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Future Classic Women Awards – Soprano Dora Sorrentino

Future Classic Womens Awards·36:00·21 Oct 2019·

Episode Summary

Join host Stefania Passamonte as she welcomes soprano Dora Sorrentino to the Future Classic Women Awards podcast. Dora shares her incredible journey from trained pianist to opera singer, performing with the Barefoot Opera company in a production of Rossini’s Barbiere di Siviglia across the UK. Growing up in a deeply musical family with her mother—also a soprano—and her father who instilled a passion for opera, Dora discusses the unique challenges and privileges of following in her parents’ footsteps and how her mother’s rigorous technique training has shaped her vocal development.

During this engaging conversation, Dora opens up about the delicate nature of the human voice, the importance of proper vocal training, and her deep connection to Italian opera. Named after Puccini’s “Il sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine, she shares what this beautiful aria means to her and listens to a stunning performance of this beloved piece. The episode offers listeners an intimate look at what it takes to become a classical soprano in today’s music world, the role of family legacy in artistic pursuits, and the joy of performing live across the UK.

Main Topics

  • Dora Sorrentino is an accomplished soprano performing with Barefoot Opera in a UK tour of Rossini's The Barber of Seville
  • She comes from a musical dynasty with her mother also being a soprano and her father a passionate musician and singer
  • Dora's singing career emerged unexpectedly while she was studying piano, discovering her vocal talent through her natural soprano voice
  • The importance of proper vocal technique and the risks of training with teachers who lack true understanding of vocal mechanics
  • Dora was named after Puccini's famous aria 'Il sogno di Doretta' which her mother performed in competitions that launched her professional career
  • Being Italian gives sopranos a natural advantage in opera, as approximately 60% of operas are Italian works
  • The difference between famous opera singers and household names often comes down to recordings and international exposure

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Full TranscriptHello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program whe...
Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. This morning was fantastic. I came with an empty train, that is incredible, and so I'm in the best mood ever to actually have the a fantastic guest, a very special girl, a friend of mine. She's the sister of a dear friend of mine, and she's an incredible soprano, Dora Sorrentino. Hi! Good morning, Dora. Morning. Dora, so you are a soprano, and we were talking about the fact that you're a sister of a dear friend of mine that is here in London. So is that your connection with London, or? Yeah, definitely. I came here and had some audition while she was here. And so— And in particular, I had the honor to listen to you singing live last week. Actually, I— in June, I had this audition for this opera company, Barefoot Opera, and they chose me. They are— we are performing Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini, and we are having like 10 performances in here in the countryside and in London as well. So yeah, so it was my day, my birthday. Ah, yeah, the day that I heard you last week. And, uh, and there will be more performances outside, all around the UK. Yeah, it's not just in London. Yeah, we already had some 5 performances around Hastings, and then we had the 2 in here in London, and more in Oxford next week, and in Hastings again because It's the base of the company. Yeah. Okay. Well, it was a fantastic production. And I think The Barber of Seville is one of my favorite operas. So funny. Yes, definitely. And there is some words that they say in it that are so typical. There is my dad, he keeps calling my daughter bestia. Bestia. And this Don Bartolo who says, I'm a bestia, right? It's so funny. Bestia means 'You're silly,' that's what it means. But literally it's like 'beast,' but it's a completely different meaning. And when you translate, sometimes that doesn't come out. Yeah, it's so full of double meanings as well. It's really entertaining. Clever. