Recently Vladimir Vasiliev, the famous Russian dancer and the
art director of the Bolshoy theatre has been our guest in the studio of
the Voice of Russia. He  appeared
in the series "Vis-a-Vis the World" produced by the Company's
Chairman Armen Oganesyan. Ten days before this talk took place, we used
the air of the Voice of Russia in Russian and 32 foreign languages and
the Internet to invite listeners to put their questions to Vladimir Vasiliev.
Here are a few selections from the talk.
A.Oganesyan: Do you think the Bolshoy has increased the
number of productions? Is its repertoire growing?
V.Vasiliev: Yes, it is. Let's take the last month. It's
a good example. We had three premieres all at once. One of them, "Giselle",
is the production of a young choreographer, Alisher Ratmansky. I like this
work very much. By the way, we have a lot of new names: a whole new generation
of ballet-masters is emerging.
A.Oganesyan: A listener in Brazil, Alfredo Netto knows
that the building of the Bolshoy in Moscow is to undergo major restoration,
which involves considerable funding.
V.Vasiliev: The Bolshoy complex was supposed to be put
into operation at the end of this millennium. Yet this does not seem to
be taking place. We have to restore the building of the Bolshoy, then we
have to build a Bolshoy branch and auxiliary premises. These are the main
structures, which make Teatralnaya Square look so beautiful. This square,
I believe, is a unique monument of architecture and history. I don't know
another such square anywhere in the world. This project requires a lot
of money. Approximate estimates made a few years ago showed construction
works would require 300 million dollars.
A.Oganesyan: The Bolshoy Theater is dubbed a giant of
world culture. A Voice of Russia listener, Barbara Prillmain in the United
States, says she is surprised that the Bolshoy fails to get sufficient
backing from the government, that it is not fully funded from the federal
budget.
V.Vasiliev: I believe no matter how much money the budget
can allocate, the amount will not be adequate. We must look for new forms
of funding. And this call should go through the Internet and the rest of
media. I believe this problem could be solved if all the theaters in the
world could make a joint effort, if the UNESCO Director General Mr. Mayor
and our government and the other members of the international board of
guardians, now in the making, proposed that every theatre in the world
run one performance to raise the money for the Bolshoy. This idea of mine
is not completely Utopian. Tomorrow any other theatre might find itself
in the position of the Bolshoy.
A.Oganesyan: A question from Moldova - when two years
ago you took over the Bolshoy, you said you would shortly bring back the
theatre's past glory and even increase it by attracting new artistic forces.
Do you think you did this? Is this opinion at variance with that of most
of the ballet critics and the large theatre-going public?
V.Vasiliev: I believe, to a large extent we did it. But
my opinion is at variance with that of many critics.
A.Oganesyan: A listener in Bilbao, Spain, Javier Kinkoses
has a question for Mr. Vasiliev. When will the Russian ballet come to Spain?
V.Vasiliev: It's true that the whole company of the Bolshoy
ballet has never been to Spain. Apparently, the Bolshoy will pay its first
visit to Spain to attend the opening of a theatre school in Barcelona.
And talks are underway. I can even say we are bringing "Swan Lake"
along.
A.Oganesyan: Talking of "Swan Lake", here is
a question from Japan about the ballet. Our listener Okawa Akidsa asks:
As far as I know, Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" is the symbol
of Russian ballet and the visiting card of the Bolshoy. I've heard there
is another version of the ballet, one staged by Vladimir Vasiliev. Can
you speak of it in greater detail?
V.Vasiliev: In my opinion, "Swan Lake" should
be treated as the visiting card of Russian classical ballet. That the Bolshoy
features "The Swan Lake" in my production does not contradict
the fact. I've preserved only what I believed to be truly great in the
ballet's history. But I have radically changed the message. I think this
ballet is the most Russian of all that Pyotr Tchaikovsky wrote for the
art of choreography. I wanted so much to convey the amazing warmth of the
Russian soul. That's why my heroine has acquired the features of a Russian
swan. As for the visiting card, I don't think my production has injured
it in any way.
|
