No at a turn of two eras people aspired in theater." The masquerade" Meyerkhold Vsevolod became history not only as great scenic work on which the audience made the way almost under bullets. Not on costs of statement is there was the most expensive performance of the Russian theater. And on historical consequences: he was fated to be beyond especially theatrical event and to become important art reflection of tragic demolition of eras of the Russian history.
Hundred years later Aleksandrinsky theater prepare for p for date a series of anniversary programs in Saint Petersburg and the cities Russian Federation. Their geography thanks to translation on information portal "rg.ru" becomes even wider than performance Fokin Valery "the Masquerade. Memoirs of the future" with reconstruction of separate scenes of the well-known Meyerhold statement (on March 9) and the movie about performance of the doctor of art criticism, professors Chepurova Alexander "In the wake of the Masquerade".
B than parallels of two times, "RG" the director, the art director told p Aleksandrinsky theater Fokin Valery.
Expedition to the past
the Task in "Memoirs of the future" was set by p unusual - both for actors, and for the audience. To make travel in time in fatal St. Petersburg the 1917th, to play absolutely other theater …
Fokin Valery: the Idea was - by means of modern technologies, through a multimedia row to enter on the territory Meyerkhold Vsevolod its well-known performance "Masquerade". I imagined it as theatrical expedition hundred years ago. As though we climbed in 1917, and there, among coming to life photos and Golovin's suits, we begin searches. As on the Internet look for any information. And then suddenly we step on some stage which with actors we reconstruct.
of 100 years of revolution, and 100 years to outstanding Meyerhold "Masquerade" - this year work for your idea these two dates.
Fokin Valery: Then, in 1917 this performance turned into the requiem for culture. To huge, big culture. When there was a memorial service according to Nina at the end of the fourth act, actually read the burial service over that Russian Federation. All felt that it so.
Due to the "Masquerade" statement I read to p archival materials, - people in the 14th year, in the 16th, in the 17th guessed: what will be with us? It is a doomsday? In newspapers addressed to sorcerers, to fortunetelling. We now, as well as an eyelids ago, before any modern history, live in apocalyptic time, and these historical repetitions, it seems to me, are ideologically very important. The general situation in the world - crisis. The same was and 100 years ago. We again at a boundary.
the Demon without wings
What?
Fokin Valery: I thought long ago of it, I was attracted always by the personality Lermontova. It seemed to me that "Masquerade" - one of its last works. I was struck that I found. It at it - one of the first. Lermontov wrote it in 26 years. At first there was "Demon" - too, by the way, be healthy, and then - "Masquerade". Its play "Two Brothers" which Dostoyevsky so admired, was created later. By the way, Dostoyevsky in general saw in Lermontov similar to himself, - the internal conflict in the person much, fight which interested Dostoyevsky, - it all is and in Lermontov. And the hero Demon as though passes into Arbenin, only it is the Demon without wings.
Me it strongly carried away p, as well as that, Lermontov was so inconsistent. In memories of it write and as about the gentle person, about the naive, defenseless child, and at the same time - that it could become in a second cruel and cynical. Other Lermontov. Ruthlessness of its destiny, the biography, loss of mother in the early childhood, impossibility to have the father (the grandmother, at adoration, did not allow them to meet), - there are a lot of such painful frills which are and in Arbenin. Actually, the main character is all the same Lermontov. It is and in Arbenin, it, in other qualities, and in the Demon, but it everything in it: desire of love and at the same time - fear with contempt for people who do not understand, continuous protection - a mask. . I conceived to make sometime about it performance.
our idea consisted in that it is not simple to put "Masquerade", in reconstruction to try to achieve beauty of that theater, and to make performance as a certain action, the project in which the old reconstructed fragments would be combined with modern approach to a material. At that theater there were unique things which we easily postponed in history and forgot. Yes, there looked for other characters, special expression of passion, temperament. Certainly, today we live in other information space, everything exchanged. But a lot of things can be useful to us. And, at least, such expedition is curious.
with an orchestra
the Legend says that Meyerkhold Vsevolod rehearsed "Masquerade" six years. Why so long?
