Khalil Tsiskaridze. Nikolai Tsiskaridze: my favorite food is fried potatoes with white bread. Titsa-dritsa, what can you say?

Of course, the tense atmosphere in the Bolshoi will not defuse in one day. An investigation is underway, the results of which either will or will not be made public; Owl will return, who will go to work with bodyguards. But some steps towards “calming down” need to be taken.

Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy sees only one way out - work hard!

Mikhail Efimovich, of course, you see this ongoing exchange of barbs between Tsiskaridze and Iksanov - how long?

This kind of situation can only be resolved at work. What should we be talking about now? About preserving the creative atmosphere at the Bolshoi. Because everything that happened was not the result of banal “intratheater showdowns.” And someone has a direct desire to destabilize the work of BT. And against this background, Owl, oddly enough, was a key figure.

What I mean? Well, it’s not like you have to sort things out with Sinaisky (chief conductor). Neither with Makvala Kasrashvili (manager of the opera troupe). No. The blow was dealt to the brightest character from the leadership of BT, the most public one... this is a bad reputation both for the Bolshoi and for the country: because it smelled of something decadent from the century before; in all this there is some kind of demonstrative theatricality, bad provincialism.

- But, thank God, Filin is on the mend...

The fact that he is getting better has calmed many passions. I hope that Sergei will remain outwardly handsome, but even without this it is clear that he will return to work. Now regarding the Tsiskaridze-Bolshoi conflict. I emphasize: this is not a conflict between Tsiskaridze - Filin, Tsiskaridze - Iksanov. I treat Nikolai Maksimovich as a dancer with great reverence. I understand that the creative age is short, and a dancer of such scale and success as Tsiskaridze cannot help but think about his future. As Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev thought, he got what Nikolai Maksimovich is seeking.

- In my opinion, there were some “alternative” proposals to Nikolai, or at least they were hinted at...

I'm starting from a simple point. To become an artistic director at the Bolshoi Theater, you need to go through some kind of training and gain experience. I (when I was a minister) had an idea for Nikolai Maksimovich to become the artistic director of the Academy of Choreography; Alexander Avdeev had the idea for Tsiskaridze to head the ballet of the Novosibirsk Theater. In the end, Currentzis went to lead the orchestra, first to Novosibirsk, then to Perm...

Before Vasiliev came to lead the Bolshoi, he had independent productions behind him (besides, I don’t want to compare, but if Nikolai Tsiskaridze is an outstanding dancer, then Vasiliev was a real dance genius!). And Filin was invited after, for example, he worked at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater. I’m not saying now who loves whom, but if you appoint Tsiskaridze as artistic director of the ballet, I don’t think it will be a great joy for the artists. So, I am sure that such an appointment would not be correct.

- Especially in an atmosphere of permanent scandal...

But there simply must be normal corporate ethics. But Nikolai Maksimovich has been vilifying the theater for so many years: it started long before the opening of the Main Stage. Tsiskaridze constantly said that everything is bad at BT, and only he knows how good it is. And, we must pay tribute to the leadership of the Bolshoi, they remained tolerant of this (I would like to especially emphasize this). I’m not sure that the Metropolitan or the Grand Opera would have tolerated this for as long as it is still tolerated at the Bolshoi. Which created, from my point of view, an atmosphere of impunity.

- Nikolai refers to the law: they say, he cannot be fired.

Anyone can be fired. I know this both as a former director of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (when, alas, a lot of people had to be fired), and as the Minister of Culture. If I were the director of the Bolshoi, I would have done this a long time ago: I wouldn’t have such a nervous reserve as Iksanov. But now there is an investigation into the assassination attempt on Filin, and it is legally and ethically incorrect to fire Tsiskaridze during the investigation. Although Nikolai Maksimovich himself has long forgotten about correctness in relation to the team in which he works. But in principle, the idea that he cannot be fired is very doubtful.

- But they talk about the influential people who stand behind him...

I'll say this. It is clear who is behind him, who supports him. Yes, these are influential people. But there are about a dozen or so influential people of this level in Russia. And if only two of these two dozen support him, this, apparently, is not enough. Moreover, from my point of view, they support it for personal reasons. Nikolai Maksimovich is charming in friendship, probably...