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And so how did you decide to become an opera singer? Well, let's say that you don't decide when you start studying, you have the voice to do that. So basically you don't decide, it's the voice that decides for you that that's your way. I mean, that's what happened to me because I actually was studying piano. I had my degree in piano, piano as a pianist. Well done. But then I found out, let's say, that I have the voice. I'm a soprano because my mom, of course, is an opera singer. She's soprano as well. It's not of course, not everybody has a mama opera singer. No, I mean, but I could. Wow. Yeah. How is it to be the daughter of an opera singer and become an opera singer? Yeah, it's quite tough because, I mean, she's very hard with me. Yeah, she's very difficult. Yeah, our lessons are very like fighting all the time. She teaches you? Yes. At least for technique, I had lessons with her. And then, well, I went— Well, at least you know you're in safe hands, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. That's why I'm very— I'm a very lucky opera singer because I actually know already which is the right way to follow. Yes, absolutely. Sometimes it happens you don't have— that doesn't mean you are an amazing opera singer that you can teach. There is some, you know, the technique, it's so easy to ruin the voice. And the voice is the— it says, everybody says, is the best instrument ever, is the most complete one. All the instruments try to imitate the voice, but then is also the most delicate one. Yeah. And you're constantly— if your teacher doesn't have— is not able to hear what's happening in your body and, and what's happening to your voice. And especially, I've met so many opera singers that sing just naturally without even knowing how they do. I mean, they just tell you, okay, breathe and open your mouth. If it was that simple, I mean. That was Pavarotti. He had this voice. Yeah, but I mean, if you watch him singing, he's absolutely technically perfect. All right. And he knows what he's doing. Yeah, he's not just a legend, if you like. No, he knows what he does. So how was it, you know, growing up with an opera singer mother? Oh, I mean, like, now that you're working as an opera singer, you know all, right? You already know it all, do you? Yeah, I do. I definitely do. That's— is she a soprano as well? Yes, she— so exactly, she has the same voice as me, same color, same— yeah. Ah, fantastic. But actually it was my father who had this opera passion. He studied as well as pianist and singer. Oh. But he made us fall in love with opera completely. Every day playing and singing. I mean, he still sings even if he's not quite able to, but he still loves to sing. And that's why me and my brother and sister just fall in love with opera. So do you sing together sometimes with your mother? We have lots of concerts together, even if our neighbors are not very happy. But yes, we do. My father plays and we sing all together. Oh, wow. That's fantastic. Do you play as well sometimes? Do you still play the piano? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's— yeah, I still study, but I mean, I'm not— not to become a concert pianist anymore. But I think it's quite a privilege to be able to accompany yourself, for example. Very useful. And then also the fact that you are Italian and some of the biggest roles for soprano. I think the 60% of operas are Italian, so I guess I'm very lucky. So you were performing here in London with this English company, British company, right? Yeah. So did you have an opportunity maybe to help the others with their Italian or they were already good enough? Yeah, I mean, they— we already have in this Opera Company, an Italian coach, which is Monique, my Rosina, because I'm actually playing Berta and she's Rosina. So she's Italian as well. But yes, of course, when you listen to something that it's not Italian correct, you can just— you help. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's as they help you when you're not speaking quite good in English. Absolutely. Yeah. When it's not— yeah, totally. So the first song that we are going to listen to is from Puccini's opera La Rondine, and this is Il bel sogno di Doretta. Yeah. Is Doretta from Dora, right? Yeah. No, I mean, Dora is from Doretta, and it's actually my dream. I mean, my mom used to sing this for competitions, and that's how she won lots of prizes and competitions, and her— and that's how she became an opera singer in the chorus of of San Carlo in Napoli. So basically they named me after this opera and this song. So would you like to tell us something about "Il sogno di Doretta"? Yeah, actually it's— What's happening? She's dreaming? She's telling us— Yeah, actually it's Magda, who's the main character of this opera. She just remembers with this opera, with this aria, how she fall in love the first time. Because she's actually more like Violetta. So the first time she fell in love, it was important for her. So singing this one, it starts like a story about this girl, Doretta, and then she keeps telling the story but about herself. So it's not more Doretta's dream, but it's Magda's dream. Fantastic. Then let's listen to Puccini, Il sogno di Doretta. With Dora Sorrentino. Welcome to Women's Radio Station. I'm Sarah Louise Ryan, and welcome to Love Lessons Live on Women's Radio Station. Hello. And welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Julie May Is Listening. Hi, this is Anna Kennedy, and we're at Women's Radio Station supporting women's well-being, and we're talking all things autism. