Opera`s rising star: Lise Davidsen on learning to handle the high life
(The Guardian Culture News)

Hailed as one of the greatest voices of her generation, the Norwegian soprano is taking on Beethoven´s freedom-loving heroine at Covent Garden. She talks about family, friends and facing her fearsI´m pretty sure the man who´s very politely shunting Lise Davidsen out of our Royal Opera House interview room to make way for an audit meeting doesn´t recognise her, but perhaps that´s not so surprising. Davidsen is simultaneously one of the company´s biggest draws this season and a relatively new face on the international stage. It may be that the casting of Jonas Kaufmann as Florestan ensured the ROH´s new production of Fidelio, staged by Tobias Kratzer, sold out within 24 hours, but for many it´s the prospect of Davidsen as Leonore - Beethoven´s courageous, cross-dressing, husband-rescuing heroine - that´s generating the real excitement. Continue reading...