OperaMetro (OM) had the privilege of interviewing basso Hans Tashjian (HT), who stars in the title role of Maometto II, in Rossini’s dramatic opera by the same name. We stroll in Central Park, attempting to dodge the joggers, bikers, squirrels, and the frequent patches of intense sunlight…early July, summer in the City, back o’my neck…you get the drift.

OM: Thank you for agreeing to this interview!

HT: My pleasure!

Hans Tashjian sings Maometto II with Teatro Nuovo

OM: You performed as il Podestà in Rossini’s La gazza ladra in Teatro Nuovo’s 2019 season in Purchase and last season you did Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. I was at the 2019 season to review Tancredi but, sadly, missed La gazza ladra. This season you’re performing the title role of Maometto Secondo, composed by Gioachino Rossini. Tell us about the vocal demands of this role, its special challenges, compared to those of other roles in your voice type. What is the most deeply felt emotion for Maometto in the score?

HT: Maometto II is a very demanding role vocally and dramatically. He has a large range that requires ease at the top of the voice and strength at the bottom, and he has a LOT of difficult coloratura. Having now performed seven Rossini operas, I can confidently say Maometto’s coloratura is the most intricate, with small chromatic figures that twist around each other. I feel like this intricacy applies to his dramatic character as well. Maometto is a surprisingly complex character whose strongest emotion is love. I think the conquering and the strength come very naturally to him, but love was a surprise that bowled him over. He is willing to sacrifice more than any other character in the opera in the name of love.

OM: The story of Rossini’s journey with Maometto II from contract to the stage in Naples in 1820 and beyond suggests that it was misunderstood by an audience expecting a score like the more familiar ones.

HT: But Rossini was looking forward. It’s a rewarding challenge.

OM: How do you describe Maometto II? In what aspects was it ahead of its time? In what aspects was it in synch with its time?

HT: Maometto II is a historical drama about Mehmed II which is definitely brimming with intense emotion. I’m impressed with the complexity of the characters and especially the portrayal of this Muslim Ottoman Sultan. As opposed to some of Rossini’s other operas like L’Italiana in Algeri and Il Turco in Italia, which really focus on and make a caricature of the culture clash between westerners and the middle east, Maometto II seems to be more about what unifies the clashing cultures: Loyalty, patriotism, valor, and love most predominantly. Maometto could have been portrayed as the cruel, villainous Sultan subjugating the Italians, but instead he is written as a fierce but magnanimous and passionate ruler inhabiting this gray area between villain and romantic protagonist.

OM: What are the personality characteristics of Maometto, from most prominent to occasionally surfacing, and how does Rossini support these characteristics musically?

HT: Maometto is first and foremost a leader. He is an accomplished military general and shows respect for those he conquers. The actual Mehmed II was known for forbidding his soldiers from destroying enemy cities once they were conquered, and he also was committed to allowing Christians to live side by side with Muslims thereby creating a more cosmopolitan empire. Rossini’s Maometto displays this magnanimity on several occasions, showing a willingness to compromise and change his own mind. He is used to being obeyed, which is why Anna’s hesitance to succumb to her own love and Maometto’s increasingly impressive offerings of love and power makes her seem even more special. This is also why conquering her hesitancy is so necessary to him.

OM: I’m looking forward to it! In a few words, what voice type are you? Was this always so or has your voice changed over time?

HT: I have always called myself a bass. My low range was always there, but I used to struggle with my top. Over the past decade, but especially in the last few years, my high range has really solidified and blossomed to the point where I’m not begrudgingly approaching high notes. Instead, I am adding extra high notes into vocal ornaments and looking at roles I never used to be interested in. Because of this, I plan to rebrand myself as a bass baritone.

OM: What role in the standard repertory is the perfect role for your voice? List a few roles you find absolutely heavenly to sing/perform.

HT: I’ve sung a lot of operas that are not standard repertoire! The first that comes to mind that suited me perfectly was il Podestà in Rossini’s La gazza ladra. Rachmaninoff’s Aleko was a joy to sing, as was King René in Tchiakovsky’s Iolanta…

OM: I love Iolanta!

HT: …and Enrico VIII in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena.

OM: Broader question: Life is a journey…In my profession (which is not in music) I tell my students to look into and assess what to expect in that journey, ask those already in the profession: what are the rewards, what are the costs, the sacrifices, etc. What was your path from a young person who liked to listen to music to an adult who is applauded for his/her performance of music, and not just any music, but that of dramatic bel canto opera? What, along the way, are the big decisions (and also the little decisions), essentially the variables that needed affirmative answers? How about mentors along the way who gave you guidance?