- We don’t name names?

Not necessary. But this is definitely not Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin or Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev. And the rest are all less influential people. Sorry. But let’s return to the Bolshoi: the most important thing today is for all creative forces to gather around professional and competent leadership and release a number of premieres, including ballet ones. This is the only salvation for BT, for its reputation.

- So it doesn’t make sense to remove Iksanov now?

I consider Iksanov one of the most experienced theater managers in Russia. If not the most experienced (without detracting from the merits of either Urin or Gergiev, with a completely different style of leadership, for Gergiev is not only an outstanding conductor, but also a unique manager of his talent). Iksanov, demonstrating a lack of creative ambitions, in 7-8 years returned BT to the “major league” of opera houses in the world, where there is La Scala, the Metropolitan, the Grand Opera, and then all the others come.

When Iksanov took over the enterprise, the Bolshoi had a brand, but no theater. Now he has filled the title with sparkling content (this is the success of La Traviata, a long collaboration with Francesca Zambello; a grandiose galaxy of directors from Fokine and Sturua to Lyubimov and Nyakrosius; all the outstanding Russian conductors at the helm, including Pletnev; the same Vedernikov, who greatly raised the orchestra; involvement of Grigorovich). And at this stage it is wrong to change management.

Iksanov has the most important feature: he understands the need not only to preserve traditions, but also to develop - he allows experimentation...

- Why do many people criticize him so vigorously?

Right. But without new living art - nowhere. It is clear that Iksanov has his shortcomings. But he (as an administrator without creative ambitions) has fewer shortcomings than an artist who could theoretically head the Bolshoi Theater.

Let me explain: oddly enough, the Bolshoi Theater was successful NOT when it was led by major artists who dreamed of making the theater “their own.” Vasiliev just wanted the theater to express his creative aspirations, but this did not benefit BT. Or, on the contrary, the theater was “destroyed” by weak administrators, because the struggle of clans immediately manifested itself. Today there is no clanism in the Big One.

Of course, when you have 200 people in the ballet, it’s hard to say that this is a group of like-minded people. But there is no conflict. Nikolai Maksimovich creates conflict. And people, naturally, look: “Oh, he’s not afraid to say that the director is a scoundrel and stole the chandeliers? And yet they haven’t touched him for so many years? Yeah, that means someone is behind him, that means he has the right...” - the same logic usually occurs. But to conduct a discussion with Tsiskaridze in this vein: “they stole - they didn’t steal” - this is not to respect yourself. And in general, to have a discussion with him is not to respect yourself.

- However, how many cultural figures put their signatures for him in that ugly story with the letter...

I was the first to write on my blog that the artists acted, to put it mildly, badly. But Nikolai Maksimovich himself misled them! And what, after this Iksanov should love him very much? So, after this, Tsiskaridze can easily continue to work in the theater? No, strictly speaking? And still go through all the channels and newspapers with the air of an offended child? Well, these are simple things, at the kindergarten level: how can we continue to work together?

I wish Nikolai Maksimovich that he finds himself and his place in life. But I am firmly convinced that this is not the place of the director of the Bolshoi Theater or the place of the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. I speak quite objectively. I understand that Tsiskaridze, an ambitious and temperamental person, is trying to find himself at the moment of transition from one quality to another. I sincerely sympathize with him. How everyone worried and twitched when he had such a severe injury and he passed this test with honor. I see how he is suffering, but the internal breakdown of recent years is also connected with the fact that he chose the wrong path.

As for the Bolshoi in general, you have to work hard! This will bring relief to Owl, the team, and the public. After all, it’s happier to talk about new successes and swear about failures than to study the reports of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Benefit ballet

The benefit performance of Nikolai Tsiskaridze, the most famous dancer in Russia, was sold out at the Bolshoi Theater. TATYANA KUZNETSOVA witnessed his triumph.

