By Nuno Miguel Marques
Special to Classical Voice

PART I:  Interpreting Alfredo

Giuseppe Sabbatini arrived in Portugal at the beginning of December 2002 and, on the 6th, 9th, 11th and 15th of the month, simply enchanted the São Carlos National Theatre audience with a memorable rendition of Alfredo from Verdi’s “La Traviata”. Between rehearsals and performances, the Italian tenor of Roman origin still had the time to generously receive us and grant us an extensive interview. For those who will read it, there will be no doubt as to why Sabbatini won the Jussi Björling, Caruso, Lauri-Volpi and Tito Schipa Prizes. Not only is his musical erudition detailed and impressive, he also displays an acute intelligence and sensitivity which he uses to best serve the music and delight his listeners. Interweaving a fluid and spontaneous speech with singing phrases in order to exemplify his ideas, Sabbatini showed us - as he had previously proved on stage - he is a consummate artist.

Classical Voice: How is your Alfredo ? How do you see the character ?

Giuseppe Sabbatini: As a lover. He loves life and he especially loves Violetta. And this love is the reason behind every decision of his. Because of love he decides to live with a prostitute and he fights not only his father and family wishes, but also his society’s values and morals. Furthermore, he even fights against the world which encircles Violetta and its ways of life. Love makes him a fighter.

CV: You see him as a strong character then ?

GS: Not strong from the beginning. He becomes strong due to his love for Violetta. Obviously, at the start, he must be shy, uptight. He must feel like an outsider within Violetta’s world. He is not a nobleman, nor a rich man, not even a powerful individual. Therefore, inside Violetta’s society circle, he is like a “pesce fuor d’acqua” [a fish out of water] .

CV: I think one could see that in your acting during the “La Traviata” performances at São Carlos. In the first act, your gestures were much more restrained and constricted.

GS: Yes. Alfredo is a very polite character due to his careful and solid upbringing, due to the values he was taught by his father. However, facing the barons and the marquis at Violetta’s party, he must feel nervous and tense. After all, he is a mere young man from the country.

CV: In what way is your Alfredo different from other singers’ Alfredos ? How do you come up with a new perspective on the character ? Or you just do not have such concerns at all ?

GS: When I study a role, I try my best to understand the sense, the meaning of the words and also to identify the emotions the character must be feeling in the specific situations he goes through during the opera. Some critics in Italy told me that I am the best Alfredo they have ever heard or the best Alfredo of the century. But this kind of evaluation does not interest me particularly. In each performance, I just try to give my best. Sometimes, I’m better. Others worse. What I want and try very hard to achieve is to be real, that is, make the character believable.

Despite being a Roman and despite those legends which say Romans do not want or do not like to work, I do work a lot, a lot – he emphasises. Whether I am taking on a new role or redoing a part I have already sung, I always study and wish to constantly improve. A case in point is Alfredo, a part I have performed countless times.

This is the method I use for working and studying: I try to recreate the way the character feels and acts in a certain moment. Then, I try to find a parallel between the character and I. If I feel and react in a similar way while facing the same situation, then my work will be easy. In other words, it will be much easier to make the character real. However, when I discover an emotion in the character which I have never felt in my life or a reaction I would never have had if facing the same situation, then, I must be a professional. In that moment, Sabbatini must be an actor, an artist. In “La Traviata”, being Alfredo is not so difficult. There is only one moment I hate.

CV: When he throws the money to her face ?

GS: No, no. I can do that. I have no problem either doing or feeling it. The only moment which is really, really difficult for me to sing and act – because Alfredo reacts in a manner so different from the way I would behave – is the one that immediately follows the “Amami Alfredo” by Violetta. It’s very hard for me to comprehend how Alfredo, after having witnessed Violetta pleading and crying, can merely say: “Ah, vive sol quel core all’amor mio!” – he sings mockingly. In that moment, Alfredo understands nothing of what is going on. He behaves in a quite stupid manner.

CV: You would go after her ?

GS: No. I wouldn’t even let her leave. I would grab her arm and I would ask her what was going on. That is how Sabbatini would behave. If a woman I loved cried in front of me like Violetta, it would be impossible for her to leave. In this precise moment, I have to discover why Alfredo does not react like me, why he does not understand at all what is happening around him. And the only explanation I am able to come up with is that he is too nervous about his father’s arrival and thus that he is too upset to think of anything or anybody besides himself. In one’s life, when one faces a lot of problems and one is under a lot of stress and pressure, one is not – very often – able to understand what is happening around oneself or what other people are feeling. One becomes too self absorbed. This selfish fear of his father is indeed the only reason I have found in order to explain Alfredo’s behaviour in that particular moment of the opera. Nonetheless, even after understanding why he behaves the way he does, it is still very difficult for me to sing and act that very small phrase. You see ... I channel all my energies to be able to convincingly sing and act such short a phrase. It is the most stupid phrase of the entire melodrama.

