Magic is the only explanation. Even before a concert, simply looking at her photographs and reading her words, you feel the pull of something extraordinary. The world of music is unimaginable without Aida Garifullina — Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tatarstan. Lara Palmer spoke with her exclusively.
Lara Palmer: God gives a person a strong and beautiful voice. How does this miracle happen?
Aida Garifullina: It is truly a miracle and a great fortune. Those who have talent themselves are usually the ones who recognise it in others. I have met both kinds — those who can see it and those who cannot. Even those who at the beginning of my career claimed I had no talent at all made me want to work harder and become stronger.
L.P.: Wikipedia describes you as Honoured Artist of Russia since 2020, of Tatarstan since 2013. You were only 26 when you received the republican title. What was the driving force?
A.G.: The desire to sing, of course. To be on stage, to be in the spotlight. From an early age I would twirl in front of the mirror imagining myself a singer or an actress — always with a hairbrush instead of a microphone. The stage fascinated me: the lights, the huge halls, the applause. And the power of opera singers hitting their high notes made listeners forget everything and feel tingles throughout their body. During my studies at the Vienna Conservatory I attended the Vienna State Opera regularly. Every time I came out a completely different person — filled, inspired. That is when I decided I wanted to be an opera singer. The journey to Olympus is far from easy.
L.P.: What is the magic of opera?
A.G.: Every shred of our soul, thought, and body creates the vibrations of the Sacred Sound achieved by a phenomenon called Music. The circle of those vibrations is passed to us musicians through the genius of a composer. With knowledge, hard work, and a passion for our art, we become conduits who convey, through opera and classical music, a message of love, peace, and friendship. And that is magic.
L.P.: What does it take to become an opera singer?
A.G.: Incredible preparation, discipline, constant vocal training throughout one’s life, countless limitations, and the continuous honing of every sound. Then acting skills, knowledge of many foreign languages. Many times before important performances I woke in the middle of the night to check if my voice was sounding right.
L.P.: Your name, Aida — is it connected to Verdi?
A.G.: My mother says it is not related. But I think the Universe played a significant role in choosing it.
L.P.: What is the essence of a creative person’s life?
A.G.: To be a happy person, to see my loved ones happy, to be with my family — this is the most important thing. To bring joy to people through my voice, to live this life with dignity. And to leave a beautiful legacy so that future generations can admire and strive.
L.P.: With whom among living colleagues would you most like to perform?
A.G.: Can a rap artist be a colleague? Essentially, he is also from the world of music. Then with Eminem.
L.P.: On genre mixing — how do you feel about it?
A.G.: I adore collaborations and experiments. Our duet with Robbie Williams at the opening of the World Cup was exactly such a moment.