March, 18, 2014. Issue No. 255

In his book Dumas mentions the 19 century novel "Manon Lescaut": the main heroine of "Lady of the Camellias" is presented with the book that tells the story of her vulgar predecessor. The choreographer took this episode and made the story about Manon into a "ballet inside the ballet" - it is shown in the performance. Separate episodes of this story are performed here and there throughout the main production; Marguerite either watches them at the theatre, or imagines them.
The 19 century courtesan is fascinated with the drama of her predecessor and "colleague", a woman who also died young - a hundred years ago. Armand Duval, the romantic whose heart has been broken, becomes a kind of a double for Chevalier des Grieux, who tried to save Manon from herself, but in vain. The similarity of those love stories is especially vivid in the finale, when both heroes, filled with unrequited love for fallen women, lose their beloved. The only things they have left are the shades of memories and heavy hearts.Newsletter March, 182014Newsletter an unalienable part of the world repertory, will soon appear on the Bolshoi playbills. The "Moskovsky Komsomolets" reporter managed to get a hold of the famous choreographer only at The A.A.Bakhrushin State Central Museum: the ballet classic is also keen on ballet rarities of the Diaghilev Seasons and, mainly, Vaslav Nijinsky.
John Neumeier bewails:
- I could have bought Nijinsky's diaries! I had them in my hands. I looked at every page and decided that this document was very important; but I do not speak a word of Russian, so I will not be able to read it! Thus, I do not have to have it. This was the silliest decision I have made in my entire life! God, why?!? I am not stupid, I could have learned Russian! This diary was sold three times. My money has been tight so many times in my life, but every time I managed. It is important to keep things like that, so that they all are stored at one museum, for example, like this one.
- Why have you decided to stage "Lady of the Camellias" at the Bolshoi Theatre? The ballet has been shown in Russia several times during different tours; it is staged at many big theatres around the world and is not really exclusive. Why have not you chosen "Peer Gynt", for example, which is much more exclusive?
- Sergei Filin asked me to stage "Lady of the Camellias"; I would say that this ballet suits the Bolshoi very much. Perhaps, when you are the director of the Bolshoi Theatre, you will ask me to stage "Peer Gynt" (laughs). There are different ways to present "Lady of the Camellias": there are so many versions, and they all are different! There also are many interpretations of "Romeo and Juliette" and "Macbeth". This is not something that is interesting only for the audience. I am also interested to watch the Bolshoi Theatre artists rehearsing my "Lady".
- The novel "Lady of the Camellias" was written by Dumas fils in 1848; your ballet, based on this novel, was staged in 1978. Do you consider these two pieces to still be relevant today?
- In this story it is not important whether Marguerite Gautier dies from tuberculosis or from AIDS. We have the story of a woman who clings to life by all means, in a situation when all stability she has in life turns out to be less important for her than the sincere love of a man. In this regard the story is absolutely timeless; this is a story of today.
But choreography also is an attempt to describe any situation in as honest and direct way as it is possible regarding a human being. I have never thought otherwise. We do not stage exactly what is written in the novel, line by line; we stage whatever is between the lines. Here we are talking about the motivation that made the author write this story, as well as about those things that everyone understands and feels in completely different ways. - What is your opinion of the law banning the propaganda of homosexual relations which has been introduced in Russia recently? Many of your ballets can be subjects to this law; for example, "Nijinsky", or the ballet "Death in Venice" based on Thomas Mann's novella, or even "The Little Mermaid" that is now on at the Stanislavski Theatre.
- You know, I personally do not believe in any kind of propaganda. I would say that… the law as I understand it, just by itself - it is OK, let it be. If you want to protect youth from any kind of propaganda, it is normal. But the thing is, how to interpret the law; its reputation also is a complicated issue. It is possible to start aggression towards homosexuality, for example. This, of course, is a very devastating effect. This is why I would like the Russian government to have a better idea about this law. In the West there is a big misunderstanding of what this law is about. No one has really read it. This is my opinion: if I refuse to come to Russia, what will it change? I understood that my presence in Russia is more important, in terms of being who I am and talking about what I believe in. This, of course, is not propaganda!
- I know that you are now working on the new ballet "Tatiana" based on the Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin". You stage it for the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-
Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre and for your company in Hamburg…
- When you start working on a new piece, talking about it is the worst thing. In this case you lose everything, but I need to have everything inside before I start working. I have so many doubts, conflicts, ideas and opportunities. Lera Auerbach has been commissioned to write the music; she is a very, very talented woman. We worked together on "The Little Mermaid" - this ballet is also performed at this theatre. I gave her the libretto 5 years ago, and the music is still not ready. Pushkin, and, especially, "Onegin", is so sacred for all Russians, and I am so scared by this! Of course, I cannot stage "Onegin" as Pushkin wrote it. What I can do, is to create a ballet that would be entitled "Tatiana", the way it could be staged by a guy from Milwaukee. Naturally, this is not that kind of Pushkin… The main thing in my production is her dream that she sees after she writes the letter. - Will there be a bear?
- Of course…
- Belinsky wrote: "Onegin" is an encyclopedia of Russian life. For example, in the first chapter there are many things about ballet history that are important for us. I mean, Istomina, to whom some wonderful lines are dedicated, or the ballet by Didelot.
- This, of course, will be in my ballet. It is also interesting for me, how much Onegin is preoccupied with Lensky. As far as I understand from the text, Onegin doubts whether he lives the right life even before his uncle dies. He tries to be an artist. In a way, he tries to paint, tries to do something and understands that his life lacks something. When Onegin meets Lenksy, he sees in Lensky what he lacks himself. That is why I like Lensky, and I do not want to evaluate his poetry, the poems that he writes, but I do want to evaluate the fact that he devotes himself to something completely. Perhaps, in a way it is silly, I mean, this duel is silly, but he sacrifices himself. For some idiotic idea, for some woman, who has by no means deserved it.
Galina Vishnevskaya V International Opera Singers Competition will take place in May- June
Galina Vishnevskaya V International Opera Singers Competition will take place from
May 31 till June 5.
The preliminary qualification round, where the judges listened to video recordings, is
organized from January 15 till April15th. The first and second rounds will take place
at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center from May 31 till June 3. The third round, the award ceremony and the competition closing ceremony will take place on June
5; it will be the first time that these events will take place at the Bolshoi Theatre New Stage.Mass media about the Theatre
March, 182014Newsletter the French scientific and business communities, visited the concert of the outstanding opera singer which was organized at the residence of the Russian ambassador to France Alexander Orlov.
Pieces by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Jules Massenet and Jacques Offenbach were performed at the ancient mansion in Rue de Grenelle. The famous French lawyer and public figure Lia Camara mentioned in his talk with the ITAR-TASS reporter: "The French audience loved Elena Obraztsova after her very first performance at La Salle Pleyel in Paris. Her unique voice, great talent and special charisma allowed her to become one of the world opera's brightest stars".

