October, 3 1 2014 surprisingly , during the gala the opera diva was not an honored heroine of the evening receiving congratulations from her colleagues, but rather a great artist who still makes the Bolshoi Theatre's audience tremble with the sounds of her voice and admire her ability to impersonate different characters. She appeared wearing a modest black dress on the stage representing a luxurious palace and performed the aria of Marfa from the opera "Khovanshchina" by M. Mussorgsky. She then left the stage and passed the "baton" to her guests, world opera stars. Each of them presented some well-thought-out dramatic story and a charismatic character. Maria Guleghina was a passionate Abigail and a wonderfully voluptuous Tosca, Dmitri Hvorostovsky appeared as the Demon, who fascinated with his tenderness, and the seductive Don Giovanni, Olga Peretyatko demonstrated outstanding technique as she performed the song of the doll Olympia from "The Tales of Hof fman". Yulia Lezhneva was charming in the aria of Zelmira from the same-name opera by Rossini; she demonstrated warm beauty and flexibility of her voice. Dinara Alieva performed a zarzuela by Pablo Luna and showed flexible rhythm and the "hot sun" temperament. Ekaterina Siurina was a charming Juliette and Hibla Gerzmava a cheerful and mannered Adina from the comic opera "L'elisir d'amore" by Donizetti. The entrance of every star was arranged as a court ceremony: a butler in a livery announced the famous names. The famous Argentinean tenor José Cura and the Italian bass-baritone Bruno PraticГІ, who demonstrated the highest class of dell arte in his signature aria of Don Magnifico from the opera "La Cenerentola" by Rossini, made their debuts at the Bolshoi Theatre. José Cura performed the arias of Canio and Calaf with the pathos of a true tenor; in the finale of his performance he overwhelmed the audience with a very high note on fermata, addressed to Obaztsova. Of course, everyone was looking forward to Anna Netrebko's performance on the Bolshoi Theatre's stage. It is a paradox but the singer that is admired by opera theatres all over the world had never performed on Russia's main stage before. Finally, this collision was solved. Anna presented her new dramatic soprano repertoire, as she appeared in the open doors of the palace hall, lit by red lights, wearing a blood-red dress and singing the aria of Lady Macbeth from Verdi's opera. This evil image of a beauty with slow sharpened movements and viscous, addictve sound turned out to be voluptuous, seductive and thus even more frightening. The second time she appeared on stage, Anna Netrebko performed the duet of Manon and Des Grieux from the opera "Manon Lescaut" by Puccini together with her fiancé Y usif Eyvazov (tenor). The couple conquered the audience with their passion in this duet.
Still, it was the great Obraztsova who ruled this ball; she appeared on the stage, in the box and on the screen. The audience reveled in her voice in legendary parts from productions of the 1970s and 1980s and enjoyed the humor of her improvisation when Obraztsova, who was sitting in an arm-chair as the Countess, came back to her senses and suddenly took away Hvorostovsky, the seductive Don Giovanni, from beautiful Zerlinas. The scene from "The Queen of Spades" by Tchaikovsky shocked the audience. The opera diva appeared on the stage not wearing any costume but dressed in her black dress. She stepped onto the stage from the box and turned into an old woman with the shaking head, otherworldly look and tremolo voice of an old person in the blink of an eye. Those who saw it will never be able to forget it. Neither will they be able to forget the "Opera Ball" in honor of Elena Obraztsova that became the hour of triumph not only for the audience but also for the Bolshoi Theatre, which managed to bring together star Russian singers on its Historic Stage. P.S. At the end of the concert there were flowers sent by Dmitry Medvedev, the Patriarch of All Russia, politicians and businessmen. There was also a bouquet from Lyudmila Shvetsova - the last bouquet in her life. An exhibition of Russian costumes opened in Belfast The exhibition is a part of the Year of Russian Culture in Northern Ireland; it will continue until December 13th. Belfast, October 29th. A part of the Russian culture was brought to Northern Ireland. "24 The World" reports that a unique collection of 50 costumes, from national dresses to Bolshoi Theatre's stage costumes, were brought to Belfast. Zhenya Rosato, the exhibition organizers' assistant, mentioned: "During this year several exhibitions have been organized in London; many Russian theatre companies and musicians performed in the UK but none of that has been presented in Northern Ireland so far". As the visitors enter the exhibition, they see a ballerina wearing a classical costume from the ballet "Swan Lake". Then they see luxurious costumes that were created almost two centuries ago. Some costumes are demonstrated abroad for the first time, while others have already been shown in Paris, Rome and Milan. An emblem aloft The logo of the FIFA Cup 2018, which will take place in Russia, was