<Translated automatically, will be edited later>
The Bolshoi Theater presented the premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's opera War and Peace. The musical director of the production was Mstislav Rostropovich, but a few days before the premiere he refused to take the conductor's stand. The Bolshoi, however, showed the performance, although it was forced to postpone the premiere for three days.
The musical director of the Bolshoi Alexander Vedernikov conducted the premiere performance. Boris Pokrovsky was the author of the director's concept and the artistic director of the production. The director of the current performance is Ivan Popovsky, who worked a lot at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Singing Center.
The Bolshoi leadership had the idea to turn to War and Peace a long time ago. But, as you know, "War and Peace" is a large-scale opera, in which there are 64 main characters. In the episode of the Battle of Borodino, 200 performers are on stage at the same time - 100 choir artists, 70 mimams artists and 30 performers of the main parts. Such a cumbersome production is difficult to fit on a small stage, which is the new stage of the Bolshoi Theater, and the main stage is now being reconstructed. Therefore, it was assumed that this opera will open the renovated old stage in 2008. However, it was M. Rostropovich who insisted on not postponing work on War and Peace and showing the opera on a new stage.
The director and set designer (Alexander Borovsky) faced a difficult task. A global scenographic idea was needed to overcome the problem of lack of space. Even before the premiere, it was announced that 7 electronically controlled machines of various heights and lengths will be installed on the stage, which will be able to move in different directions and create the opportunity to act on different planes - at a height of 1 to 4 meters from the stage level.In reality, the viewer saw a huge wall, part of which could move forward and form, for example, a balcony for Natasha Rostova to come out onto. Another movement of the platform - and a ballroom appeared. With such sketchy scenery, which actually serves only to expand the scene, the costumes are discordant, historically accurate, detailed and, of course, interesting in themselves. However, the main issue, which, it seems, mainly worried the directors, was resolved - the spatial one.A. Vedernikov found himself in an even more difficult situation, who in a short time not only needed to fit into the production team, but also to get used to someone else's musical concept. After all, the opera is huge not only in terms of the number of actors, but also in terms of the volume of music that Prokofiev wrote. The composer was finishing the opera almost all his life, and the complete edition was never formed. Therefore, the director, working on the version of the opera, must proceed from his own understanding of the works of Tolstoy and Prokofiev.Despite all the difficulties, the performance really took place. The orchestra and choir sounded harmonious and precise, the work of the singers was generally successful. I remember Andrey Grigoriev in the role of Bolkonsky, and Roman Muravitsky, who organically played the role of Pierre Bezukhov. And the part of Kutuzov was sung with brilliance by an opera star of the first magnitude - Paata Burchuladze. But perhaps the most impressive was the work of the debutante Ekaterina Shcherbachenko in the role of Natasha Rostova. Despite her young age, the singer demonstrated both high-quality vocals and acting skills.
Source.
The Bolshoi Theater presented the premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's opera War and Peace. The musical director of the production was Mstislav Rostropovich, but a few days before the premiere he refused to take the conductor's stand. The Bolshoi, however, showed the performance, although it was forced to postpone the premiere for three days.
The musical director of the Bolshoi Alexander Vedernikov conducted the premiere performance. Boris Pokrovsky was the author of the director's concept and the artistic director of the production. The director of the current performance is Ivan Popovsky, who worked a lot at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Singing Center.
The Bolshoi leadership had the idea to turn to War and Peace a long time ago. But, as you know, "War and Peace" is a large-scale opera, in which there are 64 main characters. In the episode of the Battle of Borodino, 200 performers are on stage at the same time - 100 choir artists, 70 mimams artists and 30 performers of the main parts. Such a cumbersome production is difficult to fit on a small stage, which is the new stage of the Bolshoi Theater, and the main stage is now being reconstructed. Therefore, it was assumed that this opera will open the renovated old stage in 2008. However, it was M. Rostropovich who insisted on not postponing work on War and Peace and showing the opera on a new stage.
The director and set designer (Alexander Borovsky) faced a difficult task. A global scenographic idea was needed to overcome the problem of lack of space. Even before the premiere, it was announced that 7 electronically controlled machines of various heights and lengths will be installed on the stage, which will be able to move in different directions and create the opportunity to act on different planes - at a height of 1 to 4 meters from the stage level.In reality, the viewer saw a huge wall, part of which could move forward and form, for example, a balcony for Natasha Rostova to come out onto. Another movement of the platform - and a ballroom appeared. With such sketchy scenery, which actually serves only to expand the scene, the costumes are discordant, historically accurate, detailed and, of course, interesting in themselves. However, the main issue, which, it seems, mainly worried the directors, was resolved - the spatial one.A. Vedernikov found himself in an even more difficult situation, who in a short time not only needed to fit into the production team, but also to get used to someone else's musical concept. After all, the opera is huge not only in terms of the number of actors, but also in terms of the volume of music that Prokofiev wrote. The composer was finishing the opera almost all his life, and the complete edition was never formed. Therefore, the director, working on the version of the opera, must proceed from his own understanding of the works of Tolstoy and Prokofiev.Despite all the difficulties, the performance really took place. The orchestra and choir sounded harmonious and precise, the work of the singers was generally successful. I remember Andrey Grigoriev in the role of Bolkonsky, and Roman Muravitsky, who organically played the role of Pierre Bezukhov. And the part of Kutuzov was sung with brilliance by an opera star of the first magnitude - Paata Burchuladze. But perhaps the most impressive was the work of the debutante Ekaterina Shcherbachenko in the role of Natasha Rostova. Despite her young age, the singer demonstrated both high-quality vocals and acting skills.
Source.
"War and Peace": the premiere at the Bolshoi took place after all
RBC, Society , 12 Dec 2005
