Audition for the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theatre. Yulia Molchanova: “Many artists of the Bolshoi Children's Choir continue to try to connect their fate with music

Youth Opera Program Bolshoi Theater Russia announces an additional set of participants for the 2018/19 season in the specialty "soloist-vocalist" (from two to four places). Performers of 1984 - 1998 are allowed to participate in competitive auditions in the program. born with incomplete or completed higher musical education.

The audition in the city chosen by the contestant ends three calendar days before the date of the audition in that city. Deadline submission of applications for auditions in Moscow - five calendar days before the start of these auditions.

All expenses for participation in auditions (travel, accommodation, etc.) are borne by the contestants themselves.

Competition procedure

First tour:

• Audition in Tbilisi, Georgian Opera and Ballet Theatre. Z. Paliashvili - May 25, 2018
• Audition in Yerevan, Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas - May 27, 2018
• Audition in St. Petersburg, Palace of the Studying Youth of St. Petersburg - May 30, 31 and June 1, 2018
• Audition in Chisinau, Academy of Music, Theater and fine arts- June 5, 2018
• Audition in Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk academic theater opera and ballet - June 11, 2018
• Audition in Yekaterinburg, Ural State Conservatory. M. P. Mussorgsky - June 12, 2018
• Audition in Minsk, National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Belarus - June 16, 2018
• Audition in Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, opera classes in the Administrative and Auxiliary Building - September 20 and 21, 2018

In connection with the holding of the World Cup in June-July 2018, the I, II and III rounds in Moscow are postponed to September 2018.

The participant comes to the audition with his own accompanist, having previously filled out an electronic form on the website.

The questionnaire is considered accepted if WITHIN 10-15 MINUTES after it was sent, an automatic notification is sent to the address Email sender.

In Moscow, for non-resident participants, upon prior request, the theater provides an accompanist.

At each stage of the auditions, the participant must submit to the commission at least two arias - the first at the request of the singer, the rest - at the choice of the commission from the repertoire list provided by the contestant earlier in the questionnaire and including five prepared arias. The list of arias must include arias in three or more languages, of course - Russian, Italian, French and/or German. All arias in the list must be sung in the original language. The Commission reserves the right to listen to fewer or more arias.

The number of participants in the first round is not limited.

Second round:

Audition in Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, new scene- September 22, Historical Stage - September 23, 2018. The participant comes to the audition with his own accompanist (for non-resident participants, the theater provides an accompanist upon prior request). The participant must submit two or three arias to the commission - the first at the request of the singer, the rest - at the choice of the commission from the repertoire list prepared for the first round. All arias in the list must be sung in the original language. The Commission reserves the right to ask for fewer or more arias. The number of participants in the second round is no more than forty people.

Third round:

1. Audition in Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, Historical Stage - September 24, 2018. The participant comes to the audition with his own accompanist (for nonresident participants, the theater provides an accompanist upon prior request). The participant must present to the commission one or two arias according to the preliminary selection of the commission (based on the results of the second round) from his repertoire list.
2. Lesson/interview with program leaders.

The number of participants in the III round is no more than twenty people.

YOUTH OPERA PROGRAM OF THE BOLSHOI THEATER

In October 2009, the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia established the Youth Opera Program, under which young singers and pianists from Russia and the CIS take a professional development course. For several years, young artists who entered the program based on the results of competitive auditions have been studying various academic disciplines, including vocal lessons, master classes famous singers and tutors, training foreign languages, stage movement and acting. In addition, each of the participants Youth Program has extensive stage practice, performing roles in premiere and current productions of the theater, as well as preparing various concert programs.

Throughout the years of the existence of the Youth Program, the largest professionals in the field have worked with the participants operatic art: singers - Elena Obraztsova, Evgeny Nesterenko, Irina Bogacheva, Maria Gulegina, Makvala Kasrashvili, Carol Vaness (USA), Neil Schicoff (USA), Kurt Riedl (Austria), Natalie Dessay (France), Thomas Allen (Great Britain); pianists - Giulio Zappa (Italy), Alessandro Amoretti (Italy), Larisa Gergieva, Lyubov Orfenova, Mark Lawson (USA, Germany), Brenda Hurley (Ireland, Switzerland), John Fisher (USA), George Darden (USA); conductors - Alberto Zedda (Italy), Vladimir Fedoseev (Russia), Mikhail Yurovsky (Russia), Giacomo Sagripanti (Italy); directors - Francesca Zambello (USA), Paul Curran (USA), John Norris (USA), etc.

Artists and graduates of the Youth opera program perform at largest venues the world, such as the Metropolitan Opera (USA), the Royal Opera Covent Garden (Great Britain), La Scala Theater (Italy), the Berlin State Opera (Germany), german opera in Berlin (Germany), Parisian national opera(France), the Vienna State Opera (Austria), etc. Many graduates of the Youth Opera Program joined the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia or became guest soloists of the theater.

