International
Antonio Pappano: How opera can be ‘open to everyone’
Is the world of opera becoming more inclusive? A new documentary, featuring conductor Antonio Pappano, explores the mission to open up the art form to everyone.
Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano is renowned for being a warm-hearted “people person”. But there’s one thing that makes his blood run cold: when he hears opera being accused of being an art form that’s only for a wealthy elite. “I get very offended by people who say we’re elitist,” he says passionately in a new documentary. This is “a misconception that totally distorts the image of opera,” he adds. “The fact of the matter is, it’s harder to get into a football game in London than it is to get into the [Royal] Opera House.”