“Durov’s corner” had been waiting for new elephants from the state for two years. They tried to intercept another circus - with the help of the Moscow City Hall

The trainer Yuri Durov achieved for two years to make the state buy an elephant. As a result, the Myanmar government gave him even three animals

Two years ago, the artistic director of the theater "Corner of Grandpa Durov" Yuri Durov - the grandson of the founder of the theater Vladimir Durov - realized that he needed to get a new elephant for the theater. “There was only one elephant left in the theater, with whom I have been working for 40 years,” says Medusa Yuri Durov, “and the tradition of the Durov dynasty is the obligatory presence of elephants.”

Elephants can only be acquired through the mediation of the state: representatives of those countries where they are found are refused to negotiate at the level of circus leaders. “Not many countries that own this wealth,” Durov explains. “Permission for their export in Thailand, for example, gives only the king.”

Durov, according to him, had to “puzzle” the Ministry of Culture of Russia and “use” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And this helped: in 2018, the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Myanmar is celebrated. In honor of this holiday, the Myanmar government gave “specifically for the“ corner of Grandfather Durov ”” of three elephants. Their arrival in Moscow is expected in the coming days.

Another circus dynasty - the root - tried to intercept one elephant. With the help of the Moscow Government

On August 12, an unknown user published using the Telegraph service a letter from the circus dynasty of Kornilov, addressed to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. In a letter signed by the director of the Indie Ra circus show Taisia ​​Kornilova, it was said that on June 28, 2018 the “most talented” elephant of the collective - Gerda died. The late elephant was “smart and graceful”, its tricks on the show of Indian elephants (it, according to Taisiya Kornilova, is “one of the most prestigious and demanded programs of the Russian and world circus”) fell into the Guinness Book of Records.

Kornilova’s appeal to the mayor ended that she was aware that three elephants were flying to Moscow, and asks “to consider the programs of it to the circus [in which three elephants remained after Gerda’s death] of one elephant”. In a conversation with Medusa, Kornilova said that she realized that she already has three elephants, but this does not stop her: “My grandfather had 11 elephants.”

Two dynasties almost quarreled. Kornilova says that she was "set up" "Higher ranks"

Taisiya Kornilova received a refusal from the Department of Culture of the Moscow City Hall (he was also published in Telegraph). The document signed by the head of the Department of Theaters and Concert Organizations of the Cettlement Department of Culture Natalya Drozhnikova says that Durov worked on receiving elephants for two years, "made significant efforts" - and "all three elephants will be actively busy."

“The letter of Taisiya Anatolyevna was a completely incomprehensible and unpleasant surprise for me. This is not done among colleagues, ”says Durov. - This is dishonorable. I received the last elephant to work in 1980 - after that, Kornilov received three elephants, and they currently have three elephants, and we have one. ”

“It seems that they set me up. Who - I can't say, says Kornilova. - The highest ranks called me and asked to write such a letter. They said that the city halls were presented elephants and you can try to pick up one. And the conversation was about ten elephants. Naturally, I made an attempt to get an elephant, but in no case no meanness. ”

Kornilova told Medusa that the refusal did not offend her at all, but she does not understand why her letter addressed to Sergey Sobyanin was made public - she suggested that the mayor would call her to a personal meeting "and we would talk about this topic."

The press service of the Department of Culture of the Moscow City Hall refused to comment on the dispute around the elephants and said that they did not know how the correspondence of Kornilova and the Mary came into public access.

Polina Eremenko