Ksenia Nesterenko is big. Ksenia Nesterenko: “There is no secret – just work, work and more work”

- How has your life changed after winning the “Big Opera” television project?
- When I came to Saratov before, I took a break from the Opera, from the people who filmed me and interviewed me. But now it’s the other way around: it ended there, but it started here. Here everything is perceived as if I won Eurovision! People's attitudes have changed. Some people, who seem to have nothing to do with this at all, are very offended by “why not us, why her?!”

- By the way, how did your participation in the television project begin?
- It started without my participation. My teacher Arkady Vladimirovich Filippov even sent the application for me. When I found out, I was taken aback, but I thought that I still wouldn’t pass. And two weeks later they called me from the Kultura TV channel and said that I had passed the preliminary audition and should come to the casting. The teacher said: “okay, go and hang out.” Seventy people gathered there, chosen from one and a half thousand. And from them 12 participants were selected.

- What can and cannot be done as a professional vocalist?
- Everything is possible and nothing is impossible. For example, I don’t drink alcohol at all, but some, on the contrary, “50 grams - and go on stage!” Ideally, you need to maintain a vocal regime, two days before a serious performance - not only not to sing, but also to remain silent altogether. How to communicate? Write SMS or carry a notebook with you. Do not be nervous…

- Do you manage to not be nervous?
- At the last programs of the Bolshoi Opera, my nerves were already giving way. Behind the scenes of the 11th issue, I was so driven that I couldn’t think about anything else. I came out, embarrassed myself, sang wrong, didn’t answer the question, and I still can’t forget.

- In those moments when you are not a singer, you?..
- Choir conductor, C student. I am also a loving daughter, a loving wife... for a week now, it seems! This is already oh-ho-ho! I've wanted to get married for a long time.
I want a big family, many children. At the same time, I see myself in the opera industry. And this should be organically intertwined with the family. I’ve been telling my mother about this since I was ten years old.

- Are you aware that the Internet is discussing the connection between your victory and your relationship with the Bolshoi Theater soloist Evgeny Evgenievich Nesterenko?
- My dad told us since childhood that the outstanding bass Evgeniy Evgenievich is our relative. Then, when we became older and I went into the musical environment, I found out that he was my great-uncle. In our family we honor and respect him, but there was no further discussion on this topic. In general, at the conservatory we have a saying that according to Evgeniy Evgenievich you can study vocal art. Because he sings everything so correctly that his videos can be used as a teaching aid. I have never seen a singer with a more correct voice production, with a more pronounced technique. In general, there are family ties, but I don’t impose my kinship.

- Do you know how to win people over?
- It does not always work. I am a very peace-loving person, I hate scandals. But if people don’t immediately win you over, then I don’t love you forever. Here I’m all like my mother, like a locomotive - once I start, you can’t stop it.

- What is the role of family in the life of Ksenia the artist?
If it weren't for my family, I wouldn't even get into music. I have an older sister - a person who encouraged me by her example. I went first to ballet, then to piano, because I wanted to be like Lisa. And my mom and dad constantly supported me. Therefore, at the music school I received four musical educations: ballet, piano, academic vocals and solo and choral folk singing.

- Have you been in music all your life? Didn’t even have time to misbehave in the yard?
- I made it, how! In between classes at music school. It was an ordinary post-Soviet childhood, I managed to play hide and seek, “war games”, and “Cossacks-robbers”.

- What would you like to radically change?
- I would like to bring more justice to all areas. Because now there are a lot of custom-made things that simply should not exist in some areas. And this is very disturbing, it does not give way to young and strong people who could and would like to achieve a lot.

According to users of social networks Facebook and Instagram, she became the first winner of the #BrightestImage of the Program competition. Today Ksenia answered questions that our TV viewers and readers left in the comments to her photo.

@Moresalvatore: How old are you and where did you study? And from whom?
- I am 19 years old. I am a fourth-year student at the Saratov State Conservatory named after L.V. Sobinov at the faculty of secondary vocational education of the conducting and choral department. My vocal teacher is Arkady Vladimirovich Filippov, my conducting teacher is Aneta Viktorovna Nikolaeva.