CV: Correct me, if I am wrong. Through the intense study of the word (“la parola”), you try to recreate the character’s emotions which is obviously easier when you, yourself, have already felt them. However, when that is not the case, you use your imagination even harder to try to understand why and how the character behaves and reacts the way he does.

GS: Exactly. In all the operas I sing, I try to find the place where Sabbatini can live and breathe peacefully, where Sabbatini and the character can be one and the same without major effort. Nonetheless, in all operas, there are moments when Sabbatini is not compatible with the character and it is in those moments that I become an artist, because I must use my mind, my heart, all my energies to understand the character and thus sing and act the part convincingly.

CV: Can I then conclude that, in an opera, what is more difficult for you is to find the right emotions to portray ? In other words, that expression outweighs in difficulty the technical demands, such as high notes or coloratura ?

GS: Yes, indeed. Except for coloratura. Coloratura can be problematic to me, because I do not have a voice naturally endowed for coloratura.

CV: But your fioriture when playing Alfredo were perfect and most accurate.

GS: Yes, but that is because I study and work hard. As an artist, I have to try my best to perform the fioriture accurately. However, I cannot sing Rossini. The most coloratura demanding parts I have ever sung were from Mozart’s operas: Idomeneo and Don Ottavio in “Don Giovanni”.

CV: I gather you prefer to stick with fioritura.

GS: That’s correct. But fioritura which has a meaning and is not a mere technical display. I am not fond of “virtuosismo” as an end in itself.

CV: When you are studying a role do you hear other recordings of it ?

GS: No. Usually I start my work by reading the novel, the play or whatever the opera is based upon. So, for example, to prepare Alfredo, I read Dumas’ “La Dame aux Camélias”. Afterwards, I try to understand the political and the social situation of the time the opera takes place in, as well as its architecture, painting, literature, philosophy. I try to comprehend “the spirit of the time”. Simultaneously, I am studying the score. I open it and try to be the most faithful possible, because, in my opinion, each singers’ technique must be put at the service of the score’s demands. If it is written “piano”, I want to sing “piano”. When you study a score, you find out that 70% of it is written “piano”, “pianissimo”, “mezzo piano”. I don’t like all my colleagues who ignore these instructions and scream from beginning to end. I am very far from them.

CV: I am glad you mentioned the instructions concerning dynamics existent in the score, because one of the things that impressed me the most in your performances as Alfredo was the absolute ease with which you would go from “forte” to “piano”, from “mezza voce” to “pianissimo”, covering all dynamic shadings.

GS: But that is all written. That’s exactly how it is written in the score. I am sure you are referring to: “amor (sings “mezza voce”), amor ch’è palpito (sings “piano”) dell’universo (sings “forte”), dell’universo intero (returns to “piano”). Or perhaps to the “Libiamo”: “Libiamo, libiamo, ne lieti calici (sings “mezzo forte”) che la bellezza infiora”(sings “pianissimo”). It is written “pianissimo”. Yet another example would be “Parigi, o cara”. In “Parigi, o cara”, Violetta is dying. How can you scream in her face ? It is similar to “Che gelida manina” where it is equally impossible to scream. Why do other singers scream ? (he asks, making a funny impersonation) You are in the dark, with the key in your pocket and in control of the situation. Plus, you are trying to ... please excuse my expression ... fuck her. It is so stupid to scream. Instead, you have got to whisper – and he softly whispers the aria’s first phrase.

I usually say that 95% of my colleagues are only able to create limited interpretations due to the limits of their own techniques. And, because of their lack of technique, they do not know what to do. It is written “piano”. They can’t sing “piano”, so they’ll sing “forte” and will immediately ruin everything. Furthermore, they know nothing about music, interpretation, nor about the psychology of the character and its surrounding culture.

Then, from the 5% left, 3% have the technique which enables them to follow the score’s instructions, but they are like potatoes, because they do not know why the score is written the way it is. They can do a “piano”, “diminuendo”, “crescendo”, “legato”, “mezza voce”, “pianissimo”. One could be even convinced by them, if one didn’t see them on stage. However, on stage, they cannot fool you any longer, because they make everything without heart.

Finally, the last 2%, where I think – very modestly – I belong, includes the singers who have the required technique, but also a heart and a brain which are connected to each other. I know that there are many colleagues of mine whose voices are much more beautiful than the one I own. Nonetheless, I am sure I have got a beautiful heart and a functioning brain. As a consequence, I can put myself at the complete service of the music. Obviously, we earn a lot of money, but, when we are on stage, we have got to forget all the egotism, narcissism, money, success, fame and glory. There is a very famous colleague of mine I am not fond of, because he sings his high notes as if he was saying: “Please, look at me! I am beautiful! I am “bravissimo”! ”.

CV: You wouldn’t mention his name, would you ?

