Seven questions for ...

Roberto Alagna

Due to the illness of Roberto Alagna, Martin Muehle now takes over the part of the poet Andrea Chenier.

Andrea Chenier
Conductor: Giampaolo Bisanti
Director: John Dew
With Martin Muehle, Roman Burdenko, María José Siri et al.; Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
From 28. November 2018

What type of revolutionary are you: progressive or anti-evil?
I’m not the root-and-branch transformation sort. I like my peace and quiet. If there’s got to be a revolution, then I’m for progress.

What is mightier: the word or the sword?
It’s always better to communicate; fighting is never good. Sometimes it’s the only option, but it always makes more sense to talk with people – even though that path tends be more complicated.

What does art know that fighters don’t?
The aim of art is to make people’s lives easier. We’re dealing with challenges, problems, politics, adversity on a daily basis. Art lets us escape our trials and tribulations for a few hours – for the duration of an opera, for instance.

What makes you angry nowadays?
Whatever people do, there’s a reason for it, I always think. So I try to figure out why they did what they did – and then forgive them. I’m always trying to be more tolerant and less judgemental. Then again, I see a lot of unfair stuff going on in the world. But I can’t come up with a fix for everything!

What is more important: love or a good cause?
Obviously love is more important. The hardest thing in the world is to see love in everything, even in the people you hate. It’s a miracle when two people discover simultaneously that they have the same tender feelings for the other person. Love is complicated. But also very simple.

Favourite revolutionary?
Jesus Christ, maybe! For me, the greatest revolution a person can experience is the message of love. Religions have their problems, but they all feature the revolutionary idea of unconditional love. Yet artists, too, can change the world by going off in a new direction.

What was your own revolution?
My own, personal revolution consisted in tackling the French repertoire. I’d always thought it a bit affected, so I tried adding modern touches to the roles, changes in diction and phrasing. I think it worked, because most singers nowadays sing the French repertoire that way. That was my little revolution! And I’ve introduced some gleam and youth and brightness to heavy roles, as in ANDREA CHENIER. I’ve got a fully matured and weighty voice, but when I sing Chenier, I add some lightness and fragility. For me that, too, is revolutionary in small way.

Newsletter

News about the schedule
and the start of advance booking
Personal recommendations
Special offers ...
Stay well informed!

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to our Newsletter and receive 25% off your next ticket purchase.

* Mandatory field





Newsletter