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May 20 - 25 - the Bolshoi Ballet guest performances at the Opera House of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts May 24 - the premiere of the opera "Cosi fan tutte" by W.A. Mozart The Bolshoi Ballet presents guest performances in Washington, D.C. Rehearsals for the opera "Cosi fan tutte" on the New Stage continue. Photo: Damir Y usupov On May 20 the Bolshoi Ballet opened a series of guest performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Opera House. May 20 and 22 - Giselle - Svetlana Zakharova T ext: Maria Chaplygina The Bolshoi Ballet brings "Giselle" to Washington, D.C. The American audience will see the same show that is performed in Moscow - there is no specially edited version. In July the Bolshoi Theatre will go to the USA again, but the touring group will be large - the ballet and the opera company, the orchestra and the choir. As RIA Novosti was informed by the Kennedy Center press of fice, on Tuesday the American ballet lovers had a chance to see the ballet "Giselle", performed by the Bolshoi Ballet, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. From May 20 till May 25 the Russian artists will give six performances of the ballet "Giselle" (Yuri Grigorovich's edition) in the American capital. The Bolshoi prima ballerinas Maria Allash, Ekaterina Krysanova and Svetlana Zakharova, the Bolshoi's leading soloist Ana Nikulina and the ballerina Angelina Karpova will perform at the famous Kennedy Center Opera House that can seat 2.35 thousand of people. The casts also star the Bolshoi's premiers Artem Ovcharenko, Ruslan Skvortsov and David Hallberg, as well as the company's first soloists Vitaly Biktimirov and Denis Savin. The theatre had a future, which was about not only the magnificent Russian style, but about European opera as well. The premiere of the opera "Cosi fan tutte" on the Bolshoi's New Stage is ready to nail down this result. The production stars almost all those soloists who participated in the concert version: Anna Kraynikova, Alexandra Kadurina, Alina Yarovaya and Yuri Gorodetsky. However, there is also the second cast, starring current participants of the Bolshoi Theatre Young Artists Opera Program, which most promising singers from Russia and even neighboring countries take part in today. The conductor Vassily Sinaisky, who used to work with the artists, has left the Bolshoi. An Italian conductor-authentist, a virtuoso baroque violinist and harpsichordist (he will accompany the recitatives himself) Stefano Montanari was invited to conduct the orchestra instead of Sinaisky. This means that the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra will learn something new about historic performing style again; the experience of working with the conductor Christopher Moulds (he conducted the revival of "Die Zauberflote" in 2010) will come in handy. Stefano Montanari and Alina Yarovaya This production is supposed to be a costume production. The director Floris Visser (the Netherlands) does not have the reputation of a conceptualist, although his vision is rather modern. He is a little over thirty, but he has already staged many operas at home, including operas by Britten and Schnittke; he has also participated in drama productions as an actor and has even played the part of Othello. Visser's style can be defined as something that the German call "Personenregie"; he was an assistant and a student of Willy Decker, who is famous for his meticulous work with every one of his actors. on one hand, there should be something for fans of Dmitry Chernyakov, on the other hand - something for fans of the Soviet imperial grand style. All these productions, if they are alive ones and if their appropriate artistic and musical level is sustained, have a right to exist. You have mentioned "The Tsar's Bride". However, our task was not to simply revive the legendary production, but also to have a much younger cast. At the same time the consent of a genius musician Gennady Rozhdestvensky to conduct the orchestra was one of the conditions for the success of this project. At the same time, a very young production team from the Netherlands is working on the opera "Cosi fan tutte" by Mozart, which will premiere on the New Stage. W e do not interfere. We know the general idea, we know what they have come up with, but, naturally, we cannot predict what kind of production it will be. All we know is that this will be an absolutely new piece that will be staged specifically for the Bolshoi Theatre. At the same time we do not decline participation in co-productions - this is something that is now popular all over the world. For example, I have seen Alvis Hermanis's presentation of "JenЕЇfa" by LeoЕЎ JanáДЌek with Théâtre de la Monnaie. This is not my project either, but I was interested in it. It seems to me, we can take a risk even though there are no guarantees that a production will be a success with the general public. W e live in the 21 century. I consider that we can have masterpieces by Yuri Grigorovich, the best ballets by John Neumeier, choreographic experiments by Nacho Duato or Irzhi Kilian, or even very young choreographers, whom no one knows yet, on the same stage. I am for inviting great maestros and outstanding directors, such as Lev Dodin, whom I am negotiating with now - I would like him to repeat his Paris version of "The Queen of Spades" with the set by David Borovsky the next season - at the Bolshoi. At the same time, rehearsals of the children's opera "Snow Queen" by Sergei Banevich have already started. The production will be