This is the first part of the interview broadcasted on December 26th on Antena 2. The other parts will follow.
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Florentina Fantanaru: I’m very glad to meet you and to touch you after seeing in all the DVDs that are available. I and my family are your fans. We love you very much.
Angela Gheorghiu: Thank you.
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Before starting I told you that Santa brought me this interview. Have you asked Santa for something in particular this year?
I ask him to be healthy, to be in peace with myself and with people around me because this state of mind is essential to me. Regarding other gifts, I like to say that the fairies came to me when I was born and gave me what any artist wishes for. I only wish for peace and health so people can come to theaters where I sing.
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When you were a child, were you asking Santa for something in particular?
Every time somebody asks me about my childhood, about little Angela, about her future, I have the same answer. I never thought about it. I followed the destiny. Nobody planned for me anything. I started to sing when I was little. It was a lied by Brahms. I first started singing with my colleagues in kindergarten. My voice was stronger than theirs. My teacher asked a music teacher from Adjud to come to listen to me and he brought a tape recorder. I listened to the lied and after that I managed to sing it. From that moment till 14 when I left to Bucharest, Angela and Elena sung for all the important events.
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Did you have a sleight?
I always had a sleight because my father loved them. And speaking of Christmas, I always received gifts, there was always a fir tree and there were Christmas carols. The first carol I learned was “O, ce veste minunata” and I still love it very much. Since then I’ve been singing it all over the world. This is a beautiful Romanian song. So, Angela and Elena started singing. And also classical music. The first person who said I’ll become an opera singer was my neighbor. He was an engineer and he liked playing the violin. He was used listening to good music and he understood the phenomenon. I was less than 10 when he explained to me that I’ll be an opera singer and I have to study music. My family and my teachers in Adjud always provided the proper environment to practice, to sing on stage.
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Speaking of the sleight, when did you learn “Sanie cu zurgalai”?
I first listen to it sung by Leontina Vaduva. She’s Maria Ciobanu’s daughter. We spent a lot of time together at Covent Garden. And she sung it to me. I loved it and a few years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I sung it at Opera Garnier. They were already familiar with the French version performed by Edith Piaf.
You and your sister had almost the same age. Was there a competition between you two? For example when cooking. Who was the daring or pushing one?
It’s difficult to say. I was more self-centered. She was more opened. I was more serious, she was always joyful. I changed in time.
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Angela Gheorghiu: Thank you.
.
Before starting I told you that Santa brought me this interview. Have you asked Santa for something in particular this year?
I ask him to be healthy, to be in peace with myself and with people around me because this state of mind is essential to me. Regarding other gifts, I like to say that the fairies came to me when I was born and gave me what any artist wishes for. I only wish for peace and health so people can come to theaters where I sing.
.
When you were a child, were you asking Santa for something in particular?
Every time somebody asks me about my childhood, about little Angela, about her future, I have the same answer. I never thought about it. I followed the destiny. Nobody planned for me anything. I started to sing when I was little. It was a lied by Brahms. I first started singing with my colleagues in kindergarten. My voice was stronger than theirs. My teacher asked a music teacher from Adjud to come to listen to me and he brought a tape recorder. I listened to the lied and after that I managed to sing it. From that moment till 14 when I left to Bucharest, Angela and Elena sung for all the important events.
.
Did you have a sleight?
I always had a sleight because my father loved them. And speaking of Christmas, I always received gifts, there was always a fir tree and there were Christmas carols. The first carol I learned was “O, ce veste minunata” and I still love it very much. Since then I’ve been singing it all over the world. This is a beautiful Romanian song. So, Angela and Elena started singing. And also classical music. The first person who said I’ll become an opera singer was my neighbor. He was an engineer and he liked playing the violin. He was used listening to good music and he understood the phenomenon. I was less than 10 when he explained to me that I’ll be an opera singer and I have to study music. My family and my teachers in Adjud always provided the proper environment to practice, to sing on stage.
.
Speaking of the sleight, when did you learn “Sanie cu zurgalai”?
I first listen to it sung by Leontina Vaduva. She’s Maria Ciobanu’s daughter. We spent a lot of time together at Covent Garden. And she sung it to me. I loved it and a few years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I sung it at Opera Garnier. They were already familiar with the French version performed by Edith Piaf.
You and your sister had almost the same age. Was there a competition between you two? For example when cooking. Who was the daring or pushing one?
It’s difficult to say. I was more self-centered. She was more opened. I was more serious, she was always joyful. I changed in time.
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Who would have thought you were self-centered?
I always knew what I had to do. Elena was happy all the time. She was a real help for me. And I say that she was because we lost her in 1996. She followed the same path as I did. She sung, we went to school together, Music Highschool, Conservatory.
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I always knew what I had to do. Elena was happy all the time. She was a real help for me. And I say that she was because we lost her in 1996. She followed the same path as I did. She sung, we went to school together, Music Highschool, Conservatory.
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During school years, did teachers treat you two differently? Was one of you better than the other?
Yes, they made this mistake. I considered it a mistake. I always told her it’s not true, and any person aware of his/her talent must follow it.
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Who was more self confident, more ambitious?
I was more confident regarding singing. It was easier for me. She was a better student. She was always first in the class. I was somewhere above average. She was more down to earth, I was dreamy, and this was obvious at school.
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Did you use to go to church? Are you still going? Have you sung in church?
I haven’t sung in church. Later on when I was a student I was part of a church choir and I met a lot of important priests. I sung religious music and also recorded it. My life and my music made me find God in all churches in the world.
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Yes, they made this mistake. I considered it a mistake. I always told her it’s not true, and any person aware of his/her talent must follow it.
.
Who was more self confident, more ambitious?
I was more confident regarding singing. It was easier for me. She was a better student. She was always first in the class. I was somewhere above average. She was more down to earth, I was dreamy, and this was obvious at school.
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Did you use to go to church? Are you still going? Have you sung in church?
I haven’t sung in church. Later on when I was a student I was part of a church choir and I met a lot of important priests. I sung religious music and also recorded it. My life and my music made me find God in all churches in the world.
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Is there a religion that you feel closer to?
Yes, the Orthodox church. I have some friends who are priests or nuns. There are some nuns that call me from time to time. And if I’m not available they leave a message with a religious song performed by them dedicated to me. And this always helps me a lot.
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There is a better recording of this interview on YouTube, thanks to e2ul. The first two videos are translated entirely.
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