L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 4 T he 7th of Decem- ber, the day dedi- c a t e d t o S a i n t Ambrose, is spe- cial in Italy: it's the day of la prima Alla S c a l a , w h e n t h e w o r l d ' s most famous opera theater opens its season. A moment of glamor and elegance, as much as music and art, la prima, this year, was incredi- bly well received, marked as it was by a 13-minute standing o v a t i o n . O n s t a g e , s t e l l a r names of operatic singing, i n c l u d i n g A n n a N e t r e - b k o , M i c h e l e P e r t u s i , and Luca Salsi, delivered a m a z i n g p e r f o r m a n c e s i n G i u s e p p e V e r d i ' s D o n Carlo. B u t t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g applause and the shower of roses and carnations that so delightfully and romantically concluded the evening were not just for the artists on stage, but for the world of opera itself: indeed, the pre- miere at La Scala, this year, held a special significance b e c a u s e , o n l y a d a y earlier, UNESCO had recog- n i z e d I t a l i a n o p e r a singing as an intangible c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e o f humanity. La Scala's premiere of Don Carlo and its alignment with UNESCO's recognition of Italian opera singing as a cul- tural treasure perfectly sets t h e s t a g e t o e x p l o r e t h e incredible history of opera in I t a l y : e m e r g i n g f r o m t h e artistic fervor of the Renais- sance, opera singing has been an integral part of our country's cultural identity for o v e r f o u r c e n t u r i e s . UNESCO defines it as "A physiologically controlled way of singing that enhances the carrying power of the voice in acoustic spaces such as auditoriums, amphithe- atres, arenas and churches. Performed by people of all genders, it is associated with specific facial expressions a n d b o d y g e s t u r e s a n d involves a combination of music, drama, acting and staging." It also highlights that "The practice promotes c o l l e c t i v e c o h e s i o n a n d sociocultural memory" and that it is a "means of free expression and intergenera- tional dialogue." A s s a i d , t h e r o o t s o f opera can be traced back to Italy during the Renaissance, w h e r e i t e m e r g e d a s a groundbreaking art form that harmoniously merged music and drama, uniting com- posers and playwrights to c r e a t e s o m e t h i n g t r u l y unique. Opera's early days w e r e m a r k e d b y w o r k s like Jacopo Peri's Daphne and Claudio Monteverdi's Orfeo, which drew inspira- tion from mythology and heroic tales and transported audiences to worlds where gods, heroes, and mortals mingled in musical narra- tives of love, tragedy, and tri- umph. Soon, the appeal of opera extended well beyond Italy, to capture the hearts - and imagination - of audiences across Europe, especially France and Germany. Public theaters, including Venice's Teatro di San Cassiano, played a significant role in its growth. The Baroque and Romantic eras marked a further development of the genre, with Baroque operas being characterized by lavish productions with ornate sets a n d i n t r i c a t e a r i a s , a n d Romantic works readily rec- ognizable for the passion and emotion of their narratives, focused on love, betrayal, and tragedy. T h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y w i t - nessed a new wave of innova- t i o n , w i t h v i s i o n a r i e s l i k e G i a c o m o P u c c i n i i n t r o d u c i n g r e a l i s m a n d modern influences into their works. Operas such as La Bohème and Madama But- terfly brought contemporary issues and everyday life to the forefront, striking all the right cords with the public. For more than four cen- t u r i e s , I t a l i a n o p e r a h a s enthralled audiences world- wide, thanks to a melodic beauty and emotional depth Italian opera: a patrimony of the world FRANCESCA BEZZONE NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Left, Piero Cappuccilli in the Don Carlo at La Scala on the 7th of December 1968 (Photo: Erio Piccagliani/Teatro alla Scala) and, right, the cast of this year's Don Carlo during the final bows (Photo: Brescia e Amisano/Teatro alla Scala) CONTINUED TO PAGE 6

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