{"id":52129,"date":"2018-04-07T11:37:42","date_gmt":"2018-04-07T15:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=52129"},"modified":"2018-04-07T11:37:42","modified_gmt":"2018-04-07T15:37:42","slug":"interview-beatrice-rana-the-dressing-room-diaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/04\/07\/interview-beatrice-rana-the-dressing-room-diaries\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW |\u00a0Beatrice Rana: The Dressing Room Diaries"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pianist
Pianist Beatrice Rana (Courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After concerto performances in Ottawa and Montreal<\/a> earlier in the week, Italian pianist Beatrice Rana comes to Koerner Hall Sunday<\/a> to play a matinee solo recital.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the performance, Ludwig Van requested an interview with the artist. Her agent proposed a post-concert interview.<\/p>\n

We accepted the quirky setup and met with Rana in her dressing room at Montreal\u2019s Maison symphonique, where she had just performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. The resulting conversation has sweet, fiery and pistachio tasting notes.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u2014 \u2014 \u2014<\/h1>\n

What would you say to people that think Italians are sunny and charming in music or in real life?<\/h3>\n

I think that there is a reason why opera was born in Italy. That means that the sun is reflected in the bel canto \u2014 very open singing. The real plot of the opera is extremely dramatic \u2014 and we ARE very dramatic! So I think the main idea from outside [countries] is correct.<\/p>\n

On one hand we\u2019re very lucky \u2014 I\u2019m very lucky to be born in Italy because there is a great musical tradition. But at the same time, being Italian makes it very difficult to get the German way of music[-making] and also the German way of singing \u2014 lied is completely different from opera. That\u2019s the main difference \u2014 and very important to get.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your post-performance ritual?<\/h3>\n

Ideally I would go out with friends, because there is so much adrenaline and so much energy \u2014 I\u2019m not going to sleep until very late tonight!<\/p>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s even difficult to talk after a performance, but gradually to talk with people makes things much easier, because if you\u2019re alone you think about the performance \u2014 \u201cAh this was good, this was not good\u201d \u2014 at least for myself, I focus very much on what happens. I get stuck in the music. But if I have friends, people that I love, if they\u2019re there at the concert, I prefer to go out, chat and, you know, sleep on the concert and then think about it tomorrow.<\/p>\n

To let it mature in your head!<\/h3>\n

Yeah, exactly, but not consciously! *laughs*<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favourite musical phrase in Italian?<\/h3>\n

Oh my God, there are so many! You know what, I found absolutely amazing in the Bernstein second symphony (\u201cThe Age of Anxiety\u201d): \u201cWith gusto.\u201d I found it absolutely like the typical way of an American to interact with Italy, it was so beautiful.<\/p>\n

Actually, I find absolutely amazing in Prokofiev\u2019s second (piano) concerto the \u201ccolossale\u201d section. And\u2026 I think that for my personality, presto con fuoco<\/em> is very much the case!<\/p>\n