Olga Pudova, Soprano
Queen of Shemakha, The Golden Cockerel
What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?
When I was 15 years old, I had already finished music school. I didn’t want to be a musician, especially a singer, but my teacher told my parents that I had a good voice and I should keep pursuing my studies. My parents had always wanted a musician in the family and they urged me to take just one vocal coaching session in the conservatory. I finally agreed, only because of them, but as it turns out, this coaching session changed my life! After just two hours spent working with a gifted professor of voice, I understood that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life –- to be an opera singer!!!
When you watch a performance as an audience member, what do you primarily watch out for? The music? The portrayal? Or the atmosphere?
The important thing for me, is how true the artists are, when they are performing on stage. If they are really crying, loving, dying, laughing…I feel the same emotions as we work together to create the characters in a performance, and it’s the greatest pleasure I can experience in the theater!
What do you want the audience to know about the Queen of Shemakha?
I hope I can show the audience, while I am on stage, who this woman is—and what motivates her. Then, you can ask them, did they understand her character or not?
What is the one thing that you think is of the greatest importance for every singer to learn?
Always keep learning!!! Never say to myself, “I’m a star, I have done everything and have become great” – This is “star fever” and absolute death for the artist!