The beautiful owner of mezzo-soprano, the Latvian singer Elina Garancha, won the hearts of her listeners with a unique timbre, high-quality technique and sincere performance of classical works. Collaborating on opera stages with world-famous symphony orchestras, Elina Garancha, whose photos reflect the sensual performance of even complex parts, is not satisfied with the successes she has achieved and continues to work hard.
How did she reach such professional heights? What is the key to the success of the singer? Let's talk about this in the article.
Talent developed since childhood
The singer was born in the capital of Latvia, Riga, on September 16, 1976. In childhood, Elina was surrounded by music, because both her parents are musicians. Father is a choral director, and mother is a famous vocal teacher at the National Opera of Latvia, professor at the Latvian Academy of Music, and also an assistant professor at the Latvian Academy of Culture. In 1996, Elina Garancha began to practice vocals with Sergei Martynov at the Latvian Academy of Music. She continued her studies already in Vienna, where since 1998 Irina Gavrilovich studied with her, after that - in the United States with Virginia Zeany. Such training allowed Elina to gain experience in opera and improve her vocal skills. It was during her studies that the singer felt a special craving for the Belcant repertoire. This happened after she performed the part of Jane Seymour from the opera Anna Boleyn by Gaetano Donizetti.
First victories
Elina Garancha, whose biography originates in Latvia, made her debut as a professional opera singer not in her native country, but in the German city of Meiningen. There, in the State Theater of South Thuringia, she performed the role of Octavian from the opera Cavalier of the Rose. In 1999, Elina triumphed in Helsinki at the Miriam Helin vocal competition.
Literally a year later, she received the main prize in the national competition of performers in Latvia, after which she worked with the troupe at the Frankfurt Opera. There, Elina Garancha continued to build her dizzying musical career, playing the roles of Hansel in the opera Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck, Rosina in The Barber of Seville and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute.
The language barrier
It is no secret that victory in a particular competition can be obtained only at the cost of tremendous efforts, and Elina Garancha is no exception. Since 1999, she began to live in Germany, and one way or another, she had to learn a completely unfamiliar language from scratch, because without this it would be impossible to apply for a visa and tax return. Once the singer admitted that not only her colleagues and books, but also TV helped her to learn German. Since the singer was busy participating in the performances in the evenings, morning German television shows helped her learn a new language.
Worldwide recognition
In 2001, Elina Garancha became a finalist of international competitions among opera singers BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, after which her first solo album was released. At the Salzburg Festival in 2003, Garancha sang Annio's part in the production of Mozart’s opera Charity of Titus, directed by Nikolaus Arnoncourt. These achievements opened the door to the 27-year-old singer at the Vienna State Opera, which later became the main place of her work.
Here in the next few years, Elina performed the parts of Dorabella in the opera “Everybody Do This” and Charlotte in “Werther”. Then French opera lovers could hear her at the Champs Elysees Theater, where Elina Garancha sang the role of Angelina in Rossini’s opera Cinderella and the role of Octavian in the Paris Opera.
In 2007, the singer made her debut in the role of Dorabella at the Royal Theater of London "Covent Garden" and at the Berlin State Opera. In 2008, Elina Garancha performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and at the Bavarian Opera in Munich.
Performances in the home country
Elina rarely had to perform in her homeland, but in 2007 the Latvians first saw her at the Latvian National Opera, where she performed the role of Carmen. On December 17, 2015, the singer will perform there again, but with a recital, which will devote to the memory of her recently deceased mother. Anita Garancha, the mother of the singer, has helped many talents become high-level opera singers and perform in prestigious theaters. On this special evening, Elina's husband, Karel Mark Chichon, the main conductor of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct the conductor.
To date, the Latvian singer has conquered the stages of leading opera houses around the world. Critics say that Elina has a very professional and easy voice, which allows her to gracefully perform the most complicated repertoire. Spectators are also impressed by the beautiful appearance that Elina Garancha possesses. The height and weight of Elina provide her with a beautiful figure, which is undoubtedly quite important for an opera singer with a worldwide reputation. By the way, she often comes out with Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko, a charismatic brunette, the owner of a lyrical soprano. Although they are often called rivals, the Latvian blonde and Russian brunette quite successfully perform on the same stage. In addition, they have already recorded Bellini's opera Capulet and Montecci.
Musical growth today
Elina Garancha has already performed three roles Carmen: in London, New York and in his native Riga. The singer shared that for her the main thing in this role is sensuality and the embodiment of absolute femininity. And thanks to collaboration with leading record companies in the world, such as Deutcshe Grammophon, EMI Classic, Virgin Classics, Elina Garancha released six solo albums, three of which won the ECHO Klassik Prize. Antonio Vivaldi’s opera Bayazet, where the singer performed with the Andronica part, won the Grammy Music Prize. In 2006, Elina was awarded the European Culture Prize in the nomination “Musical Art” for her contribution to the development of European culture.
At the moment, the opera singer no longer sings Rozin, but works in a new direction. For example, in her plans to play the roles of Amneris from Verida's Aida and Elizabeth from Donizetti's opera Maria Stuart. However, in the life of the singer there is not only work: a year ago Elina became a mother for the second time, and now she and her husband raise two daughters.