Artistic Director of the Youth Opera Program - Dmitry Vdovin.

While studying in the program, its participants are paid a scholarship; Hostels are provided for out-of-town participants.

Currently, the choir successfully combines theatrical performances with independent...

Children's choir The Bolshoi Theater has existed as an independent group since 1920. The team took part in many opera and ballet productions of the theatre: The Queen of Spades, Eugene Onegin, The Nutcracker, Khovanshchina, Boris Godunov, That's what everyone does, Carmen, La bohème, Tosca ”, “Turandot”, “The Knight of the Rose”, “Wozzeck”, “Fiery Angel”, “Child and Magic”, “Moidodyr”, “Ivan the Terrible” and others.

Currently, the choir successfully combines theatrical performances with independent concert activities. The unique sound of the voices of young artists of the Bolshoi Theater was heard in all halls of the Moscow Conservatory, in the P. I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Moscow International House of Music, the Central House of Artists, in the halls of the museums named after A. S. Pushkin, named after M. I. Glinka and other audiences. The team is constantly invited to participate in solemn events, government concerts and other cultural events (Day of Slavic Literature, Year of Culture in Russia, etc.). The choir toured with great success in Germany, Italy, Estonia, Japan, South Korea and other countries.

Leading soloists of the Bolshoi Theater take part in many concerts of the Children's Choir. The team collaborated with well-known Russian orchestras- Russian National Orchestra, Moscow City Symphony "Russian Philharmonic", National Academic Orchestra folk instruments of Russia named after N.P. Osipov and, of course, the Bolshoi Theater Symphony Orchestra.

The choir's repertoire includes European and Russian, spiritual and secular music XV-XX centuries. The Children's Choir of the Bolshoi Theater has recorded several CDs, including two albums of Christmas carols, concert programs with pianists V. Krainev and M. Bank.

Classes in the choir allow its students to enter the higher musical educational establishments. Many of them become laureates of vocal competitions, many among the former artists of the children's choir and leading soloists opera houses, including the soloists of the Bolshoi Theater.

Leads the choir Julia Molchanova. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory (class of Professor B. I. Kulikov), since 2000 she has been the choirmaster of the Bolshoi Theater, and since 2004 she has been the head of the Children's Choir. She took part as a choirmaster of adult and children's choirs in all repertoire performances and concert activities of the choir. As a conductor, she performed in all halls of the Moscow Conservatory. She was awarded an honorary diploma of the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation.

Julia Molchanova ( director of the children's choir at the Bolshoi Theatre.)
: "Many artists of the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater continue to try to connect their fate with music"

Not a single large-scale opera production at the Bolshoi Theater can do without a children's choir. Radio Orpheus correspondent Ekaterina Andreas met with Yulia Molchanova, head of the children's choir at the Bolshoi Theatre.

- Yulia Igorevna, please tell us what is the history of the emergence of the children's choir at the Bolshoi Theater?

- The Children's Choir is one of the oldest groups of the Bolshoi Theatre, it is already almost 90 years old. The appearance of the children's choir falls on the years 1925-1930. Initially, it was a group of children of theater artists who took part in opera performances, because in almost every opera performance there is a part for the children's choir. Later, when the theater during the Great Patriotic War was in evacuation, a professional creative team children's choir of the Bolshoi Theatre, in whose groups they began to conduct a rigorous selection. After which the choir received a powerful creative development, and today it is a bright strong team, which, in addition to participating in theatrical performances, now also performing in concert halls not only with the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, but also with other well-known orchestras and conductors.

- That is, the children's choir is not tied only to theater performances?

- Of course, the choir is closely connected with the theater, but in addition to theatrical, it also conducts an active independent concert activity. We perform with major Moscow orchestras, we are invited to significant concerts, both in Russia and abroad. The choir has its own solo program, with which we have repeatedly traveled abroad: to Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Japan ....

- Does the choir go on tour with the theatre?

- No not always. Since it is quite difficult to export to theatrical tours also a children's troupe. On tour, the theater usually performs with a local children's group. To do this, I arrive in advance, and for about a week and a half I study with the local children's choir, learn the parts with them, introduce them to the performance. And by the time our theater troupe arrives, local children are already well versed in the repertoire. This is also part of my job as a choirmaster.

- How many people are employed today in the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater?

- There are about 60 people in the choir today. It is clear that all together the guys rarely go to performances - after all, different performances require a completely different number of choir members.

- And in what composition does the team usually go on tour?

- The optimal number is 40-45 people. It doesn’t make sense to take a smaller line-up (because you need to understand that someone can get sick, someone for some reason will suddenly not be able to perform), and taking more than 45 people is also not good - this is already congestion.

- How do you solve the issue of parental permission to travel for children under 18?

