Who is Alessandra Santovito?
I’m a woman who loves nature, art and spirituality and gets lost without music.
I’ve started my career into the music field at first as a Dj in a local radio station and then, deepening my music studies, I began to work as a soprano and did many performances in the classic field, for example I was first soprano in the Gloria by Vivaldi and in the Magnificat and Erschallet ihr lieder by Bach and now I’m also a singing teacher.
What role did music play in your youth and what made you decide to become a singer, what was the turning point for you?
Fortunately, I’ve always listened to music because my mother loves it too, above all classical music. For this reason I decided to study music as soon as I was grown up enough to choose by myself. Probably the turning point was when I formed my first juvenile band, that gave me a great strength and the need of deepening my vocal capacities.
You don’t become a singer over one night, what did you have to do to become a singer, what were the good things in this and obviously there should have been lesser things as well?
Listening to a lot of music, I’ve ever had a certain predisposition to singing but in order to improve my voice, I began to study opera singing, at first in private schools and then at the Conservatoire. It wasn’t so simple because not all the teachers are as good as one hopes. I’m not so old ;) but at my times there wasn’t internet, so also the study of a repertoire was more difficult as well as to find the material and so on…
We know you as a very passionate musician, can you explain what music and singing means for you?
They’re my reason of living. Without music I feel lost and my life seems empty, senseless.
Many people might know you as being the singer of Gothica, how was it to be part of this band, what do you remember of these days?
It wasn’t so unlike from now, I was the founder of Gothica so I had the same tasks as now. However, there was a fundamental difference: people bought more CDs and were more interested in the artistic and intellectual side of a project.
After Gothica you started your own band called Hexperos, was it hard to start all over again?
Yes, it was. We started with a lot of enthusiasm, much more than before, but at the beginning it seemed that my name was unknown and it was most difficult to find good places where to play; to tell the truth till now we’ve a few requests to play live, but we’re sure that things will change with our second album.
Can you give a brief introduction to Hexperos and your visions / ideals you have with this band?
Hexperos is music of love and mystery. The name Hexperos comes from Hesperides and Hesperos, which is the name of the first star that appears at twilight.
The Hesperides are myths that care of a tree with golden apples and they sing with sweet voices. They represent for us a conjuction of arts and styles. We try to evoche (with my voice, my lyrics and with our music) from the Mediterranean style to the north European one, from ancient cultures to the modern one. Much importance is given to the texts of the songs and often you can find significant quotes or passages transposed into music.
How do you look back on the first Hexperos album “The garden of Hesperides”, did it bring you what you expected? Was it a successful album for you?
We’re really satisfied of our first album but we know that it was a particular album and so it wasn’t a popular one.
In Hexperos you play with your partner Francesco Forgione, is it a plus to have a band with your partner?
Since music is my life, I get in love to a musician, I’m lucky because Francesco is a wonderful composer and plays many instruments. Yes, I think that it is a plus: music becomes a mutual target. Sometimes it is also the reason of our quarrels but it’s beautiful to share such an important thing.
The music of Hexperos, is it created in perfect harmony between you and Francesco or is there always some tension that leads to creativity? How are the songs composed and what role does each of you play in this?
There’re some tensions but they’re an important aspect in order to do a selection, to chisel the songs. The way of composing depends from the song, usually one of us have a spontaneous idea, then Francesco start the arrangements, I help him and make some changes, after that I write a lyric inspired by the atmosphere of the music or I search, among my poetries, one that could fit, after some arrangements. Other times we write the music for some pieces of poetry or prose that we love, (for ex. We put in music Apuleio, Lawrence, A. Merini etc.) after that I try to find a good vocal line inspired by music and words.
When reading your biography it seems that spirituality is really important for you, what does spirituality mean for you?
Spirituality is at the basis of everything. I’ve tried to live, for a short period, following what the most of people say: for them what is important in life it’s a job, money, success etc but after a while that seemed to me a folly. Spirituality is to find a link with nature, the world, people (not everybody ;-))to find an interior serenity, it’s really difficult but I’m working on it!
You are now about to release the second Hexperos album: “The veil of Queen Mab”. When you compare it to the first Hexperos album, what progress did you make?
The second album is more rich in the sound, rhythms and arrangements, we improved also some technical aspects in the recording phase. We’re really proud of this second work.
Can you explain the story behind this album? Can we consider this to be a concept album or not?
In a way it is, it was born with this idea. The title of this new album "THE VEIL OF QUEEN MAB" comes from El velo de la reina Mab by the Nicaraguan writer and poet Rubén Darío (1867 - 1916). A short tale from the collection Azul whose immense lyricism, resulted of melancholia and fairy tales, has brought fame to Dario’s verses, and in which we find typical South American magical realism, ancient mythology and pure fantasy.
Queen Mab is a creation of the Anglo-Saxon mythology, probably with roots in the Celtic legends. She is the queen of dreams. Many will remember Shakespeare mentioning her, through the mouth of Mercutio, in the scene IV of the first Act of Romeo and Juliet, or refer to her myth in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Apart from Darío and Shakespeare, quoted here in our lyrics, many other artists have also paid tribute to Queen Mab in their works, from classical painters, writers or composers, up to Rock bands, cartoonists and film makers.
