The opera tenor is planning to appeal to the Ministry of Culture to carry out Rolf Beck’s Armenian guest performances
Recently, the experts often recall the National Opera soloist, Honored Artist of Armenia, Perch Karazyan’s name, noting that his “swan” that took wings in 2012 at the Yerevan Opera House, is soaring all over the world. The matter is about Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” cantata is written for the choir, orchestra and soloists, where the singer performs a solo of the swan written for the counter tenor. The mentioned cantata is performed in the mid-1990s in Yerevan, where the solo of the swan was performed by the late tenor Suren Zurabyan. Perch Karazyan told us that his first performance abroad with this solo was in 2013, in China, together with the local philharmonic orchestra, soloists and the choir, by the invitation of renowned conductor Rolf Beck. In 2014, he again conducted by Beck, performed the solo of the swan in Germany, South Korea and again China.
Recently, the Armenian “swan” returned from Brazil. In the interview with “Aravot”, Perch Karazyan said that this time, he presented in the swan dress (in the photo), accompanied with famous opera singers: soprano Lillian Giovanni, bass Peter Matsaleni, San Paulo Symphony Orchestra and the chorus. The conductor was again Rolf Beck. “I was attracted by the newly built venue, the concert hall for 1400 seats and its movable ceiling. In other words, the latter could change the acoustics of the hall according to the required work,” added our interlocutor. The artist said that he had received the invitation from Beck, who is the founder and artistic director of the Choir Academy Lübeck. To the question of whether the conductor has no intention to conduct “Carmina Burana” in Yerevan, Perch Karazyan assured that Beck has a great desire to come to our country, especially when he is contact with opera singers Gurgen Baveyan (Germany) and Sofia Sayadyan who lives and creates in St. Petersburg. To the point, Perch Karazyan is planning to apply to the Ministry of Culture to carry out Rolf Beck’s Armenian guest performances.
Before leaving for Brazil, the opera singer participated in the “Palaces of St. Petersburg” international festival on June 3-28 (director, renowned violinist Maria Safaryants), and on June 24, he took part in Verdi’s Requiem at the Smolny Cathedral. “Requiem was conducted by famous Italian tenor and conductor Giuseppe Sabbatini. The following singers were invited: Italian soprano Chiara Taigi, my colleague mezzo-soprano Christine Sahakyan, and bass Yuri Vlasov. The soloists were accompanied by Tavrichesky’s orchestra and the Smolny Cathedral Choir, to the point, performance of the Requiem was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,” detailed Perch Karazyan.
Two days later, the opera singer together with his colleagues and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia will travel to Beirut to attend the Beiteddine International Festival. He said that Mozart’s Requiem will be performed there conducted by Edward Topchjan.
To the observation that to be on the professional stage since 2001 and at the opera theater since 2004, the soloists seems does not feel lack of guest performances, and works without the impresario, our interlocutor said, smiling, “My impresario are my personal contacts.”
In the conversation with the singer, we also touched upon his new upcoming role-players in the opera. “The return of the renowned tenor Gegham Grigoryan to the opera as an artistic director would be visible from the very beginning of the upcoming theater season. The following will be presented to the audience: Bizet’s “Carmen,” then Puccini’s “Tosca”, in collaboration with the Opera Studio, Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin”, where I will perform Lensky’s role, and Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor “. Here, I will embody Sir Edgardo. In September, I also have guest performances in the cities of Italy and the Great Britain,” said Perch Karazyan.
Samvel DANIELYAN
