About who Juno and maybe are, about touchy Japanese emperors and not only. The musical "Juno and Avos" - eternal love Who wrote juno and maybe

On the verses of the poet Andrei Voznesensky. The premiere took place on July 9 on the stage of the Moscow Lenin Komsomol Theater (director Mark Zakharov, choreography by Vladimir Vasilyev, artist Oleg Sheintsis), whose repertoire still includes the play.

The name of the performance uses the names of two sailboats, "Juno" and "Avos", on which Nikolai Rezanov's expedition sailed.

History of creation

However, after some time, thanks to Pierre Cardin, the theater went on tour in Paris and on Broadway in New York, then in Germany, the Netherlands and other countries. Subsequently, the opera was staged in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, South Korea.

The original source of the plot

According to the memoirs of Andrei Voznesensky, he began writing the poem "Maybe" in Vancouver, when he "swallowed ... the flattering pages about Rezanov of the thick volume of J. Lensen, following the fate of our brave compatriot." In addition, Rezanov's travel diary was preserved and partially published, which was also used by Voznesensky.

And after another two centuries, there was a symbolic act of reunion of lovers. In the fall of 2000, the sheriff of the Californian city of Benisha, where Conchita Arguello was buried, brought to Krasnoyarsk a handful of earth from her grave and a rose to lay on a white cross, on one side of which the words I will never forget you, and on the other I will never see you.

Naturally, both the poem and the opera are not documentary chronicles. As Voznesensky himself puts it:

The author is not so consumed by self-conceit and frivolity as to depict real persons on the basis of meager information about them and offend them with approximations. Their images, like their names, are only a capricious echo of the known destinies. Yes, and the tragedy of the gospel woman, trampled down by the highest dogma, is unprovable, although undoubted. For the idea that corrects living life and feeling is not right.

Plot

Anniversary performances

Performance in numismatics

Notes

see also

Links

• "Rezanov and Conchita - a love story in the memory of generations" O. Nikolaeva

"Juno and Avos" is a cult performance not only for Lenkom, but also for theatrical Moscow for more than one decade. He was born in 1981 and since then, for more than twenty years, has been going on with the same full house. We offer you two versions of this magnificent performance.. the 1983 version with Elena Shanina as Conchita (this version is considered a classic) .. And the 2004 version with Anna Bolshova, in my opinion an even more successful production ..

History of creation

Back in the late 70s, Alexei Rybnikov, turning to the poetry of Andrei Voznesensky, created the rock opera Juno and Avos. Just like the main characters of this work - the Russian traveler Count Rezanov and the daughter of the governor of San Francisco Conchita - Rybnikov's opera was waiting for a lot amazing adventures and on an international scale...

Alexey Rybnikov

Few people remember that for the first time the opera was presented not on the stage of Lenkom, but in an Orthodox church. In February 1981, in the Church of the Intercession in Fili, in the presence of not only music lovers, but also specially invited Western correspondents, as well as representatives of the police and the KGB (who did not need an invitation!). Speakers were installed to the right and left of the altar base to create a stereo effect, in the center Alexei Rybnikov himself sat at a table with a tape recorder, who spoke a few introductory phrases, and then about a hundred people listened to the recording of the rock opera for almost two hours. Everything happened in an unheated room, the audience did not take off their winter coats. But the goal was achieved: articles appeared in the Western press, after which the authorities decided to figure out what kind of attack this was - "Juno and Avos".
To begin with, the Melodiya company was instructed to suspend the release of the disc with Rybnikov's opera.

Mark Zakharov

Help arrived from the very beginning unexpected side. Andrey Voznesensky made friends with the world famous designer and couturier Pierre Cardin, who arranged creative evenings of the Russian poet in his theater on the Champs Elysees. Having received a cassette with a recording of "Juno" from a friend, Monsieur Cardin was delighted and, having arrived in Moscow, decided to attend the performance. He was shown a draft version, but that was enough for the French guest to invite the Lenkomites to Paris. He was not even embarrassed by the fact that the troupe of Mark Zakharov at that time was considered restricted to travel abroad. The authority of Pierre Cardin in the USSR was so great that he was a member not only of the Ministry of Culture, but also of Yuri Andropov himself, where he never tired of repeating that Soviet art can be proud not only of ballet and circus, but also of modern opera. Thanks to the efforts of the Parisian celebrity, the go-ahead for the theater tour to France was received. And thus - and tacit permission for the premiere of the play on main stage Lenkom.

1981 premiere of the play

20 years later

However, Andrey Voznesensky believes that it was not without the intervention of higher powers: “All our efforts to break through the premiere were crushed by the KGB prohibitions. But one day Mark said: “You know, Andrei, there is one person who will help us.” We went to the Yelokhov Church, where Mark said: “Let's put candles of the Kazan Mother of God!" Three candles were lit. And I bought three swatches. One brought Karachentsova (performer of the role of Count Rezanov. - Approx. Auth.), the other, maybe Shanina (Elena Shanina, performer of the role of Conchita. - Approx. Auth.), maybe Rybnikova, I don’t remember, and left one for himself. And then we were all allowed! Maybe Mark Anatolyevich called someone at night and agreed ... But the fact is that they allowed it. It's like in "Juno and Avos", after the intervention of the Mother of God, they suddenly give the go-ahead for the trip ... So this magic story. And the mystery continues."