directed by a very young man, who has not staged any big productions in Moscow yet. He has only staged two one-act productions at the Stanislavski and Nemirovich- Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre. But I have to say that I have seen him assist his teacher Alexander Titel when the opera "Die Zauberflote" by Mozart was staged. - So did you take a good look at him? - I surely did. He is a talented lad. Now I let him stage a production. Photo: Reuters/V ostock Photo - If I understood you correctly, you mean that the time of artistic dictatorship and personal leadership is over. But at the same time - I think, you will agree with me - there is Valery Gergiev, who has not only changed the destiny of the Mariinsky Theatre radically, but also has had a significant influence on the cultural situation in Russia. - Such people as Mr. V alery A. Gergiev are an exception. But speaking of the Bolshoi Theatre, I consider that today someone's personal leadership is something not possible and not right. - Why? - There is one simple reason: because today the music world is open. Of course, being a director, I should remember that the Bolshoi is Russia's first national musical theatre. I am also supposed to think and care about giving opportunities to the most talented Russian singers, dancers, choreographers and musicians to carry out their projects at the theatre. On the other hand, we should not build a wall to separate us from the rest of the world. This has already happened in our history and did not bring positive results. I will say it once again: the world has become more open, and the contacts with Western artists easier to build and maintain. Nevertheless, this should be the world of the Russian theatre and Russian music. The Bolshoi's status makes us think about it. But we are sort of ashamed of the fact that we stage Russian operas. We are ready to cry from the housetops: we will stage "La Traviata" in the coming season. When it comes to "The Snow Maiden" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, we give a passing mention of it. It is like: "Well, we will also have "The Snow Maiden". - In your opinion, what is the reason for such an attitude? Is it a kind of inherited provinciality? - This comes from the nature of the Russian mentality; we are passionate about self- abasement. We cannot appreciate the wealth that we have; we do not know what to do with our own talents and with the talents of others. This is all about mentality. Our Russian mentality. What can be done about it? - Y ou have mentioned Alvis Hermanis, and I have remembered that when he staged "Shukshin's stories" at the Theatre of Nations, he also said very frankly: "You do not appreciate Shukshin; you do not know how precious he is". Alvis is wonderful, but I guess you know that he cancelled the theatre's tour. - And has refused to stage a production at the Bolshoi. - In your opinion, to what extent will the current political events in the Ukraine influence our cultural life? - I consider that each of us really should mind… - His own business, right? - His own business. Theatre is a very important business. It helps us get rid of the barriers of misunderstanding, suspiciousness and distrust of each other. By the way, we are still negotiating with Hermanis. We do hope that the situation will change for the better. The world has gone through much more serious turmoil. I just hope that we will postpone the premiere a bit, but I do hope that it will take place. I am convinced that the production will be lively, theatrical and unexpected. I will be very sad if the whole thing does not work out. There is also the tour in the USA, and I am worried about it as well. I mean visas, work permissions, and so on; things are very unclear. It is a pity, because the Bolshoi has not performed in New York for five years. I know that the ticket sales are rather successful. - Are the tickets being sold? - Y es, of course. A scene from the opera "The Tsar's Bride", production of 2014. Photo: Damir Yusupov - I hope everything works out. - This is why I am saying that each of us needs to mind our own business. In order to do politics, one has to be a professional. One needs to have his own position and defend it. This is a job as well. For some reason we all think that anyone can do politics. Especially here in Russia. Any person, who has any position, seems to think that he is a politician. It does not work this way. - I have several practical questions: why are the tickets so expensive? Even if we compare the ticket prices with those at European and American theatre, we will see that prices here are crazy high. I know that people were very enthusiastic about the idea of standing room tickets for 100 rubles (approx. $3). It is known that you plan to have a 50% discount for participants of the Great Patriotic War. Is there going to be May, 21 2014 Newsletter some kind of a consistent strategy? - Y es, of course. I think we will be able to elaborate this strategy in detail and correlate it with our financial circumstances in the next season. We have set one day for ticket sales; this is Saturday. W e sell tickets and announce how many tickets for a particular production we will have in the open sale. We want to make the system more transparent and understandable. At the same time, no one is saying that the problem will disappear. Take Vienna State Opera, for example. When you pass by, you will meet strange people wearing wigs and Mozart-era waistcoats. They will gracefully open flaps of their costume and you will see lots of pockets and will be able to buy a ticket