Today, Anna Netrebko debuts at the Bolshoi theatre together with her husband Yusif Eyvazov. She will take part in the premiere of “Manon Lescaut” staged by Adolf Shapiro on October, 16-23, 2016. The opera was written by G. Puccini.
Giacomo Puccini is an Italian composer, who lived in 1858-1924. He was born in a family of musicians. He studied to play on organ under his father, the creator of the music school in Lucca. He also studied at the Milan conservatory. A woman sacrifice for love is in the center of the operas by Puccini. The main means of musical expression is a melody based on the Italian folk songs. “Manon Lescaut” was created in 1893 on the basis of a novel by abbot Prévost.
At the pre-premiere press conference Netrebko said that, in her opinion, the opera is “very strong, dramatic”. She added that the last scene of the production has left an especially strong impression on her. The opera artist also noted that the production was very suitable for acting process.
The director of the opera Adolf Shapiro outlined the means of communication with Anna Netrebko in the following way: “You know, I should work with every actor in the way I work with the students. There is no difference for me, if it is Smoktunovsky, Netrebko or students, I practice all the same. If I cosy up to them, it will be nothing left from me. At the same time, the way Netrebko sings and her personality, it is inspiring. She’s a great artist, but what is a great artist? It is the artist, the very fact of which appearance on the stage becomes art. Her plastigue is always interesting, her movements, reaction and glances…”.
On the question of “E Vesti” to the artists about what artists inspired them in the preparation process, the participants named the following:
- Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano
- Renata Tebaldi and Mario Del Monaco
- The performances with Scotto Renata and Placido Domingo at the Metropolitan Opera
- The performances with Mirela Freni and Luciano Pavarotti at the Metropolitan Opera
At the same time, Anna Netrebko said that in the preparation process she studied records more frequently than live performances: “This opera is rarely performed. Probably, it is hard to find performers for it and make a good staging, as the opera is very difficult and has an abstract and fragmentary plot”.
It is also necessary to remind our readers, that this is not the first performance of “Manon Lescaut” by Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov. They had such experience in other theatres before. In particular, the opera with the same soloists was performed ) by Chiara Muti (Chiara Muti) at the Rome Opera (Teatro Dell’opera di Roma). Recently, it has also been performed at the festival in Salzburg. The plays of the opera with A. Netrebko also took place in Vienna (Wiener Staatsoper). Moreover, “Manon Lescaut” with Netrebko is on the Metropolitan opera website, which is to perform in November-December 2016.
In October 2016, “Manon Lescaut” will be performed at the stage of the Bolshoi theatre. It will be the first performance on the famous stage for Anna Netrebko. This is a special place, the special expectation and responsibility.
