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The premiere series of the opera "Rigoletto", staged by Robert Carsen, is now showing at the Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre and TASS signed an agreement on informational cooperation again The Bolshoi denies the rumors Facebook: congratulations to artists on their birthdays; behind the scenes of "The Nutcracker": real magic in Instagram! December 17th - Dinara Alieva (soprano), the Bolshoi Opera soloist, and Nelli Kobakhidze, the Bolshoi Ballet soloist, celebrated their birthdays. Our best wishes to the artists! December 14th, 16th - 21st - premiere series of "Rigoletto" December 9th - 19th - the famous American singer Carol Vaness is working with the participants of the Bolshoi Theatre Young Artists Opera Program December 21st - live broadcast of the ballet "The Nutcracker", staged at the Bolshoi Theatre, at a thousand cinemas around the world Historic Stage - Nutcracker. Ballet in two acts New Stage - Rigoletto. Opera in three acts. PREMIERE The Bolshoi Theatre and TASS signed an agreement on informational cooperation again. Photo: Damir Yusupov Grimaldi Forum in Monaco is ready for the opening of the Year of Russia. Photo: Katerina Novikova " Rigoletto " at the Bolshoi of f disgustedly as soon as his working day is over; but in fact this is a complicated character. He knows no mercy as he laughs at someone else's grief, he is an unhappy entertainer of the crowd, he is a loving, but too tyrannical father. All episodes are set at the circus. Rigoletto, with his face painted white, sneers and tries to make others laugh. The handsome Duke wears jeans and watches the performance from the box. Mean members of the court nobility in the semi-circle rows giggle. There is also the old gypsy caravan, where the jester and his daughter live; Rigoletto's daughter looks like an obedient school girl, wearing socks. The assassin Sparafucile lives in the corner of the arena. This buffoon is a complicated character that hides behind his mask; he knows no mercy as he laughs at someone else's grief, he is an unhappy entertainer of the crowd. Photo: Oleg Chernous Circus allows Carsen to draw powerful parallels: in the words of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the life of his Rigoletto is "a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". At the same time, it is at the circus where one can soar into the sky, both literary and figuratively speaking. This is precisely what Gilda's soul does. T wice. It happens when the heroine sings about her love for the Duke, swinging on the swing, and when she dies in her father's hands, trying to save her lover's live, and her mysterious shadow (a trapeze artist) spins and then lands dead below the fly gallery. Carsen uses naked bodies. In one scene the group of "tigresses", topless female supernumeraries, dressed in "leopard" panties, surrounds the Duke, who represents alpha male and the "tamer". In a dif ferent scene the Duke, this tireless lover-boy, sings a song and undresses; well, everything is rather decent - he puts on a robe, turns his back to the audience and the viewers only catch a short sight of his naked behind. One should remember, that the Duke sings as he tames the women; he sings about women, and this is all about carnal pleasures. He is only interested in a woman's body that can be easily substituted with another one. Here is the materialization of male fantasies: a whole lot of chicks. As soon as the dancing is over, they put on their robes; it is clear that they are tired after the routine "cheesecake". For many members of the audience naked bodies are like a red flag for the bull: as soon as the bull sees the flag, it gets angry. However, unlike the bull, a human should be able to read the signs, including the director's messages, and understand the dif ference between provocation for the sake of provocation and the suitable carnal metaphor. The audience that came to the premiere should be given credit for their reserved reaction to naked girls and only whispering something nervously to their neighbors during the scene of the Duke's stripping. Carsen attracts attention to the Duke's blatant cynicism: he has just sang the aria about "real love", crying false tears about the fate of the kidnapped Gilda, but as soon as he learned that she was hidden in his palace, he returned to his carnal pleasures right away. The orchestra, conducted by the Italian maestro Evelino PidГІ, was very tactful to the singers, and this is its main strength. The Greek baritone Dimitris Tiliakos (Rigoletto) tried very hard to play the part of the jester, but his voice is too high for this part and often vibrated. Kristina Mkhitaryan (Gilda) has a strong and even soprano, but she did not cope with Verdi's coloraturas very well; her manner is too aggressive and Newsletter V erdi's opera, which would probably be more suitable for Leoncavallo's piece, to reassess Verdi's masterpiece, but rather complement it, like a drum-roll would complement a high-wire act. There are a lot of things that make the audience freeze; there also are parts that allow the viewers to remain quite calm. The old circus, the red velvet, the almost toy-like gypsy caravan of Rigoletto and Gilda, ropes, circus rope ladders that are used to stage the impressive kidnapping scene, half darkness and the round spotlight on the main character's figure (lighting designers - Peter Van Praet and Robert Carsen, who sometimes designs the set as well, but this time decided to give this responsibility to Radu Boruzescu) - everything works in such a way, that the décor makes the opera dramaturgy three-dimensional. Everything else is about free acting, good singing and creating the form and balance of the orchestra, the