presented by cosmonauts from the International Space Station FIF A and the organizing committee "Russia-2018" presented the emblem of the Football World Cup that will take place in Russia in four years. The logo was presented during an evening talk-show which starred the FIFA President Joseph Blatter, the Russian Federation's Minister for Sport Vitaly Mutko and the famous footballer and world champion Fabio Cannavaro. The emblem was demonstrated to the whole world by Alexander Samokutyaev, Elena Serova and Maxim Suraev, Russian cosmonauts who work at the international space station located 400 kilometers above the Earth. At the same time a laser projection of the emblem appeared on Bolshoi Theatre's façade in the center of Moscow. /…/ Love is nothing, the people is everything The Bolshoi Theatre revived the production of "A Legend of Love". Yuri Grigorovich's masterpiece became the only ballet premiere of the current season presented on the Historic Stage. "A Legend of Love" is one of the first masterpieces created by the great choreographer. The composer and the ballet master were inexcusably young. The 27-year-old Arif Melikov was still studying and Yuri Grigorovich, who is only six years Melikov's senior, was still developing his own choreographic style. Having staged the ballet "The Stone Flower", Grigorovich turned to an ancient Newsletter

October, 3 1 2014 Mass media about the Theatre " A Legend of Love " at the Bolshoi Persian legend, on which the play by the Turkish poet and devoted freedom fighter Nazym Hikmet is based. The international production team also included an experienced conductor Niyazi and set designer Simon Virsaladze. The composer dedicated one of the five chords in the overture opening this story, which is wise as any folk legend, to one of the creators. A stranger brings back to life Shireen, who is terminally ill, and asks for a high price; he wants the beauty of her sister, Queen Mekhmene Banu. It turns out that both the Queen and Shireen fall in love with a painter Ferkhad but he chooses the Queen's sister. Mekhmene Banu paid in full; now her face is ugly, she covers it with a veil and separates the lovers. They can be together only if Ferkhad breaks through an iron mountain and brings water to his fellow countrymen, who suffer from thirst. The Queen then shows mercy and cancels her punishment, but Ferkhad, who found a new perception of life as he was trying to overcome the challenge rejects his own happiness in order to save the people. The heroes make a choice. The Bolshoi's audience is divided; there are those who remember the previous performers and those who have never seen the production before. The first group has a harder time: careful efforts did not allow this generation of artists to demonstrate the same intensity of emotions that was demonstrated during the "golden age" of the "Legend". It is impossible to forget Mekhmene Banu performed by Maya Plisetskaya, who understood that sacrificing her beauty was much more frightening for a woman than losing power, riches and even life. It is also impossible to forget Natalia Bessmertnova; her Shireen quickly turned from a naГЇve and reverent girl into a broken tree hit by lightning, and gave a silent moan, because her dreams never came true. Of course, the lyrical Shireen suits Svetlana Zakharova's individuality better; however, after the award-winning prima demonstrated wonders of emotional impersonation in the "Lady of the Camellias", Grigorovich gave her the part of Mekhmene Banu. Zakharova demonstrated a perfect performance; she is a perfectionist and could not have done otherwise. But the amplitude of inner impulses became lower: instead of a rebellious torture on the knife's edge she demonstrated the wrap-around flexibility of her perfect body. Universal grief became sadness, the torments of jealousy turned into envy and instead of the readiness to give her life she demonstrated reflection and languor. Anna Nikulina, who performed the part of Shireen, found flirting colors which were naГЇve and fresh: her "eastern" fingers trembled, and her pointes were lively and brisk. But at this point she has not demonstrated shrilling emotional bewilderment yet. Such a heroine is more likely to have a dif ferent faith: "Not for long did she/Pine for you, and mourn your fate!/Alas! Young girls are faithless ever,/The dove will soon forget its mate". Denis Rodkin, a soloist who has a light and high leap and demonstrates noble manners on the stage, performed the part of Ferkhad; no stretch of imagination can allow one to call this Ferkhad the hero liberator, the kind that Maris Liepa performed. It seemed that his deed was determined by male character and Asian temper. The new hero is an innocent young lad, who worships duty, but not love (which seems illogical). Rodkin performs all pas de deux very reverently (this is especially true about his first pas de deux with Shireen, where the characters do not touch each other), but precision and self-control replace the world of greater feelings and high tragedy. Even though the dancers who performed the main parts lowered the degree of emotional impact (in contrast, Vitaly