Biography[ edit] Opolais was born in Rzekne, Latvia, and studied at the Latvian Academy of Music. 15:05 a commence aujourd'hui. And now the . 17:05 Affaire conclue, tout le monde a quelque chose vendre. Ironically, its a gift because what upsets others doesnt affect me. [2] Opolais started her career as a member of the chorus with Latvian National Opera in 2001, and in 2003 became a soloist. This decision to unwind allowed the soprano to come to terms with a few aspects of her life. But sometimes I didn\t know whether this muse would come to me today or not-will I hear the voice which I need to sing or not?\. Kristine Opolais was haunted and focused her suffering and transcendence were chillingly real, added the New York Times Zachary Woolfe. Solo Concert by Kristine Opolais. I have built my career stepping in, but the most terrifying was at the Metropolitan Opera. Ive definitely evolved. My singing is part of the complete package. Of course theres been very difficult moments in my career, but it was because of my past that I didnt fall apart completely. . Covent Garden is one of the houses where her portrayals of three Puccini heroines-Cio-Cio-San, Tosca and Manon Lescaut-have met with much success, but Opolais\s base is Munich, strategically chosen for its relative proximity to her native Latvia and for the strong relationship she has with the Bayerische Staatsoper. In 2007 too, Tosca was the role in which Opolais made her Greek National Opera debut. Kristine Opolais is one of the most sought after sopranos on the international scene today. She appears as Tosca at the Vienna State Opera in January followed by performances of the opera at the Royal Opera House in the Spring. Then she went on tour with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, also under Nelsons. And when excellence extends beyond the name at the top of the bill, we end up with a truly unforgettable performance like the one heard at the Metropolitan Opera Thursday night. The other massive factor was that it was a live HD broadcast going out worldwide and it would be there forever. As soon as you are limited and someone tries to put you in a box, it can kill you as an artist.. In this honest and humble interview with Final Note Magazine, Opolais talks jealousy, risk taking and redefining the idea of an operatic singer. A few years ago, the soprano noted that when she first had Adriana, singing Butterfly was mortifying because she felt the loss of a child very intensely. Most importantly, Ive no interest in making beautiful sounds, my voice doesnt drive me in the slightest and its a small part of my expression. Kristine Opolais "Ms. Opolais seemed to live with it, growing in stature as the evening went on and radiating the kind of aura - one that demands you watch her, and sympathize with her - that defines a star She is a performer with a tremendous future ahead of her. I asked her why she didnt like it and she said, Because youre crying. She sees me suffering and it hurts her. She sang with conviction, acted truly and brought this manipulative yet annoyingly moving melodrama to a fervent emotional climax.\ Just hours later, Opolais would further endear herself to New York and a global audience by singing Mim in the afternoon\s live broadcast ofBohme. Earlier in my career I was extremely sensitive to the energy of the audience, which is great when its a good audience, but if its a tough crowd it can really affect your performance, so I had to fix that. Two seasons ago, Kristine Opolais gave a tremendous performance of Puccini's perennial masterwork "Madama Butterfly," breaking the hearts of Metropolitan Opera audiences with the plight of the abandoned wife and mother. I was born in that moment and from then the contracts came flying in. A combination of self-doubt and the financial costs made her leave. If you dont take risks, youll never drink champagne. But then it was like my mind started talking to me, saying . I tend to bring more pain in my interpretations of Rusalka I relate to her differently because of my life experiences. "People just wanted me to sing and that's it. To get a free copy of Opera Magazine, please follow this link and fill in the short form. Copyright 2023 Kristine Opolais. I was very nervous in the past, but today even though Im still nervous, Ive realised that those nerves are so important. You have to listen to yourself and trust your gut, its all about your intuition. When people ask me how it\s possible that I sang Aida or Tosca at that stage in my career, I have no idea. Valerio Galli, conductor Arnaud Bernard, director, Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor. Main navigation Menu. I couldnt remember a single line of text before I went on, I was in complete shock that Id agreed to this. Privacy & Cookie Policy. At 7:30 Saturday morning, she got a call from Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Met. Not knowing the production, she was walked through it, and went on to give another searing performance. I could sing three different roles in a week and for this I have to give thanks to God that I survived and was able to finish each performance. Some people say that when youre truly in love with someone youre not jealous, but Im the complete opposite. It shouldnt only be about that. But then it was like my mind started talking to me, saying Kristine, when have you ever been so pragmatic?. Our personal reactions are very unique to who we are, so my performance and reactions should be different to another singer and vice versa. Adriana was happy to see me at home with her, but I was depressed, Opolais noted. I stepped onto the stage, I opened my mouth and thankfully it came out. Kristine Opolais Sings Dvok's Rusalka, "Song to the Moon" Opolais fully immersed in the opera experience, absorbing everything in her path. TELL US ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO BUILDING A CHARACTER. I feel like I still have more energy and more to say. How do you get yourself into the psychological space to get through something so daunting? WHERE DOES THIS ENERGY COME FROM? So with the truncated rehearsal period, Opolais found herself adapting to the stagings, but being unable to delve deeper into the psyche of the protagonist. I was very nervous in the past, but today even though Im still nervous, Ive realised that those nerves are so important. David holds a Masters in Media Management from Fordham University. 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. Kristine Opolais has formidable competition in this atrociously difficult role which requires a voice of legato early on but once The Principessa appears (superbly sung by Lioba Braun) a new dramatic tone comes into force and Ms. Opolais is stupendous in the final scene her voice soaring over the orchestra and chorus conducted by Andris Nelsons. 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. 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. In 2008 she returned to Berlin and the Staatsoper as Polina in Prokofiev\sThe Gambler, with Daniel Barenboim conducting. So, how much is Kristine Opolais worth at the age of 43 years old? 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. Im not saying that Im a killer (laughs), but I understand her passion and envy. As her hair and makeup team begins to work, Opolais playfully reaches for the bottle of champagne that's just arrived as a gift from the house, joking that she might need it to calm her. Opera is thriving. If I only focus on singing a specific way, then I will lose out on opportunities of living the character and taking risks in the moment. When it did happen I found that I just got lost in the staging, I was very unhappy and I couldnt make it work. "People just wanted me to sing and that's it. The 52-year-old said he spent two weeks working from nine in the morning until nine in the evening to learn the lead male role which he sings opposite Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais. Though she\d only sung part of the role of Rusalka before, the range of vocal colours it offered made it irresistible; but accepting was a gamble since she was due to make her debut in New York as Musetta. I tend to bring more pain in my interpretations of Rusalka I relate to her differently because of my life experiences. 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. The Met's first new production of the Czech favorite since 1993, gives title honors to Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais; seen Saturday, Feb. 25. Meanwhile, the soprano, who also started taking better care of her physical health, was rethinking her artistic identity and consulting with the people who she trusted most. Youve managed to step in for performances that very few singers would have been able to do. Opera magazine I dont think Ive ever been so frightened in my life walking to the theatre that morning, it was horrific. Kristine Opolais is one of the most sought after sopranos on the international scene today, appearing at the Metropolitan Opera New York, Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala and Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Unfortunately, what Ive learned from this career is that thinking logically will get you nowhere. So 12 hours -- that's a lot!" Alagna told AFP in his dressing room at the New York opera house. But then it was like my mind started talking to me, saying Kristine, when have you ever been so pragmatic?. Ive done it in the past and I wont do it again, I can only bring myself to a role. I knew I needed to wait a while to be ready for it, she explained. 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. 2021 Final Note Magazine. Yet Opolais is an artist. 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