July, , 2014. Issue No. 3

July 12 - July 27 - the Bolshoi Theatre guest performances in New York

July 18 and 20 - Elena Mosuc will make her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre. The singer will perform the part of Violetta Valéry in the opera "La Traviata" Historic Stage - La Traviata. Opera in two acts New Stage - rehearsal day The Bolshoi Theatre guest performances in New York Svetlana Zakharova and David Hallberg. Photo: Katerina Novikova Curtain calls after the performance of "Swan Lake" at the David H. Koch Theater. Photo: Katerina Novikova Newsletter

Mass media about the Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova talks about her desire to help the Kiev Choreographic School, the Bolshoi guest performances in New York and her connection with John Neumeier Photo from Svetlana Zakharova's personal archives

The Bolshoi Ballet guest performances opened in New York on July 15 and will

continue until July 27. The dancers of the main theatre of the country will present "Swan Lake", "Don Quixote" and "Spartacus" at the Lincoln Center. The "Izvestia" reporter talked to the Bolshoi Theatre prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova. - What parts do you dance in these productions? - At the opening guest performance I perform the part of Odette-Odile in "Swan Lake". I also dance the part of Aegina in the ballet "Spartacus" that the tour closes with. - The ballet "Lady of the Camellias", choreographed by John Neumeier, premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in March. You performed the main part in this production. What memories about this project do you have? - Working on this production really was a very happy time in my life. John is amazing: he is a nice, sincere and honest person. When you trust him, he shares with you what he feels himself. One look from him and you understand what he wants to say and what he wants you to do. You are not shy about your emotions; you open up and wrap yourself up in the work. "Lady of the Camellias". Photo from Svetlana Zakharova's personal archives - Can you say that you became friends with John? - There is some connection between us that is for sure. It seems to me that I understand and feel this choreographer. He talked a lot about the production and about the character of Marguerite. I suggested many things as well. After the performance John told me: You know, I had an impression that it was today that my production premiered. I saw it from a dif ferent, new perspective". But we did not change anything in the choreography. Hearing something like this is worth a great deal. - Shall we expect that your cooperation will continue? - John invited me to take part in the Nijinsky Gala in Hamburg. He asked me dance a fragment from the third act of "Lady of the Camellias" together with Edvin Revazov. But I could not do it because of the Bolshoi Ballet guest performances.

- During the 239 season you will have two premieres: "A Hero of Our Time", choreographed by Yuri Posokhov and directed by Kirill Serebenikov, and the revival of "The Legend of Love", choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich. Have you already started preparing to work on those productions? - I have met with Yuri Posokhov. He told me that I would dance the part of Princess Mary. W e plan to have the first rehearsals in winter. I will start to rehearse "The Legend of Love" after all my summer tours are over.

- "The Legend of Love" will be the 7 production that you have worked on together with Mr. Grigorovich. Is it easy to find common ground with him? - I will do anything that he says. I am obedient (laughs ). Perhaps, this is why it is so easy for choreographers to work with me. It is always interesting for me to know, what they want; I absorb their ideas, study their style and technique and only then add my own feelings and emotions. - Do you plan to ever dance in the ballet "Eugene Onegin", choreographed by John Cranko that you refused to dance in just before the premiere last year? - No, I do not. There are things in life that you do not want to remember. I guess, this is exactly the case. - The collective labor agreement has been signed at the Bolshoi Theatre recently. According to one of the paragraphs of this agreement, it is necessary to get permission for going on personal tours and working outside the theatre. Do you think that this will have any impact on the artists' freedom? - None of the artists has ever left for any kind of personal tour without getting permission from the theatre, if it was not during vacation. This is not possible at any theatre in the world. This is absolutely normal, because there is the working process. This is the way it has always been, but now it is written down in the document. So if anyone breaks these rules, he/she will get official charges. - In May you danced the ballet "Giselle" at the Rudolph Nureyev Festival in Kazan together with Sergei Polunin. What impressions did this forum leave? - I have very good impressions. It was the second time that I participated in this festival. One can notice that the audience in Kazan is fond of ballet; people have seen a lot and know a lot, they have other artists and productions to compare what they see with. I was satisfied. Sergei and I had an amazing performance. We made every effort; we gave the audience not 100%, but 300% of our energy. The success was tremendous. Then I jumped on a plane and went to Washington, D.C., where I danced "Giselle" again: David Hallberg was my partner, and that performance was a part of the Bolshoi Ballet tour. I had warmed up in Kazan, so performances in the USA were very successful. At the curtain calls the audience gave us standing ovations.

