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“I think opera tells stories with the greatest amount of impact,” John Viscardi said last week from his home on the 2400 block of Grays Ferry Avenue. “I feel fortunate to use my voice to convey those tales.”
Beginning tomorrow and lasting through Oct. 6, the grateful South-of-South inhabitant will display his infatuation with inflection by playing the surly soldier Abdallo in Opera Philadelphia’s production of “Nabucco.” In tackling the difficult character, Viscardi is furthering his appreciation for composer Giuseppe Verdi, whose 200th birth-year celebration he and his peers are honoring through the Academy of Music-situated show.
“He and [Gaetano] Donizetti are really the pinnacle for tenors,” the 30-year-old said, acknowledging the former as a master of mammoth creations. “With this opera, he developed ideas that he took to other works, which I’m also preparing in the hopes of exploring them soon, too.”
Viscardi landed his part earlier this year, strengthening ties with Opera Philadelphia that began during his days as a pupil at the Center City-based Academy of Vocal Arts. An often-neglected gem in Verdi’s catalogue, “Nabucco” found its maker commenting on Austria’s 19th-century occupation of his Italian homeland by likening the peril to the ancient Jews’ exile under the titular Babylonian king. Though the opus possesses what Viscardi dubs “an awesome love story,” he believes a different component also allows it to resonate with today’s audiences.
“Conflict is the root of the opera, and the saliency of the subject matter, with persecution and strife, is relevant to what’s happening in many parts of the world,” the singer said, “so it’s crucial to learn how people adapt.”
Having pledged allegiance to his ruler yet also engaging in self-serving behavior, Abdallo offers an interesting test for Viscardi, with the mental requirements outweighing the physical ones.
“I play a jerk in many ways and give an audience a look at what it’s like to be conflicted,” he said. “I have a nasty scene that touches on that, which I see as a reflection of the emotional context of that era and Verdi’s time, too.”
With themes such as rage, romance, regret and redemption, “Nabucco,” a success upon its 1842 debut, addresses power’s shortcomings and patriotism’s ability to unite and divide. For Viscardi, the composition, whose Italian identity has led director and set designer Thaddeus Strassberger to transform the venue into a reflection of La Scala, the renowned Milan opera house that staged the premiere, is intensifying his artistry and compelling him to become a more formidable presence in interpreting and promoting masterpieces.
“Abdallo is a stepping stone in my immersion,” the performer said. “Verdi gave us so many engrossing pieces, and he’s so demanding, you can’t try to sing them. You have to know how to, and I’m enjoying preparing for this show and fostering love for his output.”
Viscardi developed his overall affinity for music as a Long Island, N.Y. youth. Courtesy of his paternal grandmother, he gravitated toward tunes from Mario Lanza, a product of the 600 block of Christian Street, and added Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to his note-based existence early on, too. He made his high school years reflections of his commitment to measures by joining numerous bands and choirs, with operatic sensitivities also surfacing during his secondary education tenure.
“I wanted to get into the scene, and it didn’t take long to realize opera was for me,” the Empire State native said. “The interest kept growing, and I wanted to become a true student of the art.”
Viscardi initiated his intense preparation by attending New York University, earning an undergraduate degree in vocal performance and a graduate commendation in music performance with an opera concentration. Growing in confidence from having handled work by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, among others, he knew he needed extra tutelage and entered the Academy of Vocal Arts four years ago.
“I really feel I developed my voice for this competitive world after two years,” Viscardi said. “The whole process of maturing as an admirer and performer of different operas enthuses me, and I’m thrilled I’ve been able to do so in Philly.”
In addition to earning admittance into the Academy of Vocal Arts in 2009, he received local kudos that year when the Mario Lanza Institute and Museum, 712 Montrose St., gave him a scholarship to engross himself in his pursuits even more.
“That was my first award, and what a great one to get,” Viscardi said. “It’s such a fantastic organization because it keeps alive the memory of someone who’s meant so much to so many, including me, and supports young talent, too.”
Since his watershed year, which included his debut at his home state’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the artist has gone on to add accolades such as the Liederkranz Foundation Award, an Encouragement Prize from the George London Foundation and the Academy of Vocal Arts’ Giargiari Bel Canto Competition prize. Having graduated in May, he traveled to New Mexico this summer for more training and scored the Anna Case MacKay Memorial Award from the Santa Fe Opera.
“I feel blessed to have had a number of opportunities to contribute to the legacy of opera,” Viscardi, who aspires to appear in Verdi’s “La traviata” and “Rigoletto,” Charles Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” and Jules Massenet’s “Werther,” said.
With his upcoming artistic turn and domestic bliss with Molly, his wife of one year, the easygoing figure finds himself growing in confidence and credits his community for offering added gusto.
“I love the feel of the neighborhood,” he said of his two-year haunt. “The whole city is vibrant and has all the tools to help artists grow.”
For tickets, visit operaphila.org.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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