By Natalia Di Bartolo–
Following English translation–
Maestro Giuseppe Sabbatini, tenor of international fame, who retired from the career seven years ago for life project is dedicated to conducting: music is its SAP, its cultural and intellectual nourishment, the expression of his personality and his ever-renewed vitality of refined musician, taste omnivores.
Now directs with emotion and joy the works who played singing on stage.
The theatre is his home, around the world…and I met him in Italy when he returned from his last effort.
Staged L'elisir d'amore by Gaetano Donizetti, on November 9, 2014, in Japan in Yokosuka Grand Theater, which this year celebrates 20 years after the inauguration.
Master S, you always ' happy ' when in Japan…
Yes, it's true…I like it here in Japan, I made my debut there, there I started my career as a tenor, I find myself among people I greatly esteem, I loves you very much and that responds to the best of their abilities to educational and musical expectations in General. The whole is reciprocated.
What role plays at the time as a musician in the land of the rising sun?
I am the Director of education of the Suntory Hall Opera Academy, where he taught singing. This year we end the second period: this is the 4° academic year 2014-2015, the: we started in 2011.
Soul creator of the Academy was the Lady Keiko Manabe, who continues to support us with their artistic and managerial expertise.
How does his work and that of the Academy in General and to stage these shows, which this year L'elisir d'amore is the flagship? Nemorino has been an important milestone in his career…
Yes, Elixir, this year: Nemorino was a character I played many times…
We performed it at the Yokosuka Theatre: I sang Gounod's Romeo et Juliette there in October 2003 and last year we staged Mozart's Cosi fan tutte there, again with students and former students of the Academy.
As far as the Academy is concerned, the entire teaching staff has a great specific weight within it: I have four assistants/colleagues among the best singing teachers in the Universities of Tokyo and one who is a well-known pianist and teaches pianist students piano accompaniment (we also have a Korrepetitor section for student pianists).
Throughout we're teachers, even with different competences and specializations (Belcanto, Baroque, German repertoire, French, Verismo). Full benefit of boys studying and can make the best.
Besides, this Academy is all subsidized by Suntory, a Japanese company, but without even one yen outlay from the boys! For the two years of study with us are totally free. This is a fact of extreme importance to us.
As for the representations within the Academy itself, we try to stage a title that may be fine for our alumni and students who are attending, but already deserving. For vacant roles do the hearings.
May I start working on it musically for ten days…You mount the whole work and about a month before the recitation see you to assemble the whole thing, because in Japan the actors and chorus work separately with the Director, Michiko Taguchi.
A right arm leg!
Absolutely! Staging, sets and costumes. Mrs. Taguchi has lived for 40 years in Italy…She studied singing and is the favorite Japanese language interpreter of the M° Riccardo Muti. Know all parts by heart, is extraordinary.
We keep very much to put the boys in a context “traditional” without much interpretive biases but delving into all that is “real”, the “true”…they will have time to overturn their characters!
Picasso began with great designs, from what was incredibly real, after a long journey, Guernica!
The setting is decidedly “essential”.
The process of the work?
We follow pre-established organizational structure: this year has worked as last year: we put together in pre-order hours of testing before the Act 1 and then, in turn, the Act 2. And’ followed the dress rehearsal.
And young people of the Academy as they answer?
Ah, regarding them are really very satisfied and proud.
The soprano Yuko Sato, who played the role of Adina, had the merit of our Academy in 2012, the first two years of "was Sabbatini".
Very good l ’ Adina…A lot!!! Nice phrasing and mastery of the instrument: very interesting.
Masahiro Nakashima was Nemorino: Furtiva lagrima was a true chisel…both on my part that the tenor who, albeit having measured vocal power, has great taste…feels very Baroque singing…and, although tiny, has a great stage presence.
Even the bassoon he played the introduction by God: honour for merit of the instrumentalist.
Toru Kaku played Belcore; is a light baritone that is produced in an intense Chamber music (majoring in German Lieder): did very well and the same Giannetta, Taeko Shimizu, graduated in 2012 along with Yuko Sato in 1° biennium with me Director of education.
And then Dulcamara, Hideya Masuhara…star performer of the evening. Has a great stage presence…vocally well put and excellent pronunciation. Moreover he studied in Parma, for 4 years, at the Conservatory.
Well done, really good all the soloists!
And the Choir?
Another satisfaction!
The Suntory Hall Opera Academy Chorus is our pride because, made up of sixteen choristers, it is made up of 60% students and former students of the Academy…therefore these kids have also had a very important experience as choir artists, while they are studying as soloists with me and my assistants/colleagues.
