OperaMetro (OM) had the privilege of interviewing a basso rising to baritone, Hans Tashjian (HT), who will sing the role of Figaro in Rossini’s immortal Il barbiere di Siviglia with the return of Teatro Nuovo at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center.

OM: Thank you for agreeing to chat with me, Hans!

HT: My pleasure!

OM: You’re singing the title role of Figaro, aka the Barber of Seville. Have you done this role before?

HT: Not only have I never done this role before, I never even considered it a possibility for me as a bass. Consequently, I, long having dismissed Figaro as a high-baritone role, was incredulous when Will Crutchfield proposed I sing it. But when I sat down with the score at his behest, I realized that the role sits in a very similar range and tessitura to Bartolo and Basilio, who are listed as basses. It’s the ornaments that have become so inextricable from the role that really make it impossible for basses to consider.

Hans Tashjian as the Podesta in Rossini’s opera semi-seria La gazza ladra — Hans Tashjian as the Podesta in Rossini’s opera semi-seria ***La gazza ladra***

Once I got over the psychological task of re-classifying Figaro as a low voice, rather than a baritone, I was free to approach it the same way I’d approach any other bel canto opera. Role preparation has been very similar to other seasons with Teatro Nuovo; however, I’ve noticed one new and challenging aspect to our work this season: as we’re dealing with a very well known opera with deeply embedded traditions, we have had to identify conventions that aren't supported by the score and strip each one away. We’re approaching the score as if we’d never heard of Il barbiere di Siviglia, and then applying the same performance practice decisions that we’d apply to any other bel canto opera. We can ornament and embellish on our terms (unencumbered by traditions that have not always been there) and offer a truly unique take on one of the most popular operas of all time.

OM: Fascinating! This is one of the reasons I very much love talking to the performers. They can tell readers about all the work in preparation for the performance we in the audience see at the end of that journey. Did this approach in any way change the way you sing?

HT: The technical skills taught by Teatro Nuovo have always affirmed my own technique. One of TN’s great and rare gifts is their ability to articulate technical skills and ideas so clearly to singers. I am always finding ways to fine tune my instrument and grow as a singer and artist, and Teatro Nuovo has been an important voice in my ear, offering tangible ideals to strive towards.

OM: Tell me, please, about your decision to follow a career singing opera: at what age and circumstances did you discover you had a voice that could be operatic?

HT: Most of my singing growing up was in choirs and musical theatre. I studied piano and trombone since childhood, but singing was always the most natural fit for me. I didn’t see a home for me in modern musical theatre with my bass voice, so I decided to study classically at Carnegie Mellon for undergrad. It was there I was introduced to and fell hard for opera.

OM: What early experiences cemented this decision? Also tell me about the magic: what are some of the highpoints in your path to the present moment?

HT: The first magical moment wasn’t at the Met or even at a public performance. It was a final room-run of Menotti’s The Consul for the upperclassmen at CMU before moving to the theater for performances. I was observing the rehearsal, and I still remember the tears in my eyes as the broken Magda Sorell, having lost everything she loved, took her own life. I had never been moved like that by musicals or plays; this was a whole new world of emotional power! I dove headfirst into the operatic artform, and I’ve never looked back. Other high points on my path were singing Pooh-Bah in The Mikado (some of the most fun I’ve had on stage), singing Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier (there is nothing like being on stage with a Strauss orchestra playing for you!), singing King René in Iolanta (cementing my deep love for Russian opera), and singing il Podestà in La gazza ladra with Teatro Nuovo (where I fell in love with singing coloratura).

OM: You know when your soul has been rocked! My feeling is that we all have magic moments like these, for different forms of art, creativity, life, etc. They seem to come unbidden, just the right place, the right mood, the right context of life, maybe the right person with you. We have special moments in common: The Mikado was my first live on stage opera, wonderful, I still deeply love the G & S repertory, and my mother took me to Der Rosenkavalier at the Met because, though she hadn’t seen it on stage, it was her favorite opera. It was my sixth opera there, amazing, but my first five were pretty special too.

Speaking of mothers, please tell me about support (emotional, professional, etc.) you’ve received and why it’s important.

HT: My parents are a never-ending source of support, and they have always been there to listen and advise. But my support system has many members: my partner, my manager, my mentors, my family and friends… it really does take a village.