GS: Absolutely not. But if you ever see him, probably you’ll identify him. He is so stupid. He is using the music. I don’t use the music. I serve it. It is so different !

CV: In your interpretation of Alfredo, it seems to me there is a moment where one can better sense how you put your technique at the service of the music and its expressive content. I am referring to “Parigi, o cara”, when you use your “legato” – since you sing the two first verses in a single breath – and your “mezza voce” to highlight the care, the tenderness of Alfredo towards a frail Violetta.

GS: You are right, because, in that particular moment, Alfredo is lying. She is dying. There is no way they will leave Paris. I lost my father 4 years ago to cancer and I remember what I used to tell him: “No problem, papa, you’ll recover. Now, you’ll take this medicine and you’ll see you’ll soon feel better.” These are the words which must be said in such terrible and dramatic moments. And those who love and have loved know it.

CV: Can I conclude that, as far as you are concerned, there is an intimate connection between art and life ?

GS: Absolutely. Life and art are very deeply connected because one helps you understand the other and vice-versa.

CV: Taking into account the importance you give the word, are you willing to sacrifice beauty of tone for the sake of expression ?

GS: Of course. That is what must be done. When opening a score, you’ll see a written “pianissimo”. However, the “pianissimo” from “Che gelida manina” is a “pianissimo” of love and seduction. The “pianissimi” connected to Werther’s death, on the other hand, must be completely different. And the same applies to Iago’s “pianissimi”. Can you use the same colour for all these “pianissimi” ? No. If you are whispering a few words in order to conquer and seduce a girl, you must be sweet. If you are dying, another – more disembodied – colour is required for your “pianissimo”. The meaning of each “pianissimo” is different and the meaning “makes”, determines the sound, that is, the colour of your voice should vary according to the meaning of what you are singing.

When I sing: “Ogni suo aver (using a spit and angry “pianissimo”) tal femmina (increasing the volume to “forte” after having put a fiery “accento” in “femmina”’s first syllable)”, “Ogni suo aver” is written “pianissimo”. And, nonetheless, it is completely different from the “mezza voce” used in “Parigi, o cara” where Verdi wrote “dolcissimo”.

CV: In other words, you not only scrupulously follow the dynamic markings of the score, but also use them to build and imagine your character.

GS: Obviously. I am no machine. Because it is written “legato”, I do not merely start singing “legato”. I ask myself what is the meaning of the “legato”, what are the reasons and motivations behind it. And only after finding them, can I give the “legato” its proper colour and sing it with heart.

I am not afraid of making an ugly sound if that is what is needed. For instance: “No, non morrai, non dirmelo – dei viver, amor mio. A strazio si terribil qui non mi trasse Iddio” (singing in a deeply desperate tone and scratching the “r”s in “terribil”). This “terribil” is not good for your throat and it can even be dangerous for your voice. But I must sing it this way in order to emphasise as strongly as possible the character’s desperation. That’s what I am paid for.
 

PART II:  Stage vs. Recording

CV: Your previous statement – concerning how you sing the word “terribil” despite the risks it can bring to your voice – has just answered a question I had intended to ask you, because I now know you give 100% of yourself when singing on stage for the sake of expression, isn’t that so ?

GS: Unfortunately, yes. Every night I sing, I do not know if I will manage to reach the end of the opera. Obviously, after 15 years of singing “La Traviata”, I know I am able to sing Alfredo even if I am sick. However, when sick, I lack the intensity and energy needed, since I have to control what I am doing and thus do not enjoy it at all.

CV: You have sung Alfredo innumerable times, but it never becomes a routine, does it ?

GS: That would be impossible to happen, because I am always trying to improve my interpretation and searching new ways of portraying the character. Moreover, there is always a different chemistry on stage, since I am singing with different colleagues, different stage directors, maestros, orchestras and audiences.

CV: And how do you cope with that chemistry and interaction on stage and during rehearsals ? What if the soprano wants to sing in slower “tempi” and the maestro wishes you to sing louder ?

GS: It is very easy for me to cope with the necessary interactions you mentioned. It can easily happen that a colleague of mine or a maestro doesn’t like the way I do things or wants me to do it differently. But I am always honest, so they immediately understand I am not imposing something out of a whim. On the contrary, they quickly grasp I am merely serving the music. I am just imposing the music. And I can show both my colleagues and the maestro that the music was written the way I sing it. If they want to do it another way, if they wish to perform another opera, that is their problem.

I have performed “La Traviata” under great conductors, such as Mehta and Muti among others, and that is my passport, that is, my experience of singing under the direction of such great artists shows everyone I did a good job and study before embarking in new performances of the work.

