“Operas are musical enactments of some of our most common experiences, usually set in familiar frames of reference. They may be thought of as parables or archetypal tales, performed in and at various vibratory rates, also known as tonalities and settings. In many respects operas are also morality plays because they typically deal with dilemmas that most of us, at one time or another, have to face: common lovers, lovers in common, enemies or various kinds of obstacles, just to name a few. In Italy, we like to refer to these sorts of issues as le cose della vita ~ the things of life.
Some have opined that my former life was a little bit like an opera. Sì, forse ~ yes, perhaps. Almeno, c’era una vita in fretta, la mia ~ at the very least, it was life in the fast lane. As Valentino, I was able to accomplish a great many things in a relatively short period of time, some well-done, others less so. And so it is for all of us. In the meantime, who does not have a little bit of opera coursing through their veins? And who would not break out in song from time to time if given the opportunity? We are all wired to experience our lives with a certain amount of drama. Indeed, most of us would have it no other way!” ~ R. Valentino Guglielmi
