|
The Bolshoi Theatre enters into alliance with the community Instagram Russia The Bolshoi Theatre Young Artists Opera Program celebrated its 5th anniversary In his interview with "Izvestia" Vladimir Urin discussed how to present the productions of Russia's main theatre to the citizens of Russia Elena Obraztsova, the People's Artist of the USSR, will mark her jubilee with a concert at the Bolshoi Theatre Facebook: congratulations to artists on their birthdays; repeat of the broadcast of the W orld Ballet Day October 19th - the Bolshoi Theatre marked the 5th anniversary of the Young Singers Opera Program with a performance of "Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti" October 23rd - the ballet "A Legend of Love" on the Historic Stage. Major revival New Stage - La fille mal gardee. Ballet in two acts Historic Stage - rehearsal day Mass media about the Theatre A video about the Bolshoi souvenir shop that opened recently is available on the Bolshoi Theatre's YouT ube Channel: .bit.ly/1wj5F2J theatres cannot wait for a long time; they need rather young singers, whose appearance and age coincides with the images of, say, Romeo and Juliette that audiences have. Here at the Bolshoi we are trying to focus on preparing the most talented young singers to work at the theatre; this involves both pedagogical and financial efforts. It is like a small factory that produces something extremely expensive and exclusive. As for the young singers' interests, they need to be motivated and driven by creative opportunities and interesting projects that can give them room for professional growth and development. This is what our young artists are dreaming about most of all". The Young Artists Opera Program was set up at the Bolshoi Theatre in October 2009. For two years young singers and pianists from Russia and the CIS countries, selected on the basis of auditions, are coached in different disciplines, including voice studies, stage movement and acting skills, foreign languages and most important - attendance at master-classes given by famous singers and repetiteur- coaches. Each of the programme participants is also provided with plenty of opportunites to perform on stage, singing supporting roles in the Theatre's current productions and understudying the Opera Company's lead singers. Over the five years of the Program's existence there have been 14 opera premieres starring the Program's participants, 18 concerts at the Beethoven Hall and 6 concerts of the Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra, which young singers have taken part in as well. The Young Artists Opera Program has gone on tours to different cities of the world, including Rome, Nice, Paris, Avignon, Compiègne, Berlin, San Francisco, New York, Sofia, Baku, Kiev, Ekaterinburg, Klin, Khabarovsk… "If the regions take the initiative, the Bolshoi Theatre is ready to go on tours" The Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin discusses how to present the productions of Russia's main theatre to the citizens of Russia Photo: Izvestia/Vladimir Suvorov Starting from 2015 Russia's major music theatre will join the program "Big Tours". A reporter of "Izvestia" talked to the Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin. - How do you feel about becoming a part of "Big Tours"? - This is a wonderful idea. I come from Kirov, a provincial town, so I know very well how important tours of a big theatre are for a town that does not really have diversity in terms of theatre productions. I remember how much tours of Perm and Sverdlovsk Opera and Ballet Theatres, as well as guest performances of the Ivanovo Theatre of Operetta meant to me. So the idea to organize some center that would coordinate those tours and, moreover, would partially take care of financial issues, associated with organizing those tours, is very sound. I know that the first results are very inspiring: "Pyotr Fomenko Workshop" has recently visited Kirov and Kirov citizens were very enthusiastic when they shared their impressions with me. - Have you negotiated anything with Eugene Shermeneva, the Head of the Federal Support Center of tour activities? - We have discussed a whole range of issues, including the ones that are connected with the Bolshoi Theatre. We have one offer from Samara. The 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War will be celebrated next year; during the war our theatre was evacuated to Samara. At the moment we have an oral invitation to go there. I voiced this idea to Eugene Shermeneva and he supported it. A Bolshoi Theatre tour is an expensive project; if the city's authorities are interested in this tour and are ready to support us, we will be happy to go there. W e have discussed another important issue - theatre venues. There are quite a few venues that can host the Bolshoi Theatre, but, as a rule, they exist in the cities that have their own music theatres. However, there definitely are not enough music productions in Russia, and there are rather few opportunities to show them as well. We need to understand that in our time there will not appear well-equipped music theatres all over Russia. This is not something that we need either. So we discussed opportunities to have concert performances in cases where the stage is not suitable for a real performance. It can be a concert version with some stage elements, a joint concert of opera and ballet leading soloists or guest performances of leading soloists… Repertoires of many theatres are the same, especially when it comes to classics. Local authorities will always find money to pay the soloists' travelling expenses and to provide their accommodation and fees. If the Federal Support Center of tour activities agrees to pay some of those expenses, there will be no problem at all. At the same time even if two, three of four soloists that perform leading parts come, it is already a great event for a city. - As far as I understand, leading soloists have their schedules planned several seasons ahead. Will they agree to perform in Siberia instead of performing in La Scala? - If the theatre goes there on tour, this will not be an issue for discussion. Soloists have certain responsibilities. Artists can go to La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Ballet or the Royal Opera only in case they have