- Here, of course, everything has been worked out for us for a long time. We take children abroad from the age of six. In addition to the conductor, a doctor, an inspector and an administrator must accompany the group. Of course, touring really unites the team. Whenever there is preparation for the tour and the tour itself, the children become more friendly, more independent. Although, of course, we have a very friendly team in general - the children have a common goal and idea, to which they are very touching and careful.

- And when children break their voices, do they continue to sing, or do they take a creative break?

- As you know, the process of “voice breaking” is different for everyone. We have very good phoniators in the theater, and children have the opportunity to visit them. In addition, I myself also monitor this moment very carefully, and if the breakdown is quite serious and is difficult, then, of course, you need to be silent for a while ... .. In this case, the children really go on a short academic leave. If the withdrawal occurs smoothly, then we gradually transfer the child to a more low voices. For example, if a boy sang a soprano and had a treble, and then the voice drops gradually, then the child moves into the alto. Usually this process goes pretty smoothly. In girls, if they sing with the right sound extraction, and if they have the right breath, as a rule, there are no problems with “voice breaking”.

Has it ever happened that the children of your group, who in principle are aimed at the classical repertoire, suddenly start going to the studio as well? pop vocal? Or is this basically impossible?

- The opposite happens here. There were times when people came to us for audition from various children's pop groups... and we even took some children into our team. It is clear that pop and classical vocals are still different directions, so it is impossible to combine them. This is also difficult for a child - because of the difference in the manner of singing. I note that we are not now talking about which style of singing is better or worse. We are only talking about the fact that the directions are different, so it is almost impossible to combine them, and I think it is not necessary.

- Yulia Igorevna, please tell us about the schedule of rehearsals?

- Of course, we try to stick to a single schedule, basically our rehearsals take place in evening time. But situations are different. Of course, we are very tied to the theatrical schedule, so if the rehearsals are orchestral (for example, in the morning), then it is quite understandable that children are called to them. Or if the children are busy in the production - they are also called to the performance - in the schedule in which it is on the poster. Example: when the opera "Turandot" was on (there some children sing, and some children dance on stage), the children were busy literally every other day. And there's nothing you can do about it. But when the production is over, we, of course, let the children rest for a few days.

- It is clear that the choir team is for children. Perhaps some organizational difficulties are connected with this?

- Of course, there are certain difficulties in the organization, but I want to emphasize that despite the fact that the team is for children, I immediately try to accustom them to the fact that they are already adults. Since they came to the theater, they are already artists, which means that they already have a certain share of responsibility. I try to educate them in such a way that here they should behave like adult artists. Firstly, it is connected with going on stage, with scenery, discipline. That is, with great responsibility. Because when you go out somewhere kindergarten or reading a poem at school is one thing, and quite another when you step onto the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. In any case, it is very binding. That is why they should feel like adult artists, feel their responsibility for every movement made and word sung ... and it seems to me that even small children at 6-7 years old are already becoming adults very quickly and, in general, they feel their responsibility.

- Are there any restrictions on food before a rehearsal, a performance? Can they all eat?

- Of course, in ordinary life they eat everything like normal children. Although during performances, when the theater feeds them (children are given special coupons for which they can take something from food for a certain amount). These days, I specifically go to the buffet and warn that the children have a performance today, so I categorically forbid the sale of soda and chips to children. As you know, this is what children usually buy at the buffet instead of taking, for example, a full meal.

- It's bad for the ligaments ... chips cause a sore throat, hoarseness, and carbonated sweet water very "plants the voice" ... the voice becomes hoarse.

- In addition to serious everyday life, there are probably some funny cases?

Yes, of course, there are many such cases. For example, during the opera "Boris Godunov" children take part in the scene at St. Basil's Cathedral (where they sing with the holy fool). In this scene, children play beggars, ragamuffins, and they are made up in an appropriate way - they dress them in special rags, draw bruises, abrasions, characteristic pallor for them ... And before this exit there is a scene of a completely different nature - a ball at Marina Mnishek, a scene by the fountain - with a very magnificent solemn dresses, depicting the richest audience, and in the middle of the stage there is a beautiful fountain. Before the beginning of this picture, the curtain, of course, is closed ... and so the children, already dressed in ragamuffins for their next exit, went backstage - after all, they are interested in seeing - there is a real fountain here! And so they ran up to the fountain in their costumes of the hungry and began to splash in the water, to catch something from there ... and the stage director, not seeing the children on the stage, gave the command to raise the curtain ... And just imagine - the curtain opens - a secular audience, expensive decoration palace, everything is sparkling… and about ten hungry men, washing and splashing in this fountain….. it was very funny…

- I wonder if a make-up artist is also allocated for children?

- Necessarily - and make-up artists and dressers. Everything is like adults. They make up in a special way, help them dress, figure out the costume. The dressers, of course, make sure that all the children are ready to go for the right scene. Moreover! When it comes out new production, each of them is sewn their own suit, the children go to try on, this is also always very interesting for them.

- Were there cases when soloists grew out of the children's choir?

