"Prepare me the office"

The new director of the Novosibirsk opera Vladimir Kekhman met with the troupe. Complete decoding

On March 29, the Ministry of Culture of Russia resigned the director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater Boris Mazhrich due to the production of Wagner’s opera Tangeyer. Officials believe that the performance, who “insulted” representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, made a split into the company, and the director who refused to apologize should be punished. A businessman, general director of the Mikhailovsky Theater (St. Petersburg) Vladimir Kekhman, owner of the JFC, former importer of fruit, was appointed the new leader of the theater.

At the new post, Kekhman first removed the Tangaiser from the repertoire. On Tuesday, March 31, the director of the Novosibirsk opera met the troupe. The closed meeting was also attended by the First Deputy Minister of Culture of Russia Vladimir Aristarkhov and the Director Boris Mezdarich fired from the post of director. After the conversation, the theater employees refused to talk with reporters, explaining that they "did not have the right to comment on either the meeting or the further life of the theater."

At the disposal of the editorial office there is an audio recording of this meeting. "Medusa" publishes a decoding without abbreviations.

Vladimir Aristarkhov: Hello, dear ladies and gentlemen! The Minister decided to change the head of the Novosibirsk Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. And before voicing this decision and presenting a new director, I will say a few words. For many years, the theater was at the head of the theater Boris Mikhailovich Mezdrich. On behalf of the minister and the ministry, I express my deep gratitude for everything that was made by your team, the team of Boris Mikhailovich. In this hall, many who have worked here for decades are sitting. I remember how Boris Mikhailovich came to the theater; Who was he then and who is he now? A huge job has been done, and we are sincerely grateful for all these years. And we hope that the era of Mazhrich will take a decent time in the history of the theater. Thank you very much, Boris Mikhailovich!

Applause.

Vladimir Aristarkhov: Vladimir Abramovich Kekhman was appointed to the post of director of the theater.

Silence in the hall.

Vladimir Aristarkhov: I think he himself will say about his creative plans.

I will say from myself and the ministry. The Ministry supports any personnel, organizational and creative decisions of Vladimir Abramovich. We are confident in his creative and organizational potential. We believe that at the moment - today - this is the optimal candidate for the post of theater of your level. And I urge everyone to help Vladimir Abramovich! Today we have a common task - to preserve the traditions of the Academic Theater, one of the largest theaters in Eurasia. So that the theater is the largest, known not only in Siberia, but also abroad. Make sure that the urban potential of the region and the city of Novosibirsk, the city, cultural public and the theater is absolutely implemented. So that it is realized more than 100%. We believe that Vladimir Abramovich will be able to do this with your help, with your support. We ask for your support. The word is Vladimir Abramovich.

Vladimir Kekhman: Good afternoon. You know, when I went to this hall yesterday ... of course, I did not expect. True, I did not expect to see this beauty. This ... It is not for nothing that he is called the "Siberian Colosseum." This is really a theater that ... you know, even a word ... why I want it to be called the Bolshoi Theater of Siberia, as they wanted to call it in 1928, when it began to be built. And, of course, I will do everything so that this name is, because it is a grandiose structure. Also, you know, I asked the choir today to fulfill one of my favorite work from the [opera of Verdi] “Nabukko”. And today we have the main chief chief birthday. Let's congratulate him.

Applause.

Vladimir Kekhman: I was told that there were some problems with the title. We solved these problems, of course. Because our choir is beautiful. Especially, as always, the female choir is magnificent. All the girls are very beautiful, young, so in this regard you are great well done. Now - everything related to my sensations from the city, from the theater. You immediately relax, you can be calm-I looked at a few works in your performance yesterday, finished somewhere at three in the morning and yesterday I listened to the orchestra. I can say that from a creative point of view - you have a very high level. I am unexpectedly, unexpectedly, just calm that from the point of view of creative plans, we are ready for any works. Just to anyone.

And when yesterday we discussed the name [performances] with the head of the opera troupe, of course, this is happiness, because I could not make these names. Because, of course, I could not implement these projects in the Mikhailovsky Theater due to our older brother-competing Mariinsky Theater. Therefore, all those names, large performances - “Godunov”, “Aida”, “Nabukko” - and all, all, all that we discussed yesterday, is, of course, great happiness. I hope that we will make Shostakovich here, maybe it will be possible to make a “salome”, which I incredibly want to do. Of course, I am touched and I am pleased that such a high musical level. As for the singers, they were always famous. And here I am absolutely calm. As for the ballet, unfortunately, I ... but who is our photographer?

Photographer: I'm a photographer. Since 1987 in the theater.

Vladimir Kekhman: What is your name?

Photographer: Evgeny Ivanov.

Vladimir Kekhman: Very good. Wonderful. And where are the director of the museum? Eat? Here. Prepare me an office to decorate with historical some ... You can put, maybe, layouts of old performances. Think until I will be here until April 5th. And when I return - so that it is, okay?

