OLENA STAKHOVSKA: «Without faith, there is no stage. And no profession»
Olena Stakhovska / Photo from personal archive
SHORT PROFILE
Name: Olena Stakhovska
Date of Birth: March 21, 1954
Place of Birth: Odesa, Ukraine
Profession: Singer, Educator
People’s Artist of Ukraine, Professor, and Head of the Department of Solo Singing at the Odesa National Music Academy named after A. V. Nezhdanova, Olena Volodymyrivna Stakhovska is not just a teacher and a singer. She has been in the profession since 1979! Her voice has been heard in concert halls all over the world. She is a true master, nurturing a new generation of performers.
Our conversation with Olena Stakhovska was interrupted by an air raid siren. Alarms have become the everyday rhythm of our current reality — yet it’s something one can never get used to. We fell silent — not out of protocol, but out of humanity. We postponed the start of the interview and simply waited. In such moments, one becomes acutely aware of how fragile silence is — and how precious the sound of a living voice.
Svitlana Pavlianchyna: Olena Volodymyrivna, today we live in a world where art is increasingly competing with content. Is it possible to preserve the authenticity of the stage in such a reality?
Olena Stakhovska: You know, this question is not just philosophical — it’s deeply personal. We live in an information stream that has burst into our lives rapidly and pervasively — not only into our daily routines but also into the musical sphere. It has become a part of everyday life. On the one hand, this phenomenon has its advantages: we can promote art, advertise, and talk about talented performers. But on the other hand — the human soul, as I always say, is the highest organ of the divine essence. And if it loses its depth, everything turns into nothing more than informational noise.
S. P.: In your opinion, what steps can help preserve the uniqueness of opera today?
O. S.: Opera is not just a genre that is over 400 years old — it is an entire cultural code. Right now, I see a troubling trend: modern directors often try to «update» opera productions, rewrite librettos, or change the setting, losing the original intent of the composer. Sometimes this is done with talent, but often it’s aggressive and crude.
Meanwhile, in the repertoire of La Scala, for example, there are very few modernized productions — they carefully preserve tradition and the authenticity of operatic art. The audience at La Scala is unique: if you come unprepared, you’ll feel like an outsider. If a singer performs out of tune or «off key», a wave of criticism erupts — it’s like thunder out of a clear sky. That passion and protection of true emotion — that’s what keeps opera at La Scala alive. You can always feel what’s real.
S. P.: How do you personally perceive the essence of vocal art — is it primarily about talent, technique, character, or inner culture? And how do you explain this to your students?
O. S.: A true artist is always about inner culture, passion, a thirst for the stage, and the ability to feel. Their eyes shine — there’s character. One can learn to sing technically. But artistry, stage presence, understanding a role, emotional authenticity — you can’t teach that if there’s no foundation. I always ask my students: «Why did you come here? Why opera?» And so much becomes clear immediately — through their eyes, their reaction.
«Have you ever been to the theatre?» — I always ask my students that question. Most of them say: «No». — «Which great singer do you know?» Some name Luciano Pavarotti or Maria Callas, but many hesitate and don’t know what to say. Yet later, after some time, the student begins to be «charged» by art. They long for an extra lesson, they listen, they learn. That’s the foundation.
S. P.: Can talent be «nurtured»? Or is it something innate — what people call a kiss of fate?
O. S.: Talent is ability plus immense work. And in vocal art, this is especially true. We’re not dealing with an instrument — like a piano, violin, or flute — but with a natural understanding of one’s own body and the ability to control it. It’s diaphragmatic breathing — deeper and lower — the work of resonators, acoustic sensations. Even the palate, the tongue, all the muscles — they must function differently. Everything serves the purpose of achieving correct, beautiful vocal sound (bel canto). It’s an entire science, a whole architecture of sound. Everything matters: how you slept, what you ate, the state of your psyche.
S. P.: So, the foundation is physiology? Is the artistic, emotional side just as important?
O. S.: Mastering technical skills is essential. But without the artistic component, there is no vocalist. My students do not sing a text without understanding its meaning. I assign a program, and they are required to study: who the composer is, who wrote the libretto, when the piece was created, and what story lies behind it.
We analyze form, rhetoric, intonation. And then I ask them: «Imagine it, how would you experience this?» A true singer is not just a voice. It’s someone who can elicit a response from the audience. Convey an emotion in such a way that even someone in the last row feels it. That is real art.
S. P.: How do you balance the strictness of classical training with the flexibility today’s students demand?
O. S.: I understand that sometimes you need to be very delicate, because today’s students are a special category. I sincerely admire the teachers and students who, despite the fourth year of war, stay here and continue to study and teach with determination. And, what’s more, this September we welcomed a large group of students from China — that’s truly inspiring.
