qobuz - Philippe Jaroussky, rédacteur en chef de Classica

"Philippe Jaroussky, rédacteur en chef de Classica - Ses choix, ses passions, ses projets"

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What a cute little boy !!
A croquer ...

Ayyyyyy!verrryyy cute...

A very interesting article - although, most unfortunately, I can't understand half of it, my French is more like a sixth sense than real knowledge...

Awww what a cutie!

Shame that I don´t understand French ( I have to blame my parents, I liked to go to French class, but they didn´t allow it )

It is an quite "old" interview, from "L´Express" on 06.05.09 , a little "expanded" of some details.

I love Philippe´s answers on the " Proust's questionnaire":

Q:-The entire happiness according to you?
Ph:- For sure, very boring.
Q:-The feature of your character which you´re the least proud?
Ph:-Some egoism, unavoidable by an artist.
Q:-The quality which you prefer in a man ?
Ph:- Be capable to admit his mistakes.
Q:-In a woman?
Ph:- Humour.
Q:-The historical character which you would like to resemble?
Ph:-Ramsès II (I´m fascinated by ancient Égypte).
Q:-Your heroes in real life?
Ph:- The surgeons.
Q:-Your favorite authors?
Ph:-Kundera, Camus.
Q:-Poets?
Ph:- Verlaine.
Q:-The aria which you whistle under the shower?
Ph:- I don't whistle.... I sing!
Q:-Your favorite painters?
Ph:- Caravaggio, Van Gogh, Picasso.
Q:-Your cult movies?
Ph:- "The Elephant Man" by Lynch, " Edward Scissorhands" by Burton,"Les Diaboliques" by Clouzot.
Q:-Your favorite occupation?
Ph:- To be with my friends.
Q:-Talent, which you would like to have?
Ph:-To be a big seducer.
Q:-Your favorite drink?
Ph:- The wine.
Q:-What did you achieve as best in your life?
Ph:- To live my passion.
Q.-If you could change something in your physical appearance, what would it be?
Ph:- I´d like to be more strong!
Q:-The error which you can most forgive?
Ph:- Laziness.
Q:-Your most great regret?
Ph:- Don´t become a good violinist!
Q:- Your biggest fear?
Ph:-Lose one of the senses.
Q:- What do you hate as the most?
Ph:-Hypocrisy.
Q:- Your motto?
Ph:-Always delay for tomorrow what is possible to do today! (An unfortunate tendency from which I don't succeed to getting rid...)
Q:-Actual condition of your spirit now?
Ph:- Excited!
Q:-How would you like to die?
Ph:- Without giving an account of it to myself.
Q:- If you´re a believer, what would you like that God says to you by arriving at the Heaven?
Ph:- I don´t believe, at least not in God.

Interesting! Never thought I'd see a pic of him as a child! I wouldn't be able to recognize him, though. But one can see in it, the purity that one still sees in his character.

*JaRoWi1647* wrote:

Q:- Your motto?
Ph:-Always delay for tomorrow what is possible to do today! (An unfortunate tendency from which I don't succeed to getting rid...)

Actually I prefer Wilde's version: I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do - the day after.

Thank you Jana!

Obviously, the same interview should be in the new issue of "Classica" (Novembre 2010). [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

This is a really interesting article.

Quote :

It is an quite "old" interview, from "L´Express" on 06.05.09 , a little "expanded" of some details.

I understand why I had the impression of having read some parts before !
A bit strange, isn't it ?
I'll have a look at the previous Express interview.
But, still there are many more details.
I'll try to make a "resume".

Please do!! My french is limited so an english resumé is always appreciated! I really enjoyed the part in which he gives away his own preferances in several artforms.
- And the adorable photograph!!

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Classica 11/2010

After reading the EXPRESS interview again, it seems that the one published in CLASSICA has a lot in common with it.

It’s almost “copy and paste”, but for tiny adjustments and three new questions.

