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Tom Service talks to English National Opera's new Artistic Director, the award-winning American opera and theatre director Daniel Kramer, who's about to stage Wagner's Tristan and Isolde at the Coliseum. He sees the piece as a ritual of lovers, and apart from sharing his views on the piece, Kramer speaks about his collaboration with artist Anish Kapoor, who’s designed the set on this production. Also, Kramer talks candidly about the challenges he’s taking on as Artistic Director at a time when has Ìýfaced unprecedented cuts from the Arts Council of England, has seen the resignation of its Chief Executive and its Music Director, as well as threats of strikes by the chorus. Let’s go back to basics, says Kramer, who’d like to concentrate on the core repertoire of opera, emphasising the theatricality that has always distinguished ENO’s aesthetics.

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As news of the appointment at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York of 41-year old French Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin as its new Music Director is announced, we get the reaction of Hugh Canning, Chief Music Critic of The Sunday Times. Is Nézet-Séguin the proper person to replace maestro James Levine, who’s been at the post for more than four decades? What would he bring to The Met, beyond core repertoire? What kind of opera house would The Met be under his tenure?

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Photo © Marco Borggrev

Tom interviews cultural historian Anna Beer, author of the new book 'Sounds and Sweet Airs: the Forgotten Women of Classical Music', which includes eight composers, among them Francesca Caccini, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn and Elizabeth Maconchy, all remarkably talented artists who’ve left a fascinating body of work – some of which has made it into the mainstream, some of which is yet to be fully appreciated. Beer discusses how institutional sexism has been responsible for denying opportunities to women who had wanted to compose, andÌýhow female composers have needed to be recognised as women first in society, before their role of composers could be acknowledged.ÌýÌý

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ÌýPhoto © Jeff Overs

Pianist James Rhodes takes to our Soapbox, a space in which performers, composers, and musical thinkers discuss pressing matters in today’s music world. He takes this opportunity to encourage amateur musicians to play an instrument. He stresses the benefits of performing music, even if it’s for the benefit of yourself alone, and singles out the lack of playing an instrument as a particular malaise of the modern, hectic world in which we live today. Everyone can play an instrument, says Rhodes. All you need is some time and the will to do it, insisting also that in doing so we open a wonderful window into our inner world.

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ÌýPhoto ©Richard Ansett