reviews, news & interviews

The Seckerson Tapes: Melody Moore Interview

Star of new ENO Faust talks Broadway and opera

by edward.seckersonMonday, 13 September 2010

Melody Moore: The aptly named American soprano

Melody Moore is well named. Her parents must have had a sixth sense that she would be "melodious". This exciting young American soprano has been making waves on both sides of the Atlantic. She has established footholds at both San Francisco and Los Angeles Opera and in the 2008/9 season made her English National Opera debut in Jonathan Miller's new production of La bohème. She returns to the ENO this season as Marguerite in Des McAnuff's new staging of Gounod's Faust, a role which seems to define the direction in which her voice and career are taking her.

Hers is a lyric voice with distinctively dark overtones and a spinto reach to lend power and excitement. The names of Renata Tebaldi and Gabriella Tucci have been evoked in describing her special qualities. In this exclusive audio podcast she talks about her beginnings, her hopes, her aspirations, and - in telling detail - her voice. She talks about the new ENO Faust staging and the role of Marguerite which so exactingly demands both a coloratura and a lyrico spinto capability; and she muses on appearing in Stephen "Wicked" Schwartz's first opera Seance on a Wet Afternoon and what that means for the new-found spirit of co-operation and cross-fertilisation between Broadway and the opera world.

Listen to this episode

Find out more about Melody Moore
The ENO's new production of Faust begins on 18 September

Support the future of arts journalism

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thanks so much for choosing genuinely independent arts journalism theartsdesk’s mission has never been more important – in an age of relentless algorithmic recommendation, sponsored content and unreliable AI, the expertise and discernment of individual critics deeply embedded in their specialist areas is absolutely vital.

If you want more of that in your life, why not subscribe now?

If you do this before the 31st August, you’ll be able to keep at this “founders rate” for life: your subs will never increase! You can choose to subscribe annually for just £40 simply click here
or monthly for £5 per month simply click here.

Not ready to subscribe?

If you want to support with a little extra or aren’t ready to subscribe just yet, there’s also the option to give direct to our crowdfunder to support our imminent redesign and exciting expansion with new features and collaborations Simply contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d.

However you choose to be involved, you can proudly say that you are picking the right side in the battle for truth and humanity in the modern information landscape. And we will be very glad to have you on board!