January, 30, 2014. Issue No. 223

When the musicians from Moscow came for the 11 festival "Arts Square", it gave the St. Petersburg audience another chance to take a look at the Bolshoi musicians' evolution. The artists from the capital presented the concert version of the opera "The Cherry Orchard" by the modern composer Philippe Fenelon, which was a part of the Year of France in Russia musical program. The audience remembered that visit of the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra, choir and soloists, led by Tito Ceccherini because the young soloists, including the wonderful soprano Uliana Aleksyuk, baritone Igor Golovatenko, tenor Alexei Tatarintsev and many others, participated in the production. It was in 2009 that the strategically important project - Young Artists Opera Program - was launched at the Bolshoi Theatre. This project is aimed at educating the new generation of musicians. Then it became clear that irreversible changes started in this citadel of official art, located near the Kremlin; those changes were connected with opening the borders, enlarging the horizons and enlarging the palette of styles. A lot has changed at the Bolshoi Theatre since that time, but, fortunately, it is not possible to stop the changes; the performance of "Le Nozze di Figaro" proved it.
William Lacey and Dmitry Belyanushkin. Photo: Damir Yusupov
The Bolshoi Theatre and Mozart are still not synonyms, although the dynamics is changing rapidly. For example, the Bolshoi repertory does not have "Le Nozze di Figaro", but it has a rather dangerous and provocative production of "Die Zauberflöte" created by Graham Vick; the premiere of the opera "Cosi fan tutte" staged by Floris Visser has been scheduled for this May. The semi-concert version of Newsletter The romantic production of the Greek director and designer Yannis Kokkos, which is not participating in "The Golden Mask" competition, shows the imaginary world of the Knight of the Rueful Countenance in a very precise and touching way. The characters turn pages of a huge book, the novel "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha" by Miguel de Cervantes.
Don Quixote as portrayed by Furlanetto is a real classical hero that rises above the noisy festive crowd making no tricks, just like the Italian singer is a much better singer and actor than his younger colleagues, the Mariinsky Theatre soloists. Sancho Pansa by Andrey Serov was very funny, but, nevertheless, he sang his part in a decent way; as for Dulcinea (Anna Kiknadze), who was full of complacent selfishness, she made quite a few vocal mistakes.
It is a pity, though, that the Bolshoi Theatre stage was too big for this chamber production. It was difficult to see and feel this phenomenal emotional message that signor Furlanetto sent to the audience not only with his voice, but also using his body language and finest facial expressions. Thanks to Ferruccio Furlanetto this production, which does not use a single modern theatre technique when it comes to either set design or the director's philosophy, makes an almost magical, fascinating impression.
Don Quixote - Ferruccio Furlanetto. Photo: Igor Zakharkin
Maestro Valery Gergiev was not in a very romantic mood that evening. However, his orchestra played very precisely; the famous "Fighting Windmills" number was performed in a fantastic way. At the same time the conductor made sure that the orchestra provided the best accompaniment for the Italian singer so that he would feel comfortable.
The Maestro mentioned backstage that after the reconstruction the acoustics had changed and it was necessary to get used to it. He also said that he advised his younger colleague Tugan Sokhiev to take the post at the Bolshoi Theatre (36-year old Sokhiev will take the post of the music director at the first theatre of the country on February, 1st). Maestro Gergiev also said he hoped and was almost sure that exchange tours of the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky would become constant from now on.
The Bolshoi Theatre artists presented a semi-concert version of the opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Grand Hall. William Lacey (the UK) conducted the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra.
Until recently that Vasily Sinaisky, the Bolshoi Theatre former chief conductor, was supposed to participate in these two concerts at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. It is likely that the concerts were scheduled in the first place thanks to the arrangements that maestro Sinaisky made when he still worked at the Bolshoi. By the way, maestro has close ties with the Leningrad school of conducting - he graduated the class of Ilya Musin. In December of the last year Sinaisky suddenly resigned and left the main theatre of the country with no music director. Until the last moment the Bolshoi General Director Vladimir Urin tried to solve a very challenging problem and to find a
new chief conductor. On January, 20 he announced it was Tugan Sokhiev, a 36-year old musician who is well-known around the world. He is the chief conductor at L'Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse and The Deutsches Symphonie-
January, 302014Newsletter Alina Yarovaya. Photo: Damir Yusupov
"Le Nozze di Figaro" presented at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Grand Hall became a perfect proof of the fact that the Bolshoi empire is ready to take Mozart on his terms.
This was an even more peculiar historic moment, since the Bolshoi orchestra was conducted by a foreigner; it was William Lacey, a graduate of King's College, Cambridge. As they were playing the overture, he tuned the audience in for the stylistically correct key. From the very first measures the graceful, theatrical and differentiated sound of the orchestra started building a musical and poetical coordinated system of the production that became the perfect home for the characters of this virtuoso and educative "musical comedy" for the next two and a half hours. There were no recitativos, all choir numbers were also cut; the audience saw a kind of very dynamic digest. The spectators only had enough time to follow the movements of the characters that resembled the movements of chess pieces on a board.characters of all the heroes as he used the singers' appearances as a guide; he made famous images shine anew.
"Le Nozze di Figaro" lived up to its title; it was an opera-buff with very deep lyrical meaning. This was an opera about dramatic relations between men and women; it was also full of real erotic tension. Two main characters, Count Almaviva (baritone Konstantin Shushakov) and Figaro (bass-baritone Alexander Miminoshvili) turned out to be the main "fighters for the territory". The director used every opportunity to show how important the cult of their own masculine attractiveness was for both of them. As for the women who were fighting, there was the passionate Countess (performed by soprano Jutta Maria Böhnert in a very sophisticated and courtly way). This sculpture-like luxury was confronted by the stunning naiveté of Susanna (light and fluttering soprano Alina Yarovaya).
Even the part of Marcellina that is usually performed by aging divas, was given to Anastasia Kikot, the graduate of St. Petersburg Conservatory (class of Irina Bogacheva), who has a very beautiful, queenly soprano and would have had the same success if she had sang the part of the Countess.

