Fancy listening to some opera live? Head to the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal where you can enjoy the melodic and moving stylings of Nellie Petrova, who performs in the lobby.
Cultured Abu Dhabi residents who fancy listening to a live soprano accompanied by a piano can now head to the Ritz-Carlton lobby four nights a week to enjoy some classic opera. We chatted with soft-spoken Nellie Petrova about her career and Abu Dhabi experience.
How did you get into singing?
Singing has always been an integral part of my life. I have been singing since I was a little girl. My family had me start piano lessons when I was six years old and I just grew up with music. I studied piano professionally and once I was done with that, I started to study singing. Being a professional pianist gave me excellent skills in theory which help me in my career today.
How do you handle your nerves before a show?
Because I grew up with music from a very young age, performing was a strong part of my early education. When you study music, a large part of the experience is performing in public, so I can’t really recall my first public performance. However, I do recall the first time I performed as a paid artist, as opposed to just a student and there certainly were some nerves involved. It was a very picturesque setting in Italy and that memory will stay with me always. However, the training and exposure I had all helped me to just get up there and perform.
How has the crowd reaction been in Abu Dhabi?
It has been really great! I hadn’t expected to see so many people so supportive and into this genre of music. On the contrary, it has been extremely well received and I am very happy about that. When I am performing and people walk by, they often stop and seem to enjoy the piece I am performing, which I really appreciate.
Do you ever get special requests from audiences?
I had one request for anything from the Phantom Of The Opera, but everyone else seems content to enjoy what we are performing.
If you are having a bad day and need to perform, do you have a ritual or something that makes you feel better?
Like any other woman, I turn to make-up! I always find that making myself up makes me feel better and I just spend some time in front of a mirror and put myself in the mind set for performing. We all have our ‘off days’ but we should be able to pick ourselves up, and sometimes being alone and facing yourself can really help.
Who is your favourite opera character to portray?
That’s a tricky question because there are so many. I love most of the female characters because they always gain such strength through the stories and it is really magical to perform.
Do you ever think about writing your own songs?
Having a background in music, I already know the theory that is required for composition. However, I feel there are a lot of amazing classics that could be interpreted in many different ways so I haven’t really been tempted to write anything yet. I am really happy with the process of giving my special take on the well-known classics. Maybe writing is something that will come at a later stage in my career!
What is the funniest comment you have ever received?
I teach music as well and I had a young boy tell me once, ‘Wow, you have a really nice voice!’
Is there any other career that you would like to pursue?
As part of my education, I studied drama. Acting is a big part of my performance; to portray the characters, I have to understand them. So this also led me to psychology, which I also really enjoy. I feel a good performance must really have a connection to the character with the way it was intended. You will always leave some of your imprint on it, but I think having a base in drama and psychology are key. Perhaps later in life, I could branch into one of those fields.
Nellie performs on Mon, Wed, Thu and Fri from 7pm-8pm at the lobby in the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal (02 818 8888).