Obviously, the interaction between singers must also obey the dramatic needs of the opera. For instance, in “La Traviata”, Violetta is the protagonist, so I have to do my best in order for her to sing with tranquillity, calm and without problems. As a result, in all the “cadenze”, I must follow her needs and choices. Let me give you an example. In the “cadenza” of “Parigi, o cara”, there is a moment where Violetta sings a low D, while Alfredo sings a central one. If I sing that note “forte”, I will consequently cover her and destroy the voices’ balance. Therefore, I must sing “piano” and afterwards a “crescendo”, accompanying her. This is not written, but should be done so in order to respect the meaning of the music. On the other hand, if I am singing “Werther”, I think the other singers should be more attentive to my needs and choices. It is not a question of egos, but of respect for the drama itself.

CV: Do you enjoy recording ?

GS: No, I do not. I prefer opera to be live. I do not believe in music recorded in a studio. Of course it suited Glenn Gould and he mastered this kind of music making. Nonetheless, in my opinion, recordings are “Frankenstein” music, that is, music made of bits and pieces which were later connected, pure collages. I do not enjoy singing the “cadenza” first and then the aria. This type of music making does not interest me, despite having recorded and gone through the all process like my colleagues. Among others, I recorded a recital CD, but I did not enjoy the process of recording at all. When I started, I was willing to give it my best shot, but, at the end of the aria, I heard the sound engineer saying: “There was a phrase which was a bit flat. You must repeat it”. So, I had to repeat the same phrase countless times thus losing all the spontaneity. I prefer the thrill of live opera, of making music in the moment it is heard.

Moreover, as far as I am concerned, record stores are nothing but big cemeteries. Plus, if you wish to find a particular CD, you’ll spend half an hour doing so, because there are too many, too many recordings – he stresses. You see ... there are too many singers who put too many useless things on records. They have no sense regarding the meaning of the music and only record because they had the luck of getting a good contract.

CV: You think people should spend their money by going to the opera rather than buying CDs ?

GS: Exactly. I have some friends in Vienna who attend opera performances 3 to 4 times a week. That is the audience I like. I hate the audience that goes to the theatre expecting to hear the same balance, the same sound, the same power they listen to on recordings. Some of them not only expect it, but demand it and they will boo you, if you do not sound exactly as you do in recordings. For example, at La Scala, there is a stupid person who booed me while I was performing “Dalla sua pace”, perhaps because I was singing it with too many colours. However, I had carefully prepared the role with maestro Muti who, as you know, does not change his mind very easily and we had agreed on the aria’s interpretation. A similar thing occurred when I sang “Una furtiva lagrima” from Donizetti’s “L'Elisir d'Amore” which is, for me, one of the arias I probably sing better. But I know who this booer is. He is a “loggionisti”. I also know that, in internet groups, lists and chats about opera, he said I was no Valetti, no Schipa. I think that I am perhaps better than them. Better .... – he rephrases - ... I am different. For some, I am better. For others, I am not. But luckily and, above all, I am different, because I am neither interested in copies nor in repeating recorded interpretations.

CV: Do you think CD recordings have brought bad habits to opera goers ?

GS: CD recordings can be helpful, but one must be careful. Nowadays, if you smoke, you’ll see a warning on the packet, informing you that smoking can be dangerous to your health. A similar warning should be put on CDs: listening to CDs can be dangerous because it can damage your ability to hear opera live.

CV: Do you have a favourite recording of yours ? A recording which better captures your art?

GS: “Werther”. Yes, definitely “Werther”.
 

PART III:  Role choice and future plans

CV: You have recorded Glass’ “The Civil Wars” and Mascagni “Le Maschere”. Do you think that it is important for current singers to perform and record less known and contemporary operas ?

GS: It could be interesting, especially as a document. “Le Maschere” is a very nice opera and it was not only recorded, but also performed in seven theatres – if I am not mistaken – throughout Italy. By the way, it was the first time I sang a second tenor role, because I performed Arlecchino, while La Scola sang Florindo, the opera’s first tenor. At the time, I was beginning my career and didn’t want to sing the title role. Let me explain why. Before deciding whether or not I will interpret a character, I have to find out who the role’s first performer was. The first Florindo was Caruso, so I immediately knew I could not sing a part first performed by Caruso, particularly at the beginning of my career. If the role had been written for Gilbert-Louis Duprez, I would have accepted it. On the other hand, if a part was written for Rubini or Adolphe Nourrit, who were “contraltini”, I am much more careful and examine the score thoroughly before accepting to sing the role. And I take so much care because the recitatives’ “tessitura” in many “contraltino” roles is just too high for me, sometimes lying between F, F sharp and G. That is why, when choosing a role, I take a very good look at the whole score.

