At the mature summer, the Latvian National Opera opens its doors to spectators again, tonight, July 4, at 19:00, inviting to The concert “Summer of Opera Stars”, which “Klasika” will offer live, will end.
For the first time, one of the world’s most outstanding tenors will visit Latvia Peter Bechala (Piotr Beczała), with whom we meet on Sunday morning in “Klasika” in a wider interview.
Inta Zēgnere: I am very happy about our meeting at the Opera! Are you visiting Riga for the first time?
Pjotr Bečala: My relationship with Riga has developed in such a way that I have many old friends who are from Latvia, but I am here for the first time.
You mentioned old friends – does that mean that you agreed to go to Riga because you have a long friendship with our opera boss Egils Siliņš?
Yes, it was in Bayreuth two years ago when he invited me to Riga, and finally I had the opportunity to come. You have fantastic singers – like Marina Rebeka, Elīna Garanča and Kristīne Opolais. Fantastic colleagues! We have also talked a lot about Latvia, about living with them.
Have you been on stage with all these soloists?
Yes, we have known each other for many years. Marina Rebecca and I were at the Faust show in Madrid. Fantastic!
And with Kristīne Opolais and Elīna Garanča?
Yes, with Christine it was Dvorak’s opera “Mermaid” in Munich, but with Elina it was “Werther” in Paris.
What about Egils Siliņš? What is your collaboration on stage?
You talked about old friends, and Egils is just that – we have known each other for a very long time, since the time of the Zurich Opera, when we both participated in the show “Demon” on stage. We have known each other for almost 20 years. The last time we met was in Bayreuth, at the Loengrin show.
“Loengrin”, Wagner and Riga – they are also a special relationship, because in the end Wagner lived here, from here also escaped … Not far from the Opera is also Wagner Street. What is your experience with Wagner? Will you continue this line? Because you were Loengrin with Anna Netrebko in the role of Alsace, you participated in the Bayreuth Festival later. I think it was a very sudden offer for you then – every tenor would dream about it …
Yes,
my experience and adventure with Wagner is really crazy, because Christian Tieleman, this famous conductor, persuaded me to take part in Wagner’s play “Loengrin”. I wasn’t so sure at all
because I focus more on French, Italian music. At first I participated in the show Dresden Semperoper, and then it was 2018, Bayreuth. It was a fantastic adventure, but I can’t describe myself as a Wagner singer. More so, however, it is Italian and French territory, including Slavic repertoire, including Czech and Polish. So my relationship with Wagner is weird. But I keep “Loengrin” in my sight. Of course, I have ideas about Wagner in the future.
Next year will be my first “Parsifal” in Cleveland, it will be a concert show.
Of course, a lot of things also change due to the coronavirus, but I would love to sing some “Loengrins”.
You have heard the compliment hundreds of times that you have a wonderful voice. It is the truth. But how did you come up with the idea that you wanted to become a singer? You come from the Silesian Region in southern Poland …
It’s a complicated story because there is no music in my family, but step by step I developed my desire – I studied. At first in Katowice, then the first contracts appeared. So normal, step by step, I also developed my career.
In fact, there is no special recipe for becoming a great singer. As many singers, so too advice and recipes.
Some win competitions and then their careers develop. In my case, just step by step – first singing in a choir, then in smaller opera houses – this is how my career developed, and it is a very safe path. And I’m happy about that.
More and more – in the record!
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