Interview with Ralf Tiedemann - DEBUT 2024.

As a former jury member, he is an excellent connoisseur of the competition, which also benefits him as an accompanying person for a travel group experiencing the opera stars of tomorrow during the song finale and the opera gala at the Tauber Philharmonic for ZEIT-Reisen's premiere on an exclusive music journey. In an interview with DEBUT, it became clear how valuable Ralf Tiedemann's international experiences and contacts are for the singing competition.

Over 23 years, as the editor-in-chief of "Das Opernglas," you have significantly contributed to making this monthly magazine one of the leading international periodicals for opera and classical music. How do you look back on this time?
Tiedemann: The magazine has developed incredibly well. My time there was very formative and enriching for me; it was a challenging yet creative period during which I was able to really "let loose." And it was, of course, a great joy to be at the interface and decide what I wanted to do myself. For me, meeting great artistic personalities was always the spice of life. That's why, during interviews, I always looked for what would excite me personally.

In 23 years, haven’t you been able to meet all the opera stars?
Tiedemann: In fact, I still regret not having interviewed three personalities for time reasons: Luciano Pavarotti, Birgit Nilsson, and Marilyn Horne. Otherwise, I had the privilege of getting to know practically everyone who holds a rank in the opera scene, from current stars like Joyce DiDonato or Jakub Jozef Orliński—who actually won third place here at DEBUT in 2016!—to opera legends like Brigitte Fassbender, Plácido Domingo, or Joan Sutherland and her husband, Richard Bonynge. The opportunity to meet such artists and engage in detailed conversations with them was a gift and is exactly what still enriches and motivates me today to pass on these personal experiences to young artists.

The focus was otherwise on the premieres of major opera and festival houses. There were also experiences in places where one would never expect it. For example, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, where there is an impressive modern opera house. The opera house in Muscat, Oman, was also impressive, as it can transform into a concert hall at the push of a button. I had an interesting experience in Buenos Aires, where the "short version" of Wagner's "Ring" turned into a seven-hour endeavor at Teatro Colón. My travels to the Far East, such as to China or Japan, were particularly impressive as well.

What are your workshops at DEBUT about?
Tiedemann: "Mindset" and "inner balance" are the central topics, for which there are incredibly simple tools that you can utilize to deal with pressure and nervousness, for example. We are in a competition here, which inherently involves competition. The beauty of it is the family-like atmosphere, but at the end of the day, we stand alone on stage, needing to be fit at the right moment and call upon our full skills.

Are these skills imparted at universities?
Tiedemann: When I regularly ask students about this, "No" is the most common answer. Today I heard that the Stuttgart University offers psychological support, which I find exemplary.

Do you also discuss the current competition?
Tiedemann: There are many aspects that play a role. For example, the question of how to come down after a performance with that high energy and a lot of adrenaline? Or how to deal with the feedback received from the jury? A good mindset with the right tools, which can be quite individual, can ultimately make a significant difference in one’s career.

How important is it for the jury to explain to the singers why they did not advance in the competition?
Tiedemann: The jury places great emphasis on conveying to the singers what they can improve. It is not just about saying what was bad. It’s about support and development. I often tell the singers that it’s not only about the right or wrong note, but especially about the energy that lets the audience feel whether one can embody the emotions inscribed in the piece and whether the listener is moved or not.

You know many singing competitions. How would you classify DEBUT?
Tiedemann: The special thing here is the family-like atmosphere. You constantly meet, maybe sit together in the evenings, and even as a jury member, you are always approachable. This is different from many large music competitions where you do not usually meet the jury that often. Here, you even get tips during the ongoing competition. After all, we want the participants to present their best version. So, there can even be significant development in just one week. Furthermore, DEBUT is characterized by the fact that the song category is highlighted through its own finale, standing as an equal competition alongside the opera gala. This is a merit of Clarry Bartha, who places great importance on a constantly changing repertoire as well as contemporary song—featuring a newly commissioned composition that every singer must study.

What do you actually do with your insider knowledge concerning your ZEIT travel group?
Tiedemann: I will, of course, not share any insights during the ongoing competition. However, I can certainly explain how DEBUT works, what to pay attention to, and the criteria for selection. 

By the way, I will conduct an internal voting and a group evaluation with the guests once the winners are determined. I think everyone will participate. I am particularly looking forward to the final discussion.