It’s a busy month for Andrii Kymach in Toronto this Might. The Ukrainian bass-baritone makes his Canadian Opera Firm debut singing the title position in its upcoming manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. He’ll additionally carry out the position of Alfio from Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, which the COC will carry out in live performance on Might 23.
The roles might hardly be extra disparate relating to the character of the character, from the worldly regrets of Onegin to Alfio’s white sizzling jealous rage.
We spoke to Kymach about his upcoming roles.
Andrii Kymach sings Bizet’s Votre Toast aka the Toreador music from Carmen, with the BBC Nationwide Orchestra of Wales, conductor Ariane Matiakh on August 1, 2019 on the Cardiff Singer of the World competitors:
Bass-Baritone Andrii Kymach
Kymach graduated from the Younger Artist Program of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow in 2018, and went on to take dwelling First Prize on the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2019.
Simply this season, he’s carried out at The Royal Opera Home in London, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Earlier roles within the 2024-2025 seasons embrace Escamillo at Teatr Wielki / Opera Narodowa.
Prior seasons have seen him sing the position of Sir Riccardo Forth (Les Puritains) on the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and Enrico Ashton (Lucia di Lammermoor) on the Auditorio de Tenerife. He has additionally perforemd on the Opéra de Good, the Théâtre d’Antibes and the Welsh Nationwide Opera, and at London’s Queen Elizabeth Corridor.
The Interview
Rising up, his household wasn’t particularly desirous about music, he says. Music research got here a bit later in life.
“It was fairly late,” he says. “I began my musical training at 22.”
Kymach grew to become desirous about opera after seeing a efficiency, however didn’t see himself within the subject at first. “I used to be only a fan of opera,” he says. Even with out plans to develop into knowledgeable singer, he gained some expertise singing in choirs. Opera finally grew to become his focus, although, and he’s by no means seemed again.
Andrii has a deep understanding of Eugene Onegin as a personality. “We should begin with Pushkin,” he says.
Alexander Pushkin wrote his novel Eugene Onegin, A Novel in Verse in 1825, and it was first printed in serialized type.
The title character, a younger, rich man in Saint Petersburg, got here to be a mannequin for what was dubbed the “superfluous man”. He’s disillusioned and leads a lifetime of superficial social occasions, shunning critical emotions till it’s too late. He rejects Tatyana at first, after which, years later, when he’s realized the error of his methods, she’s already moved on together with her life.
Onegin is somebody who has basically faked his method by way of life up to now. As Kymach notes, Onegin isn’t nicely educated, however he likes to provide that impression. He’s discovered a couple of phrases that revolve round numerous subjects so as to have the ability to seem educated. Even when he tries to be taught extra deeply, he can’t appear to place within the work.
“My first training was philosophy,” Andrii explains of his strategy to understanding character. “He creates a pretend life, and a pretend picture.”
On the backside of it, Onegin doesn’t totally perceive himself.
“He creates a caricature,” Kymach explains.
He’s at all times nicely dressed, and appears the a part of a cosmopolitan man… till you start to select aside the facade.
“That’s why he’s probably not a grown particular person.”
As somebody obsessive about outdoors picture over inside qualities, the character of Onegin actually resonates within the trendy period of web influencers. “You’ll be able to create an ideal picture on Instagram,” Kymach notes.
Onegin’s preliminary rejection of Tatyana comes merely due to gossip, her decrease social standing, and the truth that he doesn’t perceive his personal feelings. He clings to standing as a result of it’s the one factor he does perceive.
Years after their first assembly, and after the tragedy of killing his buddy Lensky in an ill-advised duel, Oregon meets Tatyana once more — because the spouse of Prince Gremin. “Solely when he noticed Gremin, who didn’t care about what individuals thought,” Andrii says — that’s when he appreciates Tatyana. Onegin approaches her, however she’s made decisions in life. “However, the second was previous,” he explains.
There’s a change in his character, nevertheless it’s sudden. “Extra wanting like a human,” he says. It’s generally interpreted as a real character change, however Kymach isn’t satisfied.
“For me, he’s simply modified roles,” he says. “He’s nonetheless Onegin.”
Actual love, as he factors out, is what you give to a different — not one thing you get. “What we see within the final scene with Tatyana,” Kymach says, “you have been born to be with me, [Onegin pleads].” However, as he factors out, even after Tatyana admits her lingering emotions for him, he nonetheless can’t squeak out the phrases ‘I really like you’ till she’s already gone.
“He has no associates,” Kymach factors out. Onegin finishes with a life that’s even emptier than earlier than, devoid of affection and friendship.
Alfio in Cavalliera rusticana is a type of full about face.
“He’s utterly completely different,” Andrii says. “He’s a reside particular person.”
It’s an instance of verismo, the realism that grew to become a preferred component of Italian operas of the nineteenth century. Within the story, a villager by the title of Turiddu has returned from navy service, solely to seek out his fiancée Lola has married another person — Alfio the Carter. Lola takes up together with her former paramouron the facet, Alfio turns into enraged, and a duel of revenge ensues.
“Alfio, he simply desires revenge,” he says of the character’s simple feelings.
“It’s in all probability simpler to behave,” he acknowledges. Nonetheless, portraying on stage rage convincingly may be exhausting. “You should be actually offended,” he says. “The viewers should consider.”
Opera: Performances
Arthur Richard Andrew Scace QC CM was a Toronto lawyer and jurist, the previous chairman of the board of administrators of the Band of Nova Scotia, a member of the Order of Canada, and former director of the Canadian Opera Firm. To see Cavalleria rusticana return to the COC stage was one in every of his fondest needs. Sadly, he handed away in 2020 in the course of the pandemic, and the Might 23 efficiency takes place in his honour.
Becoming a member of Kymach on stage for Cavalleria rusticana is Russell Thomas, Anna Pirozzi (an organization debut), Emily Treigle, and Ensemble Studio artist Queen Hezumuryango.
- The Might 23 efficiency of Cavalleria rusticana is offered out, however final minute rush tickets could also be out there; information [HERE].
Additionally within the forged of Onegin: Lauren Fagan, Tatyana; Evan LeRoy Johnson, Lensky; Megan Marino, Olga; Emily Treigle, Filipyevna; Dimitry Ivashchenko, Gremin; Krisztina Szabó, Madame Larina; Michael Colvin, Monsieur Triquet; Duncan Stenhouse, Zaretsky; Korin Thomas-Smith, Captain. Speranza Scappucci conducts the COC Orchestra.
- Discover tickets and extra particulars about Eugene Onegin, on stage from Might 2 to 24, 2025, [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.
