Not seemed to you in the current invasion of the virus on humanity something apocalyptic?
Evgeny Kissin: don’t know if this is something apocalyptic, but, of course, what is happening in Italy and in America, is a horror. So I want to wish all of us to get it all over with and, most importantly, with fewer casualties.
Many are now discussing how difficult it is to live in isolation. How would you comfort the desperate in such a situation?
Evgeny Kissin: Desperate for what? Due to the fact that you can’t leave the house except to work, for groceries and to the drugstore? In my opinion, the only reason to despair – the one that people are dying and we can’t help you. With regard to quarantine restrictions, I personally would never have occurred to despair or even be discouraged because of them.
still. Suspended all in the industry of theatre and music, canceled the biggest festivals, artists lost their audience and, accordingly, income…
“Classmates” and “Vkontakte” will show online the concert of Denis Matsuev
Evgeny Kissin: But the musicians had plenty of time to Polish our repertoire, learn new works. Of course, this is a problem for musicians who have no savings. Fortunately, I was in this sense fortunate. And forecasts for the future, I do not build. As they say, the best way to make God laugh is to predict the future.
Where you caught the news about the quarantine?
Evgeny Kissin: I was at home in Prague. Here my wife, children wife, my mother, sister and Anna Pavlovna Kantor, who was my only piano teacher and has long been a member of our family. Anna Pavlovna feels good, my mother very faithfully takes care of her. I love this beautiful city belong to the Czechs with great respect. They aspire to become part of the West, the atmosphere here is closer to Russiancoy. The level of anti-Semitism here is one of the lowest in the world, so I’m very comfortable in all senses. I moved here three and a half years ago for family reasons.
the Only reason to despair – the one that people are dying and we can’t help you
you must have had some concerts associated with the 250th anniversary of Beethoven?
Evgeny Kissin: I have all this season since July last year, was playing a Beethoven programme: Sonata eight, Fifteen variations with a Fugue, the 17-th and 21-th sonatas throughout Europe, and in February of this year in Moscow. I have canceled the may concerts with this programme in North America. Concerts in June in Luxembourg and Amsterdam is not yet cancelled. Now I’m working on my solo program for next season, which included works by Chopin, Berg Sonata, preludes by Gershwin and plays Khrennikov.
Berg Sonata and plays Khrennikov – contrasting composers hard to imagine.
Mariinsky theatre will present online works by Prokofiev and Mussorgsky
Evgeny Kissin: Contrasts are always important. But, on the other hand, the second branch is the music of the first half of the twentieth century, and it contrasted with Chopin’s first division. Any work I may have caught one talent. The works of Tikhon Nikolayevich is not an exception.
On writing music now had more time?
Evgeny Kissin: Yes, I’m writing, but in fits and starts. Now working on a song cycle for baritone “Bubbles of the earth” on verses of the Block.
Your Renee Fleming poignant speech was Facebook. How did your creative Alliance with Rene?
Cultural life “pariahAla” online
Evgeny Kissin: We have long been familiar, have mutual sympathy and respect each other as musicians, so a few years ago and decided to cooperate. Renee Fleming is fantastic in all genres and in chamber music, both in Opera and in pop songs.
I always had an interesting speech with any good musicians. Of the singers is particularly memorable concerts with Thomas Quasthoff, Heidi grant Murphy and the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
What are you reading today?
Evgeny Kissin: all my life I have been interested in history, so I read today “What is history?” Edward Carr and “the path of history. From ancient man to our days” Igor Diakonoff.
