The voice, he says Massimo Popolizio, it’s not the only thing that matters for an actor. When you read a book, like he did for Audible, it is also important to take into consideration two other aspects: imagination and fantasy. Because the listener must be given the opportunity to recreate an entire world within himself. In the case of The Fellowship of the Ringthe first novel in JRR Tolkien’s trilogy, Popolizio tried to respect the density of the story and the richness of the story.
Reading, in this way, has turned into a real journey. The complexity of The Lord of the Rings, explains Popolizio, lies in its being many things at the same time and in offering itself to anyone without making any distinction. Great literature, after all, is universal and speaks a clear language for all. Considerations, evaluations and opinions, he continues, come at a later time and belong solely to the public.
Massimo Popolizio.
What do you remember about the first time you read it? The Lord of the Rings?
I’ve never read it before. I’ve seen the movies. I’m not a big fan of fantasy, I admit it. But I’ll tell you one thing. Being able to read books I hadn’t read before was undoubtedly a great privilege.
In what sense?
In the sense that, in order to read them as I did, I had to study them. I didn’t stop at the surface. And this was a precious opportunity. Because I had the time I needed to get to the bottom of it.
And what struck you?
This is a rather complex story. What struck me is the incredible richness that lies behind such a work. And this richness is not limited to the plot. It goes through the language, the translation, the structure of the story and the refinement of some characters. I was struck by the density.
In your opinion, does this density and depth of themes and topics once again reiterate the tendency to underestimate the public and its passions?
Probably yes, that’s right. And perhaps, rather than underestimating the public, the point is the prejudice we have and continue to have towards a certain type of literature. We tend to believe that a trilogy like that of The Lord of the Rings is aimed only at a certain type of reader and this is not the case. It is a universal story, which can touch anyone. And reading it I realized it, and I felt the responsibility to give it back to the listeners.
Before he spoke to me about complexity. What does it mean in this case?
First of all it doesn’t mean seriousness. Complexity is something else, and includes many implications and elements. Complexity can imply, just as it does The Lord of the Ringsa certain lightness and a certain naivety.
In general, do you think there is almost a lack of this complexity? That is, to be many things together and not necessarily just one?
Absolutely. And I’ll tell you more: by reading The Fellowship of the Ring, it almost felt like I was reading a lasagna. I mean: there were constantly new layers to deal with and analyze and new parts to understand. It is precisely these levels that make de The Lord of the Rings a complex work. And then there is the question of time.
Tell me.
Never just one thing happens at one time; several happen at the same time. And we continually go back and forth, sometimes moving from one place to another.
In recent years, Tolkien has been at the center of many disputes: the right claims him for itself, while there are those who categorically deny this belonging. Did you recognize a political weight and value to the author more than to the man?
Allow me to take a step back. If we decided to read this book with Audible, it was first and foremost because it was missing from the catalog and it was important to make it available to the public. We read it to give readers and listeners something they should have. Then they decide the value and meaning of a work. And each of us, clearly, is free to find what he wants. These disputes, as you know, become relevant again almost suddenly, suddenly, and have very little to do with academic debate.
What relationship do you have with reading?
In general? (laughs, ed.) Do you happen to have six hours? Jokes aside, reading is a fundamental part of my job. And only sometimes I can read for pure pleasure. When you read for work, it means you are continually studying. Once they are the scripts, other times they are the texts you need for what you have to do. And you are certainly lucky, because you also get paid to do it. When you read for pleasure, however, you read solely for yourself. I do it in bed, before going to sleep: lying down, with the pillow behind my shoulders and the light on. I read things I’ve never read and that’s lucky too.
Is there a favorite thing to read?
Lately I’ve been reading some scientific texts. There is a beautiful book, which is called The queens of the abyss and which tells the story of whales. As a shell collector, I am always curious to know what happens in the sea and the ocean.
Are you one of those readers who buy more books than you can actually read?
Troisi said: I am alone, and they, the writers, are many. (laughs, ed.) Let’s say I like having books, yes. That is, I like having the physical copy. In the countryside, I have this container house. And I have lots of them there. Owning them, in a way, makes me feel better.
Why?
I come from a poor family and have three brothers. And maybe owning books makes me feel smarter, richer, than I actually am. I convinced myself that thanks to books I can live better.
Is the voice an actor’s most important tool?
If we’re talking about an actor who reads audiobooks, yes, the voice is definitely very important. But other things are also important.
For example?
Fantasy and imagination. As an actor, I have to be able to convey certain sensations to those who listen to me. And I have to give something more. And something more, in this case, means something different compared to the experience you can have alone and at home with a particular book. When there is another person reading for you, you must be ready not only to listen to them but also to trust them.
I’ll try to reverse the question: how important are silences, on the contrary, for those who are actors?
Silence only holds when you can see. In that case, silence can coincide with a pause. If I read a book and take a break, it may mean that the power has gone out. (laughs, ed.) More generally, however, I can tell you that silence is a very precious asset for our lives. And in a show it has a specific role and weight.
How long did it take to read The Fellowship of the Ring?
We did a calculation. It took more or less twelve five-hour shifts.
At a certain point, The Lord of the Rings did you get bored?
This is something that happens often. You also create a love-hate relationship with shows when you repeat them many times. Do you know what happens in the end, though? That makes you want to move forward and resume the story. Now, for example, I want to read the other two volumes of The Lord of the Rings.
In your opinion why?
Because I lack the experience that such books represent. When you do work like this, you end up going on a journey, even internally. In five hours, anything can happen. And not just around you, I repeat: but within you.
And do you even end up dreaming these stories?
We end up dreaming of the fatigue they bring with them, yes.
And does this effort risk alienating her from everything else? Can reading a book and dealing with the mechanical repetitiveness of the gesture distance you from the world?
The tone, and therefore the pace with which you begin a book, must always be maintained. In this case, what we were trying to achieve was a fabula tone, with someone telling a story to someone else. While reading a book like The Lord of the Rings, you have to imagine that you have a listener in front of you. And what you have to do is try to engage this listener at every moment. The fabula tone is complex, and includes many things. And yes, this can test you.
Where the music of The Lord of the Rings?
I believe in nature, in everything that happens around the characters and which, nevertheless, resists and reveals itself: the trees, the wind; the cultivated fields, the forests, the more or less populous cities. The inns.
What is your favorite character?
The weather. Because that too is a de character The Lord of the Ringsand it is one of the most important.
The audiobook of The Fellowship of the Ring, read by Massimo Popolizio, is available on Audible.it. The audiobooks of The Two Towers and The Return of the King will arrive in late 2024.
Audible The Fellowship of the Ring: The Lord of the Rings 1
Gianmaria Tammaro is a freelance journalist specializing in entertainment and culture. He collaborates with newspapers, such as La Stampa and La Repubblica, and magazines, such as Esquire and Rivista Studio. He was born in Naples, and in Naples he was artistic director of the CartooNa section of COMICON. Subsequently he became an editorial consultant for Lucca Comics and Games; he directed the first edition of QMI’s SeriesCon, in Milan, and has edited several original podcasts for Lucky Red, Circuito Cinema and MUBI. On Fanpage he holds the Controcampo column, dedicated to producers; on Best Movie, however, Inside the clouds where he talks about comics; finally, on Cinecittà News, he signs A life as a protagonist, an in-depth space on the characters of television series. On Disuniti, a self-produced project published openly on Instagram, he interviews figures from Italian culture and entertainment.
