Luca Pisaroni and Thomas Hampson in a Duo-Interview

Remy Franck, a journalist in Luxembourg, interviews our buddies for his blog/web-journal Pizzicato. Thomas and Luca compare and contrast building an operatic career "back then" (Thomas) and now (Luca). Not too much of the discussion will be brand new to us, but both gentlemen are articulate and fun to hear from. Young singers would do well to spend a few minutes reading this interview.

Photo © Remy Franck

LP and TH note that sometimes extensive experience in a role can be detrimental (in the eye of the director). TH kind of dances around the concept of Regie without actually naming it, reminding us that "...regardless of the event pressure and all this fantastic theatrical things that we enjoy, opera is a musical art form."  [Ed. note: AMEN!]

If you tend toward the anti-regie side you could say he is against it. But if you are pro- regie you'd probably say he's for it. Both LP and TH have enthusiastically and successfully performed in what could be termed Regie productions. So clearly, while there are always limits, and they keep the music first and foremost, they are open to new ideas, too. Although, apparently director Willi Decker once accused TH of being a musicologist (presumably during the Traviata production, which TH neither names nor comments on). I think Thomas should take that as a compliment. There are many much worse things you could call a singer! 

I just discovered Pizzicato via a link from LP's Facebook page.  The site has many interesting articles and news bits in both German (mostly) and English (I suspect this interview was conducted in German, then translated), including a little piece about another blogger-whom-I-shall-not-name who is known for misinformation and inciting controversy; Pizzicato also contains many DVD and CD reviews.