This year the singer celebrates the 50 anniversary of her performing career. She made her first steps in the world of music at the Leningrad Children's Choir in the first after-war decade. In 1962 she was awarded the first prize at the All-Union Competition of Vocalists named after Mikhail Glinka. She made her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre when she was a student of the Conservatory. The list of her awards includes the Grand Prix of the French Academy, the Italian prize "The Golden Verdi" and the award of the Association of Theatres of Sicily.
The concert in Paris was organized by the Russian embassy together with the International Charity Fund "Konstantinovsky" (Saint Petersburg). Elena Obraztsova comes from the northern capital. Two international competitions named after her are held in Saint Petersburg annually.
Elena Obraztsova is not only a fabulous singer, but also a wonderful teacher. Her students - the Mariinsky Theatre soloists Olga Pudova and Mikhail Kolelishvili and the award winner of the Young Singers International Competitions Oksana Zubko - participate in the concert together with her. The Count Petr Sheremetev, the President of the Russian Music Society in Paris, said: "This has been a real treat for all opera fans. I am proud of the Russian art that gives such talents to the world".

Elena Obraztsova will celebrate the 45 anniversary of her creative career at the Bolshoi Theatre
The star of world opera and the outstanding singer Elena Obraztsova will celebrate
her creative jubilee on Thursday, December 11 [2014]; the concert will take place on the Bolshoi Theatre New Stage.Elena Obraztsova said: "I am happy that the Bolshoi Theatre provided its stage for me and my friends, whom I would like to invite to this celebration. It seems that 45 March, 182014Newsletter Digest has been compiled by The Bolshoi Theatre Press Office
Photos: Damir Yusupov and Mikhail Logvinov
Design layout: Vladimir AndrusenkoAll materials used in the digest are the public domain of information agencies, mass media, civil society organizations and government Analysis of articles published March 14 - 16 2014
The Limelight classical music and arts magazine publishes an article about Valery Gergiev and other leading Russian arts figures signing an open letter supporting Putin's position in the Ukraine.
Roslyn Sulcas of the New York Times writes about Jean-Christophe Maillot, director of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, whose ballet "Lac," is being performed in New York at City Centre. (Maillot will be choreographing his ballet The Taming of the Shrew for the Bolshoi Ballet later this year).
The Mittledeutsche Zeitung reports the ballet Marco Spada will be broadcast live from the Bolshoi Theatre in many German cinemas on Sunday 30 March.
The Los Angeles Times writes about Coloratura soprano Albina Shagimuratova, performing 'Lucia di Lammermoor' at the L.A. Opera and says she will also be performing Violetta in La Traviata later at the Bolshoi Theatre.
The Daily Gazette (USA) says tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet's season at SPAC in USA have gone on sale.
The Leamington Spa Courier (UK) writes that after a 40 000 GBP investment the new improved cinema is opening there that will show among other things the live performances from the Bolshoi Theatre.
The Berliner Morgenpost reports that Soloist Mischa Maisky who is regarded as one of the leading cellists in the world will come to Berlin in April as well as the Orchestra of the most famous Russian opera house the Bolshoi Theatre.
In briefVoronezh mass media:

On May 18 the concert marking the 20 anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre soloist Irina Makarova's creative career will take place at the Voronezh Opera Theatre. The singer started her career in Voronezh, where she graduated from the Academy of Arts. The jubilee concert of the famous opera singer, who now performs at the best opera theatre's of the world, will be entitled "Her Majesty Opera". Besides Irina Makarova herself, the academic symphony orchestra and six soloists will take part in the concert. The concert will be organized under the patronage of Alexei Gordeev.
Irina Makarova reminded us that this year we celebrate jubilees of two outstanding
Russian composers: the 170 anniversary of Nikolai A. Rimsky-Korsakov and the
175 anniversary of Modest P. Mussorgsky. The singer said that pieces by these composers would be surely be performed in the concert.
Khabarovsk mass media:

On Sunday, March 16, the hall of the Far Eastern State Humanitarian Institute became the casting venue for young musicians. 35 young vocalists gathered there to audition for the project "The White Steamship: Singing Rivers of Russia". As RIA "Vostok-Media" has already reported, this project has been created for gifted orphan children and disabled children. Before the beginning of the audition there were hardly ten children in the hall. Two singers were warming up in the empty first rows. In the last rows the participants were waiting for the head of the project and trying to calm down before their performances. The Bolshoi Theatre soloist Nikolay Didenko, who searches for young talents, came to the regional capital. He has been the head of the project since it was founded; he chooses children that will participate in "The White Steamship".