At her home in Puerto Madero, renowned soprano Verónica Cangemi reviews her career and talks about her love for Gustavo Grobocopatel.

“When you love something and you're convinced of that passion, you go for it despite all the sacrifices you have to make,” says Verónica Cangemi (61), one of the world's most renowned sopranos. And, in her case, her passion for singing and music emerged very early, in a home where that same passion was already in the air.

Born in Guaymallén, Mendoza, she is the great-niece of the poet and folklorist Hilario Cuadros and the daughter of Fenicia “Pepa” Magioglio Cangemi, a lyrical singer who dedicated her entire life to teaching: she taught at the National University of Cuyo, but also at the Teatro Colón and in several European countries. “When I saw my mother singing on stage, I had no doubts: I wanted to be there too and be an artist like her,” says Verónica, with a Mendoza accent that remains intact despite having lived thirty years in France, and as many in Germany and Italy, following the iron discipline of an athlete in the major leagues of opera.

Winner of prestigious international awards, such as the Diapason d'Or Paris (she won it four times) or the International Professional Music BraVo Award (2023 for Best Classical Music Performer), Cangemi –as she is known– has specialized in baroque: “Unlike bel canto, where the figure of the diva is central, in the world of baroque you work together: the voice is one more instrument that is connected to everything else,” she tells ¡HOLA! Argentina , while now, in her apartment that she has shared for seven years with the businessman and musician Gustavo Grobocopatel (63), a jazz playlist begins to play.

–You've had a wealth of accomplishments since the beginning of your career. Do you feel like, having been in those big leagues, you missed out?

–My love for singing and discipline helped me get where I wanted to be, but it hasn't all been so beautiful. The same year my mom signed me up to participate in an international concert [which allowed her, at 18, to study abroad and begin her international career], my dad died of a stroke: Mom was left to care for me and my younger sister [well-trained in singing, Patricia Cangemi has especially dedicated herself to tango]. Had leaving been the right thing to do? Over these more than three decades, I went through many difficult times, like when I faced a long and stressful divorce [with her first husband, Verónica had two sons: Joaquín and Manuel, ages 26 and 22, respectively]. At the time, proving in court that you could work while traveling the world and be a responsible mother was difficult. But I'm willing to fight back. Was it worth it? If you have passion, the sacrifice is worth it: the curtain rises and your spirit is lifted. In every theater in the world where I've sung, I've done it as if it were the last time. It makes me happy. And what better proof than seeing my two sons? They're both artists; they inherited the same passion for music that runs in the family: Joaquín is a guitarist and tenor; and Manuel, a pop guitarist and music producer.

–And how did Gustavo Grobocopatel come into your life?

–Pure synchronicity. It was bound to happen. A few years ago, knowing I was going to Mendoza for a few days, my mother and I were invited to a chamber music concert. When I asked who was hosting it, they replied: “A businessman who sings.” I declined: I had little time, many commitments, and wasn't up for listening to a “businessman who sings.” [Laughs.] Then, they told me his last name—it was difficult, and, truth be told, I didn't remember it—they asked me if they could give him my cell phone number; and they insisted: “He's the king of soybeans.” The truth is, opera has always been surrounded by kings, princes, and millionaires. So, whether he was the king of soybeans or chickpeas didn't mean anything to me—I was, however, interested, later, in learning about his family's history, how they built a company, and knowing that he was the first person in his family to graduate. But finally, I agreed to go to the concert: "If she sings well, I'll stay; if not, I'll leave," I told the organizers. And she sang very well!

-And then?

–At that moment, I didn't even look at him! After the concert, he spoke to my mom: he knew she was connected to Lucía Maranca's favorite composers, Gustavo's singing teacher, and he wanted to meet her. My mother is one of the few singers left who knew the repertoire he likes. Afterwards, I returned to Paris, where I was living. We met again when I came to sing Pelléas et Mélisande at the Colón in 2018. And we started dating. When Gustavo came into my life, I had been single for ten years, which doesn't mean I was alone... because I was never alone: ​​I have two wonderful children, I have my job with a lot of traveling, and friends everywhere. But it was a time when I had learned to be with myself without needing a partner.

