Suzanne Danco talks about age, teaching and technic

Please just enjoy this great moment, full of sincerity and emotion... "Ce n'est pas drôle de devoir abandonner son art pour son âge"...


For those who would not understand french, perhaps they could understand my english "translation" better:
"Do not believe that I have decided one day to stop singing; it has been very very difficult. And before teaching, I wanted to continue my carreer: I was very proud you know! And then I had to resign, to accept that the voice was not as secure as it was before. I wish to nobody to live longer than his art, so one should die very Young (if one sings)... but I don't care (to die rather young). That's not funny to be forced to stop singing because of your age. But that happens, that's the normal thing. But fortunately, with pupils, you can really find yourself in the work that you do with them. I have one student for instance, I have been told « She sings like you ». Not the same voice at all, but she has learned « my » manner and she sings « Amarilli » exactely the way I used to sing it. And that makes me happy.
Of course, I have thought about technic, and thanks to my problems, I hope that my pupils do not have these problems. Usually, the greatest singers, which are so talented, are not good teachers, because they have received too many gifts. In order to be a good teacher, you must have been throught little and huge vocal problems. There are many many great opera singers who are not able to teach just because they are too gifted. You have to fall dawn in order to prevent your next fall. I think that's just because of my personnal experience.
Without all this, I would probable have had a much longer carreer, but that does not matter. What is done is done, and I have done a rather good job. And for me that's evident that if you understand all this... and that's the case of my student, which has understood all my advices. You know, when you turn 35, 38 or 40, it can be dangerous if you are not « aware », because your muscles begin to act in a different way than when younger, and it can be dangerous. I was not « aware » when I was 35-40 years old; I was « aware » for the music, but not for my technic as I am nowadays.
I stopped to sing at 60. I had stopped a little bit before, and then I started again: that's not too old and that's not too young neither! Just tell it as you please. But that's enough!
I just began to teach very few years ago (the interview takes place in 1995). I did not want to teach before. That's when I felt that I had some things to say, and when I was used to listen people with problems, I told to myself « Let's see if you are able to help him! », and I succeeded, so I began to feel self-confident. That's what make me live today, that's marvellous you know. When you can no more sing yourself, that's great to explain how to caracterize to Young people; because without technic, you have no caracterization. You can tell me that I exagere, but that's absolutely impossible to caracterize anything if you do not « own » your technic before.
For opera and Lieder, the technic is the same. There is only one technic: the good one, and that's all! There is only one way to start: with bel canto italiano. A lot of work, but I am totally sure that italian bel canto is the only way to lead a voice as close to perfection as possible. Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini, and all the « arie antiche » from 16th century, from the baroque era; not baroque music itself, which in my opinion is useless. I am talking of the era when composers and teachers began to work the voice. But you have to know how to sing Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti: if you can sing it, you can sing a lot of things without any danger for your voice."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• suzanne
• danco
• interview

[tetrazzini]

Merci pour ce témoignage tellement lucide

[MrSkylark1]

@actionsrlouder

Suggest listening to BOBBY BREEN Films on You Tube

[PopoliDiTessalia]

@actionsrlouder

Well... I have tried to translate what she says in this interview.

Kind wishes,

Julien

[actionsrlouder]

@PopoliDiTessalia Thanks for the translation of some of things she said, but she also talked about when is the right age to start learning how to sing? and if there is an age limit to learning technique or something like that?