February, 19, 2014. Issue No. 237

- This time everything was serious, I mean, they started negotiating with me a year ahead. Do you know how it used to happen earlier? They would call me on
September 1 and tell me that the performance was on October, 5. My schedule is packed two years ahead! I went on tour to Kazan two times; both times I performed with the conductor Fuat Mansurov; the Tatar Philharmonic invited me. I remember that the first time I was supposed to perform the aria of Varlaam "In the Town of Kazan" from "Boris Godunov" in the concert. I kept asking maestro Mansurov if people would get offended by the choice of the repertory and beat me. He calmed me down and said everything was OK. They really gave me a very warm welcome and no one took any offence. I remembered my second visit to Kazan because of a different reason, though. I travelled by train; I came to Kazan in the luxury car, but then they gave a return ticket to a third-class sleeper. Of course, I exchanged that ticket and paid some extra money… these are nice memories!

To mark the 65 birthday of Marina Leonova in our regular column "Invitation to the Museum" we published her rare photographs from the Bolshoi Theatre Museum on the Bolshoi official pages in the social networks.

On February 18 we celebrate the jubilee of Marina K. Leonova, the Bolshoi Ballet soloist, People's Artist of Russia, laureate of the Russian Federation Government Prize, rector of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, professor of the classical dance department and the head of the Public Council on education in the
sphere of ballet and choreographic art. To mark Marina Leonova's 65 birthday in our regular column "Invitation to the Museum", we publish her rare photographs from the Bolshoi Theatre Museum.
Viktorina Kriger wrote about the young ballerina in the "Sovetskaya Kultura" newspaper: "… the slim and tender Odette - Marina Leonova - appears on the stage in the phantom moonlight. There are the first shy dance movements and the first flickering wave of hands… The more I watched the young artist, the more I saw how the outline of this interesting character, created by Leonova, became better visible,
as if I saw this outline under a thin veil" ("Sovetskaya Kultura", Moscow, January 9 1973).
The Bolshoi Theatre in the InternetHaving graduated the Moscow Choreographic Institute in 1968 (class of S.N. Golovkina), Leonova joined the company of the famous Bolshoi Theatre. During the next twenty years she was a leading soloist of the ballet company and starred in such classical and modern productions, as "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty", "Giselle", "Chopiniana", "Don Quixote", "The Legend of Love", "The Stone Flower", "Spartacus", "The Firebird", "Gayane" and others.
Lilac Fairy, "Sleeping Beauty"
February, 192014Newsletter The creative individuality of this ballerina really shone in productions of Y. Grigorovich. I. Kazenin quotes the ballerina in the newspaper "Teatral'no-
koncertnaya Moskva" (1983, No. 16): "During my studies I was dreaming of dancing in the productions of Yuri Grigorovich. I was dreaming of it…and also scared of it. It seemed to me that each part in Grigorovich's ballets was extremely difficult. But when I started rehearsing the part of my favorite Mekhmene Banu from "The Legend of Love" by A. Melikov, I was absolutely thrilled by how convenient his choreography was and how well he felt as an artist". As for the character of Mekhmene Banu, it was not the chance to demonstrate the eastern colorful dance that Leonova was interested in, but rather the inner world of her heroine. Good and the evil fought constantly in the soul of Mekhmene Banu. The movements expressed tragic love, jealousy and passion; at the same time, Leonova always was a bit reserved, and this "a bit" made her heroine particularly charming.
The part of Aegina in "Spartacus" definitely became another success in the ballerina's career. She performed the most difficult pas and combinations with such an ease that it made others jealous. Her Aegina constantly suffered from spiritual ennui and the inaccessibility of human love. "You look at me and see an object for entertainment, a toy; but I will be the one who plays with you", - this is the inner monologue that came through as the action of Aegina's role, performed by Marina Leonova.
Marina Leonova, "Gayane"
Having finished her dancing career at the Bolshoi Theatre, Leonova easily integrated in a new field and devoted herself to ballet pedagogy. In 1991 Leonova graduated from the pedagogical faculty of ballet master department of GITIS (Russian Academy of Theatre Arts) where she studied in the class of M.T. Semyonova. In 1989 at the invitation of S.N. Golovkina Leonova became a pedagogue of classical dance in her native school that was re-organized in 1995 and became the Moscow State Academy of Choreography. In 1994 she became an associate professor; in 1999 - a professor. In 2001 Leonova was offered the position of vice-rector on creative affairs; in 2002 she became the rector. In 2009 she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Arts. The list of her works includes 24 research works, 28 work programs, 20 publications and 10 video manuals.
At the invitation of Russian and foreign creative organizations Leonova has long been the head and a member of the most important juries of international ballet contests that have been held in Saint Petersburg (2002), Luxembourg (2004), Japan (2003, 2004, 2009), Berlin, Sochi (2006,2007,2008). In the recent years the students of the Academy, guided by Leonova, often perform abroad - in Greece, Japan, Italy, China and the USA. Their performances always are a great success.The Mistress of Cooper Mountain, "The Stone Flower". Photo: L. Pedenchuk
For her outstanding contribution to the development of the choreographic art Leonova was awarded numerous state prizes: the Order of Honor (2008), Honorary Mention of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (2003, 2009, 2012), Badge of Merit "For Impeccable Service to Moscow" XL years (2009), the prize "Soul of the Dance" in the nomination category "Maitre de Danse" (2011) and the Russian Federation Government Prize in the sphere of culture (2011).
Analysis of articles published February 17, 2014
The New York Times reports that Sergei Filin the director of the Bolshoi Ballet will visit New York in April as one of the judges in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. Filin is expected to appear on stage for a curtain call after the gala performance in honor of the event where Olga Smirnova will perform along with other international ballet stars.
The Gazette (USA) in Saratoga Springs reports that SPAC has already sold 3000 tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet's visit there this summer.
Nizhny Novgorod mass media
The Bolshoi Theatre soloist Petr Glubokiy will perform in Nizhny Novgorod
The Bolshoi Theatre soloist, People's Artist of Russia and professor of the Moscow Conservatory Petr Glubokiy will take part in concerts in Nizhny Novgorod on March
1 and 2.International press analysisIn brief February, 192014The first concert will take place at the "Rukavishnikovy Manor" Museum; the second - in the Old Hall of the Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod in Bolshaya Pokrovskaya street. Nizhny Novgorod State Orchestra of Russian folk instruments Newsletter 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 Kazan mass media
Moscow theatre soloists will take part in the project of the S.Saidashev State Great Concert Hall "Phantoms of the Opera"

