Zarui Vardanean's Opera Victories

Zarui Vardanean is a soloist of the National Opera of Moldova. Frankly, among the opera prima donnas you do not find too many of her kind, combining stunning appearance and great voice. She started her singing career as a choir singer. Maybe, it was the choir singing that gave her much patience in making her career. When she is on the stage, she is always calm and self-assured. One cannot help noticing her face, even if she does not have a leading singing part.

“I believe that it is extremely important to organize your inner world in a proper way in order to achieve a lot whatever occupation you have chosen,” Zarui Vardanean confessed a little later.

What follows is part of our conversation with her.

Welcome: It seems that you do not have any problems…

Answer: Everybody has problems. The point is that I do not take them seriously. As long as I remember myself, it has been my dream to sing in opera. I cannot imagine I might be doing anything else. My mother was also a singer. Even now she is known to a great many people in Balti.

I graduated from the Balti Music College as a choir conductor. At that period of time my voice was subject to a strong mutation. It was my teacher Vera P. Kochkareva who persuaded me that I was able to cope with that obstacle risen on my way to the world of opera.

I am also very grateful to Victoria P. Slyusarevskaya who taught me vocal in the Chisinau Conservatory.

It was very interesting to sing in an opera class of Nicolae Dogotari and Mihai Timofti. At my final exam I sang the part of Ulrica from Verdi's “A Masket Ball”. I gave myself totally to the image and my interpretation of this part was considered to be one of the best in many years. Everybody believed in my singing potential.

Your singing career has started successfully, hasn't it?

You should always work on yourself. The voice requires training. I seem to be living in music twenty four hours a day, you know. When I am getting into my new role, I cannot think of anything else. Sometimes, I have even trouble falling asleep at night. I have to be moving all the time, I walk around the apartment, I am thinking of how to arrange the mis-en-scenes in the best way, I try to visualize the scenes and acts, to see with my mind's eye how all the parts of the opera we are working at, fit together, where I will be standing on the stage at a particular moment, how and where I will move, how I will look at the partner. So, you see all of this is rather complicated and involved.

Both your small and leading parts in different operas are very expressive. I sympathize with your maid from “The Queen of Spades”, Suzuki from “Madame Butterfly”, Azucena from “Il Trovatore”, Lola from “Cavaleria Rusticana”, and, of course, Ulrica. Among your new roles I would like to mention Carmen from Bizet's opera of the same name and Amneris from “Aida”. Carmen in your interpretation is unique, she is not a light-minded beauty. She possesses tenderness and charm. Being freedom-loving by nature she breaks up with Jose in spite of her strong feelings to him.

I have dreamt of singing Amneris for a long time. Probably because her character and nature are very close to mine. Carmen is also one of my most favorite parts. She is strong-minded and freedom-loving.

“Carmen” performed on the stage of the National Opera of Moldova was recognized as one of the best interpretations of Bizet's opera. Mihai Timofti's talented direction, Felix Bessonov's spectacular scene design, great costumes and scenery have risen the Moldovan interpretation of the opera to the European level. The performance is likely to be of considerable interest to the Chisinau guests. Both soloists and the choir work on a high level. Igor Macarenco's Jose is a peak of his singing career. Why do you take an interest in Amneris, Ulrica and Asusena? All these women are cruel and, sometimes, even vindictive. Why do they attract you?

These women are unique, they are forceful personalities, and nobody could ever conquer them. In their lives there were both defeats and victories. Their characters are quite different. At the same time they are sometimes similar in their views on life, love and happiness.

You give yourselves totally to both choir parts and leading ones…

Because each character has its biography even in a choir singing. The group scenes are as important as the solo ones.

What qualities do you value in a person?

First of all, I value the ability to overcome difficulties without losing one's dignity. The strength of mind, honor and big heart are very important in our life. Art people bear heavy responsibility since they influence their admirers. Every spectacular also participates in the performance. During the performance it is so great to see the eyes of the people in the audience. The eyes usually shine, they radiate gratitude, and I know the people in the audience have become kinder.

Do you feel yourselves comfortable on the stage?

Always. I enjoy communicating with music and spectators. I have stable relations with all my partners. The main task of art in general is serving a true spirituality in order to improve the world we live in.

Now you often perform in the Costanta opera troupe (Romania). Would you like to change the theatre, troupe, to work with younger singers?

Frankly, most of the theatres are going through very hard times. Unfortunately, the same can also be said about good literature or poetry. My dream is to create my own theatre or show. There is no theatre management in Chisinau. We have no ties with other countries. But all this is vitally important to an opera singer.

Have you ever had to excuse yourselves?

Never. At least I do my best not to have to excuse myself.

Mrs. Vardanean, are you happy with your choice of occupation and career?

Absolutely. I cannot live without singing. I love to sing on the stage of the Chisinau Opera House. When I am on this stage, I forget about all the bad things in the life of an opera singer. Of course, I feel an urge to travel, to see the world, but I also terribly want to sing for our Moldovan audience.

Interviewed by Elena Uzun
Translated by Vlada Popushoi