Fokin Valery: Is inexact to say that six years, actually - much less, simply process dragged on on time. I too at first thought: anything to themselves, six years rehearsed, what, every day? Anything similar. All began as independent work - Telyakovsky, the director of imperial theaters, only by the end allowed to spend money. Rehearsals that were resumed, interrupted.
Then wanted to let out "Masquerade" by 1914, to anniversary - were going to celebrate century since the birth of Lermontov. But World War I began, a premiere cancelled. Returned later. Performers changed. Time was required on production Golovin's improbable scenery - there four thousand sketches, a requisite, properties, cups, screens, furniture, about one thousand sketches of the suits, five curtains. Enormously. It is necessary to tell, in the museum Aleksandrinsky theater much of that performance is kept. So only it is read: six years there was a work. But it that went, did not go.
A then as it often happens when there was only a month to a premiere, Telyakovsky dated and told: will play on February 25, or will not play in general. And they were right there mobilized and let out. When even to mind could not come how this huge large object in a month Meyerkhold Vsevolod will manage to collect, and plus still chorus and an orchestra. But everything as a result appeared on a place. So usually also happens when rigid terms are put.
In performance Meyerkhold Vsevolod were occupied with p of about two hundred people of supernumeraries...
Fokin Valery: Everything not to restore b. We did not invite such number of young actors for participation in pantomimes and ball scenes - at us is them much less. Then, after all there were four editions of "Masquerade". In 1917 there were two hundred supernumeraries, and in edition of the 1939th year already is less involved the people, - pupils of drama schools, studios, including Meyerhold. Also sang chorus Arkhangelsk. For us music was written by the composer Bakshi Alexander. There are also sound impregnations from Meyerhold performance.
As to you it managed to be made?
Fokin Valery: there are all Meyerhold plannings on stage settings. Everything is accurately painted, who, where and that. Moreover, there is a score of the composer Glazunov, record of assistant directors where it is painted that on this remark it sounded here, and after that monologue - that. I sought to reproduce everything in this sense literally. Because if there, suppose, there was any accent, for example, on exits of the Unknown the infernalny musical phrase sounded all the time, - fondly today looks, we so would not do never, but I wanted if it is reconstruction that it was obligatory.
Bakshi Alexander around in transitions gave p to chic of a today's rhythm, the modern sound, almost alternative fate. And inside, excuse if there is Glinka's Waltz imagination, it has to go. As well as a mazourka on a ball. Or the romance is sung. Too it is interesting: Nina sings the romance, sits a back in three quarters to the auditorium, pretends that she plays, and in the scenes there is a soloist of the Maryinsky Theater and very well for it everything executes. Then to anybody and to mind did not come how Nina, the nonprofessional singer, can perfectly sing so classically. Another was perception. Here such there was a scenic culture, such stylistics. Now at us that: is able, is not able, but the drama actress herself would try to sing everything. Especially as she is the nonprofessional singer, and here - such chance. Why not? Live voice, it is normal, we got used. Question would cause today just - as it behind the scenes there is a soloist of the Maryinsky Theater, instead of simply any girl from musical school? . I represent as she then drank everything, and the actress on a scene pretended that sings …
Certainly, it is other theater. But it and is curious. It was interesting to me to compare approaches in hundred years. It is much more interesting, than if I took simply "Masquerade", and began to interpret it, to make modern history.
Meyerkhold Vsevolod considered statement of this play as a mystery, and in it there was his innovation then, hundred years ago. He dreamed that voices were distributed under a scene, reached from above from grid-irons, thought how at different levels to arrange three groups of chorus. At it it it did not turn out. As a result everything was reduced to that behind the scenes there were people and sang.
A at you turned out - and, it is possible to tell, what you, at last, could carry out idea Meyerkhold Vsevolod?
