Vasily Gerello. frankly about life, theater and showbiz

Ukrainian Vasily Gerello wants to live in a great country

The world opera star Vasily Gerello is rarely seen in a static state. He usually speaks a hundred words a minute, actively gesticulates, constantly laughs and manages to charm everyone around. But when it comes to some issues, the artist becomes very serious. A Ukrainian with Italian roots and a Russian passport is horrified by what is happening around now. He does not know how to take his elderly parents out of Ukraine.

Photo by Andrey Fedechko

Freedom of speech for the devil knows who

- You were chosen as an ambassador for the World Cup from St. Petersburg. How does it feel?

Space. The draw in the Konstantinovsky Palace, in which I also took part, was watched by 118 countries. That's over a billion people live. I am a gambler, I love football. And at the championship I will go to events, discuss somewhere and, of course, sing.

You will sing whatever you want, or, as in the old Soviet times, will the repertoire be censored for an event of this level?

I don't think so. Personally, I think that there is more freedom of speech in Russia now. For some reason, people complain that they are being squeezed. But look at talk shows on TV: everyone has a say and everyone is talking. And the communists, and the democrats, and the devil knows who ... And so they water each other! And everything is forgiven, and no one closes them. I travel all over the world and I understand how things are in other countries. And they close it, and you can’t tell, and journalists write from dictation. And here the so-called liberal newspapers live and prosper.

"Can't wait for me to leave"

- Do you feel a negative attitude towards Russia when you go on tour?

Personally, I don't. Our feelings depend on us. I am not ashamed to wear a Russian passport, despite what is now pouring into our country from Europe and America. Many people abroad treat Russians normally. And Russians still go abroad. Of course, what happened in Turkey (I mean the downed plane) is terrible. This is not the way to live. Therefore, I believe that now the Russians need to unite and be together. People of all faiths, nationalities, political beliefs. If you live in a country, its interests must be defended. Our opponents have a dream: to quarrel everyone and divide Russia. But they do not take into account that our people are strong. I communicate closely with many - both with Muslims and with Jews, even though I myself am Orthodox. I have always been interested in their point of view on the issue of interethnic disputes. They think the same thing - today, more than ever, we need to stick together.

- Have you seen the flows of refugees in Europe, which are already terrifying the governments of many states?

I have seen these crowds for twenty years. May the French forgive me, I once sang at the Bastille Opera and rented an apartment in the center of Paris. So - a crowd of refugees under the windows was healthy! Because it was necessary to carry out the correct policy. Try some Russian to get European citizenship - but figs will give it to you! Although you can be a famous athlete, artist or artist. And the colonial inhabitants - please. So you have to pay for everything. It is clear that now the situation is especially aggravated. The refugees are extremely angry. But if it was good for them, would they run away?! For example, I was offered many times to leave. But no one will wait. I want to live in this great country, and they will bury me here.

Bes Maidan

- Do you want to be buried in your homeland, in Ukraine?

Let's talk about the funeral. (Laughs) I want to live long. My parents are still in Ukraine, in a village near Chernivtsi. They didn't go anywhere. And, despite the Russian-Ukrainian situation, they remain normal people. They hope that everything will change and fall into place. And those people who fled from their homeland will repent of this.

- You had no desire to take your parents here for security purposes?

I think about it every day. They have an apartment here on the Petrograd side. But my mother is 91 years old. They really want to come and live nearby. Only direct planes to Ukraine now do not fly. From Chernivtsi to Kyiv - 600 kilometers by bus or car. From Kyiv to Minsk, you first need to fly, and only then here. At 91, this is almost impossible.

For me, my parents are holy people. And it's a tragedy that we're far apart. And those Ukrainians who got angry, succumbed to provocation, brainwashing and raised this whole storm, will still regret and ask each other for forgiveness. I am an Orthodox person and I believe that a demon has taken possession of these people. They don't understand what they are doing. When this whole mess started, I was scared. Any fight on your street will not leave you on the sidelines. And even more so a conflict of this magnitude. But I pray to live in peace, kindness, harmony. I hope everything works out. Money will not defeat faith, no matter how our countries are torn apart and no matter how they try to divide them.

- You are a believer. How did you come to this?

I've lived this way since childhood.

- But there was no God in the USSR!

God was always there, we just didn't talk about it out loud. Don't forget that I was born in the village. And we celebrated everything church holidays. And Easter, and Christmas, and fasting were observed as they should. You cannot live without faith. I don’t go out on stage without a cross and a prayer. When you pray, you have completely different powers, you can feel it. The most important thing is that God restores our minds and the threat of war is gone.

