Royal Opera House
by Chris Shipman
View Feature

Two of the greatest mezzo-sopranos of recent times discuss what makes a great singer and offer their advice via a unique analogy.

Mezzo-sopranos Joyce DiDonato and Janet Baker recently took part in a ROH Insights session which is available to watch in full via the Royal Opera House YouTube channel.

In this clip they discuss what it is to be a singing artist, via a unique analogy for the human voice – that of a glass.

‘A glass is not a mirror – you do not see yourself in it’, says Dame Janet. ‘You look through it at the audience or at the responsibility which you have to the composer and librettist. You have to keep the glass clean and have to be able to see out to that purpose which is bigger than you are. You’ve also got to allow people to look in.’