Richard Eyre's elegant production, which sets the action in 1940s occupied France, was one of the highlights of the Met's 2015-16 season. Today I can only say that Im thankful for my experience as I really know what bad is. The soprano noted that this return to her own identity came during the performance of La Bohme at Tanglewood in August 2018 under the baton of her ex-husband Andris Nelsons. Over the past few years, the Latvian artist has found herself questioning her own artistic identity and ending her marriage. And she is very talented, but she is also very shy.. @ToccataMusicGrp, New month, more archive: revisit our profile of the great Christa Ludwig in March 1973. I know what it means to give birth. The soprano noted that when she ends the performance, she feels exhausted emotionally, but vocally she is ready to continue. Nelsons will lead a concert version of Shotakovich's "Macbeth of Mtsenk" on Jan. 30 with a cast that includes his ex-wife, soprano Kristine Opolais, and John Williams will combine with cellist Yo-Yo Ma for a concert on Feb. 22. Its hard to be so-so everywhere so I wanted to give myself time to recover psychologically.. https://youtu.be/onRYmtqVaQ0 Shes the classic representation of the role and she brought so much beauty to that character. Only in the enormous love duet in Act II did the stars come into their own, Opolais. 5 - 6 Jan. 2023. There is something to be said for embracing the vulgar in Puccini. It was only in the second year I started to believe in myself. What happens if you cant relate to a character? Ironically, its a gift because what upsets others doesnt affect me. And she\d be happy with more Puccini: there is talk ofIl tritticoand she would love to sing Minnie inLa fanciulla del West. , Opolais talks jealousy, risk taking and redefining the idea of an operatic singer. But the role she feels ready to do is Minnie from La Fanciulla del West, which she revealed she has always wanted to do. A combination of self-doubt and the financial costs made her leave. Perceptions of her voice still vary, but the elements she brings to a performance, translating to both CD and DVD, are undeniable: natural bearing, a vibrant intensity, whether ecstatic or deranged, and the sheer physicality of her characterizations. "It's madness. Opolais admits that for better or worse, she has always been one to do things her own way. I just remember I wanted it, and I thought I could do it. Kristine Opolais is the young woman whose conflicting desires for love and luxury lead to her tragic end, and Roberto Alagna plays the man who falls for her in Puccini's early hit. After all, this is an artist who decided to drop out of the conservatory despite being told repeatedly that she would never have an opera career if she didnt finish her studies. Her debut in the role (replacing Anja Harteros) came in Jonathan Kent\s Covent Garden staging in June last year, when she and Kaufmann got exceptional reviews. Again, the comparison with Butterfly is inevitable. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. WHERE DOES YOUR HEAD GO WHEN YOU PERFORM? This highly acclaimed production from the Bayerische Staatsoper, a powerful and fascinating re-interpretation of Dvorak's fairy-tale opera Rusalka, was a revelation: The young, up-and-coming Latvian soprano, Kristine Opolais, whose performance was rightly hailed by the press as "one of the most vivid and striking accomplishments seen on an opera stage in a long time" (Vienna's leading daily . You are a disruptor on the operatic stage, your performances are unapologetic and full of fire. Some people say that when youre truly in love with someone youre not jealous, but Im the complete opposite. Ironically the nerves comfort me. Now, she could not look away. The couple's departure was only the latest blow to the "Tosca" production. In October of 2010, she made a sensational debut at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in the title role of the new production of Dvorak's Rusalka directed by Martin Kusej. It feels like one big force watching me and keeping me safe. When it did happen I found that I just got lost in the staging, I was very unhappy and I couldnt make it work. I feel like nothing can go wrong so I can completely let go and bring my character alive. When shes done right, shes an extremely sexy and sensitive heroine. "I started to lose voice power, presence, colors, everything," she revealed. I couldnt focus my brain on the arts because of divorce, health problems, and also my daughter was going to school and I didnt really have time for my art. Enter your email address below and well keep you up-to-date with the latest Opera news. at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Today, I walk on stage and I completely transport into the character. I can relate to every part of her role and I adore her. "Vocal cords start to tire after two hours. Its not something I can do when I am performing. If people tell me I cant, I try and find the way to do it anyway, she stated. WHERE DOES THIS ENERGY COME FROM? Kristine Opolais has first duet with new partner main norman lebrecht November 14, 2019 The soprano, formerly married to Andris Nelsons, has been unexpectedly joined in Dresden by the. Opolais also credits the then Intendant of Latvian National Opera, Andrejs agars, with having taught her a great deal. This kind of intense emotional approach comes with its risks for those that like things a bit more predictable, but it also allows the performer to be open to new possibilities onstage. Kristine Opolais at Carnegie Hall last year. Such acting talent clearly appeals to directors and, while Opolais chooses her commitments carefully, she can also take risks, and is prepared to take over at short notice. Solo Concert by Kristine Opolais. Ive never run from danger, Ive always run straight through it, so I picked up the phone to call Peter back and before I could say anything he said I knew youd do it. The start of BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons' tenure with the orchestra features two of the conductor's close colleagues: his wife, the acclaimed Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais, and the . The Editor noted the electricity generated by the starry leads [] Here Covent Garden struck gold. Hugo Shirley in his review of her Covent Garden Tosca in March 2013 said she acted with the level of detail and conviction that rendered the diva irresistibly compelling and sympathetic [] Michael Volle\s confrontation with Opolais\s Tosca was visceral and riveting, not least because the Latvian soprano so successfully captured Tosca\s playfulness, heart and, above all, classy glamour. She