Intuitive: Russian born Kreizburg ; copyright OPMC

Directing the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra since 2008, Kreizberg's reputation, not only as a brilliant conductor but also as one of the Principality’s leading cultural figures, is now firmly established. Back at the helm after a long period away from the OPMC (Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo) due to illness, he agreed to meet The Riviera Times ahead of the orchestra’s new 2010/2011 season.

From the first moment that we sit down in the Auditorium Rainier III, he is open and engaged: "I'll answer anything you want me to," he says warmly. He is true to his word; unfazed by any question, he is instead slow and considered when answering, with more than a hint of musicality to his Russian-American lilt.

It is immediately clear that Kreizberg is someone who has taken time to reflect and meditate on life, and he seems fearless in the face of the biggest questions regarding the human condition.

So does the 51-year-old believe he has come close to discovering who he really is, to knowing his inner self?  “Well some people never do,” he begins, “but I think music helps a lot. When we are with people it's complicated, whereas with music the connection is immediate. It is direct and very emotional so in this way it is also honest … We can be ourselves when we listen to music.”

He continues: "I see different things in music depending on where I am in my life. For example, with Mozart's 'happy music', the older I get the more I understand that it is not happy, that Mozart is smiling through tears. That this is what you must do, even if you don't feel like it."

His point is that neither music nor life are black and white. "The older you get, the more you realise how much you don't know," he confesses. "It makes you pause and be unsure. In many ways this is comforting. To question if something is really white. Am I seeing what I think I am seeing or am I not? When you see how things really are you have the choice to do something about it."

Watching Kreizberg rehearsing with the OPMC it is evident that genius doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand with a huge ego. He speaks to them as equals, jokes with them like friends. When he decides to make an adjustment, he asks the musicians on his left, "Do you think you can live with that?" It has been said that when he wiggles his little finger the orchestra trembles and he explains that there is a dialogue between them that is in no way dictatorial. They are alert to following his signs - his gestures, expressions,  intensity of movements. They do not follow him blindly but rather they too are creating.

"How do I see myself?” Kreizberg repeats the question before answering. “I see that it is not really about myself at all. I am a conductor, a musician, a person but what I do is not for or about me: I am a medium, a means of communication between those who created the music and the audience. Music is just dots on paper, it only has meaning when it is recreated for an audience. What matters is that I am an honest communicator - using my knowledge, experience and feelings. However, my feelings are always secondary to what I think the composer wants."
Often he might decide that he has interpreted a piece wrong years after first playing it and will change his interpretation, then he may look at it again and see that the first way was right all along. "Experience means your view changes," he explains, "and there's a big picture to think about. There's a lot on my shoulders: I could see the picture wrong, it is a huge responsibility."

He speaks passionately of Monaco and his "beautiful life" here: "What other country of this size has a budget for culture that this one does?" he asks. "Ballet, opera, the orchestra, many museums, every day something is happening here. The cultural dynamic is unbelievable. There is not a boring day if you crave culture. Just look at the orchestra I have here.”

Asked why he decided on the OPMC he says, typically, “I like to believe that Monaco chose me and that fate chose me for Monaco, all without me knowing."

Looking ahead to the forthcoming season, he says that the residency of Julia Fischer will be a particular highlight. He first met the German violinist when she was just 19 or 20. Immediately he recognised her special talent and realised that it needed support, guidance and help. She, in turn, decided to trust him. She could, he believes, be anywhere in the world but she is here because of their relationship and the emotional kinship they share.
Also on the programme this autumn are major works by Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, to be performed by some of the world’s leading conductors and soloists. Then there is the ongoing celebration of Gustav Mahler, a special series OPMC will be working on for several years.

The Artistic and Musical Director adds: "Every time I am on stage it is a personal highlight. What's on the programme tomorrow doesn't matter, it's what I'm doing today.” He reveals that OPMC plan to start their own label so that they can record exactly what they want, however often they want. It is part of a bigger agenda to take the orchestra beyond the principality walls: “This orchestra is a jewel and has to be promoted outside.”  

With this in mind, they will be touring Germany in December and Spain in 2011.

Kreizberg's wife is also a conductor and they have often been separated by work; for the past couple of years, however, she has been in Monaco and he is clearly delighted to have her close to him. With such a gene pool, it’s no surprise that their two sons, one at university in the US and the other at the International School in Monaco, are both talented musicians. Not that their father will be pushing them into a music career; he only wants them to be happy and to find their way in life. He believes that ten years ago he could not teach them what he can now; this is why he would not wish to be even one year younger: "I would not want to go back. I like making responsible decisions and having some understanding about life."

Older, wiser, Kreizberg has a strong sense of what he must do now: “I want to communicate the spirit of love of music, its power to change, to heal. It’s not just a job, it’s a life mission. We have this beautiful life but we must improve the planet with what we do and inspire people. We are in the world to accomplish something. Life is calling.”

HM