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- "Stalin attended performances with many female singers, but this has nothing to do with scandalous myths"
"Stalin attended performances with many female singers, but this has nothing to do with scandalous myths"
People's Artist of the USSR, opera diva Makvala Kasrashvili is convinced that art cannot be limited. She has more than 40 challenging roles and performances on the world's leading stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, Covent.‑Garden" and "Arena di Verona". In an interview with Izvestia, the singer shared the story of her journey to the Bolshoi Theater, told about her long-term friendship with Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya, despite the prohibitions of the authorities in the past, and also revealed details of the influence on her fate of singer Vera Davydova, whose name has been accompanied for many years by scandalous myths about "connection with Stalin."
"Why do I need it? She doesn't have a voice, and she's so plump."
— On March 28, the Bolshoi Theater will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and exactly 60 years ago you became a part of its history as a soloist of the opera company. The country has been transformed, and the building has undergone a major renovation. How has the theater changed during this time?
— If you've changed, it's for the better. Because the Bolshoi Theatre is the pride of our country and one of the best opera houses in the world. In general, getting into the Bolshoi Theater, working and performing on its stage is a great achievement for every singer or musician, regardless of whether he sings in a choir, is a soloist or plays in an orchestra. The people who work here are devoted to the theater because it gives incredible energy, strength, and love. I do not know how to explain this: when you enter this building, everything around you becomes beautiful. There is a feeling of hope, of something bright. And even more so for the person who creates here, this is a phenomenal state.
60 years have passed very quickly. I think I can even brag a little: from the first day I came to the Bolshoi Theater, I have not left it and am still here today. It gives me the strength to live, to create, to rejoice. It's probably a gift from above, and I'm lucky. Not every creative person, especially a singer, manages to stay in her profession and in her favorite theater for so long and continuously.
— If you go back 60 years ago or even earlier. When did you realize that you were developing an academic voice?
— I was born in Kutaisi, Georgia. As you know, everyone sings beautifully there. And, of course, since childhood I have heard this singing. Performances of the Tbilisi Opera House were broadcast on the radio. I was about eight years old at the time. I listened to recordings of Italian singers and felt that something was maturing in me, some kind of voice. That's how I fell in love with opera — through Georgian performances and Italian recordings.
When I was 13, when I was alone at home, I even sang male arias from Georgian operas. I didn't understand what it meant then, I didn't think I would become a singer. It was just a great joy for the soul.
One day, at a pioneer camp, my friend told me that I could sing well. And after that, I spoke at the opening of the shift. Two intelligent women from Tbilisi were present there. They said, "You have a voice, you definitely need to study."
Makvala Kasrashvili
When I returned home from the camp, all the exams had long since ended. But I told my mom that I wanted to go to Tbilisi and study at a school for gifted children. She was scared. I'm only 13 years old, and she raised us alone with her brother.
Mom took me to a music college. And after listening to the director, I came to the first year of the vocal class. I studied for four years, then entered the Tbilisi Conservatory in the class of Vera Alexandrovna Davydova, a People's Artist and soloist of the Bolshoi Theater. She had already returned to Georgia and was teaching there.
"She didn't want to take you, did she?"
"I didn't want to at first. When I came to the conservatory, I was not immediately enrolled in the first year, despite the fact that everyone expected the opposite. And I only wanted to go to Davydova. Vera Alexandrovna listened to me and said, "Why do I need her? I don't have a voice, and I'm so chubby myself."
Vera Davydova as Lyubasha in Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Tsar's Bride
I remember sitting on the stairs outside her apartment, waiting for her to come out. It's just that my friend was studying with her. And I knew perfectly well who Vera Davydova was. About a month later, she finally took me. And in a year, she literally regained her voice. She discovered Russian chamber music, romances, and taught me how to sing.
We studied at the conservatory at the same time as Zurab Sotkilava. He graduated a year earlier, and I graduated later. They were already waiting for us at the Tbilisi Theater, because they knew about us, we performed at concerts. Suddenly, Anatoly Orphenov, the head of the Bolshoi Opera Company, happened to be in Tbilisi in his fifth year.
