The Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina solely simply turned 28. But she already has a few operatic data below her belt: She’s the youngest artist ever to have sung “Carmen” on the Metropolitan Opera and on the Royal Opera Home in London.
Her trajectory started about 2,700 miles east of London.
Akhmetshina was born within the village of Kirgiz-Miyaki within the Republic of Bashkortostan area of western Russia, nearer to Kazakhstan than Moscow. She is certainly one of three kids of a single mom who labored within the passport workplace on the police station, whose personal mom was a police officer in Soviet instances.
She was 3 years outdated when she first sang onstage, and 14 when she decamped to the closest metropolis, Ufa, to check music. Scouted in her teenagers at a voice competitors in Moscow, she was invited to check out for the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker program for younger artists in London — and acquired the gig. By 22, she was stepping in as an understudy to sing “Carmen” on the primary stage, and delivering a career-shifting efficiency within the title function.
Akhmetshina was in London after singing in “Carmen,” certainly one of eight productions of the Bizet opera that she is performing on this season at main opera homes. In an interview throughout a break from rehearsals for a gala on the Royal Opera Home, she mentioned her action-packed profession and her mission to unfold her love of opera.
The next dialog has been edited and condensed.
What have been you want as a bit of lady?
Everybody knew me as Aigul, the singer within the village. I used to be free-spirited, and an outdated soul. I might give recommendation to anybody who got here to me with a query. I used to be into psychology and philosophy from an early age.
For me, the village was too small. I used to be at all times saying: “Why can’t I simply be free to go in every single place? I need to see the world, I need to discover, I need to study.”
Describe what it was prefer to be requested to sing Carmen as a 22-year-old understudy on the Royal Opera Home.
I acquired a telephone name saying that they didn’t have anybody to carry out Carmen, and that I might withdraw if I wished to. A part of me was scared, however one other a part of me thought, “I can do it.” I at all times love a problem. I wouldn’t select this job if I wasn’t hooked on adrenaline.
I additionally at all times felt a robust reference to the character of Carmen. I felt I understood her. Carmen is not only a horny lady who’s enjoying with males. She’s a really attention-grabbing character to dive into psychologically.
Then the concern got here. I used to be sitting on the primary stage earlier than the curtain went up, pondering, “Aigul, what are you doing?” In that second, I assumed to myself: “Both I’ll shut the doorways on my profession for a few years, as a result of individuals will assume ‘she’s not prepared, she’s too younger,’ or it is going to be an excellent kickoff — after which what?”
I bear in mind nothing of the efficiency besides the curtain going up and the curtain coming down. Nevertheless it was superb. I acquired all of the help from everybody on the Royal Opera Home, which is my house theater. On the similar time, I felt a heavy duty. At instances, I knew that they have been believing in me greater than I believed in myself.
How does it really feel to be the youngest mezzo ever to sing Carmen on the Metropolitan Opera and on the Royal Opera Home?
I’m mainly climbing the mountain, and sooner or later, I should go down that mountain. It’s simply the cycle of life.
Some individuals say I’m at my peak. I don’t assume so, as a result of I nonetheless haven’t achieved my finest Carmen. And I don’t know if I’ll obtain that any day.
The mezzo-soprano repertoire is extra restricted than the soprano repertoire. Mezzos don’t typically get the title roles. Watching you onstage, you appear to be somebody who needs to be the primary attraction.
However you are able to do that in a smaller function, too. I really like to rework into completely different characters. I actually assume that mezzos are extra attention-grabbing to play, as a result of there are extra colours and variety in mezzo roles. You may play completely different characters which you’d by no means discover in your extraordinary life.
The way forward for opera as an artwork type appears unsure generally, as a result of funding is continually being lower. How can opera be made accessible to greater audiences?
I feel we’re slowly doing that, with livestreamed broadcasts, and open-air performances the place anybody can come.
All artwork varieties are struggling. I imagine we are able to do collaborations with pop music, with jazz, and introduce extra individuals to classical music in that method. I help artists who mix trendy music with classical music. My favourite D.J. — the French D.J. Leblanc — mixes classical music with digital music. Folks adore it. I see the way it slowly impacts them.
The film business is making motion pictures about artists, about conductors. Possibly they’re not good motion pictures, however at the very least they fight.
How do you promote opera as an artwork type?
I like to generally spontaneously sing within the London Underground, shock individuals. On a current vacation in Dubai, I used to be on the seashore and other people requested me what I did. Once I mentioned I used to be an opera singer, they mentioned they’d by no means been at an opera, and I mentioned “Now you may be.” I sang the “Habanera” aria from “Carmen” for them proper there on the seashore. That they had by no means heard it, they usually mentioned, “Oh, I actually ought to go.”
I do that usually, if I see that individuals don’t have the chance and have been by no means launched to classical music. They really feel the vibration of your voice so intently that they actually assume: possibly I ought to expertise this.
