Opera singer Jie Yin: Nationalism is very common in Opera industry

1. When did you realize that you have a voice and you want to become an opera singer?

When I was a kid, I loved to imitate the sounds of different animals’, instruments and people. I think I always know I have talents with sounds, but I hadn’t found out how to do with it until 2001;

I couldn’t find out the exact moment when I wanted to become a professional opera singer, it’s a process, thus I would say during 2001 – 2004.

2. What is the role of your family in your career?

My parents are my huge supports, and my mother has always believed in me.

3. Why did you decide to come from China to Estonia for studying?

I thought it would be good to start from a EU country.

4. How did you find Estonia?

A Chinese students recruitment agency sent a letter to me and invited me to a conference of introducing European Conservatories, and that meeting was focusing on Estonian Academy of Music – The former name of Eesti Muusika-ja Teatriakadeemia.

5. What are the similarities and differences between the Chinese and Estonians?

Due to the experiences of mine and my Chinese alumni:

Similarities

1. Easily being incited to against certain nations by government & mass media
2. Most of us are not religious
3. Afraid of domestic authorities (even in an academy)
4. More friendly to developed countries’ people

        Differences

1. Chinese will consider a person to be rude if he doesn’t greet the people he met before
2. Chinese do not consider ethnic groups’ people are foreigners
3. Chinese are way more passionate in starting and building new business/projects
4. Chinese are way more materialist than Estonians

6. You have been living in Estonia for 12 years already. What do you like in Estonia and what do you dislike here?

What I like:

1. The weather
2. Free public transportation for registered people in Tallinn

        What I dislike:

1. Unprofessional costumer services
2. General retail prices are relatively high

7. Does Estonia need talented people? How do you rate the level of Estonian opera singers? Are there any world-class singers here?
   

Of course. My personal rate would be 5 out of 10, if we consider the world’s overall level of today, I would say the level should be 6 out of 10. There is no world-class singer, but I have to say there used to be some potential ones in the choirs, but their minds and voices had been ruined already.

NB: My favorite opera singers are Jussi Björling, Beniamino Gigli, Enrico Caruso, Mario del Monaco, Lawrence Tibbett, Feodor Chaliapin, Birgit Nilson, Gundula Janowitz and etc.

8. How can you assess your level of performance compared to other Estonian opera singers, a level of professionalism?

You cannot compare the singing of a tenor with a soprano’s. However, I haven’t had much stage experiences like those residence singers at the opera theaters, therefore I will need a couple of years to catch up in that particular category, and I am very confident that I will catch up within no time, but singing wise, I am better than any of the other tenors in Estonia. I know it is very bold to say this, but I am willing to take a challenge to battle any/all of them on stage with a fair blind test in front of audiences.

NB: By having a fair blind test, I mean the audiences must not be the domestic musicians, because they know how the Estonian singers sound like, and their judgements might be compromised. The audiences should be chosen randomly among non-musicians, and they also must not know who’re singing.

9. There is a strong musical tradition In Estonia. There is even the world-famous composer Arvo Pärt. Do you know his music and what do you think as a musician about his music?

Estonia has a strong chorus tradition, but the other musical genres are evidently weak in Estonia. I listened to some of his music before, personally I think they are ok, but I cannot say I would like to listen to them willingly.

10. You told me in video interview that you have some challenges making career in Estonia. What happens here and what goes wrong?

Nationalism is very common in Opera industry, it is politically incorrect for the theaters’ authorities to admit it, it is also dangerous for insiders (performers) to admit it, but it is real. I know several singers and professors who agree with me on what I said in the previous interview, but they cannot claim it publically, because they are afraid of being revenged by the industry, because it is considered immoral to speak out the reality. An Estonian soprano told me she has experienced similar things like I have in the opera industry in Estonia, but she could not say it, because she said she would not get any performance offer if she did it.

11. Can you assess the potential of Estonia? How is this country ambitious?

I always believe that Estonia has huge potentials, but it is up to the people either the potentials can be discovered or not. At the moment, I think Estonians’ ambitions and actions are not enough to help their country to reach its potentials.

Interviewed and photo by Maxim Efimov

Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0dVncU8zf4&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJZnRgNzUYY