David Cutler

Becoming a freelance writer is a frightening prospect for someone who has relied on the day job, however it becomes less so when you are compiling a story or an article close to your heart for the first time in years.

Since 2013, I have written articles and reviews for the British Jussi Björling Society Newsletter and am now writing for the Record Collector also published in Britain. Two reviews involving Swedish tenor Jussi Björling have already appeared¿a review of his 1940 performance of Un Ballo in maschera was published as well as a review of Stephen Hastings¿s book on the tenor, The Björling Sound. I also edited the booklet of a Pearl CD of Polish bass Marian Nowakowski. 

I have been listening to singers and operatic music since I was in my teens¿my first ever purchase was a Music for Pleasure LP set of La bohème with Licia Albanese and Beniamino Gigli. I have quite a large collection of CDs and LPs.

Much later I became an amateur singer and was actually taught by Nowakowski. His teacher was Adamo Didur so I did feel very privileged. I have sung in concert in Dublin, London, and Perugia but unfortunately my work commitments increased so I had to stop. Professionally I was Senior Researcher at Thomson Reuters, contributing and writing for their daily news output. In addition I proof read and assisted in compiling Reuters publications about the Pope, the Middle East, and Iraq.