Dear Molly and other fellow Vocalisters,
I am also 20, and granted, I'm not a genuine
dramatic soprano, I'm not a lyric either at this age-
several well accredited teachers have shared this
opinion with me. I have worked on Voi lo sapete, and
just as with any piece, my teacher encourages me to
sing with my voice, not to push, and to just think
like a lyric. I have not found this piece to be any
more dangerous than the typical lyric soprano/mezzo
arias or art songs that are fed to us blossoming
dramatics. I certainly wouldn't take that song to an
opera company and present it as if Santuzza was in my
repertoire. However, at the undergrad level, students
will most likely work on this piece using piano
accompaniment, not an orchestra, so the 'biggness'
level is relative. I also have found it to be a good
dramatic exercise for me. I acknowledge that I surely
haven't had the life experiences of Santuzza at this
point in my life, but the music truly supports the
histrionics of this piece, aiding me in my emotional
connection. Of course, this process has been closely
watched by my teacher. I do not feel this repertoire
should sit untouched by singers in training until
middle age. If we only work on pieces that are at our
current level of dramatic skill, we can never grow.
Just my two cents.
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April Salerno
B.M. in Vocal Performance
Baldwin-Wallace College
Class of 2002
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