Q&A When did you start singing? As a professional at 19 thanks to being chucked out of the Guildhall. I always sang as a child. Why did you start singing? I simply loved it. I grew up with no tv and only classical music played at home. My parents were wonderful at taking us to opera. I saw Sutherland, Price, Gobbi and so on at a very young age. I decided to be a … [Read more...] about Rebecca Caine answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Michael Crawford
David I. Mitchell – designer of Barnum, Annie & La Cage aux Folles – dies at 79
David I. Mitchell, who did the scenic design for more than 30 Broadway shows, was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won two, died of cancer on yesterday, October 3, in Los Angeles. He was 79. His Tony-nominated shows were "Barnum", "Annie", "Trelawny of the Wells", "Working", "Can-Can", "Foxfire" and "The Boys of Winter". Other Broadway work included "La Cage aux Folles" … [Read more...] about David I. Mitchell – designer of Barnum, Annie & La Cage aux Folles – dies at 79
Benjamin Britten “had a knack for discovering child talent”
Janette Heffernan was the first girl to sing in the composer’s ghost opera. I first met him when I was aged 15, when he was looking for children for the Aldeburgh premiere of Noye’s Fludde, in 1958. I was at ballet school at the time, but I’d had singing lessons so my teachers put me forward for an audition. I knew Britten’s music — I’d seen his Prince of Pagodas four times at … [Read more...] about Benjamin Britten “had a knack for discovering child talent”
Michael Crawford reveals why musicals can be bad for your health
Michael has returned to London's West End after a long break. He left the run of The Woman in White in 2004 suffering from exhaustion. After tests he found that he'd developed the debilitating illness myalgic encephalopathy, or ME. ‘What I thought had been flu turned into a physical meltdown. I went for all sorts of brain and body scans until ME was finally diagnosed. I was … [Read more...] about Michael Crawford reveals why musicals can be bad for your health