Front of House Feedback old production might have been closer to that, as Morgan contends. But Hume does give us a completely coherent analysis of so many of the complex problems that we face in our day-to-day lives.

an emphasis on how traditional operas can enlighten audiences of our own time. Morgan disputes the idea that racism and sexism are ‘inherent’ in opera – or indeed in society. But nevertheless, such things continue to affect many of us today, even if Morgan has been happily spared.

READERS’ LETTERS Today’s battles Your correspondent Elizabeth Morgan’s letter in your October issue (Battle of the Sexes, page 6) makes for interesting reading in the light of the growing awareness of violence against women in society. Her contention that ‘few sane people would recognise the sex-war battlefield [Lindy Hume] describes’ is clearly out of touch – the battle is sadly very much raging, as every news tragic bulletin during the past few weeks has reminded us. So it’s quite right that Hume, as a talented director who perceives art through the lens of modernity, should put

Having seen Lindy Hume’s production of Madam Butterfly at Welsh National Opera, I think she has done an amazing job of focusing our attention on what this story has to say about our particular society at this particular time in history. It may not be a definitive Butterfly – Joachim Herz’s

If she has done her job, then Lindy Hume’s WNO production may be irrelevant in five years’ time – the world may have moved on. But for now, this Madam Butterfly made me feel Puccini’s music afresh, allowing me to access emotions about the world we live in today. If that isn’t a sign of a successful opera production, I don’t know what is… Beatrice Paxton, via email

Fabulous Fabiano Thank you for your wonderful October issue profile of Michael Fabiano – a tenor who, in my view, should be on an equal par with Jonas Kaufmann, who tends to get all the glory in the tenor stakes these days. Fabiano has a clarity and a ringing confidence at the top of his voice that I have never found so convincing in other tenors of today. To me, Kaufmann – like so many modern tenors – sounds like a converted baritone with a rather woolly vocal line. Bring on the age of the true bel canto tenor. Fabiano is leading the way! Angela Emmeline, via email

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Sir Antonio Pappano

Available now SACD | Digital

6 November 2021 OperaNow

Symphonies Nos 4 & 6