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, I'm Lauren Mishkon. I'm a birth doula and mum of 3, and I'm passionate about supporting women to have empowering and positive birth experiences. Please join me for my brand new show, From Tummy to Mummy, here on Women's Radio Station. Every week I'll be here with an expert guest talking about women's reproductive health, everything fertility, pregnancy, birth, and baby related, right through to the menopause and beyond. Please join us for an informative and fun hour. Hello, my name is Ingrid Marsh on Women's Radio Station, and coming soon is the Radical Wellbeing Show. To help support women's wellbeing, each show I share the airwaves with ordinary women like me and you doing extraordinary things. Women who've overcome huge obstacles in their lives who are now here with me to empower you. On the Radical Wellbeing Show, you'll be inspired to kick away the roadblocks and live your life to the fullest. If you're ready to get radical about your wellbeing, then this is the show for you. Hi, I'm Hazel Butterfield, a blogger, book lover, and mental health advocate, and you can listen to my show Get Booked here at Women's Radio Station. Station daily at 5 AM and 5 PM. Throughout my shows, we'll talk about the books I've read, new releases, chat to authors, publishers, and book enthusiasts, all with the theme and aim of supporting women's emotional well-being. If you have a book to tell us about, get in touch at presenters@womensradiostation.com. Join me on my show and share my love of books and writing. Hi, I'm Valentina Barbacci, and I'm the executive director of Media Matters for Women. We're a registered charity operating in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and we produce and share podcasts via Bluetooth on mobile phones, focusing specifically on women and girls excluded from information due to extreme poverty. We empower those living in rural areas with media that transforms how they access, own, and share information. To find out more and be part of this movement, come check out our website at mediamattersforwomen.org. You're listening to Women's Radio Station supporting women's well-being. Women's Radio Station's creating a global network for the empowerment of women, and we want you to be involved. Join us on Instagram and Twitter at Women's Radio Station, that's Women's Radio STN, or Facebook Women's Radio Station to keep up to date with all our exciting programs. Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today our guest is fantastic soprano Dora Sorrentino. Dora, we were talking about the fact that you come from a musical family, actually. An opera family, if you like. Who was your inspiration apart from maybe your mom? Yeah, I mean, my mom and basically the soprano Mirella Frini. Ah, from Modena? I'm from Modena. Oh, really? Great. I know Mirella and Pavarotti, so they were called the Canarini of Modena because the color of Modena is yellow. And yeah, the bird represents, you know, the city, does they have a lion or whatever. So The modern is the canarini, that is the— I don't know how to say in English actually the name of this little bird, but it's a little— Bravissima, it's a singing bird. Yeah, so basically, yeah, the two of them. I mean, the Bohème, they— I used to listen to their Bohème every night, but really every night. Wow. So yeah, they are my inspiration and That's what I mean, I dream about. Absolutely. Yeah. Great, great soprano. Sometimes the soprano— well, the opera singer in general, there is a sort of a different market. So unless you are a superstar like Pavarotti that became with Plácido Domingo and others, they, they are amazingly famous in their country, maybe in some countries, but not in others. Yeah. So for example, here you hear a lot about Kiri Te Kanawa or, you know, mm-hmm. Yeah. Renée Fleming. No, Renée Fleming, she's a— she's mezzo? No, no, no, she's soprano. Yeah, Renée Fleming. So, you know, this, um, yeah, it depends on where they worked most of the time. But there is one thing I think that is making the difference between these artists, and I think it's the recording. So as much as you record it, the more you have access to be— or The more you worked with some conductors, I mean, maybe some conductors are very famous in some countries and they bring you. Yeah, absolutely. So, and what is your dream role? Let's say Mimi. Mimi from Traviata? No, from Bohème. Oh, really? Yeah, Violetta as well. I want to study Violetta as well. I mean, I was left at Violetta. Oh no, but Mimi. I didn't have a coffee this morning. I had the privilege to have an empty train, but not a coffee. No, we understand. No, I mean, because yeah, Mimi is my dream role. Mm-hmm. Because— Mi chiamano Mimi. Exactly. My new name is— Lucia. Lucia. Yeah. That's for Mirella Freni as well. I mean, she's