to any performance. Of course, the prices are different: if a ticket costs 100 Euros, they will not sell it for 800. They will sell it for 120-150 Euros. The extra charge is 20-25%-30%, not more. But this depends on the culture of each particular country. Let us not forget about deficit. Of course, we could have sold tickets for low prices. But we would immediately have had the situation when the dif ference between the real price and the price that scalpers set would increase several times and someone would pocket this difference. That is why the theatre reserves the right to regulate ticket prices. If a ticket costs 8000 rubles (approx. $230), it will be difficult to sell it for more than 10000 rubles (approx. $285). There is a chance that no one will buy it. This is a lot of money. Raising prices for tickets to the Bolshoi Theatre was a critical decision, made by the previous management. This is a very distinct position; we live in the time of the market economy. - At the same time the Bolshoi receives the largest subsidy from the state. How much is it from the total budget? - Almost 75%. - The budget is composed from this subsidy, trustees' fees and revenue from the ticket sales, is not it? - I would say, there is the following sequence: there is the state subsidy in the first place. Then comes revenue from the ticket sales, and only then comes the trustees. In fact, today we could make tickets even more expensive, but we are not doing it. On the other hand, because the Bolshoi gets a serious subsidy, we have to come up with a strategy of providing tickets to the most vulnerable social groups: veterans, disabled persons, children and pensioners. This is possible only in the case when we have reliable partners. Otherwise, as soon as we start implementing this strategy, scalpers will get their hands on discount tickets. It is very important that the Bolshoi finds social partners that will be ready to support us. I do not know whether this will be the Moscow city administration or someone else. But if there are no such partners, all our wishes and dreams will turn out to be stupid and vain. - The Bolshoi is surely a state enterprise. But we remember the negative reaction of critics that followed the premier of the opera "Rosenthal's Children" by Leonid Desyatnikov. Dif ferent deputies had the most serious faces as they said: "What is it that they allow themselves to spend the state money on? If they want self- expression, they should spend their own money". What can you say about such statements and about any interference of the state with the theatre's business? - I am absolutely convinced that such a kind of interference should not happen. There is only one thing that we can say to those deputies: "Dear deputies, please, keep all your tastes and preferences to yourselves. Censorship in Russia was cancelled. It does not exist. According to the law, we have no right to do this, this and this. If you consider that something we do is illegal, you have a right to announce: "Dear colleagues, you have violated the law and now you are supposed to pay a fine". Everything else is a matter of an artist's and a creator's taste". Well, you and I know the history of art and we also do know what kind of fights took place at different theatres. Those pieces that were later proclaimed to be great artworks caused great scandals at first. - Here comes a very difficult question: what should a director do, if the majority of the audience does not accept a production at his theatre, as it happened at the opening on the Historic stage, when the production "Ruslan and Lyudmila", staged by Dmitry Chernyakov, was performed? -Let us not call last names. I was a director at a dif ferent theatre at that time. Let us look at this situation from a dif ferent point of view: the majority of the audience say that it is not convincing from the artistic viewpoint, and a small number of people say that this is genius. - Roughly said, this is what happened with "The Rite of Spring" a hundred years ago… - So what shall we do? A scene from the opera "Don Carlo", production of 2013. Photo: Damir Yusupov - W ell, Sergei Diaghilev managed somehow. I think, Vladimir Urin did as well. - Let us not compare. I spend the money of taxpayers. In other words, they pay their own money for the art that breaks the society in two parts and provokes a negative reaction. In this situation, being a person who is responsible for everything, I have to make a decision. I should either find a stage where this kind of a director's ideas would be appropriate and harmonious, or do everything I can to make sure that mainly the audience this production is designed for comes to the performances. At the same time it is necessary to have a clear idea of the ethic and aesthetic parameters and to let the potential audience know about them. In this case, when people come to the Bolshoi Theatre, they will understand that it is not "Swan Lake" or "Giselle", but "The Rite of Spring", choreographed by Tatiana Baganova. I think, many issues would be solved and many conflicts would be settled if we thought about the audience more. - In one of your interview you admitted that the structure that is supposed to work for the theatre, provide it with leaflets and booklets and create an active information environment around it functions like it did in the last century or does not function at all. There is a brand name, but what is happening? - Nothing. We are conducting negotiations on this issue; we are thinking about what shall be done in order to make sure that this system functions and enables a