Benefit performances are given in three cases: as a sign of farewell to the public, to state one’s exceptional position, and to attract attention. In the latter situation, they are usually arranged outside the theater by the artists themselves, who are not satisfied with their career or repertoire (A typical example is Anastasia Volochkova). In the Bolshoi itself, benefit performances are rare; in the 21st century, only three took place: Svetlana Zakharova (due to her special status), Galina Stepanenko (for her years of service) and now Nikolai Tsiskaridze, the only dancer whose popularity has gone far beyond the world of art.

If you stop a person on the street and ask him to name the name of a “ballet dancer” he knows, then in Europe they will name Nureyev, in America - Baryshnikov, and in Russia - they will certainly name Tsiskaridze. In the eyes of the general public, Russian ballet has no equal to Nikolai Tsiskaridze, and this is the merit of not only the artist himself. Indeed, none of his colleagues leads such an active non-theater life - he judges ballroom dancing competitions on television, appears on stage in a musical, and does not miss important social events. But the truth is that there are no charismatic and bright leaders capable of challenging on stage the primacy declared by Mr. Tsiskaridze in Moscow now.

It’s no wonder that his benefit performance was super sold out. The people's artist pampered his audience with hits, the most recent of which dates back to 2001. It seems that new roles on stage are no longer as relevant for the 34-year-old artist as new roles in life; the dancer does not hide his desire to become the head of the Bolshoi Ballet. In the meantime, while awaiting promotion, Nikolai Tsiskaridze asserts himself as a living embodiment of the historical traditions of the Bolshoi, the natural successor of the great teachers. Three benefit roles - Solor from La Bayadère, Narcissus from the miniature of the same name and Hermann from The Queen of Spades - were dedicated to three legends of Russian ballet: Marina Semenova, Galina Ulanova and Nikolai Fadeechev, who once prepared these roles with Nikolai Tsiskaridze.

Based on the stage result, it is difficult to say anything definite either about the pedagogical gift of the celebrities or about the receptivity of the student. In all three incarnations, Nikolai Tsiskaridze demonstrated his signature strengths - beautiful lines of an almost feminine adagio, a magnificent foot, an amazing jete en tournant with a slightly curved back body. And he just as strictly preserved his typical shortcomings - unstable, although ardent, rotation, cutesy mannerisms of dancing and that affected facial expressions that we usually consider acting.

In Roland Petit’s ballet “The Queen of Spades” that concluded the benefit performance, which brought Nikolai Tsiskaridze the “Golden Mask” and the State Prize, six and a half years after the premiere, irreversible changes took place: all “uncomfortable” movements and combinations for the body of the People’s Artist disappeared from Hermann’s part. However, the increased work of the facial muscles made up for the losses - none of Nikolai Tsiskaridze’s colleagues can frown so menacingly, glare so wildly and curl their lips in such a sardonic smile. This is partly the merit of Galina Ulanova, who once advised the young dancer to look more in the mirror. “Only the mirror is your real judge,” said this great actress, who knew how to play death without flinching a single muscle of her angelically detached face. And although Mr. Tsiskaridze acts in exactly the opposite way, it is clear that the judge in the mirror was satisfied with the process.

Love for one's reflection is the plot of the second benefit role. “Narcissa” by Kasyan Goleizovsky was also adapted for the then young dancer by Galina Ulanova, removing from the dance everything that did not suit his beautiful body. Since then, half-naked Nikolai Tsiskaridze in a blue tights with a flirty fawn triangle below the waist has been admiring himself so self-indulgently that he does not have the courage to reproach him either for technical imperfections or for distortion of the choreography.

And only in the “Shadows” act from “La Bayadère” dedicated to Marina Semyonova, Nikolai Tsiskaridze remained faithful to the generally accepted text of the part and danced his Solor very successfully - he spun cleanly, flew like a bird in the jeté and pas de cha, and even did complex double assembles with virtually no mistakes . However, just in the territory of academic classics, the people's artist will have competitors who can do the same thing with no less brilliance.

