Photo by: Roberto Baruffi
mattia olivieri
BARITONE
"The most important result that an artist can achieve,
is in their capacity to transmit emotions to the spectator".
is in their capacity to transmit emotions to the spectator".
Mattia Olivieri is a young Italian baritone, who is already making a remarkable international career, including collaborations with one of the most famous opera houses, Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Mattia is a very positive person and he is proving that, with lots of hard work and the right people advising, one can make their dreams come true.
Milan, 27/05/2020
How did you decide to become an opera singer?
I have always sung, even as a child, it has always been my greatest passion. At that age though, I wasn’t a big fan of opera. It was when I started at the Conservatory of Music in Bologna, that I became familiar with this beautiful art form. In my first year at the Conservatory, I felt a bit lost because up to that point, I had been singing pop music. It was at that moment, when I had to make a decision between pop and classical music, that Renata Nemola, a teacher who collaborated with the singing class, seeing me disorientated, decided to give me a ticket to see my first live opera, at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. As I had never seen an opera live before, she told me that this could be the perfect occasion for me to understand the operatic world a bit better. We went to Milan together to see “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” by Rossini. I still remember the emotions of that first time at the opera, the fascination of the theatre, the tuning of the orchestra, the voices, Rossini’s music. From that moment I decided that this should be my life. Renata Nemola is, of course, still a very important figure for me.
Your career seems to be going very smoothly so far: After being part of the prestigious opera studio in Valencia, you started your collaboration with Teatro alla Scala at a very young age and you have appeared on many important opera stages in Italy and abroad. Has your journey been as smooth as it seems, or have you had to deal with some difficulties on the way?
I must admit, I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. I started singing supporting roles on stage at a very young age, which has helped me learn how to be on stage. It’s true that a singer’s most important teacher, is the stage itself. To have the opportunity to perform minor roles, allows you to develop gradually. I participated in two opera studios, “La Scuola dell’Opera di Bologna” and the “Centre de perfeccionamiento Placido Domingo” in Valencia, where I formed my artistry. I am a very positive person, and I think, that with hard work and study one can achieve anything one wants. I have always thought that, if I give my best, sooner or later, my dreams will become true... studying always pays off ! I have never encountered huge difficulties, I took the right steps at the right time, always being prepared as well as possible. Following the advice from some people who are very important to me, like my late agent, Luca Targetti, I haven’t made mistakes with my repertoire, decisions that have certainly helped me a lot to be the artist I am today.
You seem to move flexibly within the operatic repertoire, singing the works of many different composers and bringing numerous characters to the stage. Do you feel equally comfortable in all operas or is there a specific era, composer -or character- with which you feel more “at home”?
I am lucky, I think my voice is flexible enough to permit me to interpret different repertoire. The truth is, I find all periods of history interesting, I think it’s an extra challenge, whilst studying, to respect the will of the composer and the style required for each period. As I mature vocally, I am discovering that my voice feels more “at home” in the Bel Canto repertoire. After my debut in the role of Alphonse XI in Donizetti’s opera “La Favorite”, under the musical direction of Maestro Fabio Luisi, I understood that this type of repertoire is the one that can help my voice develop to its full potential: The legato, the softness, the nuances and the accents.
How did you deal with the pressure of stepping on the historic stage of Teatro alla Scala at such a young age?
To stand on the stage of the Teartro alla Scala is a magical thing. For me, even more so, because it was there that I saw my first live opera and it was there that I was making my dream come true. The first time I stood on the stage and I saw the theatre empty with all its lights on, I couldn’t believe my eyes. A colleague came up to me and said: “It’s scary, isn’t it”? I remember that I didn’t respond and I was standing there, frozen. I was lucky enough to make my debut at La Scala in a role that really suited me, Schaunard, the musician in “La Bohème” by Giacomo Puccini, in an historical production by Maestro Franco Zeffirelli, under the musical direction of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. Thanks to all the fantastic colleagues who helped and supported me, I didn’t feel the enormity of this debut. I remember that I was only focused on enjoying my interpretation of this character. A beautiful collaboration started at that moment between me and this magnificent theatre.
Which opera singers inspire you the most and why?
The singer that has inspired me the most is my teacher, Maestro Maurizio Leoni. He loves music in all its forms. He has taught me so much and has been an important guide in life. He taught me technique, how to study and approach a role. I owe and admire him very much. He knew how to respect my way of understanding and feeling the music, for which I am grateful.
What inspires you most in your everyday life as a person and as an artist?
I was brought up to find inspiration in the simplicity of the little things in life. I don’t need much in order to feel happy. I think I am a positive person and this helps me a lot in my private life as well as in my professional life. Traveling a lot and getting to know different cultures and new people, has done the rest. My profession allows me to travel and always discover something different. Traveling opens the mind, it makes you discover new situations and inspires you to understand yourself and others better. It makes one understand that there isn’t just one answer to life.
