Living Opera [Paperback]

Selected as one of the Best Music Books of 2010 byThe Independent, here is a wonderful collection of 20 wide-ranging interviews with the preeminent opera singers, conductors, and directors working on and behind the stage today. Joshua Jampol invites opera-lovers to listen in as performers speak in frank terms about their strengths and weaknesses, conductors discuss the state of contemporary opera, and directors talk through the complexities involved in staging a successful production. Jampol has unprecedented access and the table of contents reads like a who's who of the global opera world, featuring Fleming, Domingo, Ramey, Villazon, Dessay, Conlon, Salonen, Nagano, Boulez, Carsen, Ch?reau, and more. Each interview highlights a distinctive voice speaking about his or her career path, first break, colleagues, major influences, audiences, critics, and all the diverse professions making up the emotional and extravagant world of the lyric arts. Jampol brings immense knowledge and a wonderful flair to these conversations, allowing his subjects to follow their thoughts wherever they lead, and revealing in the process a more intimate, reflective side of this constellation of operatic stars.

Acknowledgements
Preface

Pierre Boulez, or The Incorruptible
Robert Carsen, or building the bridge between head and heart
Patrice Ch?reau, or truth, opera and the director: in Wagner's footsteps
William Christie, or going for baroque
James Conlon, or surrendering your soul
Natalie Dessay, or healing the sick voice
Joyce DiDonato, or the wider connection
Pl?cido Domingo, or Olympics for the voice
Ren?e Fleming, or balancing on the high wire
Ferruccio Furlanetto, or functioning as a filter
Kasper Bech Holten, or the emotional fitness center
Simon Keenlyside, or a workingman talks about traffic control
Waltraud Meier, or the sweatshirt must fit
Heidi Grant Murphy, or sopranoed - with children
Kent Nagano, or remainingls+