choir and the soloists in order to please the audience that have already been taken care of. This part of Verdi's "Rigoletto", which truly is the most important one, was not impeccable at the premiere at the Bolshoi. The second cast stars Anne-Catherine Gillet, Valery Alexeyev and Fabrizio Paesano. As for the opening night, the music director Evelino PidГІ conducted the orchestra in bravura movement and was aiming for the culmination; however, he did not always manage to make sure that all singers and musicians worked together as a confident and plastique ensemble. Sometimes the choir failed to negotiate corners of the music pattern, and the quality of the orchestra sound was not stable from measure to measure. It was not the first time that the extraordinary baritone Dimitris Tiliakos appeared at the Bolshoi, but this was another one of those parts that do not suit him one hundred percent. For instance, Chernyakov's "Don Giovanni" was staged not with this particular singer in mind, but T iliakos at least demonstrated a decent performance of that part. Verdi's jester (clown in Carsen's interpretation) is not an ideal part for this baritone: he has a sonorous and beautiful mezzo-voce with rich overtones, but his cantilena is not very consistent, and keeping up with Verdi's style is more about using dramatic tools, but not vocal ones. At the same time Tiliakos is not only an interesting singer, but also a great actor; without any doubt, the tragic character he created was very convincing. One would expect to see similar acting and vocal freedom in Gilda; Kristina Mkhitaryan performed this part in the premiere cast. But the soloist of the Bolshoi Y oung Artists Opera Program did not go beyond the image of her father's obedient daughter; she preferred to focus on articulating the phrases and fulfilling the director's tasks precisely, rather than to find musical and dramatic nuances in her part. Sergey Romanovsky's performance (the Duke) could have been considered great but for the fact that his voice was husky on the top notes. Alexander T symbalyuk presented the wonderful Sparafucile; this singer also was wonderful in C ars e n's "D on G io va nni", in clu din g gu est perfo rm ance s in M osc o w. Ju stin a Gringyte performed the part of Maddalena very well, too. The premiere cast and the conductor coped with "Rigoletto"'s main ensemble, the quartet in the last act, rather well; however, in terms of performance Verdi's ensemble opera lacked flexibility, sophistication, sound plastique and that particular mastery that turns attraction into illusion, the ceiling with holes into a starry sky, inhibition on the stage into freedom and banality into a revelation. We should not blame the director's plan. It is hard to say, what or who is to blame, when the theatre stages a production and tries to wave it aside at the same time. The right for tears Contrary to what had been expected, the premiere of the opera "Rigoletto" at the Bolshoi Theatre did not cause any scandal The Bolshoi Theatre presented the new version of the opera "Rigoletto" by Verdi. The production was staged by the famous Canadian director Robert Carsen. This controversial production is now showing on the Bolshoi's New Stage that is a venue for experiments and controversy. "Rigoletto" is a co-production of the Bolshoi Theatre and several European opera houses. The director set the story at the circus; acrobats and trapeze artists take part in this performance as well. Why circus? Because "Rigoletto" is a story of a buf foon. The libretto, based on the drama "Le roi s'amuse" by Victor Hugo, looks like a grotesque buffoonery: the main character (the royal jester) takes revenge on his master, the Duke, who seduced his daughter Gilda, but in the end gets the sack with her corpse. The tragedy that turns into farce that later turns into a tragedy - this is the way that Rigoletto travels. By the way, this "ugly creature" has no hump on his back; according to Carsen, it is his soul that is ugly. He wears the costume of a clown, which he takes December, 18 2014 The Bolshoi Ballet is not getting a new director yet The main theatre of Russia denied rumors The statement was made by the Bolshoi Theatre's Press Office; the Bolshoi denies rumors that Yuri Klevtsov, the chief ballet master of the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Glinka, is going to take charge of the Bolshoi Ballet. Such rumors appeared in some Chelyabinsk mass media. The Bolshoi Theatre's spokeswoman Katerina Novikova, who is now in Monaco, said this information was a "strange gossip". She also informed "Moskovsky Komsomolets" that letters, signed by the Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin, would be sent to Chelyabinsk mass media. C hely a bin sk n ew s a gency "D ostu p" to ge th er w it h th e o bla st n e w sp ap er "Y uzhnouralskaya Panorama" published the announcement that "having spent three years at the Chelyabinsk theatre", Yuri Klevtsov, the chief ballet master of the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. Glinka, was "returning to the Bolshoi Theatre" and that he "received an offer to take charge of the Bolshoi Ballet together with his classmate Sergei Filin". This announcement was published prior to the press conference, marking the signing of an agreement on cooperation between the Bolshoi Theatre and TASS. "Moskovsky Komsomolets" learned that in the letter that the Bolshoi's administration is going to send to these sources the published information is characterized as "misleading"; it is also stressed that the Bolshoi's administration "is not aware of this appointment". "In connection therewith" the Bolshoi's administration asks these sources to publish an official contradiction. Y uri Klevtsov, a People's Artist of