July 7, 2025
Athens, GR 14 C
Expand search form
Blog

I used to be a stuntman, says Covent Garden’s lead tenor

I used to be a stuntman, says Covent Garden’s lead tenor

The Italian singing Manrico in The Royal Opera’s Trovatore used to muscle in as an extra in movies with Hollywood stars.

Riccardo Massi tells the Express he had funded his music studies as a stuntman at Rome’s Cinecittà studios. If there was not enough work there, he filled in as a bouncer at Rome nightclubs.

“I joined a dojo that was teaching medieval fighting with the sword and shield, spear, knife, double sword,” he says. “It was very well-connected with the stuntman community.”

For almost a decade, he worked on local and international projects, learning from all the stars: “We were not allowed to speak to the actors,” he says, “but I was doing what Italians call ‘steal with your eyes.’ Especially Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York (pictured, 2nd row). That guy is amazing, always in character, even off camera.”

Continues here.

The post I used to be a stuntman, says Covent Garden’s lead tenor appeared first on Slippedisc.

Previous Article

La Scala bans entry to tank-tops and shorts

Next Article

US deports Czech soloist

You might be interested in …

A US orchestra shuts down

A US orchestra shuts down

The Southwest Florida Symphony has announced closure. FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 29, 2025) – After more than six decades of presenting outstanding orchestral performances for the enrichment, entertainment and education of the community, the Southwest […]

Central Ohio commissions a theremin

Central Ohio commissions a theremin

The earliest known electronic instrument is something of an intellectual cult. So it’s quite a surprise to find it being played at the Central Ohio Symphony. And this is just the beginning. The world premiere […]

And another New York opera closes down

And another New York opera closes down

On Site Opera has just announced shut down. The decision to sunset was driven by an increasingly challenging environment in funding for the arts combined with rising operational costs. These factors have made it significantly […]