If music be the food of love, sing on – and this is what Kateriana Fenech intends to do for My Funny Valentine, a concert with a twist. Interview by Ramona Depares.

What are your earliest memories of singing? When did you know that you wanted to become a singer?

Kateriana Fenech. Photo: Justin Mamo

I love that question, as it really makes me go down memory lane. If I had to put my finger on a specific memory, singing along to My Fair Lady in gobbledygook around my bedroom at about four years of age would be up there.

I have been singing, in some form or other, since I was a baby, according to my parents. So, perhaps the answer is that I have always known I was a singer, I just had to learn how to do it properly, with a serious amount of training!

As a singer, which musicians/other singers are you particularly drawn to?

My love of other singers is infinite. I am drawn to musicians who have sparkle and natural charisma. In the case of singers, I favour the complete package; in other words it is not enough to be a technician, one must be able to move and be moved emotionally.

From the classical singer camp, the incredible soprano Louise Alder is a current favourite, alongside Simon Keenleyside, Stuart Skelton, Jonas Kaufmann, Sarah Connelly, Joyce DiDonato and Sylvia McNair.

My favourite divas from musicals are currently Bernadette Peters, Jenna Russell, Cynthia Erivo, Audra McDonald and Rachel John. If you are ever lucky enough to hear any of these singers live, they embody the vocal equivalent of the Premiere League.

The work is never ours to take possession of, we are merely custodians who must cherish it, and do our very best to respect the composers’ intentions

How was the idea for the upcoming My Funny Valentine concert born?

Recital repertoire can be a minefield for any programmer and I am always looking to create a show from start to finish, with a theme or story of some kind.

Love, in all its forms, is by far the most written about subject by poets and lyricists alike. The songs that I have chosen start in the late 18th century and conclude in the present day. It is interesting to discover how many emotions come from the words ‘I love you’.

What composers and pieces can the audience expect to enjoy?

Hopefully, the audience will take pleasure from all the songs on offer. I have purposely interspersed the entire programme with well-known pieces, like Musetta’s Waltz from Puccini’s La Boheme and I Could Have Danced All Night from Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, though perhaps not in gobbledygook this time!

What made you choose this particular programme?

Since I am producing this show myself, and I have a bit of an obsession with musical theatre, I have included a large chunk of songs from that genre.

This is really a celebration of popular song, albeit some are from opera. A number are art songs written for voice and piano and others are from the Great American Songbook. Although classically trained singers have always sung songs of their time, we now call this ‘crossover’, so the audience is in for a total crossover in themes.

What is the biggest satisfaction/joy brought to you while singing?

If you had asked me that question 20 years ago, I may well have said the feeling of being on stage, the centre of attention.

Nowadays, my biggest satisfaction is seeing the audience respond and react; unplugged music can be electric. The work is never ours to take possession of, we are merely custodians who must cherish it, and do our very best to respect the composers’ intentions, keeping it alive for future generations to come.

My Funny Valentine takes place on February 14 at 8pm at Palazzo de la Salle, Valletta. Tickets are available online.

http://ticketline.com.mt/bookings/Shows.aspx?ProductionId=637