The Berlin singer René Kollo is not thinking of retiring and is returning with a new album.
Even at 82 years of age it is far from over. Star tenor René Kollo was not only at home on the opera stages in his life, but also impressed in the hit industry. With "Hello, Mary Lou" he made his breakthrough in the early 1960s, now he is returning to his musical roots. With the album "Meine Große Liebe" he reinterprets his greatest hits. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, René Kollo talks about his great career and why Helene Fischer (36) enthuses him so much.
Why did you want to go back to your roots with your new album?
René Kollo: For me, a musical circle is coming full circle and I am returning to my musical beginnings with "Mary Lou" – after 50 years on the opera stage. That's why I want to say "Thank you" to her with the new album for these wonderful years on stage. Because music in all its facets is and remains my great love.
With "Hello, Mary Lou" you laid the foundation for your great career about 60 years ago. How do you look back on your beginnings?
Kollo: Everything that came about came from the success of "Mary Lou". You know, before that I was completely unknown. When the title came out, I suddenly started making money, had a nice apartment, was fine, and it all came from the success of "Mary Lou". I was able to go on tour with Max Greger or Zarah Leander and finance my singing lessons. The "Mary Lou" paved the way for me out into the world and therefore I am very grateful to her and now bring her reinterpreted in honor on stage again.
What are you especially proud of when you look back on your career?
Kollo: Very important stations in my career were the appearances in Bayreuth at the Richard Wagner Festival and of course my collaboration with Herbert von Karajan. When Herbert von Karajan said of me during the Meistersinger recordings: "I've waited 40 years for this Stolzing", that was of course a stamp for me in the world. Many great conductors have shaped and accompanied my career, starting with Sir Georg Solti, with whom I recorded Wagner's Tannhäuser with the Vienna Philharmonic. And who I really want to mention is Carlos Kleiber, with whom I recorded "Tristan und Isolde".
In November you will celebrate your 83rd birthday. How do you keep yourself so fit?
Kollo: I don't have a special fitness program. I love walking my dog, I really enjoy cooking and relaxing with good music. But what I can say, I live a balanced life. I think that's the prerequisite for staying healthy in old age and being able to sing actively with myself.
Have you ever thought about quitting?
Kollo: If someone like me has been on stage for over 60 years, then you can't just stop. Just retreating into my private life was never an option for me. I just love the stage, the music and I really miss the fact that I can't tour right now.
What do you think of the current stars of the hit scene? Is there a singer in whom you see a lot of potential?
Kollo: I have to admit that I only know a small part of the young artists in the hit scene. But if I should name someone who for me stands for great professionalism and talent, then it's Helene Fischer. Her shows are lavishly staged and you just have to say that there are only a few who can do it the way she does.
As a Wagner tenor you can look back on a world career on the operatic stage. How did you withstand the immense pressure in the industry?
Kollo: I was never interested in the pressure in the industry. Singing "Tristan" really well, that was enough pressure for me, but of course I was happy to put myself under it. But what was going on behind the scenes didn't interest me at all.
The corona crisis is associated with high losses for the culture industry. How badly are you yourself affected by the crisis?
Kollo: The entire culture industry is of course badly affected by the crisis. For example, we postponed the release of my new album. It is easier for established artists to bridge this difficult period – I have reserves, receive a pension and can finance myself with it. The situation is much more difficult for younger people.
In your opinion, what consequences will the Corona crisis have on the music industry in the long term?
Kollo: One can only hope that more events in an adapted form will be possible again in the coming year. But I believe that even after the end of the pandemic, this time will have changed our social interaction.
Is there a dream that you would still like to fulfill?
Kollo: No, I'm fulfilling a dream with the new album. And I have more of a wish: I hope that I can go on tour again with the new songs.
For some of your fans you are a hit icon, for others a heroic tenor. Why doesn't that have to be mutually exclusive?
Kollo: Entertainment is everything: hits and operettas – but also every symphony and every opera is entertainment, because they were written by the composers so that people hear, love and like them and the composer earns something from them. But I can only agree with Leonard Bernstein's statement, who said: "There is only good and bad music". And I think my audience, whether in the so-called "E" and "U" music, just wanted to be entertained. And somehow I managed to do it.