- Certainly! It is quite natural - the children who start working here are very attached to the theater. After all, the theater is very attractive. And, as a rule, many children who have come here try to link their fate with music in the future. Therefore, many then enter music schools, the conservatory, the institute ... Children here sing very well, have the opportunity to listen to the leading opera stars, sing with them in the same performance, learn from them the skill on stage. Someone from the children's choir then goes to the adult choir, someone becomes a soloist, someone becomes an orchestra artist ... In general, many return to the theater one way or another, or simply connect their lives with music.

- Until what age can a young artist sing in a children's choir?

- Up to 17-18 years old. If there is a desire to sing further, already in an adult choir, then in this case, of course, they need, like everyone else, to pass the qualifying competition for an adult choir. To enroll in an adult choir, you must already have musical education. At least School of Music. And you can enter an adult choir somewhere from the age of 20.

- Probably, all members of the children's choir receive a musical education in music schools?

- Of course, definitely. Almost all children go to music schools. After all, this is a theater, not a music school. The choir is an absolutely concert group and, of course, we don’t have such subjects as solfeggio, rhythm, harmony in our program ... Naturally, children should study at a music school, and it is very good when they study there.

- As far as I know, you yourself also sang in the choir of the Bolshoi Theater as a child?

- Yes, for a long time I sang in the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater. In addition, the director of the adult choir, Elena Uzkaya, was also an artist in the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater as a child. For me personally, singing in a children's choir largely predetermined my future fate.

- Yulia Igorevna, are your parents musicians?

- No. Although my dad is very talented person. He plays the piano very well and improvises. He is very musical. Although he has an absolutely technical education.

- And what was your way to the profession?

- I studied at the ordinary music school No. 50 in piano, then through a competition (there was a very serious competition - several rounds) I entered the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater. Then she began to study more seriously, first entered a music school and then to the Moscow Conservatory as a choir conductor (to class of Professor Boris IvanovichKulikova, - approx. author).

Children are busy all the time on different days - different groups You call individual ensembles to rehearse... Do you personally have fixed days off?

-Yes. I have one day off - like in the whole theater - Monday.

Interviewed by special correspondent of radio "Orpheus" Ekaterina Andreas

polka backgammon

In Your Kingdom... (Castalsky - from the Divine Liturgy)

Cherubic (Castalian - from the Divine Liturgy)

Holy God (Kastalsky - from the Divine Liturgy)

Completely different students study at HSE, many of whom already work in the most prestigious organizations. Someone works in a bank, someone solves cases, someone starts from the position of a call center employee. Are there many guys at HSE who can boast of performing at the Bolshoi Theatre? At the Faculty of Business and Management, in the direction of "Management", Nelli Mardoyan, an artist of the Bolshoi Theater, is studying in her first (!) year. Our editors could not resist, and we talked with Mardo over a cup of coffee.

Hey Nelly! It sounds fantastic: a student of the Higher School of Economics is an artist of the Bolshoi Theater. Tell us, how did you get to the Bolshoi Theatre, how did it all start?

It all started with the fact that when I was about 6.5 years old, my parents heard that there was a set for the children's choir of the Bolshoi Theater. We came to the audition, where we were met by my current choirmaster - Molchanova Yulia Igorevna - a master of her craft and an amazing person! She accepted me, a little girl, said that I had the data, and advised me to send it to a music school, because without it I would not be able to sing in the theater. I was only six, before I had nothing to do with music, I drew. She said: "The future is possible, bring the child," set the day for the rehearsal.

Was the selection difficult?

It turns out that I passed the audition, sang a couple of songs and covered the notes that she played for me on the piano. This is a common test to check if you have any hearing at all or not, whether you are smart or not - this is also important. That's all: I was immediately called to a rehearsal, sent to a music school. Thus, I already have a red diploma in piano from music school, and it was interesting, but very long. There is no way in the theater without this, because you need to be able to read sheet music. Connecting the text with the melody at the same time is a whole science.

When was your first stage appearance?

My debut was at 8.5 years old. It was the opera "Turandot" by Giacomo Puccini. To this day it is my favorite opera. I love it, I recognize the melody from afar. That very first time, I didn't sing, I just went on stage because I needed little kids. Here is such an interesting system - the older ones stand and sing backstage, and the younger ones stand on the stage, but for me it was even more interesting than singing! Although I have the data, it seems to me that it is much cooler to go on stage with soloists than to stand backstage. At least that was the case for me at the time. Of course, my parents were very proud of me. Then I was, one might say, the main one among my own. Under my eight-year leadership (laughs), everyone went on stage, lined up. It was real experience, very cool.

When did you get into the senior group?

By the age of 10, my mentor Elena Lvovna said: “Nellie, you don’t belong here anymore. Your voice is developing, which is prone to breaking, it's time to move on to the older guys, ”and she called Yulia Igorevna, who took me to the theater, told her: “Look, the child is growing, the voice is developing faster than others, take it? » And Yulia Igorevna took me. Then it all started.

