“PRESS AHEAD WITH WORK DESPITE THE PANDEMIC”
Gramofon.hu, 11.08.2020. by Zsuzsanna Réfi
The 4th Éva Marton International Singing Competition had a record number of nearly three hundred entries this year; the majority of the young applicants submitted outstanding video recordings, and thus the jury selected an unusually high number of competitors, 116 in total, for the semi-finals. However, we will all have to wait one year for the young sopranos, mezzos, altos, tenors, baritones and basses to demonstrate and match their skills live, as the all-out contest is scheduled to begin in late August 2021. We sat down to talk about the competition being postponed and how this was received by the singers, as well as the consequences of all this with Éva Marton, who also told us how she herself put up with the months of quarantine.
- What do you think is the reason for the great interest in the Budapest competition?
- The singing competition was first launched in 2014, and the biennial contest received an increasing international response. As the years passed, we have made it to the forefront of opera competitions in the world, which is also underpinned by the huge recognition that we won admission to the World Federation of International Music Competitions last year. Participants and spectators have spread the news of the competition all over the world, and in addition, the winners of the contest have proven their talent on the most prestigious stages worldwide. Consequently, this year the applications arrived from 47 countries, and after listening to the video recordings together with my colleagues on the pre-selection jury - Atilla B. Kiss and Balázs Kocsár - we have decided that due to the outstanding level of applications, 116 competitors will go on to the live semi-finals. The group of semi-finalists consists of 57 women and 59 men, the youngest is 19 years old, the oldest 35, and both are baritones. Most entries came from Russia, Ukraine, and South Korea, but there are also competitors from Congo, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago.
- Anything in particular that you would highlight? In what respect has the level increased? What surprises have you encountered?
- Applicants submitted very good, in some instances excellent musical material. Together with the members of the pre-selection jury, we are eagerly awaiting to see how much more these singers can add to their live performance with their personalities. Young people from Asia, Africa, Europe and all regions of America have submitted entries, and applicants include special singing voices such as countertenor and contralto.
- For a long time, news had it that the competition would take place at the previously announced date, in September. When were you forced to postpone it for a year?
- We waited for a long time - until June 15 - but unfortunately, the virus won. My husband and I were in regular contact with the project management of the Liszt Academy, and finally we decided - based on a joint agreement – to postpone the 4th Éva Marton International Singing Competition by a year to August 29 - September 5, 2021. This was due to the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic that would endanger the full-scale organisation of such a competition. Many competitors that made it to the semi-finals come from countries where coronavirus infections are still on the rise, making their preparation and travel uncertain at the original date this September. Moreover, they would have had to go into a two-week quarantine, under current local regulations. At the new date of the competition, contestants who have passed the pre-selection phase will automatically be admitted to the semi-finals, even if in the meantime some of them happen to exceed the prescribed age limit. Young applicants will have to finalise their repertoire by March 2021, which is also the deadline for paying the participation fee. At this point, there will be accurate information at our disposal regarding the final number of contestants. Members of the international jury also received notice of the postponement; fortunately, the vast majority indicated that they would be available at the new date as well.
- How did the young singers react to the news?
- We only received positive feedback from them. Under current plans, we will continue to stay in touch with them, they will receive regular updates on the competition website, and important information will be provided in person.
- What advice can you give the contestants on how to prepare during the one year until the competition?
- The general advice I can give is to continue working despite the pandemic and take every opportunity to ensure that their performance does not decline. This is not easy, it requires hard work. But one should never give up, not even at times like these!
- What changes do you need to implement with respect to the competition as a result of the one-year delay?
- The team will surely remain the same. The co-operation with the Liszt Academy so far - with respect to both the preparatory work and the organisation of the competition itself - has been excellent. At the 3rd singing competition, those interested could watch a live internet broadcast, in addition there was a radio broadcast and a short film summarising the event. We would like a similar media involvement next year as well. Domestic and international feedback has been extremely positive, which is beneficial not only to the Liszt Academy but also to the overall image of the country. In the current situation, as I have already mentioned, we have to work to maintain the interest of contestants in the event and we have to be continuously present in the media and on various Internet forums.
