Meet the musicians: Victoria Randem
interview
L
Live Klassisk4 min read|27. July 2024
Welcome to our interview relay with musicians from the classical music scene! Today we are delighted to introduce Victoria Randem. She works as a soprano. Here she shares her thoughts on classical music and recommends upcoming concerts for both new and experienced concertgoers!
Name, voice type and profession?
Victoria Randem, soprano, has just ended her contract as a permanent soloist at Berliner Staatsoper, now freelance.
What are you working on at the moment?
A long summer holiday for the first time in a very long time :)
Most overrated composer or piece?
Hmmm.. difficult question! Maybe the Ketchup Song. (But it is a guilty pleasure)
And at the other end... which music should everyone really get to experience?
Ravel - Introduction & Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String Quartet
Your most recent great concert experience - what made it so special?
I must mention my debut as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro at the Staatsoper in Berlin as one of the greatest highlights of last season. This was special because it is the biggest role I have done so far, and it was also the role I did as a student at KHIO together with Emil Næshagen as Figaro . Unfortunately he is no longer with us, but he was with me the whole time on stage in Berlin.
Which living composer inspires you most, and why?
Unfortunately I don't sing much music by living composers... But I was lucky enough to do “Sleepless” by the Hungarian Peter Eotvös, who sadly died earlier this year. It was a very special experience to work closely with the composer and the conductor of the piece we performed.
And he also simply wrote incredibly beautiful music, especially for my voice.
Can you recall a single event or experience that made you want to commit to becoming a musician?
I sang in the Opera's Children's Choir in Oslo from the age of 5. I remember we did Bizet's Carmen and Marita Sølberg sang Micaela. It was so incredibly beautiful that I realised I wanted to do it too.
Another event was when my mum gave me a CD by Destiny's Child. Incredibly good music and beautiful women who looked like me. I had never seen that before... And I saw that it was entirely possible for me to do it too if I wanted to.
Do you have any role models? Has anyone been especially motivating or inspiring to you?
Among Norwegian singers, Solveig Kringlebotn and Marita Sølberg have been great sources of inspiration for me. Solveig was my singing teacher for many years and Marita has been a mentor and friend. Among international opera singers I am a big fan of Asmik Grigoran and Angel Blue and my current teacher Abbie Furmansky. In the pop world Beyonce is definitely the queen.
What does a typical practice day look like for you as a singer?
I practise a bit all the time, whether it's memorising text while walking around outside or listening to the songs I have to learn. But when I have to work technically I set aside several hours just to sing. If I have to sing a long and demanding role, I often do this every day with a pianist, many weeks in advance.
In your opinion, what is the biggest difference between performing as a singer and being an instrumentalist?
I played the cello for many years, which was an incredibly fine experience. In my opinion it is the finest string instrument and the one that most resembles the human voice. But what I always felt was missing was being able to tell the story behind the music with words and also being able to move. As a singer I get that opportunity to a much greater extent. I'd say the biggest difference lies there.
What do you experience as the biggest challenges of being a singer?
Getting ill or catching a cold before a concert or performance is always a danger and can ruin things. This is a big fear and challenge for us. So you have to take your cod liver oil and stay in shape!
And what is the best thing about being a singer?
Getting to sing, of course! Getting to share the joy and the music with others. It is the ultimate win-win situation. We are storytellers and it is a fantastic feeling to be on stage.
Do you have any advice for “new listeners” who are curious about classical music and don't go to concerts very often?
Have an open mind and don't take it too seriously.
Any upcoming concerts you would recommend?
I will be singing with Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester on 22 August - a whole evening of Grieg. It is some of the most beautiful and romantic music there is. I'm enormously looking forward to it and recommend everyone to come. It is free entry and open air.
Finally - who would you like to challenge to take over the baton?
I would like to nominate the pianist Stefan Zlatanos!
22. Aug
19:00 | 2024
Nygårdsparken
Bergen
Ingunn Korsgård Hagen
,Victoria Randem
,Finn Tokvam
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