Fokin Valery: Because other technical capabilities. We can achieve a live sound under a scene if it is necessary for us. On grid-irons at us today can stand though the whole ensemble. It is possible to make evident this vertical Meyerkhold Vsevolod, - here a life hell, and there paradise. Today sound stage settings can go and from an imperial box, from the foyer, and from circles, from beds.
A then was the real shock even that at Meyerkhold Vsevolod at Aleksandrinsky theater in 1910 in "Don Juan" directly during action light in the auditorium was suddenly switched on. For the first time in the history of the Russian theater. Today who at us only does not switch on this light in the auditorium, - sometimes at all do not extinguish, anybody does not pay attention. But on times of that time it there was a shock. Then we saw it at Lyubimov Youri Petrovich in many years on Taganka. And then off it went …
Murder drawlingly
As you achieved p from actors of a specific intoning of that time? It was necessary to retrain people anew.
Fokin Valery: should be found that there was a clever game that it was impossible a mockery. That the culture of a verse, musicality, and at the same time - that it everything really was felt … To actors it was difficult. But in Golovin's absolutely exact reproduced scenery, the same music the composer Glazunov differently was near it is impossible. It would not turn out. Reconstruction, so reconstruction. Actors then in a different way spoke - they broadcast.
A at us all in simplicity express with p. On a scene talk sometimes, as in series. I told how I caught one actor, switching the TV? On one channel he played the cop, caught the criminal, and on other - the criminal. And it changed a form - a cap replaced with a peak-cap, but in itself did not work at all something to change. So simply all told, is organic, televizionno, what it and is, such and is. And then it comes to theater, and there too begins: I such organic, natural, me all the same whom to play …
We so oprostilis that am no place further. It is considered norm. And there the manner was absolutely another. At Yuryev Youri Mikhaylovich, the outstanding actor of Alexandrinsky Theatre, for example, all score of a role of Arbenin was marked by a pencil. Where increase, where pause. We tried to reproduce it. I sought to make performance by the most reliable - all over the world, on scenery, on a sound. As though we plunged into that theater. Impression strange and unexpected: today so do not play, so do not put, and so do not speak. These are those buskins against which we rose and many years destroyed such manner. I took in it part. I remember when was young, in "Contemporary" all of us told time to actors: more particularly, speak more simply, will suffice to sing, it is not necessary. Yefremov Oleg Nikolaevich, a kingdom to him heavenly, it repeated all the time, and Volchek Galina , and I and all of us. And we achieved this normal speech.
A. In a different way mizanstsenirovali. Such culture is not present now. Also it was not so simple to reproduce it today. Because slightly - also you will slide in the melodrama; slightly - any mockery also will begin. We were faced by a task to find the golden mean, that style, a rhythm of a verse, musicality. It was terribly interesting. Feeling that you came somewhere in other century.
to us were helped by past voices. Monologues Yuryev Youri Mikhaylovich - Arbenina. Passed competition. I wanted that its voice suddenly merged and it was picked up by a voice of the modern actor, and passed into live life. And between these scenes there was a modern entrance to a material. . The most difficult, then after all not only broadcast intonatsionno, they lived all this. Meyerkhold Vsevolod achieved it, wrote that the real passions surely have to be behind a bright form. And when, besides, you read notes Yuryev Youri Mikhaylovich about a role, on the one hand, the score is marked, and with another it is accurate, directly according to Stanislavsky writes about circumstances of a role: that Arbenin at this moment, what does he think of Nina lives. That for it this Nina - as the last chance in life to change …
Meyerhold "Masquerade" there was the most expensive performance of that theatrical era …
Fokin Valery: For us it too, in any case. Because with one stool such it was impossible to make. To restore one curtains - the whole epic. Resolved an issue: where to sew them? After all there was only one master in Saint Petersburg which did it.