For example, in “I Puritani”, you will need high notes, but you have also got to possess a good middle register, because, in the 1st part of the 3rd Act, the tenor has to endure a twenty minute “ballata” (ballad) which is both taxing and dramatic and requires no high notes.  Arturo only has to sing the difficult high notes when Elvira appears. Nonetheless, this was a part written for Rubini which always leaves me with a question: being a “contraltino”, was Rubini able to manage the “ballata” ? Perhaps the tradition is wrong and demands too much of Arturo during the “ballata”, since Rubini was nothing like Domenico Donzelli, the first Pollione and the first “baritenore” as well. As you know, the high F of the last “concertato” in “Creadeasi misera” was expressively written for Rubini. I always sing a D flat, but it is written high F. Furthermore, singing Rubini’s roles today is increasingly difficult, because we must face bigger orchestras and louder conductors who simply cover you. As a result, you will have to push and force your voice in order to be heard. If an opera was written for Rubini, it is not supposed to be sung by Del Monaco, Corelli or Fillipeschi, just because they could hit the required high notes.

CV: So when you are choosing the roles you will be singing, you always want to discover who the first performer was, because, by identifying him, you will also realise what the role’s technical demands are.

GS: Yes, indeed. But let me give you an example on how I was fooled and mistaken when accepting a role based merely on its first performer. It happened when I agreed to sing “Dom Sébastien, roi du Portugal”, Donizetti’s last opera. If I had known the whole story behind this opera, I wouldn’t have accepted the role. “Dom Sébastien” was written for Duprez when he was around 50 years old. I agreed to sing the opera not only because it was first performed by Duprez, but also – and even better – by an older Duprez. I thought the role would therefore be easier and that the composer would have written the part in a lower “tessitura”, taking into account Duprez’s age. How wrong I was. On the contrary, for example, one of the arias “Seul sur la terre” is extremely high, possibly one of the highest arias I have ever sung in my life. It is a very strange role. The last and 3rd act is very demanding on your middle register, but, at the end of the 2nd act, there is that aria I mentioned which is completely out of the range, the “tessitura” required for that particular kind of voice, Duprez’s voice. In fact, Duprez cancelled at the third performance and never sang the role again, because his voice was simply destroyed by this part. As you know, Duprez was the first singer who hit a high C from the “petto” (chest). I am sure he could not sing a D flat from the “petto”. And “Seul sur la terre” has 2 Cs, 3 Ds flats and I don’t quite remember how many B flats.

CV: As we are in Portugal, let me ask you how was it to sing “Dom Sébastien, roi du Portugal” ?

GS: I was so thrilled when I went to the Jerónimos’ Monastery here in Lisbon and saw the tombs of King Sebastian and Camões (one of the greatest Portuguese poets and also a character of Donizetti’s last opera). I was so moved that I told my wife: “Can you imagine that I performed the role of King Sebastian whose bones are lying there !”

CV: You have not only sung a lot of “bel canto” roles, but also a lot of less known “bel canto” roles, for instance, the tenor parts in “Maria Stuarda”, “Roberto Devereux”, “Linda di Chamonix” and “Lucrezia Borgia”, as well as “Dom Sébastien, roi du Portugal”. Do you intend to pursue this exploration of less performed “bel canto” operas?

GS: First of all, I will conclude my singing career within 5 years in 2007, because I wish to become a conductor. You can see here throughout the room all my books, since I am studying in order to be able to know a score as a conductor and not as a singer. In these 5 years I have left, I will do the same as I have done until now, because I am not willing to prepare any difficult roles or stupid debuts. One of the few debuts I plan to do is singing “La Favorite” in the French version, since I have already sung the role in Italian. Moreover, I will also sing “Simon Boccanegra”, because I recorded this part, but have never performed it live. By the way, I only recorded Gabriele Adorno because Renato Bruson asked me to. Twelve years ago – when the recording took place – I knew I didn’t have an adequate voice for the role. Now, I have it, provided I am not singing opposite a baritone like Bastianini or a very loud Amelia.

CV: You frequently mention the size of your voice. Obviously, I was not expecting to hear a new Del Monaco. Nonetheless, at São Carlos, your voice projected very well and was not covered either by your colleagues or the orchestra.

GS: Yes, I am aware that one of my voice’s characteristics is good projection and good penetration, despite its lyrical size. But I also know I am no Ambrogio Maestri (the baritone who sang Giorgio Germont opposite Sabbatini at São Carlos “La Traviata” production). His voice is as big as the man himself. Nowadays, the big voices belong to Giacomini and the Russian singers. Domingo used to have a big voice as well some years ago. Anyway, they also sing a repertoire different from the one I perform.

Returning to the roles I would like to sing in the next five years, my dream is to perform “Un Ballo in Maschera”, “Carmen” in the proper French manner, not in the “verismo” one – since “verismo” destroyed everything – and “Tosca”. These are the only three operas I would like to debut in.

CV: Why do you say that “verismo” destroyed everything ?

