Bariton Nguyễn Khắc Hòa. Photo baovanhoa.vn

Nguyễn Khắc Hòa is a baritone with the Việt Nam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB). After more than a decade of training in Russia, he has performed in Việt Nam, Europe and Japan. His awards include the 2015 Grand Prix at Moldova’s Doua Inimi Gemene Competition and a Special Prize at the 2023 Elena Obraztsova International Competition of Young Opera Singers.

After his recent acclaimed performance in Puccini’s Tosca, Hòa spoke to the media about the role.

Your role as the policeman Scarpia in Tosca is that of a villain, in stark contrast to your real-life personality. How do you approach portraying such an evil character?

Scarpia is completely different from who I am in real life. He is a man of power, coldness, lust and terrifying cruelty. When I took on the role, the hardest part was not singing but learning how to become such a person.

I studied the character extensively and watched other performers portray him, paying attention to everything from their walk, gaze and speech to their body language. Singing the notes correctly and mastering the technique are not enough. The audience must believe they are watching a genuinely dangerous man on stage.

It is a battle with myself. I have to enter a psychological space I would normally avoid. We rehearsed for nearly a month, sometimes holding three sessions a day until 9 or 10pm. The South Korean director was meticulous, asking us to repeat scenes until every detail achieved the desired effect.

When the director told me I had got it right, my colleagues were also surprised. Some admitted they had not expected me to portray Scarpia so convincingly and said I looked frightening on stage. I was glad to have pushed beyond my own limits.

Perhaps the darkness makes the light shine even brighter?

Exactly. If a villain is not dark enough, the goodness and beauty of the other characters cannot shine as brightly. Art must do more than tell beautiful stories; it must also confront the darker sides of human nature to bring the light into sharper focus.

Opera gives me the chance to live many different lives and push beyond my own limitations.

You failed to get into music school on your first attempt but later had another opportunity to study there. What kept you going?

I experienced setbacks, and some doors I thought would open eventually closed. After failing to get the results I had hoped for in the entrance exam, I spent a year studying in Nha Trang before getting the opportunity to study at Huế Conservatory of Music.

Of the 21 students admitted that year, I ranked last. By the end of my first year, however, I had become the top student in my class. That taught me that what matters is not where you start, but how far you go.

If I had given up after those failed attempts, I might not be where I am today. Over time, I have realised that I do not need to prove anything to anyone. I just need to know what I want and see it through.

After 12 years in Russia, you had the opportunity to continue working abroad but chose to return to Việt Nam. Why?

I had opportunities to stay in Europe and sign contracts with several companies, but I chose to return home to apply what I had learned, continue performing, teach and connect with young people.

I also missed Hà Nội and its simple pleasures: a cup of coffee, a bánh mì or an impromptu chat with friends. Life is not just about grand stages; it is also about the small things that make it meaningful.

I am now a soloist with the Việt Nam National Opera and Ballet and teach vocal music at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. I want to keep performing while passing on my knowledge to the next generation. For me, returning home was not the end of one journey, but the beginning of another.

What drives your commitment to music education and creating opportunities for young artists to engage with their international peers?

I understand what it feels like to be young and lack access to opportunities. I was once a boy from a remote area without electricity who had never even heard of an opera house. Without the opportunities that came later, I might never have discovered how vast the world of music is.

In 2024, I organised a concert featuring European artists, alongside free masterclasses in Hà Nội, Huế and Đà Nẵng. In 2025, I continued this work by partnering with Italy’s Conservatorio Vecchi-Tonelli to bring music education projects to Việt Nam.

I believe the most important thing is to spark a passion for music. When young people truly love music, they will find their own ways to learn and move forward. Investing in culture is not just about money; above all, it is about inspiring dreams.

I want young Vietnamese people to meet outstanding artists and professors, hear great orchestras, learn from them and choose their own paths. I hope to open for the next generation the doors that once opened for me. — VNS