Please note:
Opera News has restructured online content such that most features are available to subscribers only.
Therefore, most of the links to my articles below can no longer be accessed by non-subscribers.
I apologize for any inconvenience and will update the links if policies change.
Thank you -- Richard Speer

FEATURE:  "THE ETERNAL FEMININE"
(THE CHARACTERIZATION OF PUCCINI'S HEROINES)


FEATURE:  "THE TWO SISTERS:
PORTLAND, OREGON, AND ITS OPERA COMPANY
SEARCH FOR AN IDENTITY OUTSIDE SEATTLE'S SHADOW"


CODA:  "DIVAS ON DEMAND"
(GETTING YOUR OPERA FIX ON YOUTUBE)


COMMENTARY:  "DESERT ISLAND TENORS"
(THE MOST THRILLING RECORDED TENOR HIGH NOTES, POST-1950)
 

FEATURE:  TOP OF THE FACH
(THREE WAGNERIAN DIVAS:  LINDA WATSON, LISA GASTEEN, AND NINA STEMME)



FEATURE:  "SOUND DIRECTION"
(VOICE TEACHERS DISH ABOUT VOICE STUDENTS)
 

COMMENTARY:  "UP, UP, AND AWAY"
(THE MOST THRILLING RECORDED COLORATURA HIGH NOTES, POST-1950)

ARTICLE:  THE DOORS AND MAHAGONNY
(THE MANY LIVES OF THE SONG "WHISKEY BAR")
IN THE SAME ISSUE:
COMMENTARY:  "ARRANGING THINGS"
(WHAT MAKES A CROSSOVER ARRANGEMENT GREAT -- OR AWFUL?)

COMMENTARY:  "GRAMMY GROANERS"
(THE GRAMMYS' ALL-TIME WORST CLASSICAL/OPERA PICKS)

COMMENTARY:  "A BATTLE BY THE BROOK"
(WHO IS THE BEST INTERPRETER OF SCHUBERT'S DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN?)

COMMENTARY:  "CRITICAL CONDITION"
(ARE NEWSPAPERS DUMBING DOWN ARTS JOURNALISM?)



ARTICLE:  "PATRONIZE THYSELF"
(ALLEGED TIT-FOR-TAT AT NEW YORK CITY OPERA)


    
COMMENTARY:  "GUNS N' ROSENKAVALIER"
(VOCAL ANDROGYNY AND THE MALE CAMBIATA VOICE)

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