L'Italo-Americano

illusion of the performance," he explains. A fundamental aspect of Fabrizio's work in San Fran- cisco involves safeguarding the Italian language. In an international theater, diction i s t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e singing itself. Italian is a lan- guage naturally suited for singing because the vowels have a precise definition and are consistently supported. " T h e s m o o t h , c o n n e c t e d transition between notes is the soul of the Italian school. For an American singer, the c h a l l e n g e i s t o b r i n g t h e sound "forward," avoiding the neutral "schwa" sounds and diphthongs typical of English that can muddy the vocal line." L a s t s e a s o n ' s f o c u s o n works like Rigoletto high- lights Fabrizio's deep appre- ciation for Giuseppe Verdi. He believes Verdi had an exceptional sense of theater and timing, a quality that will be celebrated again in the 2 0 2 6 – 2 7 s e a s o n o p e n e r , Simon Boccanegra. For Coro- na, Verdi is like Shakespeare. " H e k n e w e x a c t l y h o w t o maintain dramatic tension two distinct yet complemen- tary souls. The first is that of the preparer: for weeks, Fab- rizio accompanies the chorus on the piano, playing orches- t r a l r e d u c t i o n s t o a l l o w singers to memorize complex parts in Italian, French, or German. The second soul emerges during the perfor- mance, and this is where the challenge becomes technical. He is responsible for direct- ing the chorus when they sing from backstage, but because sound takes time to travel the physical distance from there to the audience, if Fabrizio were to follow the exact beat of the main conductor on the podium, the chorus would sound late to the spectators. To compensate for this "latency," he must slightly anticipate the beat. "I must be ahead of what I see on the monitor. Through a screen showing the primary maestro and headsets transmitting the pit audio in real-time, I can translate the tempo for the chorus, ensuring every note reaches the audience with surgical precision. It is a high-wire act where a frac- tion of a second can break the w i t h o u t a s i n g l e w a s t e d moment," he tells us. Beyond Verdi, he is particularly ener- gized by the Wagnerian chal- l e n g e s . H e d e s c r i b e s t h e music of Parsifal and the Ring as sublime, noting how Wagner uses the chorus to create entirely new textures and "colors" that differ signif- i c a n t l y f r o m t h e m e l o d i c focus of the Italian masters. The scale of these works, o f t e n l a s t i n g f o u r t o f i v e hours, requires a level of con- centration that is rare even in the elite world of opera. Having lived in California for nearly fifteen years, Fab- rizio has reflected deeply on the differences between the Italian and American work s y s t e m s . W h i l e h i s h e a r t remains tied to his roots and his residence in Trieste, pro- f e s s i o n a l l y , h e f i n d s t h e A m e r i c a n e n v i r o n m e n t i n c r e d i b l y h e a l t h y . T h e strength lies in planning; the system works to avoid the unexpected or to always have a backup plan. "In Italy – he notes – there is often a cul- ture of the emergency, where things are solved at the last minute through talent and improvisation. In San Fran- cisco, the talent is supported by a machine that plans years in advance." This rigor has changed his own mindset, leading him to abandon the " I t a l i a n w a y o f w a i t i n g " where one navigates by sight. The audience in San Fran- cisco also plays a vital role in this cultural exchange. Fab- r i z i o d e s c r i b e s t h e m a s a "fresh" and "spontaneous" audience, less bound by the f o r m a l , s o m e t i m e s r i g i d expectations seen in Euro- pean opera houses. When they enjoy a performance, they show it with an open enthusiasm that reaches all the way to the backstage. This warmth is essential, especially for a chorus master who rarely sees the faces of the people he is performing for. As the conversation con- cludes, Fabrizio reflects on the luck of his career path. From a last-minute substitu- tion in Torre del Lago to the heights of the San Francisco Opera, his journey has been one of constant growth and adaptation. ing a Tuscan mentality with Roman roots, a blend that shaped his straightforward yet passionate approach to music. The turning point came in 1991, when a pianist friend was forced to turn down a job at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago and put for- ward Fabrizio's name. Hav- ing never deeply explored opera before then, Fabrizio dove into the adventure. That summer changed everything: he met Nicola Luisotti, a key figure who would become a long-term mentor. Fabrizio's journey then took him to Catania, a place he remem- bers for its vastly different cultural and linguistic land- scape compared to his native Tuscany. After eight years at the Teatro Bellini, a move to the Opera de Monte-Carlo followed, where he won an international competition for the role of assistant. It was from there that he finally crossed the Atlantic in 2010 to join the San Francisco Opera, once again at the invi- tation of Maestro Luisotti. Fabrizio's role of Associate Chorus Master is split into T here is a moment during an opera p e r f o r m a n c e when the magic o f t h e t h e a t e r becomes profound and com- plex. It is the moment when the chorus sings but remains unseen. Their voices arrive like a distant echo that seems to emanate directly from the t h e a t e r w a l l s . I n t h o s e moments, the responsibility for everything the audience hears rests on the shoulders of a person working in the s h a d o w s , s u r r o u n d e d b y monitors and headsets, just a few feet from the wings. For the San Francisco Opera, that man is Fabrizio Coro- n a , A s s o c i a t e C h o r u s Master, whose role is a mas- terclass in duality: partly rig- orous educator, partly high- stakes technical pilot. S a n F r a n c i s c o O p e r a recently unveiled its 2026– 2027 Season, a landmark 104th year that will feature t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e "Ring" cycle with Wagner's Das Rheingold, the opening night production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, and the US premiere of Missy Maz- zoli's The Galloping Cure. As the institution prepares for these monumental produc- tions, the role of the Chorus department, and experts like Corona, becomes more vital than ever in maintaining the high standards of the War Memorial Opera House. Fabrizio's story begins in the early 1970s, in the era of portable record players and a passion for music that kept him glued to his speakers for hours. "My parents noticed this attraction and let me start piano lessons at the age o f f i v e . W h a t b e g a n a s a childhood game transformed i n t o a r i g o r o u s a c a d e m i c path, culminating in a degree from the Conservatory of Flo- rence," he shares. However, Fabrizio's destiny was not that of a pure soloist. While studying, he began collabo- rating with singers, discover- ing a deep love for the lyrical voice and for singing itself. He describes himself as hav- Fabrizio Corona has been with the San Francisco Opera since 2010 (Photo: Matthew Washburn) The Invisible Maestro: Fabrizio Corona and the Italian soul of the San Francisco Opera SERENA PERFETTO THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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