Question of Taste: Opera singer Kelli-Ann Masterson

The Wexford-born soprano includes Pavarotti, Handel and an encounter with Tom Hanks in her selections 

Kelli-Ann Masterson, soprano, appears at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival. Picture: Patrick Browne

Kelli-Ann Masterson is an opera singer from Co Wexford. A former member of INO Opera studio and recipient of both the PwC emerging artist and Healy bursary from Wexford Festival Opera, Kelli-Ann is currently involved with Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, playing the role of Amor in Orfeo Ed Euridice. The festival takes place in Lismore and surrounding areas May 31 to June 6. See blackwatervalleyoperafestival.com.

Best recent book you've read:

The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. Christie is my favourite author, her stories are so clever and she never fails to disappoint. This is definitely one of her better novels, it’s ingenious.

Best recent film:

I haven’t seen many new films recently but one of my favourites from the last few years is the 2020 version of Emma directed by Autumn de Wilde. I think it is a fabulous adoption of the Jane Austen novel, full of amusement and both elegant and comedic. The costumes are beautiful and I loved the character that the Soundtrack creates. The casting of Bill Nighy and Miranda Hart in their respective characters is particularly amusing. It’s such a charming enjoyable film.

Best recent show/gig you’ve seen:

I went to see Beauty and the Beast in the Palace Theatre in Manchester recently and it was such a fabulous production. The set, costumes and lighting were all incredible and all the cast was fantastic. Such a magical performance.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

One of my all-time favourite pieces that I listen to time and time again is the soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings. It’s one of my favourite stories and the score by Howard Shore is absolute perfection.

First ever piece of music that really moved you:

I had videos when I was about four years old called Disney Sing-Along Songs which have musical moments from various Disney films with the lyrics for the songs displayed on-screen. I loved singing along to these but I remember some of the sadder songs really made me emotional. Without even being aware at the time that music really got to me.

The best opera you've ever seen (if you had to pick one!):

I was in Zurich earlier this year and saw Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci in the Opera House. The standard of their productions is just incredible. Elīna Garanča was performing that night and to see her live was fantastic.

TV viewing:

I don’t watch a huge amount of TV but I love period dramas and happily rewatch them or any kind of historical drama. My favourites include Downton Abbey, Poldark and Peaky Blinders.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

I usually have the radio on in the background whether I’m at home or in the car and it’s usually on Lyric FM. I also enjoy Dermot and Dave on Today FM.

You're curating your dream festival – which three opera singers are on the bill, living or dead?

I would have a headline opera of Lelisir Damore by Donizetti, with Pavarotti as Nemorino, Anna Netrebko as Adina and Bryn Terfel as Dulcamara. I’d also put in a lieder recital by Lucia Popp and if Mozart could come along too that would be great!

Your best celebrity encounter:

Saving Private Ryan was filmed in Co Wexford, where I’m from, and one Sunday morning my dad and I went to get the newspaper in the village pub/shop. Tom Hanks was sitting there and bought me an ice cream. 

Tom Hanks, right, and some of the other cast of Saving Private Ryan, filming in Co Wexford in 1997.

You can portal back to any cultural event or music era – where, when, and why?

April 13, 1742, the premiere of Handel’s Messiah at Fishamble Street in Dublin, with Händel playing the organ and conducting.

In your own life, have you been doing anything in particular in relation to climate change, biodiversity, etc?

One area that I am very particular about is in relation to food waste. Throwing out food is a real pet peeve of mine and it’s quickly becoming a problem for our environment; a quarter of the global greenhouse gas emissions are produced by food waste.

I try to buy local and in-season produce. I organise my perishables frequently to ensure nothing is lurking at the back of the fridge and I use my freezer all the time! I’ve learnt how certain foods can still be ok past a best before date and tried different recipes to use up things that may have gone bad but are still edible. I love challenging myself to invent different recipes based on what’s in the press or what might be about to go out of date.