nothing going on at the Bolshoi. This is a very strict condition. If you want to be a freelancer, you are welcome. But in this case you will be a guest soloist at the Bolshoi. Besides, not everything depends on those responsibilities; I cannot remember a single case when this or that artist said he/she would not perform in some region. Audiences in the regions are not as spoiled as in the capital; artists get a completely different kind of energy from spectators. They perform a lot around Russia and they like it. - Will the Bolshoi Theatre voice any preferences when it comes to guest performances? - No, it will not. We have a task from the government and we should work in Moscow. W e should have performances on two, and sometimes on three stages every day. There are certain criteria when it comes to the number of performances, and if we fail to meet those, our funding can be reduced. Each performance in Moscow earns us the sum of money that we will never earn when we go on tour to some region. So we are not interested in foisting ourselves on someone; we are not interested in doing it from the financial perspective either. W e are ready to go on tours, but the initiative should come from regions. If regional administrations are interested in the Bolshoi Theatre, they should make an offer to Eugene Shermeneva and to us. We will take a look at our schedule, choose a date and then we will discuss organizational and financial issues. I am deeply convinced that three parties should meet. If the host party is not interested, we should not go there. This is very simple. - What about outreach activities? - We should fulfill our outreach mission on a high professional level. The theatre's goal is to demonstrate a highly artistic and high-quality work of art. Moreover that our productions are often broadcast all over Russia and not only Russia; millions of people watch them. They watch them in the way they were created. Every time we take a performance on tour, it means that it loses quality and cannot be really demonstrated in the way it was created. - How much will your schedule let you tour Russia? - We cannot go on many tours, because we have certain responsibilities to our foreign partners; we have two-three long tours planned for each season. Together with Eugene Shermeneva we have decided that if we go to Samara in 2015, we will then discuss 2016, and then 2017; I mean, we are talking about one tour in Russia per year. - Does it mean that the theatre does not want to tour its own country? - I have already said that the theatre cannot do it all the time. There are certain responsibilities to the founder and to our foreign partners; besides, in terms of finances tours in Russia put us in the red a priori. Usually 180-200 people go on tour. Now let us count the expenses: travelling, transporting the set, staying at a hotel, renting a venue, advertisement, per diem… Now let us count the income. In the West an impresario can set a rather high price for the Bolshoi's performances, and the tickets will be sold; however, this is not possible in Russia, because people simply will not be able to afford these. We have to set prices that are available for a certain region; this is not possible to do unless we have the support of the local administration and Federal Support Center of tour activities. - Are you ready to send your artists to live in yurts, for example? The Mayakovsky Theatre's artists lived in yurts this summer. Newsletter October, 21 2014 Newsletter October, 21 2014 Elena Obraztsova was born on July 7th 1939 in Leningrad. She performed at major theatres and concert halls around the world, including La Scala in Milan, Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera House in London. At the festival, marking the 100th anniversary of the opera "Carmen" in Spain (1975) Obraztsova was named the best performer of this role in the world. The People's Artist of the USSR gives master-classes in Russia and Europe; she also is the head of juries at several international competitions. For articles published 17-19 October 2014 Cape Cod Online (USA) announces that the local Cape Cod Cinema has added live broadcasts from the Bolshoi Theatre to its line-up this season. The transmissions will start with Yuri Grigorvich's Legend of Love on 26 October. New York Times publishes a major article about Irina Kolpakova as a teacher at the American Ballet Theatre. Company saying she imparts the purity, bravura and spirit of the Russian style. The International New York Times announces the premier of Yuri Grigorovich's Legend of Love revival at the Bolshoi Theatre. The Los Angeles Times reports about the Princess Grace Foundation awards for the arts. This year they included included ballet sensation David Hallberg who is a principal dancer for both the Bolshoi Theatre and the American Ballet Theatre. The Frankfurther Allgemeine Zeitung reports that Tugan Sokhiev, Chief Conductor of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester (DSO) in Berlin wants to leave the position of artistic director of the orchestra after only four years. The article says that he has also become the music director at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre which he says requires too much presence and attention and that he could not in good conscience stay in Berlin. El Pais (Uruguay) publishes an article about 25 things not to be missed when visiting Europe. The article includes the Bolshoi Theatre saying "Bolshoi Theatre is synonymous with ballet, and if you talk about dance Russians do not need much introduction. Its prestigious dance company is a treasure of Russian classicism". The Young Artists Opera Program celebrated its 5th anniversary! On October 19th the Bolshoi Theatre Young Artists Opera Program celebrated its 5th anniversary. The Young Artists Opera Program is a project where young singers and pianists from Russia and the CIS countries, selected on the basis of auditions, are coached in dif ferent disciplines, including voice studies, stage movement, acting skills and foreign languages; they take part in the Bolshoi Theatre's productions and concerts and also present their own programs. Dmitry Vdovin, the artistic director of the Young Artists Opera Program, says: "As for the young singers' interests, they need to be motivated and driven by creative opportunities and interesting projects that can give them room for professional growth and development. This is something our young artists are dreaming about most of all". Over those five years participants of the Young Artists Opera Program have had a lot of interesting projects: they have taken part in the Bolshoi Theatre's opera productions, performed with concerts on each of the theatre's stages, have gone on tours all over the world and have become laureates of prestigious vocal competitions several times. 