Canadian-born Mel Cooper first came to the UK to study English Literature at Oxford University and stayed. He was captivated by the culture and history of Britain, which he found to be a welcoming and tolerant country. After working in highly illustrated, non-fiction publishing for over a decade, he founded and edited the magazine Opera Now. Since then he has worked as a consultant to the Japanese broadcaster NHK, a broadcaster on British Satellite Broadcasting, a maker of audio shows and arts critic for several airlines, and as one of the team that started Britain’s first commercial classical music radio station, Classic FM, on which he was both a classical music DJ and creator and presenter of shows like Classic America and Authentic
Performance. Throughout this period, he also lectured in music and literature in London and Oxford and published short stories in Canada. After working with the Genesis Foundation on helping to fund arts projects, he continues to write, review and lecture on music and literature. His first novel has just been published as an e-book. The title is City of Dreams. It is the first volume of a projected saga called The Dream Bearers. You can find the Kindle version of the book on Amazon.
I am delighted to report that on this tour three out of the three operas brought to us by the Welsh National Opera were extremely worth attending both...
The legendary David Pountney production of Janacek’s Cunning Little Vixen is back on stage and is a major part of the WNO tour. I found it fresh, exci...
I caught up with the new WNO production of Bizet’s Carmen the other night in Oxford and can report that it is truly excellent both musically and drama...
The idea of A Museum in Baghdad is a strong one, and one that interests me a lot. The production of this new play by Hannah Khalil is highly professio...
I have to report that the stage production of The Lovely Bones (from the hugely successful novel by Alice Sebold, adapted by Bryony Lavery) is one of ...
An Inspector Calls, J B Priestley’s famous allegorical play about class, socialism and social responsibility, seems more appropriate than ever. And St...
Let me start by saying that the new production of Shakespeare’s too-infrequently produced play, King John, is entertaining, moving, engaging, utterly ...
Central to the post-World War II generation of pioneer artists who helped redefine the practice and purpose of theatre, Marlon Brando was considered t...
I should begin by stating up front that I am a serious admirer and fan of the works of August Wilson. For me the plays he has written should be consid...
I am a fan of Paul Hart’s work as a director and have previously enjoyed very much his approach to Shakespeare plays as well as his innovative musical...
