From A-to-Z: Andrey Zhilikhovsky Has It All

Something happened during the Met's HD  of Il Barbiere di Siviglia I didn't expect. As thrilled as I was with our Rosina and "Lindoro" both given stunning performancs by  Aigul Akhmetshina, and debutant, Jack Swanson it was Andrey Zhilikhovsky who completely captivated me with his wily barber, Figaro. Yes, it is a beautiful voice, but it wasn't that alone - it was the total inhabiting of a Figaro the likes of which I've rarely seen (and there have been some truly great ones in the past).

Zhilikhovsky brought a from the streets/pulled up by the bootstraps"  edgey quality to Figaro that I've neither seen, nor frankly even thought of before. It added something that made Figaro even more likeable - if that's possible. Zhilikhovsky's Figaro was a savvy opportunist, tuned in to absolutely everything and everyone around him. I loved watching him his rubbery mask of a face (and a handsome face at that) as within the literal blink of an eye, he'd switch gears from near disbelief to joy, frustration, on-the-spot "fixes" or a self-admiration of his place as the central cog in a very big machine. It was one of those performances that linger on in memory long after the curtain drops. Much longer. 

The conducting, the cast, - everything about it made this about as sparkling and believable a Barbiere as I've seen in decades. Bravo a tutti! I was pleased to see so many glowing reports and reviews of the show and questions of "who is this guy?" I thought I'd share some info (perhaps redundantly to some) about our Man from Moldova. 

So, while basking in the glow of Barbiere, I kept thinking to myself that Zhilikhovsky looked and sounded mighty familiar, but couldn't quite place how, or where from. A little digging through my own files and . . . well, it's no bloody wonder: I've seen him in a number of streams, i.e.., London's Royal Opera La Boheme, where his Marcello was one of the two best things in the show (Ailyn Perez' Mimi being the other, with - for ME - superstar Juan Diego Florez, a bit bleaty and dry voiced as Rodolfo); and as the Grown Up Almaviva in Rome's sparkling Graham Vick  staging of La Nozze di Figaro.  There were also more than a few other things that he stood out in.  

Of those,, it was his Prince Andrei in Tcherniakov's electrifying staging of Prokofiev's War and Peace for the Bayerische Staatsoper a couple of years ago that had me raving about the man and his total commitment to the art. It is a little embarrassing to admit I'd forgotten about him since those performances, but . . . maybe it's the name (what's in a name?)  or something else  that blocked my memory. Who knows.  That said, I can, however, guarantee this: having just watched scenes from the Prokofiev, and along with his Figaro, I shan't be forgetting him again. That's a promise.

As any production of Prokofiev's masterpiece is in and of itself a major event, critics from around the globe descened on Munich and to a one uniformly praised the Bayerische production (even the NY Times wrote a rave review as part of a lengthy piece - of course  it was not by Herr Zach Woolfe surprise, surprise) all of them singling out Zhilikhovsky's Prince.

The highest praise . . . has to be reserved for the central singing performances of Moldovan Andrei Zhilikhovsky as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, Ukrainian Olga Kulchynska as Natasha Rostova, and Armenian Arsen Soghomonyan as Count Pierre Besukhov, all never anything less than impressive.  (Opera Journal - London, March 2023)

The baton is raised, the flutes begin to sing of spring, a man stands up, takes off his scarf, his parka and also begins to sing of spring, and of his love for a girl. It is Prince Andrej Bolkonski, wonderfully sung and played by Andrei Zhilikovsky. He is in love with Natascha Rostowa, played by Olga Kulchynska,and together they are magnificent . . . Andrei is mortally wounded, Natascha witnesses his agony, and they are beautiful and tragic as they say goodbye in their final duet. (L'Ape Musicale - Italy, March 2023)

The baritone's life story reads like a novel of conquering self through tough times, and a spiritedness of never giving in.  Growing up in poverty, and having to hitchhike to and from his lessons for hours each week, Zhilikhovsky studied music early on, continuing to study in college with a concentration not in singing but rather but choral conducting. Whilst in college in Moldova the voice appeared and people took notice. Completing his conducting studies, he was quickly offered an opportunity to study in Russia at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg and things exploded from there with a five year engagement at the Bolshoi and then all over the globe throughout Europe, the U.K., the U.S. . . . everywhere.

I get made fun of (and don't mind one bit) that I'm always plastering the internet with photos of operas and singers, but it is my way - along with hearing these singers - to remember the works and artists I fell in love with. I don't always have time to look for and dig up a recording - but an instant 2 second glance at a photo can - for me - conjure up the memory of an entire performance and why it was special. So, to that end I offer in this post a gallery of  Zhilikhovsky in a variety of roles both alone, with other singers and directors, in case anyone else wants to see 'em.  You know you do. 

I will be actively on the lookout now for lots more from Our Man From Moldova.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Jessye Norman: A Portrait

For fans of Jessye Norman this is a must have. While it's a "documentary" - it's not quite the in-depth, probing, revelation or examination of the singer I was hoping for, but rather a series of conversations on topics ranging from childhood, spiritual beliefs, politics, dedication to her art, early career dealing with loneliness, and the like. Little of it plumbs the depth of the woman or of her art, (how could 90 minutes do that?) but once I settled in, I found myself smiling, happy to have this force of nature sitting in my living room and talking casually about a thousand things.

Jessye speaks mostly in English - but since this was a German production, she moves back and forth between German and English - sometimes in the middle of a sentence, or thought. The film is broken up by a dozen music videos with Norman lip-synching to some of her more remarkable recordings. While I know some shall be put off by this sort of thing, I adored it. Each video is performed as part of an art installation, the singer gowned and jeweled, in headdresses, turbans, wild wigs and haute couture, moving, expressing herself physically to her own recordings. Some will dismiss this as artifice, but - and I mean this as a compliment - few in history (and no one I can think of) does artifice come so naturally to as it does Jessye Norman. She makes me believe every breath, every moment - she creates a world that seems, somehow, better than it is - or maybe, just maybe, it really is as great as she makes it, if even for only the brief moments that she's in it with me, making me forget the rest.

There are touching, moving reminisces of her childhood. One in particular, where as a child, her mother worked for the Democratic party registering voters, and young Jessye assisted her. At certain times, Mrs. Norman would ask her daughter to leave the table they were working at. It wasn't until after college Jessye asked her mother why. It was because certain members of their congregation and community could neither read nor write and had to sign only with an "x" and her mother didn't want her daugther to see or know that about these friends. It was one of those "lump in my throat" moments.

Norman talks about wanting to understand why racisim exists; why governments are more interested in the sexuality of its citizens, than more important matters, why can't we live and let live? "I want to know. It could be that only God can answer such a question." "A society is responsible for helping people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps - but's let's make sure that they are wearing boots!" The music, coming as it does from some of her legendary recordings - is breathtaking - sometimes literally!

A video of "Erlkoenig" opens the "recital" portions and it is stunning mini film in and of itself. I can probably list a dozen favorite recordings of this song: Jessye's is at the top of that list. I can think of few better ways to relax and escape "the real world" for 90 minutes than to bask in the glow of Jessye Norman.

Brava, Jessye!

p.