Alexei Pashiyev, a principal performer of the Bolshoi Theatre, a baritone, visited Vestnik Kavkaza’s studio and spoke about his experience in the sphere of academic art.
- Alexei, you were born in Perm, studied at the St. Petersburg music school, and continued your career in Moscow. Are you a Muscovite or a Petersburger?
- I think I am a Petersburger. But I love Moscow so much. When I am asked where my home is, I say that I live on a train between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
- Are there differences between Moscow and Petersburg audiences?
- In general, there are no differences, as audiences are always different. Sometimes people are welcoming, sometimes they are skeptical.
- Even though you are young for the opera world, you have already sung more than 30 roles. What is your favorite?
- I like acting parts most of all, like Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, as you can show your voice and acting talents in it. As for Russian operas, I like Mussorgsky and his works. Even though he has not so many parts that I could sing, but still I like him.
- I know you tend to experiment. What is the Rock&Opera project?
- Yesterday I returned from Novosibirsk, where we held a concert in the Philharmonic Hall within the framework of the Rock&Opera project. The project was initially initiated for attracting young people to opera, so that young people could come and feel that opera wasn’t just people who opened their mouths and no word could be understood. We want young people to feel that opera is cool and swag. And then, probably youth would come to opera, try to understand it and operas. We have already presented Rock&Opera in Sochi, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk. We present it everywhere where we can see an interest.
- The scandalous opera Tannhauser was staged at the Novosibirsk Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Is there any red line in experimental performances for you or are you ready to do everything the director says?
- I have been working in the St. Petersburg Opera Theater for 10 years. Yuri Alexandrov, the art director, loves experiments. But he has never stepped beyond the bounds of decency. The performance in the Novosibirsk theater was over the top. I think there is a line which must not be crossed anyway. Art should respect the feelings of people of any nationality and religion. If this principle is followed, I am glad to take part in an experiment.
- It is true that your freedom ends when the freedom of another person starts. What can help you to be ready for a role? It could be your own experience and feelings, or probably you watch other people, study them.
- Of course I watch my elder colleagues and our great singers. A lot depends on the kind of role. If it is dramatic, I pay attention to a part which can be “extended” and be more emotional. There are classic roles, like Germont in La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi – you go on stage and show what a nice singer you are. On the other hand, there are such roles as Gianni Schicchi, and you can play with your voice and your artistic skills.
- What do you think about popular music?
- I think it is nice. Along with the Rock&Opera project, I have recently joined the ‘Talents of the World’ Foundation headed by David Gvinianidze. We are travelling across Russia. There are plans to present the project in Europe and America. We sing Magomayev’s songs, classic popular music, as they say. We also sing opera and rock music. The main thing is that the audience likes this; we should make people understand our work at opera or rock concerts.
- What is your favorite song by Muslim Magomayev?
- I have many favorite songs by him. Even though it could sound pretentious, I love ‘Buchenwald Alarm Bell’, as for romantic songs – it is ‘The Melody.’
- Have you ever thought about participation in the contest n.a. Muslim Magomayev?
- I have. But it was too late. I know that people younger than 35 can participate in it, and I am 35 already. However, at the same time, I don’t like competitions. I want to make the audience feel what I feel, rather than show what I can, so that judges watch you in detail: “Look! He sang a wrong note; he could sing clearer here; it is the wrong tone; we don’t like his style” and so on. I don’t like this.
- So, does this mean you can’t stand criticism?
- No, I simply have my own view, while judges, decent people, have their own view. Sometimes it doesn’t match my point of view. Even great conductors, directors, and singers interpret music in different ways. Obviously, there is such a pillar as a composer, and one shouldn’t reconsider his works radically, but still everybody has his own vision.
- What do you think about the project ‘The Voice’? Do you think it is a show or art?
- It is a show.
- You are a modern young man. What songs do you have on your playlist? Is it classical music?
- Rosenbaum, AC/DC, Scorpions, Art of Noise, Queen, Secret Garden, Depeche Mode, Bure, and even Lady Gaga.
- Who is your idol? Or probably someone whom you looking up to.
- An idol? There are people whom I like, I mean singers. Even though I am a baritone, I like the tenor Franco Corelli so much. But he is not an idol for me, I just listen to his voice. I like some singers, and I don’t like others. I don’t make ideals from people. “What a wonderful singer, actor he is! I don’t want to watch others anymore!”
- Do you like to sing at home, washing dishes, for example?
- I do. When I wash dishes or take a shower, if I am in a good mood, I sing all the time. When I don’t want to, I can’t make myself do it. Only necessity or a lack of money, unfortunately, can make me do it.
- How do you prefer to spend vacations?
- The sea, the sun, mountains, sports.
- We are Vestnik Kavkaza. Have you ever been to the Caucasus?
- I visited the Caucasus with my family two years ago. There is a place in North Ossetia – Taymazi. We liked it so much. We spent a great vacation and climbed mountains. I dream about returning there, eating shashlyk, Ossetian pies, but I have no opportunity at the moment. I will go there again and again with pleasure. But still I want to visit other places, for example, Dombay.
- The Caucasus is an interesting and original place where a great number of different people with different traditions and customs live. Have you ever been to the South Caucasus countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia?
- Unfortunately, I haven’t. This is my fault. I think if there are some artistic projects, I will visit them. Invite me! I will be glad to come and show my mastery.
- Do you have friends in the Caucasus? For instance, Nani Brigvadze is working with you on a project.
- Yes, she used to work with Gvinianidze; but there were several teams. Anyway, we are communicating. The manager of the opera group of the Bolshoi Theater was Makvala Kasrashvili. We are working with David Gvinianidze. We all belong to the post-Soviet space, and of course we are close people. I don’t divide people into Russians, Georgians, Ukrainians. My wife has been living in Poltava for many years, and we have many relatives there. We used to visit them every summer. And the current situation in Ukraine is awful, sad and painful.
- Yes, the Ukrainian events cannot leave anybody indifferent.
- Some people treat this aggressively. I have no aggression inside, it’s just wrong what is happening there.
