My dear, dear, dear Cantare Italiano community of Friends, Colleagues, Students,

I have the most important announcement to make:

from 2025, I will likely no longer be giving one-on-one sessions.

This is due to the following three main reasons:

1. My tax regimen as a freelancer: the Italian government makes you pay taxes, even when you're below a certain income, in a percentage that seemingly takes for granted that you mostly evade, or have some other income, while keeping your freelancing job as a luxurious hobby. Every year more, my tax return requires a(n increasingly higher) second income to meet the deadlines relative to the previous year and, in my specific case, it would be neither possible physically for me to make that necessary money by working more than I currently do, nor it would be possible ethically, by charging more than I currently do (I could, but I don't want to) the private singers of good will who're already compensating, out of their own pockets, for what are mostly the lacks of their schools/hiring companies/teachers/whatever.
   In other words, from my financial perspective this freelance job, legally and honestly led as it is, makes sense only a second, luxury job, from which I can get good reputation and precious video/audio material, but out of which I cannot make any real money since its further growth I could not afford in a sustainable way, especially since I run every single aspect of it by myself.
   I have enjoyed it so far, though, and have learnt a lot from it. And I deeply appreciate and treasure its results.

    

2. What I believe to be my most significant contribution to this world, which is also the work that currently requires 90% of my time and energy, is that of public, divulgative nature (newsletters included), which doesn't happen during the sessions and that has always been unpaid for anyways (technically, it even has costs on my side: even the newsletters have one). Such divulgative work is sometimes deeply treasured, some other times possibly overlooked and possibly for the very reason that it's free, but I don't care: I myself have taken so much for free from the web, that I want to give back - for I know that what I, give, only I, simply, can give.
   I am mostly talking about my ever-expanding video library of session excerpts, available on YouTube as well as on my website (which has a cost), and I am talking about the invaluable Cantare Italiano ARKive of diction recordings: these are the legacies and patrimonies I have put together with zeal and sacrifice, and care about more than anything, and care for them to be and stay free.

    

3. Last but not least, I have a new artistic project of my own that is beginning to require attention, energies and time, so these three resources must be from now on optimised.

For all these reasons, and so to understand what my schedule is going to look like in the second part of 2024, but also because I've been doing it for the past few years around my birthday time,

I will make one (likely final) sale on all my plans, that will begin this coming Sunday, June 2nd, and last throughout the entire month of June, so that every purchased bundle will benefit of its entire, standard six month length to be used up - and, that is, precisely till the end of 2024.

I will make an exception for the "BIG IMPRESARIO" (bundle of 15 sessions), for which I will give a 9 month time of completion (that is, by the end of next winter - March 31st 2025), and which will no longer be available for purchase after June 30th, 2024.

My next newsletter will contain such offer, with all the necessary instructions.

You will, be able to purchase those same plans in the following months, too, but at their regular price and, if my decision is confirmed, you will probably have less time to use them up.
 

The Fiato and Appoggio monthly plans, which were very nice contributions to meet the bare costs of the website, are already no longer available on my website, because, due to the new rules about electronic invoicing, they'd just be too troublesome to invoice.

I don't want to stop teaching, though, ever.

I am, La Maestra.

I have brought my profession to a whole new level and I do feel the responsibility of it.

Teaching has taught me everything I know, given me everything I have, made me into everything I am.

So much that I've been willing to support and pay for this privileged job for as long as possible.  

I will just have to find new ways to teach.

First of all, should a proper, suitable position open up for me, be it in an Opera House, or at a University - in Italy or abroad - I am surely taking it (keep an eye out for me, will you?).

Then, I will gladly teach masterclasses whenever and wherever you guys will want to fly me over to meet me in person.

Finally, I would LOVE to be able to afford to give out free online group sessions whenever I feel like doing it - as it has happened in the past.

(The Turandot 100th anniversary in 2026 may be a good occasion to do that, as already announced - we'll see as we go.)

Working for free costs me less than working underpaid or with short term goals - don't ask.

I like teaching, I like making money,

I don't like as much making my main money from private students or singers.

Neither ethically, nor financially, or artistically.

What I want is to to reach more people at a time, and get way more than (more) money in return - which basically translates in taking on only big(ger) projects.

SO.
If you've had in mind for a while to work with me, the time has come.

And if you need to work with me at a discounted fee, the month of June will be the time to book me: stay super tuned for the instructions that will be contained in the next newsletter.

But - IMPORTANT! If you don't need a discount, you don't have to use it, so you don't have to wait to book me: go right ahed and either reply to this email, or click the button below to check out your options (PLEASE DO NOT USE PAYPAL ON THE WEBSITE - CREDIT CARDS ONLY! FOR BIG PURCHAES, PLEASE EMAIL ME FIRST!).

This may be one of the very few cases in your life where it is, ethical, not to save your money: this is not a superstore, there is no inflation: this is my very own flesh, blood, culture, honesty, inspiration, 20+ years of experience and long meditation hours you're benefitting of.
 

Grazie,

La Maestra

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)