Fach My Life

Ros and Adele answer questions sent in by curious listeners!

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Ros interviews the incredible Dr. Christine Jobson, a multi-talented entrepreneurial soprano who sings loud and proud the message 'Black girls sing opera'. Well, they do, and bloody marvellously too! Listen to hear about Dr. Christine's journey in academia, her passion for exploring and programming music by black composers, and her fight to show children of colour that they do have a place in opera. Check out https://www.christinejobson.com/ and shop her collections at https://www.christinejobson.com/shop AND check out @blackgirlssingopera on Instagram

Ros interviews the wonderful baritone Clinton Fung, who shares his thoughts on microaggressions, what needs to change in opera, and how being bribed with food launched his singing career. Follow Clinton on Instagram at clintonfung7 and check out clintonfung.com

Ros and Adele report on various aspects of race and racist structures within opera, including: the treatment of Pretty Yende at Charles de Gaule Airport, casting discrepancies, whether companies have walked the walk following their Black Lives Matter statements in 2020, and recommendations for other podcasts and reading material. Links in Linktree and here: https://www.bipocarts.com https://theconversation.com/opera-is-stuck-in-a-racist-sexist-past-while-many-in-the-audience-have-moved-on-120073 Just read this too: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/28/preserved-in-aspic-opera-embarks-on-diversity-drive this is v current from asian racism: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scottish-opera-pulls-out-of-award-in-nixon-in-china-make-up-race-row-v6vqkq5s5 https://open.spotify.com/show/2wWVYrO8YXp2zKvjRhxksY?si=6_ZGtpH5StCwHBO1x9ItJA&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Ros and Adele have a mid-season regroup about several pressing issues!

Ros and Adele discuss the lack of accessibility for state-educated students in UK conservatoires, and how the institutions themselves and the government are failing young potential musicians by depriving them of the building blocks needed for success in classical music that their privately-educated peers have handed to them. Question: why are certain people in Britain so bloody obsessed with where you went to school? Articles referenced are: https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/specialist-arts-colleges-among-most-elitist-country also https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/05/22/the-conservatoire-crisis-is-oxbridge-a-model-for-widening-participation/ and https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk/2005/may/10/highereducation.accesstouniversity

Ros and Adele discuss 'genius-worship' in classical music and the harm that can be done by elevating a few people beyond accountability.

Article 1: https://www.middleclassartist.com/post/fat-shaming-bullying-is-anyone-protecting-our-young-singers Article 2: https://www.middleclassartist.com/post/why-do-fat-singers-fight-so-hard-for-an-industry-that-hates-us Article 3: https://www.middleclassartist.com/post/fat-shaming-in-the-metropolitan-opera-children-s-chorus-my-daughter-was-eight-years-old

Ros and Adele give an overview of their direction for season 3, beginning to ask the question 'who gets a seat at the opera table?'