On March 2 the S.Saidashev State Great Concert Hall invites the audience to attend the second concert of the "Phantoms of the Opera" season "РђVE, Carmen!" The project started with the concert "Bravo, Verdi!" that gathered a full house on
October 30 2013. The program of the concert that will take place prior to the International Women's Day will include not only the pieces that have the spirit of Spain, bullfights and passion, but also sophisticated scents of France and the bright sun of Italy; there will be pieces by Bizet, Puccini, Saint-SaГ«ns, Piazzolla and other composers, whose immortal melodies are portrayed by various female images. These masterpieces will be performed by soloists that are part of the galaxy of modern opera stars.
Natalia Kreslina (soprano) is the soloist of the Moscow theatre "Novaya Opera"; she now performs leading parts in the repertory. In 2004 she made her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre in the opera "Der fliegende Holländer" by R. Wagner. She is a constant participant of Irina Arhipova Foundation creative projects and also tours a lot.

Alexandra Saulskaya, a participant of the 32 Feodor Chaliapin International Opera Festival, worked at the opera theatre of Tatarstan and Udmurtia; in 2001 she joined "Novaya Opera" company. As the S.Saidashev State Great Concert Hall press office announced, she has been a Bolshoi Theatre guest soloist since 2012. /…/
Ulyanovsk mass media
Best theatre of Ulyanovsk Oblast' will perform at "Licedei-2014"
The main theatre event of this spring will take place in Ulyanovsk in March; the Festival of Ulyanovsk Oblast' theatres "Licedei-2014" will be organized for the eighth time. Professional collectives of the region traditionally take part in this festival.
The program of the festival is very rich. "Licedei-2014" will open with a unique show;
"Tenors of the 21 century" will perform. It is not a secret that the audience has always liked the highest pitched male voices most of all.
Dmitry Sibirtcev, a Russian musician and producer, managed to gather leading tenor singers of the largest Moscow opera theatres - the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music
Theatre and the Moscow Theatre "Novaya Opera". On March 19 and 20 "Tenors of
the 21 century" will perform at the Ulyanovsk Drama Theater named after Ivan Goncharov.