Pavlo Hunka Stars in COC’s Macbeth

 
Bass-baritone Pavlo Hunka sings the title role in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Verdi’s adaptation of Shakespare’s Scotish play, Macbeth.  Hunka speaks to New Pathway’s Olena Wawryshyn about his role, Verdi’s music, and the production, staged by acclaimed director Nicolas Muni.

Can you tell me a little bit about Macbeth, the role you sing?

Macbeth has just returned from quelling a revolution. He comes into the presence of witches who prophesize that he will eventually become king.  He tells his wife, and she starts planning with him. He has to kill the king [Duncan] first. Then, he realizes that he’s not the next one to the throne: the king has a son [Malcolm]. In the prophecy it was also mentioned that, after Macbeth, next in line would come children and grandchildren of Banquo, one of his generals, and Macbeth starts thinking people are plotting against him.

After he kills the king, Macbeth starts to get confused. He survives accusations from the courts and turns the guilt onto Duncan’s son Malcolm who is the next in line for the throne.  Lady Macbeth substitutes Macbeth’s sword for Malcolm’s and Macbeth presents it to the court. Malcolm runs off into exile and Macbeth is king.

In the second act, at the coronation party, Banquo appears in Macbeth’s mind and starts questioning his conscience. He goes crazier and crazier because he feels that Banquo is going to overthrow him; he is having hallucinations.

And at the end of the second act, he goes back to the witches to find out what the prophecies mean exactly, and he is given another three prophecies. He’s told to keep an eye on McDuff. The second prophecy is that he can only be usurped by a person who is not of mother born. The third is that he will not ever be attacked until the Burnham Woods moves.  (Burnham Woods is in Scotland). He thinks that’s impossible so he’s elated, but in a fortnight he finds that the English forces are carrying branches so the wood appears to be moving. McDuff  then says 'I’m not of woman born, I was snatched from the belly of my mother.' The army is going to beat him and McDuff is the one who is going to kill Macbeth and take the throne.  

What’s the theme?

That society creates these leaders. It’s not just because they are bad people. Society needs these types of heroes at certain times in history, and society also destroys them. Macbeth started out as being a great general, a hero, and the people were almost urging him to have more. They accept his position, although he commits the crimes. He is built up to a great height and then allowed to fall. This happens all the time: people build people and once they’re at the top, they can never be the person that the people around them want them to be.

What do you enjoy about the role? 

The whole idea of the journey that Macbeth goes through, the fact that Macbeth develops all the way through. I’m on stage all night and you can see how slowly the personage is destroyed. It’s very complex.      

What’s the opera like musically?

The music is superbly written. It’s a whirlwind; it does not let up. There are a few moments of sublime singing for its own sake, though it’s all very tightly composed to the words.

What are the challenges for you?

It’s dramatic music: the words and notes come very close together. If you really understand where the piece is going then it becomes reasonably easy to sing.  It’s not a question of it being lots and lots of notes or particularly high or low. There are a lot of lyrical pieces, and people sit back and listen to the beauty of the voices, and I’m not into that. I’m into trying to find the art in the opera, lining up the music, the stage, the costumes and the words and the movement.

The biggest challenge is the death scene. They’ve brought in a Hollywood fight director and I’m fighting two guys. I’ve never done a fight like this.  It’s so detailed it looks real.

In what direction is the director Nicholas Muni taking the production?

He deals with it from the point of view that Macbeth is the central character. Yes, Lady Macbeth is a certain power behind the throne, but she needs the power of Macbeth. He’s not a wimp by any means, though that’s how it’s played sometimes. This time it definitely isn’t, and I think it’s much truer to the story.  Muni is an extraordinarily intelligent man, an absolute pleasure to work with. I’m really impressed. He’s really helpful to me as he’s very clear about where he wants to go.

What is the staging like?

The production is meticulously and carefully staged. The chorus is brilliant and Muni stages them very cleverly. It’s traditional in a way, but there’s no time to it. The costumes are sort of traditional but it’s timeless. It’s a very easy, beautiful staging to look at. Muni has a lot of taste, there’s no doubt about that. I’m really pleased.

Hunka is singing in the first four performances of the COC’s production of Macbeth on September, 22, 24, 27 and 30 at the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto. For tickets, call:

(416) 872-2262 or visit the Hummingbird Centre Box office

at 1 Front Street.