THE PASSION & THE MUSIC, by NANCY ANGIELLO. Feature story on the famed opera legend, Renata Scotto, personally interviewed and profiled by writer Nancy Angiello, published in Panache Magazine.

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Legendary Renata Scotto is molding the future of opera
soprar,o
with herOpera Academy at theMusic Conservatory of Westchester.
B y N ancy A n giello
If 717hen operadiva RenataScottowalks into a Better yer, you can sit with Madamescotto right
X / room, shefills the space with energy. No, here in Vhite Plains,where she is the head teacher
V Y not the haughty grandeur one would and coach of her own monthlong academy,the
expectfrom a prima donna of her worldwide fame. Renata Scotto Opera Academy at the Music
This beautiful,petite whirlwind is warm and engag- Conservatory Westchester.
of
ing, someone you want to talk with for hours about She beams,she trills her rs. She charms,lacing her
her careeras a famedsinger, prolific recordingartist stories with Italian, exclamationsand emotion. She
operastage
and recitalist; directorland revered opera wavesher hands; like butterfliesthey punctuatethe air,
coachand teacher. You want to sit with her by the fluttering above her. Madama Bu*erfly indeed: Like
Mediterranean, sippingvino and sharingthe pastaal Puccini'sheroine whom she immortalized for years,
pesto she loves to cook, absorbingthe air of her Scottooffstage the epitomeof graceand passion.
is
native land. You want to find out why sheis who she "I'm Italian.I have passionl" exclaims,
she sea-blue
is - this daughterof a policemanand a seamstress eyeslightingup. "In Liguria,all of my peoplehaveit.
from a provincialseaside town on the Ligurian coast It's determination."
'Was this determination
it that helpeda little girl from
of Italy, who became one of the most belovedsopra-
nos and singingactresses her generation.
of a fishingvillagebecomeLa Diva RenataScotto?

3. 'Jflell, when I was four or five, I'd get on the table, Her presentcareeras a teacher and director comes
singing.And then I would go to be evenhigher,to the from needingnew challenges. take risks. I need
"I
balcony!" shesmiles. "And when Mammawould sew, them." This drive to keep opera at its highestlevel
shewould sing.My mother neverhad a big voice,and I was the reason behind creating her two-year-old
would sing along with her. But what I wantedwas to Renata Scotto Opera Academy at the Music
sing,loud. think I wasalwaysa prima donna,"shesays.
I Conservatory of tJfestchester,which counts PlScido
"As a child, I had so little that I wanted everything Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Marilyn Horne,
when I grew up," shewrote in her autobiography (with BeverlySills,DeborahVoigt andJames Levineamong
Octavio Roca) Scorro:More Than a Diva. By 18, in And though Scottoteaches
her artisticadvisors. stu-
"1952,shemade her operaticdebut in her hometown, dents one-on-onefor the five-hour day, monthlong
Savona,as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata.In 1953 session, has hired talentedvocal coaches:
she former
Scotto made her debut at La Scala in Milan. On concertpianist Ken Noda and John Fisher,both of
September3, 1,957, she became an international the Metropolitan Opera; Cristina Stanescuof the
celebrity - at 23 yearsold - after shereplaced Maria Mannes and Manhattan music schools; and Lynn
Callas as Amina in Bellini's La Sonnambulain Baker of the New York City Opera. "It hasto be a
Edinburgh. And so it began:Scotto'shalf century of tearn,"Scottostresses."It's neverI am andI do."
singingin the bestinternationaloperahouses, creating But there'sno questionthat the srudents come to
her place in music history as the masterof bel canto the Academy for Scotto. This year,the 14 who were
(think Verdi,Bellini) andverismo(like Puccini)style of admitted (from hundreds of applicants) are from
opera.Her most famousportrayals,includingthoseas France, Canada, Japan, Russia, Finland, Korea,
a leading soprano at the Metropolitan Opera from
7967 to 1986, were ascharacters suchas Cio-Cio-San
(Madama Butterfly), Mimi (ta Bohlme) and Lucia
(Lucia di Lammermoor).
/-! cotto'sclaimto fameis her mlentfor makingevery
word count."I'm an actress who sings, a singer
or
,rlwho acts,"sheexplains.
"Renata believesdeeply in sharing her gifts, her
insighmand experience. She'sdevotedto continuingthe
traditions of great singing and great music, teaching
young singersthe art of singing.Her Iove for this art-
form, her hard work and her contributionsto its future
areboundless. Lucky for us," saysMetropolitanOpera
star DeborahVoigt.
Below,RenoroScottowllh sopronoSirkko lompimiikl or the 2004 moster
closs.At rlght, Renoto Scotto os Musetfo in Puccinllftci Eohdme.
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4. foperasinging]is indeeda greatthing, that a voiceis with the best singersand conductors at La Scala. And
a great gift," so studentsmust prove this in their he said, 'You have to be better than them!' I mean,
work. If not? Say arrivaderci the chanceto be at
to come on!.But then it becomesa habit, and this is the
the Academy:Indeed,alreadytwo singers havebeen way fto greatness].
askedto leavethe programsinceits inception. "And, as a teacher,I've seen many singers who get
impatient. And I say: 'There are other joos you can
cotto'stough-love inspiration a teacher her
as is do.' " At the sametime, she says,"I've learned how to
own past.Having had so muchsupportthrough- be a little bit of a psychologist. If a singer is shn you
out her life - from incrediblydemandingcoaches have to approach them smiling, but still be tough. But
and, most notably, from her husband,violinist and for- some of them, you can really treat badly, and they
mer concertmasterof La Scala,Lorenzo Anselmi - no don't care.They want it that way!"
doubt made her the demanding yet generousteacher Important pointers on preparing nerves for a con-
she is todav. cert are also a part of Scotto's teaching agenda at the
"I had a coachin the beginning my career,
of who Academy: "First, you have to show how to relax, to
wasso toughyou cannotbelieve I wasat La Scala,
it. 19 do breathing exercises, concentrate - especiallyrc
to
ycarsold. He'd makemecry,he'dmakeme sit therefor get involved not with the voice but with the character.
six hoursand stayon one page, page!" I had three
one 'Who am I? Xlhy am I singing this aria?"'
or four like this - MaesrroTonini, who was Maria Scotto also guidesher students away from one com-
Callas's
teacher well, wasoneat the beginning my
as of mon, easy-learningtool. "I don't want singers to lis-
careerand he was the best.I wasvery,very lucky." ten to recordings.They're just reading what was writ-
But Scotto revealsthat her husbandof 40 years ten and learning what was sung. So it's easy ro say
"was the greatest part of my career. was working
He 'this is what Renata Scotto did,' but what I did was
me, my personality, and you cannor copy! Yet stu-
dents do use recordings becauseitt too expensive to
go to a coach."
"Students on the thresholds of their career need a
voice teacher,a coach and management.They spend
all their time working on their voices, so they have no
income," says Deutsch. For the most deserving, the
Academy has a scholarship program, which depends
entirely on private donations. Private funding also
enables the Academy to offer the public a chanceto see
At left, Renoto Scoito os Desdemono in Verdi's Olello, Belou Renoto
Scotto with soprono Ellie Dehn ot the 2004 moster closs.
CHE

