“Asking a musician about their favorite musician is like picking the favorite seed in the sunflower.”

An Interview with Roxana Constantinescu

Where would you like to live?

My home now is my dream place. Vienna.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?

I’d have to use lots of commas for this and still never be finished: to live the way I think and feel, to love and be surrounded by my dear ones, to travel, to be always surprised by new ideas, people, to enjoy my freedom, a glass of wine, great food and museums, shopping, new holidays destinations, spa days, sunny days,  good movies, coffee chats with friends, Christmas tree decoration with family and all the simple or big things that bring a huge smile on my face. Plus, let’s not forget my hobby is my work. What can be better?!

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?

Considering that I haven’t seen one movie with Batman, Spiderman, Superman,  I’d say  Zorro, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Sherlock Holmes, Hamlet.

Who are your favorite heroines in real life?

My mother-for the way she deals with life, with us, and all the women who fight for their freedom, their love, their believes, who show strength and compassion.

Your favorite painter?

Caravaggio and Vermeer. Darkness and light. Can’t choose one over the other.

Your favorite musician?

Asking a musician about the favorite musician is like picking the favorite seed in the sunflower. Impossible. I start naming a few, in a couple of minutes I’ll be sorry for not mentioning others.

The quality you most admire in a man?

Sense of humor.

What is your present state of mind?

I need coffee; too early in the day; relaxed.

What is your motto?

Live with no regrets.

Do you have a website, Facebook fan page, or a Twitter for everyone to follow?

Just started a website: www.roxanaconstantinescu.com  Not finished yet, but almost. Most important info is there.

Favorite behind-the-scenes memory…

You know, every time I live something funny, or different, on stage or off stage, I think: “Ohhh, I’ll remember that for ever!”…but then, the memories start being so many, that it’s hard to put your hand inside the story bag and just grab one. So the next little tale is what comes to my mind now, on Monday at 10:24 am, and it’s about my first meeting with Roberto Alagna.

Imagine the set: 10:55 am on the hallway of the Vienna State Opera. On stage, rehearsal starting in 5’ minutes. The opera: Faust. I am there ready for Siébel, last zip of coffee. Chatting with colleagues. And there he is, Alagna, in jeans, coat, etc. and with a huge white towel over his head, trying to dry, while walking, his long hair. He came straight from the shower (told us afterwards), living across the street. Woke up too late. He introduces himself to each of us, and when he hears my name (typical romanian last name), he starts chatting in the best romanian slang ever. The wife must have been a good teacher. I adored him on the spot. The End. : )))  (next story featuring Roberto Alagna: champagne soup J)

 

It’s fun to watch people misbehave so badly while singing loudly…

Kevin NewburyAn Interview with Director Kevin Newbury

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Being trapped in an airport.

Where would you like to live?

On the ocean.

Your favorite painter?

Egon Schiele

Your favorite musician?

Madonna (sad, but true).

Your favorite virtue?

Generosity

Your favorite occupation?

Directing, of course.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?  

Perfect memory

Do you have a website, Facebook fan page, or a Twitter for everyone to follow?

www.kevinnewbury.com

How long have you been involved with opera and what drew you to the art form?  12 years.  It represents the best of all art-forms rolled into one.  And it’s fun to watch people misbehave so badly while singing loudly :)

Favorite behind-the-scenes memory…

When I was a senior in high-school, I was in a murder mystery play and we started doing the dialogue from Act Three in the middle of Act Two and we ended up revealing the killer before intermission.   I think the set fell down, too.

 

 

“Happiness is not a state to arrive, but a manner of travelling”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Permanent exposure to street reconstruction noise.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
An orchestral score of “Tristan und Isolde”, a good bottle of French red wine and a group of friends to discuss our favourite recordings of the work.
Where would you like to live?
Close to my family.

Who are your (some) favourite characters in history?
Mahatma Gandhi, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Henri Dunant (founder of Red Cross) to name very few

Your favorite painter?
El Greco

Your favorite musician?
Gustav Mahler, because he so passionately bridged the world of opera and symphonic music.

Your favorite virtue?
Levity.
To quote from “Der Rosenkavalier”: “Leicht muss man sein, mit leichtem Herzen halten und nehmen, halten und lassen”
(“It is better to treasure lightness, to hold and to take with an easy heart, to hold and to let go”)

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
To play the cello.

What is your motto?
“Happiness is not a state to arrive, but a manner of travelling”

Do you have a website?
www.christophcampestrini.com