S. P.: What’s the reason behind this?
O. S.: In China, vocal performance is considered a prestigious field, and by the age of 18–20, young people already have well-developed voices. The Odesa Academy is well known there and valued for its traditions and strong teaching staff. We’re proud of our graduates who bring recognition to our Odesa vocal school on some of the world’s best opera stages. Today, this includes Oleksandr Tsymbalyuk (Germany), Vitalii Bilyi (Odesa), Maria Guleghina (Germany), Alla Rodina (USA), Anna Bondarenko (Austria), Stanislav Tsema (Germany), Tatyana Lysenko (Dnipro), Maria Tutkevych (Odesa), Oleksandra Domashchuk (Belgium), and many others. It doesn’t matter where they sing — what matters is that our students continue the profession and the traditions of the Odesa vocal school.
S. P.: Do your students go into pop music? And how do you feel about that?
O. S.: They do. And that’s absolutely normal. The most important thing is that they go through the training. Today, we have special programs — musical theatre, operetta, stage movement. We are not snobs. There’s just a line beyond which music stops being art and becomes a rhythmic form of impact. When everything is the same, everything in one beat — it’s as if someone is pounding on your nervous system. There are no feelings anymore, just crowd effect. That’s what I fear.
S. P.: What words would you say to your younger self — the student who was just beginning her journey in art? Is there something you’ve learned with experience?
O. S.: You know, I would tell myself just one thing: «Everything you gain with experience — give it to others». Because the point is not to keep it all inside, but to pass it on. To teach others to feel, to think, to believe, to search. And above all — to remain human. Especially in art.
S. P.: How would you describe the Ukrainian vocal school today? Does it have its own unique tradition?
O. S.: Absolutely, Ukrainian opera possesses a unique identity, and today we feel it more acutely than ever. Its foundation lies in the folk song — the voice of the nation, a living tradition passed down from generation to generation. Operatic culture in Ukraine was formed through a deep connection to this folk musical foundation, and that’s where its authenticity and strength come from.
The Odesa vocal school is part of this identity but has its own characteristics. European influence left a significant mark: opera in Odesa was born in an international atmosphere — among conductors, singers, and teachers from different countries. Today, the Ukrainian school has become a space of exchange: Odesa teachers work in Kyiv, and Kyiv teachers — in Odesa. This unification doesn’t erase differences; on the contrary, it strengthens and develops the national operatic tradition.
S. P.: Have there been moments in your life when you turned down a lucrative offer to stay true to yourself?
O. S.: Yes, there was such a moment. After a successful performance as the Queen of the Night in Poznań, I was offered the role of Tosca in Salzburg. The fee was enormous — enough to buy an apartment. But I have a coloratura soprano, not a dramatic voice. The répétiteur honestly told me: «You’ll manage it emotionally, but you’ll lose your voice». I hesitated for a long time, but in the end, I declined the offer. It was a difficult but the right decision.
S. P.: Have there been moments in your life when someone’s words became a source of support during difficult times?
O. S.: My support was my character and the desire to sing — no matter what. My parents were against it. My mother, who had a unique operatic voice and whose own vocal dream never came true, didn’t want me to follow the same path. She wouldn’t even listen when I sang. But I said my «yes». My father supported me: «Just sing». And later, a pivotal moment came when I met my piano professor — an outstanding pianist, musician, and pride of Odesa — Liudmyla Naumivna Ginzburg. She listened to my voice and supported my desire. She said, «You will absolutely sing. I believe in you!» And I never forgot that.
S. P.: What exactly did she give you?
O. S.: She taught me how to «paint» melodies on the piano — and I carried that into my singing performance. Can you imagine? Music can be drawn. The line of a melody — with the hand, with the imagination, with sound. How it moves: up, down, close — all of it can be visualized. That changed my way of thinking. I learned to see the voice.
S. P.: You are a jury member of the International Competition for Young Opera Singers at the Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. As a judge and teacher, what do you value most in a competition performance?
O. S.: Individuality. It includes everything: voice, presence, technique, emotional truth. If the performer is genuine — you feel it immediately. I remember a concert where a singer with an absolutely stunning voice performed. Her timbre was uniquely beautiful. The first piece — the audience was amazed. The second — people started to get bored. The third — the hall grew tired. Do you see? Everything was perfect, but all in the same tone, the same color. Without living breath.