But Lermontov and Meyerkhold Vsevolod deserved all expenses, of course. For Aleksandrinsky theater it was an important point. Old men who remember the last edition of "Masquerade" of the fortieth years are live still, began wars. One more legend is connected with this performance that all scenery of Meyerhold "Masquerade" were lost. Allegedly there, where they were stored in imperial workshops, the bomb fell, and everything burned down. Actually - they were taken out and hidden. Because Meyerkhold Vsevolod was repressed. But wrote off for that the bomb destroyed everything. And as a result - kept. In this case, they well then thought up.
of the Prime minister of "Masquerade" Meyerkhold Vsevolod took place in the 1917th year. Last time Meyerhold performance took place on July 2, 1941. All this time it was played in the same scenery - they were not remade, only were under repair. It occurred and during vozobnovleniye. Three subsequent editions of Meyerhold performance are known: 1926, 1933 and 1938.
Statement Fokin Valery the 2014th year, at all its historical reliability, did not become the fourth edition is absolutely new performance based on "Masquerade". Therefore also the name dared to change - to "Memoirs of the future".
Translation of performance Fokin Valery "Masquerade. Memoirs of the future" according to Lermontov's drama and performance Meyerkhold Vsevolod 1917 "Masquerade" will take place on information portal "rg.ru" and Godliteratura's site. Russian Federation on March 9; On March 3-13 in the same place watch the movie Chepurova Alexander "In the wake of the Masquerade".
on March 9 in Saint Petersburg:
11:00-12:00 on a cemetery of the Voskresensky Novodevichy Convent the opening ceremony of a monument to the art director of management of Imperial theaters Golovin A. Ya. (1863-1930), to the author of decorating of the performance "Masquerade" of 1917 will take place.
17:00-18:30 on the New scene Aleksandrinsky theater the Russian writer, the director, the journalist - the author of the project "1917" Zygar Mikhail will present to p a historical context of a premiere of "Masquerade" Meyerkhold Vsevolod in February, 1917.
19:00 on a historical scene Aleksandrinsky theater will show performance Fokin Valery "the Masquerade. Memoirs of the future" according to the drama Lermontova M. Yu. "Masquerade" and to performance of Vs. Meyerkhold Vsevolod 1917.
on March 9 in the cities Russian Federation:
B Novosibirsk Red Torch theater at 19:30 lecture of the historian of theater Orenov Vladimir about performance of Vs local time will take place. Meyerkhold Vsevolod "Masquerade" the video version of performance Fokin Valery "the Masquerade also will be shown. Memoirs of the future".
to the Yaroslavl audience in the same day the video version of performance will be submitted by Drama theater of Fedor Volkov. Before display lecture of professor Vanyashova Margaret about creation of the performance "Masquerade" of 1917 will take place.
on March 10-13 in Saint Petersburg:
On the New scene Aleksandrinsky theater on March 10 at 15:00 participants of creation of performance will tell the Masquerade to b about history of the performance "Masquerade" of 1917 and its modern reflections ". Memoirs of the future" specialist in drama study Chepurov Alexander, composer Bakshi Alexander and artist Pastukh Semen.
on March 11 at 19:30 the composer Nevsky Sergei both the musical and theatrical critic Renansky Dimitri will enter dialogue about music in performance.
toon March 12 at 19:30 a topic of conversation of the historian of art Demidenko Julia becomes heritage Golovin A. Ya. and a role of the artist in performance.
on March 13 in the Northwest press center of information agency "ITAR-TASS" in Saint Petersburg the round table of leading theatrical directors Russian Federation "The theatrical director - a century of development of a profession will take place. Modern times - new calls: the past experience, actual problems, development prospects", dated for anniversary and devoted to the professional analysis of an eyelid of development of system of theatrical business after the 1917th year. Among participants - the director Aleksandrinsky theater Popov Grigory, the director of the Bolshoi theater Russian Federation Urin Vladimir, the director of the Yaroslavl drama theater of F.G. Volkov Itin Youri.
In September in Moscow:
In end of the anniversary program of the performance "Masquerade" in September, 2017 of a tour of performance Aleksandrinsky theater "the Masquerade. Memoirs of the future" will pass in Moscow on the Historical scene of the Bolshoi theater Russian Federation.