In the summer of 1818, the French novelist, Stendhal, visited the 500-ft deep salt mines outside Salzburg. For the duration of the trip, he was accompanied by a beautiful brown-eyed Italian lady called Madame Gherardi. Upon arriving in the city, they made the acquaintance of a charismatic Bavarian officer. He was invited to join their budding tour group and quickly fell deeply in love with Stendhal’s enchanting companion.
The success of the International Opera Awards is intellectual rigour
At the awards ceremony in Munich this year, a jury dug deep into the purpose of opera and its impact on society.
