Carmela Remigio as Donna Elvira: "She moves us with her fragility."

Sunny and empathetic , Carmela Remigio is the "best friend" everyone would love to meet. A star of Italian and international opera , the "Milanese" soprano is performing Mozart's "Don Giovanni," libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, at the Basilica of Maxentius for the Caracalla Festival in Rome , conceived and conducted by Damiano Michieletto; Alessandro Cadario will be on the podium, directed by Vasily Barkhatov. The excellent cast includes Roberto Frontali, making his debut in the title role; Mihai Damian as Leporello (Vito Priante Masetto); Gianluca Buratto as Commendatore (Giorno Ottavio); Anthony León as Don Ottavio; and Eleonora Bellocci as Zerlina; and Maria Grazia Schiavo as Donna Anna. Donna Elvira, a wife abandoned in pursuit of a seducer, has the voice and face of Carmela Remigio.

It's Donna Elvira again... "A female figure with conflicting feelings and, at the same time, moving for her amorous devotion. She's not stupid, she's simply a woman in love. Despite everything, she believes she can save Don Giovanni, she knows he's fragile. In Barkhatov's entertaining and dramatic direction, Elvira chases the enchanter, trying to save him from alcohol and futile conquests. A different interpretation than usual, but melodrama, I'm convinced, must go hand in hand with other artistic expressions of our time. The developments that have taken place in contemporary art in recent decades must make everyone reflect. And opera cannot be left behind."

And what is she like when she's in love? "As I was when I first met Antonio, now my husband. (Di Sabatino, gastroenterologist at San Matteo Hospital and the University of Pavia, ed.) When we met, I had already made my debut at La Scala; he was a medical resident. We stood by each other, supported each other in our careers. Today, he's the head physician at San Matteo. We've been together for 25 years. His scientific values have entered my life, my art into his. He's always been passionate about classical music and opera; he plays the cello; he frequents La Scala much more than I do. Our relationship has always been peaceful, based on mutual giving and receiving; our paths could only intertwine."

She chose Milan as her hometown. What did it give her? "A different approach to the world. I was born in Pescara, I lived in Bologna, and Milan gave me the opportunity to participate in culture, to choose from a variety of theater performances and concerts every evening, to visit exhibitions and museums, and to go to La Scala. I immediately felt part of the city, as if I were born there; it's the metropolis where many would like to move, but it's too expensive."

She made her debut at La Scala at a very young age. At 21, in Monteverdi's "L'Incoronazione di Poppea," they called me the "baby singer." I've sung Mozart and Rossini, and returning to my hometown theater is a dream. After my Mozart phase, I turned to bel canto, giving voice to Donizetti's queens. I won the Abbiati Prize for my interpretation of "Anna Bolena." From the age of five, I played the violin, before turning to singing, and I couldn't help but be seduced by Baroque opera. I confess that I also enjoy rarely performed 20th-century roles, like Casella's "La Donna Serpente," not to mention some of Puccini and Verdi's women. I'm currently working on a virtually unknown opera by Scarlatti, and then I'll be singing "Caterina Cornaro" at the Donizetti Festival in Bergamo. Making my debut very early has taught me to think long and hard before taking on a new role. If success comes at 20, you have to protect it, not throw it away in the wrong parts. In opera, you shouldn't rush.

What does she do when she's off work? "We have five cats, and taking care of them relaxes me."