The Welsh National Opera has announced the latest episode of the podcast “The O Word.”

In the new episode, Gareth Jones is joined by a panel of arts critics and journalists for a lively discussion on the role of the opera critic.

Among those speaking with Jones are The Telegraph’s Rupert Christiansen; journalist and composer Steph Power who reviews for The Stage and Opera Now; Midlands-based journalist and arts reviewer Diane Parkes; and BBC Radio Wales’ Nicola Heywood-Thomas.

The panel will reflect each person’s own experiences as critics as well as discussing the decline in mainstream coverage of the arts, and the fine balance presented by social media in finding fresh critical voices that retain a “critical edge.”

The new episode also discusses the future of opera amidst the COVID-19 crisis

You can listen to the podcast here: https://wno.org.uk/podcast