The Spectator - 29.02.2020

the spectator | 29 february 2020 | http://www.spectator.co.uk 39

Santa Cecilia has been booked as resident

orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival

in 2024, a summit won as a result of Pap-

pano’s intensive work ethic. Watching him

in rehearsal, he never lets up. Even if it’s

conducting the house pianist while chorus

members block their spots on stages, his

arms are high and his intensity palpable.

Beyond 2024, he maintains: ‘I don’t

have anything in the book. I’m not actively

seeking employment. I’ll be 65. There are

so many young conductors around. You

should hear them, I work them hard.’ There

are two he’s training at Covent Garden that

he thinks will go right to the top.

Accusations of elitism offend him per-

Pappano is Covent Garden’s talent

magnet. The reason Kaufmann and

co. never cancel as they do elsewhere

Meanwhile, he says, ‘I’m gonna do what

is essential to me. Over the years I’ve given

away a lot of sexy operas to other conduc-

tors — to get them [to work] here. Three

times Elektra has come here with other con-

ductors. Next time, Jesus Christ, I’m gonna

do it. Wozzeck I haven’t done since 2002. I’m

thinking of myself a bit — two new Verdi

productions. Verdi doesn’t lend itself to con-

ceptual treatment. That’s my job: to defend

Verdi. Do it with passion and conviction. Tell

the story.’

Before anyone calls him conservative, he

urges the Royal Opera chief Oliver Mears

to challenge him with new directors. ‘Ollie

immediately got that. He’s very different

from Kasper [Holten] and that’s good for

me.’ He finds Tobias Kratzer, the Fidelio

director, ‘really interesting.’

Away from the ROH, he is music direc-

tor of the Santa Cecilia orchestra in Rome.

sonally. The floor-mopping immigrant kid

who is now a knight of the realm does

not take lessons on diversity quotas from

the Islington cappuccino classes. Instead,

he has his own view on who the audience

should be. ‘In this country,’ says Antonio

Pappano, ‘I’ve observed that despite all our

talk of wanting to bring in younger audi-

ences, opera is something that you come

to... later. Younger people tend to be rest-

less. We’re asking them to sit sometimes

for five hours on end. I’m comfortable with

classical music, in general, that you come to

it later in life.’

As for your chance to see Jonas Kauf-

mann in Fidelio: ‘Hey, if you want to go to

the opera you gotta plan ahead — especially

if you want to come to this opera house.’

Fidelio is in rep at the Royal Opera House

from 1 to 17 March.

Antonio Pappano (right) with Jonas Kaufmann rehearsing Andrea Chénier at the Royal Opera House. They reunite this March for Fidelio

BILL COOPER/ARENAPAL

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