Do you think that opera singers can influence our society and if so, how?
Theatre has always presented the values and defects of human nature, and consequently, those of society. Every opera contains a message: It’s the duty of the artist, to transmit the feelings that every character experiences to the audience. The spectator can identify and recognise themselves in a certain character and therefore reflect on their own values. I think that the most important result that an artist can achieve, is in their capacity to transmit emotions to the spectator. The very important musical director, Maestro Claudio Abbado summed up the value of our profession using simple, yet very significative words: “Culture is a primary asset , like water: Theatres, libraries, cinemas, are like many aqueducts for humanity”.
COVID19: What do you think is going to be the biggest challenge for artists in the coming months?
Without a doubt, this is a very difficult moment for the whole world. Social distancing is very complicated for the artists that work on stage, for the directors and the musicians of the orchestra, for the stage crew and everyone working behind the scenes. The biggest challenge will certainly be to start making live music again. During the last few months, we have been lucky enough to be able to watch many “live streams” that have kept us company and sweetened the lockdown period, but live music is something else. In Italy, some festivals are looking for solutions in order to start their activity again and I hope they find a way, because I really miss the theatre.
Are there some unforgettable artistic moments that you will always remember?
Yes, in my career so far, there have been many unforgettable moments, so it’s difficult to choose. One has definitely left a mark on my life... It was “La Bohème” at Palau de les Arts in Valencia, in 2012, when Mrs Helga Schmidt, the superintendent, told me that I had been chosen to sing the role of Schaunard. I still remember that production, which was one of the most important and significant of my life. It was a unique experience working with the Maestro Riccardo Chailly, because I learned so much from a great director like him, how a director prepares for a performance, the attention to all the little details, the loyalty to the score, how not to leave anything to chance. The stage director was Davide Livermore, to whom I am very attached. He managed to create a true character (Schaunard), who loved life and who had never had any real experience of death. I still remember my tears flowing when Mimì died. The “chemistry” created between all of my colleagues was really, unforgettable.
Future plans?
In Italy we are trying to start over after having lost so much of our work, due to the pandemic of COVID19. The Macerata Opera Festival has confirmed its production of Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni” for this summer where I will perform the title role. Next is another "La Bohème" at Teatro alla Scala, a recital of chamber music with the pianist Michele D’Elia for the Fondazione Victoria de Los Ángeles in Barcellona and then, my debut at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Bruxelles, in the role of Ford in Verdi’s opera “Falstaff”.
Art is...
Art is freedom. Art is like a big palette of colours and the artists, with their imagination can create various nuances of colours. Art is the liberty of expression.
I have always sung, even as a child, it has always been my greatest passion. At that age though, I wasn’t a big fan of opera. It was when I started at the Conservatory of Music in Bologna, that I became familiar with this beautiful art form. In my first year at the Conservatory, I felt a bit lost because up to that point, I had been singing pop music. It was at that moment, when I had to make a decision between pop and classical music, that Renata Nemola, a teacher who collaborated with the singing class, seeing me disorientated, decided to give me a ticket to see my first live opera, at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. As I had never seen an opera live before, she told me that this could be the perfect occasion for me to understand the operatic world a bit better. We went to Milan together to see “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” by Rossini. I still remember the emotions of that first time at the opera, the fascination of the theatre, the tuning of the orchestra, the voices, Rossini’s music. From that moment I decided that this should be my life. Renata Nemola is, of course, still a very important figure for me.
Your career seems to be going very smoothly so far: After being part of the prestigious opera studio in Valencia, you started your collaboration with Teatro alla Scala at a very young age and you have appeared on many important opera stages in Italy and abroad. Has your journey been as smooth as it seems, or have you had to deal with some difficulties on the way?
I must admit, I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. I started singing supporting roles on stage at a very young age, which has helped me learn how to be on stage. It’s true that a singer’s most important teacher, is the stage itself. To have the opportunity to perform minor roles, allows you to develop gradually. I participated in two opera studios, “La Scuola dell’Opera di Bologna” and the “Centre de perfeccionamiento Placido Domingo” in Valencia, where I formed my artistry. I am a very positive person, and I think, that with hard work and study one can achieve anything one wants. I have always thought that, if I give my best, sooner or later, my dreams will become true... studying always pays off ! I have never encountered huge difficulties, I took the right steps at the right time, always being prepared as well as possible. Following the advice from some people who are very important to me, like my late agent, Luca Targetti, I haven’t made mistakes with my repertoire, decisions that have certainly helped me a lot to be the artist I am today.
You seem to move flexibly within the operatic repertoire, singing the works of many different composers and bringing numerous characters to the stage. Do you feel equally comfortable in all operas or is there a specific era, composer -or character- with which you feel more “at home”?
