V.E.T. Information

O.K., for starters, what exactly is V.E.T.?
It consists in the obtainment of a harmonic result between word, sound and language.

To whom does it address itself specifically: experienced opera singers or beginners as well?
V.E.T. is aimed at all singers who wish to learn, correct and refine their expressive fluency of Italian language opera scores. It is equally useful therefore both for professionals who might need some help as well as for beginners who want to gain better control over the parts they are studying. It goes without saying that the work is directed towards people who work in the theatre.In what ways does V.E.T. differentiate itself from a conventional singing lesson?It is different in that I only concentrate on the linguistic sphere. The phrase is analyzed also taking into account the musical part, but only as far as the coherency of the phrasing and its breathing requirements are concerned. My main focus is on each word's fluency: I leave the rest to whomever is best qualified.

Wouldn't a singing teacher be more qualified to do V.E.T.?
I think you are identifying too closely lyrical opera with music, but opera isn't only made up of music: it is a theatrical event cohabited by several different artistic disciplines. Helping a singer to express and fully comprehend a text requires lots of experience, because not all artists have the same personalities and demands. For an optimal V.E.T. situation one would have to find a singing teacher who not only has knowledge of voice, but also understands the workings of the auditory-phonatory apparatus and the feedback to which they are subjected. Lastly but very importantly, foreign singers have often been trained by foreign teachers, most of whom have pronunciation and expression defects of their own that become an added burden to the difficulties of the pupil, instead of diminishing them.

In other words, you don't think an orchestra director and his collaborators are capable of solving problems connected to their work on their own?
Whoever said that? They certainly are, at least I would like to hope so! However, if the solution of these problems is handed over to a Vocal Expression Coach, they will have a larger share of time to dedicate to the musical aspect. It's also important not to forget that many foreign opera directors conduct Italian opera without full knowledge of Italian, so it would be only natural if they lost sight of some detail. I have personally helped a German director, a highly professional and scrupulous individual, in reading a Verdi pamphlet. A small detail had eluded him, small but significant as it outlined the personality of a character. It is a truly collaborative effort.

What is V.E.T.'s key advantage?
I think that its key advantage lies in the fact that it "squares the circle", meaning that it gives a singer an instrument capable of helping him to perform consistently at the best of his abilities. Keep in mind that today a professional in this field is expected to have a good voice, but also to possess fluid scenic movements and the ability to act in comedic style. The public doesn't tolerate a still and incomprehensible professional anymore; an acuto protracted beyond measure is no longer sufficient to wow an audience. The media channels bring us into everyday contact with the entire world, enabling us to see and hear everything, and this greatly sharpens our critical skills. Thus a means of perfecting your expressive abilities in a specific medium - Italian in this case - is a natural choice for a professional singer who wants to realize his potential more completely.

What kind of interaction does V.E.T. present between voice pitch, music and the semantic interpretation of texts?
One must naturally begin from the premise that both music and vocal pitch must in no way be modified: what's written on the score is sacred, and even when the composer writes an offbeat or not very fluid accentuation, one must try to express it verbatim; as for the vocal pitch (that does not concern me directly) it has a set of precise rules to which every singer must submit. V.E.T. must therefeore give first priority to these demands and must always focus towards strengthening the expressive aspect of each interpreter's work without impinging upon his "technical" work. I always ask singers to inform me when we're about to come upon some particularly dicey technical stretch, because I cannot disregard it: in the end, it will always be better to have a good note with a slightly over-open or over-closed vocal than a bad note on a perfect vocal. And that's exactly where V.E.T. is able to come up with the most inventive solutions.

What is the main difference between V.E.T. and other voice schools?
The difference is that I take into account the linguistic-phonatory part without ever disembodying it from the musical part, always trying to assemble the parts organically in order to achieve the highest possible degree of harmony. I don't teach singing, but only how to harmonize the language into the singing in order to make it clean and comprehensible. Lately I have been noticing how many critics point out that singers are incomprehensible or have insufficient diction. Sometimes Italian singers as well, unfortunately.

On what key principle does V.E.T. base itself?
It is based on the auditory-phonatory and therefore auditory-articulated principle. Paraphrasing Lamarque, the function "structures" the organ, so that we are able to work on the ear to work on the voice and viceversa. The phonatory apparatus is formed by everyday language, and making it mobile enough to gain access to the varied gamut of Italian sounds requires a remarkable amount of exercise. It takes great preparation and application and often a completely different project for each singer.

When approaching an Italian opera role with a foreign singer, do you start from the spoken word or directly from the sung word?
Always from the spoken, of course, and often we don't begin from the word but from a phoneme: it depends on what the singer's linguistic problems are, from his demands and from the working project we decide upon together. For example, with a German baritone we worked extensively to correct a consonant which instead of making him "celare in Roma" (hide in Rome) had him "gelare in Roma" (freeze in Rome)

Do you make use of specific exercises for certain vocals and/or consonants?
I make use of specific exercises for both vocals and consonants, always taking into account the specific needs of the professional I am working with. The project always originates after evaluating his listening test and the language he is coming from. These are the two most important factors in determining what kind of phonation difficulties the subject preparing himself for the study of an Italian opera will have.

