A few days ago we turned 21, dear, dear ones.

We: you and I, what I call Cantare Italiano; happy anniversary to us.

The last 10 of these 21 years happened exclusively online, due to the logistics of our respective lives - and this is kind of a first, in the Opera business and in the "high profile" one especially -

which is not my only one of action, nor necessarily the one where I have felt most understood, respected or well employed in my complex, overall value...

...But I am truly not here to complain. I am here to thank:

if I have been a pioneer in this aspect, too - not just in the theory and practice of the thing itself, but in the changing of its means, which happened very deliberately, when I decided to move back to Puglia after my NYC years - that was thanks to you.

You did it, with me. You trusted me first.

Since its very beginning, this work of mine seemed to have an agenda of its own, to the extent that every other road got forcibly closed on my path, and every other door shut in my face, in the most unlikely, surreal ways.

So I guess we'll just keep going, folks.

This morning I asked my Instagram followers, through a poll, to pick one of the following opening lines, for this which is the first newsletter of mine in a while:

• today's Opera, standing to actual Opera like some Instagram "face yoga" posts would stand to Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings (nah...);

• you kitemmùrt (colorful Apulian for "rascals") not sufficiently advertising my work, its importance and quality (meh...);

• a list of the countries that Cantare Italiano has reached to (about 12... that I know of), only in the last couple of months of work, together with a list of the performances and people that I've coached (blah blah blah...).

  
  This was the 100% unanimous result of the poll, mmokkammàmt (colorful Apulian for "damn it"):

Whereas it is undoubtedly true that I receive over 90% of the positive feedback in private, rather than in public, which can be a problem - mmokkammamt - for someone who doesn't work in person and needs to be trusted by people she hasn't shaken hands with, and in some cases never will...

...it is also true that I've learnt how to trust.
Not trust anybody in particular (other than myself: myself I trust very very much) - just trust.

Trust - is everything: included the base of a good vocal technique and of a good maestro-allievo relationship.

“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success - said Henry Ford (who's not our kind of Ford, but still a Ford).

I didn't have much to say, really. Just genuinely want to be in touch.

I love and trust you all.
Just keep going.

La Maestra

PS: latest uploads on The Cantare Italiano ARKive:

• full role of Cio Cio San (Madama Butterfly, 12 recordings - playlist Puccini);

• Ho capito, signorsì (Don Giovanni; playlist Mozart);

• "Ed ancor quella porta non si dischiude" (full Act III scene from Roberto Devereux, playlist Donizetti).

extremely good at this (Graham Vick)

a fantastic coach, extremely helpful for young singers as well as experienced ones (Barbara Hannigan)

lingual and linguistic genius, almighty for vowel purity (Peter Tantsits)

bringing the language, the music and the characters to life; results of the very highes quality (Paul Nilon)

the foundation of a role, doesn't go on stage if she hasn't worked with me on it (Jennifer Rowley)

magic keystone of vocal technique, musical interpretation and building of the character: a radical rethink of the act of singing (Anna Piroli)

her incredible breadth of knowledge makes me feel entirely prepared (Heather Lowe)

opened up my voice, and a world before my eyes; every Conservatory should benefit of her teachings (Giulia Zaniboni)

a 180° turn in my work with the singers (Theophilos Lambrianidis)

like four professionals in one: taking all those elements and conveying them into one single intention (Yiselle Blum)

invaluable to make a role really succeed on stage (Ariadne Greif)

thoroughly prepared and professional (Marie Kuijken)

her work favours deep understanding, which makes the phrasing and vocal line.

she is entirely devoted to the art of Opera singing, and her students (Ida Falk Winland)

incredibly informed, consistent, knowledgeable Maestro (Michael Corvino)

a lifeboat; carrying the torch of finest Italian Opera (Nathaniel Kondrat)

a cure and a respect of the Music and the words’ musicality

that can be learnt so deeply nowhere else in the world (Matilde Bianchi)

an unconventional guardian angel (Giulia Ferraldeschi)

my guardian angel (Nile Senatore)