"No one forbids me to sing in Ukrainian"

- Have you taken away the title and citizenship?

I did not have Ukrainian citizenship. I came to St. Petersburg as a kid, in the era of the USSR. And I had a Soviet passport. And then, when the Union collapsed in the 90s, I chose the citizenship of the Russian Federation. Like all the people who live here. At that time I already served at the Mariinsky Theater in Leningrad. My wife and son also became citizens of Russia. First, I received the title of Honored Artist of Russia, and then - the People's Artist. I am also an Honored Artist of Ukraine, and so far no one has encroached on this title. As they did not deprive the title of People's Artist of Ukraine and Valery Gergiev. We have a lot of artists with Ukrainian regalia in the theater. And the last thing you can do is to take away these awards. But for what? Because I sing?! For as long as I can remember I have been doing this...

- For the fact that you support Russia, for example!

Well, how else? This country gave me a profession, life, creativity. No one here forbids me to sing and speak Ukrainian. And I sing concerts on it on the very high level, believe me. Both on television and on federal channels. No problem.

"I'm not a balloon"

- Does your son know his native language?

And not only. He tries to speak and read Ukrainian. Andrey is a good guy in general. Graduated from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg State University. Works by profession. Lives in St. Petersburg. I talk to him every day, that's how it is with us. As I constantly keep in touch with my parents, so Andrey is with me. We don't need to be reminded, like in that ad, "Call your parents!" This is how we were brought up from the cradle. Andrei is now an independent guy, he understands everything. His brains are in the right place. And as a child, he was with us all the time. And he went with me on all tours - so he knows my operas by heart.

But he didn't follow in your footsteps. Why?

He did not want to, although he played the piano and absolute pitch. But hitting a guy on the head and forcibly teaching a craft are not my methods. He already knows the notes, for general development. But you can't become a musician out of the blue.

- Imagine: the economic crisis has reached such an extent that the Mariinsky Theater was closed. Would you sing at weddings?

No problem! I’m not going to plaster - I don’t know how. And to sing is easy. I would sing whatever the audience demanded. I think some of the best musicians are the people who work in restaurants, malls and weddings. Notable Jazzmen in New York they also played in the streets. The ways of the Lord are inscrutable, and one should not be ashamed of one's profession. In my youth, I played at christenings and at weddings. It was the happiest time in my life. And now the stars, starting from Placido Domingo, sing at weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. It's OK. A wedding is fun, happiness, joy, the main thing is not to be a snob. And then the inflated "balls" burst, they are forgotten both in the opera and at weddings. But in general, classical art is very far from the crisis. I recently sang Verdi in great hall conservatory. All first division! What pleased me was that there was a full house during the promotion of pop music in the hall. And the tickets were not the cheapest. Although, to be honest, I myself rarely know how much they cost.

Basilio from near Chernivtsi

In Italy, the singer is called Basilio Gerello. After all, his great-grandfather was an Italian from Naples. Vasily's ancestor came to Russia during the First World War. Bukovina was then still part of Austria-Hungary, Gerello Sr. served in the Austrian army, near Chernivtsi he met a Ukrainian girl, fell in love and married her. As a result, he remained to live in his new homeland. According to family tradition, Vasily was named after him.

The singer himself for a long time considered himself a pure Slav - in Soviet times it was not customary to talk about such a relationship. But the Italian roots "crawled out" in the boy by themselves. Already at the age of 4, he was so vociferous that he amazed the recognized village “spivaks” with his talents. As a teenager, Vasily, whose family lived rather modestly, began to play and sing at weddings, accompanying himself on a captured German accordion, which his father brought from the war.

Vasily Gerello is called the most Italian baritone Mariinsky Theater. Own musical education Gerello started in Chernivtsi in Ukraine, then went to distant Leningrad, where he entered the conservatory under Professor Nina Aleksandrovna Serval. Already from the fourth year, Gerello sang at the Mariinsky Theater. During his student years, the singer made his foreign debut: on the stage of the Amsterdam Opera in the play "The Barber of Seville" by the famous Dario Fo, he sang Figaro.

Since then, Vasily Gerello has become a laureate of several international vocal competitions. Now he is successfully working on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, touring with the Mariinsky troupe around countries and continents, performing at the best opera venues in the world. The singer is invited by the largest opera houses in the world, including Opera Bastille, La Scala, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Vasily Gerello received international recognition, in Italy they call him Basilio Jerello in his own way, and although the singer himself considers himself a Slav, he admits that from time to time Italian blood makes itself felt, because Vasily's great-grandfather was an Italian, a native of Naples.

