ARIS ARGIRIS
BARITONE
"Through art we see the world from another perspective.
It reminds us values and emotions which are quite forgotten."
It reminds us values and emotions which are quite forgotten."
London, 25/11/2011
Aris Argiris is a Greek baritone who is doing a remarkable international carrier. He has conquered the world in the role of Don Giovanni and Escamillo and he continues to extend his repertoire with great success through great Verdi roles, winning the critics and the public. He is not only a fine artist of great quality, but is also a loving father, who worships his family as much as his art. Meet Aris in this exclusive interview!
By @kassandra_dimopoulou_official
By @kassandra_dimopoulou_official
If you could describe your life in a few words...
...A beautiful, intense expreience.
What made you want to become an opera singer?
Nothing special... I always liked to sing but I never believed that I could do this job. Some other people in my conservatory encouraged me to follow this carrier.
Opera is concidered to be an art for the elite. What do you think about opera's place nowadays?
It is an art for everybody! If some people try to present it as an elitist art, it is wrong. Nowadays, with the great help of the internet, it is also very easy and cheap for all people to follow it. Opera becomes more and more loved from a greater number of people and it's open to the public, more than it uesd to be in the past.
How is a day in the life of an opera singer?
There are two kinds of opera singers. The ones with a family and the ones without a family. My day as an opera singer/ father, is very simple. I wake up, prepare the kids, bring them to school, do some house work, study (all of these together with my wife). When I am in a foreign country, it is quite the same, except that we also all go together to do some sightseeing... it sounds boring, doesn't it?
Where there any people who tried to stop you? How did you deal with it?
Yes, they were, but not actually by stoping me. There were some people who could give me the chance I deserved, but they didn't. But this only made me stronger and more stubborn. So, never give up! Never quit!
How is opera in Greece?
Lots of talent, no money, very low level of music education, no skills of organisation and almost no inspiration.
What would be your advice to the young Greek opera singers who live now in Greece?
Study, keep your mind open, read literature, poetry... Grab any chance to try your luck abroad.
Since many years you live in Germany. Which are the basic differences between the life in Germany and the life in Greece?
There are many differences. For sure, opera is a much more important thing here than in Greece. There are many problems here as well, but there is a lot of respect. The state wants and tries hard to keep strong such a huge music industry like the one of the classical music and opera. We cannot compare our countries in this matter. Greece has not have the money to do the same thing. We can hardly keep alive one opera house. Germany on the other hand has approximately 70 opera houses . The thing is that Greece has now much more serious problems to solve than how to keep opera alive... First, we have to save our nation from the crisis, then we could start resolving other problems.
You are doing a brilliant carrier, singing in the most famous opera houses around the world. Do you sing in Greece as well?
Not as much as I would like! I would love to sing in Greece more often and have my family and relatives around. They are so happy when they hear me singing, but I am not often singing in Greece. Unfortunately I don't get invited from the National Opera, even though I kind of grew up in this theater. I know they have serious troubles right now, but I would like to feel that I am still part of this theater. I hope this will change one day....
You have travelled a lot around the world. What makes Greece different and special for you?
Greece is the most beautiful country of the world! I wish we Greeks will love Greece even more now, through the difficult times we face. Greece deserves it!
Do you think art makes a person more sensible to the world around him, or does it grow a distance between the artist and the rest of the world?
This depends from the artist. As for me, I am sure that you can't be a good artist (whichever is the art you are serving) if you have no sense of the reality and the world around you.
Why do you think society needs arts? What about opera?
Because through arts we see the world from another perspective. The same for opera. It reminds us values and emotions which are quite forgotten. It criticises us and teaches us, it gives us hope and strength to face the future.
Many people say: Family and carrier doesn't go together. What do you think?
I think they are wrong. It's all matter of willing to compromise... it is not easy, but it is not impossible.
Your future plans?
A lot of study and then lots of travelling. I sing “La Boheme” in Tokyo, “Les contes d'Hoffmann” in Vienna, “Il Trovatore” in Bonn, “Carmen” in Belgium and lots of other operas. I am quite busy and very happy about it!
...A beautiful, intense expreience.
What made you want to become an opera singer?
Nothing special... I always liked to sing but I never believed that I could do this job. Some other people in my conservatory encouraged me to follow this carrier.
Opera is concidered to be an art for the elite. What do you think about opera's place nowadays?
It is an art for everybody! If some people try to present it as an elitist art, it is wrong. Nowadays, with the great help of the internet, it is also very easy and cheap for all people to follow it. Opera becomes more and more loved from a greater number of people and it's open to the public, more than it uesd to be in the past.
How is a day in the life of an opera singer?
There are two kinds of opera singers. The ones with a family and the ones without a family. My day as an opera singer/ father, is very simple. I wake up, prepare the kids, bring them to school, do some house work, study (all of these together with my wife). When I am in a foreign country, it is quite the same, except that we also all go together to do some sightseeing... it sounds boring, doesn't it?
Where there any people who tried to stop you? How did you deal with it?
Yes, they were, but not actually by stoping me. There were some people who could give me the chance I deserved, but they didn't. But this only made me stronger and more stubborn. So, never give up! Never quit!
How is opera in Greece?
Lots of talent, no money, very low level of music education, no skills of organisation and almost no inspiration.
What would be your advice to the young Greek opera singers who live now in Greece?
Study, keep your mind open, read literature, poetry... Grab any chance to try your luck abroad.
Since many years you live in Germany. Which are the basic differences between the life in Germany and the life in Greece?
There are many differences. For sure, opera is a much more important thing here than in Greece. There are many problems here as well, but there is a lot of respect. The state wants and tries hard to keep strong such a huge music industry like the one of the classical music and opera. We cannot compare our countries in this matter. Greece has not have the money to do the same thing. We can hardly keep alive one opera house. Germany on the other hand has approximately 70 opera houses . The thing is that Greece has now much more serious problems to solve than how to keep opera alive... First, we have to save our nation from the crisis, then we could start resolving other problems.
You are doing a brilliant carrier, singing in the most famous opera houses around the world. Do you sing in Greece as well?
Not as much as I would like! I would love to sing in Greece more often and have my family and relatives around. They are so happy when they hear me singing, but I am not often singing in Greece. Unfortunately I don't get invited from the National Opera, even though I kind of grew up in this theater. I know they have serious troubles right now, but I would like to feel that I am still part of this theater. I hope this will change one day....
You have travelled a lot around the world. What makes Greece different and special for you?
Greece is the most beautiful country of the world! I wish we Greeks will love Greece even more now, through the difficult times we face. Greece deserves it!
Do you think art makes a person more sensible to the world around him, or does it grow a distance between the artist and the rest of the world?
This depends from the artist. As for me, I am sure that you can't be a good artist (whichever is the art you are serving) if you have no sense of the reality and the world around you.
Why do you think society needs arts? What about opera?
Because through arts we see the world from another perspective. The same for opera. It reminds us values and emotions which are quite forgotten. It criticises us and teaches us, it gives us hope and strength to face the future.
Many people say: Family and carrier doesn't go together. What do you think?
I think they are wrong. It's all matter of willing to compromise... it is not easy, but it is not impossible.
Your future plans?
A lot of study and then lots of travelling. I sing “La Boheme” in Tokyo, “Les contes d'Hoffmann” in Vienna, “Il Trovatore” in Bonn, “Carmen” in Belgium and lots of other operas. I am quite busy and very happy about it!
