Anna Tomowa-Sintow is in Bulgaria for her third master class with young opera singers, many of them students. From October 20 to November 4 they all put in a lot of hard work at the Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy in Sofia. With unending enthusiasm, dedication and a firm belief in the talent of each and every participant, Anna Tomowa-Sintow heard out the performances of them all. When she was pleased with what she heard she would encourage the singer with “Bravo!” and then make her recommendations on the repertoire. At times she would herself sing given musical phrases, acting out the arias as she sat in her chair and saying: “Get a feel of what you are singing.”

In an interview for Radio Bulgaria, the opera diva stated she herself had always sought inspiration and strength from the beauty of music and art. And that she had wanted to pass her own experience down to the young for a long time and that now she was able to do precisely that with the master classes she has been conducting all over the world.

“What proved crucial was a conversation I had with Herbert von Karajan. He made me promise him that one day I would pass my own experience down to the young generation of singers. I am glad to say the time has come. I flew into Bulgaria directly from Salzburg, from the summer academy that takes place as part of the festival there. There were participants from all corners of the planet, even from Indonesia. There was a great deal of interest from Asia, as well as from Italy, Germany, America, Canada, Russia, from the North Pole even. But I think that nowadays it is so much more difficult for young opera singers to carve out a career for themselves. We live in a time when business and new technologies rule all, a time when there is no idealism. Nonetheless what I am seeing is that young people are forging ahead, taking art with them. Every time I meet with them I am happy to see how quickly they are progressing. As long as I am able to, I shall continue to pass on my experience. I show them the direction they should be working in and what I want from them is not to imitate but to feel the music. I do it with much fondness of the young generation.”

Anna Tomowa-Sintow’s childhood years passed at the opera in Stara Zagora, where her mother was in the opera chorus. When she was six she started piano lessons and later started to sing. She graduated opera singing and piano at the Music Academy in Sofia. In 1967, Anna Tomowa-Sintow made her debut at the Salzburg Opera House as Abigaille in Nabucco. Opera fans know well that Anna Tomowa-Sintow was among Herbert von Karajan’s favourite sopranos. She worked with him, touring opera houses around the world for 17 whole years. She is a Kammersängerin of the Vienna Staatsoper and Doctor Honoris Causa of the Prof. Pancho Vladigerov Music Academy. What is the advice she gives her master class students?

“Demonstration of the self is not what art is about. We must serve art by conveying its message. What we need is a modicum of modesty, self-criticism and of course self-discipline. All great performers have these shades and nuances and that is what makes their interpretations so good. I have been making efforts in this direction, relentlessly, I might add, and I can well say I have good results. This is my third master class at the Academy and I can say that the students are much better prepared voice-wise. What I have been trying to do is convey a feeling for what they are singing, to make them think and feel. I say to them: “If you cry and show your suffering on stage so much – down in the audience no one will cry or suffer. You must perform great art with much feeling!”

The top-of-the class participants in Anna Tomowa-Sintow’s master class will give a gala concert at Bulgaria hall on November 5.

English version: Milena Daynova