Vasily Gerello leads an active concert activity. He participated in a concert of young soloists from countries Pacific Ocean V opera house San Francisco, performed chamber solo program at the Chatelet Theatre, performed at New York's Carnegie Hall and at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The singer gives solo concerts on the stage Concert Hall Mariinsky Theatre, often performs with charity concerts on the stages of St. Petersburg, and is also a participant in many international festivals, including VII International Festival"Music big Hermitage”, XIV International music Festival"Palaces of St. Petersburg", the festival "Stars of the White Nights" and the Moscow Easter Festival.

Vasily Gerello performs worldwide famous conductors: Valery Gergiev, Riccardo Muti, Mung-Wun Chung, Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Fabio Luisi and many others.

Vasily Gerello - National artist Russia, Honored Artist of Ukraine. Winner of the World Competition opera singers BBC Cardiff singer of the world (1993); laureate International Competition young opera singers ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov (I prize, St. Petersburg, 1994), laureate of the highest theater award Petersburg "Golden Soffit" (1999), laureate music award Fortissimo, established by the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov (nomination "Performing skills").

Gerello, Vasily Georgievich(born March 13, 1963, Vaslovovtsy, Ukrainian SSR) - opera singer, soloist of the Mariinsky Theater, People's Artist of Russia, Honored Artist of Ukraine.

Vasily Gerello was born in the village of Vaslovtsy, Chernivtsi region (Ukraine).

Already as a little boy he began to sing, sometimes to earn money for his clothes. As a teenager, he sang and played the accordion - a trophy German "Hochner" donated by his father - at weddings. At the same time, Vasily mastered playing the button accordion, accordion, trumpet and saxophone.

Gerello began his musical education at the Chernivtsi Musical College, but a year later he was drafted into the army, where he played in a brass band.

While serving in the army, Vasily met his future wife Alena. They met at a dance at the House of Officers in Chernivtsi. A friend brought her to see handsome guy who played the guitar and sang. Vasily worked part-time at the dances in the evenings. It was love at first sight. October 8, 1983 Vasily and Alena registered their marriage.

After serving in the army, Vasily Gerello enters the same School of Music for the vocal department. But he does not graduate from the school, and without a diploma he enters the Leningrad Conservatory in the class of Serval Nina Alexandrovna, whom Gerello mentions with gratitude in most interviews.

In 1991, V. Gerello graduated from the conservatory.

In 1990, being a 4th year student at the Conservatory, Vasily Gerello was invited to join the troupe of the Mariinsky Theatre. Thanks to Valery Gergiev, who listened to the student Gerello and believed in his voice, Vasily was invited to the Mariinsky Theater, and to the main parts. Gerello's debut was Valentine in Faust, soon there were the roles of Onegin, Rodrigo.

He became the first person to sing La Traviata in the original language at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Even in his student years, the singer made his foreign debut: on the stage of the Netherlands Opera in the play The Barber of Seville, he sang the part of Figaro. Working with the wonderful conductor Alberto Zedda, a professional in his field, who studies the music of Rossini and with the director Dario Fo, Nobel laureate- more than a serious achievement for a novice singer.

Vasily Gerello tours with the Mariinsky Theater Company to Spain, Italy, Scotland (Edinburgh Festival), Finland (Mikkeli Festival), France and Portugal. Invited by the largest opera houses in the world, including the Bastille Opera (Paris), Dresden Semperoper, german opera and Berlin State Opera, Metropolitan Opera (New York), Vienna State Opera, Royal Theater Covent Garden (London), La Fenice Theater (Venice), Canadian national opera(Toronto), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), Teatro San Paolo (Brazil), Opera Santiago de Chile, La Scala (Milan), opera houses in Amsterdam and Bergen.

The singer conducts an active concert activity. He participated in the concert of young soloists of the Pacific Ocean at the San Francisco Opera House, performed a chamber solo program at the Chatelet Theater, sang in the Belcanto concert with symphony orchestra Belgium. He has performed in New York (Carnegie Hall) and London (Royal Albert Hall), with the Dallas and New York Symphony Orchestras.

Gives solo concerts on the stage of the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, performs with charity concerts on the stages of St. Petersburg. Participated in many international festivals, including VII International festival Music of the Greater Hermitage, the XIV International Music Festival Palaces of St. Petersburg, the Stars of the White Nights festival and the Moscow Easter Festival.

Performs with world-famous conductors - Valery Gergiev, Riccardo Muti, Mung-Wun Cheung, Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Fabio Luisi and many others.

