’s debut recordings. Opera Now Choice: Meyerbeer’s Le prophète receives five stars

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‡ - SPOTLIGHT Worldwide Opera Guide and answers to this issue’s Quiz (p60)

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‘You still have to sacrifice; you still have to go through some level of pain to earn your place. That’s the yin and yang of life’

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Letter from Bru Zane Exploring the Venetian research centre and performance space resurrecting French operatic repertoire. Nadine Sierra The soprano speaks to Nancy Durrant about returning to the role of Gilda at the Met Opera, working with Andrea Bocelli and her perspective on making opera more accessible. A century of Puccini Looking across 100 years since Puccini’s death at major premieres, productions and artists that made their name from Puccini roles.

On a role: Issachah Savage The American tenor speaks about his role debut at Dutch National Opera with the complex character of Peter Grimes. Live reviews Our reviews look across country house opera to Buxton, Salzburg and Rossini opera festivals, as well as Des Moines Metro Opera in the USA. ‡Š Roberto Alagna The tenor releases a new profile album celebrating 40 years on stage, as well as his 60th birthday.

Mental health Soprano Marina CostaJackson explains her history with anxiety on stage and takes us through her healing journey and how she copes with pressure

Behind the scenes Hannah Goldstone takes us through the route to her role as an intimacy director.

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OperaNow Winter 2024 5