https://singerforallseasons.blogspot.com/2018/01/anja-harteros-mesmerising-and-dazzling.html
I was late publishing this post on time... sorry...
Yes, she was born on the 23rd of July fom a Greek-German family and educated in Cologne where she still lives, I think.
Munich has been her operatic home for years and alongside with Jonas Kaufman they have given incredible musical happinesse to their audience at the Bayerische Staatsoper where it is so hard to get tickets without knowing some fans (which I was lucky to do so in recent past).
What I feel most on stage every time I listen to her is her dramatic and now tragic presence which refers to me to her Greek side. She is definitely a singing greek goddess and actress as much as Calas was. She has never pretended to the title of Diva, never behaved like one, gave no photoshop sessions, hardly any long interviews divulging her intimate life ! all she gives is her art of acting and singing and her passion for her roles.
Lately without telling on this most neglected blog, I saw her Tosca for the 3rd time at Bastille opera house again, the night before I flew to China where I stayed for nearly a month.
That night she was sharing the stage for one opening night with Vittorio Grigolo. I can say Tosca the Diva is now hers. Her elegant natural look on stage matches the command of her voice. She is an absolute wonder in this role. They were both very seductive and credible ! Once again I had an immense pleasure listening to her and watching her ! These days I have somehow neglected to take photos because I only care for the performance in the house and my emotions, which I have been trying to put into words, so roughly.
I used to try seeing her at the stagedoor each time I travelled to see her. Now I only rejoice at her appearances from my various seats! She is such an accurate musician with amazing high floating notes, they still exist and her low notes are easier now but she is not trying to sound more dramatic like some do with the low part of the voice enlarged which alters the sharpness of the top notes and somehow sounds artificial. She has no need to do so her long breath technique and floating tops gives her the chance to be heard on top of an entire orchestra and choir ! (as in Verdi's Requiem at la Scala when I heard that kind of miracle for the first time !)
Last Summer I discovered the amazing German Temple of Bayreuth because she was singing Elsa again alongside Piort Beczala, her Lohengrin. I was on another planet for the entire night ! My Munich friend had got the ticket for me, the most expensive one in my all opera-goer's life ! I could not help thinking about the young girl sitting at the god's in Marseille opera house in 1948 or19'49, watching the opera German troupe singing Lohengrin in German ! All I remember is the apparition of the white papier mâché swan which was pulled on rails (from the gods I could see them) and suddenly the machinery got stuck, the swan and the "Prince "inside the swan could not move forward ...In my child's imagination all that was like a fairy -tale!!! This incident was often quoted at home when my parents and I discussed opera...
So in the Summer 2018 I had this faboulous treat to see her Elsa in top conditions but did not care for photos of hers at all, I was so moved to see the nature all around this kind of barn and the pageantry before the opening!
But my best memories of hers refer to the concert in Austria in 2016!
So Happy Birthday Anja Harteros ! May I see you in Paris once a year at least ! Keep well and stay as you are : dedicated to the Art of singing and caring for your audience so much in your discreet ways!
I have a dream:
One day, Anja the Greek goddess will sing Constantin Cavafis 'poems put to music ... If I could set poems to music I would write music for Ithaque, just for her voice and incredible presence on stage...
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