Interview with soprano Anna Pirozzi - Cover Story November 2025

Hi Anna, we are thrilled to have you on The Relatable Voice magazine.

Thank you very much for the invitation. It’s a true pleasure to be interviewed by you, and I send my warmest greetings to all the readers of this beautiful magazine.

You have a truly powerful stage presence and voice—do you remember the moment when you realized opera would be your path?

I realized that singing would be my profession the very first time I stepped onto an opera stage. There was—and still is—a special kind of magic in that moment. When I began performing and saw the audience moved to tears, telling me how deeply they felt the emotion in my voice, I understood that I was giving them something meaningful. I asked myself, Should I continue? After all, I had started singing later in life. But the audience’s encouragement and emotional response inspired me to keep going—and I’ve never looked back.

Opera is often seen as a traditional art form—how do you keep it alive and relevant for today’s audiences?

Lyric opera tells stories that are still deeply relevant today. They reflect real, everyday human experiences. For example, Tosca deals with the painful theme of sexual violence. As a performer, I interpret both the music and the libretto, and I also enjoy the recitation aspect. We singers love to tell stories through words as well as through song. My goal is always to express the truth of the story—the intentions of the composer and the author—with sincerity and honesty.

Do many young people attend your shows?

Yes, I see many young people at my performances. The ones who come to the theater are truly passionate about opera. I also meet many young singers who dream of pursuing this career. They remind me of myself when I first discovered lyric opera and completely fell in love with it.

Do you have a ritual or routine you follow before going on stage to help you focus?

I don’t do anything particularly special—I’m a very simple singer. My routine is to eat well, rest properly before the performance, and then warm up my voice while relaxing my diaphragm for about 30 minutes. I also go over the text in my mind while reading the score, make the sign of the cross, and then step onto the stage.

Is there a performance, as an interpreter or as a spectator, that has deeply moved you?

I often get emotional, both when I watch and when I perform opera — especially the dramatic ones, which touch me deeply. But I must say that two years ago, when I sang the role of Adriana Lecouvreur for the first time, it was an unforgettable experience. In the fourth act, I was so moved that I actually started to cry on stage.

Opera demands both vocal excellence and acting—how do you combine these two aspects in your roles?

Singing opera also means acting, and that’s something we’re taught at the conservatory, but experience teaches you to merge the two. It’s the expression of the body through words that helps the audience better understand and live the story with greater intensity.

Is there a role that has particularly challenged you, both emotionally and vocally?

A role that tested me in every way was Medea by Cherubini, which I performed for the first time last year in Athens—physically, vocally, and emotionally. I can’t wait to sing it again in 2026, also in Athens.

People often see only the glamorous side of an artist’s career—what’s something behind the scenes that the public doesn’t know?

The public doesn’t see the sacrifices a singer makes to reach such high levels. Constant study, time away from family, a solitary life, and giving up many things.

How do you protect and maintain your voice, especially during intense periods of rehearsals and tours?

Every day, I do vocal exercises to keep my voice strong and flexible — especially since I often have to sing for three to four hours at a time. During production periods, my voice is really put to the test, as I sing almost daily. I try not to give everything during rehearsals so I can save my energy for the actual performances. When I’m on tour, I always make sure to take at least one full day to rest my vocal cords — two days is ideal, as it allows me to rest both my voice and my mind.

What advice would you give to young singers who want to pursue a career in opera today?

Don’t be in a rush to step onto major stages—gain experience by singing in smaller venues first, then reach the big theaters with confidence and experience. Study a lot, always, and choose your repertoire wisely—one that suits your voice—with honesty and awareness of your limits.

If you could perform with any artist, past or present, in any theater in the world—who would you choose, where, and why?

There are many artists from the past I’d love to perform with, like Del Monaco, Corelli, Di Stefano, Cappuccilli, Bastianini, Ghiaurov, Luciano Pavarotti, Tito Gobbi, Callas, Tebaldi, Dimitrova, Aprile Millo, Cesare Siepi, and many others. I’d love to share the stage with them at the Metropolitan or La Scala.

You’ve described the role of Abigaille in Nabucco as your greatest artistic achievement—how did you manage its dramatic power while maintaining vocal control, and how has it changed you as a soprano?

My career began with Abigaille, and it still accompanies me today after 13 years. It has given me much but also taken opportunities to explore other roles more suited to my voice. Even so, I’m still asked to perform this strong, charismatic character. Vocally it’s a killer, but having sung it over 130 times, I know all its secrets and how to approach it even today.

Anna, what is coming next for you?

In 2026, we will celebrate 100 years since the premiere of Turandot by Giacomo Puccini — a role that has become very close to my heart. I perform Turandot regularly, and next year I’ll have the great pleasure of singing it on some of the world’s most prestigious stages: La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well as in London and Paris. It will be an incredible journey — bringing Turandot to life in four of the world’s most important cities and their magnificent theaters.

You can find out more at:

Instagram: anna_pirozzi_soprano

Website: https://www.annapirozzi.com

Anna Pirozzi is one of the most celebrated soprano voices on the international opera scene today. Since her debut in 2012 as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera at the Teatro Regio in Turin, she has performed in many of the world's most important theatres, including the Royal Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro alla Scala, the Opéra de Paris, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Arena di Verona, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the San Francisco Opera, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. Her most acclaimed performances include Maddalena di Coigny in Andrea Chénier (San Francisco Opera); Turandot, performed for the first time under the baton of Zubin Mehta in major theatres around the world; Lucrezia Contarini in I due Foscari at La Scala; Aida at the Arena di Verona and the Teatro Real; and Amelia in Un ballo in maschera in Parma, Turin, Barcelona and Valencia. She has also been widely praised for Leonora in La forza del destino (Opéra de Paris, Liceu) and for her Tosca at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Pirozzi is an exemplary interpreter of Verdi's heroines, particularly Lady Macbeth in Macbeth and Abigaille in Nabucco, both roles she has performed in many of the world's most prestigious theatres. She is also considered one of the leading interpreters of Puccini's Turandot, a role she will reprise in 2026 at the Royal Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Teatro di San Carlo. Born in Naples, Anna Pirozzi began her vocal studies at the Music Institute of Valle d'Aosta and completed her training at the G. Verdi Conservatory in Turin. She currently resides in Switzerland with her husband and two children.

Cover story published in The Relatable Voice Magazine - November 2025. Downolad the full magazine for free at https://www.relatable-media.com/the-relatable-voice-magazine