Diva

These interviews with the world's leading female opera singers provide a provocative glimpse into the changing world of opera, revealing the concerns of a new generation of performers. Helena Matheopoulos draws out the private and musical concerns of twenty-six reigning divas, including Hildegard Behrens, Grace Bumbry, Montserrat Caballe, Christa Ludwig, Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto, Joan Sutherland, and Kiri Te Kanawa. The book appears at a moment when opera is enjoying unprecedented popularity, a fact which Matheopoulos attributes to changes that began in the 1950s and 1960s when performers such as Maria Callas helped transform opera productions into believable theater. But some critics argue that the newfound popularity has been achieved at the expense of vocal excellence, resulting in a disappointing shortage of singers capable of performing many crucial roles. In these interviews, today's divas reflect on the changes that have occurred in opera. A performer's success no longer depends on voice alone but on acting ability and stage presence as well. With opera companies springing up throughout the world, singers are expected to travel extensively, which leaves them exhausted and with little time for vocal training. In addition, the dearth of good teachers and conductors capable of training and advising singers has left young performers open to exploitation; many are pressured into roles that exceed their vocal maturity, damaging not only their careers but also their voices.