“On stage, everything personal is left aside,” says the interpreter, who today recites Vivaldi along with The Tempest
She does not like to be addressed with statements such as ‘the great lady of the theatre’. But the truth is that it is inevitable to use these phrases to talk about the actress Núria Espert (Hospitalet de Llobregat, 1935). The talent of the great Catalan interpreter can now be admired in another facet: as a reciter in ‘Vivaldi Natura: The Four Seasons’, in which she gives voice to the sonnets of the Italian composer supported by the musicians of La Tempestad.
– Is it very different to recite than to bring a character to life?
– It’s something completely different, but I enjoy it because I’m accompanied by that great orchestra, which is made up of all the stars. The verses and music raise the tone of the recitation. It will be a very special event, a gem.
Interestingly, I used to recite poems as a kid. Is this a closing circle?
– (laughs). Maybe. It’s quite possible, but I hadn’t realized it… My parents were fond of theatre. They were two workers, but they met in amateur theater. And that was passed on to me.
-But before she became an actress, she wanted to be a dancer.
-Yes Yes. But what luck: he had no power to do that. Nothing nothing. It was completely inappropriate. She was passionate, but the talent was lacking.
The talent was clearly elsewhere. And is it true that she is shy?
I find it hard to do small things.
– But that shyness will disappear when you get on stage, right?
-Naturally. There is a whole change, in nature, in feelings. The personal is disregarded and what you take is what you made in rehearsals, which makes you the character. What you’ve worked with the director and on the text allows you to do it.
– Does the feeling when the curtain opens change over time, with maturity and experience?
-Well, I almost don’t remember (laughs). The beginning is always painful. You are not ready for a big jump and I had it when I was 19 years old. That was very good for me, but also very bad, because it put me in a place that didn’t suit me. But it was the first ‘Medea’ and everything that came later started there.
–Isn’t it exhausting to always be under the command of someone, a director or a director?
–No… On the contrary! I absolutely need them. nerd. My career is full of great directors. I have worked with the best in Spain and abroad. And the result is good work, each and every one different from the previous one. For that you have to be guided and have a lot of confidence in the director.
He doesn’t like to hold that position though…
-No. I’ve never liked directing. It was a stumbling block they gave me that I couldn’t refuse. One of those things that happens to you once in your life and you can’t say no.
From there he developed a good friendship with…
–With Glenda the Miraculous! Glenda Jackson. A fantastic lady. It was a job that turned out very well, ‘La casa de Bernarda Alba’. I have built a friendship that I value very much. In fact, many years have passed and we are still friends, we call each other and put green on who was their prime minister, Boris Johnson.
-With your career you must have a lot of recognition. What do you do with plaques, awards, etc.?
– Well, the truth is that they are scattered a little bit all over the world. They came in a van to find them when I lived in the countryside and took them to the National Theater Museum in Almagro. Later, in another house, my husband saved a room for them. And here, in Madrid, they are already in a closet.
– Do you have a project in hand?
– I have it, but the fact is that it has not yet been presented. We’re going to premiere something in Barcelona, and I’m really happy about that. But it’s not the time to talk about him yet.
–Another curiosity, besides work, what are you reading now?
-I read a lot. The book I now hold in my hands is by Alice Munro, a Nobel laureate. It’s called ‘Dance of Shadows’ and it’s a beautiful book with beautiful magical stories.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