- On December 7 the ballet stars charity concert will take place at the Bolshoi Theatre; all money raised will be donated to the Kiev Choreographic School that needs reconstruction. What motivated you to become one of the initiators of this event? - In November 2013 my first guest performances in Kiev were a part of the project "The First Position" that I am the artistic director of. I lived and studied there for 15 years, so I have a direct connection with the Kiev ballet school. It turned out that I did not get a chance to perform in Kiev. But thanks do this project it was finally possible to organize my visit. After one of the rehearsals we visited the choreographic school; the children prepared a concert for us. When I entered the building, there was the same smell, the same walls, the same doors and windows. I was told that the building had not been reconstructed for about 30 years. After the concert we had a meeting with the students; they asked a lot of questions. It was amazing. But then in private talks the children told me that in winter the temperature in the rehearsal rooms never rose about +8 C, there were drifts, the ceilings leaked and their feet always got cold. Unfortunately, no one cares what conditions they study in. So I had the idea to support those kids. - Aren't you afraid that this will be considered a political act? - No, I am not. I have not even thought about it. Yuri Baranov, the Bolshoi Theatre soloist and my colleague, who also studied in Kiev, by the way, and I had decided to organize this charity concert before the tragic events in Ukraine started. So this is not a political act. There should be ballet in Ukraine. Children are not guilty; they want to dance, they want to gain great success and to be educated people. They should study in clean and well-lit rooms; they should feel comfortable and warm. July, 17 2014 Newsletter

- You are the director of this concert. What artists should the audience expect to see? - There will be Sergei Polunin, Denis Matvienko, Alina Cojocaru, Leonid Sarafanov, Nina Zmievets, Ivan Purtov and Alexander Zhembrovskyy. All of them are world ballet stars that studied in Kiev at some point. I was happy with the fact that all of them agreed to participate in the concert at once. Besides those artists that studied in Kiev, those, who have nothing to do with this Choreographic School, agreed to take part in this concert as well: Natalia Osipova, Yana Salenko and many other artists are ready to support us. I am very grateful to them. - Has the program of the concert been compiled already? - In the first part of the concert Sergei Polunin and I plan to dance the ballet "Marguerite and Armand", choreographed by Ashton; in the second part there will be a gala concert of ballet stars. I think, it will be a beautiful concert, because real stars - artists that have the best positions at the best theatres in the world - will participate in it. - You take part in various charity projects more and more often. Why is it so important for you? - You are walking your own way, but you need to turn around and to look at those things that are happening around you. If there is anything you can do to help, you should do it. When I was little, people helped me all the time. Sometimes I even did not know who those people were. There were difficult times, but often help came: we got money, costumes, and ballet shoes. I remember that in my childhood I was happy with any kind of help; this is why I decided to establish my own charity fund to support the development of the ballet art and provide help to ballet veterans. Besides, 15 children from various choreographic institutions around the country receive my scholarship every month. Starting from the new academic year 22 children will receive this scholarship. - How do you choose candidates? - Unfortunately, I do not have a chance to travel around the country and choose candidates. That is why directors send me recordings, where their students perform; the candidacies are approved at the faculty meetings. I watch those recordings and choose my scholarship holders. Photo from Svetlana Zakharova's personal archives On the Bolshoi Theatre official pages in the social networks we uploaded Russian TV Channels video reports about the Bolshoi tour in New York:

Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet W e also uploaded play-by-play photographs that the Bolshoi Theatre's spokeswoman Katerina Novikova sent: Sergei Filin gives an interview to Chanel One on the roof of Empire Hotel. Photo: Katerina Novikova The David H. Koch Theater auditorium Photo: Katerina Novikova Backstage. Photo: Katerina Novikova July, 17 2014 Newsletter

July, 17 2014