August 2004

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The Open World Of Creativity
It is always interesting to trace the progress of gifted artistic personalities who can manifest themselves in several creative realms. One of these personalities is Vitalii Chiresh, a soloist of the National Opera, remarkable for his deep, powerful bass.
A graduate of the Repin Art College, he was and still is fond of portrait painting. But it so happened that his singing and music career has become no less successful, and this combined service to two different muses turned out to be very fruitful, as an opera singer should possess artistic skills as well in order to create vivid images. It is on the stage that Vitalii becomes a sculptor, too, adding plasticity, visuality and a sense of space to his heroes. Continued >>>

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Pianist Alexander Palei: “Moldova is my homeland”

Alexander Palei is well-known all over the world. He is a talented band-master and a masterly performer of classical music. When he left the Republic of Moldova, his talent impressed spectators from the USA, France, Germany, Australia and England. Now he gives concerts all over Europe. The schedule of concerts is made for some years ahead. But, in spite of being always busy, Alexander Palei comes to Moldova every year to participate in the International Festival of classical music entitled “Spring Harmonies", and his concerts attract huge audience. This year he gave a free concert. Alexander brilliantly performed F. Liszt’s sonata "B minor" as well as “Goldberg Variations" by Bach which are rarely played by pianists because of the polyphonic complexity and duration. Welcome magazine have decided to make acquaintance of genius performer Alexander Palei.

Welcome: Alexander, first of all we would like to thank you for the extraordinary concert which was full of spirituality and virtuosity. Also many thanks for giving two free concerts to Moldovan spectators this year. Could you, please, tell the reasons?
Answer: I was paid a return ticket. Usually well-known pianists do not give free concerts. But I love Chisinau with all my heart: I was born here, my childhood and my youth passed here. My friends and my relatives are here and I’ll never forget them. In recent years, I played with the National Symphonic Orchestra with Ion Josan who is the Director of the National Philharmonic Society. He paid me the honorarium, but I gave it to my friends and poor actors since I know how difficult life in Moldova is. Continued >>>

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Preposterous Reality Engenders Laughter
Why do people laugh? Outwardly a naïve question, but it is actually quite a complicated question. Hundreds of researchers have studied the nature of humor and failed to agree on an answer. There is definitely something enigmatic about man’s ability to laugh. James Kruss, a noted German author, wrote in his beautiful tale Timas Taleris, or Sold Laugh that laughter is inner freedom and that he that can laugh can point his finger at the devil.
It is said that having a good laugh is equal to having a good meal. Every nation has its own sense of humor, people like laughing all over the world. Absolute majority of people prefer laughter to tears. There is nothing racist in saying that some people have a more developed sense of humor than others. Laughter is not just a healthy manifestation of joviality – it is also a means of overcoming a difficulty or a failing or a misfortune. If, for example, you loose a sum of money which you hoped to use for some good purpose, you can give yourself to despair, you can plunge into the blackest of moods but it will not get your money back, no matter how much you lament having lost them. But if you laugh at your misfortune, the future may appear brighter, the loss not so painful and your restored cheerfulness will help you work harder and earn even more than you’ve lost. Continued >>>

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