THE RUKAVISHNIKOV DYNASTY
OF SCULPTORS
(to the birth anniversary of sculptor Alexandr Rukavishnikov)
By N. Khagortyan
At the beginning of October the Russian Academy of Arts held a solemn
celebration in honour of the world-famous sculptor and professor at Moscow's
Surikov Art School Alexandr Rukavishnikov on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
The Rukavishnikovs trace their history back to the 18th century. The
family lived in Nizhny Novgorod in the lower 
reaches
of the Volga. Among its members were thriving merchants and bankers who
left a good memory of themselves by their charity projects. The Rukavishnikovs
are famous for a dynasty of sculptors on which Russia prides itself. Historical
themes prevailed in their heritage. In line with the family tradition,
Alexandr Rukavishnikov sought to uphold and develop realistic trends in
sculpture, preserve the national realistic school and create a new art
that would organically combine domestic realism and the best achievements
of Western culture.
He made a star appearance in the 1970s with the impressive marble statue
of Michelangelo and a cycle of wooden sculptures "The Roots Of Russia".
Brilliant technique, the ability to accentuate the main features of human
nature - everything about his works bespoke of his belonging to the Rukavishnikov
dynasty. He tried his hand in a variety of genres and experimented with
different materials, combining marble with bronze, clay and stone. For
his "Self-Portrait" composition he took seven materials, each
of them symbolizing a particular emotional state. His statues of Fedor
Dostoyevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Alexandr Blok, the Soviet-era bard singer Vladimir
Vysotsky and others added to the gallery of outstanding Russian personalities
created by the older generation of Rukavishnikovs.
Recently another of his sculptures - a composition dedicated to the
memory of the famous clown and actor Yuri Nikulin - was unveiled outside
the Moscow Curcus on Tsvetnoy boulevard. Smiling Nikulin, getting out of
an old-fashioned cabriolet, welcomes spectators right at the entry.
Professor
Rukavishnikov is a senior professor and head of the sculptors' department
at the Surikov Art School. Among his students is his son Phillip, who followed
in his father's footsteps. Endowed with the powerful inner energy and enormous
creative potential characteristic of all Rukavishnikovs, he has already
won recognition by his original sculpture devoted to writer Vladimir Nabokov
and erected in Montreux, Switzerland.
Few people know about another side of Alexandr Rukavishnikov's life.
For many years he been studying oriental philosophy and has a "black
belt" in karate. Recently he was invited to take a high post in the
National Karate Federation. Perhaps, his hobby influenced his vision of
the world and moulded some of his personal features such as modesty, restraint
and the ability to concentrate.
Speaking at the jubilee creremonies the Vice-President of the Russian
Academy of Sciences Lev Kerbel said: "As his teacher, I wish that
in the 21st century he would pursue the search for new forms in line with
old traditions. He is a man of both the outgoing and the future centuries"
.
THE BOLSHOI AND ITS DIRECTORS
(to the 225th anniversary of Russia's Bolshoi Theatre)
By N. Viktorova
The Bolshoi Theatre's former Executive Director Vladimir Kokonin recalled
in an interview: "Founded as a private theatre, the Bolshoi was soon
nationalized and 30 years later, in 1806, it acquired an imperial status.
It was at that time that the Directorate of Imperial Theatres under the
Emperor's personal patronage was set up. Conceived as an imperial state
theatre, the Bolshoi will apparently remain such under any regime".
According to Vladimir Kokonin, one of the theatre's first major directors
who left a good memory of themselves was Alexei Verstovsky. Under him the
Bolshoi confirmed its high professional, imperial status. A well-known
composer, Verstovsky wrote several operas all of which were premiered at
the Bolshoi, including the most widely-known "Askold's Tomb".
Among the Bolshoi's directors were professional composers, grand dukes
and ordinary functionaries. Two of them deserve mention: Ivan Vsevolozhsky
who was appointed director in 1881 and Vladimir Telyakovsky who held the
post from 1898 through 1901. The latter, being a member of the Directorate
of Imperial Theatres, was closely connected with the Bolshoi for nearly
2 decades. Both Vsevolozhsky and Telyakovsky were officials of high rank,
well-educated and cultured personalities. They did much to promote national
art.