7 graduates of the Young Artists Opera Program have become the Bolshoi Theatre's soloists; 2 graduates have become concertmasters at the opera company. T oday 11 vocalists and 3 pianists are studying at the Program. - We definitely cannot send our artists to live in yurts, because they will not be able to sing and dance. We live in the 21st century, after all. The accommodation conditions during tours are described in our collective agreement. If they are worse, the artists have every right to refuse to go on tour. But we are normal people, and everything can be talked over. If we come and we are given the best of what is available in this region, even though it may not necessarily fit all our criteria, this is one thing. But if they buy transfer tickets, even though there is a direct flight, or put us on a bus that is not working, this is a completely dif ferent situation. If we understand that people really want us to come, we can meet with the collective, discuss everything and agree to change conditions. This is life, and we should treat it calmly and wisely. - In the year 2014 the Ministry of Culture allocated 240 mln rubles (approx. $5, 853,658) to support touring activities. Do you consider this sum to be enough? - The starting sum is not bad, but it is important that it is bigger; I mean, it should include regional, municipal and sponsor funding. It is now important to start the flywheel. If the quality of touring activities is high, the funding will gradually increase as well. I think the Federal Center might soon get its own budget that will allow to it settle many various issues. I consider that the goal of "Big Tours" is to get a circulatory system going. I mean, it is all not only about capital theatres going to regions, but also regional theatres going to the capital. When someone asks to perform on our stage, we always try to meet them halfway. The Rostov Music Theatre will perform on our stage in March. We open our doors to all theatres that take part in the "Golden Mask" Festival and make sure the stage is free for those dates. We understand that such guest performances are necessary, and every time such a request comes up, try to meet the other theatres halfway. They are our colleagues and friends. - The theatre goes in the red. - The ability to earn money is an important component of any business, including the theatre business. But "theatre income" is not only about money. "Theatre income" is also about its creative image and the creative authority that it has for audiences and colleagues. It is impossible to have the first kind of income, if there is no income of the second kind. This is something to remember about when you make any decisions at the theatre, including the ones that have to do with the theatre's tours. Elena Obraztsova, the People's Artist of the USSR, will mark her jubilee with a concert at the Bolshoi Theatre Elena Obraztsova, the famous opera singer and People's Artist of the USSR, will celebrate her jubilee on October 28th at the Bolshoi Theatre. Ekaterina Shikalovich, the Head of the Elena Obraztsova Foundation Press Office: "The gala-concert "Opera Ball", marking the 75th birthday of Elena Obraztsova, will take place on October 28th on the Bolshoi Theatre Historic Stage". Dmitry Bertman, the artistic director of the Helikon Opera and People's Artist of Russia, will be the director of the concert. W orld opera stars, including Anna Netrebko, Maria Guleghina, Olga Peretyatko, Ekaterina Siurina, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, José Cura, Bruno PraticГІ, Yusif Eyvazov, Hibla Gerzmava, Julia Lezhneva, Dinara Alieva and many others will take part in the gala. "Interfax" reports that the audience will also have a chance to see the world famous flamenco dancer Maía Pagés, the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky Theatres' primas Svetlana Zakharova and Yulia Makhalina. The artists will be accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra conducted by the outstanding American maestro Eugene Kohn. Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet Andrei Grigoriev (baritone), the Bolshoi Theatre's singer and the Honored Artist of Russia, celebrated his birthday on October 19th. We wish the singer success in his creative career and new projects! Andrei Grigoriev Did you have a chance to take a look behind the scenes of the Bolshoi Theatre during the live screening on the World Ballet Day? You have an opportunity to watch the whole thing from the beginning till the end or to enjoy your favorite moments again. The Bolshoi YouT ube channel presents HD quality recording of this event. Enjoy the show! .youtube.com/watch?v=lnQoLHybExk&list=UUUimBc08CcsoCvP_WlYJl0Q
Chelyabinsk mass media: Vladimir Spivakov and the orchestra "Virtuosos of Moscow" will perform in Chelyabinsk The world famous violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov and the Chamber Orchestra "Virtuosos of Moscow" will perform in Chelyabinsk again on December 1 1th; the concert will take place at the Sergei Prokofiev Concert Hall. This concert will be a part of the world tour, marking the 35th anniversary of "V irtuosos of Moscow", the 20th anniversary of the Vladimir Spivakov Charity Foundation and the 70th anniversary of the maestro himself. The program of the jubilee concert includes pieces by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, as well as the cycle "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" by Astor Piazzolla, an Argentinean composer whose works turned the perception of the traditional tango upside down and provided listeners with its modern interpretation. Anna Aglatova, the Bolshoi Theatre's young soloist, will perform together with "V irtuosos of Moscow". /…/ Newsletter , 7 In brief October, 21 2014 |
