They tried to kill her three times, in three different ways, but not even beheading succeeded.

Yes, there is an offer at the bottom of this page, but, first, I have to present three diagnoses.

photo © Andrea Antohi

DIAGNOSIS 1:

What we call Music is either deeply known and very seriously taken, or it has consequences that are not entertaining at all.

Music is either a spiritual reconnection, ultimately holding a ritual, seasonal, celebrative purpose - including, if not beginning with, its pop genres of acoustic-only transmission (discotheque music can be deeply shamanic, and transcendental) -

or it is a mere replica: depleting and nonsensical, especially in times of digital information and AI; mostly stemming from and leading back to a vocal/ instrumental narcissism.

A chronic imposter syndrome derives from what is a process of merely exterior imitation; which, at its own time, may lead to depression and other forms of sickness;

which at their own time, lead to a deep corruption of the Music business' deontology.

(Just an example: famous voice teachers who operate in Italy, but who've hardly ever sent an invoice or paid any taxes on their insane incomes, wanting to instil the principles of, and the respect for, Italy's most traditional and representative art form: how about that?)

Saint Cecilia, John William Waterhouse, 1895

DIAGNOSIS 2:

I believe Opera, as a genre, to be one of the most at risk under a corruption point of view.

This is true especially when we stop at the level of its plots, which seems to be everything the current industry can do, due to a progressive musical illiteracy that begins in Conservatories and Music Schools: mere lack of actual capabilities to read and interpret the signs in a score.

Which is why such signs are nowadays often reported incorrectly, even in the most emblazoned editions, whereas they are the essence of the genre, and were meant to speak on many, many levels - the plot being the last and least important.

(By the way, my dear folks at Ricordi and Bärenreiter: Italian has just two graphic accents, can you please bother rendering them both, typing words ending in tonic and closed Es and Os - like perché or paltó" - I don't know... CORRECTLY? We were born on that chiaroscuro, if you don't mind. Why don't you go steal umlauts from the Germans, or circumflex accents from the French, and enjoy their reactions, just for fun?)

Not to mention that, at their plots' level, operas mostly deal with the lowest-vibrating feelings that humanity is capable of: sadness, madness, bereavement, hatred, greed, jealousy, envy, grief, rage, poverty, misery, deceit, unjustice - you name it.

Opera professionals aren't even vaguely prepared, from an acting point of view, to undergo such a heavy-duty work, which may also be the reason why the genre can be performed so poorly and improperly, so often: that is, due to a form of psychologic self-defence in the performer. Understandable.

Of course Art can compensate such a demanding work through catharsis, re-tuning its low vibrations to the highest ones, thanks to the Beauty of its subliminal healing patterns, golden ratios, perfect shapes, exact symmetries and proportions - provided that such sacred geometries are understood and properly rendered.

Without an exact recipe, Opera is just another industrial food whose total void of nutrients keeps being masked by packing it with more salt, sugar or artificial colorants, which can only make it look like the real thing, whereas we want it to be - and smell, and taste like - the ultimate, and ever renewed and reaffirmed, real thing.

(Is it by chance, that the Opera business possibly counts the highest percentage of obese/overweight - and, that is, under-nourished - workers? I wonder.)

Saint Cecilia, Simon Vouet, 1625

DIAGNOSIS 3:

Important values should be sold at a price, or even be occasionally put on sale, only to create something of even more value.

It is my unshakeable belief that selling priceless values - like one's own time, energy and freedom - in exchange for just money, is the worst deal a human being can make: personally, I only work to increase value (mine and yours): I want better, and more than your money, in return, and for longer. I demand value, in exchange for values.

Enough with the diagnoses, on to the cures.

St. Cecilia playing the organ, Jacques Stella (1596 - 1657)

THREE ARE THE INSTRUMENTS THAT I PROVIDE,

two of which are free,

in order to pursue my own demand of long-term value, while balancing one by one the three diagnoses above in real time.

1. A FREE VIDEO LIBRARY OF SESSIONS EXCERPTS, thanks to which most of you found me online and became my students, or just simple followers, but for that reason alone better professionals (your words, not mine);
    

2. The CANTARE ITALIANO ARKive, the one and only FREE AUDIO LIBRARY OF ITALIAN LYRIC DICTION RECORDINGS that you are righteously going mad about and already perusing;
   
   3. INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SESSIONS,
   that, beyond their immediate utility to those who commission them, contribute to expand the two mentioned free libraries above, that are my way to render a public service.
   
   Such sessions will be held at the NEW conditions and fees that you will find clicking on the button below, and that I am today introducing with

    

   a launch discount of 20% valid till Sunday, November 26.

Ancora buona Festa di Santa Cecilia a Tutti Voi.

And happy Thanksgiving, tomorrow, America.
I am deeply grateful for you all, for Music... for everything, really.

La Maestra

photo © Andrea Antohi

“extremely good at this” (Graham Vick)

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

“bringing the language, the music and the characters to life” (Paul Nilon)

“the foundation of a role” (Jennifer Rowley)

“magic conjunction 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)

“magic effect on the voice and our art form” (Jessica Harper)

“opened up my voice, and a world” (Giulia Zaniboni)

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

"like four professionals in one" (Yiselle Blum)

“invaluable: she’ll make a role really succeed on stage” (Ariadne Greif)

“potentially life-changing” (Amy Payne)

“brings life to operatic drama” (Maria Sanner)

“enlightening, professionally and humanly” (Clara La Licata)

“thoroughly prepared and professional” (Marie Kuijken)

“truly unique method and insights” (Jasmine Law)

“a lingual and linguistic genius” (Peter Tantsits)

“entirely devoted to the art of Opera singing” (Ida Falk Winland)

“incredibly informed, consistent, knowledgeable” (Michael Corvino)

“carrying the torch of finest Italian Opera” (Nathaniel Kondrat)

“a crucial basis for all the singers” (David Cowan)

“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)