GS: I usually make a comparison between “verismo” versus lyrical opera and rock versus popular and folk music. Rock-and-roll destroyed the line of folk tunes as “verismo” ruined the line of lyrical opera. “Verismo” not only demands a strong and big voice, but another kind of technique. For a singer like me who has a voice suited to “bel canto” and the French repertoire, it is not easy to perform “verismo”. Moreover, it is stupid to go from “verismo” to “bel canto”, because a “verismo” singer lacks the required technique for “bel canto” roles. In fact, as far as singing goes, the worst thing that was done took place during the middle of the last century, when singers like Del Monaco and Corelli were performing “bel canto” roles. The “bel canto baritenore” is not Del Monaco. Probably, a true “bel canto baritenore” would be Chris Merritt who had a dark voiced middle register, reliable low notes and high notes sung with mixed emission. That would have been the ideal “baritenore” for “Pollione”, not Del Monaco, not Vickers or any similar singers. And this applies not only to pure “bel canto” roles as Edgardo in “Lucia”, but also to early Verdi, as in “Rigoletto”, La Traviata” or even “Il Trovatore”. One must not forget that Manrico was written alongside Alfredo and il Duca for the same type of voice. And, nowadays, I wouldn’t be allowed to sing “Il Trovatore” even if I wanted to. If I performed it, the critics would destroy me. Nonetheless, there are fioriture to be accurately sung even in “Di quella pira”, not to mention the trills in “Ah, sì, ben mio”. Who is the tenor that without a proper “bel canto” schooling can correctly perform “Ah, sì, ben mio” ? Nobody.

For many years, we have been performing ancient music with period instruments and no “vibrato”. Why don’t we apply the same principles to “verismo” and “bel canto” ? In other words, since we are talking about totally different techniques and repertoires, why do we let the same singers perform both with the same approach ? Caruso is really to blame for all this, because he crossed the border between “bel canto” and “verismo”. But he could do it. With a voice like his, he was able to sing whatever he wanted. However, he was unique and the singers who followed him were and are unable to match his versatility.

CV: You know your voice extremely well. You are aware of its abilities and limitations and of what roles it can or cannot perform. How did you acquire this knowledge about your own voice ? Just by singing ? Or also by experimenting and going a bit too far ?

GS: If I wanted to sing here, just for us, some phrases from “Otello”, I could do it. I can sing three or four phrases, including the “Esultate”, but, afterwards, my voice just goes away. Of course I experiment. In my private life, between friends, one can hear me singing a few phrases from “Otello”, since I would love to be able to perform this role. It’s my dream ! I usually say that I would gladly give five years of my life in exchange for the ability to sing “Otello”, “Turandot” and “Andrea Chénier”, at least, in one performance. However, God – I don’t know if He exists or not – did not give me this type of voice. I was given, nonetheless, the intelligence to choose my repertoire wisely and to respect the opera I am singing as well as its history. Let me explain what I mean by respecting an opera’s history. I interpreted “Guillaume Tell” during 10 performances in Vienna. I am aware I can sing this role and many people still ask me why I no longer sing it. If I do so, it is because I know “Guillaume Tell” hides many ruined voices. After one tour, Lauri-Volpi stopped singing for seven months, as a result of having performed “Guillaume Tell” too many times. The same thing happened to Merritt. By singing this Rossini opera in Vienna, I showed everybody I could perform it, but then I stopped doing it, since I knew it was a potential voice wrecker.

There is a big aura behind certain operas, such as “Guillaume Tell”, “Otello”, “I Puritani”, “Les Huguenots”. I must confess I have performed some of the most demanding tenor roles ever, including: “Guillaume Tell”, Berlioz’s “Benvenuto Cellini” and “La Damnation de Faust”, “Dom Sébastien, roi du Portugal”, “Mitridate”, “La Fille du Régiment”, “La Favorita”, “I Puritani” ... I think this list is almost complete and only lacks “Les Huguenots”.

CV: Are you planning on singing “Les Huguenots” ?

GS: No, no. I don’t want to suffer a lot – he laughs. It’s too much stress and there are other colleagues of mine who can perform this opera.
 

PART IV:  Marketing singers and stage directors

CV: Your repertoire includes numerous French operas, such as: “Werther”, “Manon”, “Thaïs”, “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”, “Faust” and even a Russian one: “Eugene Onegin”. Is the language you sing in a challenge ? Are you forced to change your technique and style when performing in another language ?

