ARTS / PERFORMING ARTS

List: Top Ten Soprano Opera Singers of all time

Date: March 2007

Source: BBC Music Magazine

Base: Selected by a panel of 21 national newspaper critics, music writers and BBC Radio 3 presenters

Notes: The selection was roundly criticised by Rupert Christiansen of the Daily Telegraph as "an unimaginative list drawn up by cloth-eared ignoramuses." He also called the ranked list "unmitigated meaningless tosh" which was "heavily slanted towards singers favoured by Covent Garden". Most heinously, he found the absence of Ranata Scotto, Renee Fleming and Beverley Sills as "unforgivable" and the inclusion of Christine Brewer, Margaret Price and and Emma Kirkby "inexplicable." Other critics noticed the absence of any modern day star singers such as Angela Gheorghiu or Anna Netrebko as well as pre-recording divas such as Giuditta Pasta, Maria Jeritza et al. Basically, the list is another example of the BBC dumbing down tendency but hey, what do you expect from a tired and meretricious institution like the Beeb?