Then a young man came on stage. His voice — fragile, thin. I was even surprised he managed to be in the theatre. But after two pieces, the audience couldn’t take their eyes off him. He conveyed every thought, every glance, every feeling. He lived through the music. And that was the truth. For that — bravo! You can’t fake it. Either you have it, or you don’t.
S. P.: This year, for the first time, the preliminary stage of the First International Opera Singers Competition Recitar Cantando is being held online. A completely new format. How do you view this change?
O. S.: It’s truly a new challenge, but one that reflects the times: we grew up offline, while students live in a world of gadgets. Everything is changing — perception, attention, hearing. But no device can transmit the timbral vibration, the resonance and brilliance of a voice — especially rich, powerful voices suffer; there’s distortion.
However, with a quality recording — in a good hall, from the right distance — you can still hear technical skill, range, and even emotional truth. And it allows more performers to be heard, especially from afar — that matters too. But of course, the most important part will happen here, in Odesa.
It’s a very important and responsible moment — the final and the gala concert of the competition will take place in Odesa. We await both participants and audiences, because this is not just an event, it is a cultural gesture of support. For the city, for Ukraine, for our artistic reputation.
S. P.: The charitable foundation Intellectual Capital and the Huxley project supported the International Competition for Young Opera Singers Recitar Cantando, which is taking place in Odesa. This is a very important initiative — both for the development of young talent and for Ukraine’s cultural image on the global stage.
O. S.: The very fact that the First International Opera Singers Competition is being held in Odesa, initiated by the theater’s leadership, is a major contribution to building interest in the opera genre and discovering new young voices. And when culture is supported not only by government structures but also by foundations, businesses, and projects that recognize the value of performing arts and opera as a whole — that gives hope.
I thank the foundation and the Huxley project for their understanding, participation, and support. For young artists, this is a chance to make themselves known; for Odesa — a major cultural event; and for Ukraine — a strong voice on the international stage. We hope the competition will reveal new names, give young singers the opportunity to be heard, and, of course, we very much want the level of participants to be high and inspiring. Because our future — vocal, cultural, professional — depends on it.
S. P.: Is winning competitions important? Or is it more about the journey — participation, growth, the push toward self-discovery?
O. S.: I always say: taking part in a competition is already a victory. It’s a form of mobilization. It’s an internal exam. It’s a stage of growing up. Today, competitions are like athletic tournaments. And you need very strong health, a steady nervous system, and inner resilience. That’s where many modern students struggle. Panic attacks, anxiety — we see it all and try to protect them as if they were our own children.
S. P.: And how do you personally cope with emotional stress and difficult moments? Do you have a ritual of your own?
O. S.: I have one ritual — prayer. Prayer is my silence, my inner island. It’s where I go in any situation: joyful, tragic, hopeless. My life hasn’t been easy, I’ve experienced many losses, many loved ones have passed. But it’s there, in prayer, that I find myself.
S. P.: What are your thoughts on holding a sacred music festival in Odesa? How close is this theme to you — both professionally and personally?
O. S.: Very close. And I believe that such a festival is more necessary now than ever. For young people, who may not yet fully understand what faith is — it’s a way to touch the light. To feel hope. To sense that we are only guests here. That the soul is something that needs release. I teach my students to believe: everything will fall into place for them. That’s the foundation. Without faith, you can’t step on stage. And you won’t stay in the profession.
S. P.: In times of war and instability, we may be seeing for the first time how the voice — both literally and metaphorically — can be a weapon.
O. S.: The voice is energy. It is true. When my student, a People’s Artist of Ukraine, sings in the trenches for soldiers — it has power. It’s not background, not a gadget. It’s sound, word, feeling — face to face, heart to heart, soul to soul. It’s a weapon of the spirit. It heals, inspires, protects. Voices, words truly affect the soul of every person, whether they’re in a trench or sitting in a concert hall.
S. P.: If today’s Ukraine could be described with an image or a metaphor, what words would you choose?
O. S.: Richness, talent, freedom.
S. P.: Is there a work of literature or film that resonates with the current moment? Perhaps something you’ve performed?
O. S.: Bohdana Filts — a talented Ukrainian composer — set to music the words of the poet Lina Kostenko in a romance: «It’s not time that passes, it’s us who pass. And time — it only beats the rhythm. Time is not minutes. Time is centuries and eternity… Time is the great conductor, Turning pages on the music stand!»
S. P.: You love your city very much. What would you change in Odesa? What do you dream of for it?
O. S.: First of all, I dream that everything that has been built will be preserved as cultural heritage. And secondly, that Odesa will always remain open, laughing, loving, passionate, and musical.
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