Photo: Reinaldo Droz’s personal archives

Reinaldo Droz – about the first meeting with Raina Kabaivanska, about Ghena Dimitrova and the unforgettable guest-performance in Caracas, about his debut at the Sofia Opera, about his past of a pop singer, about the family and why does he feel Bulgaria as his home.

Is it true that the dream to study with Raina Kabaivanska led you in her master class?

- Maestra Raina is a world-known singer and opera star. Still when I was singing pop music, I saw her performance of “Tosca” with Placido Domingo. I was terribly impressed. And when I learned that she has master classes and scholarships, I told myself that at any cost I must reach to her and learn from her.

Besides, when I showed some interest in her personal story in music, I learned that she had the chance to learn from Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981, considered as one of the greatest sopranos of the 20. century). This is one of the greatest names of the old school, who started her career after an audition before Enrico Caruso. So that Raina Kabaivanska had the opportunity from first hand to adopt the singing techniques – from one of the greatest names in the past.

What were your impressions from your first meeting with Raina Kabaivanska?

- For the first time we met in 2017 during auditions for the master class here, at the Sofia Opera. I was quite scared and worried, and she was so elegant and kind and good. In the moment, in which I started singing, she made me feel well. She gave me several directions and at the end she told me that we shall see each other tomorrow. This meant that I was accepted in the master class.

Are you still in connection with her now?

- Yes. We keep in touch. I am calling her after each of my stage appearances in Bulgaria. She always gives me directions like a real mentor of mine.

Recently you won the first place of the Competition for Young Opera Singers to the name of Ghena Dimitrova ...

- Yes, one more legend of Bulgarian opera. In Caracas people still remembers her incredible performance of Turandot from the opera of the same name. The spectacle was impressive – on one of the largest stages in Latin America.

After that in YouTube I followed almost her entire repertoire, which is uploaded there.

In the jury of the competition take part some of the greatest names of contemporary classic music. Did you have direct contact with them?

- Maestro Nayden (Nayden Todorov – President of the jury of the competition – AN) every year conducts the concert of Raina Kabaivanska’s master class. Separately, I have worked with him in the Philharmonic too – three years ago, so that I know him well.

Photo: Reinaldo Droz’s personal archives

I am friend of Darina Takova’s daughter (he laughs) and this is why I know a lot about her. I had great support by her during the competition.

Are you content from your debut at the Sofia Opera as Ernesto in “Don Pasquale”?

- Yes, I could say that I am content. Because after that I watched a record of the performance. It was difficult, since a week after my arrival I was infected by Coronavirus, I had to enter the hospital ... The debut was two weeks after I came out of the hospital. I was still quite weak, but the people and the audience were incredible.

You have graduated from the Simón Bolivar Conservatoire in Caracas. Could you make a comparison between the school there and here, in Europe?

- I could, although I haven’t passed the traditional way of education for an opera singer. I started as performer of pop music. After that, when I decided that I want to deal with opera singing, I studied only one year at the Conservatoire in Caracas, and thereafter I came in Europe. My education is rather European – at the Vecchi-Tonelli Music Institute in Modena.

And why did you passed over from pop to opera singing? What happened?

- (He laughs.) If I have to be sincere, I was feeling very well as а pop singer. I made many concerts in Venezuela, Columbia, Miami, I was giving many interviews. But the thought that opera singing is the greatest thing, to which human voice is capable, always kept gnawing me.

Photo: Reinaldo Droz’s personal archives

Besides, no music can touch me so deeply as opera music. Everything comes from the throat and the live instruments, there is no electronics and playback. I have always wanted to feel this thrill. I have always wanted to try. And if it didn’t succeed, I would come back to pop music and sing my songs. Here it is, now I am at the opera and as if I cope quite well (He laughs.).

What was your repertoire as pop singer?

- I was singing mainly in Spanish. I know that the Venezuelan TV novels are quite popular here. Imagine the music, which is sung in these series – this is what I was singing (He laughs.).

I have the impression that classic music is not very popular in Latin America. Is it so in Venezuela too, where I haven’t been yet? Is it possible to make a great career there as an opera singer?

- No. This profession is not so popular and highly respected, like for example the doctors or the lawyers. In Latin America classic music is something like taboo, which, however, isn’t there in Venezuela. There is developed a system of national orchestras, which hire many new musicians, give many concerts and respectively this music becomes accessible for the people.

This is why classic music in Venezuela has a very new audience, in contrast to the rest of the continent, maybe except for Argentina – because of Teatro Colon (the main opera house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, considered as one of the ten best opera houses in the world – AN).

In Venezuela this is obviously state policy?

- Everything began as a personal initiative and idea of Maestro Antonio Abreu (1939-2018, José Antonio Abreu – conductor, pianist, economist, pedagogue, activist, politician, known first of all with his association with El Sistema – AN). He literally saved poor children from the street and attracted them to classic music. The Maestro became very popular and was granted the goodwill of many politicians. This way his dream became reality and now we have some of the best orchestras in the world. Everything is paid by the state and this way a propaganda is made.

How often do you come back in Venezuela?

- I haven’t been there since two years. The situation is very difficult politically and economically. If everything runs by plan, I must go back in August – for around one month, to see my family.

Photo: Reinaldo Droz’s personal archives

My mother it a state employee, and my father keeps a garage. My brother, like me, started dealing with engineering, but we both left this education – me because of the music, and he – because of business. Now he has a chain of four restaurants and my whole family deals with this.

Does your family support your music career?

- Yes. In the beginning, my mother wasn’t very sure in me. According to her, I had first to graduate some kind of education, which is the “Latin way” of doing things. But when she saw how seriously I treat music and how far I can reach, she began supporting me in 100 percent.

Would you like to bring your relatives in Europe?

- Yes. But at the moment the state is closed, nobody can travel. But if everything gets better, my mother and my brother will come in December – to see me here, on the stage.

What would you show them in Europe and in Bulgaria, maybe?

- I would like very much to repeat the journeys, which I made here with friends of mine – for example to Shumen, to the Madara Horseman, to the monuments around, the last fortress of Thrace. I want to show them Sofia, of course, and the Vitosha Mountain. There are a lot of things, which can be seen.

Really, Bulgaria is one of the countries with richest culture in Europe and amazing history.

Would you stay here?

- I like very much your country, even if I don’t speak the language, but people are so nice and make efforts. Some of them talk with me in Spanish, others – in Italian, third ones – in English. The important is that there is desire for communication.

Photo: Reinaldo Droz’s personal archives

I feel that this is Latin America in Europe. I feel the things so close, this is why I would like to stay. I want to work and travel around the world, but to come back in Bulgaria like in my home.

Do you imagine some day to be guest in Venezuela with the Sofia Opera?