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Italian lawyer gets singing agent

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norman lebrecht

August 20, 2019

Baroque soprano Giulia Semenzato took the precaution of securing a degree in law at the University of Udine before making singing her career.

She has just earned international representation at AskonasHolt.

Comments

Brettermeier says:

August 20, 2019 at 12:42 pm

“securing a doctorate in law at the University of Udine”

More often then not, the Italian “dottore” refers to a bachelor degree. I think that’s the case here.

Robin Worth says:

August 20, 2019 at 6:10 pm

Yes, anyone with a degree is a “dottore/dottoressa” You are probably “professore” if you have a doctorate. Italians are not shy about titles and down south it used to be the case that anyone wanting a tip called you contino. Piu fesso di barone non che…!

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Peter says:

August 20, 2019 at 2:10 pm

Where did you get the “doctorate in law” from? Her Askonas Holt profile refers to a “law degree” and her personal website states clearly that it was a bachelor’s degree. Big difference between a PhD and an undergraduate course.

SoCal Dan says:

August 20, 2019 at 7:21 pm

Peter, here in the States, law school graduates were originally awarded an LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws), but that degree has now been superseded by the J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence). Oddly enough, the advanced degree in law is still called an LL.M. (Master of Laws), which of course assumes that the earlier degree was an LL.B.

The reason for the shift from LL.B. to J.D. is attributed to professional jealousy. Back in the 1960s, lawyers were unhappy about medical school graduates receiving an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), while law school graduates received an LL.B. Lawyers were successful in getting law schools to upgrade the degrees they awarded to a doctorate. Same education, just a better sounding degree.

The change occurred retroactively. It’s still possible to find graduates of Harvard Law School who say they have a “mail order diploma,” from when they turned in their LL.B. for a J.D.

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- David K. Nelson says:
  
  August 21, 2019 at 4:28 pm
  
  There is also a JSD degree which is more like a true PhD in law.
  
  When my late father unexpectedly received his JD diploma in the mail, some 30+ years after graduating from law school, he “proudly” proclaimed that now “Dr. Nelson” could get the prime table reservations at restaurants. He saw no other value in it.
  
  On the actual topic … Paul Robeson had a law degree. I seem to recall one of the great sopranos or mezzos of the 1960s/70s either had a law degree or attended law school and mentioned in an interview that she was fully capable of reading, and negotiating over, the contracts she signed. My memory says it was Grace Bumbry but my memory says a lot of erroneous things these days…
  
  Reply
- Saxon Broken says:
  
  August 23, 2019 at 8:47 pm
  
  Your comment would be relevant if she had a degree from the US, rather than Italy. In that country everyone with an undergraduate is called “Doctor”.
  
  Reply