Half my work may now be done. Rome is to my south and Florence to my north. I am happily sautéing in Montisi. Rome was a good place to roast and Montisi seems a great place to simmer in or out of the sun. The best part of the place is the family Mannucci. That they will allow a deactivated tenor to claim sanctuary from the rest of the world in the warm embrace of their home here in the Tuscan Hills is a testament to how wonderful the best that Italy has to offer really is.
It is a great plus that Silvia, the Opera Nut of the family, actually liked my singing when I still did that sort of thing. Now we talk about the content of “Factory Made” in the special manner that Silvia has with the Italian language. The great hope, for Silvia and me, is that at some point the art and craft of singing will be picked up in a way that will bring back my desire to attend performances and her excitement at hearing interpretations that lift her spirits.
The work at Rome lifted my spirits and gave me a little more faith that hope is warranted. I was happy to find material. I smiled as if I were a sculptor with a blank check in Carrara. A very young tenor with a lovely sound, one coloratura soprano with rubies for high notes, one lyric soprano with an instrument of great strength, one living, breathing definition of visual beauty carrying a voice that seeks freedom from a tyranny of “Factory” teaching and a mezzo soprano just so close to prime time. All of these singers, every one seeking a path to success in the world of opera, need more than encouragement. I felt like a kid in a candy store at the end of our work, when these singers took to the little stage that had been the lesson venue to put on a little concert. They put my every doubt in the trash can, broke open the candy cases and handed me everything I wanted them to do with the tools I tried to stuff in their pockets.
I am still up in the air about what the next days will bring, but for sure I am happy with the “so far”.
I will have a lot more to say when I have my own line of access to the internet. For now, I am in great company and loath to dedicate much time to much more than having fun with the Mannuccis.