Natalie Dessay Reveals Her Thoughts On Opera

By Francisco Salazar

During a promotion of her new album with works by Schubert, Natalie Dessay has spoken up about her views on the operatic world.

During an interview with Forum Opera, the soprano noted that she never felt comfortable in opera and she felt that the art form was one of the past.

“I often felt a bit out of place, because I never considered myself a singer but rather a singing actress. In the world of opera, I always felt uncomfortable, a foreigner in fact. But I loved doing the job but without ever losing consciousness that it was an art of the past, a closed world, and I thought: ‘What is the reason one can not sing without a microphone?!,”‘ She said.

When asked about modern works she noted that only a few actually survive.

“It is true that certain modern works may pass to posterity, such as those of Thomas Adès or John Adams, but they are extremely rare and do not invalidate the idea that opera is an art which has not been able to renew itself.”

Dessay retired from the opera stage in 2013 when she performed Massenet’s “Manon” at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse. Her final performance at the Metropolitan Opera was in 2013 when she did Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” with David Daniels.

Her new album “Schubert” is scheduled for release this week and will be followed by recitals at the Champs Elysées and Carnegie Hall.

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