In conversation with Adela Zaharia Part 2: "Each performance is different and depends on how you feel mentally and emotionally."

23. November 2023

Rubrik Interviews

©Oana Vedinas - Adela Zaharia

Operaversum: Finding the perfect balance sounds absolutely reasonable. But has there ever been a situation where your emotions took over control?

Adela Zaharia: I have come close to that because each performance is different - it very much depends on how you feel mentally and emotionally. So I already had performances in which emotions dominated more than my rational part of the brain.

But then I have to say that  those particular performances, which did not appear to be technically perfect, were the most impressive ones for the audience though.

But you have to learn to pace yourself, because if you are not building up the character gradually and it starts to get too intense emotionally right from the very beginning, you are just giving away the end.

But if you wait too long and intensity only builds up towards the very end, then the character and the whole narrative might seem to make no sense or not to have enough depth.

So I think with Lucia, but also with Violetta from "La Traviata" she feels that the walls are closing in on her, which makes her feel like a caged animal.

And in Lucia´s case that is what drives her into madness, whereas in La Traviata Violetta has those angry and manic impulses, refusing to accept her imminent death. I love that. I love my tragic characters.

©Klaudia Taday - Adela Zaharia

Operaversum: But how much of your own character goes into a role? I mean there is a danger that you could overstep the line and leave your safe harbour of controlled ecstasy? Did you ever come across such a situation where that happened? 

Adela Zaharia: Well, it is a very delicate balance, as a part of me wants to fully emerge into the character.  For me as a singer and moreover as an actor it is key to have empathy.

Otherwise you will not be able to put yourself in the character´s shoes, not knowing how to feel or react in a certain situation. If for example you cannot imagine what led to a particular situation or to previous thoughts or conflicts, then it all just stays at a very superficial level.

So being able to get close to your character´s mindset and psychology is essential to perform convincinly on stage. 

Taking for example the "Finale" in "Lucia di Lammermoor" where Edgardo confronts Lucia, violently throws her on the floor and curses her, that for me has always been so dramatic that I have had several performances when I started crying for real.

But it is important to always search for the balance between being immersed in the character and staying rational. Otherwise you might as well hurt yourself vocally, physically and who knows- maybe also mentally.

The ideal evenings though are those where I can identify with my character enough to deeply feel everything that "she" is going through. 

That, of course, is very energy draining, so sometimes after a performance I need to be alone, go home and process the intense emotional experience I've had on stage.

Especially in my repertoire, there's a lot of trauma to embody on stage - and it can take a bit of time to be able to shake it off and come back to reality.

©Klaudia Taday - Adela Zaharia

Operaversum: It sounds absolutely intense, but then you are giving so much away from your own energy that I presume, even though you must be drained afterwards, the audience has eventually gained a lot from you?

Adela Zaharia: Oh, yes. But you can actually feel an exchange of energy with the audience, which is priceless.  

Operaversum: Dear Adela, you have been performing in Claus Guth's stage production of Don Giovanni at Opéra de Paris recently. What made your role as Donna Anna in this production so special to you?

Adela Zaharia:  This was the third time I have sung Donna Anna in the iconic Claus Guth production - after Madrid in 2020 and Amsterdam in 2021. It's one of my absolute favourite productions, and my favourite translation (so far!) of my character.

The whole production is deeply psychological, every character has so many layers to explore. They are all troubled, flawed individuals, and for me that gives such a fantastic opportunity to dive deep into the understanding of human nature. 

Donna Anna especially is a very torn, complicated character here. She has a side of herself that she is ashamed of, the side that takes her in the forest at night, having a very raw, intense physical relationship with Don Giovanni.

So it's all consensual, she needs that occasional escape from her stuck up, high society life, where her future has already been decided.

But things go very wrong when her father shows up... And she has to live after that having her father's death on her conscience.

She wants to be a good partner to Don Ottavio, she is trying so hard to bury deep her insane, fatal attraction to Don Giovanni, but - spoiler alert - she's not managing that too well...

So the entire evening she is torn between duty/ society expectations and following her self-destructive instinct. And I absolutely love playing that. It's definitely more rewarding for me than a classical Donna Anna, the victim searching for revenge. 

Here she lies, she hides, she is moody, she vapes, she slaps Don Ottavio, and in the end she admits defeat and knows there is no future for her - not with Ottavio, not with Don Giovanni, so she disappears with a gun deep in the forest after asking for forgiveness - and we can all guess what's next for her...

But I have to mention that the audience is not very comfortable with this Donna Anna (laughing). I guess it's easier empathising with a sweet, inocent character who's the victim of a predator, than try to understand a strong yet extremely flawed woman that throws in our faces exactly how messed up real life can be.

©Klaudia Taday - Adela Zaharia

Operaversum: In December 2024 you will be singing Gilda in Verdi's "Rigoletto" alongside Ludovic Tézier and Javier Camarena. Are you looking forward to this stage production by Miguel del Arco and what can the opera goer expect? 

Adela Zaharia: We are in the middle of the rehearsal process at the moment here in Madrid, and it's an extremely rewarding one. Of course, I get to sing alongside fantastic colleagues - especially Ludovic Tezier, who is an absolute God and my admiration for him is no secret to anyone!

This is definitely the highlight of my season! (laughing). But besides this, I have encountered here one of the best creative teams one could wish for.

Maestro Nicola Luisotti, Miguel del Arco, Ana Garay (costume designer) and every single member of the team are just incredible to work with. There is so much understanding, love and good energy in the room, and I feel so inspired.

We have endless talks about how we see the characters and the situations, we dive into our own life experience, we try to submerge into the psychology of our characters completely - even when it's maybe not the most comfortable or obvious option, and this is how a new Gilda is born for me.

I love this process. I love taking my time, being inspired, exploring thoughts and feelings, and becoming one with my character before bringing it on stage. 

©Oana Vedinas - Adela Zaharia

All I can say - because I don't think I should spoil the surprise - is that it's going to be a very powerful production, in every sense. Impacting moments and images, built on extremely complex characters. 

And of course I need to mention the enormous pleasure of being back in Teatro Real Madrid! Anyone who's worked here knows what I mean... This is not only an institution, it's a family. Some of the most kind, dedicated and nurturing people I've had the luck to have around me! 

Operaversum: Having said that what is it like for you to perform with world leading opera singers, such as Piotr Beczala or Ludovic Tézier? How does this influence your own performance on stage?  

Will it differ with changing partners or are you aways your same singing and acting self? 

Adela Zaharia: It does not influence my approach on how I perform because I always try to be the best I can, each time I step on stage. 

What actually does change is that I feel extremely inspired and when performing with such fantastic artists and singers, I also feel the need to be better and do better.  I still recall my first encounter on stage with both Piotr Beczala and Ludovic Tézier which was a jump-in in Munich.

At that point nobody knew me yet, as I had only be singing in Düsseldorf. So you can imagine how mind-blowing it was for me to perform with those two world-leading opera singers for the first time. And I was also extremely intimidated back then, but not in a bad way.

I was just so fascinated and kept looking at both of them while they were singing, trying to understand their technical approach. So at one point I was watching Piotr closely whilst he was singing Edgardo´s aria, and I could not believe how fresh and impecable he sounds at the end of a performance, basically singing like a God.

Be kindly invited to read part 3 of the interview with Adela Zaharia 24th November 2023