The famous quartet in the 4 act that starts from apologies that the Count brings to the betrayed Countess as he sings "Contessa perdono" became the culmination of the whole production. The wave of forgiving love went out to the audience. Now we only have to wait until "Le Nozze di Figaro" gets its place in the Bolshoi repertory so that we can see the full version of the opera.
From stage to the screen: which theatrical productions are worth watching at the cinema
The company CoolConnections continues to organize transmissions from the Metropolitan Opera (New York), the National Theatre (the UK) and other important stages. Darya Egorova presents a digest of those productions that will be transmitted in soon. February, 2. Live transmission from the Bolshoi Theatre, 7 p.m.
The choreographer Alexei Ratmansky based his ballet not on the novel by H. de Balzac, but on the libretto by Vladimir Dmitriev that was written for his previous production; the performance was staged in Leningrad in 1936 for the first time. Leonid Desyatnikov wrote the music for this new version that has many references to the French and Soviet classical pieces. "Lost Illusions" has come back from its Paris tour: in the beginning of January the production starring the Bolshoi prima Eugenia Obraztsova and the ABT premier David Hallberg was successful in Paris. /…/
Russian accent of the British ballet
Natalia Osipova and the Mikhailovsky Theatre have become the winners of this year's Critics' Circle National Dance awards
Photo: Stas Levshin/The Mikhailovsky Theatre
On Monday the award ceremony for the main British dance awards that are given out by the British Critics' Circle took place at "The Place" Theatre in London. Natalia Osipova and the Mikhailovsky Ballet have become the winners in the nomination January, 302014Newsletter categories "Best Female Dancer" and "Best Foreign Dance Company". Tatiana Kuznetsova reports:
The British Critics' Circle has determined the cultural climate in the British Isles for almost a century: this prize that is awarded in all spheres of the arts (drama, literature, cinematography and various visual arts) is the oldest. However, ballet and dance have been included into the Areopagus of the fine arts only very recently. The first
time that the representatives of dance genre received the award was only in the 21 century; it happened in January, 2001 and they were given awards for the season 1999/00. The Russian Kirov-Ballet (this is the name of the Mariinsky Theatre that everyone in the West is used to from the Soviet times) was given "The Best Company" award.
It is worth mentioning that the British Critics' award de-facto is international. This prize can be awarded to artists, choreographers and companies from any continent, as long as they have performed in London. Touring Russian artists and companies have had successes several times: the Mariinsky Ballet received this award in 2011 for the second time, while the Bolshoi Ballet was given the prize three times, in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Alexei Ratmansky, the Bolshoi Ballet artistic director and choreographer, was given this award in the same year as the Company itself (2006) for his ballet "The Bright Stream". As for the famous Russian dancers, the British critics were much more choosy about them: Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, the Bolshoi artists at the time, were the only ones who were considered the best. Natalia Osipova got the title "Best Female Dancer" twice, in 2007 and 2010, while Ivan Vasiliev received the "Spotlight Award" in 2007 and the "Best Male Dancer" award in 2010.did not get the prize because he ruined the performances of "The Midnight Expessn"; moreover, the London audience saw the dancer in the production of "Coppelia", choreographed by Roland Petit, who is not one of the favorite authors in Britain.In brief
The Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet
January, 302014Newsletter The Program
I part
A. Adam
Pas d'esclave from the ballet "Le Corsair"
Choreographed by M. Petipa.
Anna Tikhomirova
Igor Tsvirko
P. Tchaikovsky
Pas de deux from the ballet "Sleeping Beauty"
Choreographed by M. Petipa
Olga Smirnova
Semyon Chudin
R. Drigo
Pas de deux from the ballet "The Talisman"
Choreographed by M. Petipa
Kristina Kretova
Mikhail Lobukhin
A. Khachaturian
The monologue of Phrygia; Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia from the ballet "Spartacus"
Choreographed by Y. Grigorovich
Maria Vinogradova
Denis Rodkin
P. Tchaikovsky
Pas de deux from the ballet "Swan Lake"
Choreographed by M. Petipa
Anna Nikulina
Ruslan Skvortsov
II part
L.M. Gottschalk
Tarantella
Choreographed by G. Balanchine
Anna Tikhomirova
Igor TsvirkoH.S. LГёvenskiold
Pas de deux from the ballet "La Sylphide"
Choreographed by A. Bournonville
Anastasia Goryacheva
Artemy Belyakov
D. Shostakovich
Pas de deux from the ballet "The Golden Age"
Choreographed by Y. Grigorovich
Anna NIkulina
Ruslan Skvortsov
P. Tchaikovsky
Adagio from the ballet "Diamonds"
Choreographed by G. Balanchine
Olga Smirnova
Semyon Chudin
L. Minkus
Grand pas from the ballet "Don Quixote"
Choreographed by M. Petipa, A. Gorsky
Kristina Kretova
Mikhail Lobukhin

