And happiness was so possible

Ballet troupe of the K. S. Stanislavsky music theater and Vl. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko presented a great premiere: John Neumayer staged a performance based on the novel Evgeny Onegin. The famous choreographer has already transferred his ballets to the stage of the musical theater - there were successfully “Seagull” and “Mermaid”. But this time it is almost a question of the premiere: the audience first saw Tatyana in Hamburg on June 29 this year.

The music for the new ballet was written by Lera Auerbach, who was born in the Soviet Union and continuing Russian musical traditions. I note that Auerbach was the author and Mermaid. Ballet music is far from always becoming a new word in art, the authors of Giseli, Sylphids and Don Quixote preferred to follow the path of least resistance. The exceptional place in this row is Tchaikovsky, whose ballet works themselves are masterpieces. The music of Lera Auerbach was created on the new ballet according to the principle of centon-it is full of reminiscences from the works of Shostakovich, Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. The music is rich and inventive orchestrated, and an important role is given to rare instruments, such as a saw. The orchestra, under the control of Felix Korobov, confidently coped with all the technical difficulties.

John Neumayer changed the name of the original source, intending to make the main character Tatyana. The director brought to the stage not only the heroes of Pushkin’s novel, but also a number of characters from the novels read by Tatyana: Julia Volmar, Grandison, Malek-Adel and others. One of the culmination of the ballet was Tatyana’s Dream, composed of a very sensual duo of the heroine with a bear (unfortunately, the ballerina remained in a terrible codes of bodily color, probably not to disturb the dense morality), as well as vampire parties, headed by Onegin.

Nevertheless, the source defeated - Eugene remained the main character. He practically does not leave the scene: in the morning he somersaults in bed with young ladies, meets on a boulevard with a friend after shopping, closer to the evening “Honorary Citizen Kulis” visits the ballet rehearsal about the famous Istomina and gives delicate advice to the director ... He discusses with the bosom friend of the Lensky Music development, then he bursts out the most honest “most honest ones” Rules ", then dragging himself, then shoots, then travels-in a word, for a 2.5-hour performance, he tries to get rid of the spleen that" ran after him like a shadow or a faithful wife. "

Perhaps the fact that Valery Mukhanova is the performer of the party of Tatyana, seemed too concentrated on the technical side of the role, while Alexei Lyubimov (Onegin) and Semyon Velichko (Lensky) were at ease of stage masks. It is likely that the famous Diana Vishneva, also participating in the project, would be more convincing precisely as a title heroine.

Of course, the scenography of ballet does not imply reconstruction of Pushkin Russia. Some heroes are dressed in a civilian downtime of a hundred years ago; Guests at Tanya’s names dressed up as if the current Russians who recall the Soviet era with nostalgia; Evgeny Onegin himself in a gray turtleneck, Blayser and with a shaved head, most like the “fun and luxury of the child”, only completely modern.

Neumayer extends the techniques of different eras and directions in world art. Duel Onegin and Lensky predicts and organizes a demonic Zaretsky, in addition with his double; And the nanny Tanya meets her after her own death. Similar plot moves were in the works of contemporaries of Pushkin - romantics.

The deceased Lensky accompanies Onegin in his feverish wanderings, like the Eschilov goddesses of anger and insanity, pursuing Orestes. Finally, a scene of sleep with vampire ball, a bloody wedding and a meda-made man, recalls the night in a cheerful quarter in Ulysses.

The intensive dialogue is conducted by Neumayer with the history of ballet. He made the Lensky composer, and Zakharov and Ratmansky in his staging "lost illusions" acted in the same way. Neymaier himself made a similar move when in his "Seagull" both Trigorin and Treplev became choreographers. Russian spectators in bewilderment observe the presence of the Larin sisters on the duel, but in this case Neimaier gratitude with gratitude to his teacher John Kranko, who put this scene in his version the same way.

Now is the time to move from the formal aspects of Neumayer's setting to its substantial part. So, if the dominant role of Tatyana remains in question, then the decisive significance of the Onegin -Tatyana -Lensky triangle is completely undoubtedly. Yes, the frivolous Olga (pretty Anna Ol) is a secondary character who soon accustomed both the heroes and the authors: "I first loved him, but he was tired of me immensely."

In the early editions, Pushkin characterized the younger sister with these words: “Olga has no thought in the features, as in the Raphael Madonna,” while the main characters are people who are deeply and subtly thinking and feeling, illuminated by “with an imagination with a rebellious, mind and will of a lively, and yielding head, and a flame and tender heart”.

Tatyana, Lensky and Onegin are lonely and not too happy. "I am not created for bliss," Eugene assures; “I am here alone, no one understands me,” Tatyana complains; And only the incorrigible optimist Vladimir "believed that his dear soul should connect with him", and then in the uncertain future.

Here it is appropriate to recall the story of Platonian Androgyns, once split by the gods.

At the meeting, these halves are permeated by "an amazing feeling of attachment, proximity and love that they truly do not want to separate even for a short time."

Indeed, between Lensky and Onegin, the kinship of souls arises, and both light up, however, the composer of Lensky - the light of the sun, while "foreign quirks are interpreting" - reflected, moonlight. And when Tatyana-“pale color and a dull look”-is so fond of Eugene, it seems that “that there are chosen fate, that their immortal family with irresistible rays, klag will illuminate us and give the world to bliss”.

But insurmountable obstacles arise. The fertile form of the Commonwealth created by Onegin and Lensky does not withstand strength tests. Vladimir intends to marry the "stupid moon" - Olga, although the senior comrade advises him to pay attention to another sister. But Eugene himself is rashly acting. Onegin arrogantly refused Tatyana, then, "he pouted and, indignant, vowed to infuriate Lensky and take aiming at a concern." The result was a stupid quarrel and the absurd death of one friend by the hands of another. (That's why the organizer of the duel Zaretsky was from the very beginning with a double - this is a hint of the acquired and lost half.) And Eugene, who, “loving the young man with all his heart, should show himself not a ball of prejudices, ... but with an honor and mind,” turns out to be a killer!

The carnal attraction, which Eugene then experiences Tatyana, can be explained by his desire to restore the destroyed harmony: having killed a person, he tries to create another.

But Tatyana, whose "non -" Palace "was destroyed by a fatal duel, can no longer reciprocate:" How to be a small slave with your heart and mind? "

The surviving heroes remain forever separated by centuries -old prejudices and are forced to "look at life as a ceremony, and follow a decisive crowd, without sharing neither general thoughts nor passions."

So the ballet characters turn out to be not halves of Plato, but by the islands of Matthew Arnold:

Close and at the same time far,

Separated by ruthless abyss,

These is countless islands,

That the row was composed in the mainland ...

Who turned, as soon as he took up

Their flame in a pile of coal coats?

Who awarded them to live forever apart? ..