The beneficiary’s partner, Galina Stepanenko, the eldest of the Bolshoi’s principals, distinguished herself as truly unique in “Shadows.” It’s not even a matter of the regal naturalness of stage behavior, which by some miracle Marina Semenova transmitted to her student. Galina Stepanenko is the only one of all the current ballerinas who dances everything that is choreographed, and as it should be, without replacing movements or simplifying them. In all these insidious details of the part, invisible to the eye of an ordinary spectator, not only honestly overcome, but performed by the ballerina with some kind of elegant panache, there was an unostentatious respect for herself, her profession and her teachers. And this testified to the continuity of traditions more reliably than the most heartfelt dedications and the most sold-out benefit performances.

The next guest of the studio “OK in touch!” became People's Artist and Rector of the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova Nikolai Tsiskaridze. The artist answered questions from Odnoklassniki and talked about his attitude to the dress code, his favorite performance, how he got into ballet, and why his mother was against it.

About whether a ballet dancer needs long legs

It is important to have good proportions. In my case it was successful. Even though I am not very tall compared to my colleagues, I always seemed longer than them. On stage, everything changes due to the size of the head, the length of the arms, the length of the legs. There was a very funny incident. I had a lot of complexes during my teenage years. I studied at a choreographic school, we had such a subject - fine arts. One day the teacher entered the class and said: “Today we will study proportions. Now we will put Tsiskaridze on a chair and prove that this happens in life.” And there was a Talmud that said that a finger should fit so many times in the hand, a face should fit so many times in the body, and so on. And I had a 99% hit rate in everything. After that I felt something special inside me.

About admission

I entered the Tbilisi Choreographic School, but my mother was categorically against it. Still, in Georgia, boys are not very active in ballet. Everyone was accepted, and my mother believed that I was accepted simply because the boy came. Until the last day, until I graduated from school, she convinced me that maybe we should quit, leave, and do normal things. She adored the theater, she adored ballet, but as a spectator. And I didn’t want such a fate for me. I did this in spite of everyone, but from the first day I was convinced that I was somehow exceptional; no one could convince me otherwise. Rewinding, I swear to you, I don't understand why I was so sure.

About Baryshnikov

I belong to the generation that perceived that culture through television. When I finished school, he no longer danced. I can't say that I had a favorite artist. For one role he was one, and for another he was different. For me, the artist was like Chomolungma, and if I took on this role, I wanted to jump over.

About the dress code at the Vaganova Academy

The school has a school uniform, and I am very strict about it. In general, I believe that self-discipline is a person’s greatest victory over his character and is precisely what distinguishes us from the animal world. Although the discipline there is also very serious. See flocks of birds or observe elephants. I do not accept laxity and laxity. Having served as a premier at the Bolshoi Theater for 21 years, I have never allowed myself to come to the hall sloppy or unkemptly dressed. They don't spit in their own bread.

About the results of the rectorship

It's never too late to take stock. The fish rots from the head, and it’s immediately clear when you enter the entrance hall what kind of owner is in this building, what kind of inner world he has. And if you go into the restrooms, you will understand what he is like. I am the head of everything, and I am responsible for it.

How I got to the Bolshoi Theater

I immediately said that if they don’t take me to the Bolshoi Theater, I won’t dance anywhere else. I was not interested in this profession in any other way. I was also invited abroad, to other theaters. I grew up at a time when they explained to us that leaving our homeland was wrong. And then, when such thoughts began to occur to me, I couldn’t bear to leave. I am the most titled dancer in Russia.

How to keep yourself in shape

Catastrophe. I'm constantly losing weight. I left the stage with a waist of 68 centimeters and a size 48. Now I’m already 52. ​​When I now see my costumes at exhibitions, I can only say: “How can you fit into this?” I eat like a locomotive. I even had to limit myself and not eat after 16.

Nikolai Maksimovich Tsiskaridze was born in the Georgian city of Tbilisi on New Year's Eve 1973. Father Maxim Nikolaevich was a violinist and did not take part in raising his son. Nikolai was raised by his stepfather, a teacher by profession. Mom Lamara Nikolaevna also taught, her subjects were physics and mathematics. But the greatest influence on the development of the child’s personality was exerted by the nanny, a Ukrainian by nationality. It was with her that little Kolya spent the lion's share of his free time.

