Not in Mazepa’s Shadow

Last Friday the National Opera of Ukraine staged a new version of Tchaikovsky’s Mazepa [Mazeppa], which showcased a young cast, in keeping with the aims of director Dmytro Hnatiuk and orchestra conductor Volodymyr Kozhukhar.

The premiere took place shortly before the presidential elections, so a certain tension was apparent both on stage and in the streets. Opera goers with tickets had to wait until a large column of demonstrators with white- and-blue flags heading down Volodymyrska St. to Khreshchatyk marched by before they could walk across the street to the opera house. The stage director and conductor used Burenin’s libretto of Pushkin’s famous poem Mazeppa. Dmytro Hnatiuk admitted that making this production was not easy; they had to make changes in the cast during rehearsals, and some of the performers, among them distinguished veterans, quit the production. Dmytro Hnatiuk admitted that some members of the cast insisted on making cardinal changes to the libretto, because they had different views on Ukrainian history, while others said that such a classical work could not be altered simply to suit current trends. One of their points was that it was impossible to convey the message that Mazepa was actually a Ukrainian patriot without altering the original libretto. In the scene where Mazepa reveals his political intentions to Maria, he opens a small box on his desk and produces a golden-blue cloth, the national flag, kisses it, and swears allegiance to Ukraine. Some of the soloists and those in the audience later said this was a “head-on collision” number.

Mazepa is an opera in which historical events are closely connected with the leading characters’ personal life stories. It is an amorous collision between the aging Ukrainian hetman and Motria (Maria), the daughter of General Justice Vasyl Kochubei. In this particular version, Maria was brilliantly played by Kyiv Opera soloist Oksana Dyka. The finale with the scene in which the heroine goes mad and sings her famous Lullaby is exceptional. The role of Kochubei was performed by bass singer Taras Shtonda, who deserves kudos. He looked and sounded very convincing, and succeeded in conveying the entire range of his character’s sentiments as father, politician, and victim of slander, never expecting others to believe that he truly wanted to prevent a disaster. Shtonda and Dyka performed their operatic parts flawlessly, with talent and mastery; their characters were spectacularly true to life. The choir, conducted by Chief Choirmaster Lev Venedyktov, was also very good. The other soloists, in contrast, did not appear confident onstage, among them Tetiana Piminova (Liubov Kochubei), Oles Sychov (Orlyk), and Stepan Fitsych (Iskra). The tenor Dmytro Popov boasts a fine lyrical range, while the role of Andriy is a dramatic one, so the singer felt ill at ease singing it. Roman Maiboroda proved the most experienced and battle-hardened member of the cast. He performed in the previous version of Mazepa, but the impression was that he had failed to come to terms with conductor Volodymyr Kozhukhar. The orchestra seemed to be out of sync with the singer, who had to adjust his singing to their interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s music. This was an especially discordant note in the first scene, but the singer and the orchestra appeared to come to terms by the finale.

Be that as it may, from now on Mazepa will live a new stage life and occupy a worthy place in the National Opera’s repertoire. In fact, a foreign impresario has shown an interest in the new production, meaning that there will be concert tours. Dmytro Hnatiuk admits that he has plans for several other young performers who, for various reasons, still have to learn their respective operatic parts, so they could not be added to the cast. The main thing is that the national company now has a creative reserve and potential.

This time we offer our readers an interview with Oksana DYKA, whom critics unanimously regard as a rising new star. She has a strong voice and fine vocal range. She is capable and willing to perform sophisticated operatic parts, and has dramatic talent. She is slender and has a definite stage presence. Despite her young age, she is a very purposeful individual. Among her accomplishments are several awards won at prestigious vocal competitions. Ms. Dyka is often invited to appear in music festivals, and her every performance reaffirms her talent and increases the number of her devotees.

“I WASN’T CUT OUT TO BE A SINGER WITH A FOLK ALTO VOICE”

Oksana, young people today are more interested in popular music. What made you take up an operatic career?

O.D.: Let me tell you frankly that I am also fond of rock music, but opera comes first, of course. Academic music entered my life recently, in 1996, when I enrolled in the Veriovka Choir’s vocal studio. I was fortunate enough to study under the able guidance of Petro Koval, an excellent professor who currently teaches at the Peter Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music (NMAU). My operatic career should be credited to his dedicated efforts, because my other vocal teachers thought I was a typical folk alto, I mean a singer who’s good enough only for a folk choir. It’s also true that specializing in alto singing wasn’t easy for me. Prof. Koval, seeing me suffer, suggested an operatic repertoire. It took us a year and he finally decided that I was ready to enroll in NMAU. After an audition, Mykola Kondratiuk said I was still wet behind the ears and that I needed further professional training. I finished the studio training course and two years later enrolled at the conservatory, as a student in Mykola Kondratiuk’s class. I was happy, because I wanted to be under his guidance, although Prof. Kondratiuk had never before admitted girls to his vocal class, preferring baritone and bass hopefuls. I listened to his tapes and was enchanted by his voice. He has taught a number of good singers. After passing the entrance exams, I met with him and said, “I know you don’t admit girls to your class, but I would be happy to enjoy your able vocal guidance.” Prof. Kondratiuk laughed and said, “OK, let’s give it a try, but don’t complain about the consequences.” Years of vocal training followed. In my fourth year at the conservatory, I found myself in Maria Stefiuk’s class. She is an overwhelming woman, a true prima donna, but at the same time so very natural and feminine, very easy to deal with; she is always there to help and she isn’t afflicted with that proverbial folie de grandeur, or star syndrome. She is very determined during rehearsals. Watching her onstage, I often found myself thinking how masterfully she used her voice and about her spectacular stage presence and her dramatic skills. In fact, she uses her talent when she performs an operatic part and when she sings a concert number, be it an aria, romance, or a folk song. Maria Stefiuk puts her heart into every line, every melody, to produce a filigreed performance. And she is a tough taskmaster in class; she wants every student to be precise in following the music and conveying the dramatic message with one’s voice. She treated me as though I were her daughter. She would scold me, but all the time she would be the first to share her experiences, telling me about her victories and rejoicing in my humble achievements.

OBSTACLES FACED BY YOUNG PERFORMERS

Do you already have a sizable operatic repertoire?

O.D.: I am in the process of building one. I mostly sing classic operatic parts like Natalka Poltavka and A Cossack beyond the Danube. I also sang the leading part in Verdi’s Tosca at the Krushelnytska Opera and Ballet Theater of Lviv. I sing chamber pieces, romances, and modern compositions. And now I have the operatic part of Maria in Tchaikovsky’s Mazepa. I learned it in one month. This role is complicated in terms of vocalism and drama. The more complex a task is, the more interesting the work is for me. It’s like an athlete trying to raise his standard by competing in a series of increasingly difficult contests. I hate to be a loser. It’s generally believed that young performers who take up dramatic operatic parts fail to convey all of the nuances to the audience. True, they can be vocally and technically correct, but they may run up against an obstacle in the form of lack of life experience. If you have never really suffered and cried, you aren’t likely to do so onstage, hard as you may try. I sought emotional colors and shadings, because I wanted to convey my message to the audience when Maria goes mad in that Mazepa scene — and I didn’t want to overdramatize it; it was a drama of love and I was a singer, but I also wanted to be an actress. I believe I succeeded; that I was emotionally convincing and vocally adequate.

REHEARSALS ARE THE MOST INTERESTING

Oksana, getting along with the conductor seems to be especially important for every operatic singer.

O.D.: As a young student I was fortunate enough to work with the celebrated conductor Volodymyr Sirenko (artistic director of the Ukrainian National Symphony Orchestra — Author). I performed in concerts and several festivals with him. Seeing him on the conductor’s podium makes me feel confident. His baton is a magic wand guiding me through the intricate maze of music, making me see the light. He is a superb musician. He staged Rigoletto at the conservatory this year and I attended the rehearsals especially to watch and learn from the creative process; I envied all his students. Sirenko treats every singer in a truly democratic manner; the young cast does not feel intimidated, but inspired by his attitude, contrary to what often happens between conductors and singers. Although he is very demanding, his critical remarks are meant to help rather than insult the cast.

I have worked with various conductors at the National Opera, and I would like to single out Volodymyr Kozhukhar and Ivan Hamkalo. Both would rightly demand utmost concentration from the cast and orchestra during rehearsals; both of them wanted everyone to put his heart in the job. And they were perfectly right. Once onstage, you have to show your professionalism to a T! By the way, no one in the West bothers so much about vocalists. There a vocalist must prove himself; if he or she fails, there is always an instant replacement. There has always been competition in our art. I believe that rehearsals, however trying on one’s nerves and physically hard to endure, mark the most interesting period in one’s creative life. It is there that the whole production and your role in it are begotten.

Many prima donnas turn out to lead unhappy personal lives. The theater demands complete dedication. An opera singer requires a special modus vivendi to keep her voice fresh and clear, and maintain her stage presence. But when success comes her way, sometimes she has to choose between her family life and operatic career. Would you be prepared to make this choice?

O.D.: I am still young and hope to have a good operatic career and have a family. Opera comes first, so far. I really enjoy taking part in rehearsals, singing operatic parts, and appearing in concerts. I definitely have not met the man with whom I will spend the rest of my life. I hope that he will not confront me with an ultimatum, that we will be able to achieve a compromise so that our professional and personal lives will be happy.

THE DAY’S REFERENCE

Oksana Dyka (soprano) was enrolled in an internship class with the National Opera while still a student at the Peter Tchaikovsky National Music Academy. Last season, she became a soloist with the National Opera. Her repertoire includes leading roles in Mykola Lysenko’s Natalka Poltavka, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (Nedda), Hulak-Artemovsky’s A Cossack beyond the Danube (Oksana), Gounod’s Faust (Marguerite), Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (Tatyana), Verdi’s Il Trovatore (Leonora), the title role in Puccini’s Tosca, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro (the Duchess), and the soprano part in Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem.

Oksana Dyka is a laureate of various international competitions, including the 2001 Alchevsky Competition in Kharkiv, the 2002 Lysenko Competition, and the 2003 Krushelnytska Competition. She is the winner of the Grand Prix (Germany, 2002) and Marseilles (2003). As a soloist, she has performed in Marseilles and Lviv, and has taken part in numerous concert tours in Ukraine and abroad.