the first one. Absolutely. Who I listen to singing this, and it's— and is, is there any role in the opera that you think is more up to date with the nowadays woman life, for example? Uh, no, but I mean, the new, um, directors of the opera, they try to push the characters. Yeah, I mean, let's say that to take the character of the past and to bring it into the— in nowadays. I mean, they try to make the women of, uh, of past in real women in, in actual— of today. Yeah, most of them, they were like, uh girlfriends or, you know, protégé. There is not really women, maybe Lucrezia Borgia. Yeah, although she was— they're trying to find new aspects of the ancient women, let's say, of opera. Yeah, absolutely. Now, what do you think it is to be— what does it mean to be an opera singer? Today. In particular, I was wondering, you know, when you were at school and you were already studying to become a classical musician, pianist at the beginning, and then on the singing. And you told me you were doing as well a normal high school, the classical lycée, that is the equivalent of the grammar school here. So what was to talk about, you know, your passion with your schoolmates that they— Oh, I mean, they My friends, every time they came home, they came to my place, they were all like, "Oh, your mom is singing!" Because my mom was singing like every day, ever, always. And they were like, "Oh, I like to listen to her." And yeah, but basically that kind of school accepts my ambitions and all my teachers were always supportive, supporting. Yes. And encouraging me to follow this, this way, the musician life. So the other, the schoolmate, let's say, so they were actually inspired by you? They were interested? Yeah, of course, because it's not so common to study music, at least in Italy. I mean, in high school we don't have like, at least not musical school, but In grammar school, as you said, we don't have like musical lessons, so music lessons. Yeah. So, but let's say your friends were going to disco, for example, right? Yeah. No, I, I was doing as well. I mean, yes, I am definitely doing as well. So you did like other music anyway? Yes, I was, I was a happy young, young adult. It's important because, you know, there is others that instead they so much about— so passionate about their music that no, no, no, no, we went to disco as well. But yeah, we had Jermyna Trinkels, so she's a violinist, and she was saying how she loved Beyoncé and she knew all the routines. And so let's say if you are a young classical musician, you're a normal kid like any others, so you still like going dancing and clubbing. Of course! Okay, so the next song we're gonna listen to it's from Faust, the Air de Bijoux. And so this is in French. How is it to sing in another language? I mean, you have to study some few speaking rules, but it's once the pronunciation. Yeah, the pronunciation. But once you get it, I mean, it's nice to actually express especially because French is such a beautiful language in which you can express your feelings. Absolutely. Well, what I like is when I talk to the opera singers here in the UK, the British one, and they all talk to me in Italian because they learned it through the opera. And it's funny because they talk to you in operatic language. Ancient. Every day. But it's very cute. Then let's listen to Dora playing, singing Faust. Welcome to the Women's Radio Station, supporting women's well-being. Women's Radio Station is all about diversity, from opinions, career, ethnicity, education, and most importantly, women's well-being. We aim to celebrate the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and the platform for your voice. Visit our website, womensradiostation.com. For more information. I'm Tamina Zaman, founder of Empower and Enrich. When it comes to money, do you clam up or get confused? 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For more information on how you can sponsor a show, go to womensradiostation.com. Women's Radio Station supporting women's well-being. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station. Our guest today is soprano Dora Sorrentino from Italy, from Naples actually. Yeah, Naples. Beautiful city, Naples. How is it to sing in Italy versus singing here in the UK, for example? Do you notice any difference in the audience? In the audience, no, but in the way we are working In here I had two productions and we are very focused on the staging, on doing the right thing on stage. Instead, in Italy we are very focused on music calls and what music tells you. Instead, in here it's most more what the story tells you and what you can do with it. I mean, it's— that's very interesting. No one ever— yeah, I noticed that. I mean, I worked in both the two countries and I noticed this difference. I have to say the staging of the Barefoot production, it was with them, it was so clever and I really enjoyed it. Yeah. Pardon. Sorry. It was really, really