It was not long ago that Thomas Quasthoff said "No," clear and simple,
to the idea of public opera performances.  (He has always been very fond
of the genre and there have been many "private" instances of his singing
arias, ranging from bass to soprano.) Three years ago, at the Oregon Bach
Festival, he surprised me with the American vernacular of "what part of No
don't you understand" when I kept asking the question.

Not only has there been a material change lately, with the publication of
"Evening Star" and the upcoming "Fidelio" and "Parsifal" productions, but
his language changed as well.

In a new Planet interview
(http://www.planet-interview.de/interviews/pi.php?interview=quasthoff-thomas
), he makes this new attitude very clear:

"There are (additional) offers I am considering...  always with the view
to what is appropriate for me.  The fact is that I will not be an `opera
singer' but I will visit that world now and then, and I look forward to it
very much."

That's the part of "No" I didn't understand...:)

The interview also has the briefest and most right-on statement about
regietheater/Eurotrash directors:  "(one reason for not projecting the
all-important words in opera is) a bad director who considers himself
more important than the opera itself."

Janos Gereben/SF
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