Jessica Pratt, a renowned Australian coloratura soprano of British origin, granted an exclusive interview to MusicaClasicaBA in which she delves into her recent album “Delirio,” in which she explores the scenes of madness by Donizetti and Bellini. In this conversation, she offers insight into her motivations, artistic challenges, and reflections on the role of female protagonists.
Interview by Maxi Luna – Ph. Marco Borrelli – Trans. Virginia Chacon Dorr
This interview is featured in the MusicaClasicaBA edition 13 – December 2023
The soprano, accompanied by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under the direction of Riccardo Frizza, interprets outstanding scenes of bel canto, including excerpts from Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” and Bellini’s “La Sonnambula.” In this album, Pratt not only highlights her vocal ability but also her dramatic capacity, challenging the one-dimensional view of the hysterical woman by presenting a more complex perspective of struggles and emotions. Here, the protagonist shares the challenges of approaching iconic repertoire from a different perspective.
– How did the idea of making an album dedicated to the topic of madness come about?
– I had been thinking about recording an album with music I knew well for a long time because I felt I had something to say, and this requires many years of experience on stage. In 2019, I was preparing a concert of madness scenes titled Delirio for ABAO Bilbao Opera in Spain. It was indeed a great challenge, as it included five scenes of madness and the aria “Glitter and be gay” (from Candide by Bernstein) as a bonus. I enjoyed the concert so much that we planned to perform it in several theaters. Over the next two years, we played around with the format, and then the proposal arose to record the concert with that content together with the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. I live in Florence and have many friends in the orchestra and choir, so the project also turned out to be great to work with them. I found the people I wanted to do it with, established a record label, and got to work. I had such a great time throughout the process that I already have several more recordings planned.
– What was the process of choosing the repertoire for the album like?
– I researched and tested the repertoire for several years. As I said, it started with a concert in Bilbao, and at that time, I included the great scene of madness of Ophelia (from Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas). Later, while brainstorming with Maestro Riccardo Frizza – who directs me in the recording – we decided to dedicate the entire album to this type of scene, but specifically to some of Donizetti and Bellini’s. Both composers had dealt with mental illnesses, and I feel that in their works, they portrayed various degrees of mental instability with honesty and rectitude.
– About the protagonists of the works, you said they are independent and strong women whom you admire; that it is essential to take them seriously and see them from a feminist perspective. Could you explain these ideas more in-depth?
– Madness scenes in opera became very popular in the early 19th century, a very interesting time in the history of women and feminism. The suffrage movement was beginning, and women were starting to demand more control over their lives. Another interesting development of the time was a change in the way mental health was addressed. Before, mentally unstable people were abandoned in hospitals and often locked up, but precisely in that period, things in psychology began to change, and the idea evolved that mental health could improve and that this type of sick person could be reintegrated into society. Often, asylums were places where ‘difficult’ women were locked up: unfaithful, who had children outside of marriage and who wanted to be independent, so they were considered troublesome. Therefore, I believe that these changes led the artists, composers, and writers of the time to explore female madness and, indeed, women’s independence. Many of the female characters in operas went mad because they had independent minds and wanted to choose who to marry or how to live, and they could not access that freedom in a patriarchal society, so I see them as the first feminists.
The madness scenes in opera became very popular in the early 19th century, a very interesting time in the history of women and feminism.
– Both on stage and in a recording studio, what are the musical and performance challenges when tackling these types of roles?
– Of course, there is a complicated technical component that requires a lot of vocal and physical training. Then, the main concern is finding a way to represent the enormous emotional contrasts without adding vocal tension. It is much easier to represent these great scenes when you are acting on stage, but in the recording studio, we only have the music, which can be a challenge. This was one of the reasons why I chose to record mainly scenes that I have performed many times on stage, so I could rely on my experiences in the theater.
– So that opera lovers in Latin America can get to know you a little more, could you tell us about your musical beginnings? I read that you started playing the trumpet; what did this instrument give you, and how did you get into the world of lyric singing?
– I started playing the trumpet at the age of 7 and continued until around 19. My father, who is a tenor, encouraged me to start with a wind instrument. This choice aimed to ensure that my respiratory capacity developed naturally as I matured. Additionally, playing in an orchestra allowed me to improve my musicality. At 19, I decided to completely change my focus to singing. When I was 23, I received an invitation to be a young artist at the Opera di Roma. This opportunity led me to move to Italy, where I completed my studies under the guidance of Renata Scotto and Lella Cuberli. Since then, I have chosen Italy as my home.
– What can you tell us about your experience with great singers like Renata Scotto and Lella Cuberli?
– I was fortunate to be invited to the finals of the Operalia competition in Valencia and Paris, as well as the Neue Stimmen in Germany. I often made it to the final, but the only one I won was the Australian Singing Competition, and that’s when I was able to move to Italy to study with Renata Scotto. Making it to the finals of the competitions was very useful because it allowed me to travel to Europe, which was far beyond my economic possibilities when I was a student working at McDonald’s… The two competitions I mentioned took care of the trips, which gave me the opportunity to study there before returning to Australia. And I was fortunate to be able to study with those two greats of opera, Renata Scotto – who passed away last summer – and Lella Cuberli. Both gave me a lot in terms of love and respect for music and the audience. Renata mainly focused on interpretation and phrasing, while Lella also helped me work specifically on developing my vocal technique.
– What are your upcoming commitments?
– In January 2024, I will make my debut as Konstanze in “Entführung aus dem Serail” by Mozart in Bilbao, followed by another production of the same title at La Scala in Milan. Later,
I will debut as Norma at the Palm Beach Opera. After these performances, I am very excited because I am returning to Australia to inaugurate a new bel canto festival in Brisbane.
-Will we have the chance to see you soon in Argentina? I think the Argentine audience will be truly moved by your skill and depth in your performances.
-I hope so; I have wanted to visit the Teatro Colón for many years. Hopefully, I can soon bring my Delirio concert to that wonderful and emblematic stage!
About "Delirio"
Delirio, from the new Tancredi label, is now available on digital platforms and is a must-have album for all opera lovers, particularly those of romantic bel canto. You can listen to it for free here.