Silence in the hall.

Vladimir Kekhman: Thank you. So, as for the ballet ... so that you know, it is the following: ballet is the main theater team after the orchestra.

Applause.

Vladimir Kekhman: The next in importance is the team that brings money, and at the expense of whom we usually live, this, of course, is ballet. Therefore, I love the ballet incredibly. And we have the ballet, I believe that ... Unfortunately, I was not at any performance, but the troupe, in any case, under the leadership of Igor [Zelensky], who has been working here for more than eight years, a very high level. We agreed with Igor today to discuss our future creative plans. My last premieres, namely the Nutcracker, praised me very much, so I really hope that now we can make our poster, our repertoire, so that like the Mikhailovsky Theater, where we have all plans made almost until the end of 2018. Now we are already planning until the end of 2020 - and we have a repertoire by the end of 2016 or even longer, depending on how we will agree with our creative colleagues.

Therefore, what else I want to say: my principle is very simple - the following: the theater should shine. You see, yes? Therefore, now the main question is how to make it so that in this beautiful building we somehow, a little bit, but have been brought by a gloss. This is what we will do. Now I am flying to the Ministry of Culture and find out if they will give us any money. Or will they give us any money. After that I will come and tell you - we will move.

Of course, the fact that I stand and see this carpet, here ... ( Laughter is heard. ) Naught with nails. It's hard to look at it. I say this to all the technical services that are present here. Unlike the Mikhailovsky Theater, everything is inside: firefighters, drivers, garages, which is not there. My attitude towards the theater is the following: the viewer, having come to the theater, should see, hear and feel that he cannot feel in his everyday life. Accordingly, we all work, so that our main motive, let’s say, was like that - that the viewer would be satisfied. All the energy that the viewer gives through applause - you also give. You live these relationships: the viewer to you is you to the viewer. And therefore, all technical services, I beg you very much, Capeldiners, I don’t know if you know this word or not - I hope you know. Capletders, all the people who work in the theater work for the audience. This must be remembered once and for all.

Well, probably, the last, in order not to take your time for so long, I want to say another important thing: I want to thank Boris Mikhailovich for absolute devotion to the theater. I understand all his feelings. I understand that he may be offended somehow for this situation. Or not. I want him to say to you too. I want to tell you, Boris Mikhailovich, the following that you are my dear guest. We will always be happy to see you at any time, and any advice or wishes that you can formulate for me - I will always be open to them. Because what you have been doing here for many years is unprecedented. There was not in the history of the regional theater, even federal subordination, such conductors, such productions and such, let's say, powerful ... advancement.

Due to the fact that they will come to me the same way, if I don’t leave in time, you don’t worry. Marius Petipa was also not allowed into the Mariinsky Theater. And he died after that. ( Laughter in the hall. ) Therefore, I wish you, Marius Ivanovich (I hope you know this story), good health. So that you calmly rest, lose weight. And we are always waiting for you, and I really hope that you will not keep any evil on us. Moreover, the Ministry of Culture, I believe, was received absolutely subtly in relation to this difficult situation, and I want to tell you the following again - do not keep evil. I beg you very much. I told you - you explained to me why and what; I accepted everything, I understand everything. So now I am passing you a microphone. I admire that even the carpet is not a carpet - you have retained this creative potential of the troupe. This is the most important. Everything else can be corrected. The creative potential of the troupe, which is here, I tell you with full responsibility, an incredibly high level. This, of course, is strong and incredible to me - the wrong word that I want to say here is exciting, inspires future achievements with you.

Boris Mezdrich: Not even 14 years have passed - and all the same. I only want to say one thing: thanks to everyone. Thanks for everything. We have come a long way. There were many different things - let's not remember this now. The main thing is that spectators go to the theater. And the Novosibirsk Theater is very well positioned in the Russian theater landscape. We have passed different situations, and reconstruction, and all sorts of interesting things, and difficult ones - we overcame everything. I think because over the years we have formed a good team and a good principle.

I want to remind you if someone has forgotten what we are talking about: we always tried to adhere to the principle-in all cases it should be professionally higher. In all relationships, it doesn’t matter from the top to bottom or in horizontal connections between themselves, between the directorate and the staff, then it was possible to survive in any situation. I am very glad, still glad that during the reconstruction, given our modest resources, we managed to make a stage complex-a more or less decent technically technological. And we made the hall. But still, the main efforts were spent so that the stage complex, light, mechanics, convenient free routes for performances were designed and made.

Now the time will come that Vladimir Abramovich - I do not pronounce the first letter - calls the gloss. If the story goes and really allocates [money], then there is where to turn around. Starting from this carpet. A lot of things to do. But the main thing here is on stage, in this epicenter. And the last thing I want to say is to save your face. A professional, human face, and then any events will still be understood by colleagues. Thank you all for all years. Thank you!

Applause.

Diana Zlobin

Novosibirsk