Thomas Allen on Jenkins, Watson & Co: ‘These people have never sung an opera in their lives’
In today’s Independent, Sir Thomas Allen speaks his mind about the Katherine Jenkins and Russell Watson school of singing:
I refuse to give in to this fake popularisation and lowbrow quality, and people claiming to be opera singers when they’ve never sung in an opera – it’s a deceit. Those singers could never do the real thing, here in the Royal Opera, where the non-bastardised version takes place.”
via The Independent
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
