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I’m writing this letter as I prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March, since I thought it would be a good occasion to highlight something that has struck me about the opera world in recent years. I love opera and I’m a great fan of Opera Now – I’ve been reading the magazine regularly since 2001; but I can’t help remarking on a run of recent covers: Albina Shagimuratova, Elīna Garanča, Kristine Opolais and Marianne Crebassa are all attractive young women, photographed to emphasise their youthful, diva looks together with some aspect of a kittenish sexual allure. The most recent issue of the magazine (March 2017), on the other hand, had Thomas Hampson on the cover. He is a formidable artist, of course, as well as being a man of a certain age and experience, greying at the temples. He is photographed to highlight his downto- earth, approachable personality and his status as a ‘serious’ commentator on opera.