I was very sceptical about social media until, in my editorial role at Opera Britannia, I had to use their official Twitter account to post links to new reviews as I put them online. Within minutes of posting, the number of ‘hits’ a review received went up very quickly (the site’s Twitter account has 1,700 folllowers). I opened my own account to (a) publicise my own reviews and (b) to keep up to date with the opera/ classical music industry.
I can cite an excellent example of the latter. Due to the enthusiastic reception a friend on Twitter gave to Ailyn Pérez’s Violetta at Covent Garden, I managed to grab a ticket for her final performance in the run the week before Christmas. She was superb – you may have caught a Radio 3 broadcast. A couple of weeks ago, I found out, via Twitter, that she was stepping in for an indisposed singer in the Rosenblatt series at St John’s, Smith Square – I discovered this via tweets from my friend, but also the soprano herself, who I had started to follow. Within minutes, I had booked my ticket, along with several others. The recital was quite marvellous and towards the end she invited anyone to stay behind to get programmes signed. When my friend introduced me (by my first name), she knew instantly who I was (having followed me in turn) and had read some of my work. If I hadn’t been on Twitter, I doubt I’d have booked for her Covent Garden Violetta in the first place and I suspect I’d never have found out about her stepping in for the SJSS recital.
You can also help inform others. Suzy Klein ‘tweeted’ that she was going to be presenting Aida from the RAH for SkyArts. She hadn’t seen the production by that point, so I posted a link to my review, which she responded to enthusiastically.
I can (and do) post links to reviews here, but - realistically – the audience for them is relatively small. On Twitter, you follow someone because you’re interested in what they do or what they have to say. As an avid cricket fan, Jonathan Agnew and Henry Blofeld are excellent reads – like an extension of TMS. You can keep up to date with as many, or as few, people and organisations as you wish.
I can cite an excellent example of the latter. Due to the enthusiastic reception a friend on Twitter gave to Ailyn Pérez’s Violetta at Covent Garden, I managed to grab a ticket for her final performance in the run the week before Christmas. She was superb – you may have caught a Radio 3 broadcast. A couple of weeks ago, I found out, via Twitter, that she was stepping in for an indisposed singer in the Rosenblatt series at St John’s, Smith Square – I discovered this via tweets from my friend, but also the soprano herself, who I had started to follow. Within minutes, I had booked my ticket, along with several others. The recital was quite marvellous and towards the end she invited anyone to stay behind to get programmes signed. When my friend introduced me (by my first name), she knew instantly who I was (having followed me in turn) and had read some of my work. If I hadn’t been on Twitter, I doubt I’d have booked for her Covent Garden Violetta in the first place and I suspect I’d never have found out about her stepping in for the SJSS recital.
You can also help inform others. Suzy Klein ‘tweeted’ that she was going to be presenting Aida from the RAH for SkyArts. She hadn’t seen the production by that point, so I posted a link to my review, which she responded to enthusiastically.
I can (and do) post links to reviews here, but - realistically – the audience for them is relatively small. On Twitter, you follow someone because you’re interested in what they do or what they have to say. As an avid cricket fan, Jonathan Agnew and Henry Blofeld are excellent reads – like an extension of TMS. You can keep up to date with as many, or as few, people and organisations as you wish.
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