In a highly personal and candid view of her world of music, Dame Kiri takes us behind the gold and glitter and draws aside the curtains of the great opera houses of the world to the magic and mirth - and sometimes the murk - that lie beyond.
Dame Kiri tells us what the characters in the operas mean to her and how a singer can convey their complex and conflicting emotions. Then the turns the spotlight on her colleagues. Who are the real stars? Are tenors always heroes? Do conductors direct or dictate? Is the art of accompaniment in danger of being lost?
Dame Kiri has amassed a wealth of anecdotes about productions she has loved and hated, and about the people who have taken part in them. She discusses controversial performances and the rise of the director, modern dress versus period costumes and how the phrasing of a vocal line can make all the difference between a performance that lives and one that is utterly lifeless.
This book is a must for all of her fans, music lovers and opera connoisseurs alike.