In our album, like in Darìo’s tale, Queen Mab is seen as an inspiring Diva or Goddess. She is the comforter. It is thanks to her veil, “el velo de los sueños, de los dulces sueños, que hacen ver la vida de color de rosa” (“the veil of dreams, of sweet dreams, that make the world appear rose-colored”), that sadness abandons the heart of the four protagonists of the story. In their chests, Queen Mab has placed hope and a touch of vanity that bring solace to these poor artists - a painter, a sculptor, a musician and a writer - when faced with their deep disappointments.
The moon is yet a recurring figure on this album. In fact, it is another source of inspiration for many artists, and perhaps simply one of the various faces of the artist’s Muse.
The rest of my lyrics are inspired by Mother Nature and, as always, by the atmospheres found in Gothic literature.
This is an album dedicated to art and artists, to their physical and spiritual journeys, to their efforts and, above all, to the magnificent and sometimes terrible Mother Nature, of whom we all are children.
What were sources of inspirations for you when creating this album? Inspiration doesn’t come only for music but also other forms of art, how do you translate that into music?
Every day life, and many other form of arts, can translate into music thanks to visual art, or better, thanks to the art of imagination. When people read something that they like or every time people escape from a suffering state, hiding their selves in hobbies etc., they work with imagination. What Hexperos do, it’s to transform these images into music, but this last process is almost inexplicable, because it’s helped by inspiration. Inspiration is a gift, one can think that this gift is the fruit of our experiences or simply the present of a Supreme Spirit, or both of them.
I was surprised when listening to the Queen Mab track because halfway this track it gets a martial feeling when the percussion is added, what is the most surprising element on this album in your eyes?
Yes, that represent the pacific war everybody must stand everyday in order not to be suppressed by consumerism and the risk of be flattened. Yes, we too think that the new rhythms could be the most surprising elements on this album.
Did you use guest musicians on this album, if so who can be heard?
Hexperos basically are Francesco and I but Francesca Romana Di Nicola is a stable element so as, in the recording phase ,Alessandro Pensa. In this album there is also Manuel Manzitti at the bassoon, (instruments that gives a particular shade and atmosphere at the tracks but don’t express itself in solos) and Riccardo Prencipe who plays the guitar in the last track which is a cover.
Often soprano vocals are considered to be cold by people yet you touch the souls of people, what is the secret of touching people in their heart?
Maybe the fact that I use different vocal techniques not only the classic one, trying to express more the meaning of the lyrics than to show my ability as a singer.
In live concerts you can only work with a small live band, how do you bring the songs live and will the live versions deviate from the album versions?
We love to re arrange some songs for the live sections, to bring something new to our audience, to play some songs acoustic, but thanks to technology, we can recreate a virtual orchestra and play on it the solo instruments live. Of course, if the violinist is not present, for example, the flute will play its part etc.
What do you prefer, the creative part of creating new music or doing live shows in which you can interact with people?
Both of these aspect are wonderful. When we play live it’s the coronation of our strengths; the creative part it’s the fulcrum of everything.
Are you a sun or moon person, which of it appeals to you the most and why?
I would like to be a sun person but I think to be a moon one because I’m more serene, less joyous, more introspective person.
Besides Hexperos you are doing many other things, one of them is “Stella Nova” in which you also play ancient instruments. What instruments do you play and are there still instruments you want to learn how to play?
Beside singing, I play transversal flute with Hexperos, I’m able to play a bit of piano too, with Stella Nova I sing and play above all percussions. I can play a bit hammered dulcimer too and I do it on the new album. Who knows in the future, all the instruments are fascinating, but I think I will specialize only in few of them. By the way, Francesco is better than me, he plays so many instruments!
Why do you have so many other musical projects, what do they mean to you, do they keep you fresh and open minded?
Yes, it’s important for a musician, to play different kinds of music to enrich his culture and technique, also for a composer it’s important in order to gain inspiration. Often, the best ensembles are those who pour in their music various genres of various époques like Dead Can Dance. Furthermore for a soprano as me it’s important to sing in classic concerts, it’s an important moment of growth.
How does the perfect Alessandra day looks like?
It’s not perfect at all, often I like to relax, maybe too much. Anyway, it depends from the day but more or less, I wake up and have breakfast, then I stay a bit at the computer to reply at e mails etc. I practice a bit with the flute and voice. In the afternoon usually I teach singing lessons and before going to bed I read. As soon as I’ve time, during the day, I play with my rabbits whom I love so much and take care of my little garden on the balcony, I watch at the countryside and its colours. I share most of these activities with Francesco.
What are your dreams and wishes for the future?
Play more live concerts and keep on recording good albums.
Any last words for the readers?
Buy CD, support music!
Join us on myspace and facebook where we can share thoughts about art and music!
www.myspace.com/hexperos
www.hexperos.com