OM: Are there singers whom you deeply admire? Tell of any experiences you had in the audience of a really impactful artist. Any recordings you would recommend to the newcomer to opera, as in “This is what it is all about!”

HT: One of the first basses whom I heard (alas, by recording only) and thought, “Wow, I want to sound like THAT,” is Ezio Flagello. Flagello’s voice was so brilliant and bright, and he had a huge range that was powerful from top to bottom. When he sang buffo roles, he sang as if they were Verdi. I’d also be remiss to not mention Cesare Siepi, George London, Boris Christoff, and Leonid Kharitonov. From other voice types: Elena Obratzova and Ghena Dimitrova for their unapologetic power. If you’re a newcomer to opera, I’d first suggest going to a live performance, as there is nothing like being in the theater experiencing these voices firsthand! That said, there are mountains of recordings at our fingertips for home listening and viewing. One I rewatched recently that had me glued to the screen the whole time is the Ariadne auf Naxos from the Met with Jessye Norman, Tatiana Troyanos, and Kathleen Battle. It’s sublime.

OM: Absolutely!! I saw that cast at the Met, late 80s as I recall. The DVD is riveting, as is the DVD of Norman’s Sieglinde, especially Act III, in Die Walküre from the Met in 1989. Talk about filling the house!

As to that, what are three ‘dream roles’ you look forward to learning and performing?

HT: Only three? That’s tough, but I’ll give it a go: the title role in Boris Godunov, by Mussorgsky, Assur from Rossini’s Semiramide, and Zaccaria from Verdi’s Nabucco. I try not to place many constraints on my path to these roles. There’s no checklist you have to complete before you pick up a Verdi score. Right now I’m hired to sing a lot of (but certainly not exclusively) bel canto and modern opera, so Assur fits comfortably in there. Boris and Zaccaria are bigger in terms of orchestration, but the technique required is the same. As my voice continues to mature in tone and heft, I hope I will be hired for a continually widening range of roles. Call me selfish, but I want to sing it all! From Seneca to Sweeney Todd and everything in between!

OM: That’s the fire that keeps you going! Tell me about your routine during the pandemic. How did you keep in vocal shape? What deprivations were particularly tough to deal with?

HT: I remember I stopped singing towards the beginning. I think it was a stage of grief, as it became clear that the performing arts were not coming back anytime soon. I know a lot of singers who experienced something similar. At some point when I was ready, singing and practicing were therapeutic. As the arts started adapting to the pandemic, virtual music kept me engaged vocally, but it soon became apparent what my most significant deprivation was: in-person collaboration. The problem with a lot of virtual content is that it usually ends up being some form of classical karaoke, where a pianist or conductor lays down a track onto which singers record themselves. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but this is stifling to artistic interpretation for both parties. Musicians need the ability to respond to each other in real time to make truly compelling art, and I am over the moon that we are seeing more and more performing artists returning to the stage.

OM: I too am excited to see more and more staged, live productions scheduled. We’re all hoping to get back to normal at some level. Last question: when you’re not singing or preparing to sing, what does a basso do for fun and relaxation?

HT: One of my favorite offstage activities is cooking, especially baking (pies are my forte). I also sew; I make some of my dress shirts and do most of my own alterations. Beyond that, reading, quality TV and movies, time with friends and family, and recreational music-making (solo piano, artsong, musical theater, favorite arias, etc).

OM: Any secrets to share about keeping in shape?

HT: Honestly, the best strategy to keep the voice healthy and at its best is sleep, hydration, and practice time.

OM: Thank you, my friend! It’s been a pleasure taking to you and I and my readers are wishing you well next week! My best to you and to your colleagues and to all in Teatro Nuovo.

Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini will be presented on the stage of Damrosch Park, at Lincoln Center, on Tuesday, July 27th July at 7pm and Wednesday, July 28th at 7pm. We have also reserved Thursday, July 29th as a rain date.

The following links will take you to the Lincoln Center Box Office.

TICKETS:

July 27th, 2021 at 7pm:
https://tickets.lincolncenter.org/booking/production/bestavailable/22482

July 28th, 2021 at 7pm:
https://tickets.lincolncenter.org/booking/production/bestavailable/22483

You can also book your tickets by calling the Lincoln Center Box Office at (212) 721-6500

Enjoy!! Support local Opera!