Lisa's unmissable list

OPERA: IL TROVATORE

I can't believe I used to sing Il trovatore. It's not just that I'm immersed in Wagner at the moment [Gasteen is the acclaimed Isolde in the Royal Opera's Tristan], it's that Trovatore is so silly. Leonore is such a drip. It's hard to play a character you don't have much patience with. When I was on stage there was always a moment when I used to think, "This is so stupid!" It used to make me giggle. I just poked my head into one of the dress rehearsals for this production at Covent Garden, where I'm singing at the moment, and it was the first time I didn't get the giggles - and it's absolutely glorious music and the orchestra here is fantastic. It'll be nice to appreciate Il trovatore for the great work that it is.
Il Trovatore , The Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, WC2 (020 7304 4000). Monday 7.30pm.

DANCE: ROMEO AND JULIET

I haven't gone to the ballet for years. When I was a child my mother used to take me to the ballet in Brisbane. That was really my first taste of theatre. Mum grew up across the road from Garth Welch, who was the principal dancer with the Australian ballet, so we used to get tickets.
Romeo and Juliet, The Royal Opera House , Covent Garden. Opens 26 April.

ART: THE NATIONAL GALLERY

I think the National Gallery is fantastic, but I won't be looking for anything in particular. I'm a wanderer. I like to be surprised.
National Gallery , Trafalgar Square, WC2 (020 7747 2885). Aelbert Cuyp to 12 May, Baroque Painting in Genoa to 16 June, Paintings from the Fitzwilliam to 19 May.

THEATRE: LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN

I've been avoiding being pressed up against strangers because of the germs flying around - always a hazard for singers - but when I finish singing Isolde, I'm going to live dangerously. I'd like to see Vanessa Redgrave, who is great, with her daughter Joely Richardson in this play. It's not a showy piece and it'll be beautiful English. I think that's important: people talk about languages being ugly or beautiful or functional, but really every language is beautiful if it's spoken well.
Lady Windermere's Fan , Theatre Royal, Haymarket SW1 (0870 901 3356) to 8 June.

THEATRE: THE GLOBE

I was walking along the South Bank recently when I came across the Globe. It was wonderful to see everyone who's contributed to rebuilding it named on the concrete slabs outside. One of them is a Catholic girls school from Brisbane. It looks like it'd be pretty uncomfortable to sit through a play, but the atmosphere must be really special. If I was going to be in London long enough I'd certainly go to a performance there. It would have to be one of the popular ones, one that I know, and I think A Midsummer Night's Dream would be good because of all the zany characters.

Shakepeare's Globe , New Globe Walk, SE1 (020 7401 9919). A Midsummer Night's Dream opens 26 May.

Lisa Gasteen's last performance as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde at the Royal Opera House is on Sunday at 3pm.