- This uncalled for break has also been a good opportunity to set the balance of previous competitions. Looking back, how would you rate the past competitions?
- One of my old dreams came true when in in September 2014, barely a year after the opening of the renovated Liszt Academy, we managed to organise the 1st Éva Marton International Singing Competition. The first world competition organised by the Liszt Ferenc University of Music attracted almost 150 valid applications from 37 countries, and Hungarian singer Szilvia Vörös won the race deservedly. We continued with the work and by the time the singing competition was organised for the third time, the number of interested singers reached a new record already in the application period. The announcement video of the competition has set Latin American and Russian social sites on fire, and the half-minute short film evoking the most memorable moments of the 2016 competition was viewed nearly one million times on YouTube and Facebook. I feel that by this time the Marton Singing Competition has become truly international.
- Do you still keep in touch with the winners of the previous singing competitions? How have they fared since their debut in Budapest?
- I am still in touch with many of the awarded contestants. I receive news from a very high number of them, and a good number of these young people ask for my advice regarding their various undertakings and their work. I am delighted by the success the winners have achieved in domestic and international theatres. Allow me to mention a few examples: Szilvia Vörös is employed by the Hungarian State Opera House, she gives regular concerts and she is already a member of the Vienna Staatsoper. She has recently had her debut at the Scala, and on September 26 this year, she will be singing Judith at the Liszt Academy. Ukrainian coloratura soprano Tetiana Zhuravel, the second-prize winner of the 2014 competition, gave an excellent performance as the female lead in Péter Eötvös's opera entitled "Love and Other Demons" at the January 2019 premiere in the Hungarian State Opera House. Lilla Horti, the winner of the second place of the 2016 competition, has already performed several leading roles in the Opera House, including Mimi, Bess, and Rosalinda, and regularly sings at concerts. The winner of the Grand Prix at the 2018 competition, Mexican tenor Galeano Salas, is already a member of the Munich Staatsoper and has performed at the Hungarian State Opera House. Mongolian baritone Badrai Chuluunbaatar, who was the first-prize winner in 2018, has also performed several times at the Verona Arena and the Scala. Hungarian soprano singer Zsuzsanna Ádám, who finished second in the last competition, gives regular concerts and sings at the Hungarian State Opera House in addition to her performances abroad.
The real prizes of the competition are the invitations, as they provide opportunities for these young singers to develop and showcase their talent. This is how Hungary benefits from the Marton Singing Competition: audiences get to know dozens of young singers in the coming seasons, thanks to an amazing number of special prize offers. I held a master class during the last competition as well. Each contestant was invited to take part, regardless whether they were selected to the semi-finals. I truly want to discover the future stars of the opera.
- In your opinion, what impact has the quarantine had on this artistic season? How do we proceed from this current situation?
- Unfortunately, due to the quarantine, theatre performances, concerts, and personal meetings with the audience were cancelled. The quarantine has forced people into the confines of their homes, but fortunately, human imagination is a great force that helps us to get to know ourselves better and further develop our abilities.
- How did you survive these past few months, what have you been up to?
- Although I was in quarantine, which was a smart and timely measure, I would not say I had to survive these months, as I was able to continue working. I participated in daily online teaching classes, in the work of the university, I was on jury panels, prepared my students for their exams and oversaw exams together with my colleagues. In my spare time, I read, did crossword puzzles, listened to music, and followed the not so happy events taking place around the world. I also sorted out some of my things and slept a lot. Even after 57 years, there was never a dull moment while being locked up with my husband in the house.
- Many people are concerned that in the current situation, recordings are taking the place of live music and audiences will prefer online broadcasts to actual live performances even when this situation ends. What are your thoughts on this?
- I consider it necessary to record a live musical event in some form. Listening to or watching such recordings - online or otherwise - is of course good, but it will never replace the experience live music provides.