person to get the maximum of information about what is happening at the Bolshoi and about productions that he might want to attend. - Plus related products: T-shirts, calendars, posters and opera-glasses. More and more theatres have their souvenir products. This is something that always brings revenue, while the expenses are minimal. Have you thought about it? - I have. But this is a separate industry that we do not have. - There is one charged and sensitive matter that you, a theatre person, is very well aware of - the claque. We know that every famous artist has his own fans. Earlier their presence created a certain tension in the audience as well as backstage. Many of the claque members were also scalpers; they sold tickets to productions, starring their idols. At least this is what is it was like in the 1970s. What is happening today? Do you control the situation? How should people react when an artist appears and someone in the audience starts shrieking? - They do not shriek anymore. - Is it all over? - Y ou know, it is not over. There still are such people. The claque exists. But I would say, it is not very active. At some points it comes back to life, and something strange is happening at the theatre. But today the audience in general is not as emotional as it used to be thirty or forty years ago. - In your opinion, what does it have to do with? - Frankly speaking, I have not thought about it. I have noticed many times: if the claque members suddenly integrate with the audience and there are some shrieks and screams, other people almost do not react. Today the claque members are not able to start the audience; their screams of "bravo" are almost not heard. Perhaps, some of them try, but the audience does not support them, and everything disappears in some polite silence. So they grow silent as well. May, 21 2014 Newsletter - Perhaps, there is no energy and brilliance that really amaze a coming from the stage? - People were amazed earlier, when there were 5-6-7 stars in the same performance; then there was a kind of competition - whom does the audience love more? Who gets louder applause? Who is given more luxurious bouquets? - This is not the case today, is it? - This is almost not the case. Anyway, it does not affect the theatre's life by any means. A scene from the opera "Rosenthal's Children". Photo: Damir Yusupov - Do you mean that the claque and the claque members are something that has already disappeared? - I mean that we all live in a more real world than we used to. Earlier we enjoyed being victims of beautiful legends and chimeras. Today people have a better understanding of what is talented and what is not, what is worth paying money for, and what is not really worth it. - Still, when someone yelled "Shame!" at the performance of "Ruslan and Lyudmila", were these specially hired and trained people, or was it a spontaneous protest? - I think it was both. At that time the situation relating to the theatre and to the production was heating up. I remember that quite a lot of people left after the first act; some people took seats in the stalls, and ticket takers did not stop them; it was necessary to create an illusion of a full house. Some young people sat next to me. In the last scene, when Lyudmila was given a shot, one of those young people said quietly: "Well, this is an overdose". You see? I mean, if even those people were reacting like this… There also were those who used this situation. Some people organized the suitable audience that screamed, and so on. This is the usual scheme. - I know the whole story about your appointment; I know how many doubts there were about it, and, of course, it must have been difficult to leave the theatre that you had been creating during 18 years. But what do you feel today, almost 9 months later? - Nothing. - Nothing? - W ell, at the moment it seems to us that we are starting to have the same understanding of some things - what is something that we want and something that we do not want, what direction we would like to move in and what direction we would not like to move in… At the same time, there still are a lot of questions that there are no answers for. In the first place, it has to do with the fact that there was a team at the Stanislavski Theatre. We argued, fought, slammed the doors, got of fended, but we knew that we were a team. We could do anything together. T oday I do not have such a team at the Bolshoi. Or it might be that I do not feel that I have this team. At the same time, there are a lot of wonderful, talented and very professional people working here; I am saying it all the time. - Can it be that it is impossible to have such a team here? - No, this is not right. If this was the case, there would be no Bolshoi Theatre productions. Given all challenges and difficulties… You see, nothing is created in defiance of something. Real productions are created only on the basis of love. There were such productions at this theatre; not only good ones, but outstanding ones, and even great ones. There is only one issue - the production has to be the main thing. Not only the process of its creation and the premiere, but its further existence as well. Unfortunately, there still are a lot of people at the Bolshoi that care about everything but their responsibilities. - In your opinion, whom does the solution of this problem depend on? - On me. - Does it mean that you consider yourself to be the reason for everything? - Of course. This depends on one person only - on the director, and on his ability to convince and to build a system which will renew itself all the time; an