Biktimirov (Vizier) and Igor Tsivrko (Jester) created bright characters), the production did not fall into the archaic trap. Grigorovich's masterpiece has certain canons that determine the rare grand ballet style: mise-en-scenes of great scale, dancing polyphony, plastique stylization, elements of acrobatics and gymnastics, precise direction and the heroic style as a subject of philosophical generalizations. But not only that. Today "A Legend of Love" is closer to program masterpieces of the academism. Grigorovich reached out for Petipa's traditions with his "visions" and "dreams", two worlds, close-ups and lyrical metaphors. Suddenly the court, the guards, the soldiers and the people freeze and spots of light show the main characters: the Queen is suf fering, Shireen is overwhelmed with tenderness, Ferkhad is longing for her. Each of them has his/her own inner monologue and it is much more difficult to express it with words than with the body. The period of suspended time ends as suddenly as it came: the stage is brightly lit again and the action unfolds. When the ballet premiered half a century ago, pas de deux with wide leg splits and intertwined bodies were ostracized because of their voluptuousness and eroticism. Leotards that were tight like second skin and had sewed-on pieces on the spots where nipples are, seemed sexy as well. Naturally, today this is not something the audience can be surprised or shocked with, but even today Grigorovich's adagios look stylish, voluptuous and virtuoso. Both experienced ballet fans and those who see the production for the first time, are excited to see unsurpassed mass scenes: marches, chases, the dance of gold and the cries of people suffering from thirst. The Bolshoi Theatre may be proud of its corps de ballet. The artists dance devotedly and demonstrate outstanding commitment. Thank God, the choreographer and the composer who created the legendary ballet watch them from the audience. Marat Gali, Bolshoi Theatre's tenor, celebrated his birthday on October 30th. Our best wishes to the singer on this day! Marat Gali On the Bolshoi Theatre official pages in the social networks we uploaded a video about the unique exhibition that opened in Belfast. Costumes from Bolshoi Theatre's productions are exhibited: .bit.ly/1tEUUZO An exhibition of Bolshoi Theatre's opera and ballet costumes is now open in Belfast. Many of the costumes have never left Russia before. The exhibition has 56 exhibits from the Bolshoi Theatre Museum and the Russian Museum of Ethnography (St. Petersburg). The building in which the exhibition is presented used to belong to the city prison; today it is one of the most popular tourist sights in Belfast. The rooms are heated; the right temperature is kept there so that the costumes would not be damaged.

Newsletter

October, 3 1 2014 Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet Newsletter

, 7 October, 3 1 2014 For articles published 29 October 2014 The International New York Times announces highlights of the autumn season at the top theatres around the world in its special report: Front Row Center. For the Bolshoi Theatre it writes that Robert Carsen's production of ''Rigoletto,'' John Neumeier's ballet ''The Lady of the Camellias,'' and an acclaimed production of ''Eugene Onegin,'' which updates the action from the 19th century to the period between the Russian revolution and the 1960s, will be presented. Many broadcasters and newspapers report on the projection of the emblem for the 2018 football W orld Cup on the Bolshoi Theatre, including Euronews, which reports that the emblem was inspired by "Russia's rich artistic tradition and its history of achievement and innovation". The Daily Star of Bangladesh and The Washington Post are among the many international editions that announce the unveiling of the new emblem and its projection on the Bolshoi Theatre. Other editions include Le Figaro, Berliner Morgen Post, Der Spiegel, many sporting editions and many many others. The Moscow Times announces the upcoming Russian Ball in London which will include artists from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres. The Sun, UK's largest daily newspaper, reports on the exhibition of costumes from the Bolshoi Theatre in Belfast writing that Bolshoi Theatre Museum's director Lidya Kharina said the event is "visually stunning" and charts the "journey of the world's most famous theatre". Nizhny Novgorod mass media: " The Boldino Autumn" Festival will take place in Nizhny Novgorod from November 14th till November 21st The Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre Press-Office announces that the 28th All-Russian Pushkin Festival "The Boldino Autumn" will take place at the theatre from November 14th till November 21st. The Festival will open with M. Mussorgsky's opera "Boris Godunov", based on Pushkin's tragedy. Vladimir Taisayev, a soloist of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, will perform the role of the Tsar Boris. Roman Muravitsky, Bolshoi Theatre's soloist, whom the Nizhny Novgorod audience have known and loved for a long time, will perform the part of the Pretender. /…/
In brief