Page 54 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

years went by her voice got richer, fuller and more spine-tingling, her repertoire more focused

on romantic opera. Now there are even plans for her to sing Wagner.

“One has to have a certain maturity to do him,” she says. “It’s like Roquefort. ” Roquefort?

“Yes,” Yoncheva replies. “You don’t eat Roquefort until you are a certain age, just like singing

Wagner.”

Oh, this is fun. We could go through all the cheeses, matching them up to operatic repertoire.

“Or champagnes,” Yoncheva says. “You don’t appreciate a good one when you’re 20.”

Would she be happy if her own children made careers in music? “Yes, but I won’t insist on it. If

you are very ambitious in music and you don’t get to the top, the frustration can destroy you.
Anyway, my nine-year-old son is very good at tennis.” A future Wimbledon star? “Well, we

went to Wimbledon yesterday and spent the day with Roger Federer,” Yoncheva says. “He gave

my son a few tips. And a tennis star’s job is exactly the same as mine. You have to sleep well,

eat good, train a lot, and think about your next performance basically all the time.”

Sonya Yoncheva sings Tosca at the Royal Opera House on July 14, 17, 21 and again from
November 26 (rbo.org.uk)