GS: No, because I feel very comfortable when singing in French. In my opinion, my voice is suited to the French repertoire and I am very glad I have been performing it. Therefore, I don’t change the sound I make just because I am singing in French. Obviously, some style changes must occur, but not that many and, by the way, they certainly do not include the “nasalisation” of the sound. It is funny you asked me this question since, for French listeners, I am too Italian, but, for Italian audiences and critics, I am too French. Moreover, when I sang Strauss lieder, I was too Italian for Germans as well. Nonetheless, I don’t care, since I think music is international and knows no national borders. For instance, when you hear Wunderlich interpreting Strauss lieder or Tamino in “The Magic Flute”, you’ll notice he sings both like an Italian. And Wunderlich is one of the best singers from the past and one I admire the most, alongside Tauber and Pertile. [Sabbatini would later mention Corelli as another of his favourite singers, because he was “a force of nature”] But the quality of Pertile’s voice was one of the worst ever. It was terrible, horrible. However, if you manage to listen to Pertile for a minute, you’ll become enslaved by him. That is why Pertile was the Toscanini tenor. I know that my voice resembles Pertile’s for its lack of beauty, but perhaps I could be called the Muti tenor, since I do work a lot with him.

CV: Do you really think your voice lacks tonal beauty ?

GS: Many people have told me so. In Italy, it is sometimes said I use my voice in an incredible way due to my outstanding technique, but, alas, the voice itself is ugly. I have heard these stupid comments from many Italian critics. Unfortunately, Italy is a country of strange trends. Ten years ago when the American tenors, Merritt and Blake, conquered Italy, we, Italian tenors, were nothing compared to them. Nowadays, their careers are ruined and ours continue to flourish. Italy behaves as if it was a colony, a land waiting to be conquered, since all foreign singers are welcomed in our country and we, on the contrary, receive no similar treatment. Each country respects, acclaims, loves and admires its own artists immensely. Look at Dessay and Alagna in France, Robert Lloyd and Thomas Allen in England, Domingo or Carreras in Spain, Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson and Neil Schicoff in the USA. All these singers are gods within their country. The opposite takes place in Italy. Italians are not afraid to boo Pavarotti and grant foreign singers great applause. We, Italian artists, are strangers in our own country.

CV: Do you think the opera world is being ruined by the star system, that is, do you believe opera goers are being mislead because of publicity and less talented singers have greater success due to advantageous record deals and good agents ?

GS: Not always. Today’s stars are great artists – he rephrases – great voices with wonderful techniques and thus great singers. Obviously, they do not leave space for others. I know I sing better than many of them, but they want to control the entire market. Nevertheless, the real problem is not the operatic star system, but the world itself and its market driven goals. Tons of food are destroyed because of market concerns while there are millions of people dying of hunger. Let me give you an example of how the market is ruling people’s lives. During the Christmas season, in Italy, you simply cannot go to town by car or else it will take you more than two hours to get there. Everyone is buying their Christmas presents. Everyone feels an obligation to buy Christmas presents. Can gifts only be bought and offered during this period or Easter ? Of course not. If I wish to, I can buy my son a present March the 13th or October the 7th. Why must there be a date for present giving ? Offering a gift is a pleasure to the person who gives it as well as to the one who receives it. If I loved someone, I would offer her gifts everyday. However, things work differently nowadays. If you do not offer a present at the right date, you are seen as a stupid person.

Through globalisation, Americans want to control the world and impose on other countries their own views and goods, such as transgenic vegetables and fruits. This is, of course, a political discussion I do not wish to enter into, but I have my own ideas. It is my belief that the world will continue to deteriorate as long as children are not fully respected. Nowadays, children are still killed and abused by paedophiles who hide behind the church or use their political and economic power to protect themselves. AIDS patients keep on dying, particularly in Africa, because countries lack the money to pay the companies, which discovered the AIDS medicines, for their research. I am shocked by these situations and I cannot tolerate or understand people or countries that want to impose their will upon others.

CV: Do you think the opera world is in a similar situation, where agents, record labels and advertising impose certain singers on opera lovers ?

GS: Yes. I was told there are 29 thousand opera theatres in the world. There are probably less. Even so, there is space for everybody. I do not envy my colleagues. I detest them. I have no esteem or admiration for many of them. Not as people, but as singers. When you go on stage and perform, I have the right to comment and express my opinion about the performance I attended. I have told you there are a lot of colleagues of mine whose voices are better than the one I own. Unfortunately, they use it the wrong way and sometimes for the wrong reasons. The star system exists because there are people whose top priorities in life are money, fame, success, power and, sooner or later, they will be forced to walk over their colleagues.

CV: Am I wrong in assuming that the opera scene is as market driven as the world itself?

GS: There are small differences between the world and the opera scene, since opera cannot be eaten or used. Luckily, we are but a small part of mankind and thus lack the power to harm anyone.

CV: Don’t you think the careers of certain singers are “consumed” as well, in the sense that they are overexploited ?