I am lucky, I think my voice is flexible enough to permit me to interpret different repertoire. The truth is, I find all periods of history interesting, I think it’s an extra challenge, whilst studying, to respect the will of the composer and the style required for each period. As I mature vocally, I am discovering that my voice feels more “at home” in the Bel Canto repertoire. After my debut in the role of Alphonse XI in Donizetti’s opera “La Favorite”, under the musical direction of Maestro Fabio Luisi, I understood that this type of repertoire is the one that can help my voice develop to its full potential: The legato, the softness, the nuances and the accents.
How did you deal with the pressure of stepping on the historic stage of Teatro alla Scala at such a young age?
To stand on the stage of the Teartro alla Scala is a magical thing. For me, even more so, because it was there that I saw my first live opera and it was there that I was making my dream come true. The first time I stood on the stage and I saw the theatre empty with all its lights on, I couldn’t believe my eyes. A colleague came up to me and said: “It’s scary, isn’t it”? I remember that I didn’t respond and I was standing there, frozen. I was lucky enough to make my debut at La Scala in a role that really suited me, Schaunard, the musician in “La Bohème” by Giacomo Puccini, in an historical production by Maestro Franco Zeffirelli, under the musical direction of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. Thanks to all the fantastic colleagues who helped and supported me, I didn’t feel the enormity of this debut. I remember that I was only focused on enjoying my interpretation of this character. A beautiful collaboration started at that moment between me and this magnificent theatre.
Which opera singers inspire you the most and why?
The singer that has inspired me the most is my teacher, Maestro Maurizio Leoni. He loves music in all its forms. He has taught me so much and has been an important guide in life. He taught me technique, how to study and approach a role. I owe and admire him very much. He knew how to respect my way of understanding and feeling the music, for which I am grateful.
What inspires you most in your everyday life as a person and as an artist?
I was brought up to find inspiration in the simplicity of the little things in life. I don’t need much in order to feel happy. I think I am a positive person and this helps me a lot in my private life as well as in my professional life. Traveling a lot and getting to know different cultures and new people, has done the rest. My profession allows me to travel and always discover something different. Traveling opens the mind, it makes you discover new situations and inspires you to understand yourself and others better. It makes one understand that there isn’t just one answer to life.
Do you think that opera singers can influence our society and if so, how?
Theatre has always presented the values and defects of human nature, and consequently, those of society. Every opera contains a message: It’s the duty of the artist, to transmit the feelings that every character experiences to the audience. The spectator can identify and recognise themselves in a certain character and therefore reflect on their own values. I think that the most important result that an artist can achieve, is in their capacity to transmit emotions to the spectator. The very important musical director, Maestro Claudio Abbado summed up the value of our profession using simple, yet very significative words: “Culture is a primary asset , like water: Theatres, libraries, cinemas, are like many aqueducts for humanity”.
COVID19: What do you think is going to be the biggest challenge for artists in the coming months?
Without a doubt, this is a very difficult moment for the whole world. Social distancing is very complicated for the artists that work on stage, for the directors and the musicians of the orchestra, for the stage crew and everyone working behind the scenes. The biggest challenge will certainly be to start making live music again. During the last few months, we have been lucky enough to be able to watch many “live streams” that have kept us company and sweetened the lockdown period, but live music is something else. In Italy, some festivals are looking for solutions in order to start their activity again and I hope they find a way, because I really miss the theatre.
Are there some unforgettable artistic moments that you will always remember?
Yes, in my career so far, there have been many unforgettable moments, so it’s difficult to choose. One has definitely left a mark on my life... It was “La Bohème” at Palau de les Arts in Valencia, in 2012, when Mrs Helga Schmidt, the superintendent, told me that I had been chosen to sing the role of Schaunard. I still remember that production, which was one of the most important and significant of my life. It was a unique experience working with the Maestro Riccardo Chailly, because I learned so much from a great director like him, how a director prepares for a performance, the attention to all the little details, the loyalty to the score, how not to leave anything to chance. The stage director was Davide Livermore, to whom I am very attached. He managed to create a true character (Schaunard), who loved life and who had never had any real experience of death. I still remember my tears flowing when Mimì died. The “chemistry” created between all of my colleagues was really, unforgettable.
Future plans?
In Italy we are trying to start over after having lost so much of our work, due to the pandemic of COVID19. The Macerata Opera Festival has confirmed its production of Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni” for this summer where I will perform the title role. Next is another "La Bohème" at Teatro alla Scala, a recital of chamber music with the pianist Michele D’Elia for the Fondazione Victoria de Los Ángeles in Barcellona and then, my debut at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Bruxelles, in the role of Ford in Verdi’s opera “Falstaff”.
Art is...
Art is freedom. Art is like a big palette of colours and the artists, with their imagination can create various nuances of colours. Art is the liberty of expression.
