Golden-eyed hibla with a golden voice. Opera prima Khibla Gerzmava: a singer must love! Participation in modern productions
I felt the most obvious timbre changes for the better after the birth of my son, that is, 12 years ago. I was glad that the voice became softer, less flattened in sound, and the slightest tremolation, which sometimes bothered me, disappeared. The process of “rounding” may continue, but now I consider myself a lyric-coloratura soprano, with an emphasis on the “lyric”. This brings some adjustments in terms of the repertoire; I’m no longer going to sing Shemakhanskaya or the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. But I’m not going to switch to very “strong” roles like “Madama Butterfly”, “Tosca”, “Norma” or even Elizabeth in “Don Carlo”. I am one of those singers who is careful when choosing a repertoire; at my age this is especially important in order to keep my voice fresh. Gilda or Juliet are no longer needed, but Lucia, Violetta or Mimi are mine now.
- The last premiere at my native Theater was three roles at once in “The Tales of Hoffmann” by J. Offenbach. Is this “audacity” your initiative or the director’s intention?
Few singers in the world dare to perform these three roles in one evening, or rather even four, including Stella’s final scene, they are so different both in sound and in acting tasks. Among contemporary colleagues, Diana Damrau immediately comes to mind, she wonderfully sang all these heroines in the performance of the Bavarian Opera. I didn’t have such an idea either, Alexander Borisovich Titel suggested, even persuaded me, thanks to him.
Olympia is not 100% my role. But the more I sing it, the better it turns out, because the range allows it, and I really like making such a childish, touching doll.
- Yes, I noted this in the review of the premiere, Khibla’s obvious comic gift, which, unfortunately, was little realized. Wouldn’t you like to try something even more naughty – “Don Pasquale”, or “Daughter of the Regiment”?
I would really like to sing Norina in “Don Pascual”, but I don’t think about “Daughter of the Regiment”, it is for a slightly different voice. But it’s true, I don’t have enough comedy roles, I really want to joke and laugh on stage. I regret that “Die Fledermaus” is being removed from the repertoire at the Musical Theatre; the crafty Adele was very close to me.
- Let's talk about your most recent major work - the role of Vitellia in Mozart's La Clemenza di Titus, which you performed at the Paris Grand Opera in September. The French and our reviewers are unanimous in their enthusiastic assessment of you personally. Is this your first encounter with Mozart's music on the opera stage?
Yes, Vitellia is my first major Mozart role. I've read quite a lot historical literature in history Ancient Rome, about the reign of Emperor Titus Flavius. But the main thing, of course, is Mozart’s brilliant music, which seems to be “above the plot.” I came to Paris not just with a memorized part, but with a prepared role. Much became clear to both the director and conductor right away, at the very first rehearsal.
- With whom do you prepare and learn new parts, who is your “outside ear”, so necessary for a singer?
I received a strong vocal foundation that allows me to actively perform with a diverse repertoire and withstand a tough tour schedule at the Moscow Conservatory from my professor Irina Ivanovna Maslennikova. From the third year I was in the chamber ensemble class of Professor Evgenia Mikhailovna Arefieva. She prepared me for the Tchaikovsky Competition, which became a springboard in my creative biography, I work with her, the main accompanist and teacher-tutor of our Theater to this day, preparing roles in performances. Her opinion and “ear” are very valuable to me, I trust her completely.
- Will we hear you in the Russian repertoire in the near future?
In general, it seems to me that Russian opera classics are stingy with parts for lyric-coloratura soprano.
- But what about Rimsky-Korsakov, if not Shemakhanovskaya, then his Marfa in “The Tsar’s Bride” or Volkhova in “Sadko” quite fit this category!
I sing individual arias in concerts with great pleasure. Unfortunately, many of his operas have long since left the Moscow playbill. And in the West, operas by Rimsky-Korsakov are very rare. It so happened that my foreign contracts are connected exclusively with Western music, they hear me and now invite me to the European repertoire.
- An indispensable question on our portal is about modern opera directing, about your relationship with it. Your formation as an opera actress took place under the hand of A. Titel, a director who is in many ways controversial and ambiguous. But all his productions, thank God, do not allow for the naturalism and rudeness inherent in Western novelties, for which it would be a shame in front of the founding fathers of your Theater - Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. And even Adolf Shapiro, who was invited from the drama and staged “Lucia di Lammermoor” at MAMT, remained faithful to the principles of the conventions of the operatic genre. Contrary to the fears of critics, Your Lucia entered the final wearing a clean, non-bloody dress. This amazing snow-white “coffin dress” itself has a very powerful and unexpected effect.
