Viva la Diva! New photoshooting for a Romanian magazine

All the photos @Viva Magazine
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“I want to give master classes or to initiate a singing competition. I’ll put a lot of devotion and love in everything”

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Article by Cristiana Stanciulescu
Foto Sebastian Enache
Outfit: Balenciaga, Rosa Clara, Guy Laroche
Accessories: Eva Culture
The photos were taken in Bucharest, at the residence of His Excellency Henry Paul, the French Ambassador in Romania

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This is an article published in the July issue of Viva Magazine. For Romanians, look for the issue with Andrea Raicu on the cover. It's not exactly an interview but it includes some quotations. It's more about the impressions of the journalist who travelled to London to see La Traviata. I have a problem with the frequest use of the word "diva". It's too general and used too many times. More than that, I have bigger problems when the same word is used for two different people in the issue of the magazine. The editors should have paid more attention! There's no way of comparison between the two of them. Anyway, I skipped the introduction of the article (it's about the preparations to go to London and the arrival there) and I translated the rest of it.
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There are a lot of people at the entrance. And more people are coming. All the seats in the venue are occupied. I meet Ioana, Angela Gheorghiu’s daughter, who tells me she’s nervous. “Why?” I ask her. “Because that’s how I feel every time, I think of her all the time…”. The feeling is mutual. I take my seat, the lights are turned off and the wonder starts. The orchestra starts, then the first scene. Angela sits in a light that comes from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. She starts singing and the arias flow like he waves of a river of champagne. She acts with great emotion, I feel tears in my eyes, the people say “Bravooo, Angela goes on till the very end when Violetta Valery dies in the arms of an overwhelmed Alfredo. It’s the same 1994 Covent Garden production for whom BBC stopped the regular schedule in order to broadcast live the performance so applauded by the audience. The same happened tonight. Even if it’s the same production, it seems new and fresh. Angela herself was surprised by the roar of the people that seemed a sea ready to swallow the stage. Even if she knows she’s loved here, she hasn’t foreseen this reaction. I applauded her for a long time, proud that we’re both from the same country. At the end I went backstage where I waited for her with the other fans. At the Stage Door there were tens of people waiting for autographs. I tried to squeeze in and I shivered when I saw the door open. With a perfect make up, wearing a satin, dark grey dress, very elegant, high heeled sandals and a shawl on her shoulders, she was shining when she came outside to enjoy people’s admiration, to have photos taken, to be spoiled. “I saw you. We’re out right away”. I waited for her and we went with some friends and tenor James Valenti to a nice restaurant. Angela recommended Valenti to opera houses and helped him rise because she has this talent. He’s not the only one that she helped building a career. The list is longer: Jonas Kaufmann, Vittorio Grigolo, Sorin Coliban, Iulia Isaev, Irina Iordachescu, George Petean, Marius Brenciu, Marius Manea…
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I talked to her and I found out that she wants to promote Romanian songs but there’s nothing to choose from, besides the old folk songs. She noticed that only these are interesting for the audience because they’re powerful and have a true flavor of authenticity. I asked her when she’s coming to Romania and she replied “Not very soon. Soon I’ll go to Madrid to sing with Placido Domingo in “Simon Boccanegra”, I’ll get back to London to record my next album that will be released under EMI Classics… Then I’ll be on tour in Japan with “Traviata” and after that I’ll have two concerts in Berlin. I’m preparing for a new production in London so.. I won’t come too soon”. “But how do you feel at home, in Romania? She looked at the thoughtful and I detected a sort of regret in her sight when she said “I’m amused of what happens there, I don’t know if this is the right word. I don’t really know what to say. I meet my friends, the loved ones, sometimes I watch tv…”. It sounded like giving up and I didn’t know what to say next. I would have like to joke, to paraphrase a saying “Nobody becomes prophet in his own country and no Diva is Diva in her country”. But there’s not the time or the place. […]
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Angela Gheorghiu won’t take vacation this year. She doesn’t have too much time just for herself so she dreams to the moment when she has more free time and can do useful things. “What do you mean?” I asked. “I want to give master classes or to initiate a singing competition. I’ll put a lot of devotion and love in everything”

It was obvious for me that love is part of her life and the passion she shows on stage is present also in her private life. She’s the only Romanian Diva that conquered the whole world. She received the latest award at Classical Brits because she’s an “Opera Superstar”.

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