It’s a busy month for Andrii Kymach in Toronto this Could. The Ukrainian bass-baritone makes his Canadian Opera Firm debut singing the title function in its upcoming manufacturing of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. He’ll additionally carry out the function of Alfio from Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, which the COC will carry out in live performance on Could 23.
The roles might hardly be extra disparate relating to the character of the character, from the worldly regrets of Onegin to Alfio’s white sizzling jealous rage.
We spoke to Kymach about his upcoming roles.
Andrii Kymach sings Bizet’s Votre Toast aka the Toreador tune from Carmen, with the BBC Nationwide Orchestra of Wales, conductor Ariane Matiakh on August 1, 2019 on the Cardiff Singer of the World competitors:
Bass-Baritone Andrii Kymach
Kymach graduated from the Younger Artist Program of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow in 2018, and went on to take house First Prize on the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2019.
Simply this season, he’s carried out at The Royal Opera Home in London, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Earlier roles within the 2024-2025 seasons embody Escamillo at Teatr Wielki / Opera Narodowa.
Prior seasons have seen him sing the function of Sir Riccardo Forth (Les Puritains) on the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and Enrico Ashton (Lucia di Lammermoor) on the Auditorio de Tenerife. He has additionally perforemd on the Opéra de Good, the Théâtre d’Antibes and the Welsh Nationwide Opera, and at London’s Queen Elizabeth Corridor.
The Interview
Rising up, his household wasn’t particularly keen on music, he says. Music research got here a bit later in life.
“It was fairly late,” he says. “I began my musical training at 22.”
Kymach turned keen on opera after seeing a efficiency, however didn’t see himself within the subject at first. “I used to be only a fan of opera,” he says. Even with out plans to turn into knowledgeable singer, he gained some expertise singing in choirs. Opera ultimately turned his focus, although, and he’s by no means seemed again.
Andrii has a deep understanding of Eugene Onegin as a personality. “We should begin with Pushkin,” he says.
Alexander Pushkin wrote his novel Eugene Onegin, A Novel in Verse in 1825, and it was first printed in serialized kind.
The title character, a younger, rich man in Saint Petersburg, got here to be a mannequin for what was dubbed the “superfluous man”. He’s disillusioned and leads a lifetime of superficial social occasions, shunning critical emotions till it’s too late. He rejects Tatyana at first, after which, years later, when he’s realized the error of his methods, she’s already moved on along with her life.
Onegin is somebody who has primarily faked his method by way of life up to now. As Kymach notes, Onegin isn’t nicely educated, however he likes to offer that impression. He’s discovered a couple of phrases that revolve round varied matters so as to have the ability to seem educated. Even when he tries to study extra deeply, he can’t appear to place within the work.
“My first training was philosophy,” Andrii explains of his method to understanding character. “He creates a faux life, and a faux picture.”
On the backside of it, Onegin doesn’t absolutely perceive himself.
“He creates a caricature,” Kymach explains.
He’s all the time nicely dressed, and appears the a part of a cosmopolitan man… till you start to select aside the facade.
“That’s why he’s not likely a grown individual.”
As somebody obsessive about outdoors picture over inside qualities, the character of Onegin definitely resonates within the trendy period of web influencers. “You possibly can create an ideal picture on Instagram,” Kymach notes.
Onegin’s preliminary rejection of Tatyana comes merely due to gossip, her decrease social standing, and the truth that he doesn’t perceive his personal feelings. He clings to standing as a result of it’s the one factor he does perceive.
Years after their first assembly, and after the tragedy of killing his pal Lensky in an ill-advised duel, Oregon meets Tatyana once more — because the spouse of Prince Gremin. “Solely when he noticed Gremin, who didn’t care about what folks thought,” Andrii says — that’s when he appreciates Tatyana. Onegin approaches her, however she’s made selections in life. “However, the second was previous,” he explains.
There’s a change in his character, but it surely’s sudden. “Extra wanting like a human,” he says. It’s generally interpreted as a real character change, however Kymach will not be satisfied.
“For me, he’s simply modified roles,” he says. “He’s nonetheless Onegin.”
Actual love, as he factors out, is what you give to a different — not one thing you get. “What we see within the final scene with Tatyana,” Kymach says, “you have been born to be with me, [Onegin pleads].” However, as he factors out, even after Tatyana admits her lingering emotions for him, he nonetheless can’t squeak out the phrases ‘I like you’ till she’s already gone.
“He has no associates,” Kymach factors out. Onegin finishes with a life that’s even emptier than earlier than, devoid of affection and friendship.
Alfio in Cavalliera rusticana is a form of full about face.
“He’s utterly completely different,” Andrii says. “He’s a dwell individual.”
It’s an instance of verismo, the realism that turned a preferred aspect of Italian operas of the nineteenth century. Within the story, a villager by the identify of Turiddu has returned from army service, solely to seek out his fiancée Lola has married another person — Alfio the Carter. Lola takes up along with her former paramouron the aspect, Alfio turns into enraged, and a duel of revenge ensues.
“Alfio, he simply needs revenge,” he says of the character’s simple feelings.
“It’s most likely simpler to behave,” he acknowledges. Nonetheless, portraying on stage rage convincingly could be exhausting. “You have to be actually indignant,” he says. “The viewers should imagine.”
Opera: Performances
Arthur Richard Andrew Scace QC CM was a Toronto lawyer and jurist, the previous chairman of the board of administrators of the Band of Nova Scotia, a member of the Order of Canada, and former director of the Canadian Opera Firm. To see Cavalleria rusticana return to the COC stage was one in every of his fondest needs. Sadly, he handed away in 2020 through the pandemic, and the Could 23 efficiency takes place in his honour.
Becoming a member of Kymach on stage for Cavalleria rusticana is Russell Thomas, Anna Pirozzi (an organization debut), Emily Treigle, and Ensemble Studio artist Queen Hezumuryango.
- The Could 23 efficiency of Cavalleria rusticana is bought out, however final minute rush tickets could also be accessible; data [HERE].
Additionally within the solid of Onegin: Lauren Fagan, Tatyana; Evan LeRoy Johnson, Lensky; Megan Marino, Olga; Emily Treigle, Filipyevna; Dimitry Ivashchenko, Gremin; Krisztina Szabó, Madame Larina; Michael Colvin, Monsieur Triquet; Duncan Stenhouse, Zaretsky; Korin Thomas-Smith, Captain. Speranza Scappucci conducts the COC Orchestra.
- Discover tickets and extra particulars about Eugene Onegin, on stage from Could 2 to 24, 2025, [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.