As Kommersant previously reported, Alexander VDERNIKOV, the new chief conductor, arrived at the Bolshoi Theater on June 27. The day before yesterday, he was introduced to television journalists at a briefing. The next morning, he gave an exclusive interview to Kommersant columnist Elena CHEREMNYKH.
— Why is the contract (until 2004. — Kommersant) called fixed-term?
— I insisted on it. I believe we must act responsibly. And responsibility in this case means I must consider my actions now.
— Are you talking about a balanced schedule of work at the Bolshoi Theater and abroad?
— Abroad, I have a contract with the North Holland Orchestra in Groningen. Since the scope of the work offered to me is, of course, not comparable to my employment in Holland, I want to either shorten or terminate this contract.
— Not more than three days have passed since your appointment as Principal Conductor. Clearly, it's too early to talk about a comprehensive concept. But some sort of action plan is likely already in place.
— First of all, I must familiarize myself with the entire property I've inherited and study the structure under which the orchestra and opera company operate. I see absolutely enormous opportunities in the future, if only because of the Bolshoi Theatre's position as the country's premier theater. I'm not touching on the financial side of things by saying this. It's obvious to everyone that the most important thing today is to develop a reform program, adopt it at least at the level of the Ministry of Culture, and even better, at the level of the government.
— What creative strategy should this reform be developed under?
— I think we need to try to integrate the theater into the global process. I have my own analogies here: for example, a program is being developed for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The discussion is about bringing the structure and management system closer to global standards. The reform of the Bolshoi Theatre should be roughly the same.
— And the theater's head will be a intendant, like in the West?
— There's already an intendant here, they just call it something else. In fact, the term intendant varies greatly from theater to theater. In Italy, for example, this person is solely responsible for financial and representational matters. In Germany, it's like the theater's artistic director. No one knows the name of the intendant at, say, the Los Angeles Opera, but everyone knows that Domingo is there. So, the title itself doesn't mean much.
— Can you name any theaters that have created ideal conditions for conductors?
— Ideal conditions? There aren't any anywhere. Conditions are always poor. There are never enough rehearsals. Soloists always travel according to their own schedules. Any premiere is a series of compromises. Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman," for example, is staged worldwide for a soloist. But the soloist arrives the day before, and three hours after the performance, he's already on his way to Tokyo to sing with Domingo." The logic of the opera conveyor belt isn't designed to create ideal conditions, but to ensure the work of professionals.
— So, is the Bolshoi on the verge of a contract system?
— I wouldn't want to announce it outright. For now, I intend to take some of the current repertoire and see what state it's in. In the second half of the year, I'll try to change my planning principles. If we switch to them, we'll probably be able to invite soloists and conductors. For example, I understand that if a conductor is good and renowned, they'd be interested in giving five or six performances in a row. I'd be happy to invite Vladimir Ivanovich Fedoseyev, who, by the way, conducted Eugene Onegin. But he should understand that it's worth undertaking.
— What will be your first production, and when?
— Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina. In the second half of the season.
Source
— Why is the contract (until 2004. — Kommersant) called fixed-term?
— I insisted on it. I believe we must act responsibly. And responsibility in this case means I must consider my actions now.
— Are you talking about a balanced schedule of work at the Bolshoi Theater and abroad?
— Abroad, I have a contract with the North Holland Orchestra in Groningen. Since the scope of the work offered to me is, of course, not comparable to my employment in Holland, I want to either shorten or terminate this contract.
— Not more than three days have passed since your appointment as Principal Conductor. Clearly, it's too early to talk about a comprehensive concept. But some sort of action plan is likely already in place.
— First of all, I must familiarize myself with the entire property I've inherited and study the structure under which the orchestra and opera company operate. I see absolutely enormous opportunities in the future, if only because of the Bolshoi Theatre's position as the country's premier theater. I'm not touching on the financial side of things by saying this. It's obvious to everyone that the most important thing today is to develop a reform program, adopt it at least at the level of the Ministry of Culture, and even better, at the level of the government.
— What creative strategy should this reform be developed under?
— I think we need to try to integrate the theater into the global process. I have my own analogies here: for example, a program is being developed for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The discussion is about bringing the structure and management system closer to global standards. The reform of the Bolshoi Theatre should be roughly the same.
— And the theater's head will be a intendant, like in the West?
— There's already an intendant here, they just call it something else. In fact, the term intendant varies greatly from theater to theater. In Italy, for example, this person is solely responsible for financial and representational matters. In Germany, it's like the theater's artistic director. No one knows the name of the intendant at, say, the Los Angeles Opera, but everyone knows that Domingo is there. So, the title itself doesn't mean much.
— Can you name any theaters that have created ideal conditions for conductors?
— Ideal conditions? There aren't any anywhere. Conditions are always poor. There are never enough rehearsals. Soloists always travel according to their own schedules. Any premiere is a series of compromises. Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman," for example, is staged worldwide for a soloist. But the soloist arrives the day before, and three hours after the performance, he's already on his way to Tokyo to sing with Domingo." The logic of the opera conveyor belt isn't designed to create ideal conditions, but to ensure the work of professionals.
— So, is the Bolshoi on the verge of a contract system?
— I wouldn't want to announce it outright. For now, I intend to take some of the current repertoire and see what state it's in. In the second half of the year, I'll try to change my planning principles. If we switch to them, we'll probably be able to invite soloists and conductors. For example, I understand that if a conductor is good and renowned, they'd be interested in giving five or six performances in a row. I'd be happy to invite Vladimir Ivanovich Fedoseyev, who, by the way, conducted Eugene Onegin. But he should understand that it's worth undertaking.
— What will be your first production, and when?
— Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina. In the second half of the season.
Source
Elena CHEREMNYKH, Kommersant, June 30, 2001
Alexander Vedernikov began his arduous service at the Bolshoi Theatre
