Considered to be one of the most celebrated sopranos of our time, Sonya Yoncheva has a vast repertoire. She invited Musica behind the scenes to witness the action.
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00:00 [ Music ]
00:06 >> Musica is proudly presented by Rolex.
00:10 [ Music ]
00:12 >> She's one of the greatest sopranos of our time
00:15 who passionately embodies all of her roles, Sonia Yoncheva.
00:20 >> I think that for an artist it's always important
00:23 to push the limits and to always search and seek for new parts.
00:29 >> The Bulgarian soprano is taking on two challenging roles
00:33 in Milan and Vienna.
00:34 So how does the superstar of opera make a new role her own?
00:39 Sonia Yoncheva takes us behind the scenes.
00:42 [ Music ]
00:48 The journey to a role debut.
00:51 [ Music ]
01:07 >> It's so beautiful this introduction, right?
01:12 [ Music ]
01:29 I learned my scores pretty much alone.
01:33 I like these processes.
01:35 You know, I go in my little studio, I play the score.
01:38 It helps me a lot to play the score on the piano
01:41 and it's a very intimate moment because I can basically decide
01:45 and try different colors, you know.
01:48 [ Music ]
02:14 She has nothing, nothing to lose
02:16 because she's saying I'm bringing the bad luck
02:19 to everyone who is loving me and this is very strong.
02:23 >> Another tragic heroine brought to life by Sonia Yoncheva,
02:28 Madalena in the opera Andrei Ashenye.
02:31 The Bulgarian star soprano prepares for this role debut
02:34 at the legendary opera house, La Scala.
02:37 [ Music ]
02:40 Two weeks before the premiere, she's immersed
02:42 in an intensive rehearsal schedule.
02:45 Today is the Sitzprobe, a German term for a seated rehearsal.
02:50 It's an important piece of the puzzle.
02:53 [ Foreign Language ]
03:16 [ Music ]
03:27 >> It's very important for all of us because, you know,
03:30 when you are on stage and you see the orchestra down there
03:34 with the maestro, you never can have the same contact as if you go
03:38 in studio and you put the different colors and different,
03:42 you know, way of breathing together.
03:45 We're in kind of a safe place so we can basically allow each other
03:50 to be wrong sometimes and not be perfect
03:53 and this is very important rehearsal.
03:56 [ Music ]
04:21 [ Foreign Language ]
04:27 >> The next step is the stage rehearsals where the singers get
04:32 to know the set and practice their entrances and exits.
04:36 [ Music ]
04:40 The sweeping drama tells the story of the revolutionary poet,
04:44 Andrei Ashenye, who falls in love with Madalena.
04:47 But their love is doomed with a devastating ending.
04:51 [ Foreign Language ]
04:55 >> So now I'm still working on the character
04:57 because for me it's a brand new piece.
04:59 But what I can tell you is that I'm really impressed by her way
05:04 of loving, you know, this pure love that she's totally given
05:10 to this man and she loves him with all her heart.
05:12 And then at the end of the opera we will see
05:15 that she basically chose to not live without him.
05:18 So she's dying with him even if she was not supposed to.
05:21 [ Music ]
05:28 >> In 1896 the Italian composer Umberto Giordano premiered his
05:33 masterpiece with great success at La Scala,
05:36 one of the world's most prestigious opera houses
05:38 where all the greatest singers have left their mark.
05:41 [ Music ]
05:45 It also holds a special place in Sonia's heart.
05:48 It's here where she won the famous singing competition
05:52 Opera Aria, which shot her to stardom in 2010.
05:55 [ Music ]
06:15 Today she is among the most celebrated sopranos
06:19 of our time singing a vast repertoire.
06:22 It's the night of the premiere for Sonia,
06:24 the calm before the storm.
06:26 >> I feel very impatient.
06:29 Since the morning I want to go on stage and do it,
06:31 finish and then have free time.
06:35 Because it's a lot of pressure obviously building a character
06:38 and doing it for first time, especially in places
06:41 like La Scala, you know.
06:43 I think that everyone basically heard all the versions
06:45 of this opera for so many other singers.
06:48 So you need to show it something new and bright and nice.
06:52 [ Music ]
07:04 [ Music ]
07:26 [ Applause ]
07:32 [ Background noise ]
07:34 >> A few weeks later, Sonia Juncheva is still performing
07:38 in Milan and preparing for her next endeavor, a pinnacle role
07:43 of the soprano repertoire, Puccini's "Madama Butterfly".
07:47 To immerse herself in the history
07:50 of this challenging role and find inspiration,
07:53 she visits the Ricordi Archive
07:55 where the rich heritage is kept alive.
07:58 It's considered the most important collection
08:00 of Italian opera history, 200 years of music
08:03 from Verdi to Rossini and Puccini.
08:06 >> The collection of Puccini is probably the most rich
08:10 and comprehensive.
08:11 We have the autograph scores but we also have the designs
08:15 of the costume and the scenographies,
08:19 often of the world premieres of his own operas.
08:22 So we are really able to rebuild the making
08:26 of of these masterpieces.
08:29 [ Music ]
08:38 [ Foreign Language ]
08:44 [ Music ]
08:47 [ Foreign Language ]
09:03 [ Foreign Language ]
09:22 >> This is very interesting for me to see also the notes
09:26 of the composer that he says how should I be on stage, you know.
09:30 Now I have a really big, how to say,
09:33 weapon with the stage directors.
09:36 Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
09:38 Puccini said so.
09:41 [ Music ]
09:57 >> This part is one of the defining roles of opera.
10:02 [ Music ]
10:11 >> From Milan to Vienna, Sonia is on the road
10:14 to become Geisha Chocho-san in this devastating tragedy.
10:19 It's one of opera's most enduring tales of unrequited love.
10:24 [ Music ]
10:36 >> It's very hard for me to hide the tears when I'm reading
10:39 and studying this.
10:40 I tried to sing it many times at home
10:42 and it was really impressive how much emotion there is.
10:47 [ Music ]
10:54 >> She's extremely fragile emotionally
10:57 but at the same time incredibly strong.
11:00 [ Music ]
11:06 >> What I adore in her is that when she says something,
11:11 she really does it.
11:12 And when she believes in something,
11:15 she really believes in it.
11:17 [ Music ]
11:25 >> I think that for an artist it's always important
11:28 to push the limits and to always search and seek for new parts.
11:33 They give me new colors.
11:35 It's amazing.
11:37 [ Music ]
11:56 >> Musica was proudly presented by Rolex.