funny and entertaining and, you know, you didn't have much use of the behind the scene. So everything was there but made total sense. Yeah. So I think the imagination that they have here, it's unbelievable. They work a lot with you and with your character. Barefoot is an opera company that helps you as well to embody the character you are going to perform. So Jenny, the director, she helped a lot to understand your character, even if— I mean, Rossini's character is not that hard to embody instead of, I don't know, maybe a Puccini one. But anyway, she was very helpful in understanding what your character wants and how to play that with maybe the body on the way you act. And yeah, so Do you have any favorite composer that you like to sing more than others? Uh, well, to sing, no. I mean, every composer is very helpful, so every composer has something you like and something you, you don't. Okay. But yeah, I have favorite composer. Of course, for me it's Puccini because I was born with that. I mean, so it's my first love, let's say. But yeah. But every composer— I, I'm in— when I started to study opera singing, I started to enjoy all of the composers. Yes, just— okay. So what would you say was the most exciting moment in your career? It's an early career, but you already have performed a lot, and, uh, yeah, you have a lot under your— yeah, I'm studying, and last last year I had my first performance, and let's say that was my— the most important moment for me right now, because I had the— I had to perform Contessa in Nozze di Figaro. So basically Rosina again, but— and so that was very hard for me because I had to— I wasn't ready. I definitely wasn't ready. But the conductor and the director, Simone Alaimo, they had great trust in me. So they gave me this opportunity and I tried to do my best. I mean, it was very hard to go on stage. I was trembling, especially because it's not a role that you sing at 22. No. But yeah, but it's very helpful. Yeah, it went well and it was very helpful for me to understand. So many things. So let's say, what was your most challenging moment? The same, the same, going on stage and singing Push the Amour, which is very difficult aria. And to, to do that, I mean, it was very, very challenging. But the, the moment I step out, I stepped out the, the stage, I was like, okay, let's do this again, I'm ready. Because you actually, you sometimes you just have to close your eyes and go. Yeah. Yeah, and just do it. Forget that your body is like trembling all over. What does it mean in terms of singing if your body's trembling? For example, it happened when I was younger and I would go on stage and be very nervous. I would have my leg from the pedal that was just trembling and it's like you, you have to push the pedal and that's just moving and you're thinking and you're also ashamed thinking everybody can see my leg. Yeah, it actually happens the first time you do something. That's— yeah, my leg was trembling as well. In fact, on that— in that performance, I didn't supposed to sit on the chair until I was finishing singing. Instead, I came into the stage and I sit the moment I came in. I was like, I have to sit, otherwise everybody's going to see me trembling. Yeah, but yeah, but I mean then you have to remember that you have to breathe and you, you have to start singing at some point. So I think, I think singing is the most difficult instrument of all because there is no, you know, pushing down the pedal, having— you have to control your body. And if you don't have— if you don't realize what's going on with you, you, you can't sing. You have to realize that your, your voice is gonna always be there and you have to breathe and your body has to You are prepared, that you're ready and you can just do it. I just wonder, why do we tremble? It's such a funny feeling, isn't it? Mind. We have to control the mind. What the mind is doing is beyond, isn't it? Yeah. It's something that I think everybody should try once in their lifetime, you know, just to walk on stage. With actors, they have the problem of getting the voice cracked. And they just can't talk, basically. So you go, you open your mouth, it's the same, you're just closed. Clap. It's crazy. Well, the next, uh, song we're gonna listen to is from Turandot, so from your favorite composer Puccini, and is Tu che ti gelsi cinta. So who's singing this aria? It's not Turandot. No, it's Liu, the other female character. Of the opera. And she is actually— they say it's the most beloved, uh, heroine from Puccini's— by Puccini. I mean, Puccini loved Liu as more than the others. Okay, more than the— all the other female characters. More than Mimi. Yes, because actually with Liu's death, Puccini, he's died as well. I mean, he, he died after Uh, yeah, the, um, the operas— the real opera that Puccini wrote, Turandot, stops with Liu's end, with Liu's death. Yeah. Okay. Yes. And then the other part was composed