When conductor Vladimir Verbitsky and his wife Nelly are met
at the Perth airport their first question is what is news? The car trip to the
hotel is spent catching up on the orchestra gossip – who are the new players,
has anyone had a baby?
After twenty-five years of commuting between Russia and
Perth the Verbitsky’s say the WA Symphony Orchestra feel like family. This
month the orchestra will celebrate their relationship with Verbitsky with a
gala concert recreating his first appearance with them in 1987. Verbitsky was
invited to conduct the orchestra after touring Australia with the USSR State
Symphony Orchestra in 1986.
“It was unforgettable, my first two or three visits to
Perth,” Verbitsky says with a husky Russian accent. “It was every time a present,
something special, like a festival. I found this orchestra special - I don’t
know why. It is a beautiful city and there are beautiful people in the
orchestra.”
“The orchestra probably like me too,” he adds with a twinkle
in his blue eyes. “They invited me to be guest conductor and they gave me
status of conductor laureate.”
With his impressive physique, blonde hair and heartfelt
broken English, Verbitsky has become a much-loved figure with orchestra and
audience alike. He became the orchestra’s principal guest conductor in 1992 and
conductor laureate in 1998. In 2009 he became an Australian citizen in a unique
public ceremony held with the orchestra at the Perth Concert Hall.
The Verbitsky’s own an apartment in Perth but it is being
tenanted so they are dropped off at a hotel. They will be in Perth for six
weeks, which will include a concert with the WA Youth Orchestra and two
concerts with WASO. If there is time Vladimir will try to visit an art
exhibition, “I love painting very much, I think it is very close to music”, and
do some fishing, “for me the best way to relax”.
Over the decades Verbitsky has introduced to WA the jewels
of Russian repertoire and countless Russian soloists. He has seen many changes
at WASO including three chief conductors come and go.
“The level of the orchestra has extraordinarily changed. Twenty-five
years ago it was a very good orchestra, now it is a really fantastic orchestra.
It is a professional orchestra on a world scale.”
Verbitsky began his career working as assistant to Yevgeny
Mravinsky, the renowned conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic.
“It was one of the best orchestras around the world in his
time,” remembers Verbitsky, who was a graduate of the St Petersburg
Conservatory. “I was the only one allowed in rehearsals and I learnt his
precise style, his technical skills. It was a great method.”
Mrvainsky conducted the Leningrad Philharmonic for fifty
years, an achievement matched by only five other conductors worldwide.
Verbitsky has inherited his mentor’s loyalty (he has been chief conductor of
the Voronezh Philharmonic Orchestra for forty years), fastidious rehearsal
technique and fondness for dynamic extremes.
Percussionist Tim White has been in the orchestra since
Verbitsky’s first rehearsal, where the translator stepped aside and let
Verbitsky’s baton and expressive face do the communicating.
“Rehearsals are slow, meticulous, demanding and
astonishingly thorough,” White says. “He often asks us for extreme softness in
rehearsals – our lower strings sometimes just pretend to play! When we next
play the piece Vladimir’s interpretation of it has stayed with us. Vladimir has
shaped the sound and musicianship of WASO more than any other conductor in its
history.”
Verbitsky’s passionate conducting is legendary. After the
technical rigour of rehearsals the concerts are about communicating emotion and
the effect is dazzling, full of energy and surprises.
“I love this orchestra very much,” Verbitsky says. “I feel a
very good support and response and I feel with every concert very satisfied.”
The night of the concert involves a special regime. Nelly (a
retired professor of mathematics who now acts as general manager to her
husband) will cook a special meal.
“He likes fish before the concert. And two hours after the
concert he is very hungry and has a big meal. The orchestra give a special
treat; after the concert they bring a dozen fresh oysters to his room.”
Will they keep coming back?
Nelly looks at me in surprise. “Conductor laureate means the
orchestra are for life. Yes we will keep coming back!”
Vladimir quietly agrees.
“I am very happy with this orchestra. My life is here but my
heart is also here.”
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