And what do you think of the Conductor Sabbatini?
of him…what can I say? Who is always attentive to the indications of the score and who loves to color the sounds with the meaning of the words… Even when he is leading the Suntory Hall Chamber Opera Academy Orchestra.
I meant the Directorate d ’ orchestra…
Well, as for this, respecting the score down to the smallest details, I have “dramatic,” the directions!
In what sense?
In the score there are plenty of “Crowns” that would not have any sense, musically speaking, if not interpreted as expectations of some stage action. We, with the Director, tried to exploit them and enhance them!
Obviously Elixir remains a “comic opera”but with a particular comment with the orchestra the sentences of the soloists, especially when there are some sentences interspersed with isorhythm by the entire orchestra. I have lengthened pauses…in other cases I have slowed down or accelerated these omoritmie (I call them so).
I try to explain in words: there are moments, like the Duet Nemorino/Belcore, where the orchestra plays all together the same rhythm: for example when Nemorino sings "twenty shields?" – Belcore: "on the spot" – Nemorino: "well then go: preparing them"… etc. ...
Or, better, when Davies sings: “I got a tune” – (orchestra) – "fresh data out" – (orchestra) – "lively, graceful" – (Orchestra) – "what flavor you can give!
The first two sentences have remained the same, but the third ("lively and graceful"), I made it play faster and with arrival staccato, so even difficult technically for a Director!
So has "ruled" the score in a personal and original: philologically very enterprising. But that Donizetti would think?
I believe that it would be pleased! Are 182 years that each says its…I ’ I wanted to speak my mind…And’ easier to run it as it is felt, but so it seems more friendly, different and fresh!
There can be no doubt about it! The audience responded to the show as a whole with heartfelt and warm applause.
Yes, a nice audience, to which the plot was told in detail before each act by the “Navigator” Satoshi Asaoka.
And’ It was a great success for everyone: I'm satisfied with the whole thing, including the public's response.
Thank you Maestro Sabbatini for your well-known frankness and your detailed explanations, including technical ones. We look forward to hearing her live.
Inevitable curiosity…
© Natalia Dantas
PHOTOS: © Yokosuka Arts Theatre, © Natalia Di Bartolo
>>>English translation
Maestro Giuseppe Sabbatini, a tenor of international fame, retired from his active career seven years ago, now dedicates himself to conducting: music is his blood flow, his cultural and intellectual nourishment, the expression of his personality and his constantly renewed vitality of refined musician, of various tastes. Now he directs with excitement and joy the musical works that once he was singing on stage.
In a theater he feels at home, around the world … and I meet him in Italy after returning from his last project- conducting L’Elisir d’amore by Gaetano Donizetti, November 9, 2014, in the great Yokosuka Theatre, Japan, which this year celebrates the 20th anniversary of the inauguration.
Maestro Sabbatini, you always claim to be “happy”, while being in Japan …
Yes, it’s true … I feel well in Japan, I made my debut there, there I started my career as a tenor; I find myself among people who appreciate me greatly, people that respect me and that respond in the highest level to my musical expectations, also in teaching.
Everything is well received.
What is your role at the time as a musician in the Land of the Rising Sun?
I am a Director of Studies at Suntory Hall Opera Academy, where I teach Singing. 2014-2015 is the 4th academic year, each course including two years of study: we started in 2011. Soul creator of the Academy is Mrs. Keiko Manabe, providing continues support for all of us, using her great talent of an artistic manager.
How does the Academy operate in general and how does it work, putting on stage these events, including L’Elisir d’Amore- this year’s big achievement? Nemorino was an important role in your career …
Yes, L’Elisir, this year…Nemorino is a character that I sang many times.
We did a performance in the Theatre of Yokosuka: I sang there Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette in October 2003; last year we made there a production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, always with students of the Academy.
As for the Academy, all the teaching staff is at a really high level: I have four assistants/colleagues among the best teachers of singing at the Tokyo’s Universities; a renowned pianist teaches piano accompaniment to the students (we have also a Korrepetitor section for pianist students).
Altogether there are six teachers, with different skills and specializations (Bel Canto, Baroque, German and French Repertoires, Verismo).
It is a great benefit for the boys and girls that study; they are getting the best possible. By the way this Academy is all sponsored by Suntory, important Japanese company, without even one yen disbursement from the students! For them, the two years course of studying with us is totally for free. This is an extremely important fact for us.
As for the performances within the Academy itself, we try to put on stage a title that will be useful for the artistic and musical development of our already graduated, also actual, advanced students. For vacant roles we do casting.
In May I started working on the music… We mount all the work; about a month before the performance we start building everything together; in Japan the performers and the chorus work separately also with the stage director, Michiko Taguchi.
A really great help!
Absolutely! Stage direction, sets and costumes. Ms. Taguchi lives in Italy for the past 40 years … she studied Lyric singing and is the preferred Japanese language’s interpreter for Maestro Muti. She knows all the parts by heart, and is extraordinary.
We like very much to work with the students in a “traditional” way, without too much dwelling on the interpretation, but going in deep for all that is “real”… They will have time to work and change the characters of the roles! Picasso began with incredibly real drawings, as great as he was, and arrived to Guernica after a long journey!
The settings, then, are absolutely “essential.”
The procedure of work?
According to the organization, this year, as last year of the study, we did orchestra rehearsals of the 1st act on the first day and 2nd in the second day.
The general rehearsal followed.
And the young of the Academy? How do they respond?
Oh, for them I’m really very happy, and proud.
The soprano Yuko Sato, who sang the role of Adina, had the Honour Diploma of our Academy in 2012, the first two years of ”Sabbatini’s era”. Adina … very, very good! Beautiful phrasing and control of the voice: very interesting.
Katsuhiko Nakashima was Nemorino: the Furtiva lagrima was a real jewell … the tenor, although possessing limited vocal power, has a great musical taste … one can hear that he sings baroque style … and singing, has a great stage presence. The bassoon player from the orchestra, also, played the introduction very, very well.
Toru Kaku sang Belcore; a light baritone that is constantly singing chamber music (specializing in German Lieder); he did very well, as well as Giannetta, Taeko Shimizu- she graduated in 2012, together with Yuko Sato, during the 1st period of my teaching at the Academy.
And then Dulcamara, Hideya Masuhara … the protagonist of the evening. He has a great stage presence … well put and with excellent vocal pronunciation. He studied in Parma, for four years, at the Conservatory of Parma.
Well done, really bravi, all the soloists!
The chorus?
Another satisfaction! The Suntory Hall Academy Opera Chorus is our pride because the group included sixteen singers, and 60% of them were students and former students of the Academy… these guys had the great opportunity to have the experience of singing in a choir, while at the same time, as soloists, they are studying with me and my assistants/colleagues.
And the Conductor Sabbatini? What do you think?
What can I say about him? That he is always attentive to the details in the score and loves to color the music regarding the meaning of the words…even when he’s conducting the Suntory Hall Chamber Opera Orchestra Academy.
I meant, about his conducting?
Well, for that I can say- respecting the score in every little detail, I “dramatized” the indications!
In what way?
In the score there are many “crowns” that would not have sense musically, if not interpreted them as a part of some action on stage. Me, together with the stage director, tried to exploit and enhance them!
L’Elisir of course it is still a “comic opera”, with a particular way of the orchestra “commenting” the phrases of the soloists, especially when there are phrases interspersed with homorhythm by the whole orchestra. I did ask for extended breaks in some cases … I slowed down or accelerated these “omoritmie” (it’s what I call them).
I try to explain the words: there are times, such as Nemorino/Belcore duet , where the orchestra plays all together the same rhythm, for example when Nemorino sings “Venti scudi?” – Belcore: “Su due piedi” – Nemorino “Ebben vada: li prepara” … etc. … Or, rather, when Dulcamara sings: “Ho qui una canzonetta”- (orchestra) -” di fresco data fuori’ – (orchestra) – “lively, graceful” – (orchestra) – “what a taste it can give you!”
The first two sentences are the same, but the third (“vivace e graziosa”) I asked to be played faster and staccato at the end.
So you “ruled” the score in a personal and original philological and very resourceful way.
But what would Donizetti think?
I think he would’ve been content! For already 182 years everyone tells their own version…I wanted to tell mine… in this way to me the opera seems different and fresh!
The audience responded with big and warm applause.
Yes, it was a good audience. The “Navigator” Satoshi Asaoka was telling in detail the story before the beginning of each act. It was a big success for everybody: I am satisfied with everything together, including the warm response of the public.
Thank you, Maestro Sabbatini for your well-known frankness and your detailed explanations. We look forward to hear you live!
Inevitable curiosity …
© Natalia Dantas
PHOTOS: © Yokosuka Arts Theatre, © Natalia Di Bartolo