Vera Alexandrovna asked him to come to a student concert where I was singing. He came and listened. After the concert, she introduced me to him, and he asked: "Would you like to come to the Bolshoi Theatre and sing at the competition?" It was something incredible for me. I dreamed of going to the Tbilisi Theater, but here it's a Big one.
Makvala Kasrashvili as Yolanthe and Arthur Eisen as King Rene in a scene from Tchaikovsky's opera Yolanthe
— Have you ever even dreamed of a career in a Big One?
"Of course not. A month later, an invitation came, and Davydova and I went to Moscow. I immediately went on stage — it was already the third round of the audition. And an hour later, I was enrolled in the internship group. They didn't even let me go back to Georgia — they immediately left me to work in the theater. It was my fifth year of study. That's how I got to the Bolshoi Theatre. It's really a happy accident or fate.
"There was a moment when the leader made an unequivocal offer to Vera Alexandrovna, and she refused."
— Vera Davydova's name is often associated with Stalin's personality. Now they are recalling Leonard Gendlin's book "Confessions of Stalin's Mistress", which is written in the format of Vera Alexandrovna's memoirs. It is said that it was this publication that shortened the singer's life.
— I found out about this when I was already working at the Bolshoi Theater. It was a shock for Vera Alexandrovna. She was forced to appear on television and deny everything. As Vera Davydova herself told me, the author was a man from the Bolshoi Theater orchestra who went to the West and decided to make a name for himself in this way — to connect the famous singer with the leader. It was a complete lie. Yes, Davydova was twice a winner of the Stalin Prize, but despite the highest level, she never received the title of People's Artist of the USSR. She was introduced several times, they said that the decree would be issued and the relevant news would appear in Izvestia the next day. But the day was coming, and there was no message.
Joseph Stalin
— Why was she denied a rank?
— All these rumors played a role. As I know, there was a moment when the leader made an unequivocal offer to Vera Alexandrovna, and she refused. She had a Georgian husband, and Davydova herself was a man of principles. And a lot has changed since then. She suffered because of this lie.
— As "proof" it is often cited that Stalin listened to "Carmen" performed by Davydova 36 times.
"He didn't just go to see her. Stalin attended performances with the participation of many singers — Maksakova and others. He really loved opera. But this has nothing to do with the fantasies that have been spreading. There is a film where she refutes everything in detail.
"After the courtroom scene, the audience stood up, and the applause lasted for almost 20 minutes."
— It is often said about the theater that there is no place for real friendship there. But there are legends about your friendship with Elena Obraztsova and Tamara Sinyavskaya.
— I remember when I entered the Bolshoi Theater. After the competition, I was sitting near the opera office, and a tall, beautiful girl came up to me and congratulated me. It was Tamara Sinyavskaya. We've been friends since that day. And I saw Elena Obraztsova for the first time before I enrolled, in 1964, when the La Scala Theater was on a Big tour. My friend and I came to the performances, and she showed me, "Look, this is Obraztsova." I didn't know her then, but I was amazed.
Tamara Sinyavskaya, soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre of the USSR, as Carmen
Later, as an intern, I performed at concerts. After one of them, Obraztsova came up to me, met me, and congratulated me. And from that day on, our friendship also began. I haven't missed a single one of her performances. Tamara and I went to all the productions, sat in the artistic box, learned how to love the profession, how to serve it. When we went on tour, we often lived together with Tamara and Lena. It was a real friendship.
I remember the 1969 tour in Paris. Obraztsova sang Marina Mnishek — it was the opening of the tour. She received amazing reviews, and from that moment on, her global career began. I was also at her triumph at the Metropolitan Opera in 1976, when she made her debut as Amneris in Aida. After the courtroom scene, the audience stood up, and the applause lasted for almost 20 minutes. She was called out again and again, not allowed to continue the performance. It was a fantastic success. We really carried our friendship through our whole lives.
— Has there never been a rivalry?
- no. Lena and I have different voices, it was impossible to compare. And there was nothing between her and Tamara either. Although both won first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition. It could have caused tension, but nothing like that happened.
A scene from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida. Elena Obraztsova as Amneris
— I can't help but recall another legendary couple — Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya. How did your friendship begin?
