
Rossiniâs famous masterpiece âOthelloâ is returning to La Scala in Milan after 145 years. The opera, which premiered in 1816 to huge success in Naples was composed more than 70 years before Verdiâs version. Rossiniâs âOthelloâ is only loosely based on the Shakespearean tragedy.
I'd say that if you can sing Rossini, you can sing anything
Juan Diego FlĂłrez, who is performing the role of Rodrigo, was quick to show his admiration for Rossini.
âI adore Rossini. His music is like champagne, said the Peruvian tenor. â He wrote for specific singers and we in a way have to get into their shoes.â
FlĂłrez, who is considered to be the best Rossini tenor of his generation, added that his dream would be to journey back in time and meet the Italian composer in person.
Russian soprano Olga Peretyatko feels the same way about the composer, whose masterpieces make up a big part of her repertoire.
ââYou have to be physically fit to be able to sing Rossini, explained Peretyatko. âHis music is almost athletic. You need an enormous range, and be totally confident with those top notes and in the low and middle range. It needs to be both tender and strong. Iâd say that if you can sing Rossini, you can sing anything.ââ
A love triangle, jealousy and a difficult father-daughter relationship are at the heart of the opera that marks a milestone in the development of Rossiniâs dramatic style.
âYou have to portray all the emotions within that coloratura, said Juan Diego FlĂłrez. âYou have to make them feel and believe that youâre despaired when you are saying: âWhy you donât love me. Why donât you go with me. Why do you go with Otello?â
âDesdemona is not just a victim, added Peretyatko. âShe made her choice and her choice was Othello. In the end she tells Othello: âMy life no longer has any meaning so kill meâ.
Juan Diego FlĂłrez: A unique bond with la Scala
The art of singing Rossini - explained by famous tenor Juan Diego FlĂłrez and soprano Olga Peretyatko in the new edition of Musica. Watch it online now. http://eurone.ws/PqF7K
Posted by euronews on Friday, 10 July 2015