GS: Not consumed. But certainly many singers are overexploited. I like Cecilia Bartoli. She has an unbelievable voice which can reach high E flat, plus an incredible technique. In other words, she is a fantastic singer. But I cannot understand why – only 5 years after her debut – DECCA launched a video about her called “Portrait”. I saw it last month, when I was in Bilbao. Cecilia is driving a Fiat 500 through Rome and telling us the story of her life. In my opinion, a video similar to this one, which is, in fact, an autobiography, can only be made when one is nearing the end of one’s career. Certainly, not after a mere 5 years of singing. This video is a clear example of a market driven product whose purpose was solely to promote a young star and make her known to opera lovers. I even read in an Italian newspaper that Americans had made a comparison between Callas and Cecilia Bartoli ! How foolish ! Cecilia, as I have told you, is a fabulous singer, but all the people around her work as hard as possible to sell her and do it very successfully. You can confirm it by checking the classical music charts where her CDs are always in first place. If one spends the required amount of money in promotion, the CD will obviously sell. Moreover, many classical music magazines are probably run by the record labels themselves in order to put their artists ahead on the charts.

To sum up, there are many current opera stars who are fantastic singers, but many of them are overexploited, pushed around according to the market’s wishes and sold like products. But this is the way our societies work nowadays. Today’s opera stars are doing their job and, ultimately, they are right, because, in this world, one can only survive by doing the same things they do. They sell. Others don’t. However, they will have to face a big problem: records labels are now closing, because the market is saturated and, above all, CD prices are too high.

CV: How would you describe your relationship with stage directors ? Have you been in a production whose scenery you disliked ....

GS: Always. Always.

CV: .... or did not understand ?

GS: When I look at the scenery and do not understand it, I simply ask and go after a good explanation. The problem is I am tired, completely exhausted from fighting against set designers in particular. I am well aware they must create something new and within the production’s budget. However, we are talking about opera. And opera is mainly performed by singers. Without them, there would be no opera. Therefore, stage directors and set designers must respect singers. So, what is our fundamental concern ? If the stage is completely open, singers are unable to hear their own voices, because the sound does not return immediately to them. Either in rehearsals or in private, you will often see singers performing with the palm of their hands behind their ears in order to perfectly hear their voices. The palm of our hands assures us the sound is quickly projected to our ears, instead of wandering of through the empty space. Obviously, during performances, we cannot sing in this manner. As a consequence, if we wish to hear our voices, if you want the sound to return immediately to our ears, the stage – the backstage in particular – must be closed. On the contrary, if the stage is absolutely open, the sound will wander off through space and the singer will not be able to properly listen to it. As a result, he will have to push and force his voice which can lead to vocal damage. Another option – if the stage is completely open -  is to always sing in its forefront.

If you are an intelligent set designer and if you are aware of these problems, please do not use moquette or velvet. Use wood instead and you will be helping us. Especially in the last 3 to 4 years, I have argued endlessly with set designers. I usually tell them: “Your use of wrong materials does not stem from ignorance, it only shows lack of respect towards singers. And if you don’t respect us, we will not respect you either”.

CV: I was told you studied double-bass and always wanted to be a conductor. Why did you decide to pursue a singing career ?

GS: I started my musical life as a boy soprano in “Santa Maria in Via” church’s chorus. Our teacher was also a coach at the Sistine Chapel chorus. He coached the children’s chorus at the Sistine Chapel, while having a small chorus of his own where I sang from 8 to 13 years old. When my voice started changing, I began playing rock and studying double-bass. However, my goal was always to become a conductor. I knew, nonetheless, I would never arrive to conducting by playing double-bass, because no one would put an entire orchestra in the hands of an unknown double-bass player. At that time, I wasn’t aware Domingo had started conducting, but I realised that, in order to fulfil my goal, I had to acquire either fame or some kind of material in exchange for which my conducting ambitions could come true. Let me explain what I mean by “material”: the esteem or admiration of an opera theatre’s artistic director. In other words, by singing, I would make myself known to opera theatre managers around the world and those who enjoyed my performances could invite me to conduct, when informed about my artistic goals. So that is exactly what I did: I became famous or known as a singer and that could not have happened had I stick to playing double-bass, since it is a very unlucky instrument which lacks the recognition it deserves.

I have been singing now for 14 years and, at the moment, I am preparing myself to become a conductor by restudying counterpoint, harmony, composition and all the other Conservatory subjects. Therefore, I chose to pursue a singing career, since I knew it would be the quickest path to becoming a conductor. I didn’t start singing, because I dreamt about it. I am, first and foremost, a musician. By the way, the difference between me and many of my colleagues is that I am not a tenor, but a musician.

CV: It is funny you mentioned it, because I was going to ask you if you could explain this quote of yours: “I am a musician, above all, and I don’t feel like only a tenor. Being a tenor is my last thing”.

GS: Absolutely. If I was a baritone, nothing would change as far as I am concerned. I am a tenor just because I was given a particular type of voice. My goal is to always serve the music no matter what I am doing. I served the music as a boy soprano. I served it when I played rock, since I truly believed in this kind of music. Whether I am playing double-bass or singing, I am driven by my love of music and by my will to serve it, live it and convey its emotions.                  

Nuno Miguel Marques is a Classical Voice correspondent in Lisbon, Portugal.

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