My Lucia is generally somewhat different than everyone is used to. She also has a different kind of madness – calm, quietly contemplative. The fact that the performance was staged by a master drama theater Adolf Shapiro, freed the production from centuries-old cliches. I have great respect for all the theaters where “Lucia di Lammermoor” is performed, and for all the performers, because the role is indeed very “bloody” in its severity for the singer. But this is precisely why real fans who go to the theater for catharsis, and not for cheap “tricks,” do not need red blood stains on the characters’ clothes. And for me it is also very important to emphasize the development of the image with different sounds and timbre. It’s no secret that there are virtuoso singers who sing the Bel Canto repertoire technically flawlessly, but monotonously from the beginning to the end of the performance. It’s boring for me to listen to such a performance, so I try to be as expressive as possible through vocals. I can always hear if the singer puts a piece of his heart and soul into his performance. If this exists, I can forgive even technical flaws, we are living people, but I avoid cold mechanistic vocals in every possible way, I get tired of listening to such voices. From new emerging names, I expect, first of all, beauty and purity of timbre, and warmth.
- Let's return to opera directing as such. In Moscow, you are lucky to have smart directors who understand the specifics of the genre. What about Europe and America? Did you have to step over any moral or ethical principles?
For now, so as not to jinx it, it’s over! I don’t know how I would react to an offer to participate in an overly frank production. Perhaps I would use my professionalism and try to find something new and interesting. But, to be honest, I’m afraid, I’m not thirsty. I love modern performances, but only those that have taste and do not cross the line of theatrical convention on stage.
- This leads to my most personal question to the singer Khibla Gerzmava, as the mother of a teenage son. Your Sandro is already involved in the theater, sings in the MAMT children's choir, and takes part in performances. How is his relationship with opera?
I brought my son to the theater “to work” primarily in order to spend more time together during my now infrequent visits to Moscow. And then, the theater schedule and rehearsal process are very disciplined, which many people don’t even realize! Now Sandro has begun to experience an age-related mutation in his voice, and he has been transferred to another choir group. But he runs around the stage with great pleasure, and sometimes takes part in the same performances with me. They have to sing in different languages too, which is good. All this liberates the child, but also educates him at the same time. It seems to me that theatrical life also helps him in his studies. He is organized, knows not to be late and let the “team” down - this is an important part of education. I am very grateful to our children’s choir teachers, Tatyana Leonova and Alla Baykova, for the proper work with the children.
- But “backstage dust” is such a contagious sweet poison! What if the guy wants to follow in his footsteps, if not to sing, then to become a dramatic artist?
I'm almost sure that my son won't be a singer. Sandro has already spoken about the dramatic field, and I am not against it in principle, but only after he has fully matured. The most important thing is to guide the child, and then he will think and choose. The boy is good at mathematics and his head is inclined towards the exact sciences - we will orient him towards this.
- What, in your opinion, should be shown to adults who are still children in modern musical theater, and what should we refrain from doing?
Sandrik with early years He hears good music at home: classical, jazz, folk melodies. But I am not a supporter of showing children something difficult for their psyche to perceive. He started going on tour with me when he was still little, and now I try to take him when the holidays coincide. And we always go to see operas live in the best theaters world, age-appropriate. But, let’s say, I won’t take him to see R. Strauss’ “Salome” yet, even with a star cast.
As he grows up, he will decide what is more interesting to him; fortunately, the choice of opera performances on DVD in excellent quality is now huge. His perception of a teenager changes greatly; in two or three years he will look at many things differently. There are a lot of classics outside the opera genre that I would like to introduce my child to right now - books, films, dramatic performances.
But, by the way, Sandro still looked at our sensational “indecency”, that is, male striptease at the ball “La Traviata” and was not impressed, did not emphasize this point. Much more interesting to him than the naked torsos were the billiard cues in the hands of the dancers. The boy just started playing billiards, he was very interested in it, and the first thing he noticed was that the young men were dancing with cues in their hands.
He honestly told me that he doesn’t like those performances where my heroines die at the end. Therefore, my best role in the perception of my son is Adina in “Elixir of Love.” I really want this cheerful, witty performance to be resumed at our Musical Theater, having finally learned Italian and recitatives.
- What about the son of “The Tales of Hoffmann” - did you see his smart face with glasses at the premiere?
I really liked it! Especially Doll Olympia: “Mom, you are so funny, cute, you walk like a toy. The ponytails are very good!” But he admitted that he was scared when Olympia lost her eyes and jumped out with black holes on her face in the finale of Act 1.
- At this age, boyish jealousy of any male representatives, in this case, your partners, is very natural.
This, fortunately, is not the case. Firstly, Sandro has been in the theater since early childhood, and all my opera lovers are his friends; he communicates with many guys on Facebook. Then, I explained even earlier that this is Theater, such a job. But if I came home, I don’t continue to play like Somerset Maugham’s character, the great actress Julia Lambert, I’m just a loving mother. Having closed the door, I become an ordinary woman: homely, cozy, warm.
- I remember that according to your first college diploma, you were a pianist, and you even took elective organ classes at the Moscow Conservatory. Do you now manage to find time for the piano and maintain your level?
I am always grateful to my piano teachers for the fact that I can still play the instrument today. In general, I think that singers who play any instrument are lucky; they have a more meaningful understanding of sound and a deeper understanding of music. Now I have little time to practice the piano, but at home or in a small circle of friends I can play a little jazz.
