At the end of the summer season of the concert series “Personally”, Liepāja Concert Hall “Lielais dzintars” on August 9 at 18.00 invites to a romantic opera concert “Southern Sun Promenade”. With the piano by the expressive pianist Agnese Egliņa, the soloists of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet – the clear soprano Marlena Keine and the artistic tenor Mikhail Chulpajev – will sing the most beautiful love songs, arias and duets of the southern Mediterranean composers.
This is not a brand new program – the singers have been honing it, singing for more than two years. When the program was written, the context was completely different – no one was forbidden to ride and enjoy the magic of the south in person. Well, as a precaution, music should suffice.
“And it really radiates a special touch of the southern sun with both its energy and its changing nature, so I sincerely invite you to listen and come to this concert, because it will really be possible to get inspiration from music that warms, raises wings and gives new energy, new thoughts, joy and pleasure to the soul, ”notes Marlene Keine.
“I also really like this program, because it has a lot of sun, warmth, love – I like to perform with wonderful, talented colleagues, it really makes this concert a real holiday,” colleagues add Mikhail Chulpayev.
The initiator of the program was once Marlene Keine – it was performed for the first time in October 2017, at the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Ballet Hall. At that time, the singer did not hide – it is very important to perform with her friends – friends who are such not only on stage, but also in life.
“It really is – we are not only united by music and work,” the singer confirms today. “Every now and then we meet in the same way – we sit down for coffee, talk about life,
we tell each other how we are going, what has been good, what may need to be improved. We have a very friendly relationship, so it’s wonderful that we can also be good partners on stage. “
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Asked whether all three friends also have the temperament of the people of the South, Mikhail Chulpayev answers in the affirmative: “When we gave one of the last concerts with this program, I noticed and thought about it,
how wonderful it is that Agnese Egliņa plays with us – there is a feeling that the piano strings are getting hot … It is so very temperamental and makes this program special. “
“Agnese’s hands have the sound of an orchestra – she can achieve such a multifaceted sound with the piano that she feels full-blooded, Agnese’s energy is unique,” says Keine and emphasizes that the most important thing in this concert will be the theme of love. “It occupies the first place and is always relevant to us in life. This music will have both passion and jealousy, as well as a feeling of first love and maturity. So many colors! It will be beautiful.”
The website of Liepāja Concert Hall mentions that after this concert, listeners will have the opportunity to meet musicians in person, but the feeling of presence will definitely be during the concert as well:
“Let’s try to create a sense of presence, a personal conversation with each listener, which is basically our main task,” notes singer Marlene Keine.
Asked whether he managed to self-discipline during the forced downtime, Mikhail Chulpayev gladly reveals: “When it all started, I made a conscious decision that I would not do anything for a month. It was difficult … After the third day I asked to go to the theater, to watch something in a hurry, but then I stopped myself and firmly told myself that I would focus more on rest, because the creative race was so active that it was finally pleasant to realize that there is also a simple rest, silence, that you can wake up in the morning without heartbeats that you have to run somewhere again.It was valuable.
A month passed, I was renewing my batteries, and now I am full of creative energy. I literally feel it radiate from me!
There are now new roles to learn in opera. Already in September, I will have a big debut – I will sing the role of Alfred in Verdi’s opera “Traviata”, which is a very beautiful challenge and a new stage in my creative life. I am ready to move on. (..) It is time for maturity. It is also interesting for me for self-growth – I have always been afraid to get stuck in typography and characteristics, so I wanted a continuation for both voice and character. Now I am very glad that I have been given such an opportunity – to grow on the stage with more serious roles. I think my voice is ready for that right now. “
Marlene Keine’s creative calendar is also coming true. “But it’s better not to say anything in advance, because we don’t really know what the situation will be,” the singer is cautious. “But there are roles! There is a whole new role that needs to be prepared now – the role of Cerlin in Mozart’s opera” Don Juan “, which was more actively prepared during the quarantine.
When I looked at how many operas were planned, a smile really took over me, and I really hope that all this will happen and nothing will stop us! “
Mikhail, on the other hand, has prepared the role of Otavio in “Don Juan” – although his debut postponed from spring will also come.
But before the performances at the Latvian National Opera, Marlene Keine will be applauded by the audience at the Small Opera Music Festival held in Laidze, Talsi Region, on August 29. It will be an opera program with excerpts from Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville. “I will perform in the concert together with baritone Rinalds Kandalincevs and our wonderful Agnese Egliņš,” reveals the singer.
Finally, on August 4, the new season for National Opera and Ballet artists has officially started.
“This means that the Opera is again full of smiling people, sounds, dancers – great preparations have begun,” says Mikhail Chulpayev.
“It was a great pleasure to meet colleagues I hadn’t seen in a very long time. Everything is now at such a stage of inspiration and in the hope that it will really continue. As Marlene says, nothing will stop us.”
The ballet will start its season with Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”, but the opera troupe will have its first performance on September 9, when Verdi’s “Traviata” will be performed on stage with Mikhail Chulpayev as Alfred, and his Violet will be Julia Vasilyev. “This will be followed by some of the usual performances of the previous season, and then the premiere of Verdi’s” Simona Bokanegra “is approaching. The roles have already been mastered, and in a few days we will have big ensembles. We will follow the orchestra’s rehearsals and then almost directs, “Chulpajev outlines the course of the new season.
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