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Magdalena, you're a devil!

Article Excerpt
I doubt that I need to introduce MAGDALENA KOZENA to anyone. She is the most successful Czech musician in the world and records at least two CDs annually for a top company, something her competitors must certainly envy here in the current crisis of the recording industry. In the late summer she brought out a French album, she triumphed at the Prague Castle at the Strings of Autumn Festival, in November she made her debut at the New York Met, in January she will be singing in the Carnegie Hall, next year there will be two new recording projects and on the 2nd of June she should be having a recital at the Prague Spring. Shortly before her departure from the Czech Republic she gave us an interview.

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At your September concert in Prague Castle the French ambassador presented you with a high state honour of the French Republic. How does it feel to be a Chevalier de l'Art?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I can't quite get used to it, and I was very much surprised, because these sorts of medals are given for lifelong achievements. Well, perhaps not always, since I was told that I was the youngest knight. Since one can't speak of lifelong achievements in my case, for me it mainly means an obligation to do even more in the future. Perhaps they partly gave it in the hope that I will carry on in the right direction.

You have a close relationship with France not only because your husband is French but also because of your affinity for French culture. What part did that play when you decided on the form of your last project, which is completely French from repertoire to conductor?

It was a combination of several things. In the past I have done a lot of French music, mainly songs, and have tried to penetrate the mysteries of the French language. For several years now I have been working with Marc Minkowski and I have many friends in France. I and the people from Deutsche Grammophon agreed that since the previous disc had been as it were a "Prague" collection, then this one could be French; it is music that suits me and I wanted to devote even more time to French music than before.

Was it clear from the beginning that you would work with Marc Minkowski?

Well, as you know, they (Note: the management of Deutsche Grammophon) try to ensure that one recording of mine with orchestra comes out every year. It's more expensive, but it sells better than smaller scale work. And so when it was clear what kind of album this one was going to be, Marc Minkowski was the only possible conductor.

You've already worked on several wonderful projects with Minkowski, and he must be a good friend of yours, but he is a conductor, after all, and conductors like to dominate ...

I was a little worried about that, because like every conductor he has his own ego and accompanying a singer on a recording isn't something pleasant for a conductor, because he simply has to keep in the background. Then the best that people say about it is that the conductor has supported the soloist well, and that's usually all. At that point every good conductor has the feeling that life is short and...

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