- It’s very interesting about jazz. How is it possible to combine opera and jazz singing, these manners are so different, and few even great singers dare to do this?
Listening and performing jazz music, I'm resting. My ears are resting! Working with a microphone is a separate topic, you need to know many nuances, the message of the voice and the sensations are different. I am incredibly happy that there are friends like Daniil Kramer and Yakov Okun with whom we performed together in a jazz program in Pitsunda. With Daniil Kramer there is a solo program, such an exclusive, “Opera, Jazz, Blues,” which we sing on the stage of our theater. This is very meaningful to me and I am very grateful to him.
With Yakov Okun we play music in a slightly different, folk style. For the first time, I heard the Abkhaz folk “Song of the Rock” in his jazz arrangement, for which I am sincerely grateful.
A special page is the ensemble with Denis Matsuev, he is my good, close friend. One of our best modern academic pianists plays jazz improvisations and various hits beautifully. With him, we recently recorded several numbers for New Year's programs on television, full of mischief and humor. You can see them on the evening of December 31st, there will even be a special surprise, I won’t say what it is yet! I hope that in May Denis and I will go to Pitsunda, as part of my annual jazz festival, in a team with bassist Andrei Ivanov and drummer Dmitry Sevostyanov. I want to continue my jazz “hobby”.
- Khibla, I don’t want to once again use the word “Star”, which is indecently worn out and vulgarized by all sorts of “manufacturers”. But just like documentary fact. You are now in Moscow, perhaps the most famous opera singer. You have your own regular audience, you attract full houses at performances, you can often be seen on television, which for many is the main criterion of popularity. I’m simply silent about your native Abkhazia; probably, even in the mountain villages they know about you and are deservedly proud. And while I’m communicating, I see a normal woman, without fanfare, and a hard-working vocalist who, without hesitation, talks about the unsuccessful cadenza in the last performance. When there is continuous popular enthusiasm and magnificent epithets around, how do you manage to keep a “sober” head and not fall into the euphoria of “divism”?
I am always grateful for the wave of positivity coming from the public, from the fans. But I myself understand that everything is never perfect, no matter how hard you try. I take positive emotions into my piggy bank, but I still know what worked and what didn’t. Analysis works clearly for me, and no one “eats” me more than I do myself.
- And if you hear a random false note?
Certainly! I hear and suffer when such a “sin” suddenly occurs. I react sharply to inaccurate, usually low intonation in my partners. Singing is both mental, mental and physical work.
- As far as I can tell, you are “friends” with the computer, the Internet, and Facebook. How do you feel about spontaneous postings of your performances on YouTube?
The most annoying thing is when a certain user is so intoxicated by his own importance, and by the fact that he attended an elite event, that he posts absolutely amateurish, low-quality footage on the Internet! Well, how can you listen and watch this if the cheap mobile phone camera in your hands shakes, the image jumps, the sound is worse than from a gramophone record! No, if it’s recorded and filmed with high quality, then for God’s sake, let people hear and watch. But in order to upload your footage for public viewing, you need to have at least basic skills, and not do it half-heartedly just to get noticed.
- What are your impressions of studio work on audio discs?
Recording is always terrible, hellishly difficult. For me, it’s easier to sing a few performances live than to spend a shift in the studio. There are voices that sound very beneficial in sound recordings, but I don’t consider myself one of them. I don’t like myself from the outside and that’s it! Well, except in rare cases.
More than 10 years ago I recorded several Russian programs for a Japanese record company. In particular, she practically rediscovered the cycles of romances by N. Myaskovsky and M. Ippolitov-Ivanov. Now I sing differently, and I’m thinking of recording them again. Another program is planned from our classics: Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov. And also, I would like to release a disc - “everyday” romances of the 19th century: Alyabyev, Varlamov, Gurilev, etc. We made all my chamber music recordings together with an amazing pianist and close friend Ekaterina Ganelina, and I am planning future projects with her.
My main dream is a solo disc of opera arias with the NPR and my beloved maestro Vladimir Spivakov.
And, of course, jazz, my constant tender “weakness”, I have accumulated quite a lot of materials from live concerts, from my festival in Pitsunda, but all the time I am tormented by some “fleas” - imperfections, I would like to rewrite all this in a high-quality manner.
- Purely feminine. I like your concert dresses - they always emphasize only the best in the figure, are interesting in color, different, but united by a certain style.
I have stylists who do costume, hair, and makeup. But if I personally don’t like the proposed option, then I won’t do it at the concert, even if it’s super fashionable. I believe that a woman on stage simply must be beautiful, stylish and well-groomed. The actress must be a Dream - flawless, in the most expensive and exquisite outfit. A good dress gives me the feeling of a straight back, when I feel beautiful - I sing differently!
- Finally, let’s not be original, about creative plans for the coming season.
