„VN“: Mister Tydén, you’re only 27 years old. Do you have any idea why you were chosen to play the part of Tony?

Tydén: No, unfortunately: I have no idea why. You’ll have to ask the director Francesca Zambello.

„VN“: You have studied voice in Stockholm and Gothenburg, and now you’re appearing in various Musicals. How did you get into this genre?

Tydén: I’m a strange mixture. On the one hand, I have sung a lot of pop music and have been writing pop songs; on the other hand, I have studied classical voice at the conservatory. Musicals, for me, are a nice road in between, to combine both those genres.

„VN“: Do you see West Side Story as a musical or as an opera?

Tydén: West Side Story is somewhere between opera and musical, but for me, it’s more of a musical. It isn’t easy, especially for the orchestra. This music has to be performed vividly. Between the singers, we have an interesting mixture of classical and musical voices – a tension that corresponds to the discord between the Jets and the Sharks.

„VN“: Tony is a member of the Jets, but has already emancipated himself from the gang. Is he ahead of the others in the story?

Tydén: Yes, he’s probably a little more mature than the other Jets. He feels that he is going to experience something special. ‘Something's coming...’, but he doesn’t yet know what.

„VN“: Do you have a favourite scene?

Tydén: Yes, the balcony scene. Tony and Maria hardly know each other. They have just met at the dance. He then goes to her house and climbs up to her on her balcony.

„VN“: What’s it like to sing on the floating stage?
Tydén: It’s incomparable. The stage feels like it doesn't have a beginning or end, I think that’s great.

„VN“: You’re supposed to reach 7000 people with every performance. How do you do that?

Tydén: Despite the distance, I would like to create a certain intimacy. In such dimensions it’s important to create a focus. Then, the characters can appear human.

„VN“: How do you like your collaboration with the conductor?

Tydén: It’s great, the whole creative team. I feel very honoured to work with those people.

„VN“: Your life is very eventful due to the different engagements, isn’t it?

Tydén: Yes, I lead the life of a gypsy. I’ve just given up my apartment in St. Gallen and have moved into my apartment in Bregenz, I have two other apartments in Sweden and I’m still notified in Germany. I cause a lot of confusion at the borders.