Directing with emotion

Fiona Galea Debono meets internationally acclaimed opera singer Miriam Gauci during a rehearsal of Rigoletto, the soprano's directorial debut.

For a change, soprano Miriam Gauci is not the one singing and acting; she is sitting at the edge of a chair, arms outstretched, directing Italian baritone Massimiliano Valleggi and soprano Gillian Zammit while they rehearse for Rigoletto, her directorial debut. But she is pouring so much passion into her new role that you would think she was actually rehearsing herself. Her body moves subtly to the notes from the piano, her lips mouth the words she knows so well and her facial expression is intense.

The internationally acclaimed opera singer seems totally immersed in what she is doing, yet simultaneously totally attentive to her singers' every motion and intonation.

Her charisma fills the makeshift space that has been freed up in the Sala Isouard at the Manoel Theatre, where rehearsals are underway for Giuseppe Verdi's opera which is opening the seventh BoV Opera Festival 2006 on Wednesday, with a second performance on Friday.

Ms Gauci stops the photographer from shooting the singers because she does not want to disturb their concentration at a "difficult" point; she also wants to explain to them why he is there... and she wants to know if they mind. It is clear that her singers are important to her and she is quick to stress that she is very pleased with their progress.

"When I returned from my performance in Le Nozze di Figaro at La Scala, after the initial rehearsals in December, I was so impressed by what they had absorbed from what I had told them; they did not leave out a single comma," she says, like a proud mother, as she gives directions to her son who is assisting her. Ms Gauci would like to blow her trumpet about him too, but she holds back because she does not want to embarrass him. "John has grown up in the theatre environment and using his assistance was the natural thing to do," she stops at saying.

Her children are not necessarily following in her footsteps, but Ms Gauci does not put any pressure on them because she knows only too well what her work involves.

Then, of course, there is husband Mro Michael Laus, whose musical direction is another great asset to rely on. Mro Laus has been involved in the BoV Opera Festival since its onset and he is an integral part of it. He is also an integral part of the soprano herself, she stresses. "He is me from the other side; my mirror. My musical side is practically all in his hands."

Indeed, the family has remained an important aspect of Ms Gauci's life and the subject is often raised during the course of the conversation, which she strategically positions in the warm rays of the winter sun that penetrate the Maltese balcony.

Speaking "Miriamese" - a fascinating concoction of Italian, Maltese and English, with a predominantly Italian accent - Ms Gauci gesticulates gracefully as she talks in a toned-down version of what she would do on stage. She is larger than life... and so is her hair. Her flaming red sweater and matching lipstick, and her lion's mane, are dramatically illuminated from behind as she moves our chairs into the sunlight and we chat like two old women who have nothing to do.

But on the contrary, Ms Gauci has a lot on her plate... and she has even changed her service for the moment. It is not unheard of for a soprano to go down this road. And, let's face it, Ms Gauci is a good candidate for the job of artistic director, having worked with the likes of Franco Zeffirelli, Robert Carson, Bob Wilson, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and others of such "theatrical authority", from whose art she has accumulated a baggage of experience and drawn inspiration.

Her own stamp is a focus on the more "dynamic, clear and direct dimension" of opera which is prevalent today. Changes are going on in the world of opera and Ms Gauci is keen on perceiving them and transposing them into her own work. It is not so much about "diva-ism" and "grandeur" any more and Ms Gauci is steering away from that.

Even grandeur in the sense of physical size is no longer on. The appearance of opera singers has changed and, where before it was a matter of "the bigger, the better", today they are after a slimmer image. "Weight does not sing, so it has no bearing on the quality of the voice," Ms Gauci maintains, listing petite sopranos.

Her aim is to convey a clear message and tone down the dramatic and repetitive gestures that are often associated with opera. She is after clarity of diction and clean movement, which can still be intense and is linked to the lyrics.

"If we do not go down this road, I am certain it would mark the end of opera. An opera needs to be explained in a clear way," she insists.

Although Ms Gauci has always thought she would venture into directing at some point in her life - and even followed a two-year course on music and art directors at the onset of her career at 23, when she was studying in Milan - she had no time frames as to when she would embark on this challenge.