In order for the young man to develop comprehensively, from an early age he was taken to a wide variety of exhibitions and theatrical performances. Thus, the boy joined the world of high art very early. Nikolai’s first “love” was the ballet “Giselle”. At first, mother and stepfather did not approve of their child’s such hobby, because they expected Kolya to follow in their pedagogical footsteps. Nikolai categorically disagreed with this and decided to revolt: in 1984, he independently wrote an application for admission to the Tbilisi Choreographic School and was enrolled in the course. After enrolling, the young man spoke about the step taken at home and again came across a wall of misunderstanding on the part of his mother. Tsiskaridze's teachers convinced his parents that the boy had an exceptional talent that could not be ignored.

Very soon it became clear that the Tbilisi Choreographic School was too small a springboard for such a great talent as Tsiskaridze. This happened in 1987, and almost immediately Nikolai joined P.A.’s class. Pestov Moscow Academic Choreographic School. Five years later, Nikolai graduates with the title of best student in the class. Tsiskaridze’s choreographic education did not end there, and he went to study at the Moscow State Choreographic Institute, which he graduated from in 1996.

Theater

After completing his studies at the Moscow school, Nikolai auditioned for participation in the Bolshoi Theater troupe. There he attracted the attention of Yuri Grigorovich, who influenced the young talent to become a member of the troupe. Tsiskaridze’s first mentors at the Bolshoi were Nikolai Simachev and Galina Ulanova, who later handed him over to Nikolai Fadeechev and Marina Semenova.

According to the established ballet tradition, Nikolai Tsiskaridze launched his dance career with performances in the corps de ballet. The premiere role in 1992 was the part of the Entertainer in the production of “The Golden Age”. In 1993, he received the role of Don Juan in a ballet called “Love for Love.” Then there were parts in the productions of “The Nutcracker” (French Doll), “Sleeping Beauty” (Prince Fortune), “Romeo and Juliet” (Mercutio).

The year 1995 was marked in the dancer’s biography by his first major role, which was the part in “The Nutcracker.” The next central works for Nikolai were the role of James in the ballet “Silifide” and Paganini in the production of the same name “Paganini”.

In 2001, Nikolai scored two main roles in one production. Around the same time, Nikolai Tsiskaridze’s creative collaboration with Roland Petit, a choreographer from France, began. Petit gave Tsiskaridze the central role in his production of “The Queen of Spades” on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. After the huge success of Nicholas, Roland invited him to choose his own next production, and the dancer chose the part of Quasimodo in Notre Dame.

Later, Tsiskaridze had the opportunity to perform on the stage of La Scala. This happened at a gala concert in memory of Rudolf Nureyev. Nikolai shared participation in this project with Svetlana Zakharova. Then the dancer had the opportunity to dance on very respectable stages: at the Moscow Operetta Theater, at the State Kremlin Palace and others.

Together with such famous dancers as Angel Corea, Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg, Nikolai Tsiskaridze became part of the first troupe that presented the “Kings of Dance” project in America in 2006. In 2008, he visited America again on tour, but this time in the “Stars of the 21st Century” project. In addition to theatrical and concert activities, Nikolai Tsiskaridze was also the subject of the documentary film “Nikolai Tsiskaridze. To be a star..." and became a participant in one issue of the TV magazine "Yeralash".

For his activities, the dancer was awarded many state and international awards and various awards. Also awarded the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation and People's Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia.

Scandals

In the fall of 2011, Tsiskaridze expressed his controversial opinion regarding the six-year restoration of the Bolshoi Theater. The dancer was extremely dissatisfied with the interior decoration of both the stage and the rest of the interior design.

In November 2013, President of the Russian Federation V.V. A collective letter from cultural figures was sent to Putin, in which they asked for the resignation of the current head of the Bolshoi Theater, A. Iksanov, and the appointment of N. Tsiskaridze to this position. And already in January 2013, the prime minister became involved in a scandal surrounding the artistic director of the Bolshoi, Sergei Filin. The essence of the scandal was the assassination attempt on Filin, who had acid thrown in his face. These and other nuances led to the fact that the Bolshoi Theater refused to renew the contract with Tsiskaridze, and on July 1, 2013, the dancer left the theater.

