Opera in the blood: Speranza Scappucci

Speranza Scappucci

Speranza Scappucci conducting at the Royal Opera House

Speranza Scappucci makes her Royal Opera debut

By Mark Pullinger, 17 March 2026

Loading, please wait...

“you can draw something positive from anything, even negative situations”

Mark Pullinger, 7th April

The Hong Kong-born conductor talks about her entry into music, her love of big Russian repertoire, her “Cinderella moment” at the Proms and her ambition to “go against the grind”.

Inner necessity: training opera’s next generation at the RCM

Jessica Duchen, 6th April

The Royal College of Music offers an enviable nurturing ground for the next generation of operatic talent. Audrey Hyland, head of the Vocal and Opera faculty, talks about what makes the department special.

Pure agilità: Aya Wakizono returns to Tokyo

Nahoko Gotoh, 13th March

The Japanese mezzo soprano is returning to the New National Theatre, Tokyo for her role debut in Massenet’s Werther. We talk about her love for Rossini, and expansions into later Romantic opera.

Bleeding and dancing: Mark Ravenhill gets his teeth into Salome

Kevin W Ng, 5th February

The trailblaizing playwright makes a return to the operatic stage to direct a new production of Strauss’ Salome with Regents Opera – held in an old boxing venue, an apt location given the opera’s bloody subject...

Back in the spotlight: Bru Zane gives women composers chance to shine

Elodie Olson-Coons, 2nd February

With significant works by Louise Farrenc, Augusta Holmès and Clémence de Grandval – including two grand operas – Palazzetto Bru Zane is pioneering rediscovery of French music of the 19th century.

Ben Glassberg on depression and a journey back to music

Elisabeth Schwarz, 16th January

Elisabeth Schwarz sits down with the British conductor to talk about his history of mental illness, his coming out and his journey back to the joy of music.

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.