CULTURE
“VOICE IS MY AWARD, THE SCENE IS MY LIFE, APPLAUSE IS MY AWARD”
Baku, March 30 (AZERTAC). These words belong to Fidan Hajiyeva, soloist of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater. We met the youngest Carmen of Azerbaijan scene at the Baku Musical Academy. Fidan Khanum was rehearsing a musical number with her teacher Huseyn Aliyev. There was a possibility to know opinion of the teacher about the singer.
-Fidan ханум, on March 17 at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater a really grandiose concert took place, and it was a fine gift for fans of art on the eve of Novruz holiday. And what is your impression of this concert?
-To give a concert at the National Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater was my old dream. My purpose is to please spectators with fragments of classical music, to arouse in youth interest to such music, to make contribution to formation of their aesthetic taste. Therefore, classical works of world and Azerbaijan composers also were included in the concert program. Believe, I myself had unprecedented feelings. Usually, before the performance I worry. This time, on the contrary, I was quiet when I met visitors. Probably, these sensations came from the positive energy and warm aura of spectators. I felt that in the hall have gathered true fans of music. Such atmosphere inspired me.
-By the way, about the young performers. It was very interesting project. This time you have appeared in a new role - in around of four young performers under unceasing applause of spectators. Whether you do something to bring this talented youth on the world scene? Have they enough potential to adequately represent and propagandize Azerbaijan in the future?
-Yes, you have truly noted. My partners in the scene are young vocalists Farid Aliyev, Suleyman Suleymanov, Azer Rzayev, Anton Fechtang, who are the singers with fine vocal possibilities. All of them are pupils of my teacher, Huseyn Aliyev, and now they work at the Theater. And performance in the form of group is Huseyn Aliyev`s initiative. I consider that spectators have welcomed this idea. My dear maestro Huseyn Aliyev can tell about this in detail.
Huseyn Aliyev joins the conversation: “Yes, I believe that these young vocalists have bright future. For example, Farid Aliyev has many times performed abroad. And he recently has been invited to the celebrations in Moscow devoted to the 110th jubilee of the Russian singer Ivan Kozlovsky. Suleyman Suleymanov perfectly performs both the folk and classical music. But he is involved more in the classics. The same can be told about Azer Rzayev, son of singer Zaur Rzayev, and also Anton Fechtang. In spite of the fact that Fidan has come on the scene 16 years ago, she is still my student. She is hard-working. Every day she comes to conservatory. You know, even possessing a fine voice gifted by God, if not to be engaged, one can get out of the form quickly. The opera singer should not forget it. I will tell to you an interesting case. Great Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli, who once blest young Pavarotti, in reply to the question of his young colleague “Maestro, when have you completed music education?” has answered: “Yesterday. But, today I have not yet begun”. I consider that this answer should be the motto of each singer.
-(to Huseyn Aliyev). Likely you had also great teachers. Possibly, you therefore continue this tradition, and prepare successors …
-Certainly. I have studied at the Moscow Conservatory, and I had such bright teachers as Alexander Shik, Konstantin Svetov. I have arrived in Baku 50 years ago on the invitation of our great composer Fikret Amirov, who was at that time the director of the Opera and Ballet Theater, and about 40 years I perform various parts. I have left the scene to prepare successors, and share experience. I like to see on the scene the youth because the scene loves both internal and external beauty. To astonish the spectator, to carry away them in mysterious music world the internal beauty is necessary and to arouse their delight you need the external beauty. Here, this combination creates the real master.
-Fidan Khanum, all know that your visiting card is the image of Carmen. In one of your interviews you have told that you have visited Andalucia (Spain) to feel this image created in musical language of George Bizet on motives of the story with the same name of Prosper Merimee. Some words about this travel, please.
-Yes, Carmen has brought to me big success. This image I have performed for the first time on the scene of Opera and Ballet Theater when I was 21 and since then this party is in my repertoire. As far as I know, this interesting story about a gipsy was told Merimee, who walked inch by inch Spain and collected various legends, stories, fairy tales, and myths, in Andalucia. And he under impression of these stories has created this story. And Bizet has so immortalized this work that the opera is on the scenes of world theaters, and likely, will be on the scenes for ever. Andalucia admired me with its majestic monuments which have appeared under the influence of various cultures, its unusual nature. I was convinced that the passionate image, Carmen`s rebellious spirit completely corresponds to the temperament of her native land. This part I always perform differently and always I open for myself something new.
-You represented the Azerbaijan music in many countries of the world, and have initiated many interesting projects. Probably, there are more interesting to be done. Some words about your further plans?
-I have many projects. For example, tomorrow I will go to London to perform in celebrations on the occasion of Novruz holiday. The solo concert on Cyprus will take place in the near future. Besides, I am going to leave for world cruise. And my biggest project is connected with preparation of the program “Harmony” on the Azerbaijan TV, even more to propagandize classical world and Azerbaijan music, to help the youth and impart them aesthetic taste. Very much it would be desirable to organize in the future a concert in London. It is a very complicated question, but is possible. As music of the ancient land of fires located on the junction of the East and the West is so rich, colorful that its popularization in the world, not allow appropriation of it by others should be the biggest idea of each musician. In Azerbaijan, there are fine traditions of performing school. We have fine possibilities to prepare young performers, and give them free music education. Of these possibilities, each talented young man can take advantage.
-You have a beautiful family, two children. In what spirit do you bring up them?
-My children know both Azerbaijani and English languages. They speak with their father in English, with me in the Azerbaijani language. They are mostly eastern, and have fine ear for music. I look forward with hope.
-What party would you like to perform in coming years?
-Very much I wish to perform the party of Dalila from the opera by Sen-Sans, “Samsun et Dalila”, to create on the scene of our theater more interesting images, to please the listeners with new projects. My greatest award as singer is the applause of spectators, their delight, and highly to lift the name of Azerbaijan.