Fanboy of the opera

Hidden in the basement of a quaint bungalow behind the Hauz Khas market in Delhi, a musical revolution-of-sorts is quietly taking place. Youngsters in their late teens and early 20s, stand around an Italian maestro, who sits on the piano guiding them.

“Sing from the hollow of your stomach,” says vocal coach Massimo Iannone, who is in India to train budding opera singers at The Neemrana Music Foundation (TNMF), which has been nurturing Indian talent in opera since 2004.

Indians singing opera? Many would say that doesn’t sit right. But wait till you hear 21-year-old Sarthak Darapuri. The Lucknow boy, in his own words, stumbled on opera only in December 2022 at a performance presented by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi.

“That one evening changed my life,” says Sarthak, who began his opera training the next month, and in July 2023, was considered mature enough to sing his first solo, Don Giovanni. He is now all set to travel to Italy on the Borsa di Studio—Scolarship 2025, in partnership with the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, TNMF and Maestro Massimo Iannone.

Sarthak admits that he doesn’t have any musical background—though he does play the guitar and the piano, both of which he learnt by the ear and with the help of YouTube, “like everyone in my generation”. Talking about the scholarship, he says, “It’s all thanks to my mentor Jasmin Martorell. He saw the potential in me and encouraged me to put in my best.”

TNMF, founded by French diplomat-turned Indian citizen Francis Wacziarg, aims to serve as a cultural bridge, introducing Indian audiences to Western classical music while fostering artistic exchange between India and the world. The Foundation is now run by his daughter Aude Priya Wacziarg Engel.

“In a rapidly globalising India, TNMF’s work ensures that the richness of diverse musical traditions finds a place in the country’s cultural tapestry,” she says, adding, “We train young Indian talent in Western classical musical and bring them to a level of international standards.”

But do Indians really have the talent needed to ace opera singing? Especially given that the language of the opera—Italian, French, Spanish—is alien to them? Iannone says, “I take training sessions across the world, even in countries like Mexico and Japan.

I believe Indians are the best at understanding the language nuances. I explain to these students only once, and they immediately grasp it. Maybe because of the culture of diverse classical musicals here, Indians understand and appreciate the tonal quality of opera singing.”

Sarthak’s journey has not been without its own travails. Just when he was immersing himself into training for the opera, his family decided to immigrate to Canada. The youngster was given two options—either to accompany his family, or to manage his own food and boarding in Delhi.

The feisty young man chose the latter. “TNMF came to my rescue. They offered me a room in the premises. I knew this is what I wanted to do. I did not want to throw it all away and start afresh in a new country. I am grateful to Priya for bringing me such invaluable opportunities and for being my biggest supporter,” he smiles. Priya is quick to respond, “He is a prodigious talent. He deserves all that he gets and more.”