About Opera Criticism in a Modern World

Well, hello! I’m Polina — the one who writes articles and essays here on Opera Criticism in a Modern World — my place to collect materials.

Opera often seems to be something classic or even old-fashioned. I used to think this way for many years, preferring books and theatre. But once I’ve taken a closer look, I found opera the most complex and versatile of all arts.

However, it also has more problems than any other art form.

I got deep into the opera world just a few years ago. By that point, I had worked as a UI designer for 8 years. Though I was in love with opera, I could always see the things to improve — the design approach is not something you can easily get rid of. After a couple of years of writing Opera Criticism, I switched to Industry Criticism. Today, with my essays, I try to reflect on the major problems of art form on a large scale and improve this industry.

Today, I’m holding the position of Editorial Writer and Managing Editor at OperaWire.com, where I began my way into the opera world as an opera critic in 2018. I started to write Editorial materials in 2019 and launched the Criticism on Fridays series in 2020. My other commissions include Schmopera, Bravissimo, Nemunas, NWind, and other magazines.

Born in Russia, I hold a Master’s degree in Economics. During my studies, I started to work with visual arts and later opened my gallery of contemporary art and design. I’ve written articles and art criticism for Russian Art Newspaper, Hypertext, and Sobaka magazine. I have worked as a UX and Product designer since 2011. In 2015, I moved with my family to Lithuania. In 2022, we had to move to Italy, where my family could find peace and safety.