Just the other day I’m flying to New York for a month to sing La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera in a revival of the classic production by F. Zeffirelli. In my native MAMT I will periodically appear in La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, and The Tales of Hoffmann. In December, the 21st, in the same place, at the Theater there will be an evening called: “Opera, Jazz, Blues.” On February 13, my solo concert is scheduled to take place in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
And, perhaps, the main expectation at the moment is the upcoming participation in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at London’s Covent Garden in January 2012. This will be my first Donna Anna, but my second, after La Clemenza di Tito, happy meeting with the Genius in one season. Anyone interested in my plans and movements around the world will always find the schedule on the official website. I’ll just add that the dates for the next six months are indicated there, and my tours are scheduled until 2014. These are mainly the MET, Covent Garden, the Vienna Opera and other leading stages in the world. However, I will also sing in Moscow, and in other cities of Russia, and in my native Abkhazia, I promise.
P.S.
In the process of editing the text of the interview, it became known that Khibla Gerzmava was nominated for the highest Russian theater award “Golden Mask” in 2011 as the best opera singer for simultaneously performing all the main female parts in the MAMT production “The Tales of Hoffmann”. We will find out the jury's decision, as always, in the spring. But the very fact of the artist’s nomination inspires optimism - it’s rare that a vocal “almost feat” evokes such a warm response from the audience.
Khibla Gerzmava was born in 1970 in Pitsunda. In 1989 she graduated from the Sukhumi Music College in piano, in 1994 - from the Moscow Conservatory in solo singing (with Professor I. Maslennikova and Professor E. Arefyeva), in 1996 - graduate school with I. Maslennikova. She also took an optional organ class for three years.
During her studies, she won a number of prizes at prestigious international competitions: “Verdi Voices” in Busseto (III prize), named after. N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov in St. Petersburg (II prize), named after. F. Vinyasa in Spain (II prize). The singer achieved her greatest success on X International competition them. P.I. Tchaikovsky in Moscow in 1994, winning the Grand Prix - the only one in the entire more than half-century history of this competition.
Since 1995, Khibla Gerzmava has been a soloist of the Moscow Academic Musical Theater named after. K.S. Stanislavsky and Vl.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (she made her debut as Musetta in Puccini’s opera “La Bohème”). The singer's repertoire includes parts in the operas "Ruslan and Lyudmila" by Glinka, "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", "The Snow Maiden", "The Golden Cockerel" and "The Tsar's Bride" by Rimsky-Korsakov, "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky, "The Moor" by Stravinsky, "Betrothal" in the Monastery" by Prokofiev, "The Marriage of Figaro" and "Don Giovanni" by Mozart, "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, "Lucia di Lammermoor", "Elisir of Love" and "Don Pasquale" by Donizetti, "Rigoletto", "La Traviata", "Ballo" masquerade" and "Falstaff" by Verdi and a number of others, in the operetta "Die Fledermaus" by J. Strauss.
With the theater Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, the singer toured in Korea, the USA and other countries. Sang on stages Mariinsky Theater, Teatro Comunale in Florence, Grand Teatro de Liceu in Barcelona, Sofia National Opera in Bulgaria, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Covent Garden Theater in London, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Japan and others.
Khibla Gerzmava constantly performs concert programs. The singer's concert repertoire includes Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Requiems by Mozart and Verdi, oratorios by Handel ("Judas Maccabeus") and Haydn ("Creation of the World", "The Seasons"), Bach's "Coffee Cantata"; vocal cycles of Schumann (“Love and Life of a Woman”), R. Strauss (“Four Last Songs”), Ravel (“Scheherazade”); romances by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Ippolitov-Ivanov.
The singer was applauded by the halls of Russia, Sweden, France, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Greece, Turkey, the USA, and Japan. Collaborates with V. Spivakov and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and the Moscow Virtuosi, A. Rudin and the Musica Viva orchestra, V. Gergiev, V. Fedoseev, A. Lazarev, M. Pletnev, V. Sinaisky, Yu. Bashmet, L. Maazel. Participant of festivals in Ludwigsburg (Germany; performed the role of Eve in “The Creation of the World” by J. Haydn and the role of the Guardian Angel in the opera “Imagination of Soul and Body” by E. de Cavalieri), in Colmar (France), “Vladimir Spivakov Invites...” , “Dedication...” in the State Tretyakov Gallery, ArsLonga and others. She has recorded several CDs: Ave Maria, “Khibla Gerzmava Performs Russian Romances”, “Oriental Romances of Khibla Gerzmava” and others.
The singer is one of the organizers of the Festival classical music“Khibla Gerzmava invites”, which has been held in Abkhazia since 2001. She was a member of the jury of the Valeria Barsova Competition in Sochi and the “Competition of Competitions” at the Sobinovsky Festival in Saratov.
The art of Khibla Gerzmav has received many awards. She is a laureate of the Moscow Opera Festival theater award (2000) in the “Best Singer” category, and a laureate of the “Golden Orpheus” theater award (2001) in the “Best Singer of the Year” category. In 2006 she was awarded the titles of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and People's Artist Republic of Abkhazia.
