Italian memories

How strange life can be!

Today, I spoke with the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, where rehearsals for Verdi’s Luisa Miller had just begun. To my astonishment, tonight, I stumbled upon a live recording of Luisa Miller, the very first production my late husband, Daniel Nazareth, conducted at the San Carlo. And it’s incredibly good!

That was 36 years ago. It marked my first visit to Italy, where I fell in love with Napoli, its people, and the opera house. I remember every moment of that production, from the initial rehearsal to the final curtain.

The first word I learned in Italian was ’sciopero‘ (strike). There seemed to be a strike every day. Yet, the theater’s chaos was the most endearing imaginable.

However, the chaos proved too much for the American superstar slated to sing the title role of Luisa. Much to my surprise, the young and inexperienced me was chosen to take her on a boat trip to Ischia to persuade her to stay. She did, albeit temporarily, and that was the moment I knew I wanted to work with and for artists. I couldn’t be happier that today, with pura musica artists, I’m back doing exactly what I love most.

By the way, I am still (or again) in contact with almost the entire cast from back then.

Bravi tutti!