When the theaters went dark
“Everyone knows where they were when Princess Diana was killed in the car crash. Everyone knows where they were when they saw the twin towers collapsing. Everyone can replay the few weeks leading up to March [2020] in their minds,” Alessandro describes his experience as he began to understand the severity of the pandemic. He went on to say, “…everything moved in slow motion.” We all can reference moments in our lives where we have experienced this phenomenon. Whether it is globally recognized tragedies or an impactful personal event, we know this feeling. It’s as if we are dropped into the eye of a hurricane, surrounded by a torrential storm. Still, tunnel vision prevails the external chaos and forces us to focus on our personal reality.
Alessandro is Italian and British, and he grew up in South Africa. He now resides in Italy with his husband Andrew of 20 years and is an opera director who travels the world directing performances. The devastation that beloved Italy endured is well documented and well known. For Alessandro, it was happening in his backyard. He explains, “The first month was intense, there were so many people dying,” as the virus hit this community with great force.
In my conversation with Alessandro, we discussed an event in 2020 that is a cause for the rampant spread of the virus in Italy. On February 19th, 2020, Milan hosted a champions league football (soccer) match a couple of days before the first confirmed positive COVID case in Italy. Alessandro referred to it as “the COVID detonator.” According to an article by the Washington Post*, the game drew a crowd of approximately 40,000 residents of Bergamo. This province of Italy ended up being one of the most highly impacted regions by the virus. What is most staggering is the amount of devastation that occurred in such a short amount of time.
If we travel back in time to mid-February of 2020, right before the “COVID detonator,” everything for Alessandro was progressing as expected, and he had just opened an opera production in the UK. As a director, Alessandro ensures that all aspects of an opera performance are appropriately and beautifully executed. His role includes, but is not limited to, perfecting effects such as acting, lighting, styling, and stage direction. He compared his role to that of a film director, except Alessandro’s efforts and creative concept are performed live and on stage. He is responsible for leading his team in creating a production that will invoke a moving and spectacular experience. Over the years, he has built a strong reputation in the industry. Building this reputation is not something one can do overnight, but rather by directing several shows and consistently producing exquisite experiences for his audiences.
Following the opening night of this production in the UK, he flew to Sante Fe, New Mexico, to present on a substantial production scheduled in 2021 for the Sante Fe Opera. At that time, the presentations went well, and all was according to plan for the show in 2021. “I flew there [to Sante Fe] and back with a full plane. No one was wearing masks, no one was thinking about that.” Alessandro goes on to say, “…it was literally the cliff edge, it was the end of an era.” He replays those few days in slow motion because he returned home to Italy the day before the first lockdown was enforced. In 2020 he had five productions scheduled, which would keep him busy and on the road for the better part of the year. Subsequently, every single show was canceled, and all the theaters went dark.
Something essential to point out at this moment is that Alessandro is an artist. Not only is opera direction his profession, but it is also his passion. Encountering someone executing their passion and calling in life via their profession is a rare and beautiful find. There is a special dedication present in Alessandro’s work and for artists in general. During the lockdown, Alessandro’s ability to exercise his life’s calling was abruptly put on hold. The significance here, Alessandro explained to me, is that artists and performers are unfortunately often seen as dispensable in society. Their role can be seen as “less than” when in reality, we actively and passively consume art every day of our lives. “Imagine living through a lockdown without art,” Alessandro stated as he explained this concept. Admittedly, this was a realization for me. Upon further reflection, I understood that I could not imagine a single day without art. I could not imagine a day without music, shows, movies, or photography. As I began to look around my home, the fixtures on my walls, the tile in my kitchen, and the designs on my furniture, a simple yet profound thought occurred to me. It occurred to me that somewhere out there, an artist spent precious time creating so many of the things we use and enjoy every day. Yet, we barely think about it.
Despite the sudden onset of canceled flights and darkened theaters, the most shocking event for Alessandro occurred on March 12th, 2020. His agent and friend, a 62-year-old lively and well-known figure in the opera scene, was hospitalized with COVID-19. As days went by and Alessandro was no longer receiving calls or text messages replies, he learned this was because his friend had been intubated. Sadly, he later passed away from COVID-19. He was in the first few hundred people who had died from the virus. The harrowing news was devastating for Alessandro and his community. Amid the grief and emotions, Alessandro holds dearly the memories they shared shortly before this. The month prior, his friend traveled to the north of England from Milan to see Alessandro’s dress rehearsal. They shared a meal, strolled the city, and saw a hilarious drag queen show along the way. In Alessandro’s words, “Everyone has lost something that they had taken for granted before COVID.”
While Alessandro’s productions were on hold, he felt forced to pause and live in the moment. Before this experience, if he wasn’t directing several productions a year, he didn’t think he was working hard enough. But after 2020, he realized he desires to only direct shows that pique his inspiration so he can be more daring and take more creative risks in his work. “You don’t need to be on the treadmill all the time to feel a sense of purpose in life. I learned how to say ‘no.’” he explains.
In addition to a newfound sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in his work, he and his husband spent their days in quarantine preparing meals together and watching movies. Alessandro is lucky enough to have a magnificent chef for a husband, so his evenings were spent as sous-chef, chopping veggies and refilling their wine glasses. For the first time in 12 years, the anticipation of Alessandro picking up and traveling for work again was not hanging over their quality time.
If Alessandro can share something he learned from this phase of life, it would be, “Life is a succession of days, make the most of them; you don’t know what will happen in the future. We have this idea where we are going to live our best lives in the mythical future.” We often think our next great adventure, discovery, love story, or experience will occur in this “mythical future” concept Alessandro eloquently brings to our attention. The year 2020 reminded us of the importance of being present and spending less time looking ahead of what is in front of you.
When I spoke with Alessandro, it was unknown whether or not he would be able to direct his show in Sante Fe in person due to COVID protocols around international travel to the United States. In an exciting turn of events, Alessandro’s visa was approved, and he was able to direct the awaited show in person for the first time in over a year. Below is a photo from their much-awaited performance, where Alessandro’s passion was brought to life again.
A captivating scene from Eugene Onegin at the Santa Fe Opera. Photo by Curtis Brown.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/25/biological-bomb-soccer-match-italy-linked-epicenter-deadly-outbreak/
