Unionised workers at the Opera di Roma, embroiled in yet another funding crisis and threatening to strike, have come out in support of their boss, Riccardo Muti.
Muti has threatened to leave the troubled house if no solution can be found. In a challenge to the mayor (not to mention Italy's reputation for style), workers of all shapes and sizes have been sporting a t-shirt inscribed with "I {heart} Riccardo Muti all'Opera di Roma."
What makes Riccardo Muti a great Mozart conductor?
In an interview with French magazine L'Express (long, but well worth a read), he reveals his enormous asset:
"When I conduct Mozart with the Vienna Philharmonic, the orchestra naturally provides the Germanic side of the work. For my part, I bring the Italian influence. The combination of the two, especially for the operas, produces interesting results, with a lot of character.
My knowledge of the Italian of Da Ponte's text is important. His librettos often have a double meaning. The first layer is suitable for polite society. And then there's another one, untranslatable and often....very daring. Mozart - who spoke excellent Italian - and his music often accompany the second meaning, not the first.
In Cosi fan tutte, when the two women recognise their lovers, they feel guilty. They say "Il mio fallo, tardi vedo." On the surface, this means "Too late I see my error". But the same phrase also means "I see the phallus" (of my lover)! In Italian, fallo has this dual meaning. It's not the same any more, is it? This kind of double sense is found a lot, often concealing erotic words."
Well, half of it anyway.
He took the opportunity to lash out at colleagues who criticise Italian political policies whilst living outside the country as tax exiles. "That is their choice and everyone is free to do whatever he wants," he said, "but you cannot keep up residence outside Italy and spit on your country."
Muti wisely mentioned no names, but the Italian papers were quick to point out that he might have been thinking of Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Ennio Morricone and Claudio Abbado, all of whom are or were Monaco residents at some point.
Riccardo Muti ruffled a few press feathers earlier today when he refused to tell journalists assembled in Stockholm for the Birgit Nilsson Award how he plans to spend the $1m prize money. He said he doesn't yet know, and when he does, he won't be telling the world, because it's a private matter. He dismissed any talk of the money as "vulgar". He also refused to confirm whether he'll use the sum for charitable purposes, as the award's previous recipient Placido Domingo pledged to do.
Muti never actually performed with Nilsson, but he told the press he admired her so much he took a 3 hour train ride to hear her in Fidelio in 1978. Later he heard her as Elektra, Turandot and Isolde and each time was struck by the beauty, power and delicacy of her voice.
**** UPDATE ****
Part of the press conference:
Part of the award ceremony; Sondra Radvanovsky sings:
Riccardo Muti yesterday conducted the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra (average age 23) in front of 5,000 spectators at a free concert in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. They performed extracts from Italian operas including Norma, Rigoletto and Nabucco. Over 200 local children who have benefitted from the work of Italian charities in Nairobi also entertained guests with music and acrobatics.
The concert, organised by Cristina Muti under the auspices of the Ravenna Festival, almost didn't go ahead. The Greek airline from which a plane had been chartered (and paid for) suddenly went bust, leaving the orchestra with no way of reaching Nairobi. Fortunately the British airline Titan were able to step in at short notice. The flight went ahead 12 hours late and with 110 of the 360-strong party (which included musicians, singers, parents, missionaries and journalists) left behind. With only the most essential personnel permitted aboard, the Italian press were stranded on the tarmac. Which explains the unusual angle of the photos....
How do you follow a historic encore of Va' pensiero? How about a nice fish supper?
Maestro Muti joined a typically Italian cocktail of ambassadors, entertainers (above, octagenarian actress Silvana Pampanini), a celebrity hairstylist and the Chief Rabbi of Rome after performing Nabucco last week. More here, if you've got the stomach.
con la famiglia:
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