Intermezzo

Could Katie Price be the Royal Opera House's Anna Nicole Smith?

Ever since the Royal Opera House announced their plans for a Mark-Anthony Turnage opera based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith (or at least since the press went to town on it 10 months later ) the casting has been hotly debated.

Who could possibly do justice to the title role? Who has enough air between her ears, extensions on her head and silicon in her bewbs to recreate the billionaire-humping legend?

Step forward Katie Price (for the elderly, aka Jordan):

"I'm going to sing an opera song - even Pete (husband Peter Andre) says I could sing better in opera than in pop." she told the Daily Star yesterday.

And yes, she can sing! Ish. Here for the strong of stomach is her losing 2005 bid for Eurovision glory. (Stick with the preamble for a teasing snatch of Der Hölle Rache too):

T1ts, batons, Scandinavians

T1ts out at Covent Garden
The Royal Opera House is going to stage an opera based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith. Early versions of the story implied Richard Thomas, composer of the musical Jerry Springer:The Opera, was scoring it, but it turns out he's just writing the libretto; the music will be handled by the fully house-trained Mark-Anthony Turnage. So no dumb 'dumbing down' comments on that account.

But where will they find a credibly-bewbed soprano to fill Anna Nicole's mighty cups?

Beat that Tony Pappano
When the Pittsburgh Opera's Radames lost his voice in the last act of Aida, conductor Antony Walker stepped in and sang the role from the pit while he waved his baton. "I had a lovely duet with the sopranos," said Mr. Walker. "A conductor and a singer often communicate."

It's not open till the fat bloke sings
What's getting Norwegians more heated than a Dale sweater? Amongst the performers at the 12 April opening of Oslo's brand new opera house will be the Ole Ivars dance band, whose best known song apparently translates as "oh how fat you've become".