Yeah! Don’t forget why we’re here today. The premiere of Anton Rubinstein’s opera ‘The Demon’ at the Bolshoi Theatre. Director – Artem Abashev. Staging and scenography: Vladislavs Nastavshevs.
So, the questions of the performance of the opera. Here the curtain opens, and on the stage the viewer sees… an auditorium. That is a kind of mirror. And this hall on the stage begins to gradually fill with spectators. And almost all the action of the opera, with the exception of the finale, takes place in the auditorium, which is built above the stage. Even the angels are dressed in the uniform of ushers, or simply ushers.
In theory, I, the viewer, should ask myself the question: “Why is this being done?” And depending on me, the public, the fantasy, the erudition, the mood, etc. etc. find several answers to this question.
“And the fact that artists sing all the time doesn’t bother you,” I wonder, “and since you, the viewer, are watching conditional art, maybe you shouldn’t check harmony with algebra all the time?”
The auditorium on the stage is beautiful. Ticket attendants are angels, there’s something beautiful about that. The genius of goodness (brilliant play by Yulia Mazurova) with a forelock on his head and in the form of an usher… If you want, find associations here, but if you want, rejoice at the director’s invention. For me – I do not insist at all – the opera begins to suffer when the director puts the plot, and not the music. The plot is staged all the time now, because theater directors are always called to opera houses, and they are mostly experts in showing the plot. Some do well, others have a dramatic performance with music.
From my point of view, putting on an opera in the hope that the audience will follow the plot is ridiculous. After all, they don’t go to the opera to find out “how things will end.” It is not the plot that keeps the viewer.
Nastavshevs do not do that. For him, the main thing is music. For him, the main instrument of an opera actor is the voice, not plasticity. And I also want to ask: does the Devil love Tamara or does he use this love to fight with God? Does he care about a woman or the feeling of a winner? Pavel Yankovsky plays and sings cold demonic love. He does it masterfully.
The curtain opens, and on the stage… an auditorium. that’s a mirror
In general, I must tell you that the Bolshoi Theater has very good singers with absolutely incredible voices. In the old days, not a single concert, not a single “Spark” could do without an opera singer. And we knew them and we loved them. Now it’s easy, and we barely know our opera singers except for a few stars.
What an amazing Anastasia Shchegoleva – Tamara! This is where the madness of passion is, where it seems that the voice is the conductor of the most intimate secrets of the soul. Wonderful Denis Makarov, who plays the role of Prince Gudal. Andrey Fetisov from the episode of the old servant makes a memorable role. Do not forget the unfortunate Prince Synodal, who died only because he interfered with the Demon. Ilya Selivanov turns this game into a very deep and interesting picture. And – voices, voices… Incredible voices of Bolshoi singers.
Today, it seems to me, it is considered almost awkward and unfashionable to put an opera singer in front of the audience to simply sing. No. It is imperative to invent some kind of pretension, some kind of bending of the body back and forth …
Nastavshevs are not afraid of all this. He believes in the voices of his actors, and this faith wins out. Yes, Demon can ride a motorcycle in a leather jacket. Yes, after death, Tamara can accept bouquets like a theatrical cousin, but then she will be overwhelmed by these bouquets and will be buried in a grave covered with flowers. In general, it turns out that flowers can play a separate and very important role in the theater. All can be. Please. The main thing is that the music lives. So that she leads the action, and not the action constantly bumps into her.
To be honest, sometimes the action slows down. In some scenes, I didn’t have enough directing decisions. Where is this line between a beautiful voice, which nothing prevents from sounding, and the need for action, because I still came to the theater, and not to a concert? Don’t know. I tell you: there are many questions in the production of the opera.
Anton Rubinstein, as you know, was the teacher of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, but this is the case when the student clearly surpassed the teacher. Evaluating the music of the recognized genius – Rubinstein – is ridiculous, so I can only say that for me it was interesting and original. Yes, it’s not as powerful as Tchaikovsky’s music, but it was written by an outstanding composer.
The devil can ride a motorcycle. After death, Tamara can accept bouquets of flowers. The main thing is that the music lives.
And the last. It seems to me fundamentally important that the Bolshoi Theater gives different directors the opportunity to interpret the opera in different ways. I am absolutely convinced that no one can say exactly how an opera should be staged. Therefore, it’s great when you can see different options: what is closer to whom.
Rubinstein’s “The Demon” at the Bolshoi Theater is a performance made according to its own laws. And in these laws it is perfect. Some people like these laws, others don’t. I do not consider myself the right to assess the orchestra under the direction of Artem Abashev, I can only say that he personally opened wonderful music that was unfamiliar to me.
It’s good when there is a performance in the theater that evokes thoughts and feelings. Isn’t that what this is all about?
