She is one of the most sought-after sopranos on the current classical scene, and in a few weeks she will be singing for the first time in Mallorca. A luxury that will materialise on the 4th of August at the Cap Rocat 2024 Festival with the presence of Lisette Oroposa (New Orleans, United States, 1983), a North American singer of Cuban origin who will star in the Opera Gala.
Her performance at the Cap Rocat Festival will mark her debut in Mallorca. What are you expecting from this event?
I am very excited to be able to sing in Mallorca for the first time. The festival has a wonderful reputation for good music and I am happy to come and be part of it and enjoy the splendid atmosphere.
The repertoire of the gala is very demanding from a vocal point of view.
Yes, I wanted to create a very special programme of bel canto arias for this concert, because I want people to have the opportunity to hear some arias that are perhaps not so popular. I have selected arias from Tancredi, Robert le diable and Maria Stuarda, for example. Of course Maria Stuarda is a role that I will perform for the first time at the end of this 2024, but I wanted to offer a preview. As for Rossini and Meyerbeer, they are rarer and very exciting arias.
When performing pieces from different operas, how do you manage to get into the role of different characters?
Yes, but not necessarily... We're still telling a story with the arc of the programme, which is to celebrate great music by great composers and to give my audiences, hopefully, a new experience. I try to get them to think more about this than creating a dramatic scene.
The Spanish online magazine Notodo has described him as ‘one of those extraordinary things that appear once every ten years, like the “Haley” comet. How do you receive this kind of praise?
It is a very generous appraisal and I am grateful to be described in this way. What matters most to me is that people respond positively to my singing, and that it moves them, that they enter into an emotional state of happiness, amazement, excitement and even sadness, all those beautiful reactions when we listen to music is what makes us human. I feel very happy to be able to connect with people in that way.
Critics and audiences praise your impeccable technique, but also your clear and exceptional voice. What percentage is talent and what percentage is natural ability?
It's a question I ask myself a lot, actually, and it can depend on the person, but I think it's a great thing. A career is made up of about 50 percent technique and 50 percent talent. You can start a great career with talent alone, but the technique of voice changes also comes into play to help you solve difficulties and navigate, it opens up new roles to develop your instrument. On the other hand, you may have exceptional technique but deficiencies in other aspects that may prevent you from progressing. It may also be that your musical skills are not as strong or that you have problems with nerves on stage. Personally, I know I have a gift, but I also know that it needs work, care and constant improvement.
Some people compare her to an elite sportswoman.
Absolutely! The health of the body equals the health of the voice. This applies to mental health, rest, stress management, work-life balance, nutrition, training, discipline, resilience? All those things that make athletes do their best work also apply to vocal and musical artists.
In your case, how do you prepare for a performance and keep your voice in top form?
I try to take a full vocal rest day before a performance, as well as getting enough sleep, eating well, which is easily digested and gives me plenty of nutrients, and staying hydrated and exercising moderately. Some days are better than others, but if you can establish a routine, it will be good even on days when you don't have to perform at all.
You belong to a generation that grew up with pop as a musical mainstream. Why did you choose classical singing over pop or rock?
I actually considered being a pop artist for a while, when I was a young teenager that's exactly what I wanted to do. Write my own songs and sing them for large audiences. But once I started lessons, after my physical training on the flute, an instrument I love, I really gravitated towards this style of music. My mother was also a classically trained and very talented singer, so I was very exposed to opera from an early age. I may have listened to pop while growing up, but I was also surrounded by the recordings of great opera divas.
How do you relax in your free time?
I like to eat, walk and take long walks with my husband. We especially like natural parks; forests, hills, deserts and mountains. I have a small garden at home which I also like to play with, although I only see it two or three times a year. For me, nature and the time I spend with my husband and family is my best medicine.
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