You are an artist of the Bolshoi Theater Children's Choir. What is a children's choir at the Bolshoi?

The children's choir participates in many productions - it is not necessary that the plot be related to children. And despite the fact that this is a choir, some of them have their own solo parts. Now it is no longer divided into older and junior group- we are all together. Mostly very young children of 6-7 years old come for the background, because this is a children's choir. They do not participate in productions, mostly study. And those who are in the state sing, this is about half. It can be a child of 10 years old, there are also 19-year-olds, it all depends on the potential. There is even a 24-year-old in our choir. And it would seem that officially we are a “children's choir”.

Why didn't you join the "adult" choir?

The bottom line is that being transferred to an adult troupe is very dangerous. This is a waste of absolutely all your free time on the theater. Soloists - someone 30, someone 25 - come and stay in the theater from morning to evening. It annoys me, because I don’t intend to connect my life with the theater yet. For this reason, when I was offered to move to an adult troupe in the 11th grade, I refused. If I wanted to, I would have entered a music school instead of a university and moved on, because a higher musical education in an adult choir is necessary. I would give it all my time. But this is not my choice. Of course, if I have a wealthy husband, then I will go to the theater, but if you want prosperity, then the theater is only suitable if you are, say, a guest soloist. (laughs)

By the way, about the university. Why management, why HSE?

Here is how it was. In general, I am a very creative person. I can do everything except dance. Dancing doesn't work for me. But as a child, I dreamed of opening my own clothing store and always wanted to enroll in fashion design somewhere. Once my parents and I even chose a university in San Francisco for me. But then my mother said: “You are too small, you won’t go anywhere. And although the costs will pay off, the designer is not a profession. They did not believe in me then, but now I understand, and I am grateful that my parents told me so. Thus, the idea arose to find a profession that would help me realize myself as creative personality no matter what area. For example, now I make cakes to order. Unexpected, right? I sing, draw, make cakes and dream of opening a clothing store. A bit strange (laughs). Therefore, I thought that an economist is the best option. But then I realized that this was a bit not my thing and chose something in between (once I even thought about becoming a psychologist). I am very satisfied with the management.

And yet, you are still in the theater. How do you manage to combine your studies and such an unusual job? How much time do you spend on rehearsals and performances?

Rehearsals, regardless of performances, take place when the choirmaster appoints. We have general system administration and artists. The administration is a few people. They assign a date and time. Basically, unfortunately (maybe fortunately), these are evening rehearsals. They last from two to five hours. This is a big burden on the body. Some don't know this, but most singers who actually sing correctly sing with their muscles. Therefore, after rehearsals and performances, my abs and throat hurt insanely. This is a complete physical workout. After a long rehearsal, you can not do anything - the main thing is to get home. What about time? Well, this week I was at the theater four times (the interview took place on Sunday - author's note) - one rehearsal, three performances. I don't go to every rehearsal, even though I'm a full-time employee. It's just that I can, because I know everything by heart, theoretically everything is built on me and other equally experienced guys.

What performances are you busy with, where can you be heard?

Mom says thirteen, but I didn't count. I even have roles where they write me in the program! (laughs) I also participate in ballet, although this is backstage singing. You can hear me in ballets: The Nutcracker and Ivan the Terrible, in operas: Turandot (there is also behind the scenes), Bohemia, The Rose Cavalier, The Child and the Magic, Carmen, Tosca, Boris Godunov, The Queen of Spades.

Definitely Carmen and Bohemia. Boris Godunov is a chic production. And on New Year's Eve, the Nutcracker very often goes 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening. Even on December 31 there is an evening performance. After it, by the way, we traditionally celebrate the New Year as a troupe - and this is very cool. I really come home at ten in the evening on December 31, but work is work! (laughs)

How can young singers get to work in the theater? Can a young artist with a diploma come to the Bolshoi, or do you need to grow up in it practically from the cradle?

To be honest, specifically in our choir, the elders, unfortunately, "do not take root." Often the guys who are now studying at universities and trying to combine it with work at the Bolshoi leave over time, because the theater takes too much time. For those who plan to really connect with the theater life, and even have a diploma, there is the so-called "Youth Opera Program".

And finally, tell me some interesting story associated with theater. For example, rumors about behind-the-scenes intrigues and fierce competition - is it true?

Oh yeah! Once I "punched" 2 tickets for historical scene for the premiere of The Queen of Spades. This was about six months ago. It was a bomb event! I gave these 2 tickets to my family, hoping that I would perform. I wish I hadn't performed, because I had my signed suit, everything was in order. I was 5 minutes late to my scheduled time. And getting ready for the exit is not long: you do your hair, you go to the make-up artist and that's it, for a chant. But I come and see that my suit is gone. An artist comes in my costume. I went up to her and said that they came to see me, it is very important for me to go on stage - I tried to be extremely polite! I could turn around and leave, but my relatives and friends came to look at me. important people. She said almost nothing, her friend came and took her with her. I was completely taken aback by such arrogance. They never gave me my suit, I had to take another one, which was not my size. And I almost went on stage in tears. That's it!

In this case, it remains to wish that there were fewer such stories, and the theater was only a pleasure! Well good luck on creative way. Thank you for the interview.

Interviewed by Alexandra Khosey

Proofreader Artem Simakin

BIG THEATER

After returning from Germany, Rita found herself without work and without means of subsistence. By the time the singer arrived, another monetary reform in the country depreciated all her savings, which were in rubles. Friends at the conservatory suggested that she go to the audition directly to the Bolshoi Theater. If they don't accept you go to another.
“Rit, you just underestimate yourself,” they told her. - With such a voice you will shine on the stages of La Scala and Covent Garden.
But Rita was very self-critical about herself: “No, no,” she thought, “only very talented singers like Tamara Sinyavskaya, Elena Obraztsova, Evgeny Nesterenko sing at the Bolshoi, and who am I? No, this is out of the question." On one of these cloudy days, Rita received a call from a classmate at the conservatory, Elena Bryleva. She then already sang at the Bolshoi Theater, and says:
- Rita, we will start touring in Germany soon. Would you like to come with us? We ride under the cap: "Soloists of the Bolshoi Theater present!".
Rita at first began to refuse:
- Lena, due to the fact that I am not a soloist of the Bolshoi, I will not be able to go. How to deceive people?
- Come on, be modest! You will sing the best there. Nobody will notice. You see, we have one singer urgently needs to be replaced!
And Bryleva showed the impresario's conservatory records, Rita was approved in concert program. In Germany, she performed individual arias from operas, romances no worse than theater soloists. Therefore, during the tour, the guys from the troupe liked her so much that upon returning home, they took her under their wing and brought her to the theater for an audition. It was in the middle of the year. All competitions have already passed. But eminent soloists, especially Vladimir Bogachev, insisted before K. I. Baskov and E. T. Raikov, the leaders of the opera troupe, that they meet with Rita. And after a successful audition, she was accepted to the Bolshoi Theater as an intern, but without a salary.
- You sing for now as a trainee, and by the spring you will pass the competition on an equal basis with everyone else.
In her soul, joy knew no bounds. A wave of feelings and emotions splashed out. It was a very big milestone that she had to take on the way. solo career. At home, from the threshold, she shouted:
- Mom, I was accepted as an intern at the Bolshoi Theater !!!
“It can’t be,” said the mother, and sat down on a chair.
...Big theater! So that's what you are, a giant with a front colonnade and a quadriga on the pediment, controlled by Apollo. One of the best theaters in the world, a treasure musical art.
"Be opera singer today is to be able to re-create stage image of the era when the opera was written, to convey to the viewer the embodiment of the synthesis of music and drama. Rita thought. - One voice is not enough, you have to be a real artist. One has only to imagine that more than two thousand people are looking at you from a gilded hall with numerous tiers, it is so breathtaking. Will I be able to adequately show myself on stage? And Rita plunged headlong into the difficult life of the theater, with all its intrigues, undercurrents, the struggle for survival.
The Bolshoi Theater has always been under the patronage of the state. No wonder it was called Imperial, and now Academic, State. At one time, Stalin liked to patronize the theater, like the Tsar-father to his serf artists. Then the King died. Long live the new King! But serf relations with the soloists of the theater troupe remained.
In subsequent years, the attitude towards the Bolshoi changed for the worse: high stakes for the first soloists, the size of the pension fell significantly. For the same money, it was possible to go on stage less often, and the leading artists reached out to the polyclinic at the theater for sick leave. Then the same "jamb" best voices Russia began to fly to more "warm lands" - to the west, where the material conditions of the artist are an order of magnitude higher. There was a "drain" of brains, voices and other important organs of the human factor in the country. What will be left? But what remains, we will live with it! And since that time, the Bolshoi Theater has been slowly rolling downhill: the ill-conceived repertoire policy of the opera's leaders, the low level of vocalists. Like the new one said artistic director And chief conductor theater Gennady Rozhdestvensky, the audience comes to the theater to watch mainly not a performance, but to admire the gilded walls of the hall, but the huge crystal chandelier»...
...But six months have passed since Rita has been working here. During this time, she played various small parts on stage in operas. However, in "Iolanthe", which ran two or three times a week, she managed to sing the part of Laura. The conductors already knew her vocal abilities and when it came to the competition in the spring of 1993, she was allowed to go straight to the third round, bypassing the previous two qualifying rounds. The day before the contest, the bell rang in the apartment. Rita picked up the phone, a friend of the theater soloists called. There are disservices, and this is some kind of crocodile advice:
- If you don’t give money “for the paw” to someone who needs it, then know that they won’t accept you!
- I don't have any! Rita answered in a low voice.
Yes, and where should they be if the trainee trainee in the theater works without a salary at all. Parents never had extra money. Maybe borrow from friends? No, I won't! Come what may! And in frustrated feelings I went to the competition.