@marie_barakova: It would be interesting to hear about the time when your talent began to be discovered.
- My mother was the first to understand that I would be a singer, as soon as I was born and cried (laughs). And I myself thought about this, probably when I was 5 years old, when the time came to decide which school to go to and what to do outside of school. At first I was sent to choreography, but then music happened, with which we have been inseparable since then. While still a schoolgirl, I took part in the Lydia Ruslanova Competition in my native Saratov, competing with very strong vocalists. Perhaps it was at that moment that I realized that there was something in me.

@Amodonna: Ksyusha, you are a great fellow. All the support is for you)) And I have a question about the piano on the top notes. Is it naturally so beautiful or is it all created?)))
- My piano is entirely the merit of my teacher and the result of our many years of work. At first, nothing worked for me at all; something began to appear only a few months ago. Therefore, there is no secret or gift of nature here - only work, work and more work.

@Fufikc: How many hours a day do you practice vocals? And in what mode do you generally live? Very interesting! Thank you!)
- I work out in different ways, I can do nothing at all, or I can sing for 3 hours straight. My mode is to get up and run, I don’t sit still. In general, I’m terribly lazy (laughs).

@annabazhan: Ksenia, what do you strive for in life? What is the goal in creativity? What stimulates creativity? At what point do you experience the greatest happiness? Besides vocals, what gives you joy in life?
- In life I strive for a large family, and in creativity - for a successful career. A successful career for me is, firstly, recognition of myself as a worthy vocalist and theater actress, and secondly, recognition of the public, of course. I want the audience to listen to me and hear what I'm trying to convey to them. This is probably the most important goal and dream when it comes to creativity and profession.
When I fail at something, I ask myself: do you want to throw all these years of study into the trash? This is where the second wind kicks in, a stimulus appears. After all, I’ve been singing for so many years, studying music, and I won’t just give up on it!
Everything that happens in my life gives me joy. Even the negative points. They make it possible to understand that I am a living person. If I find myself in contrasting situations, then that’s also good, it means that I’m not living in vain. I am a public person, I am starting to get used to it, to be grateful to the Almighty.

@kartinka_81: I really enjoyed your performance! You are a gentle beauty with an amazing voice and charisma! Do you play sports, how do you spend your free time? What types of art do you like? Do you attend art exhibitions?
- My relationship with sports resembles a drawing of a cardiogram. At some point, I light up, the desire appears to go to the fitness club, do exercises, and then I suddenly burn out, and I no longer need anything - again my favorite sofa, blanket and cats. I have very little free time, but when I have a minute, I can afford to go for walks. I love ballet and rhythmic gymnastics, I love watching figure skating. I love painting, I visit exhibitions, but rarely. In Moscow I really want to go to the Tretyakov Gallery.

@kama.urman:Ksenia, have you ever had any doubts that you have chosen the right path, or thoughts of trying yourself in another profession? (If so, what did you want to do?) How much competition is there on the project and in the opera profession in general?
- Yes, such thoughts come to me. When something doesn’t work out again, I think: did I go there? But these thoughts quickly disappear, and everything returns to normal. In the 9th grade, I wanted to go to study as a philologist, because I love the Russian language and literature. And also, this may seem strange, I would like to try myself as a surgeon.
We are all strong and talented on the project. I don't think that we are rivals, we are allies. Therefore, there are no competitors here and cannot be. We communicate very well. In general, in my life I don’t search for competitors. I'm not interested. I am engaged in self-development, and competition is something at the level of natural selection.

mordashka13: Which opera heroine is close to you in spirit? What is your dream party?
darya_kulinkovich: Which vocal parts do you like to perform more: those that are close to your inner world or, on the contrary, as opposed to those that are completely out of character? Which of the performed parts is the most unusual and requires the most emotional transformation?
- Of course, I like games that are close to my inner world. For example, in the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” I really love the role of Lyudmila. She is so lively and playful, especially when performed by Anna Netrebko. I enjoy performing Antonida from A Life for the Tsar. In general, I love Glinka. I also like Violetta Valerie from La Traviata. A beautiful character and despite her ancient profession, she is very noble. Her part is amazing!
I don’t like the part of Lauretta (“Gianni Schicchi”), I don’t feel right in it at all. I can’t understand Mimi from La Bohème and don’t see myself in this role. Although these two parts suit me very well in terms of voice, and the teacher is trying to convince me that this is mine.

