The souffleur has all but vanished, except in Germany, where they sit in the front row – or even take to the stage. As actors are placed under huge pressure, does this really make drama more exciting?

To reach the prompter's box at the home of the San Francisco Opera, Matthew Piatt heads under the stage and walks down a long, narrow passageway. Then he shimmies up a metal ladder. "I always have to ...

Wagner's Ring Cycle is a sprawling opera that stretches for hours. Look closely at center stage a woman in this little box can make all the difference between a smooth performance and an unruly one.

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When a baritone goes "cold" and forgets a line, Jonathan Khuner is there. When a soprano gets lost in her character and sings ahead of the beat, Khuner reins her in. He's the prompter at the San ...

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Wagner's Ring Cycle is a sprawling opera that stretches for hours. Look closely at center stage a woman in this little box can make all the difference between a smooth performance and an unruly one.