"Celan in Bucharest" - German opera successful on Romanian stage
First appereance of soprano Aurelia Florian - Interview after Bucarest premier with Mariana Nicolesco (by Dieter Topp)
 Press
Release from 10/21/09 - 16:56 h: For the first time the opera CELAN composed by Peter Ruzicka in 2001 has been staged in Romania during the 2009 Enescu Festival Edition in Bucarest State Opera House. Composer: PETER RUZICKA , Libretto: PETER MUSSBACH, Translation and adaptation in Romanian: SORIN GEORGESCU. Choir and Orchestra of the Bucharest National Opera Conductor: PETER RUZICKA
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Dieter Topp met Romanian opera diva Mariana Nicolesco in Bucarest who was involved in this project with one of her master class students
DT: Mariana Nicolesco, you attended the CELAN premier in Bucarest. A hugh crew within one of your students, the young singer Aurelia Florian, please give me a few personal impressions.
MN:The first performance ever in Romania with Peter Rusicka's Celan, at the Bucharest National Opera represented for me a very special moment. The German composer's music seamed to me interesting and intense, the interpreters, the orchestra and chorus were remarcable. And soprano Aurelia Florian, whom I prepared for the role of Cristina, the poet's wife, and who had in this occasion her debut in a contemporary opera, was simply extraordinary.
DT: Celan in Romania, what does that mean to you?
MN: The tragic destiny of Paul Celan that inspired the composer, appeared here perhaps for the first time in the public's perception in ist real dimension, and that despite the Romanian origins of the poet, while in the West Celan enjoys a great celebrity.
DT: What's special about Aurelia Florian?
MN: For Aurelia, her presence in the cast of Celan could only be a great challange, because it was her first approache of a contemporary opera, and that in the prestigious context of a premiere during the George Enescu Festival. Previously she brilliantly interpreted belcanto masterpieces, like Donizetti's Queens Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Elisabetta I in Roberto Devereux and
had a great success in Puccini's Trittico: Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi. And suddenly, a little scared, she was now in front of a musical universe totally new for her.
DT: How did you prepaire the newcomer?
MN: told her in how many world premieres Hariclea Darclée was acclaimed. I mentioned the world premieres in which I performed myself, Seven Gates of Jerusalem by Penderecki for instance, celebrating the 3000 years of the Holly City, or Luciano Berio's La Vera Storia at Milan's Teatro alla Scala. Guided by me and winner of the Hariclea Darclée Great Prize of the International Voice Competition bearing the name of the legendary soprano, I also told her that she should try to continue such a prestigious tradition.
Shy in the first moment in front of the score, convinced by me that a contemporary music doesn't mean at all a "modernist" interpretation, but singing with the same passion and rigor of the style like baroc, romantic or verist music, with a belcanto touch if possible.
DT: How about the results, give me your personal statement, please.
MN: Aurelia assimilated Peter Rusicka's creation and we prepared together Cristine's role, in which she was so moving, singing at the highest level that only the belcanto experience would permit to reach. It's what Peter Rusicka noticed with a great joy, as he told me after the performance.
DT: Is there any future for the opera during the next season on Bucarest's opera stage?
MN: After this concert version, I trust the staged version of Peter Rusicka's Celan will be a new significant event next year at the Bucharest National Opera.
DT: Dear Mariana, I'll keep my fingers crossed for the opera, for singer Aurelia Florian whom I hope to see again interpretating the role on Cristina in CELAN.
Wishing much success for your student as well as for you and your next Haricléa Darclée singing competition in Braila 2010. Will meet you again expecting that there will be many more Romanian and international opera singing talents to be detected.
Photo Medana Weident: Happy after a wonderful perfomance: Aurelia Florian, Peter Ruzicka, Mariana Nicoleso and Catalin Arbore
Further information: www.festivalenescu.ro