She was awarded the Russian Opera Award Casta Diva and the National Theater Award "Golden Mask" for her performance of the role of Lucia in the performance of the theater. K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko “Lucia di Lammermoor”, Moscow City Prize for the performance of leading roles in the operas “La Traviata”, “Lucia di Lammermoor” and in the concert performance “An Evening of Classical Operetta”. In September and October, Khibla Gerzmava made a brilliant debut on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera in Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann (Antonia/Stella).
The singer constantly performs concert programs. The singer's concert and chamber repertoire includes Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Requiems by Mozart and Verdi, oratorios by Handel ("Judas Maccabeus") and Haydn ("Creation of the World", The Seasons), "Coffee Cantata" by Bach; vocal cycles of Schumann (“Love and Life of a Woman”), R. Strauss (“Four Last Songs”), Ravel (“Scheherazade”); romances by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Ippollitov-Ivanov.
Khibla Gerzmav was applauded by the halls of Russia, Sweden, France, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Greece, Turkey, the USA, and Japan. She collaborates with V. Spivakov and his orchestras “Moscow Virtuosi” and the National Philharmonic, A. Rudin and the Musica viva orchestra, V. Gergiev, V. Fedoseev, A. Lazarev, M. Pletnev, V. Sinaisky, Yu. Bashmet, L .Maazel. Participant of festivals in Ludwigsburg (Germany; performed the role of Eve in “The Creation of the World” by J. Haydn and the role of the Guardian Angel in the opera “Imagination of Soul and Body” by E. de Cavalieri), in Colmar (France), “Vladimir Spivakov Invites...” , “Dedication...” in the State Tretyakov Gallery, ArsLonga, etc. She has recorded several CDs: Ave Maria, “Khibla Gerzmava performs Russian romances,” “Oriental romances of Khibla Gerzmava,” etc.
The singer is one of the organizers of the Classical Music Festival “Khibla Gerzmava Invites”, which has been held in Abkhazia since 2001. Takes part in the work of the jury of international competitions: them. Barsova in Sochi, the “Competition of Competitions” at the Sobinovsky Festival in Saratov, etc.
The art of Khibla Gerzmav has received many awards. She is a laureate of the Moscow Opera Festival theater prize (2000) in the category “Best Singer”; laureate of the Golden Orpheus 2001 theater award in the category “Best Singer of the Year”. In 2006 she was awarded the titles of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and People's Artist of Abkhazia.
The year 2010 was especially generous with memorable events in the singer’s biography.
She was awarded the Russian Opera Award Casta Diva and the National Theater Award "Golden Mask" for her performance of the role of Lucia in the performance of the Theater. K.S. Stanislavsky and Vl.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko “Lucia di Lammermoor”, Moscow City Prize for the performance of leading roles in the operas “La Traviata”, “Lucia di Lammermoor” and in the concert performance “An Evening of Classical Operetta”. In September-October, Khibla Gerzmava made a brilliant debut on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera in Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann (Antonia/Stella, 7 performances).
Khibla Gerzmava is a Russian opera singer, People's Artist of Abkhazia and People's Artist of Russia. Khibla was born in 1970 on January 6 in the resort of Pitsunda. There, on the sun-drenched coast, she spent her childhood and youth. From an early age, Khibla sang and played the piano.
As a child, the singer studied at a music school in Gagra, and later at the Sukhumi Music College. However, the future star was going to become not a vocalist, but a pianist. Although Khibla always loved to sing, and even composed songs herself, neither Khibla herself nor her relatives seriously thought about a vocal career. The girl's cherished dream was to become an organist. However, the piano teacher recognized her extraordinary singing talent and took eighteen-year-old Khibla Gerzmava to a vocal class with teacher Josephine Bumburidi. This step was decisive for the birth of a future opera star.
The very next year, in 1989, Khibla entered the Moscow Conservatory in the vocal department, which she graduated in 1994. There, Professor Irina Ivanovna Maslennikova and Professor Evgenia Mikhailovna Arefyeva became her mentors.
But even before graduating from the conservatory in 1993, vocal student Khibla Gerzmava attracted the attention of vocal masters at the Verdi Voices competition, which was held in Busseto in Italy. At this competition, the young singer was awarded the third prize for her voice, artistry and energy.
The next year, 1994, was no less successful for the talented student: first, second places at the Villas competition in Spain and the Rimsky-Korsakov competition in St. Petersburg, and then the Grand Prix, which Gerzmava won in Moscow at the X International Competition. Tchaikovsky, captivating the jury in the finale with the arias of Rosina and the Snow Maiden.
Although Gerzmava was going to devote her life entirely to her vocal career, she still did not give up her childhood dream - to learn to play the organ. Khibla took an elective organ class for three years and still mastered the complex instrument. The piano and organ lessons were not in vain. Thanks to vocational education and training a pianist, Khibla Gerzmava feels the score more thoroughly and performs each part more expressively, capturing all the intonations of the instruments and using their intonation features. This helps the singer enhance the effect of her colorful soprano on the listener.