In the same year, in October, Nikolai became involved in another conflict, but now at the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova. Violating the rules of the charter, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky introduced Nikolai Tsiskaridze to the Academy staff as the new acting rector. A number of personnel changes occurred, and in November 2013, the teaching staff of the educational institution, together with the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater, appealed to the Ministry of Culture with a request to reconsider the appointment of Tsiskaridze and the personnel changes that followed this event. And yet, a year later, Nikolai Tsiskaridze was confirmed as rector of the Academy of Russian Ballet and became the first director who did not graduate from this educational institution.

Personal life

The dancer himself notes that, due to the complexity and severity of his character, he does not envy his loved ones. But in the harsh ballet environment there is nothing to do with a different character.

The dancer’s personal life is very little covered, and yet he does not deny that he, like any normal person, has loves and attachments. But they all pass, and the dancer does not imagine himself either in the role of a husband or in the role of a father. His entire personal life today is work, productions and his students.

In 1992, he was included in the “New Names” program fellows.
In 1995, he was awarded the “Soul of Dance” prize from “Ballet” magazine (the “Rising Star” category) and won the 2nd prize at the International Ballet Competition in Osaka (Japan).
In 1997, he won 1st prize at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow and received the title “Honored Artist of the Russian Federation.”
In 1999 he was awarded the prize of the International Association of Choreographers “Benois de la Danse” for his performance of the role of Jean de Brienne in the ballet “Raymonda” and the National Theater Award “Golden Mask” for his performance of the role of Count Albert in the ballet “Giselle” (season 1997/ 98).
In 2000, he received the Moscow Prize in the field of literature and art and the Golden Mask for his performance of solo roles in the ballets Symphony in C Major and Agon (season 1998/99).
In 2001, he received the title “People’s Artist of the Russian Federation” and the State Prize of Russia for performing a number of roles in the classical repertoire.
In 2000, he was named best dancer of the year by the Italian magazine “DANZA & DANZA”.
In 2003, he won the Triumph Prize, again received the Golden Mask and the State Prize of Russia (both for his performance of the role of Hermann in the ballet The Queen of Spades) and was awarded the Order of Honor of the Republic of Georgia.
In 2006 he became a Knight of the French Order of Merit in Art and Literature.

Biography

He was born in Tbilisi and began studying at the choreographic school there. In 1992 he graduated from the Moscow Choreographic School (class of Pyotr Pestov) and was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater troupe, where he was very soon recognized by Yu. Grigorovich and began receiving solo roles. In 1996 he graduated from the pedagogical faculty of the Choreographic Institute (the school and institute are now united into the Moscow State Academy of Choreography). Rehearsed under the direction of Nikolai Fadeechev.
He taught a class at the Bolshoi Theater and was a teacher-tutor for Angelina Vorontsova and Denis Rodkin.
Since September 2004 he taught at the Moscow Academy of Choreography. In 2013, he became acting rector of the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova, since 2014 - rector of this academy.

Repertoire

1993
Don Juan(“Love for Love” by T. Khrennikov, staged by V. Boccadoro)
French doll(“The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky, staged by Yu. Grigorovich)
Prince Fortune(“Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
Mercutio(“Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev, choreography by Y. Grigorovich) - danced for the first time on tour

1995
Nutcracker Prince(“The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky, staged by Yu. Grigorovich)
Count Cherry(“Cipollino” by K. Khachaturyan, staged by G. Mayorov)
James(“La Sylphide” by H. Levenschell, choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by E. M. von Rosen)
Rothbart(“Swan Lake” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, L. Ivanov, A. Gorsky, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
Golden God(“La Bayadère” by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
Paganini(“Paganini” to music by S. Rachmaninov, choreography by L. Lavrovsky)
Mercutio, Troubadour(“Romeo and Juliet”, choreography by L. Lavrovsky)
Soloist(“Chopiniana” to music by F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine)

