D Tuesday, January 19, 2010 metrolife 15 :60second interview Veronica Dunne Irelands grand dame, Veronica Dunne, made her stage debut as a soprano in 1948, and continued performing until 1978 when she began vocal coaching. In 1995 she launched a triennial International Singing Competition, the next of which starts tomorrow Interview by Lucy White We have to move with the times and encourage young people to appreciate good music How were the singers selected for the competition? We started off with 102 contestants, then whittled them down to 66 across 21 nations. They each sent in an audition CD along with a good reference and a letter of recommendation. Weve a wonderful panel, and were very lucky to have the support of Griffith College, RT, the National Concert Hall and Merrion Hotel the first prize is 10,000. How did the Paddy Power involvement come about? Its a gimmick to get the guy in the street converted to opera. I called Paddy Power about taking on the betting of all the nations that are participating you can bet online at www. paddypower.ie by going to Novelty Bets and then Music. Me, I would bet on two flies going up a wall. I darent go to the races, Id probably end up naked or something. Betting is one of my weaknesses. You did your vocal training in Rome just after the war. What are your strongest memories of that time? It was 1946 when I first went to Italy. I was 18 years old and it took me six months to find a good teacher. I eventually found one [Contessa Soldini Calcagni], and was there for four years thank God my father kindly supported me. In Milan, I went to an international competition which is why Im so interested in competitions and came first in my category [soprano]. Sir David Webster from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden was there and offered me a contract, which, of course, I accepted. You made your debut in 1948 with the Dublin Grand Opera Society. How has Irelands operatic landscape changed since then? Back in my day it was very specialised, now its more versatile youve got Peter Gelb bringing opera into the cinemas with the New York Metropolitan. We have to move with the times and encourage young people to appreciate good There was one time I was with a symphony orchestra and [conductor] Paul Tibor brought over some modern music from Austria. He banged the piano, and out of it I had to get an F sharp. I got it immediately and he looked at me and said, How do you get that note? And I couldnt resist it I said, Maestro, Ive got a tuning fork up my ass! Is it true you tell your students not to marry? I got married too young. It was very tough flying back and forth and leaving the family it took two hours to get to London back then in the old VVS or vomiting venuses, as I used to call them. It was so hard seeing the tears in the eyes of my little children, although I was very lucky to have a very good nanny and a housekeeper at the time. But you couldnt afford that today. I suppose I was meant to teach. And thank God Ive got a gift for teaching I am more than happy with that. The 6th Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition runs from tomorrow until Jan 26. www.nch.ie music. Not that the music they listen to is bad weve got all these wonderful pop groups now, God bless them. But a different sort of music. Is there a fine line between dumbing down and opera being accessible? I feel that singers nowadays mostly use their chest voice which is very good and seems to suit them but its very rough on the chords. I can see everybody using mics in the opera in the future. Back in my day, a prima donna did eight shows a week, and for two or three years straight. Nowadays, you do two a week, depending on the role, but never more. You couldnt. Were taught to protect our vocal chords now. Youve performed in Figaro, La Bohme, Carmen. All-time favourite role? Mimi in La Bohme. I adored that part and used to hate it when the curtain came down. Ive also had a few horrid roles where the music was all over the place. features@metroherald.ie Metro Wheels Moral highway Green motoring: LA is leading the way in eco- friendly cars and Hondas Clarity, which emits only drinking water, is at the forefront of the revolution by Jeremy Hart the Honda FCX Clarity explained The FCX is currently only available to lease in Japan and California, primarily because theyre the only places where hydrogen is more widely available. The cost for a three- year lease in California or Japan is about 420 per month, which includes maintenance. The FCX is powered by a compact and efficient co-axial electric motor, which is fed by a fuel cell that converts hydrogen and oxygen from the air into electricity. The only by-product of this process is water vapour. The hydrogen is compressed to 5,000psi and stored in an under-trunk tank. The FCXs Vertical Flow fuel cell stack has been designed to be compact, leaving more space for occupants. Also, to recover energy that would otherwise be lost while braking or decelerating, a lithium- ion battery pack is used to capture that energy. This battery is also a very compact design, fitting under the rear seat, which allows for more interior and trunk space. The Clarity, which has the equivalent of 134bhp, will reach 96kph in ten seconds and climbs to 160kph. Range on a full tank of hydrogen is well over 320km the Claritys flat- bottom underbody reduces aerodynamic drag and increases efficiency. Gas guzzler: The hydrogen-fuelled Honda FCX Clarity is available only in the US and Japan Z ero-emissions motoring is the ultimate Hollywood accessory these days, according to Tinseltowns No.1 petrolhead Jay Leno. Its cool to be green in LA, declares the talk show host. Every time I have driven a hydrogen fuel cell car, every single female guest asks: Is that one of those hydrogen cars... the one that doesnt use gasoline? Leno is the muse on all things motorised for the likes of Tom Cruise and Nicolas Cage. But forget the hybrid Toyota Prius, Hollywood is now after CO2-free cars. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger is on the green bandwagon. The governor is the power behind Californias Hydrogen Highway, a corridor between San Francisco and San Diego dotted with hydrogen fuel stations. Just off one of the worlds most polluted highways, the 405 freeway, is the epicentre of LAs section of the highway. Shell has a hydrogen pump on the forecourt of an otherwise regular service station. For the half-dozen owners of the worlds first commercially available hydrogen car, Hondas FCX Clarity, this is their main hub. Before being let loose in a car worth more than a Bugatti Veyron, the man from Honda shows me how to fuel up. Grabbing the high- pressure line, gassing up the Clarity proves fast and simple. In less than five minutes I have enough energy for more than 320km of roaming. This Honda is an amazing piece of wizardry. Its fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, with the hydrogen coming from the fuel tank and the oxygen from the air outside. The resulting electricity powers the Claritys electric motor, which drives the front wheels. And the only tailpipe emission is drinkable water, although I didnt sample it. Any fool could drive the Clarity just flick the switch into drive and the car moves off, albeit with a little grunt. The car gained instant thumbs-up from kids, truckers, beautiful ladies and even muscle car drivers. LA is really a green place at heart. That is compromised only because we need our cars so much, says Green Truck founder Mitchell Col- lier. Its becoming normal in LA to choose the green option. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html