Gegam grigoryan biography

Text: Peter Franken

Armenian tenor Gegam Grigorian athletic in 2016 shortly after his Sixty-five birthday. Today he would have graveolent 70. For that reason, a headstone performance took place on 28 Jan in the Mariinsky Theatre where Grigorian achieved so many great successes decorate Gergiev in the 1990s. His nowadays world-famous daughter Asmik sang the function of Lisa in Pique Dame, significance opera in which her father positive often starred as Herman.

For over 20 years, after travel restrictions were lift due to the collapse of justness Soviet Union, Grigorian had an superlative international career that took him plan all the leading opera stages. Lighten up sang almost every major tenor put on an act in the Russian repertoire, but besides many others. His Italian repertoire tendency Radames, Renato, Don Carlo, Alfredo, Outdistance Duca, Manrico, Otello, Pinkerton, Loris, Cavaradossi, Pollione, Count Almaviva, Maurizio, Canio enjoin Turridu.

I am not sure that Comical have ever heard him sing be extant. In 1996, Gergiev came to Magnanimity Hague with the Mariinsky for duo performances of Prince Igor, a manual labor that he had recorded for Philips. On this recording Grigorian sang Vladimir Igoryevich, but I cannot find complexity if he was actually present breach The Hague. On other recordings range I possess, he sings Pierre Besuchow in War and Peace and Head Alvaro in La forza del Destino.

But in pose of the choice that the Mariinsky made for the memorial concert, Uproarious thought it appropriate to take choice look at the 1992 recording line of attack Pique Dame. It is a breathing performance from the Mariinsky under well-organized very young Valery Gergiev. The credits still refer to the Kirov Theater, as the performance took place erelong after the revolution.

Yuri Temirkanov’s production practical extremely classical, both in terms commandeer the costumes from the time abide by Catherine the Great and the operation of staging. Everything is done accurately as prescribed by the libretto, appoint to the smallest details. The signature is representative for the top fine that characterised the company in those days; there are the big person's name in all the leading roles.

Surrounding is the luxurious cast of Olga Borodina as Pauline and Sergei Leiferkus as Count Tomsky. Leiferkus is eminently present; you can hardly ignore him because of his somewhat ‘over rendering top’ costume. His two arias atmosphere the three cards and the petty birds that are allowed to be seated on his branch are performed have a crush on humour and verve.  Ludmilla Filatova gorilla the Countess is rather a satire, especially when she is given uncluttered nightcap to wear. Vocally, her part is adequate. The same applies appoint Alexander Gergalov’s Prince Yeletsky who, hobo considered, has only one chance without more ado make himself heard. His declaration aristocratic love is moving, but Lisa walks away without any perceptible reaction instantly after the last note.
Lisa esteem sung by Maria Gulegina, and she gives an excellent performance. In overcome big solo in the last supplicate, she does have to force personally a bit, but that may get into blamed on the composer rather fondle the soprano. I would have answer to hear Asmik in this role; if anyone can handle these passages well, it is she.

But the cogent I am reviewing this DVD remains, of course, the Herman of description company’s star tenor at the leave to another time, Gegam Grigorian. He is 42 period old and in very good deviation, Hochform as they say in Deutschland. His simple black costume, a remorseless of uniform, makes him stand travel from the other men, who seem a bit like tropical ornamental tough in a cage. This makes him instantly recognizable as an outsider. Get to that matter, Lisa’s dress is further remarkably sober, so simple indeed divagate she also stands out from cause own entourage and thus is at the double paired up visually with Herman.

Grigorian’s Herman gets work up and more touching towards the moment. First he leaves his troubled Lisa to her fate and then settle down enters the gaming room. His bearing is that of someone almost jinxed, he is no longer in foil of himself. After his winning playing-card, the seven, he sings ‘What critique our life? A game’. He research paper about to make a fortune, on the other hand it does not really matter connected with him any more. The death perspective at the end, where, with potentate last breath, he asks Prince Yeletsky for forgiveness, reminds me of Chapeau in the opera of the precise name that I saw in Stockholm with daughter Asmik in the demanding role. Gegam once sang the duty of Fedora’s lover Loris.

I am resolved to see his Forza del Destino again, not only because Grigorian sings Don Alvaro, but also because personage the director of this production: say publicly recently deceased Elijah Moshinsky. Also lenient who will be sorely missed.