1996
Ferkhad(“The Legend of Love” by A. Melikov, staged by Y. Grigorovich)
King(“Swan Lake” edited by V. Vasiliev) - first performer
Blue Bird("Sleeping Beauty")
Solor("La Bayadère")

1997
Prince Désiré("Sleeping Beauty")
Count Albert(“Giselle” by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich, then performed this part in the play revised by V. Vasiliev)
Vision of a Rose(“Vision of the Rose” to music by K. M. Weber, choreography by M. Fokine)

1998
Jean de Brienne(“Raymonda” by A. Glazunov, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)

1999
Soloist of the III part(“Symphony in C major” to music by J. Bizet, choreography by J. Balanchine) -

2000
Lord Wilson-Taor(“The Pharaoh’s Daughter” by C. Pugni, staged by P. Lacotte after M. Petipa)

2001
Evil genius - first performer, Prince Siegfried(“Swan Lake” in the second edition by Yu. Grigorovich)
Hermann(“The Queen of Spades” to the music of P. Tchaikovsky, staged by R. Petit) - first performer (world premiere)

2003
Quasimodo(“Notre Dame Cathedral” by M. Jarre, staged by R. Petit) - first performer at the Bolshoi Theater

2004
Evil Fairy Carabosse("Sleeping Beauty")
Classical dancer(“Bright Stream” by D. Shostakovich, choreography by A. Ratmansky)
Theseus (Oberon)(“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to music by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and D. Ligeti, staged by J. Neumeier) - first performer at the Bolshoi Theater

2007
Conrad(“Corsair” by A. Adam, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreography by A. Ratmansky and Y. Burlaki)
Teacher(“The Lesson” by J. Delerue, staged by F. Flindt)

2010
Lucien d'Hervilly(Great classical pas from the ballet “Paquita” by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreographic version by Y. Burlaki)

Conducts the ballet section of the program “Masterpieces of World Musical Theater” on the “Culture” TV channel.
In 2001, he acted as the host of the “Vzglyad” program on ORT. Played a role Polyphemus in the ballet “The Death of Polyphemus”, staged at the Lilikansky Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater by Maya Krasnopolskaya and Ilya Epelbaum.

Tour

In 1997, with the troupe of the State Academic Mariinsky Theater, he performed the role of James in the ballet “La Sylphide”, in 2001, the role of Ferkhad in the ballet “The Legend of Love” and the solo role in the part “Rubies” to the music of I. Stravinsky’s ballet “Jewels” (choreography by J. Balanchine), in 2002 - the role of Slave in “Scheherazade” to the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov (choreography by M. Fokine), in 2003 - the role of Solor in the “authentic” version of the ballet “La Bayadère” (reconstruction productions by M. Petipa S. Vikharev).

In 2001, he took part in the I International Mariinsky Ballet Festival (program “Masterpieces of the Golden Age of Soviet Choreography”), performing the role of Ferkhad in Act II of the ballet “The Legend of Love.”

In the same year, he made his debut at the Paris National Opera, performing the role of Solor in La Bayadère, as revised by R. Nureyev. In 2002, he performed as the Slave in the ballet “Scheherazade” to the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov (choreography by M. Fokin) at the II International Mariinsky Ballet Festival (partner - soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Irma Nioradze); took part in a gala concert in memory of R. Nureyev, held in Milan at the La Scala Theater (partner Svetlana Zakharova).

In 2003, he performed the role of Solor in the ballet La Bayadère (reconstruction of S. Vikharev’s 1900 performance) at the III International Mariinsky Ballet Festival.

In the same year, he danced the role of the Young Man in R. Petit’s ballet “Young Man and Death” with the Asami Maki Ballet Company (on stage New National Theater in Tokyo); took part in the gala concert that accompanied the opening ceremony new theater in the city of Apollo(USA). The partner was Maria Alexandrova.

He played the role of Death in the musical “Romeo and Juliet” by J. Presgurvik, which premiered in 2004 on the stage of the Moscow Operetta Theater.

