cultural activities
25
finnish cultural foundation
annual report 2013–2014
in a competition of a legendary high
standard. Images of this charismatic
28-year-old Croatian will remain firmly
etched in the minds of the Mirjam Helin
audiences, for here was a singer whose
rich, fruity voice lent itself with equal
ease to the finest nuances of Lied and
the lustrous glow of bel canto. This was
admirably demonstrated in his choice of
repertoire for the Final, boldly juxtaposing
two completely different moods: Figaro’s
iconic, jocular morning greeting from The
Barber of Seville and Rodrigo’s death aria
fromDon Carlo. Further proof of his wide-
ranging adaptability was his awe-inspiring
rendering of Pylkkänen’s Pastorale, which
quite deservedly brought him the special
prize for the best performance of a Finnish
song. On stage, the curly-headed Meić
radiated a passionate love of music and
singing. Being a singer does, he says,
mean above all being constantly creative.
“There’s always a challenge in music to
create something new within the frames
of the words and the melody, to build up
a personal relationship with the music
that is always also a comment on the
interpretations that have gone before.
Learning the frames of a piece and
then doing your own thing within it is
always a fantastic feeling”, he says in his
characteristic winning way.
Being creative does not, for him, mean
working alone, however; it always means
working with others.
“Music is a creative game in which
you discover new things together with
your colleagues.” Stimuli and ideas flow
between the pianist, singer, conductor,
composer and audience. At the Mirjam
Helin Competition, Meić felt this very
strongly, especially via the keen audience.
The standard of the competition was also
a tremendous incentive for him.
“I’m so proud to have been competing
in such company. I feel I’ve developed
tremendously. The fact that I was the
best of twelve baritones really means a
lot to me.”
Versatility has accompanied Meić
throughout his career as a singer. As a child
in Zagreb, he happened on the local church
choir half by accident, later joining a gospel
choir where the improvisation andmutual
inspiration made a very big impression on
him. Then came vocal studies in earnest,
his voice rose frombass to baritone and he
won his first national singing competition.
Choirs, works for the church and early
music were important, and gradually
along came opera. His first taste of this
was Escamillo’s aria at an opera concert,
and after auditioning at the Zagreb Opera
he was immediately offered a place in the
chorus and two minor roles. Over the next
few years the Opera assigned him a steady
stream of little parts.
“I studied at the Zagreb Academy but
went to Vienna now and then for lessons
with
Claudia Visca
, my personal Yoda,
my guru.” Meić is now an exchange student in
Vienna and is very tempted to stay on
there after he graduates.
“Almost everything interests me:
opera, early music, Lied, contemporary
music, oratorio, unknown composers…
I like rummaging in the archives and
editing music myself. I love acting, so for
this reason opera is possibly ‘my’ thing.
But in Vienna I could hopefully combine
all of this; the city is so alive and full of
opportunities.”
Beomjin Kim, winner of the first prize for men, sang Puccini and Gounod in the Final.
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Hannu Lintu.