Gerello is fluent in Italian, Spanish, English, Ukrainian, Russian, which allows him to feel like an artist of the world.

In 2000, the film-opera "War and Peace" (La guerre et la paix) directed by Francois Roussillon with Vasily Gerello in one of the main roles was released in France.

Vasily Gerello is actively involved in charity work, including establishing his own scholarship for children who study well at the gymnasium at the Russian Museum.

Vasily is married, his wife Alena, a choirmaster by education, did not build her career, devoting herself entirely to her husband's career. They have a son, Andrey Vasilyevich Gerello, a graduate of the law faculty of St. Petersburg State University. Parents - Georgy Vasilyevich and Domka Todorovna - live in Ukraine, Vasily's brother Vladimir and his sister Maria live there. Gerello is proud of the family tradition of his great-grandfather, an Italian native of Naples, a World War I soldier who fell in love with a Ukrainian girl.

• People's Artist of Russia (2008)
• Honored Artist of Ukraine (2006)
• Laureate of the World Opera Singing Competition BBC Cardiff singer of the world (1993)
• Laureate of the International Competition for Young Opera Singers. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov (1st prize, St. Petersburg, 1994)
• Laureate of the Tsarskoye Selo Art Prize (1998)
• Laureate of the highest theater award of St. Petersburg "Golden Soffit" (1999)
• Laureate of the Fortissimo Music Prize, established by the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov (nomination "Performing skill")
• Active member of the Academy of Peoples "Elite".

• Pastor ("Khovanshchina")
• Shchelkalov (Boris Godunov)
• Onegin ("Eugene Onegin")
• Robert ("Iolanthe")
• Tomsky and Yeletsky ("The Queen of Spades")
• Pantalone ("The Love for Three Oranges")
• Napoleon ("War and Peace")
• Figaro (The Barber of Seville)
• Henry Ashton ("Lucia di Lammermoor")
• Georges Germont (La Traviata)
• Renato (Un ballo in masquerade)
• Don Carlos ("Force of Destiny")
• Marquis di Posa ("Don Carlos")
• Macbeth ("Macbeth")
• Amonasro ("Aida")
• Ford ("Falstaff")
• Marseille ("La Boheme")
• Sharpless ("Madama Butterfly")
• Valentine ("Faust")
• Count Almaviva ("The Marriage of Figaro")

The singer's repertoire also includes the parts of the Duke (" Miserly knight”), a young Balearic (“Salambo”), Papageno (“ magical flute”), Julius Caesar (“Julius Caesar”), Simone Boccanegra (“Simon Boccanegra”), Richard Fort (“Puritanes”), Alfio (“Country Honor”), Filippo Maria Visconti (“Beatrice di Tenda”), Tonio ( "Pagliacci"), Don Carlos ("Ernani"), Count di Luna ("Troubadour").

Partially used materials from the site http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

AiF-Petersburg: - Vasily, I will not hide that the reason for the interview was not only my birthday, but also April 1 - I really want to talk with a cheerful, optimistic person. There are few such even among St. Petersburg celebrities.

I strongly disagree that there are few cheerful and optimistic people among Petersburgers. At a recent concert - such bright faces in the hall, I have not seen a single frowning one! The real inhabitants of the Northern capital are just like that. Because if the city survived the blockade, the war and did not give up, then you need to take an example from the older generations. No sadness better life- only life!
Everything else is vanity of vanities.

Well, as for the first of April - he loved to play pranks on people in his youth, it’s very difficult to breed yourself. Although ... everything is ahead. I would like someone to play me, divorce me, but not for money (smiles). So far this has not happened, and in general I am a lucky person, although I was born on March 13th. Someone considers this number to be the "devil's dozen", but I heard that it is holy, because it is made up of 12 apostles and Jesus Christ.

AiF-Petersburg:- How to number 13 different attitude as well as to politics. You have chosen a neutral position, often emphasizing that you are apolitical, but how can you hide from problems? Some dwell on the negative so much that they become depressed.

You won't expect this from me! Yes, I learned the word "depression" not so long ago ( smiling). Of course, I can’t fence myself off from what is happening in the country and in the world, I see that a demon has simply taken possession of people. But - pull yourself together, respect each other. Attitude - for bright thoughts, for love and joy.

“The word“ depression ”was not so long ago learned.” Photo: www.russianlook.com

AiF-Petersburg:- Your words might seem too declarative and idealistic if I did not know that you yourself live by these principles. How is it possible?