What results can I expect from V.E.T.?
My first impulse is to answer "wonderful", because I feel greatly enthusiastic about this work. Professionally I can say that they are remarkable without fear of presumption. If a singer wishing to learn or correct a part makes a commitment to work with me, we will definitely be able to obtain highly satisfactory results.

Why can V.E.T. give me more than other types of work?
Definitely because of the globality of the approach employed in all projects. I never think of things separately, but always in an interdependent way. Everything is movement and everything is therefore always in movement. Only with this type of vision is it possible to achieve enduring results, leaving the singer a valuable instrument to correct himself whenever need be. When this occurs, it is a great victory for me.

How important are the body's motions in this work?
I think the body's motions are fundamental, even when a phrase or piece requires a singer to stand still. My experience has confirmed to me how a corporal motion, however imperceptible, adds strength to the word and the sound. Often just thinking about movement provides movement and the visual-auditory result reaching the audience is more emotionally involving.

So, body language is very important?
Definitely, it is fundamental because it modulates the perceived and supplies a support to its fonation, amplifying its emotional content.

What does emotion have to do with the auditory-phonatory system?
Emotional content is what makes an orator convincing, a manager charismatic (and therefore successful) and a singer exceptional. How many times have you heard someone say " What a lovely voice, too bad he (or she) is such a rigid person" - i.e.: a person that doesn't express itself emotionally?

How did you become a V.E.T. coach?
I would almost like to say by happenstance, but that wouldn't be accurate: I actually came to this profession by means of two passions: voice and opera. This isn't just a profession you learn, the manner in which I practice and propose it is the result of various technical-artistic experiences which have allowed me to develop a great sensibility for the nuances of sound and several effective techniques for achieving them. One of these is Dynamic Audiophonology.

What is Dynamic Audiophonology?
It is the research of the auditory-phonatory phenomenon, of the physical and psychic laws that govern it and the methodologies aimed at improving it.

How do you formulate the approach to the character through the Italian text?
It's not up to me to provide the interpretative key to the character but we can improve its credibility as a character born from an Italian mind.

How do you go about studying for a new opera?
Today we have extraordinary means for gaining knowledge, and I naturally take full advantage of all of them. I give myself quite a substantial margin of time to get acquainted with an opera. I purchase all available recordings (tapes, CDs, videos) of the opera in question together with the score, its vocal and piano sections, and the essential bibliography. A painstakingly careful examination of the score is naturally of central importance to the entire process. Each word and phrase is subjected to intense scrutiny. I begin by studying small compositions, comparing the various executions. I then consult with my numerous musician friends in order to gain a clearer picture of those areas I feel most uncertain about, posing the same questions to different people and garnering the support of diverse opinions. So in the end I feel very confident and relaxed.

Can the language in which a singer works habitually constitute a problem?
Not significantly. This work is aimed at solving the problematics posed by different languages' characteristics. Each has its own problems. As long as one knows what they are, it is a fait accompli. To give you a clearer idea, think of an Italian singer who has to learn a German opera. He will encounter many difficulties, but with the aid of V.E.T.'s exercises - specifically focused on the learning of the language's dynamics - a successful final result is guaranteed.

Do you feel ready to train artists working in great theatres?
I don't think one is ever completely ready for any experience. I have, however, already worked in several important theatres, with technical and architectural structures of great interest. I found the same problems that I find working everyday in my workshop. Artists are artists! They all have the same problems. What makes the difference is time. When you work in theatre, the time available is very limited and the problem solving has to be extremely quick. Oftentimes I realize that I don't even really have time to think: I simply perform. The most important thing is to know that one has performed at the peak of his or her potentialities: this is what ultimately provides the courage and the strength to do things.

What kind of future do you envision for V.E.T.?
We are moving towards an ever-increasingly multilingual and multiracial society, where seemingly stalwart barriers are blown to smithereens on a daily basis. It is not surprising therefore if during an opera's rehearsals one finds a cast made up of artists of different cultures and nationalities. That's why it's very important that when an American Tosca answers an Italian Cavaradossi, she doesn't do it with an Anglicized expressiveness; all kidding aside, just a few errors in double consonants are sufficient to ruin a duet's atmosphere or a dialogue's dramatic tension. We also have to deal with the fact that while on the one hand we have a mixed cast, on the other we have an audience which will become culturally more and more heterogeneous, regardless of its location. A Verdi opera performed in Germany will count many Italians among its audience, and a Wagner opera performed in Rome many Germans. You will remember no doubt how the great theatres of the past performed many operas with a translated score. Nowadays it is no longer practiced: overtitles are sometimes used, but, with few exceptions, the original language is mantained everywhere. That's why I feel that it will be increasingly important to treat with utmost respect each and every member of the audience, by ensuring a polished and credible degree of expression.A sophisticated treatment of pronunciation and musicality will allow to "protect in order to communicate" what each author's true intentions were when composing his opera. To do so, we need to reach a level where each singer will be able to attain range in all sorts of repertoires. In any case, no matter what a lyrical singer's country of origin is, it will be very difficult for him to thrive without fully confronting Italian opera.

Now tell me, how do you see the future of V.E.T.?