Rosa Feola at the Salzburg Festival on August 8, 2019 (Jay Nordlinger)

That lady up there is Rosa Feola, an Italian soprano. She is singing at the Salzburg Festival this year. She is enjoying a big career, all over the world. She is a favorite of Riccardo Muti, the conductor. And she is my guest on Q&A, here.

For many years, I have hosted a series of conversations for the Salzburg Festival Society. Lately, we have been turning some of these into podcasts. Rosa Feola is not only an excellent singer, she is a superb interviewee. Southern Italy simply pours out of her, somehow. She is truly a daughter of that region, as she says.


In our conversation, we talk about growing up, singing (of course), teaching, acting, and more. Rosa even does a little demonstrating — a little singing — which is a bonus.

At the end of our conversation, we talk about the need to sing (if you’re like Rosa, and if you are, congratulations). “It’s like you have a lot of energy,” she says, “and you have to put it out, otherwise you will explode.” “A born singer,” I observe. She cannot but agree.

Two more links — to reviews from the festival. For my review of Evgeny Kissin, the Russian-born pianist, in an all-Beethoven recital, go here. For my review of a Winterreise (the Schubert song-cycle), go here. The singer was Matthias Goerne and the pianist was Markus Hinterhäuser — who doubles as the artistic director of the festival, which is enough work for anyone.

The twist of their Winterreise? They performed it to a film, if that’s the word, by William Kentridge, the South African artist. Interesting. Not for everyone — not necessarily for me — but for many.