Interview with the Diva

On the occasion of the run of "Orlando Furioso" at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées the Diva received our foreign correspondent at her beautiful Parisian home and granted the Blog an exclusive interview.


Question:You are celebrating your 25th anniversary on stage this year. In what way have things changed in the opera world since the beginning of your career?

Answer:Its been changing gradually and when that happens one doesn’t notice as much. One thing that has been noticeable however is that while the music itself used to be the most important it is now how young and good looking you are that seems to be of utmost importance. This has happened because agents have decided to put young singers in the position of “Stars” even before they’ve had a chance to prove themselves or pay their “dues”. This isn’t fair to those young people because you can’t just skip the steps it takes to learn your craft, get experience and feel more and more comfortable in your skin onstage. Making money on these singers is the goal and not helping to create a real artist. This will ultimately be detrimental to all involved as the young singer may burn out emotionally, vocally or even come to believe all the hype and never even try to reach their potential and then the career is shortened. Everyone loses in the end.

Q.:In what way , according to you, is opera as an art form still relevant in the 21st century?

A.:Opera will always be relevant because there will always be those people who love it and want it. It speaks to the heart like nothing else can. True, the majority doesn’t understand or even want to, but for the ones who do, it’s eternal.

Q.:You are currently singing Alcina in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso in Paris and on tour in several European cities, a role you have sung many times in concert performances and on a memorable recording with J.-C. Spinosi. It occurred to me during the performance that Alcina who manipulates men and toys with them, like Circe who turns Ulysses’ companions into pigs, begins to lose her grip on things the moment she seriously falls in love, i.e. becomes “human”. How do you see the role of the sorceress in this piece?

A.: Alcina is on a journey that ultimately and surprisingly destroys her. She begins the opera seeing Love as a game. But when she falls in love for real, then she becomes its unrequited victim. She isn’t immune to the power of love or human emotion like she thought she was. It really surprises her in the end and she can’t accept her human like failings.

Q.:You have travelled a long way from the Rosinas and Angelinas of your earlier days to “grown up”-roles like Fricka in “Das Rheingold”, Countess Geschwitz in “Lulu” and upcoming Kostelnicka in “Jenufa” as well as Lady Macbeth! How do you make the transition?

A.:I sing whatever I sing with the voice that I have. There has been a vocal evolution through the years to be sure. My voice has taken on different colors and depths as well as personality, and if it isn’t exactly what it was as a young singer, that’s OK. It’s different and in some ways even better! The roles I have chosen to do through the years exemplify my voice as it is at that given moment. These roles also allow me to enjoy a depth of dramatic feeling and acting that maybe I just wasn’t capable of when I was younger. The transition itself has been rather effortless because I don’t pretend to sing any of these new roles as someone else might sing them but only as I am capable of singing them.

Q.:In recent years you seem to have become a favourite of German director Christof Loy’s. How did this “special relationship” come about and how would you describe working with him?

A.:I first met Christof Loy at my Paris apartment to talk over the role of “Geschwitz” in Berg’s LULU for his new production at Covent Garden. I immediately fell in love with his way of thinking, his joy for the project and ultimately his way of working. The feeling was mutual and after a wonderful MERRY WIDOW in Geneva, we are doing “Macbeth” together at Geneva again and Jenufa at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Q.:You teach masterclasses. How do you see your role, your responsibilty as teacher? In what way do you think young singers can learn from your experience, your career?

A.:Master classes are a passion of mine because I can see such an instant improvement in the well being and therefore the voice of the singer in just that 30 minute session! I don’t presume to teach technically in that amount of time, but I do believe its possible to zero in on the most important thing that could help that specific singer psychologically to open up their body and voice; I seem to be rather good at it so it’s encouraging for the future! I have 25 years of experience to give weight behind the things I say and I feel it’s a real duty to tell others what I’ve been through. That’s why the Q & A sessions at the end are so important.

Q.:Now for some more unpleasant aspects of the opera world; keywords: favouritism, sexism, ageism … Your experiences with any of these.

A.:Of course there is always a bit of all of this happening in the entertainment world, but to tell you he honest truth, I haven’t had terrible experiences that I can remember. The voice is a special animal! People do have their favorites and its not all just about the sound. It has to do with the total package and so I completely understand if I’m passed over for another Mezzo because I just wasn’t what they were looking for! It’s normal. There also comes a time in everyone’s career where you aren’t the new young thing anymore and there’s a new “flavor of the month”. If you’ve sung for 25 years, no matter how good you are, you are “old news” and you shouldn’t even try to compete with the “New”. Let them have their time and enjoy the time you’re in now!

Q.:What do you love most about your life and career right now?

A.:The changes and excitement that come with learning new, dramatic roles into which I can “sink my teeth”! The chance to work with interesting, insightful people, the fact of living in Europe. My family and friends and loved ones make it all worth it!

Q.:How do you deal with the moments when there is just “too much music to learn?”

A.:I get crazy and then just DO it! The only way to make yourself feel better is to do the work.

Q.:You have recently taken up residence in Paris. Do you have a special affinity to this city, to France?

A.:I began my career in France and it was the first country to open wide its arms and welcome me in as a young, unknown singer. I have always loved France and still do!

Q.:Are singers constantly concerned about their voice? Scarves wrapped around the throat, hats, cough drops?

A.: I’m not neurotic about it and made a decision early on not to let it rule me, but a singer must be smart and take care of oneself! You can’t do what normal people do because the instrument is inside the body, so it becomes a way of life to protect yourself.

Q.: Do you follow any rituals before the performance?

A.: Not a one. I’m not superstitious at all!