I could have anything, but what should I do with it? 

Maria Tarasevich has firm principles 

First I heard her Voice. It was pouring from the receiver - soft, velvet, catlike. But we are experienced people and it is not easy to deceive us with the voice. I imagined Masha Tarasevich to be a star spoilt with success, with a light grin, arrogantly screwing up her beautiful eyes and talking about her achievements with a deliberate carelessness. The door opened and I caught sight of her. Her body was full of grace, her smile looked mysterious, and her eyes sparkled. And she was all charm. 

- You were born in Minsk. How did you happen to get to Moscow? 

When I was a little child, I dreamt of being in the focus of events feeling the energy of a big city. Minsk is a capital, of course, but I wished something extraordinary and mighty. I always wanted to be the first in every way. 

- Masha, what are the factors that affect the voice? 

Stress affects the voice most of all. When a person is nervous it can be easily guessed by his voice. 

- Do you know what a stress is from your own experience? 

Oh, yes. Our life is impossible without a stress. It is good when a stress mobilizes you acting like a cold shower. It is bad when it drives to a depression, low spirits, and a breakdown: such state destroys the person. 

- You work with Igor Butman, don’t you? 

Yes. I sing with his orchestra. We have been cooperating with him during the last two years. Last time we performed before our Olympians in Salt-Lake City in 2002. This is a creative cooperation because I have a quartet and musicians of my own. 

Butman is a courageous man who dared to invite a girl whose pictures were published in Playboy. 

Jazz, erotica and sex are the things closely connected with one another. Merilyn Monroe sang jazz and posed for Playboy. I find jazz the most sexual music. Jazz is the rhythm beyond the rhythm; it can be compared with drug 

- How did you meet Butman? 

Some girls I know and I once went to a night club. There I heard the saxophonist. His music impressed me. I said: “Hey, girls, I shall invite this man to my studio for the sound recording!” If I knew it were Butman… But I had no idea, so I just came up to him and said: “Hello, what is your name?” And he said: “I’m Igor”. “I am Masha. You played wonderful!” 

He said: “Thank you”. I believe, he grinned to himself. 

We exchanged our telephone numbers and forgot about this meeting. Later I learnt who Igor Butman was. 

- Is your life intensive? 

Not now. If you have to communicate with different people all the time you can get crazy. For me privacy is necessary from time to time so that I could think the things over. There are periods when we long for something and try to reach what we want, but we have no luck. But you are persistent and somehow you gain, but it doesn’t make you happy. One should feel the situation: if you are not lucky, forget about it and let the things go there own way – it’s not yours. 

- Do you go in for sports? 

I attend a sport club – running, swimming, sauna, massage. I prefer running 5-6 km and make exercises and I don’t like body-building. I found what I need. 

- Are you the person whose actions can be predicted? 

Absolutely not. I don’t know myself. I can find myself in such situations from which I shall be finding my way rather long. But I have rather firm principles. For me some taboo exist which I never violate. 

- Can you name such taboo? 

Perhaps, ten tables of the Bible. 

- What was your reaction to the fact that you are one of the most beautiful people in Moscow? 

I have always been quite calm about my appearance. I am grateful to the God for everything he gave me. Yet the concept of the beauty is something relative. Everything depends on your emotional state and health. When you get tired you do not even want to look into the mirror. 

- Are you happy that you managed to conquer Moscow? 

There are no limits for growing. My ambitions are not satisfied because I have got new wishes now. Ten years ago when I arrived here, all that I have now seemed the top of success. And now… I have got a car, a flat, a job, but now it all seams vanity of vanities. When I lacked all this, I wanted to have it, of course. And now I have all these things, so I come to realize that it is love that really matters. 

- Are you searching for love now? 

Yes, I am.