A Diva is born 2.0
Interview |
Five or six times a year, selected renowned singers are given the opportunity to present themselves in a solo concert at the Vienna State Opera. It was clear from the outset that someone like Asmik Grigorian, whose interpretations do not generally follow well-trodden paths, but rather boldly explore new artistic terrain in a way that sets new standards, would not present the audience with a run-of-the-mill program in this case either. The title she announced for the evening - A Diva is Born - also promised something new and unusual. And so the tension was palpable as the lights dimmed in the auditorium on May 28, 2024 and everyone eagerly awaited the exceptional soprano's performance. What followed exceeded all expectations.
Grigorian switched between countless styles and genres in a highly creative way, interwove biographical material with humorous sideswipes at stardom, showed the fragility of those who are prepared to face the highest demands of being an artist every day and left a frenetically cheering audience in her wake. In the meantime, she has repeated the evening on other stages - always enriched by new facets - and will perform it again on December 2 at the Vienna State Opera. In an interview with Andreas Láng, Asmik Grigorian spoke about charisma, infinite life and the curiosity for new forms of artistic expression.
As with this concert, you like to take unusual paths and only sing roles and pieces that interest you - regardless of whether anyone advises you not to. When did you learn not to be unsettled by others and to trust only your own instincts?
I don't know, I was probably born that way. (laughs) It's probably a character trait - not always an advantage, but unchangeable. What is certain is that my parents gave up trying to tell me what to do very early on, as I didn't do what was expected of me on principle. Nothing helped! And even today, as an artist, nobody can persuade me to do anything that doesn't interest me. Conversely, I will do everything I can to make things that I enjoy a reality.
What was the basic idea behind the development of A Diva is Born? Did you want to show your roots with this concert, a biographical sketch, essential facets of your artistic development?
No, initially there was no goal, no direction. The program and its direction came out of nowhere, so to speak. The starting point was a benefit concert about ten years ago, which I came to by chance because someone else was ill and at which the pianist Hyung-ki Joo sang the Sting song Moon of the Bourbon Street. Anyway, he and I thought it would be fun to develop something together, and so we experimented for the next few years. But because I didn't have time to learn anything special at first, I started with the vocals, as there were no lyrics to memorize. At some point, I became interested in Lady Gaga and so, step by step, I felt my way towards pop - simply because I was curious about different singing techniques that I hadn't heard before. I only ever practised these different songs as a warm-up program before opera performances. Later, I combined this repertoire with arias and the aforementioned vocalizes to create an initial sequence that continued to grow until we came up with the idea of incorporating my own life story, recording what I had personally experienced, heard and said. And the more Hyung-ki Joo and I worked on the evening, the clearer individual aspects and details emerged, all of which have to do with me and my life as an artist. But that wasn't the intention from the start!
You performed this in many ways unusual concert for the first time at the Vienna State Opera - was your adrenaline level then, just before the performance, higher than at so-called typical recitals? And did you foresee this great success?
The adrenaline level was definitely higher than usual, especially because with projects like this you often only realize afterwards whether they work or not. At least that's how I feel. I even warned Bogdan Roščić and asked him if he was really prepared to take on this journey with an uncertain outcome. I literally said to him: "What if we get shipwrecked, what if our boat capsizes?" Well, that didn't happen and I am therefore very grateful to him for trusting me and even supporting this idea, which we are still working on to make it something even bigger. The first time around, the unforeseen was very important, but we have now performed the program three or four times and have a clearer overview of the itinerary.
What specifically has changed in the program from time to time?
We shortened some parts at the beginning and added a few arias and pop songs. Above all, we changed the function of the pianist to the extent that Hyung-ki Joo is no longer the nasty guy who constantly bullies me, but something like my inner voice. So it's me who sometimes treats me so mercilessly. I've often realized that I have the gift of making people cry on stage. And even at this concert, which is supposed to be a comedy, there are quite a few people in the audience who are moved to tears - simply because I am very honest and open with the audience. I feel really naked because I am so much myself and can't hide anything. That's what makes this evening so challenging for me. Apart from the fact that it is vocally very, very demanding and difficult to jump from classical to pop and from pop to classical in a very short space of time.
There are indeed very few opera singers who can switch genres to pop as perfectly and credibly as you can. Where does that come from?
I don't know if I'm really that good at it, but I'm constantly learning: First I took a lot of lessons in New York and now I'm working with a really great coach in Vienna. I need to call her again soon and make an appointment. I'm starting to enjoy this process, learning new songs all the time and really making progress. Of course, I'm definitely not planning to become a pop singer, I'm just doing this trip for fun. But I'm taking it really seriously because I think it suits me too and I try to do my best in everything I do.
You even designed the graphics for the program yourself - why?
Because it should also fit in with the show. A typical evening program would not do the evening justice.
Stage fright and anxiety are a constant companion for artists who have to perform live. Nevertheless, they overcome themselves and go on stage. Why?
It's true, stage fright, the fear of not measuring up artistically, the fight against panic attacks have been a big problem for me throughout my entire career, which has already lasted twenty years. In recent years, however, it has - thank God - got better and I am very happy because I can now enjoy my life on stage much more intensely.
You are extremely charismatic. Is that something you notice yourself?
Thank you very much. Of course I have never considered myself to be charismatic, such judgments can only ever come from others. But over time you do notice that a power emanates from you. I can feel, especially when I perform, how people's attention turns to me, that the audience is willing to look at me, to listen to me, to connect with me in principle. And that's exactly what art is about: connecting people with each other.
But can charisma be learned?
I don't know. I really don't know. I think you can probably learn anything. But in this case, it's not about learning, it's about allowing. Each and every one of us has a certain charisma. The only question is whether we allow ourselves to be ourselves, to be authentic. If we allow ourselves this freedom, we are automatically charismatic.
The Vienna State Opera is performing Janáček's "Věc Makropulos" in November/December. This work is about a secret recipe that makes infinite life and youth possible here on earth. Would you at least read this recipe? Maybe even use it?
I believe in eternal life anyway - whether here on earth or elsewhere in or outside the cosmos, beyond space and time. I assume that I have been living on earth for a very long time. So perhaps I have already lived for an eternity - so why not add another eternity? But of course there are limits to our physical existence, and I agree with that. In any case, I hope to be able to cope with getting old in 25 years' time, to accept how my body is changing. It's difficult, but I would rather learn to accept my ageing than fight it and try to force a calendar with an infinite number of days.