by MK
All photographs courtesy of Keiron Mayora
Every Saturday we’re spotlighting remarkable local females who could change the way we look at the world. This Saturday is Elisa Colummi’s turn, an international musical star, who traveled the world only to find the one back home in Trieste.
Are you a Triestina?
Yes, I was born and raised here in a pretty normal family. My parents were together their whole lives and I am an only child. I have always been my dad’s little girl. Unfortunately, he passed away 8 years ago but I feel he’s still with me.
What does it mean to be from Trieste?
This city has a unique identity. Trieste is the only place in Italy where you have churches of every religion and various communities peacefully living together. We are part of the border culture, so we are closed at the beginning. But once we get to know people, we open up. We have been through wars and other historical events which made our character what it is. Unfortunately, there are still people who never travel and thus have a very closed mentality, but I believe it’s slowly changing.
When did you know you wanted to become a singer?
Everyone in my family has always loved music. We always had tickets for Verdi or Rossetti. My grandmother, who was from Puglia, wanted to become an opera singer but she wasn’t allowed to as it wasn’t considered a “real job”. I remember one day my mom heard me humming opera tunes, I was about 12, and she started clapping in amazement, saying “she can sing!”. She was so happy.
Fantastic. And then what?
My parents asked me if I wanted to study music and I said absolutely yes. I knew I wanted to become a musical singer and when I graduated from high school and told my parents about my plans they were very supportive. However, they insisted on me finishing university first. I started studying foreign languages and literatures, which were my other passions. When in my sophomore year I was accepted in a Musical Academy in Bologna, I pleaded my parents to let me go and they agreed. It was a big deal, as the Academy has a high tuition and my parents had to support me while I was living in Bologna.
Why musicals and not operas?
You know, to be part of the musical, you have to have the voice as well as the appearance of the character. As opposed to opera, where the voice is the most important tool and looks don’t really matter. I knew from early on that musicals were more my thing.
You’re lucky!
Yes, I was definitely really lucky. It wasn’t easy graduating both from the University and the Academy in the same year but I made it happen. Of course, financially it was straining, and after talking to my teachers at the Academy, I got a full scholarship so I didn’t have to pay tuition. In return, I would mop the school’s floors every night. As I was doing that I remember thinking that one day I’d be performing on stage. I wasn’t wrong.
Yes?
Just two weeks after graduating from the Bologna Academy, I got my first real break – I was casted in the Beauty and the Beast musical. I got really lucky as back then it was the only production in Milan and after the audition the director told me, “find yourself a place to live, the rehearsals start tomorrow.”
All the hard work paid off!
Yes, I was incredibly happy. I came out of the theater and instantly called my mom. We were both crying on the phone! Later, seeing my parents’ faces in the audience at the premier of the musical, after years of continuous support, made me incredibly grateful. I always believed I could make it, I knew I just needed to be patient to get to where I wanted to be, and I did.
Well done!
It was definitely, a dream come true. I started performing in musicals while traveling the world. Then my dad passed away and that had a huge impact on me as I wasn’t in Trieste, but back in Milan. I felt really guilty. After months of hesitation, I quit working in theaters and got the job of a headliner on a cruise ship, first Italian an then German lines, where I worked for 6 years. It was great times as I was doing exactly what I wanted, plus the pay was great.
That sounds amazing.
Yes, but after some years, I knew something was missing. You know, it’s really hard to have a relationship while working on a cruise ship as people tend to cheat a lot, covering it up as a “ship life”, like it has no connection to reality. I was getting tired of that, I wanted to have a real partner, someone I could be devoted to. When I was back in Trieste on a break, I talked to my mom and decided to quit. Later I thought, that was probably my dad protecting me. It was 2020 and just a few months later pandemic hit.
So you’re back in Trieste!
Yes, I stayed and eventually got an administrative job at Burlo. Two years ago, when I had just moved back here, a friend invited me to a dinner party at Hilton, and that evening changed my life forever. That night I met my Ivan and we’re getting married this summer.
Wow, congratulations!
Thank you, I know I am blessed. I believe you can get anything you want as long as you work for it and trust the process. You know, I never believed in love at first sight but that’s exactly what happened between us. Within weeks after meeting each other, we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.
Plans for the future?
This summer is going to be big for me, as I’m getting married in June in a beautiful castle in Gorizia. I already have a dress! Then I’ll be singing in the musical gala at San Giusto on 3 August and right after that we’re going on our honeymoon in Polynesia. I can’t wait!
