William Burnett

This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. This is the second of three parts of the conversation that will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC. who (in John’s own words (“passed into legend”) on 10th October 2010. This part follows: Homage to Dame Joan Sutherland: A Conversation with Director John … Read more

This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. This is the second of three parts of the conversation that will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC. who (in John’s own words) “passed into legend” on 10th October 2010. This part follows: Homage to Dame Joan Sutherland: A Conversation with Director John … Read more

This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. The following three parts of the conversation will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC., who passed into legend on 10th October 2010: [Below: Dame Joan Sutherland in the final act of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena” in the 1988 Royal Opera House … Read more

The following interview took place at the War Memorial Opera House, home of the San Francisco Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated.    [Below: Composer Carlisle Floyd; edited image, based on a publicity photograph, courtesy of Carlisle Floyd.] Wm: Often, I ask artists whom I interview about their childhood interests in music. That … Read more

This interview took place on the “ranch” of the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of the interview is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley; edited image of a publicity photograph, from www.greergrimsley.com.] Wm: What are your earliest memories of music? GG: I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, so there was no lack of … Read more

This post continues from A Conversation with Director-Designer John Pascoe, Part 2 regarding his international career in opera stage direction and production design. We have committed to posting an ongoing series of discussions on his career influences and on a variety of opera-related subjects.  [Below: John Pascoe in the year 1980; resized image of a personal photograph, courtesy of … Read more

This interview was conducted on the Ranch of the Santa Fe Opera. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera and the Washington National Opera is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Conductor Carolyn Kuan; edited image, based on a professional photograph, courtesy of Carolyn Kuan.]   Wm: Where were you raised as a child? CK: … Read more

The following continues a conversation that first took place as interviews set up by the Houston Grand Opera and San Diego Opera [Rising Stars: An Interview with Raymond Aceto, Part 1] and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden [Rising Stars: An Interview with Raymond Aceto – Part 2]  and has continued at the Dallas Opera and the Santa Fe Opera … Read more

The following interview was conducted in on the “ranch” of the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is gratefully acknowledged.   [Below: Soprano Joyce El-Khoury; resized image of a publicity photograph, courtesy of Joyce El-Khoury.] Wm: What were your earliest memories of music? JEK: I was born in Lebanon of Lebanese parents. My grandfather George … Read more

The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is deeply appreciated.   [Below: Dramatic soprano Christine Goerke; resized image of a publicity photograph, from christinegoerke.com.] Wm: You were raised in Long Island, New York. What were your earliest musical experiences? CG: Well, there were no professional musicians in my … Read more

This post continues from A Conversation with Director-Designer John Pascoe, Part 1. John has generously permitted me to pursue a much more in-depth discussion of the factors that led and allowed him to pursue an international career in opera stage direction and production design. We have committed to posting an ongoing series of discussions on his career … Read more

The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation of this interview is gratefully acknowledged.   [Soprano Yunah Lee; resized image of a publicity photograph.] Wm: What were your earliest memories of music? YL: I grew up in South Korea. When I was a child, the only place that I … Read more

The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is deeply appreciated. [Below: Lyric coloratura Rachele Gilmore; edited image, based on a Dario Acosta photograph, courtesy of Rachele Gilmore.] Wm: What are your earliest memories of music? RG: I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of music. My … Read more