In the late 19th century the theatre premiered several operas by Petr
Tchaikovksy: "Voyevoda", "Evgeny Onegin", "Mazepa"
and "Cherevichki". The latter was his debut as a conductor. The
next few years added Tchaikovsky's famous ballets "The Swan Lake",
"The Nut-Cracker" and "The Sleepig Beauty" to the Bolshoi's
repertoire. Towards the end of the century it comprised all major Russian
operas created by that time. Vsevolozhsky and later Telyakovsky invited
best composers, art directors, conductors and scenery artists.
The first years that followed the October 1917 socialist revolution
were marked by uncertainty about the Bolshoi's future. Bolshevik ideologists
argued that "the proletariat didn't need all those "traviatas",
"carmens" and "khovanschinas". During the controversial
post-revolutionary years the theatre was directed by the well-known tenor
and a lawyer by profession Leonid Sobinov.
Other of the Bolshoi's directors included composers Mikhail Chulaki
and Kirill Molchanov and numerous functionaries - conductors of the communist
ideology in art.
It was not until the early 1990s that the theatre acquired certain
independence. The management structure was changed: the theatre got one
more director - the artistic director in addition to the executive one.
Things improved a lot after that: the Bolshoi received numerous offers,
its classical ballet and opera productions were shown in many countries
and got excellent reviews.
The Bolshoi's current executive manager and artistic director are Anatoly
Iksanov and conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
"I think it's time to dispel a wide-spread belief that people
go to the Bolshoi to admire its lavish interior and not its repetoire.",
says Rozhdestbensky. "After all, we can open it for a few hours a
day for public display as Grande Opera in Paris or La Scala in Milan. We
are also planning to invite outstanding Russian and foreign conductors"
.
THE ARKHANGELSKOYE ESTATE: BETWEEN
THE PAST AND PRESENT
By M. Faustova
Not far from Moscow, surrounded by picturesque forests and fields stands
an architectural and park ensemble of striking beauty - the Arkhangelskoye
estate dubbed "the Russian Versaille".
Arkhangelskoye's first owners were the Dukes Golitsin. In the early
19th century it was bought by Duke Nikolai Yusupov - a diplomat, statesman,
patron of the arts, ardent book-lover and collector. Under a new owner
the estate became a 
real
pearl of Russian architecture. A magnificent park in British stile adorned
with numerous statues, fountains, terraces, alleys and enormous glass green-houses
for exotic fruits was laid out around the palace. Director of the Imperial
Theatres and the Imperial Hermitage Museum, and chief manager of the porcelain
and glass factories, Yusupov owned a collection of ancient furniture and
paintings numbering more than 600 canvasses by Russian and foreign masters.
The estate was also famous for its library boasting over 200 thousand books
in many Europen languages.
The October 1917 revolution forced many rich noblemen to emigrate abroad.
Their estates were nationalized and looted. Arkhangelskoye was lucky. Its
current director Valdimir Dlugach said that back in 1918 the Soviet government
decided to turn the estate into a museum, that's why most of its premises
had been preserved. Another event that saved Arkhangelskoye from looting
was a decision by the then Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army Leo Trotsky
to set up his headquarters there. Later it accomodated a military hospital.
It so happenned that during Soviet times access to Arkhangelskoye was limited.
Willingly or unwillingly, the bolsheviks preserved this unique abode of
the gentry for future generations to admire.
Four years ago Arkhangelskoye was declared a cultural heritage after
which restoration began. Up to now nearly all sculptures have been restored.
An exposition relating the estate's history has been mounted in one of
the buildings. The church has been reopened. According to Vladimir Dlugach,
the main task how is to restore the estate's famous theatre.
"This is a unique wooden theatre the settings for which were made
by the Italian master Pietro Gonsago 200 years ago. There was no troupe.
Music and light created the effect of moving figures. We want to revive
these amazing performances. I hope that in a couple of years we will be
giving theatrical parties", said Vladimir Dlugach. "The museum
is financed by the government. But quite unexpectedly aid came from the
US charity foundation "American Friends of Russian Estates" led
by Priscilla Roozevelt. Arkhangelskoye is one of her favourite estates
and she did much to have it included into the list of 100 cultural monuments
that need urgent help. The list is compiled once in two years by the World
Fund of Cultural Monuments. We have already received about 700 thousand
dollars for restoration. The estate is gradually being revived. On some
days we have hordes of tourists eager to have a look at our treasures"
.
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