We will see her on the evening of Saturday 5 October on the stage of the Politeama Theatrein Catanzaro, protagonist of the return of opera to the city, for the first weekend of the 2024 edition of the Autumn Festival. AND Chrystelle Di Marco, the soprano who will play Turandot on stagethe ice princess which gives its title to the last opera composed – but never completed – by Giacomo Puccini. And what better title to pay homage to the Tuscan master on the centenary of his death than his last work?
Antonietta Santacroce, artistic director of the Autumn Festival who co-produces the installation together with the Teatri di Pietra Festival, must have thought of it. Chrystelle Di Marco has in fact already made her debut, with the rest of the cast, the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sicilian Lyric Choir, last August at the Ancient Theater of Taormina, where she obtained considerable success. Now the Italian-French soprano is preparing to meet the Calabrian public, which, she admits, she does not know.
«My grandparents are originally from the province of Palermo, from Roccapalumba. Then there is also a branch from Procida, who were fishermen, in fact I have this strong connection with the territory. I live near Toulon, a stone’s throw from Italy and I often come for a stroll in your area. I’ve been everywhere in Italy, but never to Calabria.”
What does it mean to play Turandot?
«It means a lot because it is a very strong, very difficult role. And then it is Puccini’s last opera so on an emotional level it is immense: Turandot is a monobloc of anger, of harshness, she doesn’t know what love is, this is what makes this role difficult because it requires many interpretative resources to maintain this marble intensity, to remain very cruel, even if it eventually melts.”
That’s something we won’t see, right?
«No, because we will stop at Liù’s death, up to where we finish the composition of maestro Puccini who never finished this opera, dying first. But we know that he had decided on a very explosive, strong end, where love wins. After all, Turandot is warmed by the sun: let me explain, I like to delve deeply into the opera and this one in particular Puccini wrote as if it were an alchemical work.”
In what sense?
«On a symbolic level, Turandot embodies the Moon, while Calaf the Sun. And we have other planets like Liù which is Venus and Tirmur Saturn, but Turandot initially has a loss of its identity: if we look at it as a full moon, we know that when it meets with Calaf it will be a black, ominous moon and therefore she will lose her purity, her essence, to recover it at the end of the work. It’s a somewhat esoteric path that always brings love forward, in the end that’s what we’re talking about.”
Is this what makes Turandot a unique opera?
«Yes: there is a concept of rebirth through an initiatory journey, to free oneself and find the right path of the essence of the human being, which is love. It’s not such a simple story.”
What did you think when you listened to Turandot for the first time?
«I was breathless. I was at the Toulon Opera House and I was in the Children’s Choir, I was eleven years old and I heard Tosca for the first time: I was moved by this composer who touched my soul, with very passionate, physical writing. I approached him like this, and I wanted to know all the other works: when I arrived at Turandot it was a shock. I felt enveloped in a world of magic: for me Turandot had always been untouchable, with all its mystery. I approached the study of the character on tiptoe both because it was Puccini’s last opera and because I discovered the whole world of esotericism, the occult things hidden in this opera that he didn’t even manage to finish. All this gives more magic to an extraordinary work.”
Can we therefore say that Puccini is your favorite composer or can we name some other names?
«I have three: Puccini, Verdi and Bellini. I have had a bond with Puccini since I was a child, because it was he who introduced me to opera. It is no coincidence that when someone wants to approach opera, I always recommend starting with Puccini because it is easier, it is more human music; with Verdi the music is more spiritual, with Bellini it becomes truly ethereal, it is a star of infinite melody. They are three different levels of the human being.”
Are there any roles you would like to do that you haven’t had the chance to play yet?
«Yes, the role of Elisabetta in Verdi’s Don Carlo. It is a work that fascinates me greatly due to the complexity of human relationships: the character is in the box of power with a completely oppressed freedom, there is music that really fills my soul. Yes, I would really like to sing it and as soon as possible.”
You are Italian-French: is this an advantage in the world of opera?
«Of course, I am very lucky, because Italy is the base of the work. You have to speak Italian to enter the text, to delve into the essence of the emotions you have to understand them, you have to hear this language which I like very much, it is unique and direct. French is also beautiful though, with much more intellectual writing, whereas Italian is pure singing already in its language. One of the first pieces of advice I give to those who want to do opera is to get to know Italy, even go and live there for a few months, to listen to this country, there is a different life impulse from the French one. I was lucky to have Italy in my blood.”
Is there anything particular in this Turandot that we will see on Saturday 5 October at the Politeama Theatre?
«First of all they chose to make a purist version, but not so frequent, which stops as far as it was written by Puccini. It is a very strong emotion because we are truly aware of Puccini’s death, which marks his hundredth anniversary. Then there is Salvo Dolce’s mise en espace which is very beautiful: there is an intertwining of classic and modern, Salvo has captured the depth of this work and rendered it perfectly. It gives a good idea of the eternity of the work, he understood it and conveyed it very well.”
What would you say to those who haven’t yet decided to come and see Turandot on Saturday evening?
«I am especially addressing young people: they must come and see this opera, Puccini is easy to listen to, they will not be disappointed by what they hear and see. Turandot will be a prayer of love that we can experience together and carry within ourselves, each with our own piece of light, in communion with each other. And in this particular year I think we really need it.”