Magic on stage
Interview |
A singer enters the stage - and everything changes. The audience can't take their eyes off the stage, a fluid flows through the hall, people listen and marvel.
Singing and acting become one, everything is expression. There are no words to describe it. Or perhaps there is a word: charisma! That charisma that magically casts a spell and turns theater into an event. Soprano Federica Lombardi, for example, sings Amelia in Giuseppe Verdi's breathtaking opera Simon Boccanegra in April. The Italian singer spoke to Oliver Lang about the magic of opera, the energy of great roles and how Simon Boccanegraaffects "opera novices".
Your singing and charisma fascinate and inspire the audience at every one of your performances. The former can be studied, but what about the latter? Is charisma innate? Or is it something you learn?
I think both. You must never forget that we singers work a lot and hard, but we also benefit from stage life by accessing the energies of the characters we portray. I'm not just trying to play a character, I'm really trying to be them!
So if I play a very strong character, for example, a character who is dramatic and passionate, it's not only fun, but I also get an energy boost from this strong stage character. This is then also fed by the emotions involved: they are almost always extremely intense! And of course there's another thing: we all draw on our personal experiences when playing the roles. All of this works together..
Simon Boccanegra is not Verdi's best-known opera, but it is one of his most moving and beautiful. What makes this opera so magical?
One of the interesting things about this work is its departure from the usual operatic scheme of the time. Simon Boccanegra is unusual because the main theme is not: Two lovers, soprano and tenor, go through difficulties and problems and the tenor has to face the antagonist, a baritone. No, here the actual antagonist of the leading baritone is not a tenor, but a bass in the character of Fiesco. And the woman at the center is their daughter or granddaughter.
I find it exciting that this woman, Amelia, represents the light in the midst of several dark voices, bringing light into this rather dark opera with warm and luminous lines and phrases. The wonderful thing about this opera is of course first and foremost the music, which is simply so moving and almost indescribable. Just one example: the duet that Amelia sings with her father Simon Boccanegra is one of the most beautiful ever. Or the finale of the first act! What's more, the moment in this finale when Boccanegra pleads for peace has a special meaning for us today.
You mentioned that Amelia brings something bright to the opera. What else do you hear in the music Verdi gave this character?
In Amelia's aria at the beginning of Act 1, she remembers her past, which is ultimately not entirely clear to her. I feel a great melancholy in the music, but also a hope: that the future could be brighter. And her love for Gabriele Adorno also gives her hope for what is to come.
When she learns that Simon Boccanegra is her father, this reunion triggers great joy and happiness in her. At the same time, however, she is aware that her lover is her father's enemy. This interweaving of the private and political plot is incredibly exciting. I see Amelia as a strong character, but at the same time she is also gentle and sensitive: that's what makes the character so interesting, and that's exactly why I appreciate the role so much. And also because Verdi's music is a wonderful reflection of her character.
What was the process of approaching the role of Amelia like? Was the work initially a puzzle that you had to solve and which then became a good friend? Did you "get over" the opera at some point?
Well, the approach is a long process. I always start with the libretto and study it carefully. Because even if I know the works in question, of course, I want to explore them in detail. I'm not just interested in what "my" character is feeling, I have to understand the emotions of all the characters. Musically, it's also an intensive process, because I want to feel the music in my instrument, i.e. my voice.
And quite clearly, the more often I sing a role, the more confident I become. And the more confident I am, the more I can challenge myself. My first Amelia was part of a new production, so there were lots of rehearsals and I was able to explore the role and feel it completely. That makes it easier to get involved in other productions, such as in Vienna.
Last question: What advice would you give to someone who has never experienced Simon Boccanegra? What should they look out for?
First of all, of course, the music, it's so incredibly beautiful! The interesting thing is that there are few really famous arias, but you still just want to listen at every moment. Simon Boccanegra is the perfect combination of drama and perfect purity.
I have friends who are not opera-savvy and I gave them a recording of this opera: they were deeply moved by what they heard and by the feelings that overcame them as they experienced this masterpiece. Simon Boccanegra is simply an extraordinary masterpiece!