alive system, not a dead one. It is impossible to stay in this office and manage the theatre, where 3.5 thousand of people are employed. It is necessary to come up with a system that will ensure that the majority is engaged into and excited about the theatre created daily. This is my main objective. If I manage to fulfill it, if I can gather a team of people that will feel each other, understand each other and agree on the main things, something worthy can appear at the theatre. But the situation when a production is staged and the theatre invites a conductor that a director has never met, so they see each other only when the production is being released, is absurd. - How is it possible? - It is! Besides, he is invited to conduct a performance that he has never seen a set for. How is it possible? Of course, there are some exceptions, but at the Bolshoi this happens all the time. A scene from the ballet "Lady of the Camellias". Photo: Damir Yusupov - This is the situation that you faced when you came here. Right? I mean, you saw the way everything functions here… -This was one of the reasons why I did not want to come here so much. - As for the ballet company artistic council, does it fulfill its function? What is the point of having this council? - W ell, the point of having the council is to coordinate the work and to make sure that people hear each other and learn to talk to each other. - How are they talking to each other now? - V ery well. There was the first meeting, and there will be the second one soon. We will discuss plans for the coming season. It seems to me, that we are having a lively conversation. There still is a bit of a conflict. But these issues can be settled. If we have a good trustful intonation, everything will be fine. - Is ballet still the most seismic zone? - It remains as seismic as the theatre itself is. Any artist is convinced that if a part was given to someone else, it is not fair. What do we do for him or her not to feel like this? How to make the system of making decisions transparent? Perhaps, we need to say: "In this case there is only one person who makes a decision, and this is a choreographer". We need to warn a choreographer about it in the very beginning; we need to tell him or her, that he/she has freedom of choice. All classes are open and the whole company is demonstrated. In this case, please make sure of that…and if "they have seen me, but they have not chosen me" - this is a totally different story. - How is it possible to explain this to Svetlana Zakharova? I cannot really imagine. - Believe me, Svetlana is a very normal, adequate and wonderful person. Anything May, 21 2014 Newsletter can be explained to Svetlana, there are no problems with that. - It looks like your predecessor did not manage to do it… - If Svetlana is told: "You know, they have not chosen you", there will be no catastrophe. If she is not the first one, she will be the second one. She will surely not come to me and will not demand anything. Svetlana is a very sought-after ballerina. She has no problems. Tomorrow she will dance in La Scala or in the Paris Opera, if she only says "I do have free time". - Do you remember Mandelstam's famous saying about every ballet being a bit feudal? - This is right! It is feudal in terms of organization, discipline, self-limitations and so on. But if we make this system as transparent and open as possible, choreographers will have the last word. But if all those who deal with papers, start interfering and asking why Mr. Ivanov is singing and Mr. Petrov is not, this is not something we should tolerate. There are only two people who have a right to ask this question - the director of a production and the conductor. But, unfortunately, today they keep silent too often; they have other things to do. In this case why are we surprised or upset with the fact that "the office wins"? Those who conduct the orchestra, or those who, like Yuri L yubimov, control the process from backstage or from the audience hall, should win. - It is not a secret that there are some influential people behind every big star, I mean, their patrons that represent some business or government agencies. Have you ever faced such kind of pressure? - No. - What answer would you give such a "ballet lover", if he asked to include his protégé in the first cast? - I would say that this is not a financial or organizational matter, but an artistic one. I personally cannot give orders: "Petrov will dance in your production; Sidorova will sing in yours". If I set such rules, I will have to be responsible for the creative outcome. This is not the way it should work. - I see. I have a personal question: have you often thought about the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre over those 8 months? - I have no time to think about it. I go to work in the morning and go back home at 11 p.m… - No emotions? - Sometimes I come to watch a premiere at the Stanislavski Theatre. - I mean, this is your home theatre; I guess it was easier for you to work there? - Of course. Besides, everyone greets me and asks: "When are you coming back?" - As far as I understand, you always have this theatre to return to, do not you? - I do not. - Have you ever thought about the fates of the Bolshoi Theatre directors? For example, Kirill Molchanov died in his box during the performance of "Macbeth". Vladimir Vasiliev learned about his dismissal from the news - he was shaving at his dacha and listening to the radio. What fate do you foresee for yourself? How many years is your contract for? - For five years. For my age this is enough. You