“You don’t die of love, but grief does kill”

Accompanied by the National Youth Bicentennial Symphony Orchestra under the direction of maestro Pablo Sabat Mindreau, the new Peruvian lyric revelation returns to his country to offer a concert at the Gran Teatro Nacional, produced by Radio Filarmonía, with a repertoire based on arias from Italian operas, zarzuela romances and popular songs. When we wrote to arrange this interview, he told us that he couldn’t talk on the phone the days before the Viennese premiere. Sometimes we forget that a lyrical artist must take care of his instrument. Ayón-Rivas is not obsessed with care, he only appeals to things as simple as not eating heavy foods to avoid gastric flow, drinking plenty of water, speaking calmly. And avoid, yes, phones. “It may sound strange, but when you speak into the headset, we put ourselves in a different vocal position. And that creates some nuisance. Little by little we can lose our voice, ”he explains.

—At the Vienna State Opera, you have been presenting yourself with “Eugene Onegin”, Tchaikovsky’s opera based on Pushkin’s novel of the same name. Beyond your applauded acting qualities, what does the challenge of acting a character mean for you?

It is very difficult. Because in this production he approaches Vladimir Lensky, my character, in a slightly different way than in the novel. Lensky is Onegin’s friend, he has deep admiration for him. That’s why he even imitates his way of walking, he dreams of becoming something similar to that man of the world who comes from St. Petersburg. But the recordist of the work has thought of him as a more self-conscious, more innocent character. In the original, Lensky is a lucid and cultured man, a poet, a dreamer; but nothing innocent Thus, there is a contrast between what one sings and what you must interpret in this production. It’s something different, although without killing the nature of the character, of course. And another difficulty was being able to interpret it in Russian, a language unknown to me. It has been a great challenge.

—In the play, your character dies in a duel, defending the honor of Olga, his sister, seduced by Onegin. How was interpreting your death on stage?

It’s not the first time I’ve died on stage! It is something that allows you to reach the hearts of viewers. It’s not the same if you finish an opera alive (laughs). Let’s remember the roles of Mimi and Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La bohème”, for example. Mimi’s death gives her a degree of heroism. It is the same with Lensky. He embodies the classic role of the jealous man and something of an idiot who makes wrong decisions out of anger. But his death is heroic and the public identifies with him.

He is the typical romantic character. Do you think that today the idea of ​​dying for love has become something corny?

You don’t die of love, but grief does kill. The human brain is very complex. Let’s think about the consequences of post-traumatic stress, or how paranoia or schizophrenia can lead you to dangerous situations. Depressions and traumas, whether for love or for other causes, kill. And when you are interpreting that moment on stage, when you feel that you could die at some point for love, you throw your own experiences on the scene, your own disappointments in love. At that moment, when sadness invades you, you realize that psychology is very important, not only to understand your character, but also to understand you as an interpreter.

—The Vienna State Opera, the epicenter of opera in Europe, awarded Juan Diego Flórez with the title of Kammersänger, one of the most prestigious awards that Austria grants to artists. Do you have a relationship with him? Does his presence of him inspire your career in any way?

With Juan Diego we have a nice relationship of colleagues. He has just returned to Vienna and we have agreed to have a coffee. He is an inspirational figure for me, of course. It is proven that he is the best tenor in the world at the moment. And having at least one conversation with the best tenor in the world is very inspiring. It fills you with pride to know that we are from the same country, that we have attended the same conservatory, the same classrooms, that we know the same people.

—As a professional in your field, how do you categorically know that Juan Diego is the best in the world?

In 2019 I was fortunate to see the concert that he shared with Plácido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann and Sonya Yoncheva. Then I was able to appreciate her most recent concert at La Scala. In that sense, I have very rigorous tastes. I’m not passionate about opera, but I am passionate about vocal technique, lyrical male singing. I like many tenors who are technically perfect, but Juan Diego is one step ahead of all of them. Perhaps it is his interpretation, the Latinness of his voice, the experience that over the years has provided him with vocal and technical stability as only he knows how to do. With complete certainty, I can tell you that Juan Diego is the best tenor at that moment.

—You return to Lima to offer us a concert of Italian operas, zarzuela romances and popular songs at the Gran Teatro Nacional. Is it a concert that seeks to bring the public closer to the opera?

My last concert in Lima was more popular because I chose more well-known arias and pieces like “La donna è mobile”, or “Che gelida manina” from “La bohème”. The program that I bring now is more “elegant”. There is the aria from “Eugene Onegin”, which is little known; also the aria from Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera”, it is a more academic repertoire. The lyrical singers, when an outdoor concert is held, choose more popular themes. And when there is a concert in an opera house or a theater, we look for a lesser-known repertoire. Dont ask me why! It is a tradition! (laughs).

—What are the next challenges in your career?

After the concert in Lima, I will go to Tokyo for the first time to do “Rigoletto”, which I also present in Gran Canaria. But the most important debut will be “Hoffman’s Tales” by Jacques Offenbach, at the Sydney Opera House and at La Fenice in Venice. With “Rigoletto” I return later to the Municipal Theater of Santiago de Chile, and later in Bari to finish my year. Then I return to Vienna to make another premiere for the State Opera. Thank God, there is work and health.

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