Mehta about Bocelli
Andrea
came to me to Vienna and Florence, to rehearse at the piano, and
later to rehearse with the orchestra. When he hears me
rehearsing the orchestra, during the aria, and he sits there,
he sort of mimes the words and so we build each aria up
that way. So that by the time we record it, it is a performance.
Andrea is like a sponge, but not in the sense that he does
everything, what is said to him. There is also discussion. For
example when he doesn't like a certain tempo, he asks, whether
we couldn't change that. I am flexible in that. Up to now, we
only had little different opinions and always could agree in
friendship."
"During
the private rehearsals we spoke about the different stiles,
which are represented at the Verdi-Album, and Andrea is very
aware of this. The only Verdi-stile which is missing, is
Othello, but this would be a little too early for Andrea. He,
like Pavarotti, has a marvellous way to articulate the words.
Verdi uses the Italian language incredibly skilful, so that by
using the right pronunciation the rhythm follows automatically.
By music and language the rhythm gets very clear, which is of
big help for Andrea. He also is very intelligent in the fact,
that he knows exactly what he is singing about. I never have to
tell him the story or the situation of that particular moment in
the opera."
"Andrea's
voice is special in many ways. First of all he has a complete
control from forte to pianissimo. The end of 'Celeste Aida' he
attacks the high B forte and takes it down to a thin pianissimo.
It is hardly anybody can do that. It is very risky also to do
that on a stage of an opera. But it is not that we tried it
fifteen times and he got it once. He can do it every time! He
can also, in the middle of a phrase without breathing change the
colour of a note. So this is a conductor's dream…to ask and to
get it, because most people can't do it. You see…"
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Interview
with Andrea Bocelli
Verdi's
arias transcend national boundaries and are known all over the
world. It is because they are great music. They have intrinsic
power and communicate ideas that are eternal. I think this is
why Verdi is known and loved all over the world. Verdi is much
more than simply romantic. I think his music embraces feelings
that go far beyond that. On an emotional level, there is
everything in Verdi's music. I believe that at the beginning of
the twenty-first century, it is more important than ever to
attract young people to all kinds of classical music because it
has within it certain values. In a world of confusion,
sensationalism and ethical turmoil, classical music could be a
pure and wholesome medicine that would give us hope in a better
future for ourselves and our children.
Working
with Maestro Mehta is an immense pleasure because it means above
all that you are learning so much. I think the main purpose of
an artist is to learn. Once you stop learning, all the pleasure
is gone.
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