.It's always a pleasure to see her on TV. Be prepared to listen to the question we all love to hear: "where is home for you?" :) But the interviewer, Dan Bitman, is nice to her and very polite. He's a singer (pop/rock singer. He's the vocal of a band named Holograf and he's been the host of this TV show for the past few years.) Even if he doesn't seem to know too many things about the person in front of him and he reads some long questions, he also knows how to be funny and gentle. There's nothing new in the interview. Same old questions. But it's enjoyable. The interview has about 40 minutes. It is devided in smaller parts because YouTube has some limitations. This is the best I got for the moment. The show will be broadcasted again on Friday morning. Maybe a better version will come out.
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This is the beginning of the interview. Enjoy!
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Named by the New York Sun "the world's most glamorous opera star", I have the honor to invite here Mrs Angela Gheorghiu. Welcome. It's a great honor for us to have you here. I think these applauses say everything.
Yes, even if they're directed, in time they'll learn why to applaud.
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You have a career that not too many people have. Everybody knows this. How do you feel now when you're again at the Romanian Television after 25 years from your first appearance?
I realized this thing a few days ago. It's been so long. I feel at home somehow. Even this particular smell belongs to the Television.
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I'd like you to overcome the emotions that are normal here. Antonio prepared a great menu. So I hope you'll feel comfortable here with us. Let's start. You were born in Adjud. I have some memories related to this town. I was there with my band. We used to have a lot of concerts years ago and sometimes we didn't know exactly where we were. And I got on the stage and said "good evening Aiud". Somebody in the audience told me "so go there to sing, man". (Aiud is another town in Romania, in Alba County. Adjud is in Vrancea County. The names are very similar in writing and pronunciation)
I'm used to this mistake, no problem.
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Your family was a regular one. Your father worked at the railways and your mother was a dressmaker. Who guided you towards the classical music, considering that it's not an easy genre.
Nobody. The destiny, I guess. I started singing when I was very young and I always took it seriously. In kindergarten my voice was louder than the others. And it was obvious for me and everybody else that there's something there. Something extraordinary. I had a dual life, singing on one hand and going to school on the other hand. And I have never stopped getting on stage. Back then the music teacher came to my classroom with a tape recorder. And I sung a classical lied by Brahms. So I started the journey.
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What did the family say?
They supported me. My parents and my teachers always helped me to have good grades. I was practicing a lot and we all knew that when I got 14 I'd go to study music at high school and conservatory.
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Do you conider it an effort?
No, it's my hobby, my passion, the destiny I've always followed gladly.
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Let's see some videos with Angela Gheorghiu.
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The last images belong to a documentary called "The Romanian Journey", produced by BBC and TVR with the participation of Madrigal chorus. It was filmed at the monasteries in Northern Moldavia. And it served as publicity more than any other material. Who had the idea of this documentary?
Yes, even if they're directed, in time they'll learn why to applaud.
.
You have a career that not too many people have. Everybody knows this. How do you feel now when you're again at the Romanian Television after 25 years from your first appearance?
I realized this thing a few days ago. It's been so long. I feel at home somehow. Even this particular smell belongs to the Television.
.
I'd like you to overcome the emotions that are normal here. Antonio prepared a great menu. So I hope you'll feel comfortable here with us. Let's start. You were born in Adjud. I have some memories related to this town. I was there with my band. We used to have a lot of concerts years ago and sometimes we didn't know exactly where we were. And I got on the stage and said "good evening Aiud". Somebody in the audience told me "so go there to sing, man". (Aiud is another town in Romania, in Alba County. Adjud is in Vrancea County. The names are very similar in writing and pronunciation)
I'm used to this mistake, no problem.
.
Your family was a regular one. Your father worked at the railways and your mother was a dressmaker. Who guided you towards the classical music, considering that it's not an easy genre.
Nobody. The destiny, I guess. I started singing when I was very young and I always took it seriously. In kindergarten my voice was louder than the others. And it was obvious for me and everybody else that there's something there. Something extraordinary. I had a dual life, singing on one hand and going to school on the other hand. And I have never stopped getting on stage. Back then the music teacher came to my classroom with a tape recorder. And I sung a classical lied by Brahms. So I started the journey.
.
What did the family say?
They supported me. My parents and my teachers always helped me to have good grades. I was practicing a lot and we all knew that when I got 14 I'd go to study music at high school and conservatory.
.
Do you conider it an effort?
No, it's my hobby, my passion, the destiny I've always followed gladly.
.
Let's see some videos with Angela Gheorghiu.
.
The last images belong to a documentary called "The Romanian Journey", produced by BBC and TVR with the participation of Madrigal chorus. It was filmed at the monasteries in Northern Moldavia. And it served as publicity more than any other material. Who had the idea of this documentary?
BBC had the idea. I recorded a sacred music CD years ago in London. I thought I should sing some Romanian sacred music, not just Catholic music. So I made the first recordings with Madrigal having Ion Marin as conductor. The orchestra that took part in the recording is extremely important in UK (London Philharmonic Orchestra). Their patron, Prince Charles, wanted to know "the road" I followed, where these songs come from, how I practiced. And BBC did this. Even some of my fans wanted to find it out.
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Prince Charles loves Romania, this is not a secret. He has a residence here.
Yes, this was one of the reasons. But I won't get into more details.
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You graduated the Conservatory in 1990 and in just 2 years your dream of singing on the stage of Covent Garden came true. It was La Boheme by Puccini. How did you manage this in such a short time?
When I entered the Conservatory in 1986 I had a goal. To audition at Covent Garden. And my first audition there has a nice story attached to it. The person I asked where the stage door was, was the director of the Opera. After that audition he offered me my first part. It was La Boheme, indeed. I was lucky but every time you have to prove you're good. Being on stage is not a joke. And these days, due to mass media, when you make your debute in a theatre on the next day everybody knows about you. Even faster than that thanks to the internet. This is very important for a career.
.
Prince Charles loves Romania, this is not a secret. He has a residence here.
Yes, this was one of the reasons. But I won't get into more details.
.
You graduated the Conservatory in 1990 and in just 2 years your dream of singing on the stage of Covent Garden came true. It was La Boheme by Puccini. How did you manage this in such a short time?
When I entered the Conservatory in 1986 I had a goal. To audition at Covent Garden. And my first audition there has a nice story attached to it. The person I asked where the stage door was, was the director of the Opera. After that audition he offered me my first part. It was La Boheme, indeed. I was lucky but every time you have to prove you're good. Being on stage is not a joke. And these days, due to mass media, when you make your debute in a theatre on the next day everybody knows about you. Even faster than that thanks to the internet. This is very important for a career.
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The rest of the interview will be up soon.
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