Olga Moiseeva's anniversary at the Mariinsky Theater

Anniversary ballet

Photo: Kommersant / Valentin Baranovsky / buy photo

The Mariinsky Theater celebrated the anniversary of Olga Nikolaevna Moiseeva. Together with the audience, OLGA FEDORCHENKO applauded the ballerina and teacher-tutor.

Olga Moiseeva, a ballerina of the famous Vaganova school, danced on the Leningrad stage for 26 years (1947-1973) and performed the entire main classical and modern repertoire. Choreographers especially appreciated her gift for imbuing abstract lyrics with dramatic content. Unfortunately, the only full-fledged premiere performed by the first cast in the creative life of Olga Moiseeva was only Mekhmene Banu in “The Legend of Love”. However, her students Galina Mezentseva, Altynai Asylmuratova, Irma Nioradze, Ulyana Lopatkina, Svetlana Zakharova had no shortage of premieres - the last two congratulated their beloved teacher with a dance from the stage.

The gala concert in honor of the 85th anniversary of the ballerina and teacher pleased with its tireless intensity - “Carmen Suite” and divertissement. The entire evening was spent on the stage by Svetlana Zakharova, the prima of the Bolshoi Theater, who paved the way to Moscow from the class of Olga Moiseeva. Mrs. Zakharova, in peak form, danced Carmen, performed in two divertissement numbers (pas de deux from “Corsair” and “Revelation”) and gave a congratulatory speech in which she predictably declared her love for Olga Nikolaevna (it would be strange, if it hadn't been said). Mrs. Zakharova spoke smoothly, correctly and evenly, just as she danced. Her Carmen's exclusive body was beyond competition. In the pas de deux from Le Corsaire, the delightful lilac tutu was especially memorable. In the “Revelation” number, the ballerina was extremely suited to a chignon of long curly hair; the gray chair also favorably set off the antique beauty of Mrs. Zakharova and was very comfortable for suffering in a sitting, reclining and lying position. The relationship between the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater and her partners was determined by Carmen’s gesture - an inviting clap on the thigh, like the command “To your feet!”, the men could only obey orders - to argue with the deputies of the State Duma (even former ones) at their own expense.

Bolshoi Theater soloist Denis Rodkin appeared as Jose in Carmen Suite. It was he who at first dared to ignore his partner’s imperious demands. He was especially successful in the first part of the ballet, in which Jose, with Pechorin’s impenetrability and arrogance, nipped in the bud erotic tendencies, expressing contempt and disapproval of Carmen’s asocial lifestyle. The proposed interpretation was complete and consistent, only Jose’s evolution from a soulless warrior into a loving puppy took place somewhere behind the scenes, depriving the audience of the pleasure of witnessing the dance development of this curious intrigue.

The second act consisted of seven numbers and solemn speeches. First, the head of the ballet troupe, Yuri Fateev, talking about the creative path of Mrs. Moiseeva, ended the speech with a mysterious phrase: “As long as this art is alive, you and I, Olga Nikolaevna, will always be together!” Then there were dance congratulations. New acquisition of the Mikhailovsky Theater Kristina Shapran (Vladimir Kekhman and Mikhail Messerer were seen in the mezzanine box) performed the miniature “Pavlova and Cecchetti” with touching confidence, expressing through dance the reverent attitude of Moiseeva’s students towards their teacher. A rare plastic freedom and looseness could be observed in Sergei Polunin, who appeared in the hit "Bourgeois". The impeccable Victoria Tereshkina, paired with Vladimir Shklyarov, portrayed naivety in a radiant Balanchine pas de deux to the music of Tchaikovsky. The life-affirming masterpiece of Soviet choreography “Spring Waters” in the manner of the winners of the Olympic Games was danced by Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov, who is clearly worthy of the vacant title “king of support” - his manipulations of his partner on one hand are breathtaking. Ulyana Lopatkina, who began her theatrical career in the class of Olga Moiseeva, offered homage in the form of “Russian” by Kasyan Goleizovsky: a kokoshnik, a sundress, a long braid, bows from the waist - everything testified to the highest level of spirituality on stage and in the hall. Ms. Lopatkina was unanimously called three times, and on the fourth, the call was interrupted by Igor Zelensky in blue trousers, who appeared to perform a duet from “The Corsair.” The 45-year-old dancer brilliantly accompanied Ms. Zakharova and distributed his forces in variations and codes with a calculating, tight-fisted approach. For his diligence, I received warm words from the heroine of the evening: “Igor, I congratulate you! You flew like that!”

At the end of the gala concert, Olga Nikolaevna Moiseeva wished the audience “such performances for which you cannot get tickets.” The wish was relevant: already ten days before the festive evening there were no tickets on sale.

The art of congratulations