–Did your children get jealous?

–Maybe, at first… seeing me with someone after so much time was a bit difficult for them. [Laughs.] They're two men! But Gustavo has an incredible way of being and reaching people. It was all very easy. We come from completely different worlds, we have different jobs, but many things unite us, especially music, a universal language that brings you closer to people. During the pandemic, Gustavo and I made an album together called Entre dos mundos (Between Two Worlds ), with a mix of classical and popular songs, with chamber music and folklore.

–Sometimes, in everyday life, music can be just not enough. Was living together a challenge?

–I love challenges! I never say, “I’ve reached this age; I’m not going to change.” Every day I learn something new. At first, when we decided to move in together, we lived for a while with Verónica’s daughter, Margarita; it was a great experience. But we’re not a blended family: our children each live their own lives [Joaquín, Verónica’s oldest son, lives in Italy; and Milo, the youngest, is about to settle in Los Angeles; the businessman and musician has a total of four children from his marriage to Paula Marra: Rosendo, a political scientist; Margarita, a doctor; Olivia, a historian; and Álvaro]. I like waking up and being able to make breakfast or cook for the person I’m with.

–Do you cook?

–I love it. Thanks to opera, I was able to settle with my suitcase in many places around the world: I had to make that place my little world, sometimes for days, sometimes for a few months. I lived in Lyon, France, where nouvelle cuisine was born: I would go to lunch at Paul Bocuse's school [one of the driving forces behind that culinary movement] on Sundays, when the students were practicing their revolutionary dishes; or I would try to look through the large windows to learn. I prepare a starter, main course, and dessert for Gustavo.

–He's said you've made a lot of changes in his life: that since he's been with you, he's become more studious about music and even dresses better thanks to you…

–[Laughs]. Gustavo is incredibly gifted in singing! And I always insist that he never stop studying. And, as for fashion, Gustavo isn't particularly interested in it. I, on the other hand, am fascinated by fashion. To this day, I remember the yellow dress I wore to a fashion show I participated in when I was in elementary school. When I arrived in Europe, I began to explore Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu, and Salvatore Ferragamo, some of the major brands in the opera world. For me, a person's appearance and their clothing are a coherent whole: it speaks to you, how you express yourself, how well you take care of yourself... Gustavo is very kind and intelligent, but he doesn't adhere to those values; however, I've been telling him, "I'd like to..." And, little by little, he's been paying attention to me. [Laughs].

–Just as you were influenced by the music of your roots [ Entre Mundos ' repertoire features many Cuyo authors and musicians; Diez Tonadas, their second album, is dedicated to Verónica's family], what things about the "Grobo world" do you feel influenced you?

–He taught me the importance of teamwork and “strategizing,” as he says. I met Gustavo at a time when I was trying to put together a transition agenda—because you have to accept that there comes a point where your vocal cords are going to age, and I want to age gracefully. Without stopping singing 100 percent because singing is what gives me life, I began to think of projects to give back to all they had done for me; to share my experience with young people through different initiatives [Verónica directs the Opera Studio at the Teatro Colón and the Teatro del Bicentenario in San Juan; she runs an international opera singing competition; she created the Orquesta Barroca and conceived Ópera en el Camino, a project to bring opera to different audiences and venues through a truck that can be transformed into a state-of-the-art stage]. With Gustavo's eye on the scene, I was consolidating these projects that bring me joy. Since I no longer have three hundred concerts a year, nor the demanding training I had for decades, we can go out to dinner, make plans, or travel: Gustavo made me discover places in the world that, due to my schedule, I had never been able to visit.

–After seven years together, can marriage also be a project?

We don't think about it. We live day by day. When you reach a certain point in life, being together is very nice, and being able to share music, children, and projects fills you with satisfaction. We have the same goal: to nurture this love so that it's healthy and that it thrives on its own. We're a pair: we have two strong personalities, two strong personalities, and two strong egos. We love each other, respect each other, and admire each other. If he's doing well, I love it; and I'm happy that he continues to pursue his challenges. He's proud that I'm "la Cangemi," just as I'm proud that he's "el Grobo."

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