Tara Erraught

Tara Erraught (born 1986, Dundalk)[1] is an Irish mezzo-soprano, a graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM).[2]

She is noted for her work with Bavarian State Opera, for which she has been given a Pro meritis scientiae et litterarum award.[3]

She is perhaps best known beyond the world of opera for the controversy about reviews she received when she played Octavian in a production by Richard Jones of Der Rosenkavalier at Glyndebourne in 2014. Critics including Andrew Clark (in the Financial Times),[4] Rupert Christiansen (in the The Daily Telegraph),[5][6] and Richard Morrison (in The Times)[7] felt her physique and costume made her an implausible young male lover in this breeches role. It was noted that the reviews (described as "vicious" in the Irish Independent)[3] came from male critics.[8] Morrison later apologised by saying, “Several musicians I count as close friends tell me that what I wrote would have upset greatly the promising young singer who took the role of Octavian. I regret that.”[8] Several other critics, performers, and members of the public supported Erraught.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Exclusive interview with mezzo Tara Erraught", T. Knudsen, operafocus.com
  2. ↑ Student Successes, Royal Irish Academy of Music
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Donal Lynch (December 2014). "The fab lady sings". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Der Rosenkavalier, Glyndebourne, East Sussex, UK – review by Andrew Clark, Financial Times, 19 May 2014
  5. ↑ "Glyndebourne 2014: Der Rosenkavalier, review" by Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph, 18 May 2014
  6. ↑ "Rosenkavalier row: 'I stand by every word'" by Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2014
  7. ↑ "Der Rosenkavalier at Glyndebourne by Richard Morrison, The Times, 19 May 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Richard Spillett (22 May 2014). "'Don't listen to them': Dame Kiri Te Kanawa supports rising opera star dubbed 'dumpy' 'unsightly' and 'a chubby bundle of puppy fat' by male critics". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

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