The rape of Opera
The recent production of Guillame Tell at ROH staged a rape scene. Does it help the opera or does it take away from the music?
Latin flavours
Latin composers don’t make it often in concert programming, but they’re influence has been everything but insignificant for other composers around the world.
On singers’ size
An open letter to the critics of the London Times, who are targeting singers for their appearances
Is structure mandatory?
Some say it’s essential to have a structure before you start writing anything. I don’t quite share that opinion, at least not completely.
A structure can be very useful, but also very constraining.
Gumption ‘n Rose
Rose Beuret, long life companion of Rodin, was not initially part of the plan.
After all the opera already had two main female charachters, the old and the young Camille.
Creation’s fever
For a long time I thought it was just a myth, an old wives tale that people like to ramble about to look cool.
Until I experienced it first hand. I was writing the libretto for the opera “Camille Claudel” and abruptely Rose, Rodin’s wife, came into the scene. The scene is a fight between Camille and Rose, extremely confrontational and passionate on both sides.