@angelina_from_heaven: Which party for Ksenia is closest to her soul, her heart? And is there an image/role that she is not yet ready to try on, but dreams about it)? Thank you).
- The dream part, which does not suit my natural voice at all, is Vanya from “Ivan Susanin”, and also the Countess from “The Queen of Spades”. I absolutely love these images, I want to try them on, but it’s not my destiny (laughs).

@ koshka.iris: Ksenia, what helps you fight anxiety before going on stage?
- I don't have a recipe. I'm always nervous and have a lot of stage fright.

@Torbirun: Do you believe in superstitions and omens, and if so, which ones?
- I never look in a broken mirror. If a black cat crosses the road, I go back. If I spill salt, I cover it with sugar, collect it with a wet cloth and wash it off under water. And if I forget something and return home, I make sure to look in the mirror. It turns out that I am a superstitious person (laughs). I also have my own sign. When I miss classes, I always meet all my teachers that day.

@Elenakess: A trivial question: If you were allowed to take one book to a desert island... Which one?
- A book that I haven’t read, preferably a thick one, in several volumes. For example, “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”, to occupy your head with something and not get bored alone.

@valery_kambalin: Hello, Ksenia! Do you like the work of Lyubov Kazarnovskaya? And who are you - a singing actress or an acting singer? ;-)
- I am not familiar enough with the work of Lyubov Kazarnovskaya to judge it.
I'm still learning and can't answer this question definitively. A singer must be able to do everything: sing, play, and dance.

@glebati_art: How do you imagine an ideal singer? Which singers best satisfy this ideal, in your opinion?
- For me, the ideal opera singer is someone who knows her voice perfectly and knows how to handle it correctly, who can dance and make you laugh, who competently combines everything and doesn’t overdo it. I like the work of Anna Netrebko, Maria Callas, Christina Deutekom, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, as well as my grandfather Evgeniy Evgenievich Nesterenko.

@mary_from_december: Based on personal experience, tell me how to instill in a child a love of opera without harming the psyche of the child himself, his parents and neighbors in the auditorium? Thank you in advance)
- I think opera is not a children's art. In order to understand it correctly and begin to treat it positively or negatively, you need to grow up. I myself didn’t come to opera right away. My first experience - “Sadko” - was unsuccessful: I didn’t like the opera at all. Then I began to attend other productions, began to get to the bottom of things, to understand what and how they sing. From the age of 10 I listened to Anna Netrebko and Galina Kovaleva and imitated them. I think a child should be gradually accustomed to good music, introduced to different performers, and be sure to instill in him good taste.

Results of the competition #The Brightest Image of the Program

Ksenia chose two questions that she liked a little more than others: about the role/image that she is not yet ready to try on, but dreams of it, and about how to instill in a child a love of opera. We congratulate the authors - @angelina_from_heaven and @mary_from_december - on winning the competition and give them gifts from our partners - the perfume and cosmetics company Giorgio Armani Beauty and the brand of professional hair products MATRIX.

Young, talented, beautiful and very purposeful - this is how you can describe the rising Saratov opera diva in a few words. The owner of one of the lightest and most agile female voices - lyric soprano - Ksenia Nesterenko is only 19 years old. Despite her youth, the student of the Faculty of Secondary Special Education of the Saratov Conservatory has dozens of prestigious competitions and awards under her belt. Since October of this year, our countrywoman has been testing her strength in the popular TV project “Big Opera” on the “Culture” TV channel and not only tested, but became its finalist. Famous professional theater artists from Russia and the near abroad competed for the title of the best. From the first performances, Ksenia’s beautiful voice, like the shimmer of nightingale trills, became the favorite in terms of the number of praises from the jury. Even the piano on the top notes is easy and natural for our countrywoman. However, as the girl admits, this is not a natural talent, but the result of a lot of hard work.

