Lorenzo Viotti, conductor. “Perfume and music are complex arts that convey simple emotions”

He, who is now the music director of the Dutch National Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra, speaks perfect French. The day after his concert at La Scala in February, Lorenzo Viotti, the new face of Bulgari Rain Essence, welcomed us to the jewelry group’s hotel in Milan. We talked about perfume, childhood memories and self-feeling.

In the video, the trend of miniature perfume kits on Tiktok

Madame Figaro –We are more used to models and actors as perfume muses, less to conductors. How are you experiencing this new feature?
Lorenzo Viotti: It was also very surprising for me to receive this request. Because I am not very famous, even if the profession of a conductor is quite exceptional. Of course, I was a little skeptical at first. I don’t accept something unless I find some form of identification with what I do, something that I would like to share somewhere other than theaters. But what particularly attracted me was the approach. with nature, the relationship of the senses, the search for the absolute, the search for the perfect that does not exist, the subtle emotion that everyone can feel differently when we play in the same room for different. people… In short, all the bridges that can be found between the world of perfumery and my profession. There is a kind of mystery around the latter: I move with my hands, people don’t know why… As for the perfume, it evaporates on our skin. We don’t really know where it goes, how it will react, there is also a question mark at the end. But there, nothing but the history of Bulgari and its perfumes… Just talk to someone from the house to realize that it’s a bit like a symphony.

Were you familiar with the world of perfumery?
No way ! It was very mysterious to me. I myself had never been able to choose a perfume in my life because I did not understand this universe. A bit like people who say they don’t understand classical music after all. But when you talk to people who are truly passionate, they open doors for you with simple words. It’s ultimately the same thing I do with the public when I talk to them. It is an art of great complexity, but one that conveys a very simple feeling.

When you talk to people who are truly passionate, they open doors for you with simple words.

Lorenzo Viotti

Staying in the olfactory realm, are there any scents that marked you as a child?
Yes, of course there is my mother’s, my grandfather’s perfume, mine No No ! I can’t give you the name, but it will last a lifetime. like the first time you arrive in the south of France on an incredibly hot summer night and all these smells grab you.

Bulgari’s new fragrance is associated with rain, an element that some find romantic and others depressing. Which camp do you place yourself in?
For me, it is first of all a very generous element, because thanks to the rain, many things come back to life. Flowers grow, insects hatch. It really is life. After spending five months a year in Amsterdam, I get really tired of the rain sometimes (she laughs). But I find it very romantic. In this city, for example, walking in the rain is very beautiful. It’s like an element of scenery, like in a theater, which completely changes the atmosphere, the smell, the perception… Rain can travel, it’s also very melancholic.

Are you talking about travel? Is there a smell in particular that makes you want to travel?
(Long silence.) I really think about the smell of places that are further south. This is where I spent almost all my summers with my family. And those are the best memories of my life. My father traveled a lot, but when we were on vacation, he was with us 100%.

And the smell that makes you salivate?
The chocolate fondant. When I come home, my mom knows I love it. I’m in my room and I can already feel the chocolate starting to melt. Then he calls his two sons. Even at the age of 33, and soon to be 30 for my brother, we get to lick the dish. We still fight like we were 5-6 years old to finish with a spoon.

Beyond the gesture of wearing perfume, do you like to take care of yourself?
More and more. Although I believe that “taking care of yourself” starts with a good night’s sleep. I start the morning by stretching, just like our friends the cats do. We sometimes forget, but it is important. And I really try not to pick up my phone right away to open the window and imagine what kind of day I’m going to have. All while drinking a glass of hot water to give my body a nice warmth. And the last 30 seconds of my shower is still very cold. It’s a certain discipline that I impose on myself because when you travel a lot, you can get a little lost. Having a routine almost makes me feel at home while I’m always at different hotels.

Iron man

Are you sporty?
I do a lot of sports. I love paddle tennis. I swim, and I’m going to do two triathlons this summer, so I’ve been working out quite a bit. And my ultimate goal is to make Iron Man(a long-distance triathlon that combines swimming, cycling andraceon foot, editor’s note) next year.

And performing on stage is also a sport, isn’t it?
That’s right, I lose a little over a kilo per show. Then there are concerts that are quieter than others. But last week I played in five different countries 6th symphony By Mahler. One and a half hours of non-stop and emotionally intense music. You have to know how to manage time and your abilities, because if you give it your all in the first 25 minutes, you’re done. It really is a physical marathon, but with a head. And, it is true, the discipline that I acquire through sports helps me a lot.

And what do you do to turn it off?
I go into nature without my phone to try to reconnect with what really matters. It may sound like a joke, but I like to touch the trees, take the soil in my hands, smell and listen to the music that is around us and that is so toxic with buildings, taxis, city life.

We are in Milan, one of the four main fashion capitals. This is the field you are interested in.
Enormously. I have a real artistic interest in the artistic director of the house of Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli, who is simply the height of humility and genius. I try to learn secretly when I watch his work.

Valentino ready-to-wear fall-winter 2023-2024 show

I loved Haider Ackermann’s collection for Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris. It reminds me of a lot of things I try to do with music. The tension of the movement, the choice of music, the color, the charisma of the models… And then, what I wear on stage should also represent what I like. There are codes in this environment, but for me it is above all a question of respect. We are being followed, so we have to be elegant. I don’t mind coming in jeans or sneakers, but I think sometimes you lose the idea of ​​elegance. It doesn’t have to be expensive to dress well. Streetwear has invaded our world, but sometimes it’s good to look good for someone, for some place. This is becoming increasingly rare.

Video: Jean Paul Gaultier fashion show by Haider Ackermann