I first heard Italian soprano Daniela Dessi at some point
around 1988, when a CD set of an obscure Donizetti opera called Alina arrived
at Tower Records and I picked up a copy on one of my weekly excursions to the
store at Columbus and Bay in San Francisco. At that time, all sorts of obscure
and largely forgotten operas were being released on CD, usually derived from
live performances featuring young casts of singers, mostly names I was
unfamiliar with. I had seen Daniela Dessi’s name mentioned in the opera
journals I read in those pre-internet days, trying to keep abreast of what
happened in the opera world outside of San Francisco. But I had not heard her
sing a note. She looked attractive on the cover photo – it was just her on the
original release that I have. I got around to putting the first CD and the
opera itself was fairly forgettable early Donizetti. Pleasant enough, but
certainly nothing I would return to often. But then Dessi came on for her
opening aria. The aria itself has faded from memory, but the voice made me sit
up and listen. A solid, attractive Italian soprano with a nice lyric voice and
some bite to the sound. A voice that made me want to hear more.
And more I heard. CDs came in – there must have been a
Verdi/Puccini disc not too long afterwards. I wished for more interesting
repertoire – how many recordings of “Si, mi chiamano Mimi” or “O mio babbino
caro” do I actually own? Dozens? No, I would bet it is over a hundred. But
along with that there was an interesting, half successful Rigoletto, with Muti
conducting, and she was singing some Rossini in Europe. A recording of “Ciro in
Babilonia” showed up on Bongiovanni in which she was featured. She sounded like she had the kind of voice I
really liked in Rossini, Italian or Italianate, with a little cutting edge,
capable in florid music and with clear diction. Please Daniela, more Rossini,
less Puccini… No disrespect intended to Puccini lovers. And the sound was
almost always attractive. There was more to it than just run of the mill.
Beautiful tone, and an expressive performer. At least on recordings. I really
wanted to see her in person.
I FINALLY got to hear her in person in February of 1995.
Later in the year, she was scheduled to sing Mathilde in Rossini’s Guillaume
Tell, one of my very favorite operas, at the Rossini Opera Festival. Pesaro was
a little out of my budget. But she made her Met debut while I was living in New
York. Not Rossini, but Leoncavallo – how many Pagliaccis have I seen? A few, to
be sure! But I do like the opera and I had eagerly purchased my ticket in
advance – a double bill with Dessi and Nicola Martinucci in Pagliacci and Cavalleria
Rusticana with Maria Guleghina. I was eager to finally hear Dessi in person and
was glad to see Martinucci again after many years. The date arrived – a
Saturday matinee, and…
Snowstorm! Crap!
Well, I was not about to let the weather stop me, so I
bundled up, trudged out into the cold and made my way to the Opera House. The
Cavalleria was mostly forgettable. The Pagliacci opened with Nucci gargling his
way through the Prologue, but the opera itself was better. Martinucci’s tone
had dried out a lot since I had first heard him but he was enjoyable in a
generalized way. Dessi’s voice was
fairly substantial in person, some weight – audible in the Met auditorium with
a bright, attractive top and good dramatic instincts. It was an enjoyable
performance. I would have preferred to hear Guillaume Tell, but I was glad I
saw it and was certain it would be the first of multiple encounters with Dessi. It was not.
She has had an interesting and varied career since then,
plenty of CD releases, often with her partner tenor Fabio Armiliato, but never
an appearance where I happened to be and I never managed to travel to where she
was. That Met Pagliacci would prove to be the only time I encountered her
artistry in person. I kept up with her career, followed her on Twitter, watched
Operabase, hoping that someday I would get another chance to see her in person.
This summer she was scheduled to sing the title role in Cherubini’s Medea, one
of the pinnacles of the soprano repertoire, in Macerata. A month ago, she
posted to Facebook,
“Dear friends,
Unfortunately after a health problem I've been forced to cancel all my events for this summer
I'll see you on October 8th for a great concert in the Loreto's Basilica.
A big hug to everybody.
DD.”
Unfortunately after a health problem I've been forced to cancel all my events for this summer
I'll see you on October 8th for a great concert in the Loreto's Basilica.
A big hug to everybody.
DD.”
I was sitting here in my office yesterday, pouring over some
work, when my friend and fellow opera lover Father Cornelius Mattei sent me a message,
“Apparently Daniela Dessi died today. No details.” I checked the news. Nothing
at that moment. But a little while later, the first wire story appeared. More
followed. Then the tributes and appreciations, all across the internet.
Daniela Dessi had died shortly after midnight, at only
fifty-nine years old.
As always the Norns are stingy with the time allotted to us
mortals, great artists included. My condolences to the family and friends of
this splendid artist. I am spending my day watching that Pesaro Guillaume Tell
from the Summer of 1995, grateful that this, among many souvenirs, is there to
remind us what a wonderful artist we have lost.