INTERVIEW | NEWSTELE (05/08/2014) | OTELLO à Orange : Otello est un rôle magnifique, shakespearien, c’est-à-dire dans lequel il faut autant jouer la comédie que chanter (un extrait traduit en anglais ci-dessous) ********************************************* INTERVIEW | NEWSTELE (05/08/2014) | OTELLO in Orange : Otello is a beautiful, Shakespearean role. That means that you need to act as much as to sing (excerpt translated into English below) > To what extent are your performances as part of the Chorégies a challenge for you? This performance in the Roman Ancient Amphitheater of Orange comes when we are the most tired after a busy season. It calls for self-transcendence. In this theater, rehearsals are grueling. There is a lot of excess: the place is huge and with the mistral, the dust, the heat, you must often struggle against the elements. In addition to these physical hardships, it requests a very strong mind, and self-control. For this, I rely on meditation. Then the magic happens. The reward is immediate. Orange is my health barometer! > What do you like about this opera? Otello is a beautiful, Shakespearean role. That means that you need to act as much as to sing. I portrayed Romeo in Romeo and Juliet for years, an interpretation for which I received the Laurence Olivier Award in London. The fact that this award bears the name of one of the greatest Shakespearean actors rendered this distinction even more beautiful for me. This opera has been my spreadhead. It gave me appreciation and international renown. And then there is the Belcantissimo, this divine music in which we find all the qualities of Verdi. This work is among the last he composed. It is the synthesis of his career, a summary of his work. His entire life as a man and as a composer, all the experiences he went through, are there. It goes to the essential, to the depth of the characters, not just Otello, but Iago and others. One moment, he also thought of naming his opera Iago, then he returned to Otello. All the characters are beautifully featured by the music and the depth of their feelings. > The acoustics of Orange is said to be special. What does it change in your way of singing? It is often believed that Orange is a bathroom and that the exceptional acoustics is easier. In fact, to sing in the ancient theater, you need a very special voice issuing. Not every voice is suitable to sing in Orange, and we do not know why: it is an acoustic phenomenon. At nightfall, the stones that have accumulated the heat during the day are radiating a kind of moisture that will create a particular sound. During the day, there is less radiation and if anything is put in front of the wall, theres no more at all! Orange is very delicate, but when everything works, its a magical place! > Youve already work with Myung-Whun Chung, Inva Mula, Nadine Duffaut, ... Communion with the director, the conductor and the singers is very important because it will allow osmosis with the audience. The harmonious partnership, the desire to work and create something together, are reflected. The public feels it and gives it back to us. It is a communion in the genuine meaning of the word. With Chung, Ive always had a great relationship. He is a great leader, one of the best today. Orange is not easy to tackle. You must know the place, anticipate the gesture, the direction. If you want to be in harmony with the set, you need someone like Chung who has a mastery of orchestral conducting and a true taste for this music, and this place. With Nadine, we recently worked together on The Last Day of a Condemned Man. This is like rejoining a family. [Photo Chorégies dOrange]
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 10:56:12 +0000
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