This is an approximate translation of these:

After the question about television (mediatisation), there is the following question:

Did it affect your personality?

Generally speaking, I changed. Now I am less shy. I assume the fact of being an artist, of being on stage. When I began, I tended to hide a little behind the music. I wanted to think that the audience came to hear a repertory but not me. Today, I accept it. It doesn’t trouble me anymore that people like the tone of my voice (he says “mon timbre”). In fact, it’s music before anything.

Do you think you’ve changed these last years?

One important thing did change: my carrier has been developing outside France for 2-3 years. I give more and more concerts in Germany, in the US or in Japan.
Apart from this, I feel my voice gained roundness (rondeur) and projection (projection).

Could you precise? How ?

The work with my teachers bears it fruit. Besides Nicole Fallien, I see a coach, Frédéric Faye, for a thorough approach of vocal questions. With him I work on the “resonance” : in oneself to well project my voice and inwardly to better live with music.
Frédéric Faye invented a fascinating technique. For him there are two vibratory states : “on” and “off”. In the “on” each note is anticipated and naturally finds its place in the body and comes out of the mouth perfectly. Each accent, each vowel, each word is thus ideally retranscribed. Thanks to this method, I succceded in better projecting my singing.

Apart from the interview, PJ also speaks about some of his previous CD’s. Concerning OPIUM he says it was well received in Germany and Great-Britain, but not in France. The good news is that there may be an OPIUM N°2 with texts by the poet Verlaine and melodies from Fauré to Ferré)

He has several CD projects : with Max Emanuel Cencic and William Christie, with Andrea Marcon and his Venitian orchestra, with l’Arpeggiata.

Next season he will create a new opera about the painter Le Caravage (music by Suzanne Giraud, libretto by Dominique Fernandez) at the theatre des Champs-Elysées.

There are also some paragraphs about what he likes :

- French cuisine ! He is a “gourmet”. He gives some good addresses

- He especially likes some places in Paris like the Rodin Museum (I confirm, this is a beautiful place), the Picasso Museum and the place des Vosges.

- He likes the violin
He calls himself “violoniste râte” (wasted violinist). He admires David Oistrakh, Ginette Neveu, Itzhak Perlman. He has good taste !
He is quite harsch with himself !
I just followed the 16th Warsaw International Chopin piano competition on internet. One of the participants, Ingolf Wunder from Austria who won 2nd prize and was the chouchou (darling) of the audience (well deserved it) also began with playing the violin and only came to play the piano at 14. I wouldn’t call him a “violoniste râté” but an accomplished pianist as well as Philippe Jaroussky is an accomplished counter tenor !

- travels
“the finest present of my artist’s life”

- painting
He used to paint and regrets not to be able to paint anymore for lack of time.

Hebius_de_Troy
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Balletlover

Thank you a LOT! You picked out the most interesting "new" things from there!

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lumiere_137 wrote:

Actually I prefer Wilde's version: I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do - the day after.

And what about François Cavanna's version? Never put off till tomorrow what you can get done today by someone else.

Balletlover
Thousands of thanks!

I thank all of you so much, for contributing these delightful glimpses into Philippe's personality...When I read them I feel I know him a little better, not just as a singer but as a human being, a beautiful human being!
There are so many publications in Europe about early classical music and I cannot subscribe because I am in the U.S. But I think we cannot separate his voice and music from his personality because both are complementary, and I am glad he is talking more about his real self.
Revealing himself as he does in interviews makes us love him even more.
Maria

CD project with Max Emanuel Cencic!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I hope that will actually happen and not just end up on the maybe list.

About Opium, kind of surprised they didn't like it in France since that's where he's from...on the other hand, maybe they felt those songs had to be sung in a particular way (or by a particular voice....) and didn't appreciate anyone "tampering" with them.. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I've read about Philippe's interest in painting/art in many interviews now, I'm SO curious to see what his painting style is/was like!

Quote :

karenpat
I'm SO curious to see what his painting style is/was like

karenpat

Same here. )))