1995 marked the beginning of Gerzmava’s creative career at MAMT. Khibla's dramatic talent, her clear and strong voice, as well as mutual understanding and creative union with stage director Alexander Titel helped the young soloist become a bright star on the stage of the Moscow Musical Theater. On its stage she created amazing images of Rosina (“The Barber of Seville” by Rossini), Adele (“Die Fledermaus” by Strauss), the Swan Princess (“The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by Rimsky-Korsakov), Lyudmila (“Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Glinka), the Queen of Shemakha (“The Golden Cockerel” by Rimsky-Korsakov), Violetta (“La Traviata” by Verdi), etc.
The singer's talent was awarded in 2001 with the Golden Orpheus theater award. She won the “Best Singer” nomination, and in 2010 Khibla Gerzmava was awarded the Russian National Theater Award “ Golden mask"for the part of Lucia. Her awards also include the Casta Diva Award, the Moscow Art Prize and the first independent Triumph Award, received in 2011.
Khibla Gerzmava tours a lot around the world. She performed on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Her debut took place there in 2010. Gerzmava sang on the stages of the Vienna State Opera, London's Covent Garden, the Sofia National Opera in Bulgaria, the Grand Teatro de Liceu and many other venues. In Paris, Khibla performed Vitelia's aria on the stage of the Paris State Opera, and was named one of the best who has ever performed this role. She went on tour with the theater in South Korea and the USA, and performed concert programs in many countries. The singer recorded several CDs and spoke more than once before delegations at the personal invitation of the president in the Kremlin.
The singer's constant passion has always been jazz. She is partial to the synthesis of classical and jazz. In the world of jazz, one of her favorite partners and friends was Georgy Garanyan, who suddenly passed away in 2010. Together with Ivanov and Sevostyanov, Khibla holds an annual jazz festival in Pitsunda. She always loved to take risks and was a versatile person who loved experiments. Therefore, one of the brightest events of Moscow cultural life is the “Opera” concert. Jazz. Blues”, where Khibla performs together with the jazz trio of Daniil Kramer, is quite understandable and logical.
And although the parents named the girl “golden-eyed” (that’s how Khibla is translated from Abkhazian), the singer can rightfully be called “golden-voiced”. After all, the voice with which Khibla enchants her listeners is a golden, precious gift that she happily gives to people.
Program "To the 100th anniversary of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater..." Khibla Gerzmava and Yakov Okun Quartet
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Khibla Gerzmava is called the Golden Soprano of Russia in the press.
Opera singer Khibla Gerzmava is the best soprano in Russia and the idol of the capital's fashionistas
Russian Khibla Gerzmava is a world-famous star. Today she sings on the best stages in the world with the best orchestras and musicians. The most famous couturiers sew her concert outfits
She is one of the few Russian singers who can be bluntly called an opera diva. People's Artist Russian Federation, People's Artist of the Republic of Abkhazia Khibla Gerzmava - unique phenomenon on the Russian opera stage.
Bright and spontaneous, emotional and passionate, she is a performer of the main female roles in famous operas and an incredibly talented actress, capable of interpreting the image of her heroine, not only using the director’s advice, but also guided by her own unmistakable intuition.
Khibla was born in 1970 on January 6 in the resort of Pitsunda. There, on the sun-drenched coast, she spent her childhood and youth. From an early age, Khibla sang and played the piano
As a child, the singer studied at a music school in Gagra, and later at the Sukhumi Music College. However, the future star was going to become not a vocalist, but a pianist. Although Khibla always loved to sing, and even composed songs herself, neither Khibla herself nor her relatives seriously thought about a vocal career. The girl's cherished dream was to become an organist. However, the piano teacher recognized her extraordinary singing talent and took eighteen-year-old Khibla Gerzmava to a vocal class with teacher Josephine Bumburidi. This step was decisive for the birth of a future opera star.
The very next year, in 1989, Khibla entered the Moscow Conservatory in the vocal department, which she graduated in 1994. There, Professor Irina Ivanovna Maslennikova and Professor Evgenia Mikhailovna Arefyeva became her mentors.
After graduating from the conservatory in 1993, vocal student Khibla Gerzmava attracted the attention of vocal masters at the Verdi Voices competition, which was held in Busseto in Italy. At this competition, the young singer was awarded the third prize for her voice, artistry and energy.
The next year, 1994, was no less successful for the talented student: first, second places at the Villas competition in Spain and the Rimsky-Korsakov competition in St. Petersburg, and then the Grand Prix, which Gerzmava won in Moscow at the X International Competition. Tchaikovsky, captivating the jury in the finale with the arias of Rosina and the Snow Maiden.
Although Gerzmava was going to devote her life entirely to her vocal career, she still did not give up her childhood dream - to learn to play the organ. Khibla took an elective organ class for three years and still mastered the complex instrument. The piano and organ lessons were not in vain. It is thanks to her professional education and training as a pianist that Khibla Gerzmava feels the score more thoroughly and performs each part more expressively, capturing all the intonations of the instruments and using their intonation features. This helps the singer enhance the effect of her colorful soprano on the listener.
