Mirella Freni Quotes

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Mirella Freni

Profession : Singer

Birth : February 27, 1935

When you encounter a genius like Kleiber, it makes you look at the role afresh, even if it is one you have done for many years.

Mirella Freni

When I was in my career, I did a few master classes. But I was very busy.

Mirella Freni

For me, to be diva is to have an evening when you are on stage and you are in good form. To have respect for everybody - for colleagues, for the maestro, for the audience. And to give emotion while you sing. If you're talented, you try to do the best you can. But you don't make problems. I respect everybody. For me this is a diva.

Mirella Freni

With young singers, I try to give them the right technique, and when they are mature, we work on expression. Because if you are not sure technically, you can lose the way.

Mirella Freni

For me, it was something natural. I was born like this. But I always wanted to understand my facility, so I started studying technique by myself. I wanted to know my instrument. I tried myself to find the best way. Because if you don't know what to do with your body, it will be very difficult to sing later, with age.

Mirella Freni

I don't run, run, run around all the time.

Mirella Freni

I was lucky with von Karajan - very, very lucky. There was always an incredible feeling between us.

Mirella Freni

When Placido suggested to me that I should sing 'Fedora,' I said that I didn't think so. I thought it was too exaggerated, that I couldn't do something like this. So I said no, and no again. But then I thought some more, and wondered if I could find some way to do it naturale, you know? And eventually I found my way into the opera.

Mirella Freni

To be a great artist, you have to know yourself, set your sights high and work very hard.

Mirella Freni

A young voice is like a young tree - it will not grow up straight if you place a heavy weight on top of it.

Mirella Freni

Maturity gives you greater possibilities, which I think instinctively come out.

Mirella Freni

If you push your voice too hard, you can destroy it.

Mirella Freni

I like making records because it is more relaxed than singing on stage. The problem for me is to find time to prepare for them in the way I wish. Because for me it is not interesting to do recordings just to do them.

Mirella Freni

What I would like to do is to help younger singers. It would be teaching, but not just teaching technique. I would want to study first the psychology of the younger singers, to find out what they need.

Mirella Freni

If you sing tight in the throat, and you sing onstage, and you have a big orchestra, it's finito. Your voice goes, 'Ciao.'

Mirella Freni

When you make a record, you are more relaxed, because you know if something is not good, you can repeat it. Onstage, you start to fight perhaps with the orchestra becasue the theater is big - this is not good.

Mirella Freni

I like to make records. But I prefer always to sing onstage. There is more emotion. If it is not as perfect as the record, it doesn't matter. For me, it is more alive. Onstage I am more free.

Mirella Freni

When I am onstage, I am lucky.

Mirella Freni

Next to Bortolamasi I am nothing.

Mirella Freni

I enjoy singing, I enjoy creating something with my voice. But when it is finished, it is finished.

Mirella Freni