Opera Now

The opera lover's essential guide

Opera Now captures the drama, colour and vitality of one of the most powerful of all the performing arts. In our print and digital issues, we showcase the creative spirit of opera, both on stage and behind the scenes, with profiles of opera companies, singers, directors and designers. Our in-depth features reflect how diverse cultural elements have influenced opera, including travel, history, literature, art, architecture, politics and philosophy.

Our lively reviews and opinion pages are a platform for writers and critics drawn from all over the world. Our aim is to inspire our opera-loving readers to broaden their knowledge and deepen their passion for this fascinating and stimulating artform.

In the Winter issue of Opera Now we feature the international soprano Nadine Sierra. She speaks to Nancy Durrant about returning to the role of Gilda at the Met Opera, working with Andrea Bocelli and her perspective on the business of opera and making the artform more accessible.

We speak to three other singers in the issue. Male soprano Bruno de Sa’s latest album, Mille Affetti brings six world premiere recordings whilst Huw Montague Rendall reflects on the impact of music on his mental health and at the emotions and character behind his debut album, Contemplation. The American tenor Issachah Savage speaks in our ‘On a Role’ section about his role debut at Dutch National Opera with the complex character of Peter Grimes.

As Wexford Opera Festival prepares to stage Charles Villiers Stanford’s comic opera, Jeremy Dibble introduces the work in the context of Stanford’s operatic writing. We also look across 100 years since Puccini’s death. Ten major premieres, productions and artists that made their name from Puccini roles are explored.

Our reviews look across country house opera to Buxton, Salzburg and Rossini opera festivals, as well as Des Moines Metro Opera in the USA and we go behind the scenes with Hannah Goldstone, who takes us through the route to her role as an intimacy director.