8th of November 2021 - Institutional Concert of Accademia Teatro alla Scala
A concert that I will bring in my heart, for two reasons: first of all, because it is always an emotion to have the opportunity to play in such a beautiful Theatre, and then because it has been an important experience for me, that I will add to my wealth of experiences.
In the last week I've been sick, and I couldn't be at the rehearsal for this concert. When I started to feel better, I tried to go to rehearsal, but the instrument that measures the temperature indicated fever, therefore the Covid protocol has been activated: immediately out of the place of the rehearsal, reservation of a tampon, and back home until improvement.
Negative tampon!
But, sincerely, I had given up hope for the concert, because I actually didn't make rehearsal.
I was very sad, because I love playing this type of concert, in which we play Arias and Symphonies from the repertoire of operas, ranging from Verdi to Rossini, from Wagner to Massenet, traveling between worlds and different charms, and learning a lot from each of them.
Instead, with my great surprise, the day before the concert I received a call for being readmitted to the orchestra for the concert. I almost didn't believe it!
And so, after days and days in the bed, without energy, with such a bad mood, a powerful force within me pushed me to immediately study all the repertoire.
I washed myself, I made myself decent for the world after so many days in pajamas, and then I was ready to finally go to Milan.
Rehearsal moment: unfortunately we couldn't play everything the two hours before the concert. So, imagine, everything memorized in such a brief time in my head, every breath of the singers soloists, every Aria from different operas, imagine my anxiety!
The concentration must be on everything, on notes, on bowings which have been decided in the days before, on listening to singers, on watching the conductor, on diversifying the sound based on the composer and the Opera. On everything, without rehearsing!
I have to tell you: I had to play few pieces literally for the very first time during the concert: my tension was through the roof. Doing a pizzicato in a wrong moment can be a very disaster!
During the first part of the concert my muscles were tense, and I got an headache from too much concentration.
In the second part instead I relaxed myself, I left space also to enjoyment and joy of being there, after all.
When we started to play the Prelude to Act 3 from "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" by Wagner (beginning of solo cellos) I got goosebumps, I've been so focused in order to do my best. And when the conductor Massimo Zanetti let our section stand up in front of the audience which was clapping, I felt so small on that great stage, under the lights of the Theatre of my dreams, and, despite all the fatigue, my head pulsing, my heart beating to a thousand, the fear of making some read mistake. In that moment, on that stage, with all those emotions all over my body, I was the happiest and most grateful person in the world, and I felt even a little proud of myself.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to know also this side of me, to discover also these abilities, to know how far my strong nerves could sustain me and to know how much I can maintain the level of my concentration for such a long time.
Thanks, from the bottom of my heart. ❤
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