— When I was still in the internship group. At the end of the first year, I was supposed to sing the Countess in Mozart's The Wedding of Figaro. Then there were artistic councils, which included leading singers — Irina Arkhipova, Galina Vishnevskaya, Zurab Andjaparidze. They listened to the young people and decided whether to transfer them to the troupe. During the year that I studied, Vishnevskaya was on vacation — she starred in the film "Katerina Izmailova." She didn't know me and it was the first time she heard me sing in this performance. I was wearing makeup and a wig, and even Anjaparidze didn't recognize me.
But she was impressed. She wrote an article in the newspaper Soviet Artist, and in it she used the word "professionalism" four times. It was incredible for a young singer to receive such an assessment from Vishnevskaya. She was very reserved in her praise. From that moment on, she began to monitor my development — what I sing, what I can do, and what is too early.
At about the same time, Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich came to the Bolshoi Theater to conduct. I made my debut as Natasha Rostova, then as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, and he conducted. He is a brilliant musician, a fantastic personality. I was lucky: they welcomed me and treated me very warmly. I visited their house, and this friendship lasted for many years.
Makvala Kasrashvili as Tatiana in a scene from the opera "Eugene Onegin"
— There were difficult times when they were not allowed to go abroad.
— I remember one episode. At that time, the Bolshoi Theater recorded premiere performances on records. Vishnevskaya was supposed to participate, but suddenly another singer was assigned to record. It was a real blow to her. Then they went to the Minister of Culture and asked for permission to go on a two-year creative business trip. As a result, they were allowed to record a performance with Rostropovich at the conductor's desk, performed by Galina Vishnevskaya and Zurab Sotkilava. I remember how after the first recording we gathered at their house — there was me, concertmaster Lilya Mogilevskaya, Zurab Sotkilava, even Dmitry Shostakovich. It was an evening of joy. But the very next day, the ban came again. And that became the point of no return. They decided to leave.
And then there was the anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre — 200 years. Books about the history of the theater and about the soloists have been published. And there was no Vishnevskaya name in them. It's like she never existed. I was on tour in Canada at the time, but we talked all the time. I wasn't afraid to keep in touch with them, even though it had consequences.: My promotion was postponed several times.
Galina Vishnevskaya
There was a case in 1979 when I was supposed to make my debut at the Metropolitan Opera. A month before the trip, I was suddenly informed that they would not let me out. As it turned out later, it was because I was talking to Vishnevskaya.
— Did you continue to communicate with them?
- of course. In 1976, when I was in Canada, I called Vishnevskaya in New York. She said, "How could they do that? It's like I wasn't there." She was going through it very hard. That was the time when they were stripped of their citizenship.
"Now our friends are afraid to come — they are afraid of the consequences"
— It is impossible not to draw parallels with today. How do you perceive cancellations of concerts of Russian musicians abroad?
— This is an outrage. The world cannot exist without Russian music and art. It's impossible. Look at how our artists used to be received. Richter, Gilels, and Oistrakh are the greatest musicians. At the Metropolitan Opera, our singers sang the lead roles. Obraztsova performed for whole seasons. And now everything was shredding. The level of culture is falling. I look at what's going on — it's just impossible to understand. How can you turn a blind eye to art? This makes them poorer themselves.
Francesca Zambello
For example, director Francesca Zambello, who directed Turandot, The Fiery Angel, and La Traviata at the Bolshoi Theater. She was the artistic director of opera at the Kennedy Center. And now Trump has renamed it the Trump Center, you know? And the team is looking for a room where the theater will perform. What's going on? We performed in Europe, and we were enthusiastically received. But now our friends are afraid to come because they fear the consequences.
— Can opera exist in isolation, without touring?
- no. Art cannot be limited. It should be outside politics. It has always been so. And now it's all impoverished.
— What would you say about the younger generation of opera singers?
— I have been teaching for many years at the Bolshoi Theatre's Youth Opera Program. Our students are now singing on stages all over the world. This is the merit of our artistic director Dmitry Vdovin. And thank God they have this opportunity. When Valery Gergiev joined the Bolshoi Theatre, he began to pay great attention to the younger generation. Because he understands that each of us was once a beginner, and we were raised and supported. Now the program is actively participating in performances. There are even productions where only young artists are employed. It is very important to educate the future of the theater.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