by other authors, but Turandot ends with Liu's aria. So, and she, after she kills herself, after tu che digi al siccinta, she picks the stub and she kills herself. Do you want to tell the audience why? Because not everybody is familiar with the opera. Yes. I mean, Liu basically is in love with Calaf, the prince, but she's just a slave. She's his servant. And so— and Turandot wants to marry Calaf as well. And but to marry him, Kallaf gives her— she tells him, if you can know my name, with the Arianesundorma. Yeah. He tells Turandot, if you can, if you can, if you know my name, if you guess my name, if you guess my name, you— I can marry you. So Turandot knows that the only person who knows the name is Liu, his servant. And so she says to Liu, "You have to tell me his name, otherwise I will kill you." And she says, "I won't tell you his name, and I'm going to kill myself." And that's what happens in the aria. That's quite dramatic. So let's listen to "Tu che ti gelsi cinta" from Turandot by Puccini with Dora Sorentino. Welcome to Women's Radio Station. I'm Sarah Louise Ryan, and welcome to Love Lessons Live on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Julie May Is Listening. Hi, this is Anna Kennedy, and we're at Women's Radio Station supporting women's well-being, and we're talking all things autism. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, I'm Lauren Mishkon. I'm a birth doula and mum of 3, and I'm passionate about supporting women to have empowering and positive birth experiences. Please join me for my brand new show, From Tummy to Mummy, here on Women's Radio Station. Every week I'll be here with an expert guest talking about women's reproductive health, everything fertility, pregnancy, birth, and baby related, right through to the menopause and beyond. Please join us for an informative and fun hour. Hello, my name is Ingrid Marsh on Women's Radio Station, and coming soon is the Radical Wellbeing Show to help support women's wellbeing. Each show I share the airwaves with with ordinary women like me and you doing extraordinary things. Women who've overcome huge obstacles in their lives who are now here with me to empower you. On the Radical Wellbeing Show, you'll be inspired to kick away the roadblocks and live your life to the fullest. If you're ready to get radical about your wellbeing, then this is the show for you. Hi, I'm Hazel Butterfield, a blogger, book lover, and mental health advocate. And you can listen to my show, Get Booked, here at Women's Radio Station. Daily at 5 AM and 5 PM. Throughout my shows, we'll talk about the books I've read, new releases, chat to authors, publishers, and book enthusiasts, all with a theme and aim of supporting women's emotional well-being. If you have a book to tell us about, get in touch at presenters@womensradiostation.com. Join me on my show and share my love of books and writing. Hi, I'm Valentina Barbacci, and I'm the executive director of Media Matters for Women. We're a registered charity operating in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and we produce and share podcasts via Bluetooth on mobile phones, focusing specifically on women and girls excluded from information due to extreme poverty. We empower those living in rural areas with media that transforms how they access, own, and share information. To find out more and be part of this movement, come check out our website at MediaMattersForWomen.org. You're listening to Women's Radio Station, supporting women's well-being. Women's Radio Station's creating a global network for the empowerment of women, and we want you to be involved. Join us on Instagram and Twitter @WomensRadioStation, that's Women's Radio S-T-N, or Facebook Women's Radio Station to keep up to date with all our exciting programs. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station. Our guest today is Soprano Dora Sorrentino. Um, Dora, this is the last session of our interview. It went so fast. Now it's time for the odd question So Dora, do you have any strange hobby to free your mind or relax? Uh, it's not so strange. I mean, to do some Pilates and to— Pilates, okay. Yes, and to just stay on the bed and breathe, to remind yourself that your body is there even if you have to sing and you're like we said before, you're very nervous, so you have to focus on your body and realize that you have to relax. There is a question I didn't ask you, but for example, on my personal experience, that worked. So I want to check if that would do as well. So the fact that you were, you know, already learning how to walk on stage and then to sing on stage, did it help with, um, uh, you know, class interrogation, for example? Oh yeah, maybe with exams at the uni, at university. Maybe that's kind of that stuff that you need the courage to go to the teacher and just talk. Yeah, so maybe that's— but that was not definitely the same because you have all your body centered in doing