HT: I grew up with a lot of music. I took piano lessons starting when I was five. I was also singing in school choruses and shows and playing trombone in our band and orchestra for the entirety of my K-12 education. Public school is not always receiving a lot of praise, but I’m blown away when I look back at my access to the arts growing up. I had teachers who gave up enormous amounts of time after school and during the summertime to keep us engaged in music and theater. Thank you, Julie Noeson and Kate Cummings! I was a strong student in other subjects too, especially math, but music was always my favorite. When I started thinking about college, I initially thought I’d do music education, but over the course of auditioning and applying for schools, I started to realize I might have what it takes to make it as a performer. I pivoted away from musical theater (which was my only stage experience) because I didn’t see a welcoming home for my low voice with the pop and rock style of most modern musicals, and I jumped somewhat blindly into the world of opera for my undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon. I’m here to tell those who might not know this year that opera is addictive! The magic that happens when the acoustic voice, the rich orchestra, and the heightened emotion slam into you will keep you coming back for another taste. I fell in love with opera in undergrad and I have not looked back.

OM: I, who can’t sing a note, totally agree with the addiction part. I remember the moment when opera entered my soul…I never looked back either.

But are there other decisions facing singers, related to the profession, but not related to the voice or the performance? Looking back from this stage of your career, what variables are most important for newcomers to consider.

HT: I think student debt is the most obvious factor to consider, as the national conversation regarding student loans can tell you. If you can go to school and come out with little to no debt, it will grant you more freedom to hit the pavement and focus on building a career. I’d also say to find a teacher who not only teaches solid technique, but also independence! Learn how to learn music by yourself.

OM: In a sense now you are a mentor for young artists. What advice do you have for young artists who dream of following the path you’ve taken? Is there some “advice” you received from a mentor or colleague that turned out to be misguided or irrelevant?

HT: One of the early pieces of vocal advice I received was from a former teacher who told me, “You don’t have to do anything to your voice to make it sound great except get out of the way. You’re just the delivery man.” That advice has helped me keep my natural sound when I sing and helped me avoid the temptation to darken, round, and create an artificial sound. I still occasionally hear myself and think, “What are you doing, Hans? Get out of the way and just sing.” As a singer who has had a more slow and steady path when it comes to career growth, another piece of advice I used as a mantra in frustrating times was, “If you’re truly talented, they can only ignore you for so long.” As far as misguided advice goes, the thing that sticks out are the numerous people who told me not to bother studying the Russian language or learning Russian roles because “they’ll just hire native Russians to sing all that repertoire.” Well, I have so far sung in five Russian operas and performed heaps of Russian art songs. I am so glad that I did not cut myself off from singing all that gorgeous Russian music at the same level that I perform German, French, Italian, and English vocal music. Young musicians receive tons of advice as they gain experience, and my advice is to take the things that are helpful and productive, and for everything else just smile, say thank you, and let it go.

OM: Dreaming is a good thing. What three roles do you see in your immediate future, meaning that they are already in your to-do list, and what roles, looking more ahead, are your dream roles?

HT: I would love to sing Assur in Rossini’s Semiramide, the four villains in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, and I’d love a non-student crack at Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust. Looking ahead, I have my sights set on Boris Godunov, Attila, Philippe II, and Scarpia, to name a few.

OM: These are tremendous roles! All favorites of mine! Lastly, what do you do when you’re not preparing a role, getting fitted for a costume, negotiating contracts, studying scores, etc.? Like, what do you do to relax, reduce stress, have fun, be totally lost in a hobby, a streaming series, a pet, your home…

HT: I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking is a very meditative act for me, and it helps me calm my brain while also making delicious food. I also enjoy sewing, running, working out, and reading. My fiancé Jeff and I have a lot of plants in our apartment that we take care of, as well as our cuddly black cat, Boris.

OM: Thank you for this, Hans. All the best wishes to a great season for you!

Teatro Nuovo’s production of Maometto II is at Kasser Theater at Montclair State University in New Jersey on Saturday, July 9 at 7:30, preceded by a 6:00 serenade and a 6:30 lecture.

On Wednesday Maometto II is performed at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center at 7:30, preceded by a 6:30 lecture. Tickets are available through the Teatro Nuovo’s website.

Don’t miss Maometto II! And to all, have a lovely summer of great music.

OperaMetro, more to come, stay tuned!