But along with an amazing voice, Khibla also has amazing artistic talent. She always managed to interpret the images of her heroines, listening to both the advice of directors and the voice of intuition.
1995 marked the beginning of Gerzmava’s creative career at MAMT. Khibla's dramatic talent, her clear and strong voice, as well as mutual understanding and creative union with stage director Alexander Titel helped the young soloist become a bright star on the stage of the Moscow Musical Theater. On its stage she created amazing images of Rosina (“The Barber of Seville” by Rossini), Adele (“Die Fledermaus” by Strauss), the Swan Princess (“The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by Rimsky-Korsakov), Lyudmila (“Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Glinka), and the Queen of Shemakha (“The Golden Cockerel” by Rimsky-Korsakov), Violetta (“La Traviata” by Verdi), etc.
The singer's talent was awarded in 2001 with the Golden Orpheus theater award. She won the “Best Singer” nomination, and in 2010 Khibla Gerzmava received the Russian national theater award “Golden Mask” for the role of Lucia. Her awards also include the Casta Diva Award, the Moscow Art Prize and the first independent Triumph Award, received in 2011.
Khibla Gerzmava tours a lot around the world. She performed on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Her debut took place there in 2010. Gerzmava sang on the stages of the Vienna State Opera, London's Covent Garden, the Sofia National Opera in Bulgaria, the Grand Teatro de Liceu and many other venues.
In Paris, Khibla performed Vitelia's aria on the stage of the Paris State Opera and was named one of the best who has ever performed this role. She went on tour with the theater in South Korea and the USA, and performed concert programs in many countries. The singer recorded several CDs and spoke more than once before delegations at the personal invitation of the president in the Kremlin.
The singer's constant passion has always been jazz. She is partial to the synthesis of classical and jazz. In the world of jazz, one of her favorite partners and friends was Georgy Garanyan, who suddenly passed away in 2010. Together with Ivanov and Sevostyanov, Khibla holds an annual jazz festival in Pitsunda. She always loved to take risks and was a versatile person who loved experiments. Therefore, one of the brightest events of Moscow cultural life is the “Opera” concert. Jazz. Blues", where Khibla performs with the jazz trio of Daniil Kramer.
Khibla Gerzmava and the jazz trio of Daniil Kramer, 2010
In addition to opera arias, Khibla also sings romances and Abkhaz folk songs.
Khibla Gerzmava took part in the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
The singer was applauded by the halls of Russia, Sweden, France, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Greece, Turkey, the USA, and Japan. Collaborates with V. Spivakov and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and the Moscow Virtuosi,
A. Rudin and the Musica Viva orchestra, V. Gergiev, V. Fedoseev, A. Lazarev, M. Pletnev, V. Sinaisky, Yu. Bashmet, L. Maazel. Participant of festivals in Ludwigsburg (Germany; performed the role of Eve in “The Creation of the World” by J. Haydn and the role of the Guardian Angel in the opera “Imagination of Soul and Body” by E. de Cavalieri), in Colmar (France), “Vladimir Spivakov Invites...” , “Dedication...” in the State Tretyakov Gallery, ArsLonga and others. She has recorded several CDs: Ave Maria, “Khibla Gerzmava Performs Russian Romances”, “Oriental Romances of Khibla Gerzmava” and others.
The singer is one of the organizers of the Classical Music Festival “Khibla Gerzmava Invites”, which has been held in Abkhazia since 2001. She was a member of the jury of the Valeria Barsova Competition in Sochi and the “Competition of Competitions” at the Sobinovsky Festival in Saratov.
The art of Khibla Gerzmav has received many awards. She is a laureate of the Moscow Opera Festival theater award (2000) in the “Best Singer” category, and a laureate of the “Golden Orpheus” theater award (2001) in the “Best Singer of the Year” category. In 2006 she was awarded the titles of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and People's Artist of the Republic of Abkhazia.
In the Abkhaz language, Khibla means “golden-eyed”. This is probably why her eyes always sparkle. But that precious gift with which she captivates millions of listeners is, of course, her golden voice.
And although the parents named the girl “golden-eyed,” the singer can rightfully be called “golden-voiced.” After all, the voice with which Khibla enchants her listeners is a golden, precious gift that she happily gives to people.
It is possible that Khibla inherited her artistry and energy from the blessed land on the Black Sea coast, where she was born and raised. She was born on January 6 in sun-drenched Pitsunda. In subtropical Gagra, Khibla went to music school and continued her musical education at the Sukhumi Music College. But not as a vocalist, but as... a pianist. Until the age of 18, the future star of the Moscow Academic Musical Theater named after. K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko did not even think about becoming a singer. She composed songs and loved to sing, but no one around her took it seriously. But the piano teacher was able to discern an extraordinary singing gift in his student and took Khibla to Josephine Bumburidi in the vocal class. That’s how it all began, and already in 1989 her wonderful voice was heard at the entrance exams to the Moscow Conservatory, where Irina Ivanovna Maslennikova and Evgenia Mikhailovna Arefieva became her teachers. Perhaps it is the professional background of the pianist that now helps the singer to more thoroughly feel the score and perform each part more expressively - both accompanied by an orchestra and in a duet with the piano, sensitively capturing the intonation features of the instruments and skillfully using these features to enhance the effect produced on the listener by her colorful soprano .
Khibla Gerzmava is a laureate of international vocal competitions, the first of which was Voci Verdiani (“Verdi Voices”), held in Busseto, Italy, where in 1993 she won the 3rd prize. The year 1994 turned out to be unusually generous with prizes for vocal excellence: two 2nd prizes went to the singer at the competitions named after. Francisco Viñas in Barcelona and them. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov in St. Petersburg, and participation in the X International Competition named after. P.I. Tchaikovsky in Moscow brought Khibla Gerzmava the Grand Prix.
Having entered the service at MAMT in 1995, Khibla Gerzmava became the brightest star of the opera troupe thanks to an amazing understanding and fruitful creative union with the theater director Alexander Titel. The singer created a strong and clear voice and dramatic talent on stage Musical theater unique images of Adele in " bat"Strauss, Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, Musetta and Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme, Louise in Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery, Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, Lyudmila in Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila, The Swan Princess in “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by Rimsky-Korsakov and, of course, Violetta in “La Traviata” by Verdi.
In 2001, Khibla Gerzmava received the Golden Orpheus theater award in the category “Best Singer”. In 2002–2004, the singer toured with the MAMT troupe in the USA and South Korea, and also took part in the German Ludwigsburg Festival, performing the roles of Eve (The Creation of the World by Haydn) and the Guardian Angel (Imagination of Soul and Body by Cavalieri). . In 2010, for her performance of the role of Lucia in the opera “Lucia di Lammermoor,” which amazed both critics, the public, and her colleagues, Khibla Gerzmava was awarded the Russian National Theater Award “Golden Mask” and the Casta Diva Award in the “Best Singer” category, as well as the Moscow Prize in the field of literature and art. In 2011, Khibla became the laureate of the first independent prize in the field of the highest achievements of literature and art “Triumph”.
Today Khibla Gerzmava is one of the most sought-after Russian singers in the largest opera houses in the world. She sang at the Châtelet and Chance-Elise in Paris, at the Teatro Commune in Florence, at the Sofia Opera, at the Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater and at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, and in the spring of 2008 In 2006, she made her debut on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, where she performed the role of Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin. In October 2010, Khibla made her debut on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, performing the role of Antonia in a production of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. In 2011, Khibla for the first time performed all three roles - Olympia, Juliet and Antonia - in “The Tales of Hoffmann” on the stage of her native theater. In the same year, she sang in productions of La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera, the Bavarian State Opera House and the Rome Opera House, and was opened at the Palais Garnier (Paris State Opera). new page in her work as a “Mozartian” singer, Khibla was called one of the best Vitellia (“Clemency of Titus”) who ever performed this most complex vocal part. In July 2011, Hibla performed at the opening of the BBC Proms with the BBC Orchestra and Choir under the direction of Jiří Běloglavek, singing the soprano part in Janáček's Glagolitic Mass.
The singer entered 2012 with another new role: Donna Anna in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” was performed on the stage of Covent Garden. In the fall, Khibla returned to the Metropolitan Opera to perform the role of Liu in Puccini's Turandot, with which she made her debut on the Mariinsky Theater tour at Tokyo's NHK Hall in 2011, and first appeared on the stage of the Vienna Staatsoper in Mozart's La Clemenza di Titus .
She performs with such outstanding Russian and foreign musicians and conductors as Lorin Maazel, Antonio Pappano, Marco Armigliato, Adam Fischer, Vladimir Spivakov, Valery Gergiev, Alexander Rudin, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Fedoseev, Vasily Sinaisky, Evgeniy Brazhnik, Wolf Gorelik, Felix Korobov, Alexander Sladkovsky, etc. Despite a busy work schedule and busy repertoire, she managed to become one of the organizers of the festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites...” in her native Abkhazia. In 2011, the festival celebrated its tenth anniversary.
Khibla is a versatile person who is not afraid to take risks and loves experiments. Concert program with the jazz trio of pianist Daniil Kramer “Opera. Jazz. Blues" became one of the brightest events in the cultural life of Moscow. In love with jazz, Khibla continues her creative search in this genre on the same stage with such interesting musicians as Denis Matsuev, Deborah Brown (USA), Yakov Okun's MosGorTrio, Andrey Ivanov, Arkady Shilkloper, Dmitry Sevastyanov. Outstanding musician Georgy Garanyan, whose life ended so suddenly in January 2010, was one of Khibla’s favorite partners in the world of jazz.
In the Abkhaz language, Khibla means “golden-eyed”. This is probably why her eyes always sparkle. But that precious gift with which she captivates millions of listeners is, of course, her golden voice.
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