that right. So you have, you really have to focus. So do you have any ritual or superstition before going on stage? Uh, not yet, but maybe something that all the singers do, it's to take with you bananas and eat them if you're nervous. I don't know. Absolutely. Pianists, we do the same too, because it prevents cramps. Yeah, that's what they say. So it helps not to get your fingers suddenly— they don't move. That would be a big problem. Okay, so you don't have any problem with colors, for example, of wearing Violet. Oh, actually we have violet. We don't— in Italy we don't dress, we don't dress up in violet. It's not allowed. But I actually found out that in Spain we don't— we can't be dressed in yellow. Oh really? Yeah, yellow is the violet for Spain. I knew green in France was the forbidden color. Great. It's so funny how each country has their own thing, and that should tell you that it doesn't mean anything, but you never know. That's the problem. Just choose red, it's the right color. So is red your favorite color? Yeah, definitely. Okay, so do you have any funny or embarrassing moment that you can recall going on stage, or not in particular, but I mean when you are performing and you are at the rehearsals you, you laugh a lot. I mean, it's so funny with your colleagues. It's always a nice environment in which you can just be yourself and have fun. I mean, that's the best way. And that's quite different between, you know, you had the opportunity to train as a pianist and you can see the difference from a career of a pianist or a career of an opera singer. Completely different. Is that something that, you know, helped you choose going towards opera instead of— Oh, I mean— Soloism? Yeah, no, opera singing Playing is always— it's for me, it's better as a career. But I mean, yeah, pianists are most likely very alone people instead. Yeah, a lot of hours in the practice room by yourself. By yourself. Instead, singers know how to have fun. What's another pro of your job, for example? Another pro? Another— ah, is dressing up a pro? Yeah, dressing up and having lots of makeup and always being nice and prepared. You can't just be yourself. I know I have friends opera singers and they enjoy posting the pictures of them in the most impossible outfits. Or let's say traveling when you're auditioning in all over now, all over Europe. I mean, you, you're traveling a lot. I mean, I don't know how many countries I visited this year because I was like Everywhere, every month. And do you like traveling? Yes, you have to. Who doesn't? I mean, when everybody is at work and you are actually on the beaches in Valencia, you, you realize that it's nice to travel. So let's say it's a dream job. Yeah, if you do it, if you— well, yes, it's a dream job. Okay, so what is your next project or collaboration? I don't know. Or opera? I'm auditioning and I'm having competitions. Let's say that now I'm 24 and I need to focus on my start, beginning of important career. The career. Yeah. So basically I want to have lots of competitions, singing competitions. And so I'm studying different roles like Traviata or Rigoletto because I want to focus on few roles, but all of them, you know. I now just studied arias. I want to study all the roles to really understand the character, the character, and then who knows in future. So we will be looking forward to maybe see you again here in the UK as well. So the next aria we're gonna play, it's from The Turco in Italia, Mozart, Rossini. Oh my Gosh, this morning I got it all wrong. Oh la la. Sorry. So yeah, from Rossini, and it's Non si dà foglia maggiore. I actually had Tutta quell'Italia performance here in London for the Italian Cultural Institute and for Cecilia Gobbi's— Tito Gobbi's daughter. She has an opera company in Italy, and she had this production here at the Italian Cultural Institute. So I was playing Fiorilla for this production, and it's my first Rossini's character, and it was quite fun. It's very fun. Let's listen to it then. And this was the tour in Italia, Non si dà foglia maggiore, with Dora Sorrentino. If you have any questions that you would like to ask to our guest or nomination for our future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters at womensradiostation.com or tweet us @WomensRadioStn. A big thanks to our guest Dora for the great chat and the beautiful music played today. Thank you, Stefania. It was our pleasure today. Absolutely. You've been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, live every day at 10 AM and 10 PM London time. If you want to listen to it again or catch up on our previous program, you can head to the presenter's page Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards on womensradiostation.com. Thank you for listening. Welcome to Women's Radio Station. I'm Sarah Louise Ryan and welcome to Love Lessons Live on Women's Radio Station. 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