We have conducted a special interview about the piano version of WINTERREISE, which you can see first on the main stage at the Trafó Contemporary House of Arts in December, and later in the month, in Gyula. We hope that you’ll enjoy our interview with János Szemenyei (the actor and singer in the production) and Károly Mocsári (the pianist), who will now have a Q and A with each other - a genre we call the “Ping Pong Interview”.

Act 1: Károly Mocsári asks János Szemenyei

Károly: My first question, which is actually two in one, is the following: Have you ever thought about or would you accept an invitation to perform Winterreise at a traditional song recital night? If your answer is “no”, why not?

János: I find it hard to say no to any work. I would probably say “yes” because I would find it a great challenge. In addition to training with a Schubert specialist voice trainer, since I am not a singer trained in classical style and technique, I would try to explore different performance styles that could make my singing unique and singular. I consider myself an actor first and foremost, although one having a singing voice suitable for solo duties. If I were to be asked, that is what I would probably be expected to do: singing combined with acting.

Károly: Have you ever thought about trying your hand at being a composer in the classical genre, like Norbert Glanzberg, who was mainly a chanson composer (for example, of “Padam, padam...”) and composed a lot of film music as well, but also composed a classical song cycle and piano pieces.

János: I have already written a piano piece (“Simple Wednesday”, performed at the National Theatre of Szeged), madrigals (“Shakespeare In Love”, National Theatre of Győr), and a solo piece for organ (“The Tragedy of Man”, performed at the Weöres Sándor Theatre in Szombathely). Of course, all of this was theatrical music. It would take several years of purposeful, professional practice before I could attempt classical music. After graduating from the University of Drama and Film in Budapest, I got a lot of work as an actor. I should have suspended my career to start studying at the Liszt Academy of Music. My work as a composer started as a hobby, and over the years it became my second vocation.

I like to test my skills in different genres, and I try to gather the knowledge I need for them by often seeking a mentor for my various projects, a composer from whom I can learn about that particular genre. For example, I asked Ferenc Darvas to "proofread" my music for the Franz Molnar play “Liliom” in Zalaegerszeg, which was composed in the style of the 1910s, because I knew he was an expert on this period.
 
Károly: Which was more difficult to memorise, the melody or the German lyrics? Or are they not separable?

János: There’s no question it was the text. And when it's not in my mother tongue, whether it's German or English, it's even harder. But the melody immediately "settles" in my ears after just a few times of listening.

Act 2: János Szemenyei asks Károly Mocsári 

János: When you were asked to play Winterreise, and they mentioned that I was going to sing it, what did you know about me?

Károly: As much as Kinga Keszthelyi told me when I was invited to play the piece at the FILC - Fischer Iván’s Apartment Theatre. Of course, I immediately watched the recording of the original orchestra version at the Budapest Music Centre that you sang, and afterwards I accepted the offer with great joy.

János: What was the shortest record time between your afternoon nap and your evening concert?

Károly: Maybe 10 minutes. But unfortunately it was not enough, because you don't really get into a wakeful state in such a short time. Anyway, I can fall asleep anytime before a performance nowadays. Somehow my body has learned to do that over time.

János: Why do you like (if you like it at all) this production? And no avoiding the question by just saying that the music is good. (Or that the singer is good :))

Károly: Somehow over time it has become part of me. Now that I've missed more than a year due to the pandemic, I've started to miss it. Anyway, it's not the first time in my life that I've worked with actors and directors. I've worked with Peter Brook in “Impression de Pelleas” and Roger Moore and Jean Rochefort in “Carnival of the Animals”.

Epilogue

János: How do you feel about your additional role of “cat meowing” in the show?

Károly: I feel I am irreplaceable and a certified cat meower, as I have three cats and I take lessons from them.