Alexander Belavsky, Violin

Joined Lyric Orchestra in 1978

• Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Alexander Belavsky, but my friends call me Sasha.  I was born in Moscow, I lived in Jerusalem, and I studied violin in Boston with Joseph Silverstein.  My first orchestra job was in Canada, but ever since I joined the Lyric Opera Orchestra in 1978, I have always considered Chicago my hometown.

• Was there a specific experience during which you first connected with opera?

Since early age, I have loved the combination of instrumental and vocal music.  In my violin playing, I have always tried to emulate the qualities of a singing human voice.  That is why working at Lyric Opera Orchestra is a dream come true for me.  Every season, there are fantastic performances, with great artists and conductors but the ones that I will always remember are Gounod’s “Faust” with Mirella Freni, Alfredo Kraus and Nicolai Ghiaurov and “Ballo in Maschera” with Renata Scotto and Luciano Pavarotti.  This season’s presentation of Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s “The Passenger” is also indelible.

• One of my favorite quotes:

Louis Armstrong famously said: “There’s only two kinds of music, the good and the bad”. I am lucky to play the good kind, and I enjoy listening to other great musicians, Louis Armstrong being chief among them.  

• Outside of the pit:

I also love theater, travels, and a good bottle of wine, preferably shared with friends.