The third round took place on the main stage of the theatre. You have to sing with the orchestra without a rehearsal, just look at the conductor, who will show all the introductions and determine the tempo. This competition is held throughout the country. Hundreds of vocalists take part in it, but a few people who were sitting in the hall, waiting with trepidation for their fate, reach the third round. Rita decided to sing Rosina's aria from the opera The Barber of Seville. The excitement did not pass, but rather increased with the approach of the stage entrance. Is it a joke to become a soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre. She tried to focus only on Aria, but all the same, all sorts of disturbing thoughts entered her head. To hell with this money! Forward, and with your head held high! And Rita did as her teacher Nina Lvovna taught her: she got up early (she couldn't sleep anyway), came to the theater two hours before and sang for about an hour. Before entering the stage, the voice already sounded great, but the excitement again seized when her exit was announced. Her legs became wadded, internal tension grew, and she thought to herself: “Lord, if only not to forget the words!”. The aria was learned three days before the competition. But the experience of performing in Children's choir and took their toll from the stage of the Bolshoi Theater as an intern. Rita gathered herself, calmed down and put so many emotions and inspiration into the aria that her voice sounded beautiful, bright. She pronounced each word distinctly, sending a sound into the very far point hall.
“In the midnight silence your voice sweetly sang to me, It woke up many new sleeping forces in my heart ...” Rita performed Rosina’s Cavatina on Italian at a calm pace of "Moderato" and felt how the hall froze, how attentively the members of the jury listened. The voice broke into a thousand small discords. Major turned into minor, then came the sad adagio. And after the quiet sounds of the night flew new wave sounds sunny day. “I don’t care about barriers, I’ll set my own! I will deal with the guardian, he will be my slave! Oh, Lindor, my gentle friend, I will not part with you! When she finished singing the last note, there was a dead pause in the hall for literally a second, which seemed to Rita an infinity, and in the next moment it seemed to burst into applause. Stomp, scream. The orchestra gave her a standing ovation: "Bravo, Maruna!". And Rita understood - this is a victory! Luck did not change her this time either: contrary to all the forecasts of various "well-wishers", fortune was on her side. She left the stage like in a dream. They asked her something, congratulated her, but she did not remember anything. And when the jury announced that mezzo-soprano Margarita Maruna was immediately accepted as a soloist in opera troupe theater, bypassing the internship, then Rita was simply shocked. It's like it didn't happen to her. She could not believe what had happened, in her success.
- Has the miracle happened, which I wished on New Year?!
At the time of admission, Rita was already twenty-eight years old. Great opportunities lay ahead. Which path will she choose? How favorable will fate be to her in the future? These and other questions swirled in her head. Together with Rita, Olga Kurzhumova (soprano) entered the theater competition. They will become friends. Rita will introduce her to a wonderful young musician from the theater - Stas Katenin, and will be the godmother of their little Klim ...
Rita came to the theater at the time when the next wave of emigration ended best singers abroad. Patriots remained in the Bolshoi, continuing the traditions of the Russian school, despite all sorts of difficulties.
From the first days of work in the theater already as a soloist, Rita intensively studied new parts at daily rehearsals. During next year she played and sang at the Bolshoi Theater such parts as Laura in Iolanthe by P. Tchaikovsky, Flora in La Traviata by G. Verdi, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro by W. A. ​​Mozart, Laura in A. Dargomyzhsky's The Stone Guest , Olga in "Eugene Onegin" by P. Tchaikovsky, Smeraldina-Arapka in "Love for Three Oranges" by S. Prokofiev. After listening to the parts of Lyubasha from the opera " royal bride"and Polina from" Queen of Spades» Theater conductor Andrey Nikolaevich Chistyakov invited Rita to go to the conductor's room. He asked her to tell about herself, where she studied, who was her teacher. And then he said:
- Rita, you sing excellently. Right now I would take you to all my performances, but I can’t: they will simply devour me. Please wait a few years. Your time will come, and we will definitely work with you again.
Rita was accepted into the theater when CEO it was Kokonin V. M., and Lazarev A. N. was the Chief Conductor. Then Vasiliev V. V. replaced him, and in 2000 Rozhdestvensky G. N. came. Iksanov G. A. became the General Director, and the chief conductor of the theater - Ermler M.F.
The Bolshoi Theater is like a huge golden beehive united into a single creative team. Here every person is a professional in his field. For more than two centuries, the theater has developed its own conservative laws, well-established strict rules. It seemed that a completely different life was going on behind the oak doors, distinguished by its dynamics, fuss, and change of power. It's just a state within a state.
