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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Opera Season: Dame Felicity Palmer, Annilese Miskimmon, cutting edge opera

Sara Mohr-Pietsch asks: 'What is the future of opera?' She speaks to Dame Felicity Palmer and discovers some of the most exciting projects pushing opera right to its limits.

In a special edition of the programme for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Opera Season, Sara Mohr-Pietsch looks at opera past, present and future.

Sara meets the mezzo Dame Felicity Palmer who talks candidly about her life in the opera house, why the job of an opera singer is nothing like the glamour that people expect, how she sometimes doesn't feel opera works and why it's great fun to play horrible women.

The Belfast born opera director Annilese Miskimmon talks about the challenges opera faces today - from new audiences and gender inequality to battles between traditionalists and innovators.

We meet creators of the most cutting edge new opera that pushes the medium right to its boundaries - from sonic bicycles with composer Kaffe Matthews, to video games with director Sjaron Minailo, and an opera based entirely on the live sounds of a rock band with Travis Just from Object Collection.

And the opera historian Suzanne Aspden surveys where the operatic landscape is today and the different opera companies vying for our attention. And our money, given opera costs a great deal of money to put on. Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Daisy Evans, founder of Silent Opera, talk about how they give audiences the biggest bang for their buck.

Image (c) Johan Persson.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Mon 9 Oct 2017 22:00

Chapters

  • Annilese Miskimmon

    Duration: 07:35

  • The Future of Opera

    Duration: 08:07

  • Opera on the Edge

    Duration: 09:02

  • Felicity Palmer

    Duration: 14:10

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch
Interviewed Guest Felicity Palmer

Broadcasts

  • Sat 7 Oct 2017 12:15
  • Mon 9 Oct 2017 22:00

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