Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Opera legend Mirella Freni is both merciless and entertaining as she guides young students through arias by Puccini, Verdi and Mozart in a Caracas master class.

Over a seafood lunch in a courtyard restaurant after the lesson on Monday, Freni, an energetic 72 in black trousers and a lime-green jacket, discussed her pilot project for a Latin American opera academy, which launches today. Student singers selected from auditions in major cities will attend master classes in Caracas, starting in September.

Freni was coaxed to head the academy by conductor Claudio Abbado, who had been urged on by Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela's state foundation for youth orchestras. His visionary project involves free instruments and music lessons for children from the age of three, and has seen the number of orchestras increase from one to 130 over the past 30 years.

I asked Freni about her involvement.

Apthorp: What brought you to Venezuela?

Freni: At least two years ago, they started to contact us in our school at Vignola, asking me to come and give master classes. It was only when Maestro Claudio Abbado called me and explained about the humanitarian background of the music-education system in Venezuela that I understood what this was all about. So I said we would try to find a time. And finally we have. I am happy to be here, because what they are doing is fascinating and very moving.

Time for Opera

Apthorp: What's so special about it?

Freni: It's incredible what Maestro Abreu has achieved here, what he has done and what he continues to do for these children. We went out to one of their schools a few days ago. Many of them come from poor families, some of them are blind or deaf or have other disabilities, and all of them make the most beautiful music together. This is my first visit to Venezuela, but I will come again whenever I can because what is happening here has touched me. They already have orchestras, so now it's time for opera.

Apthorp: Is there a lot of talent here?

Freni: There are incredibly beautiful voices. We will only know later whether there is more because talent also depends on musicality, intelligence and hard work. I can't say after two weeks whether someone will be the new Caruso. It takes years to understand what a singer might be able to do. The students have made progress in just two weeks, but it's only the beginning.

Apthorp: You have a career that spans more than 50 years to draw on. How much does that influence the way you teach?

Damage Prevention

Freni: Well, I have a long career. I know all about technique, because I worked on it all my life. And I had to teach myself. I can hear immediately what problems my students are having, and why. So from my own experience I can help them not to damage their voices.

Apthorp: The opera world has changed a lot in the past 50 years. What do you think about the changes?

Freni: The problem, I think, is that there are not enough good teachers. And now everything is fast, nobody waits to build their voice the right way.

Apthorp: You are famous for saying no to Herbert von Karajan after years of collaboration when he asked you to sing Puccini's ``Turandot.''

Freni: Yes! I said, ``Maestro, no!'' He said, ``But Mirella, you have the top notes, fantastic, easy!'' And I said, ``Yes, Maestro, but I have not the color of the voice. I am not a dramatic soprano.'' It's important to say no sometimes. He was not happy at all, but I went on to sing a lot of dramatic roles later.

Apthrop: What is your secret?

Freni: It's only to work correctly, naturally, to respect discipline, to sing the right things. For a long career, you need the right technique. Thank God I worked really hard all my life, because through the years your body changes. So your technique must change, too, if you want to keep singing.

Apthorp: What are you working on now?

Freni: Nothing. I finished singing. Basta! I have no time. Listen, I work from the morning until the evening. I could do something again -- they are calling me all the time with offers -- but I say no, finito! Now I have another mission. I want to work with the young singers. If they need me, I'll go.

(Shirley Apthorp is a critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer of this story: Shirley Apthorp at sarabande@compuserve.com.

Last Updated: January 23, 2007 23:58 EST