noted a desire to sing all three soprano roles across Il Trittico, adding that she feels most comfortable with Giorgetta from Il Tabarro.. If I work at home, people tell me to take it easy. "Vocal cords start to tire after two hours. I listened to Renata Tebaldi and was influenced by what she did. I tend to bring more pain in my interpretations of Rusalka I relate to her differently because of my life experiences. I stepped onto the stage, I opened my mouth and thankfully it came out. Rehearsals were minimal for all three operas, given that conductor Bertrand de Billy had to split up his own time with rehearsing three different scores, while the Met Operas own technical departments had to dedicated separate blocks to the three works individually. If you dont take risks, youll never drink champagne. YOUVE MANAGED TO STEP IN FOR PERFORMANCES THAT VERY FEW SINGERS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO. All rights reserved. So 12 hours -- that's a lot!" Alagna told AFP in his dressing room at the New York opera house. "It's madness. So 12 hours that's a lot!" Alagna told AFP in his dressing room at the New York opera house. She sang intelligently, finding considerable power in her essentially lyrical voice when required.\, The looks speak for themselves, though photos don\t do justice to her porcelain skin or the Baltic-pale eyes. Despite his late-hour assumption, with one eye on Kristine and the other on the conductor Alagna still managed to caress the vocal line, lingering on the phrase "O tentatrice" ("Oh, you temptress"), where he admits that Manon has once again bewitched him, as Opolais went into her lounge act. New month, more archive: Continuing our #50YearsAgo series, heres FREE access to January 1973, with a profile of the tenor Alberto Remedios and Rodney Milness review of David Pountneys breakthrough production of Katya Kabanov at Wexford Opera. Ive done it in the past and I wont do it again, I can only bring myself to a role. Are o deosebit pasiune pentru operele lui Puccini , iar rolurile principale din opere i-au adus o recunoatere pe scar larg la cele mai importante teatre de oper din lume. Some people say that when youre truly in love with someone youre not jealous, but Im the complete opposite. All rights reserved. She said, When you open your mouth, you immediately start to force: you are not singing with your own voice, you are singing with some very mature, experienced voice. Gradually, I started to be myself, and really it took me all these years to understand how to sing in a natural way, every word as clearly as speaking. It was the first time she performed the role on stage, despite having a recording released a few years ago. Known as "haunted and focused" Kristine Opolais brings a breath of fresh air to the operatic stage. agars was an actor by training, quite famous in the former Soviet Union as well as Latvia, and I loved working with him. I am not afraid. Follow my adventures on stage, behind the scenes & around the world! Thats why for me it is a bit tricky to have to sing after that. The other massive factor was that it was a live HD broadcast going out worldwide and it would be there forever. Yet, despite such success, her gut feeling was that things weren\t right; she didn\t much like her own voice and wanted to think carefully about her next moves. But, at the end of each one, I could feel the vocal strain and I knew it was not good.\, It was her fellow Latvian Elna Garana\s suggestion that Opolais seek lessons from her own teacher, Margreet Honig. AfterButterflyOpolais had enjoyed a celebratory, try-to-wind-down supper, eventually getting to bed at 5am. Her process comes down to immersing herself fully in a character and then just living the experience onstage, with warts and all. 17:05 Affaire conclue, tout le monde a quelque chose vendre. So the soprano decided that Adriana would remain in Riga to understand what it is to live in one place. But being so used to being on the move, Opolais struggled with not being able to perform regularly. Adriana recovered miraculously and is a bright, lively and healthy child, but such experiences imprint themselves in the maternal memory and since that crisisMadama Butterflyis an opera that has utterly different emotional significance for Opolais-nearly losing her child herself makes Cio-Cio-San\s sacrifice almost unbearable. He also holds a dual bachelors from Hofstra University in Film Production and Journalism. Opolais\s interpretations draw primarily on her imagination, but sometimes on her own experience. In fact, the experience went by so quickly that the soprano didnt really understand the opera or character when she arrived at the Met in October for rehearsals. So when you lose your child, you have a feeling right there, this great loss in your entire body. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. kristineopolais.com Posts Reels Videos Tagged Show More Posts from kristine.opolais At the start, Angelica is most challenging because it doesnt really give you time to warm up your voice before you are asked to give it all. She had to do it her way. Shes struggled with figuring out how to balance being a good mother and good artist. Im not saying that Im a killer (laughs), but I understand her passion and envy. My process doesnt allow me to work that way and I have to accept that. Opera is thriving. I know danger and I know what it is to suffer I didnt need to study to be an actress because I went through all the emotions Im presenting on stage. Vairkus gadus bija Latvijas Nacionls operas soliste, vlk Minhenes [2] , Berlnes , Milnas , Vnes un citu pilstu operu soliste. Kristine, when have you ever been so pragmatic? For me it was a huge key.\, Latvian success took her to the Berlin Staatsoper, which Opolais counts as the start of her international career. Tosca is almost defined by her jealousy and she has every right to be. Please check if you entered the email address correctly. Opera magazine Adriana was happy to see me at home with her, but I was depressed, Opolais noted. Opolais\s revelling in her first immersion in opera took her by surprise, but not so her mother, who, possessed of a fine dramatic voice herself, always recognized her daughter\s potential. Read the complete interview via OperaWire, Valerio Galli, conductor Arnaud Bernard, director, Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor. I had just performed my debut in Madama Butterfly and I got a call the following morning at 7.30am from Peter Gelb asking me to do La Bohme at midday for the HD broadcast. If you dont take risks, youll never drink champagne. After. 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