Thursday, March 23, 2023, the La Scala Academy launches a new podcast series dedicated to the world of opera, Accademia Silver Collection, curated and conducted by Fabio Sartorelli, realised thanks to the contribution of Fondazione di Comunità Milano and the support of Fondazione Amplifon.
The project, 10 podcasts lasting 20 minutes each, was created with the aim of reconstructing the history of the opera through sometimes unpublished and amusing anecdotes, and to engage even those who rarely approach it. It also intends to provide a tool capable of creating moments of socialisation and, as the title suggests, cognitive training for a 'silver' audience.
In fact, more than 15,000 residents of the 150 RSAs participating in the Amplifon Foundation's Ciao! Project will receive the entire work plan.
The series provides an original and brilliant reading of the history of opera, which is not analysed following a chronological discourse or by delving into individual authors, but, thanks to selected listening, is brought back to everyday life, customs and society. One thus discovers, starting in the early 1900s, strong and unsuspected links between opera and advertising, jazz and pop music. One rediscovers the ardent passions provoked by opera stars, and that opera fever that drove many new parents to christen their children with the names of its protagonists: Otello, Norma or Aida. Not to mention the singular events linked to the scandals that over time have aroused certain musicals or directorial choices, with authors or performers falling into oblivion after resounding successes and equally resounding flops.
Enjoyable accounts of incidents occurring on stage, with soloists forgetting their lines or pieces of scenery falling on the stage.
Lastly, the narrative does not lack curiosities relating to the vicissitudes of the first recordings - presented here thanks to the rich phonographic material of 78 rpm recordings made available by collector Mario Chiodetti - and the progressive development of the artists' contractual power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ibomyVSyJg
The complete series will be available online on Spotify, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer and Google Podcast for the audience to enjoy in one go and return to listen to the episodes they enjoyed most.
As Fabio Sartorelli, professor of music history at the 'Giuseppe Verdi' Conservatory in Milan, who has been collaborating with the Accademia Teatro alla Scala for over twenty years, points out
once again these podcasts underline the irresistible fascination that opera in music has exerted on society, its ability to influence it and sometimes even to absorb it.
Thanks to the support of Fondazione Comunità di Milano and Fondazione Amplifon, the Academy's commitment to promoting the performing arts and professions towards the most fragile communities is consolidated: in Silver Collection, opera music becomes a 'therapeutic' lever to stimulate the memories of elderly and, at the same time, becomes a precious resource to offer to a heterogeneous audience, first and foremost the young, who voraciously appreciate and consume the podcast format.
Opera plan:
Ep 1 Opera on disc – part 1
Ep 2 Opera and Jazz
Ep 3 Opera on disc – part 2
Ep 4 Incidents at the Opera
Ep 5 Opera and advertising - part 1
Ep 6 Opera and songs
Ep 7 When Opera makes scandal
Ep 8 Opera on the radio and in movies
Ep 9 Opera and first names
Ep 10 Opera and advertising – part 2
