Within Italian culture, the connection between music and wine is truly a match made in heaven. A famous example illustrating this can be found in a scene from Mozart’s legendary opera Don Giovanni: “Pour the wine! That excellent Marzemino!”
Mozart’s great love of Italian wine is evident here, as he references one of the many native Italian grape varieties – Marzemino – which is grown predominantly in Trentino-Alto Adige and a few other regions in northern Italy.
Nicholas Renfree-Marks, an Australian by passport but Italian at heart, is a sommelier in Melbourne and a member of the group The Ten Tenors. Despite his deep passion for opera and fine Italian wine (among his favourites is Lombardy’s Franciacorta), Nick originally aspired to become a lawyer.
While at university, Nick was inspired by a friend preparing to move to the United States, so he decided that he too would pack his bags and head to California.
Driven by his love of horses, he lived and worked on a ranch. He later moved to New York, where he discovered that he also had a love for Broadway musicals. Without hesitation, Nick returned to Melbourne and auditioned for a drama school.
“I stayed for three years, but in the end, I quit. It just wasn’t for me,” he shared.
“I don’t know if I was too sensitive or if it was just too hard, but I gave up and went back to studying law.”
But fate intervened and Nick landed a temporary job as assistant to the artistic director of an opera production, allowing him to reacquaint himself with his love for the performing arts.
“I have a natural affinity for Italian opera, and the tenor role suits my vocal range and singing abilities,” he said.
“My repertoire includes Puccini and Verdi. I’ve performed with both the Victorian Opera and Australian Opera.
“But at some point, I told myself that life was too demanding, and I took a break.”
Nicholas Renfree-Marks
Nick then moved to the southern part of Gippsland, deciding to return to his other great passions: horses and wine. He bought a small farm, planted Pinot Noir vineyards and raised horses.
“I often spoke with local winemakers, who discouraged me from making wine with my grapes,” Nick revealed.
The life of a winemaker is full of uncertainty and heavily influenced by Mother Nature. Due in part to the breakdown in trade relations with China, traditionally a major market for Australian wine, Nick sold his property in Gippsland and returned to Melbourne.
“I bought an apartment and told myself, ‘I want to return to opera!’”
Nick then auditioned to join The Ten Tenors and after a seven-year hiatus returned to the stage.
“Before I could even realise what was happening, I was already on a plane to Auckland,” he recalled.
“We landed in the middle of the night, and by 6 a.m. we were already at a radio station recording a commercial.
“Then, we rushed to Christchurch for the dress rehearsal and, before I knew it, the performance was already over!”
The tenor admits he was very nervous to return to the stage after being away from the spotlight for so long and without having trained during that time.
“Many people told me I’d made a mistake by stopping for so long, that I’d never get back to where I was because I was already over 30,” he shared, “But I worked hard, practicing three times a day every day for two months.”
Nick notes that the success of most great tenors actually comes at a mature age, because a young man’s vocal cords are not yet ready for the full demands of major operas.
“It’s like training a young horse,” he explained, “If you push too hard before its bone structure is fully developed, you can cause serious damage. The same applies to the vocal cords of a young tenor.”
Nick’s greatest dream is to one day sing in Italy, which he has already visited and fondly remembers.
“When I sing in Italian, it’s as if the vowels become visible,” he said, “There’s a wonderful opening of the throat that gives life to bel canto.
“The Italian language doesn’t break off like English; it begs to be sung. I’m sure there’s a singer inside every Italian!”
Nick admits that in Australia, the tenor’s craft isn’t taken as seriously as it is in the Bel Paese. But that hasn’t diminished his immense love for opera.
“When I sing, I feel like I’m flying. I let myself be carried away like an eagle,” he shared.
“If you don’t worry and there’s no tension, you can just float in the air like a kite.”
