<Translated automatically, it will be edited later>
Alexander Vedernikov, who announced his resignation from the posts of chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theater and its musical director in July, stated in a lengthy interview with Izvestia that the GABT leadership lacked enthusiasm and desire to reform the theater. "There is no need for any concept of development of the administration. You can just stupidly play the same performances year after year. The main thing is that everything should be quiet and calm... doing one or two premieres per season is unacceptably small. With such enthusiasm, you can only produce "goodbye, youth" boots, and not work in the theater."
Vedernikov gives other examples: "I was faced with the fact that the theater has opportunities at every step, but we were beaten all the time. For example, representatives of the record companies EMI, Deutsche Grammophone and Sony contacted the theater, but all were refused. I say, "Are you crazy?". And they answer me: "We need to mess around, look for sponsors. Why do we need this? We'd better write it down ourselves." Or - why work hard, organize tours?".
Vedernikov, who has worked as the chief conductor at the GABT since 2001, pointed to the moment when his ideas about the future of the theater finally diverged from the opinion of General Director Anatoly Iksanov: this happened in 2007, when the Bolshoi invited Yuri Temirkanov: "No one even considered it necessary to consult with me about this. As practice has shown, the idea was a washout. The last thing I want to do is throw a stone at Temirkanov. He is a wonderful musician, but he has achieved everything he wanted for a long time. The management made a loud and senseless PR move, instead of continuing to reform the theater's collectives."
A completely crisis situation developed around Vedernikov, according to him, after the release of Kitezh (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Virgin of Fevronia, autumn 2008): "A concentrated acidic environment began to arise around me. I have avoided all actions only because so many decisions were made bypassing me. In particular, after I found out that "my" premiere — a production of Berg's opera Wozzeck — was given to another conductor" (we are talking about Theodor Currentzis).
Unlike Vedernikov, who has repeatedly outlined the reasons and level of his grievances against the Bolshoi Theater, GABT CEO Anatoly Iksanov continued to speak correctly about Vedernikov in recent interviews: "We had wonderful relations with him" (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, July 31, 2009). Iksanov admits that the loss of a musical director is a big problem for the theater, but so far the GABT has not been able to find a suitable replacement for Vedernikov. There will also be no chief conductor at the theater yet: it is planned to cooperate simultaneously with five major conductors of different generations.
Alexander Vedernikov intends to collaborate with a number of orchestras in the coming season, he listed in an interview: "BBC Symphony, Washington National Symphony, Philharmonique de Radio France, Sydney Symphony, Danish Radio and so on." He has no offers in Russia yet.
Source.
Alexander Vedernikov, who announced his resignation from the posts of chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theater and its musical director in July, stated in a lengthy interview with Izvestia that the GABT leadership lacked enthusiasm and desire to reform the theater. "There is no need for any concept of development of the administration. You can just stupidly play the same performances year after year. The main thing is that everything should be quiet and calm... doing one or two premieres per season is unacceptably small. With such enthusiasm, you can only produce "goodbye, youth" boots, and not work in the theater."
Vedernikov gives other examples: "I was faced with the fact that the theater has opportunities at every step, but we were beaten all the time. For example, representatives of the record companies EMI, Deutsche Grammophone and Sony contacted the theater, but all were refused. I say, "Are you crazy?". And they answer me: "We need to mess around, look for sponsors. Why do we need this? We'd better write it down ourselves." Or - why work hard, organize tours?".
Vedernikov, who has worked as the chief conductor at the GABT since 2001, pointed to the moment when his ideas about the future of the theater finally diverged from the opinion of General Director Anatoly Iksanov: this happened in 2007, when the Bolshoi invited Yuri Temirkanov: "No one even considered it necessary to consult with me about this. As practice has shown, the idea was a washout. The last thing I want to do is throw a stone at Temirkanov. He is a wonderful musician, but he has achieved everything he wanted for a long time. The management made a loud and senseless PR move, instead of continuing to reform the theater's collectives."
A completely crisis situation developed around Vedernikov, according to him, after the release of Kitezh (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Virgin of Fevronia, autumn 2008): "A concentrated acidic environment began to arise around me. I have avoided all actions only because so many decisions were made bypassing me. In particular, after I found out that "my" premiere — a production of Berg's opera Wozzeck — was given to another conductor" (we are talking about Theodor Currentzis).
Unlike Vedernikov, who has repeatedly outlined the reasons and level of his grievances against the Bolshoi Theater, GABT CEO Anatoly Iksanov continued to speak correctly about Vedernikov in recent interviews: "We had wonderful relations with him" (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, July 31, 2009). Iksanov admits that the loss of a musical director is a big problem for the theater, but so far the GABT has not been able to find a suitable replacement for Vedernikov. There will also be no chief conductor at the theater yet: it is planned to cooperate simultaneously with five major conductors of different generations.
Alexander Vedernikov intends to collaborate with a number of orchestras in the coming season, he listed in an interview: "BBC Symphony, Washington National Symphony, Philharmonique de Radio France, Sydney Symphony, Danish Radio and so on." He has no offers in Russia yet.
Source.
The former chief conductor criticized the Bolshoi Theater
LENTA.RU, August 18, 2009
