Nikolai Tsiskaridze: It’s hard to keep in shape now. You get better even from the air. Tsiskaridze: Bolshoi management is promoting itself on the tragedy with Filin Khalil Tsiskaridze

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.

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 became a director at 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.

Bukhtoyarov's method:
31.12.1973

7 -6\13997 6
9
7 -6\13--7 6
33-55; 25-77 ; 29-41

Unexpectedly weak energy and, most importantly, psyche. The man was lucky that he started studying ballet and developed centers.
But the code is armor-piercing. Well, firstly, the upper channel is open by gender, a gift of the ancestral one, and now it is in double form from 30 to 45. Extrasensory abilities, provided that the intellect. the outline was untwisted by a man. Prenatal DNA mutations. It seems his mother worked in Obninsk in some laboratory. She was a nuclear physicist and even her first husband died in an unsuccessful experiment, she grabbed an atom, hence the child developed a mutation, but it was not harmful, but gave an advantage in ballet. He doesn’t feel pain, the muscles and ligaments stretch well.
In Manipur, the block is not the least bit selfish person, a boss for others, anahata leading. First of all, he thinks about others and tries for the common good.
At 30 +-2 years old, a double karmic blow hits, two 9s that I really could not have survived, a knee injury and a torn ligament, then an infection - staphylococcus, I almost lost my leg. It seemed like he was developing his talent, but the 9s still hit. It was difficult to survive psychologically. there was a double blow to the psyche and was intensified by a double karmic blow.
A high-vibration old soul, from here he perfectly understands the premises of human actions and is a good intriguer. Usually such people are in bosses, which is what we see. In general, his entire career is a continuous use of his ancestral gift; it is unrealistic to enroll, advance in his profession, get into the Bolshoi Theater and be a premier there for 20 years, without witchcraft and psychic abilities.
A passionate person, if he really wants something, he achieves it, there’s almost a conflict block on his throat, there is a relationship and it’s good, if not, it’s also good, in Svadhisthana it’s the norm. We have a similar code for the first part. He knows how to open the upper channel to others, now the channel is open very intensely. It seems that his mother was telling fortunes, predicting the future, well, he also needs to develop psychic abilities. Although he has constant training there on their development in the ballet environment, there is continuous intrigue and competition.
Soul Formula:

Venus is in the center, attracting attention, and Uranus is the upper channel. Uranus is better accentuated by planets. Only such a combination of talent with a sorcerer's gift could advance him.
The orbit of Venus is occupied by strong Neptune, he loves clairvoyants, very sensitive women. He respects doctors and there is a lunar node of karma in the orbit of Venus. Women play a key role in his life, they promote him, a lot depends on them.
The social orbit is well populated and most importantly by the Sun (hence the popularity, fame in society), Mercury - the media, it is noticed and talked about a lot, but also Lilith, gossip, rumors and scandals. In the end, the most popular ballet dancer, the names of the others are not even known to the general public, they dance, live in their own closed little world and quietly leave.

Jupiter is surrounded in the orbit of Venus - the powers that be love and surround him. They love him more for his psychic abilities, and not for his dancing, oddly enough.
A person cannot stop twisting the fouetté, it will immediately deflate.
Cycles:
Currently on cycle 8 in 2017. The most difficult year of the cycles, everything it touches is destroyed, losses, everything that begins immediately and collapses. You need to wait a year and sit quietly. But in 2018, start a new business (start a new ballet, become the Minister of Culture, finally get married and have children, although the atom tried not to understand).