The chief conductor and directors of the opera and ballet have unlimited power over the artists, who can afford a lot of things in relation to their subordinates: early dismissal, despite the contract, and rudeness, regardless of the age, experience and skill of the soloist. Artists - people with bare nerves, with "thin skin". They are very sensitive to any manifestations: both good and bad in their address. And therefore, for a small, positive attitude towards himself, the artist is ready to turn inside out, working on the role. And, conversely, with every unfair attitude towards himself, he can receive breakdown or in general a heart attack, which lead to loss of voice in singers or not closing ligaments or to other occupational diseases, and in ballet - pain in the back, arms and legs. How many times did the soloists have a tantrum after the performance because of the rude, even if fair, relations of the leadership? No one knows about it and will never know, but it happens to almost everyone. No wonder they say that any artist must first be praised, praised and praised, and only then, very gently, point out his mistakes in his work.
For some time now, an extraordinary and a difficult situation. Why did this happen in the Bolshoi? Maybe it's beneficial for someone!?! Conservative forms of government and the absence of a multi-talented leader - the new Diaghilev, led the once best theater in the country into decline.
Rita studied and recognized artists, employees. She liked some, some did not, but with everyone she tried to stay even, adopting everything positive and valuable from them. She had to perform in performances with such famous soloists like M. Kasrashvili (soprano), V. Motorin, E. Nesterenko (bass), Y. Mazurok (baritone), Z. Sotkilava, V. Tarashchenko, V. Voinorovsky (tenor) and other excellent vocalists. I had to work with such conductors as Chistyakov, P. Sorokin, A. Stepanov, P. Feranc, F. Mansurov and many other remarkable musicians.
For some time now, the Bolshoi Theater has introduced contract system according to the Western principle, bearing, however, a formal character. The contract is for the season, that is, for ten months. The soloist must be constantly ready for the fact that he will be called to a rehearsal or to replace a sick artist in a performance, at any time of the day, so everyone must be within the telephone and mobile communication with the theater office.
To participate in the play, the artist must pass an audition at the competition and, after the approval of your candidacy by the director or conductor of the theater, sign a contract. In the theater there are no restrictions on rehearsals or lessons with accompanists, study as much as you need. Rita worked mainly with pianists Valery Gerasimov, Alla Osipenko and Marina Agafonnikova - excellent musicians. A few years later, she knew almost all the parts written for her voice. Soloists have Bad sign, if in the opera you stumbled on some note once, then almost always the soloist will have a quirk at this place, and he overcomes this milestone with great difficulty. Once one of the employees in the theater asked Rita:
What is your interesting last name? Ma-ru-na!? Are you Moldovan by any chance?
- Almost yes! Gypsy blood just boils in me! I sing and play Carmen without makeup!
"Carmen" is Rita's favorite party, and the pearl in it is "Habanera". Every woman in the soul of Carmen. But at Wise, Carmen does not love Jose until his last breath. A woman like Carmen cannot love a man for long. She is a gypsy and loves freedom more than José.
Rita perceived the new role as another offer of a new life. She reproduced the feelings, emotions of her hero, experiencing his life with him. Stanislavsky's system is a system of "experiencing", this is how they were taught at the conservatory, and experience came from performance to performance.
Performing on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater or at concerts, Rita has always sought to instill in her audience a love of classical music with her performance. She sang with her soul, bewitching the hall. Of course, she understood that opera was mainly the lot of the rich and intelligentsia, the audience for opera has always been small: not everyone understands classical vocals. There is also a heavy legacy of the communist era, when classical music included mainly when one of the leaders of the CPSU died. And today it is difficult to rebuild the subconscious of a Russian person, in whom the classics are sometimes associated with a funeral march. But, nevertheless, the audience is happy to go to concerts to listen to opera singers Lyubov Kazarnovskaya, Nikolai Baskov. Opera is a very expensive pleasure and costly. Even sold-out performances do not pay off, so they must be subsidized in order to somehow stay afloat.
An artist does not necessarily need to have his own theater. You can work with different teams under the contract. But an artist must have his own audience, which adores him and without which the artist is not an artist.
IN Lately Rita increasingly came to the conclusion that modern good singer can and should work in different musical genres: classic, romance, folk songs, with chamber choir, lyrical pop music. At the Bolshoi Opera, the repertoire is limited, young soloists want to contemporary music.
After her performance, one leading singer was told every time: “Today you sang wonderfully as always!”. However, professionals know that no singer sings great all the time, for a lot of reasons, especially for women.
Opera soloist Sergei Gaidei (tenor) recalled that once in a performance, one pretty soprano diligently sang to the audience in a love scene with a cold look, turning away from her lover. Who will believe her that she loves him?
The star should not only shine from the stage, but also warm the soul of the viewer with her singing.
And yet, fans and soloists of the Bolshoi live in the hope that, together with overhaul theater, not only the foundation and walls will be updated, but the level of the best theater country to the right height.