Plushy's interview in Italian... something interesting? :-):
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http://russiaoggi.it/articles/2012/09/24/plushenko_gladiatore_on_ice_in_arena_17835.html
24 settembre 2012 Niva Mirakyan, Russia Oggi
Plushenko, gladiatore on ice in Arena
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Hi girls, Cekoni asked me to translate this interview so I did a very very fast translation (I used google translator and correct something) so forgive me if there are mistakes. Anyway:
Plushenko, gladiator on ice in the Arena
The Olympic skater in Verona for a show with Carolina Kostner, talks about his love for the beautiful country and says: "I want to learn Italian"
In one of the world's most famous amphitheater, the Arena of Verona, was staged the show "Opera on Ice": a show able to merge opera and skating. In this occasion it was possible to admire the russian Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko.
-What emotions do you feel in performing in a unique setting as the Arena?
-Definitely positive and extraordinary emotions . Great adrenaline. Once I was joking with the other boys, we remembered that until a few centuries ago, the Arena hosted several duels, in which people died. And now we are here to skate. After all, the time goes on and life goes on. Figure skating is not only sport, but it is true art. Ballet and acrobatics, plus the theater.
-Also Carolina Kostner takes part to the show. What is the relationship with her?
We have a beautiful relationship. We've known each other for a long time. When she started skating she was a little bit like a Cinderella, and then began to grow, grow, grow. Up to become a princess. I feel I have to thanks her for what she has done for skating in Europe and in the rest of the world. She’s a very nice person. I think that without her it would have been very difficult to achieve a show like this, at this level.
-Why did you decide to take part to this project?
-I worked with many interpreters. In Turin I performed with Andrea Bocelli. In Switzerland with Gloria Gaynor. And the list is still long. Here in Verona I should have skate in 2011, but due to an injury I couldn’t. I completely support this kind of shows. It’s something completely new in the world of figure skating. It’s an interesting show. And what I also like, is that it’s in Italy, where I spend a lot of time, working and getting rest with my family.
-You already performed on music of Italian composers such as Nino Rota, Giacomo Puccini, Lucio Dalla. Why this time the choice was on other tracks, such as the "Habanera" from Carmen and Rigoletto?
-In 2002 I already skated on Habanera. I love the expressive repertoire, artistic and powerful, sensual and severe. Rigoletto is nothing more than a love game, a game with the girls. Romeo and Juliet is lighter, a love’s opera.
-What are your impression about Italy? Do you feel at home?
-The first time I came in Italy I was 11. I went to Aosta, a small city. And I immediately fallen in love with this country: great food, wonderful people. I also took part to many European championships in Italy, Milan, Turin. In summer I spend at least one month in Pinzolo, Trento, on the mountains. And there I met the great Alessandro Del Piero. We became friends. I also really like Sardinia, Porto Cervo, where sometimes I go in the yacht of some friends. In Italy I am very well. I'm also trying to learn the language. For now I can say only a few words, such as "Hello everyone", "Give me the bill." I was also thinking of moving to live here for a while. I'm in love with Padua, the city is simply stunning, and is close to Venice, Verona, Austria, Croatia. In a few miles you also can reach sea and mountains. I love this country. This year I organized five shows and a small tour along some Italian cities.
-What do you love more than anything in Italy?
-You can live in a wonderful country, but sometimes you can meet not lovely persons. For me, in Italy the great part of people are special. The weather here is also wonderful. I live in St. Petersburg: I love my city, but now I'm tired of the continuous rain, wind and cold. Not to mention the food: I really love pasta, pizza, calamari. I love Italian wine, even if I am on diet, and I'm trying to eat a little less and reduce alcohol.
-Despite your young age, you already achieved many successes. But there was a time in your career when you wanted to retire from amateur sport. Do you want to tell to our readers where you found the strength to go on?
-In 2006 I won the Olympic Games in Turin. Then I decided to take a break. Also if I didn’t compete for three years, it was not a real retire. I didn’t say clearly, "I'm retiring", but inside me I knew maybe I would never begin again to skate in competition. It was my wife Yana who gave me new reasons. He convinced me that I'm still young and I can still perform with success. But above all, I can still win. At that time I did not really want anything, did not want to train, and I had no goals. But Yana had realized that I could still do it.
-Are you saying that you overcome all difficulties thanks to love?
-Sure. Thanks to love. To be honest, I wanted to prove to my girlfriend, who now is my wife, that I am a strong man, I can win. Well, so far it seems I did it.
-What’s your next goal?
-First of all finish the year without injury. And then, of course, prepare for Sochi. That’s about sport’s goal. If we talk about private life, in three months I’ll become father for the second time. Then I'll have to take care of a nice family. I want to teach my children to skate, then directing them towards other sports, such as hockey, football, golf. And then of course I'll have to train, even in Italy.
Finally, the lights of the Arena. In the Arena everyone is waiting for the start of something unique. The 800 meters’ ice rink is a whole mosaic of talents of the skating world from Russia, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and Germany. On the music of the orchestra, accompanied by the voices of tenors, sopranos and chorus, skaters perform on the music of the greatest world’s operas. Like a single breath. Romeo and Juliet, Rigoletto, Nabucco, and then again Traviata, Aida and Carmen, Madama Butterfly and Turandot. An extraordinary show with gaudy costumes.
You get the impression that the music penetrate the ice, crossing up the body of the athletes. Among them, Carolina Kostner, Stephane Lambiel and, of course, Evgeni Plushenko who is able to conquest the public that explodes, at the end, in an immense ovation.