Women who win the day: Opera’s triumphant heroines
2 September 2015
Opera is (perhaps justly) infamous for killing off its heroines – we look at some of the women who buck the trend.
Puccini unpacked: A guide to one of the most-loved operatic composers
4 June 2015
The Italian composer created some of opera’s most enchanting romances.
Living the American Dream: How opera has embraced and attacked a national ethos
1 September 2014
From cheerful go-getting lumberjacks to a city of hedonism in the desert, lyric theatre has long confronted the ideals of the USA.
How Puccini used music to portray settings
21 May 2014
From Nagasaki harbour to the wide-open plains of Louisiana, Puccini was a master of evoking a sense of place.
What is it about Puccini?
16 February 2014
Puccini's operas are some of the world's most loved. We look at what makes his music so appealing.