Yesterday’s interview on NPR’s Fresh Air With Terry Gross is a must-listen.
A long-form conversation with leading countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, the interview includes great information and demonstrations on vocal production, the history of countertenors and castrati, musicality, practice, and much more.
COSTANZO: So it takes a lot of practice. And I start slowly. You can imagine. You know, I put a metronome on. It goes [slowly] tick-tock, tick-tock. And I go di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di, di (ph). And then I would speed up that metronome. Little by little, you gain speed. It sort of goes into your muscle memory, and you figure out eventually how to do it full tilt.
GROSS: It must take such patience.
COSTANZO: It does take patience. It takes a lot of failing and frustration.
Honest conversation, an intimate portrait, great singing, and real insights. This conversation has it all. MUST- LISTEN!
Also: check out his NPR Tiny Desk Concert: