Kostas Smoriginas and Dalia Ibelhauptaitė: about work as a family and roles “in the pocket” | Culture

As the opening night of the new VCO cycle “There Will Not Be a Repeat” approaches, K.Smoriginas revealed sensitive stories about saying goodbye to the calling card role of Escamilios, the special role of Johanan, and memories of Macbeth, created by his father, to none other than producer and director Dalia Ibelhauptaite.

Dalia Ibelhauptaitė: Now you are going through a new phase, from your world-famous role of Examilio in the opera “Carmen” you are moving to much more mature roles. Tell us how such changes occur in the life of a soloist.

Personal archive photo/Kostas Smoriginas

Kostas Smoriginas: I remember I was 27 years old, I was interning in London, at the Royal Opera House, and I said that I would never sing in German because it was simply impossible. So, as you understand, the turns to the operas of Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, various oratorio genres were not planned from afar. Maybe for few, my voice, which is not so sharp, but more barchatian, soft, would seem suitable for this kind of music, but someone saw and heard the opportunity.

My Escamilio phase is basically over now. First of all, it ended in me, outside of the theater world. I let him go myself, you could say we shook hands and hugged him goodbye. Performed in over 30 different productions, more than 400 performances around the world. In my career, few directors have understood what Escamillo is and how to serve it “on a plate” in such a way that it becomes a real cherry on the cake. One such production was F.Zambelo’s at the Royal London Opera, where I entered the stage on a horse. Of course, that was not the only reason why the role was prominent, but it really stuck in the memory. I hope now he will make other artists happy.

I never looked at roles as insurmountable mountains.

Throughout my career, I was identified with him so much that it was even difficult to get other roles, so he was also a gift with which I was introduced, with whom I experienced and saw a lot, but also an obstacle to being seen in other roles. I am glad that with you, Dalia, during that time, we have prepared several roles, for which the time has now come, and I feel safe having them, as I say, in my pocket.

Dalia: And you finally sing in German!

it costs: Yes. When I started singing more in German, I realized that this language is logically close to me. To me, its structure is similar to the Lithuanian language, I feel the thought, its completeness very well. However, there is still an insane amount of effort required and there is no limit to improvement. Until now, I receive many supportive, benevolent comments from German, Austrian conductors, performers, language consultants, who help me improve so that when I sing, I can be understood freely by a German-speaking audience.

Specifically, Johanan here in Vilnius will be my seventh. I don’t know how many of them there will be in the future, but I feel that I have tamed him a bit, I think this role suits me, I can handle it vocally. It requires very good performance and vocal technique. Basically, the music of R. Strauss is complicated, there are a lot of nuances.

Greta Skaraitienė/BNS photo/Dalia Ibelhauptaitė

Dalia: Are you now playing the roles you dreamed of?

it costs: I never looked at roles as insurmountable mountains. There is nothing insurmountable: when you start working, you realize that everything can be overcome. Of course, after passing forty comes inner maturity, awareness, many things seem less scary, and more than 20 years of experience on stage helps. And there are many roles that I want to play now or in the future, and I believe that they will happen in the next decade. I have sung some of them, but now they are mature with my age and voice.

Dalia: What roles are at the top of such a list?

it costs: Well, I don’t have a list, it’s really hard to say, but… Macbeth would probably be one of those. I practically lived in the rehearsals of Eimuntas Nekrošius’ Macbeth, I still hear those monologues to this day, I saw how my father prepared for this role, and then I watched the play so many times… I think that Verdi’s Macbeth transcends the boundaries of music. It is a role that requires dramatic preparation, so to create it for the first time, not even in a concert, but in a full production, I would like to do it with you, Dalia. For us to unravel it. And yes, he also needs inner maturity.

Dalia: Yes indeed, but you and I have several different lines of roles: the ones we did together; the ones we did but didn’t show and the ones you inspired…

it costs: Yes, for example, we were preparing Scarpia, but due to many circumstances I could not perform it then. But I love this role very much and I think one day it will also reach a huge number of performances, it will be one of my main roles. I always have Scarpia with me, I remember every word, every moment.

Dalia: I told you it would suit you! And how did you tame Johanan?

it costs: Every time I go on stage I keep asking, who is he? I keep raising new tasks to justify what I sing, why I sing it. The more you understand, the more clearly you can distinguish thoughts to bring them to life on stage. When I sing, I see my roles: when I’m on stage, I see images of what I’m singing in front of my eyes, I don’t even see the audience.

And the beginning with Johanan was very difficult. The first time I was offered to sing it was when I participated in the Rigolet performances at the Bregenz Festival. It was necessary to suddenly jump into the party because someone got sick. I took the sheet music, I think, there is not so much material, but when I started to analyze it, I realized that there is a lot of text here and it is damn complicated, as well as intonation, musical resolution.

I remember one day in Cologne, in a rehearsal, I sang the whole part from beginning to end for the first time. The sun was shining and I was walking down the street with a serving of ice cream, grinning like I had the biggest prize. It was good to understand that I have a party, that it is in my pocket. Of course, there was still a lot of work to improve, but I realized that no one would take it away now. I did the big work, I invested in myself. I didn’t bring sheet music to any further rehearsals.

Dalia: And do you remember our first collaboration?

it costs: I think it’s more interesting, do you remember the first time we met?

Dalia: Yes, but I don’t think you can remember it. You were about 5 then, and I was 18. I worked at the Youth Theater and there was a boy who would either run around the corridors or play on the floor. Later, Vladimir Prudnikov told me, when I asked if there were young talents, he said that there was such a “genius Smorigin” with a genius voice, but he couldn’t learn anything (laughing).

And then I thought that you need to learn Melitone in “Power of Fate”. The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater was located here even before the “bohemians”. But then there was an audition with John Berry and you went to the Royal School of Music in London. Destiny!

Then I already saw a very talented and lively, interesting person who was flying somewhere in the clouds. But all that was is now part of that experience that allows you to do great things. Later I remember your Onegin and the performance you sang with Asmik. A lot of people imagine Onegin as strong but more lyrical, but I knew it would be good. And when I remember that third act now, you and Asmik on stage, I can hear your voices – it was a meeting of particularly strong voices and personalities… And now – “Salome”. You will meet together for the first time as Johanan and Salome. After all, you grew up together, almost a real family.

it costs: Yes, we grew up in the same yard, in different stairwells. Asmik is just a year younger. So that people can understand what kind of person she is, I always tell her childhood story. I was about five then, it was a cold winter day, my mother was walking home from the store and met Asmik in the stairwell, she said: what are you doing here? And she: I’m trying to warm up the kitten. What kind of cat? And the mother sees that Asmik took the dead cat, frozen into a piece of ice, and tries to revive it by placing it on the radiator… This says a lot about her, and it must be added that nothing has changed.

We share an endless friendship that continued both during our studies and now. Although we are often in different parts of the world, I know that if I feel bad, I can always write to her. And she would always help me, if only it were humanly possible. Me too for her. Today I’m very happy to sing along, I’m glad to be back here with you, Dalia. It is good to be able to enjoy what we have achieved and bring it to Lithuania.

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