know, since I have started working here, I would like to… - Finish this project… - Do something… It is impossible to finish this project. There is no end in sight to it. The theatre is endless; tomorrow here is a new production, a new premiere, a new hope. But it is possible to do something from the managerial point of view, so that everything is organized in a way that will allow things develop after you leave… I know that in the US there is a tradition to send top-managers to some kind of courses, whatever it is called… for 2-3 weeks or for a month. If nothing happens over this period of time, but the system functions and all those people that are around you work, the manager will get a promotion. If something goes wrong and collapses, he is fired. So I would say that if I manage to create a system that will be self-sustainable, so I can finally have days off, it will mean that everything was not in vain. If I do not - well, let it be so. I have already said in dif ferent interviews - this will mean that I am not exactly the right man for the job. As for leaving, or rather, my contract's expiration date… Of course, it would be nice to live till the day when managers are changed in a civilized way. And if a year before my contract expires (given that I manage to work here that long!) a Minister calls me to his of fice and says: "Mr. Urin, thank you very much - these 4 years has been wonderful, or not really wonderful, but we will not prolong the contract for another year. Mr. Ivanov will take your position. It would be nice if you put him into the picture" - this will be fine with me. - And then you will work for another year… - Sure, I will finish the projects I started, hand over the administration, put a person into the picture. He thinks about how he will manage the theatre. Believe me, this will be fine with me. I will have no complexes about it; when I took this position, I understood very well that according to the Russian legislation, I can be dismissed in 24 hours with no reason given. Both at the Stanislavski Theatre and here. I know Russian laws. If those, who have given you a position, do not want you to work in it anymore, they will not let you do it. - My last question: what would make you the happiest person at the moment? Not 4 years later, but now. - T wo weeks of vacation. The gala, marking the 50 anniversary of Irina Bogacheva's creative career, took place at the Bolshoi Theatre The voice of Irina Bogacheva, a People's Artist of the USSR, is compared to a deep river. She has sung all the leading mezzo-soprano parts at the biggest theatres in the world. Her performances have become a part of the "gold fund" of world musical art. The wonderful power and purity of Irina Bogecheva's voice have not disappeared with time. According to the singer, the secret is simple: a wonderful school and daily work ensure vocal longevity. Irina Bogacheva has been working at the Mariinksy Theatre for half a century. However, there could have been a dif ferent scenario. In 1965, having graduated the Leningrad Conservatory and performed at the Glinka competition, the young singer was invited to join the Bolshoi Theatre company. But she could not leave her native city. Still, a lot of things connect Irina Bogacheva to the Bolshoi. She says: "I sang here "Aida", "Il Trovatore" and "The Tsar's Bride" as a guest soloist, just like I did around the world. This was a very nice experience, because the Bolshoi Theatre is the Bolshoi Theatre". The Bolshoi's audience had another chance to enjoy Irina Bogacheva's unique mezzo-soprano. The program of the concert included arias from the operas "Samson and Delilah" by Saint-SaГ«ns, "Carmen" by Bizet and "The Queen of Spades" by Tchaikovsky. A singer and a People's Artist of the USSR Makvala Kasrashvili said: "Regardless of her age, her vocal form is fantastic. This proves that she possesses a unique vocal technique, and she shares her knowledge with young singers". Friends and students of Irina Bogacheva performed at her anniversary gala as well. It is impossible to imagine her life without teaching; she never forgets her legendary teachers Iraida Timonova-Levando and Gennaro Barra. She has been sharing her experience with young singers for the past 35 years. Boris Pinkhasovich, Kristina Mkhitaryan and Maria Galkina performed famous arias and duets from operas by Puccini, Verdi, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Boris Pinkhasovich says: "She is an artistic mother; apart from motherly feelings that she has for each student, she also possesses a great talent as a pedagogue and a philosopher. She is a wonderful and a great singer, who knows all the secrets". Irina Bogacheva admits that it is too early to draw conclusions. She works a lot. During the past five years she has been working in two cities - Moscow and Saint Petersburg. When asked where she finds the energy, the opera diva answers that she is inspired by her love for music. T ext: Sarah Kaufman Bolshoi Ballet's Sergei Filin, nearly blind but unbowed: 'The dancing, I see perfectly' Having visited a rehearsal of the Bolshoi Ballet company that starts its guest performances in the US and talked to its artistic director, The Washington Post reporter Sarah Kaufman states: "Deafness didn't stop Beethoven. Blindness won't stop Filin. He is still in search of beauty. He is sensible to its shape, sound and visceral charge. Call it artistic vision: His dancer's perception of the carriage and control of the body is undiminished. It is, most likely, what has saved him, and saved his job." May, 21 2014 Newsletter May, 21 2014 |
