“Flosha, well, where are you going wide open? You are in Moscow after all! Wrap your scarf around your throat!” This is Hvorostovsky shouting to his wife Florence, who has gathered outside. But what a marvelous baritone he screams! Onegin, well, just Onegin in caring for his finally found Tatyana.
The fate of the handsome man from the Krasnoyarsk Opera was decided at the Singer of the World competition in Cardiff in 1989. Triumph! Offers poured in: La Scala, Covent Garden. Ah, what Onegin our stage has lost! And Don Giovanni, and Renato, Yeletsky, Germont and Rigoletto…
Dmitry Alexandrovich assures that his early gray hair is hereditary. But it was not easy to survive a divorce from his first, Russian wife, leaving her two twins — daughter Sasha and son Danila (now they are 11 years old). He stayed in London, only in another house, together with Flo. Their eldest son Maxim is four, Ninochka is six months old. Hvorostovsky, having wound up on tour, now puts family values in the first place. And yet he valiantly continues to sing concertos, which is sometimes more difficult than a performance with two or three crown arias. He is inimitable in the cycles of Mussorgsky, Sviridov, Shostakovich, in romances, in “Songs of the War Years” … “I am very happy,” the singer admits. Music is my religion. And it’s a great victory for me to convert someone else to my faith.” Ten years ago, Hvorostovsky was reputed to be unsociable, calling himself a «lone wolf.» But something in him melted, warmed up. “I am in my prime. This is what I was striving for. Something did not work out, and there was criticism, but I did not change direction. Not so long ago, after a concert, Placido Domingo approached me: “Earlier, your voice, although it sounded great, but the high notes were not very harmonious. And now you are in control. Are you working with someone?» I don’t work with anyone and I did it all myself. I gradually raised my voice, it grew with me. He wanted to sing Rigoletto — and he sang. If I want Wagner, I will sing Wagner. But if there is no drive, look for another profession. If you are too pleased with yourself, change jobs too! I am often dissatisfied with myself … ”Moscow is waiting for Hvorostovsky with a program of arias and duets that he will perform with singer Sumi Yo. Surprises are not ruled out: Broadway hits, Neapolitan songs. As for Onegin… The final scene from Tchaikovsky’s opera, performed by him and Rene Fleming, was included in the audience’s rating of the ten best fragments of the Metropolitan Opera’s performances in 30 years of broadcasts in the fall. And who will say that this is not the voice of the people?
February 13, Moscow, State Kremlin Palace; tel.: (495) 620-7954.