Exercise 1 Listening

Follow the link below and listen to a radio interview with Russian opera star Anna Netrebko.

Radio Interview

Radio Station: NPR
Interviewer: Scott Simon
Date: 2003

While you listen answer the questions below:

1) What two things determine the opera roles she chooses?
2) How did she start her singing career? What is the truth behind her “Cinderella Story”?
3) Why didn’t she become an actress?
4) What did people tell her about her voice?
5) How does she describe the experience of shooting the MTV music videos?
6) Where was the Rusalka video shot?
7) Why has she refused the role as Salomé?
8) Why didn’t she think she had the right voice for Donna Anna from Don Giovanni?
9) Does she think her voice has improved over the years?
10) Why is she not afraid of over training her voice?
11) Where does she live?
12) What are her interests besides singing?
13) Why does she love the role of Musetta from La Bohème?


Exercise 2 Reading

Read the biography of Anna Netrebko on her official website. Note each time the present perfect is used and explain why it is used. Then highlight each time the past simple is used and indicate the time reference that is stated or implied.

After that, write three questions using the present perfect and three questions using the past simple and test your partner’s understanding of the text. Finally, ask each other to say what they think she is like.

Anna Netrebko





Photos courtesy of Flickr

Placido Domingo and Anna Netrebko by Saxtón


Return to Table of Contents