Listening to Ksenia Nesterenko and looking at her is a real pleasure. "Big Opera" is, first of all, a very beautiful project. Luxurious outfits and amazing performances of the best opera arias in the world - all this looks like a fairy tale. It’s hard to believe that after the performances, the fairy-tale princess Ksenia turns into an ordinary Saratov student who easily gets lost in the crowd of classmates. It is not surprising that most Saratov residents know practically nothing about the successes of our countrywoman. The "Big Opera" project is not very well known in the regions. And it's a little offensive. For example, the finalist from Belarus, tenor Yuri Gorodetsky, is almost a national hero in his native country. Although there are advantages to this situation. Ksenia Nesterenko does not suffer from star fever.

The girl has had a love for quality music since childhood. She never listened to pop music, but she knew the parts of her idols Anna Netrebko and Olga Peretyatko by heart.

Everyone in Ksenia’s family loves to sing. And although her parents were not able to do what they loved professionally (Ksenia’s mother is an economist), there are also opera stars in their family. They say that her paternal relative is the famous opera singer, teacher at the Vienna Academy of Music, Evgeniy Nesterenko, who is called the second Chaliapin.

Grand opera

A student of the Engels School of Arts in 4 classes - piano, ballet, folklore and academic vocal - Ksenia Nesterenko continued her studies at the choral conducting department at the Faculty of Special Education of the Sobinov State Conservatory.

I wanted to study vocals, but my mother and my choral singing teacher convinced me that it was dangerous for my voice, says Ksenia. – Previously, people were admitted to the conservatory from the age of 18, so as not to injure the ligaments. And yet vocals for me are the main part of my career.

Even before entering the music school, Ksyusha spent hours listening to the recordings of Galina Kovaleva and Anna Netrebko and independently tried to create her own voice. But the main note in Ksenia’s vocal experiments was introduced by her vocal teacher Arkady Filippov. Within a few months, Nesterenko took 1st place at a prestigious music competition. It was Arkady Filippov who sent the recordings of his talented student to the “Big Opera” project. The abilities of the student at the Saratov Music College amazed the most experienced masters of opera, and she was invited to the casting.

Let us remind you that the next season of the “Big Opera” project started in October on the “Culture” TV channel. Today, this is the only professional television competition for young opera singers in Russia, which, in essence, is an opera “Star Factory”. The main goal of the project is to discover new names of talented vocalists and attract Russians to big opera.

The contestants' program includes the most famous arias and duets from classical Russian, Western European, Soviet works, as well as duets from popular musicals and operettas. Moreover, all foreign works are performed in the original language.

This year, about 1,500 young performers from Russia and neighboring countries applied to participate in the Bolshoi Opera. The jury selected only 12 people. These are professional and titled theater artists. Among them was our young fellow countrywoman Ksenia Nesterenko. Her voice abilities were highly appreciated by Dmitry Bertman, director and artistic director of the Moscow Musical Theater "Helikon-Opera" and part-time one of the jury members.

Starting from the second broadcast, the contestant with the lowest number of points leaves the project, explains Ksenia. – Arkady Vladimirovich and I assumed that I would reach the 2nd, well, at most, the 3rd round, and we prepared only two programs. But I gained points and moved on.

The judges were struck not only by the talents of the Saratov student, but also by the amazing professional calm with which she appeared on stage under the guns of dozens of television cameras. However, Ksenia herself admits that she has emotions, she just manages to hide them.

JV Help ___
Ksenia Nesterenko was born in Engels. Laureate of the 1st degree of the VII regional festival-competition “The Path to Success” (Saratov, 2014) Laureate of the 3rd degree of the 4th international competition-festival “Spring Chime” (Saratov, 2014) Laureate of the 1st degree of the international competition-festival “On the Wings of Talent” (Saratov, 2014) Winner of the Grand Prix and the title “Prima opera” of the international competition-festival “Chorus Inside” (Budapest, 2015). He performs at the Saratov Conservatory solo, as well as with various groups and musicians.

The hardest thing for me is waiting to go on stage,” she says. – Excitement can affect the voice, I am a very strong person and know how not to show it.

Getting an education is my goal!