Elizaveta Kruteleva (1 variation)

Darya Bochkova (2 variation)
Alesya Gradova, Svetlana Pavlova, Alexandra Rakitina, Margarita Shrainer
Conductor - Alexei Bogorad
Analysis of articles published 28 January 2014
The San Francisco Classical Voice writes about the appointment of Tugan Sokhiev as music director of the Bolshoi Theatre saying he is a rising conductor.
Many local editions around the world list the upcoming transmission of the Bolshoi Ballet's Lost Illusions in cinemas.
The Sarasota Herald Tribune reviews former Bolshoi Ballet dancer Osipova in Giselle saying: "But why bother mentioning anyone besides Osipova? Everyone else faded into the background. Her breathtaking technique and daring phrasing were almost overpowering" and also writes about the growing importance of the transmission of ballets and operas in cinemas.
The Los Angeles Times reports about a new TV drama series called Flesh and Bone that will be about a ballet dancer suffering from emotional problems in the difficult world of ballet and will star real ballet dancers.
Interview: Jason Flemyng
You know Jason Flemyng at least from films "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Now he brought to Russia his new film, the thriller "Viy". International press analysisIn brief January, 302014Newsletter 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
- She is so excited! We went to the Bolshoi Theatre, which was my mother's dream; she used to dance herself. When we learned I was going to Russia, my wife got angry: "Why are not you taking me with you?" But there was nothing I could do; I knew that my Mom was the one who had to see the Russian ballet and the Bolshoi Theatre.
Jason Flemyng took his mother to the Bolshoi Theatre. Photo: Alexei Molchanovsky
Yaroslavl mass media:

The Yaroslavl museum-reserve celebrated its 149 birthday. This museum is the oldest in the city and one of the first museums that appeared in Central Russia.
The chime of bells has been heard on the territory of the museum-reserve for almost a century and a half; this is remarkable. Over those years the museum collections have created wonderful exhibits that attract the attention of its visitors and surprise
them even today. On its 149 birthday the museum got another present; four unique poetical autographs of Leonid Sobinov the great singer were given to the memorial house-museum.The Bolshoi Theatre soloists performed; this was a musical present. The Bolshoi Theatre theme was continued in the exhibition "Prince Igor Onstage". This is another joint project. It is dedicated to the life of Borodin's great piece onstage at the main musical theatre of the country. The opera is based on "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"; it is known that the text of "The Tale" was found somewhere in the Yaroslavl region.
The director of the Bolshoi Theatre museum Lidiya Kharina said: "Of course, the roots are here, in the Yaroslavl region; this is where we get our inspiration from. Thank you for finding and keeping it".
The name of Leonid Sobinov is also connected with the opera; he performed the part of Prince Vladimir in the first production of the opera. That is why the dressing room of the great tenor was reconstructed as a part of the exhibition as well. There are only originals. But as we celebrate, we remember the daily routine. That is why new projects are already being discussed at the museum-reserve. There will be enough of them for the next 149 years. /…/
Krasnoyarsk mass media
The fifth "Parade of Stars" will take place at the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre