As we gently moved onto the opera production that she
was directing, a child-like grin brimming with pride and
excitement spread across her face. Talking about the singers
and how she decided her cast, “In December we started
planning and targeted the singers. With every opera, the
composer decides how many singers and what type of voice
an opera needs. In every score, you will see the names of
the character and the voice type that is needed to execute
that character. So we’ve studied the score and scouted
for voices accordingly. So in this piece, there are tenors,
sopranos, mezzos, and baritones in this piece. Now
they have all come here (form across India and abroad)
and we have been working together,” she explained.
Roazrio slammed out the entire production exactly on the
lines of how a professional opera is done in Europe. “Even
though all my singers sing wonderful, they are all still under
training and I hope the seasoned Bombay listeners who visit
Europe’s opera halls regularly bear this in mind,” she chuckled. The
production consists of players from the Symphony Orchestra of India,
and singers Shreya Nayak, Natasha Agarwal, Anoushka Pokhare, Farah
Ghadiali, Vedika Chandran, Anna Nair, Kersi Gazdar, Sandeep Gurrapadi,
Oscar Castellino, Rahul Bharadwaj, Darwin Prakash Leonard, and JW
Johnson.
Speaking about the current scenario of Western music in the country, “Its
a really exciting time for Western music in India, in the last seven years
I’ve noticed. Now with the SOI (Symphonic Orchestra of India), the
Opera House opening up, Prithvi Theatre, and parents easing up on
their children doing music unlike our times, there has never been a
better time for Western music in India. Alongside such facilities,
we need to establish proper teaching organisations that will give
seekers the right history, background, and technique to lay
their foundations right. I have great hope for India! Youngsters
come and approach me with such hope, inspiration, and
prepared for the hard work, it is through such that one is
redeemed and gets to the heights of excellence,” Rozario
continued. Since over 7 years, Rozario and her husband have
been training Indian students and working with a variety of
voices under their ‘Giving Voice Society’ which organises
masterclasses and workshops thrice a year across the country.
Il Matrimonio Segreto
Composed during late 1790s by Domenico Cimarosa for the Vienna
court opera, ‘Il Matrimonio Cimarosa’ is arguably one of the
greatest opera buffa besides those of Mozart.
Synopsis: Geronimo, a wealthy and deaf Bolognese
merchant, has two daughters, Elisetta and Carolina,
and a sister, Fidalma, who runs the house. Fidalma
loves Paolino without realising that he has been
secretly married to Carolina. Elisetta is to marry
Count Robinson, but when he arrives, he falls in
love with her sister. Carolina fails to dissuade
him. Geronimo remains oblivious. Geronimo
agrees to the count's marriage to Carolina. Paolino
is distraught and approaches Fidalma for help. She
interprets his pleas as a proposal, causing Paolino to
faint into her arms. Naturally, Carolina enters to see
Fidalma cradling the young man and she is only just won
round by her husband's protestations of love. The count,
endeavouring to distance Elisetta from him, behaves
appallingly. Carolina and Paolino try to run off together,
but are caught by Elisetta who, assuming the man to
be her count, summons the others. The plot is then
unravelled, Geronimo blesses the marriage of Paolino
and Carolina, and the count agrees to honour his
obligation to Elisetta.
The
Score Magazine
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