Russia, used to be the Bolshoi Theatre's premier for a long time; he also performed leading parts in Teatro ColГіn ballet company (Argentina). Before he started working at the Chelyabinsk theatre, he used to work at the Rostov Music Theatre as a ballet master and stage productions there. For articles published 16 December 2014 Le Podcast Journal (France) carries a podcast about the performances of the Bolshoi Ballet in Monaco. Stimme Russland publishes an article about the premier of Robert Carson's Rigoletto at the Bolshoi. The Times (UK) publishes an obituary on the Russian ballerina and Bolshoi star Nina T imofeyeva. The Guardian (UK) publishes an obituary on the Russian ballerina and Kirov star Alla Sizova. Behind the scenes of "The Nutcracker": real magic in Instagram! Nina Kaptsova and Artem Ovcharenko Newsletter does not suite the image of this innocent, angel-like heroine very well. Fortunately, the tenor Sergey Romanovsky (the Duke) performed his part in an almost impeccable way, apart from the fact that his voice was husky on the top notes (my neighbor supposed that the singer "might have had some cold beer"). The assassin Sparafucile (Alexander Tsymbalyuk, who has a brutal appearance and voice) and his beautiful sister Maddalena (Justina Gringyte; it seemed that there were her long legs that allowed her to get through auditions) were convincing both in terms of their appearance and their singing. W e also remembered Count Monterone (Vyacheslav Pochapsky), the father of the Duke's first victim, who cursed the rake and his hanger-on, the jester. This curse was convincing, as Commendatore's steps in "Don Giovanni". Here is the bloody result: Rigoletto gets tired of making others laugh and laughing for money. He dreams of having the right for tears. He will get this right. But at what price? T he B ols h oi T heatr e an d TA SS sig ned an ag re em en t o n in fo rm atio n al cooperation again The document was signed by the Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin and T ASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov. The State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia and TASS Russia News Agency signed the agreement on informational cooperation again. The document was signed by the Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin and TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov. T ASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov said: "The two greatest national brands, the Bolshoi Theatre and TASS, have been cooperating for many years". Mr. Mikhailov also added that TASS was ready to continue to provide informational support to all projects of the country's main theatre in future. He stated: "I hope there will be many interesting events that we will inform the public about. I wish the Bolshoi Theatre victories in the international arenas". Vladimir Urin, the Bolshoi Theatre General Director, expressed his gratitude to TASS and said: "A friend in need is a friend indeed. At some point the Bolshoi Theater was going through tough times; there were many challenges, including those in the informational sphere. I have to say that T ASS journalists behaved like real friends and did not assimilate with some other mass media. I am now talking not about the point of view that any edition has a right to express, but rather about the manner of reporting news". He continued: "I am very grateful to TASS for providing accurate, objective and politically correct information. I also have to say that TASS has always been near during happy times, when there was a celebration, interesting guest performances and premieres at the Bolshoi. Thank you very much for always being with us. I am sure that in the near future these ties will be strengthened and developed; I hope we will stay friends in the best meaning of this word. I am looking forward to our fruitful cooperation". Mr. Urin also mentioned that as another agreement with TASS was being drafted, he had the "feeling of an on-going process". He explained: "The previous contract expired and we signed the new agreement. I think that no major changes will take place; we used to work together, we are working together and we plan to work together in the future. This is the way I have felt since the very day when I became the Bolshoi Theatre General Director". As for the terms of the agreement of cooperation, the head of TASS explained that the agency would continue to publish announcements about all Bolshoi's events, while TASS journalists would go on the Bolshoi's tours abroad in order to provide information about the company's guest performances. Mr. Mikhailov said: "We are still doing our job; we present the facts and are not keen on some gossip and scandals. This is the right thing to do from the strategic point of view". T ASS Director General assured: "According to the agreement, we will provide informational support to all Bolshoi Theatre's initiatives". December, 18 2014 Mass media about the Theatre Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet Newsletter , 7 Holidays are coming; performances of the New Year ballet "The Nutcracker"start on the Bolshoi Theatre Historic Stage. During the following two weeks the Bolshoi's premier Artem Ovcharenko, who will perform the part of Nutcracker-the Prince on the New Year's Eve, will tell about preparation for the performances in his photo reports. If you want to see a real fairy-tale being made, visit the Bolshoi's page in Instagram! Dinara Alieva (soprano), an Honored Artist of Azerbaijan and the Bolshoi Opera soloist, and Nelli Kobakhidze, the Bolshoi Ballet soloist, celebrated their birthdays on December 17th. Our best wishes to the artists! Dinara Alieva Nelli Kobakhidze http://
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