Like every TV project, The Big Opera is fraught with many difficulties that the audience is not aware of. It happens that the recording of programs lasts until late at night, but the artists, despite the fatigue, need to look and sing “excellent”. The approval of the jury added strength to our fellow countrywoman. The judges of the "Bolshoi Opera - 2016" together with Dmitry Bertman included Romanian opera singer Nelly Mirichoiu, Belgian tenor Axel Eiveraert and Honored Artist of Russia Marina Meshcheryakova. The project is led by Sati Spivakova and Andrejs Žagros.

In the 9th edition of the project, Ksenia performed the most complex aria “Norma “Casta diva” from Bellini’s opera of the same name, and for the first time the jury reproached her for making the wrong choice. For this work, the young girl does not yet have enough experience and age.

I sang this aria two years ago at a competition in Hungary and then received the Grand Prix,” says Ksenia. – That’s why I took on, as it seemed to me, proven material. The compressed and strict conditions of the project do not allow the program to be adjusted. We didn’t even have time to apply the recommendations that I received from the jury. But I tried. I learned Antonida's aria from "A Life for the Tsar" in two weeks, and Juliet's waltz in 3 hours.

Ksenia’s light and airy Juliet once again made her the jury’s favorite. Thus, our countrywoman reached the finals of the project, where she became the youngest and only representative of the fairer sex and, moreover, the only Russian woman.

For the finale, Ksenia, together with Arkady Filippov, prepared an ideal program for the young performer - an opera hit - Juliet's romance from Bellini's opera "The Montagues and the Capulets" - and the Snow Maiden's arietta from Rimsky-Korsakov's opera of the same name.

In the hall of the capital's Bolshoi Theater, where the project was completed, our countrywoman was supported by her mother and fiance. By the way, mother Elena Viktorovna is Ksenia’s main ideological inspirer and PR person from the very beginning of the project.

The final gala concert was supposed to be broadcast live on December 26, but due to mourning for those killed on the Russian TU-154 plane, the live broadcast was canceled. The concert program has also changed. Maestro Vladimir Spivakov began the evening with a minute of silence, after which “Lacrimosa” was played. Opera diva Khibla Germzava performed for the audience. Behind the scenes, Khibla admitted that she admires the “Big Opera” and really sympathizes with Ksenia Nesterenko

Wonderful girl! This is my energy! This is the purest fontanel that will sound for many, many years to come. God grant her good luck!” said the singer.

Let us remind you that SMS voting ended on December 26th. On Tuesday morning it became known that our Ksenia Nesterenko became the winner. Viewers saw the finale of the project in the recording on November 27. By the way, while the audience was choosing the winner of the Bolshoi Opera, our fellow countrywoman managed to star with master Vladimir Spivakov in the New Year's Blue Light on the Culture channel.

In creative harmony

The young opera diva will spend the winter holidays with her family in Engels. Now Ksenia is preparing for the wedding. Her chosen one is the young artist of the Saratov Opera Theater Andrei Potaturin. By the way, after the success of his other half at the Bolshoi Opera, he is also thinking about participating in the project. Student Nesterenko’s winter session is just around the corner, where she will also have to work hard, so the girl’s rest will not be long.

Despite the fact that opera masters unanimously recommended Ksenia to participate in the most prestigious international opera competitions, she herself believes that she still has a lot to learn from Saratov teachers. Marina Meshcheryakova advised Ksenia to build her career in accordance with the repertoire suitable for her voice and age. The winner of the project has already decided to enter the conservatory and dreams of further conquering the opera stage.

There are a great number of soprano owners, and to achieve success, you need to put in an incredible amount of effort. – Therefore, my primary goal today is to get a decent musical education, and then I’m ready to work hard! I don't dream, I set goals for myself! Of course, I have purely feminine dreams of a large and friendly family, for example. I don’t know what will happen in my career, but I’m ready to work hard and look for my repertoire. As Axel Eiveraert told me: “It’s better to sing the right arias at La Scala than the wrong ones in the bathtub.” The ideal of an opera singer is a performer who knows her voice perfectly and knows how to handle it correctly, who can dance and make people laugh, but does not lose creative harmony.