5. Above, soprono ond Acodemy student Moureen Froncis with Joonne
Homlish (SAP Recitol Holl sponsor) ond Robert Heolh (MCW choirmon).
At right, Renoto Scotto bosks in the glory of o iob well done ot the MCW
finol sludenl recitol in June.
a greatoperastarat work (with master classes) to
and
see Scotto's -
students futuregreats singat the final
-
concert, at $10 a ticket.
all
Not everygreatartistcanteach, which makes Scotto
all the more rare.'Some singers don't want to teach,"
shesays. "It's a very diffictrltmomentin life,whenyou
realizethat ageputs a limit on your voice and career.
But I love theatre, aspects. don't singanymore...
all I
"I
okayl" Sheshrugs. candirect,I canteach. muchI So
cangiveto the theatre."
Along with teaching, Scottohasa major career a as
stagedirector,which beganat the Met in 1986 with
MadamaButterfly. Sincethen,shehasdonetwo, some- t the Conservatory's final student recital in
A
times three, productionsa year - including Ia June, audience members could see that
A
Traviataat the New York City Opera, televisedon L responsibility full light, centerstage,
in with
PBS,that earnedher an Emmy Award for Best Live the astounding level of finessethe studentsshowed.
MusicalEvent, and productionsin Miami, Italy and And offstage beautifuldiva, their teacher,
a Madame
Chile,amongotherplaces. is thrilledwith her most
She Scotto, sat front row and center,resplendent a in
recent. work with Norma in Helsinki. Next up: to cream gown. She closedher eyes,swayedwith the
Greece October f.orLucia di Lammermoor.
in music.A pained expression crossed her face during
Her love for everyaspect the theatre- not just
of poignantmomentsin an aria; she clenchedher fist,
the music- is what drawsScotto."The easiest is part hunchedforward in her seat,silently mouthing the
with the singers, because know the music and the
I words alongwith her students. Shecheered, eyes
her
opera. The singers trust me becausedon't askthemto
I bright.Joy and pride escaped lips with bravo or
her
do crazy thingsonstage."But therearethoseprickly brava.The students their work. Bravi,the crowd
did
professional divas,sheadmits:"Sometimes they think roared,giving a standingovarion ro rhe students-
they know everything. And then, you haveto argue! and to MadameScotto,an arristictreasure, right in
Oh, men are easier! I love men! 'Womenare really our midst.
more difficult. And directingtotally makesme nerv-
ous. I say,'My God, am I right? Do I do something N anr ') 'Angi {'l l ( , i s i r w r i tc r l i Yi ng i n Vc s t( .hc s t( . r (l o u n t l ' . I I c r a rt i (' l (' s
wrong?' You fcel the responsibility with the young lrrrrtr rrlllrcirtctl in M'n' l'or'/i. /n SIJ'lc. l[arlctnoisalle. Qlamour an<l BoI
singers, especially." ,.1)U 1t i L a m ( ) l l g o tIl c r pu| ) I i ( 'r ti ons ,
I
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