Her move may be new, but only to a certain extent. "I have been dealing with stages, costumes and lighting on an international level for years now" - an indirect form of training that she automatically absorbed en route.

Ms Gauci is ecstatic about the way Rigoletto is coming together - from the singers to the chorus and the choreography. "There has been a strong understanding and enthusiasm," she points out, adding that "together with passion, they are the vital elements... In art and theatre, you can be as talented as you want. But if you do not have the voglia to work con piacere, tista' tkun anche il-grande, but you would not get anywhere".

So what can audiences expect from her production? Ms Gauci has put thought into every single detail, she says, although she is not reinventing the wheel. Apart from the fact that the stage is sloping, creating a sort of sound box, the changes are going to be quick, with the first two acts together and the third and final after an interval. She has also played with colour schemes and allocated different areas of the stage to different moods and themes, which the public can easily understand. Costumes are relatively traditional, but she has had a field day choosing the fabrics.

Opera today is more straightforward and Ms Gauci has an open mind. "The only thing I do not agree with and am not interested in being a part of, either as an artiste or as a director," she categorically states, "is when certain scandals are staged just to attract attention". Scandals in the soprano's eyes include nudity, bizarre costumes and ridiculous ideas.

"Some directors feel they are doing something different from the norm. Today, opera is for everyone from every walk of life and age, but it still requires impeccable respect for the music.

"Luckily, I am one of the artistes who is in a position to refuse to do certain things on a stage. I can do that today, but I do not think that young, up-and-coming artistes can have much of say. Either they do it, or they lose the job. I always see if the production I am doing is of a certain quality, because I do not accept musical stupidities. I would not be able to do it well, so I would rather not do it at all. I am very sensitive about this and would never go on stage against my will."

Ms Gauci works with people she trusts. "I do not even like it when opera is transposed into today's world. If this element of modernity is exaggerated, it bothers me greatly. Everything has to be done within the text and with respect for the music."

As a result, she fears that "if they (certain directors) continue on these lines, they are not going to attract the public anymore. As it is, people are going to the theatre to see the scandal created by this or that director and not to enjoy the opera in itself. The focus should always remain the music and the singing. Instead, it is all about causing a stir".

Apart from her performances at the Metropolitan, which were sold out, Ms Gauci's career highlights include La Scala and the Staatsoper of Vienna, with the Wiener Philharmoniker, the pick of Europe. "Working with a man like Riccardo Muti, who is demanding but fantastic" is another story! "He knows what he wants and it is either his way, or the highway, but he is the best musical director today," she says, after having done four productions with him.

Ms Gauci hopes that Malta will follow the American model, where the arts are heavily sponsored. After all, the importance of culture in society cannot be underestimated. Politicians need to pull their weight too, possibly exempting from certain taxes those companies that do support the arts in a major way as a sort of incentive, she suggests.

Having said that, the progress in the local cultural field has been "incredible". Ms Gauci has spent 25 years travelling through the world's theatres and she can safely say she has seen giant strides in Malta. Audiences now go to the theatre "con voglia" and are even more prepared. It is no longer just a social event!

But despite the colourful interlude in her international career, Ms Gauci comes back to talk about her roots and, in particular, the loss of her mother six years ago, which saddens her till today. Her almond-shaped eyes water as she talks about this important woman with a hint of regret at the fact that she has spent so little time in Malta, having lived in Milan for 18 years.

"Since my mother died, I feel I have lost something vital... even the fact that she was with my children and could replace me in my absence to a certain extent.

"When I was spending more time in Malta, she was gone. There was a period when I would return knowing she would not be here, and it was a disaster. I almost did not feel like coming back. But," on a brighter note, "she is always with me, I know".

Today, Ms Gauci says she only works in the most important theatres. "It does not make sense for me to leave my family for a long time to do teatrini piccolini. I have to spend months away from home for rehearsals, followed by the performances. There is a price to pay." Therefore she is selective, she says, scheduled to leave for her performance in Butterfly at Munich's Staatsoper after Rigoletto.

Ms Gauci shuns the words "boss" and "diva". As an artistic director, she does have her ideas and her own force, and she admits to not being an easy woman, but she is ready to give in if she is convinced.

After all, at the end of the day, "the boss of this opera is Guiseppe Verdi, il grande Peppino!"