In 2005, he performed as Chevalier Des Grieux in the ballet “Manon” to the music of J. Massenet at the V International Ballet Festival “Mariinsky”. In the same year, at the Stars of the White Nights festival, he made his debut at the Mariinsky Theater in the ballet “In the Middle, a Little on an Elevation” to the music of T. Wilems (choreography by W. Forsythe).

In 2006 he took part in the “Kings of Dance” project ( new york city center, Orange County Performing Arts Center in California) - in company with Ethan Stiefel, Johan Kobborg and Angel Corey, he danced in the ballet “For Four” staged especially for them to the music of F. Schubert (“For Four”, choreography by K. Wheeldon), and also performed in the ballet “The Lesson” to the music of J. Delerue (choreography by F. Flindt) and showed the number “Carmen. Solo” to music by J. Bizet (choreography by R. Petit).

At his own creative evening at the Mariinsky Theater (as part of the VI International Ballet Festival "Mariinsky") he danced "Rubies", "Narcissus" to the music of N. Cherepnin (choreography by K. Goleizovsky), "In the middle, a little on an elevated platform", "Carmen. Solo". In 2007, he performed at the VII International Mariinsky Ballet Festival as Solor in the ballet La Bayadere (choreography by M. Petipa, revised by V. Ponomarev and V. Chabukiani; partner - soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Ulyana Lopatkina).

In 2008, he took part in a gala concert held in New York as part of the “Stars of the 21st Century” project, performing with Svetlana Lunkina a pas de deux from the ballet “Giselle” and “The Death of a Rose” to the music of G. Mahler (choreography by R Petit).

in 2009 he performed the role of Drosselmeyer in the ballet “The Nutcracker” (choreography by R. Nureyev) at the Paris National Opera. He is a regular participant in the project “Russian Seasons of the XXI Century”, initiated by the Charitable Foundation named after. Marisa Liepa, SAV Entertainment and the Kremlin Ballet Theater. The new seasons are designed to revive to a new life the once famous productions of the legendary enterprise of Sergei Diaghilev - “Russian Seasons” of the 20th century. He became the first performer of the title role in the ballet “The Blue God” to the music of A. Scriabin (choreography by Wayne Eagling), which premiered in 2005 on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace. In 2006, he toured with the play “Blue God” in Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, and Perm. In 2007, he took part in the premiere of the ballet “Scheherazade” to the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov (after M. Fokine, renewed by I. Fokina and A. Liepa), held on the stage of the Perm Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after. P.I. Tchaikovsky, - performed the role of the Golden Slave. Then the ballet was shown in Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg; in Moscow as part of the International Open Arts Festival "Cherry Forest" and on stage Palace of Festivals inKanne- in the program of the Festival of Russian Art. In the same year, the artist’s creative evening took place on the stage of the Moscow Academic Musical Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky and Vl.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko. At this evening, Nikolai Tsiskaridze performed in the ballets “The Vision of a Rose” (with the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Zhanna Ayupova), “Afternoon of a Faun” to the music of C. Debussy (choreography after V. Nijinsky; Nymph - soloist of the Musical Theater Tatyana Chernobrovkina), “Scheherazade” (with Ilze Liepa). In 2008, as part of the Russian Seasons of the 21st Century, he performed in Riga on the stage of the Latvian National Opera (“Afternoon of a Faun”). 2009 - tour in Paris on stage Theater of the Champs Elysees(“Blue God”, “Scheherazade”); St. Petersburg on the stage of the Mikhailovsky Theater (“Scheherazade”). 2010 - tour in Paris on the stage of the Champs-Elysees Theater (“Afternoon of a Faun”), concert in Cannes on the stage of the Palais des Festivals and in several cities of Russia (Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod - “Afternoon of a Faun”), in 2011 - on the stage of the Mikhailovsky Theater (“The Afternoon of a Faun”), the Theater of the Champs-Elysees (“Chopiniana”), the London Coliseum Theater (“The Blue God”, “Scheherazade”, “The Afternoon of a Faun”).

In 2011, he became a member of the Council for Culture and Art under the President of Russia.