You have to start with yourself, and everything will change. Is there something wrong? Blame yourself. And we like to blame everything on near and far. And hope for a "good uncle." Unfortunately, modern man does not want to take responsibility, especially men. You look how many families live in a civil marriage. Because men are afraid to get married. And this is not in the Orthodox way, not in the Christian way, but not in any way! If you are a man - be real, and you don’t have to deal with nonsense.

I'm friends with the guys from our armed forces, sang on submarines, on ships, in units - these are real guys there. They love music, they have a serious education: to work with state-of-the-art technology, to lead such a unit as a nuclear submarine, with jelly in the head will not work.

Do not wait!

AiF-Petersburg:- The 70th anniversary of the Victory is approaching. For many years now you have been giving a concert for the townspeople on St. Isaac's Square. Will the crisis prevent the continuation of the tradition?

This is a holy holiday. That was and will be. But see what's going on?! Some rabid crazy people are starting to rewrite history. Do not wait! Because the memory is alive, and the people who were on the battlefields are alive. The concert will take place in any crisis and any weather, because when our fathers and grandfathers fought, they did not think about the weather, but only thought about victory. So we must not spare ourselves. And the day before, at the end of April, I will give a concert in Kremlin Palace. I perform with a symphony orchestra, a choir, a wonderful repertoire: the first part - songs of the war years, and the second - classics. After all, I'm an opera singer.

“You have to start with yourself, and everything will change.” Photo: www.russianlook.com

AiF-Petersburg:- And how do new parts appear in your repertoire? Are they offered by theater directors?

Yes, directors, opera impresarios call: “Would you like to sing such and such a part?” I ask how much time I have to learn, open the notes, sit down at the piano, start to see if my voice suits me, if I kill myself. If I understand that I can sing, I agree, if “not mine”, I won’t say “yes” for any millions. It is necessary to correctly assess your capabilities, to be honest with your voice and with yourself. Some of our singers, once in the West, strive to master everything and quickly lose their voice. Greed destroys.
Well, to keep yourself in shape, you need to exercise every day. In the morning I woke up and - to the instrument. Otherwise - worthless to you as a vocalist.

AiF-Petersburg:- You tour a lot abroad. Is interest in Russian music falling due to political upheavals?

No. I just sang Russian romances and chamber music in Vienna, Prague, Bratislava - great interest, as well as success.

AiF-Petersburg:- Glory is also a test, isn't it? Television is increasingly tempting young people to demonstrate talent and immediately be called a "star".

Yes, I met people who, having become successful, even changed their voice and gait! Also jelly in the head. Copper pipes you need to be able to pass, and if a person cannot, he stops in development. This is trouble. From such muck as "stardom" I have a good vaccination, I received it in the family, from my parents.

“I met people who, having become successful, even changed their voice and gait.” Photo: www.russianlook.com

AiF-Petersburg:- And what other people influenced your destiny?

On my life path We meet wonderful people from all walks of life. around a lot good people. Our selfishness, pride, and sometimes busyness do not allow us to get to know others better, and this is scary. Look for the good, discard the bad and see what will become easy on your soul, look at others in a new way.

You have to take care of yourself, understand yourself. Are you not loved enough? What is there for? Love has to be earned. Who are you? Why are you here? Now, if you feel that someone is needed on this earth, you can respect yourself. Be more honest, and those who seemed bad will turn to you. There are no bad ones!

The era of consumerism

AiF-Petersburg:- I know that you are being asked to help in the construction of temples. There are more and more churches. What about faith?

People build temples according to the call of the heart. And people turn to faith. It doesn't matter what denomination you are. All religions call for good, fulfill the commandments, and everything in this world will be safe.

Probably, it comes from above ... Yes, and my parents gave me a family. What could be more important to a man than good wife? I have one wife - Alyonka, and we will be together until the end. If there is order in the house, peace, they look after you, you are fed, watered, ironed, washed, if there is care for each other, then the voice sounds, and you want to serve the Motherland.

AiF-Petersburg:- You have achieved recognition and fame, could you dream about it in your village childhood?

When he was grazing cows in the village, he dreamed of having an accordion, and dad bought it. I dreamed of having an electric guitar - and it came true.

As a kid, I started to make my dreams come true, to earn money, because I played at weddings, christenings, funerals. The engineer received 100-140 rubles, I got much more. But this money did not spoil me, they do not spoil if there is gray matter in my head. And I realized a long time ago that a person does not need much. I swear! We have become consumers: such a nightmare when mountains of food and clothes are thrown away in one part of the world, and starving in another. It is a sin. But, I think, the era of consumerism will also pass. The main thing is to have peace.