Česky
Tell me, how many times are you with us and why? You look incredibly vital.
It's my fifth time here and I'm worried about everything! Thank God, I don't have healthy kidneys, and thanks to Professor Neuzil from Na Homolka Hospital, I've made it to you. And I wouldn't change it again. I come back every six months. I'm responsible in my own way, I make several ridiculous movements at home every day and I try my best, but there are things I can't do on my own. The doctors and nurses here are great. I'm very comfortable here. But at the same time, I am not an obedient patient. Mainly in that I don't listen to Mr. Chief Horace to always call someone when I need something. Only thanks to the canes, I get to where everyone has to go and back again. Since I need to drink a lot of fluids, I would have to have someone with me at all times to help me. I can't bother the nurses like this. Another bad thing is that I fall every year. There's just a regularity to it. So here I am grateful for all the help and the option of a single room. I've lived alone for years and I'm so used to it. I don't want to bother anyone, I guess there's a little selfishness in it. Selfish because I'm at an age where I don't want to deal with the appropriateness of turning on the TV and its volume.
It's been over eight years since you retired. So you're not singing anymore, but there are still various compilations and rediscovered songs coming out. When can we look forward to more?
Yes, I am releasing records. The last one was in 2017. I have friends around me who always discover songs that I didn't even know I had ever recorded. At the moment, they found something like that again, so they will probably be out soon. At the same time, this October I will be 88 years old and a big concert is coming up. It will be a concert without me. There will be well-known singers who will sing songs that were in my repertoire. Anyway, I won't be there personally, but if it is filmed, I will be very happy to see it.
How does it happen that Hana Hegerová has a civil name composed of 4 first names?
Yes, I do. Carmen Maria Stephanie Beatrix. I got the name Carmen because my grandmother liked opera and didn't like diminutives. Carmen is a non-clone and you can't make it a diminutive either. Nobody calls you Carmuška. Maria was my grandmother on my dad's side, Stephanie was my grandmother on my mom's side. Beatrix was a little different. I went to confirmation mainly because I knew I'd get a radio as a gift. I was a poor girl, I didn't have much money back then.
Even though you've been in the Czech Republic for a long time, your accent shows. What about you and Czech?
I've been in the Czech Republic since the last century. Since 1958. And it's interesting that a lot of people think of me as Moravian, not Slovak. And I'm not angry with them at all. I like Moravia very much. Because there's a lot of wine, which I also like. Every day I have some red and white wine with my fish. I don't skimp on wine. When I was younger, I took oenology courses in Prague, so I dare say I know my way around wine. And there's no wine like wine. Even the same kind can taste different every time.
Wine is also connected to my mother. My mother only drank wine when the electric light came on. In the summer she would have her wine later, but in the winter she could have her glass much earlier.
What do you have planned for the summer?
When I leave you, I'm going home. I have an apartment with a terrace in the centre of Prague. Fortunately, the terrace faces the courtyard and I can really only hear the bells from the towers. My terrace is full of flowers and trees and I'm looking forward to it. When I still had Babushka, a French bulldog, he used to go for a walk on the lawn on the terrace. As soon as he made a nice poop, he would run back inside and get what they call a "poop munchie".
You say your grandson and his children visit you often. Do you like to bake?
I used to love to cook. I used to make up recipes. Now I love salads. I make a very good dressing. And sometimes my grandson and I go out to a good restaurant. Otherwise, I don't go out much. I can't. I have a lot of stairs to my apartment and it's purgatory to climb those stairs.
Finally, please tell me your recipe for dressing a la Hana Hegerova.
How much sugar, how much apple cider vinegar and 1/4 salt. I use honey instead of sugar. Full-fat mustard, lots of garlic, herbed salt and premium olive oil. Stir a lot, fluff it up. And it's best on iceberg lettuce.
Thank you very much for the interview and we wish you good health, joy of life and many relaxing moments with your family.
