"- My little angel" - Interview with the Grandma of Alexander Rybak in vg.no, 1.3.2009
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| Proud grandmother: Maria Savitskaya proudly presents posters with her beloved grandson, Alexander Rybak. Photo: Vasily Malashenkov |
The GP hero's grandmother (83) hopes for the trip to the finals
Text: Halstein Røyseland and Camilla Bjørn | Published: on vg.no | 1.3.2009 |
-- Translated by Mónika Menyhért who is not native either in the Norwegian or in the English language, so any correction is welcomed and appreciated.--
- My little angel
BELARUS / OSLO (VG) Ever since he was a little boy, Alexander Rybak (22) has entertained grandmother Maria Savitskaya (Maya)(83) with his fiddle play.
It's been about a week since Alexander took a crushing victory in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix final.
With his fiddle play, cheerful spirit and a twinkle in his eye, the 22-year-old won the hearts of the Norwegian people.
However, he won the heart of his grandmother long ago.
- He is my little angel, says grandmother Maria to VG.
She remembers well how little Alexander used to entertain grandma at home in the apartment in the city of Vitebsk, Belarus' fourth largest city, about 200 kilometers north of the capital.
Alexander spent his first five years of childhood in the capital city Minsk, before moving with his mother Natalia (49) from Belarus to Norway, which was then part of the then Soviet Union. The mother is a musically educated pianist.
- Intelligent
By then Rybak's dad Igor (54) had already lived in Norway for a while, where he worked among other jobs as a music teacher, pedagogue and classical musician, and thus saved money so that his wife and son could travel.
Since then, the family has lived on Nesodden outside Oslo.
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YOUNG FIDDLE-HERO: Young Alexander Rybak in a small clipping out
of the newspaper Grandma Maria has taken care of.
Photo: Vasily Malashenkov
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- Alexander is an intelligent human being. He writes music, sings, plays violin and entertains. He has always done that, boasts the energetic grandmother.
The 83-year-old lives in Belarus, but spends a lot of time in Norway. She had to be home and take care of her sick sister when Alexander went to the top last Saturday, and could not be present in Oslo Spektrum - but watched the broadcast on television.
- I was very excited when he won the Norwegian finals, says Maria proudly.
Rybak has already managed to emerge as one of the big favorites before the Moscow international finals on May 16.
Grandma would like, too, but she's afraid she won't get the chance.
- I really want to go to the finals in Moscow, but my son says there are no tickets left, says Maria despairingly.
A lot of response
The last time Maria Savitskaya was in Norway was in October last year. And of course she got an exclusive concert from her dear grandson.
- He played a lot from Brahms, says Maria.
Alexander's maternal grandmother, Zinaida (76) has also watched her grandson's Melodi Grand Prix-victory from Belarus.
- She is very proud, but a little shy and does not want to be in the media, says Rybak's mom Natalia to VG.
She says there has generally been a lot of response from friends and acquaintances in Belarus over the past week.
- There are many phones, a lot of joy and everyone congratulates. Friends called us as soon as he had won.
The media over there have picked up that Alexander has his roots in Belarus and written about it. Our friends knew that Alexander was playing the violin, but had no idea he was so good at singing, so they were really surprised, Natalia says.
For the Rybak family, it was unexpected that Alexander's success should attract attention in the homeland. At the same time, the intense attack of the media is unfamiliar.
- It's been a lot now, so we hope Alexander can get some rest before it gets closer to Moscow, Rybak's mom concludes.
And this is the message of Grandma Zinaida that was played by Russian journalists to Alexander at the press conference after the semifinal in ESC2009 Moscow - with English subtitles
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