Lebanese Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian Happy to Keep It Intimate

"Award-winning soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian has performed at La Scala in Barcelona, recorded at Abbey Road in London and travelled to Armenia as the star of a documentary. But as her current tour takes her through smaller communities across the province, the opera star says she's enjoying the change of scenery. 'I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to sing in all the places that any young person wants to sing in,' she said on the phone from Nelson. 'They're all nice and wonderful, but sometimes, performing in small communities is as rewarding.' The opera star said the smallest hall she has performed in on this tour, which ends in Sidney on Monday, had about 300 people in the audience. 'It was tiny and I could really see each and every one who was attending,' she said. 'To be able to communicate with each and every one. - It's something you can't do with a 1,500-person auditorium.'" [Source]