Descendant of Genghis Khan performs with Tatar State Symphony Orchestra
Ildar Abdrazakov gave a solo concert in Kazan
One of the most famous basses in the world who needs no introduction gave almost a three-hour concert in the Saydashev State Great Concert Hall in Kazan. The programme was called Verdi Gala, and Ildar Abdrazakov during the evening appeared before the public in different images from Verdi's operas. Read the details in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
At the invitation of the maestro
Ildar Abdrazakov has been holding his festival in spring for several years in different cities, including the capital and his native Ufa. Since this year, we can assume, through the efforts of Maestro Sladkovsky, Kazan has been included in the festival route. Verdi Gala is only the first swallow.
It makes no sense to present Abdrazakov to the public — any person who is more or less interested in classical music knows about his two Grammys, and about the many awards at international competitions, and about performances with top orchestras and conductors. About the fact that there is an eternal dispute between the Mariinsky Theater, La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera for where Abdrazakov will sing. A star — without exaggeration. The visit to Kazan is an event, as in its time it was the event of Abdrazakov's participation in the Chaliapin Festival.
The lineage of Abdrazakov is impressive: according to open sources, on the maternal line his family goes back to Genghis Khan, on the paternal — to Tamerlane. Maybe that's why one of his best parties — Attila the Hun? Now the native of Ufa is living in a mansion near Vienna with his wife and children, but he is a citizen of the world and manages to work out numerous contracts on the best opera stages and in concert halls, while giving master classes and doing charity.
However, Abdrazakov is selective, and in one interview said that ''if it ain't mine – I am not going to do it even for a million''. Verdi's music is ''his'', as the Kazan residents who filled the hall of the concert hall could see.
Attila and others
The first part of the concert began with the Overture to Nabucco — a small ''performance'', where for those who are familiar with this opera by Verdi everything was convex and clear: the famous choir Va, pensiero, Abigail's intrigues, Fenena's suffering. In a few minutes of the overture, to make a ''performance'' is worth a lot, and therefore — respect to Maestro Sladkovsky and the orchestra.
In general, it should be noted that all the fragments from Verdi's operas that were performed in the programme were not side shows, when the singer should just rest for a couple of minutes — they were carefully decorated concert performances. When there was the soloist on the stage, it was not just an accompaniment, but a careful co-creation and delicate conduct of the soloist and orchestra by the conductor.
The Overture to Nabucco prepared us for the Aria of the prophet Zechariah, in this image Ildar Abdrazakov began the concert programme Verdi Gala, immediately winning the hearts of listeners with his warm and, at the same time, powerful bass and fantastic legato.
During two parts of the concert, Abdrazakov, the holder of the title ''Best bass in the world'', appeared in various forms — of Zechariah, Ernani, Banquo, King Philip, and others. All of them are so different, coming from different eras and subjects, united by one thing — an extraordinary masculinity and integrity, which is now on the opera stage you will meet infrequently. His characters are symbols of brutality, they are the ones who decide the fate. The singer was reliable in every minute on stage.
The finale of the concert could be called triumphant: after the orchestra and Maestro Sladkovsky performed the Overture to Attila, Abdrazakov came out in the image of ''the Scourge of God'' — that was the name of the king of the Huns conquered peoples. Attila is considered one of the best parties of Abdrazakov, and it is clear. It is hard to imagine who could have performed it with the same force and deep-hidden, but bubbling like a volcano, rage.
On the stage, there was the conqueror of the world, imperious, regal, with a furious temperament, it seemed that from him there were electrical discharges going in the hall. Naturally, the singer had to encore.