AT THE PREMIERE sp. "JUNONA AND AVOS" IN PARIS, 1983

Interestingly, the first Soviet rock opera was "Orpheus and Eurydice" by the Leningrad VIA "Singing Guitars", but still the first Soviet rock opera all over the world was called and will be called "Juno and Avos" ... Indeed, Rybnikov's rock opera was destined experience world fame. By the way, in the early 80s, a record was recorded (moreover, not with the Lenkom actors, but with invited singers), which sold over two million (!) copies, for which the Melodiya company awarded Rybnikov with the Golden Disc.

Monsieur Cardin kept his word and presented " Russian miracle on the stages of Paris, New York, Hamburg, Munich, Amsterdam and other cities of the world. In Paris, Pierre Cardin showed Russian rock opera for two months (!) at his theater on the Champs Elysees, inviting celebrities there. So, the Rothschilds were the whole clan.

Singer Mireille Mathieu paid her respects. Arabian sheikhs visited the outlandish opera. All two months there were full houses, despite the rather expensive tickets - a seat in the stalls cost four hundred francs. Subsequently, an English film was also filmed. documentary about the Moscow performance. The opera has also been staged in Hungary, Germany, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and Mexico. Of course, the creators of "Juno" dreamed of Broadway. And then the famous Broadway producer Joseph Papp ("Hair", "Corus Line!") offered to make "Juno" with American actors. We prepared a translation into English, Rybnikov flew to New York many times, where rehearsals with the actors had already begun. However, Joseph, like the hero of the opera, Count Rezanov, suddenly fell ill and died, and the project stalled.

From time to time, Lenkom went on tour in Russia, where something incredible was happening. Alexander Abdulov, I remember, told how the tour in Leningrad took place in the early 80s: “When we first brought Juno and Avos to St. Petersburg, several hundred young people broke down the doors of the Gorky Palace, then for thirty or forty minutes they were caught with dogs throughout DC. Once I was simply stunned: there were about forty minutes left before the start of the performance, I raised my head upstairs, and there, on the grate, there were about twenty people, waiting for a meeting with art. So specifically, they lie in the beams. But they could have easily crashed onto the stage!

The performance "Juno and Avos" became calling card theater, and today it is not dilapidated, but quite modern project, where young people are constantly introduced talented actors. Therefore, the interest of the public does not weaken. Andrei Voznesensky, at the request of Mark Zakharov, even changed the final line of the performance, which now sounds like this: “Children of the twenty-first century! Your new age has begun.

In 2005, there was a danger that legendary performance will be curtailed or suspended after being involved in a serious car accident legendary performer the role of Count Rezanov 60-year-old People's Artist of Russia Nikolai Petrovich Karachentsov. However, the theater found two worthy Rezanovs in the person of Dmitry Pevtsov, who is in amazing shape at 45, as well as Viktor Rakov, People's Artist of Russia, and the show continues.

In the early 80s, a pirate film-play based on Juno was filmed, with Karachentsov, Shanina, Abdulov, who walked around the country in a video version. In 2004, a new CD was recorded (the disc was released by Sony Music and Columbia) with Lenkom actors and the Araks group, and a new film based on the play was shot for DVD with dolby sound. Alexey Rybnikov has repeatedly spoken about the existence of a full-length musical film project, but the composer still does not see worthy candidates among film directors, since musical films have not been professionally filmed in Russia for a long time. And it’s impossible to shoot a picture based on Juno badly, or even at an average level!

The magnetism and amazing energy of the performance made it truly eternal... Decades pass, the actors change, but this performance floats like "Juno" on the waves of time... Amazing acting, heartfelt music and strong texts make this rock opera a real theatrical miracle.

History of creation

However, after some time, thanks to Pierre Cardin, the Lenkom Theater went on tour in Paris and on Broadway in New York, then in Germany, the Netherlands and other countries.

December 31, 1985 on the stage of the Palace of Culture. Kapranova in St. Petersburg, the premiere of a rock opera performed by VIA "Singing Guitars" (which later became the St. Petersburg Rock Opera Theater) took place. This stage version differed from the Lenkom production. In particular, director Vladimir Podgorodinsky introduced a new character into the performance - the Zvonar, in fact, the “reified” soul of Nikolai Rezanov. The ringer is practically devoid of words and only the most complex plasticity and emotional mood conveys the throwing souls of the protagonist. According to his memoirs, Alexey Rybnikov, who was present at the premiere, admitted that "Singing Guitars" more accurately embodied the idea of ​​​​the creators of the opera, preserving author's genre mystery operas and the original dramaturgy of Voznesensky. In the summer of 2010, the two thousandth performance of "Juno and Avos" performed by the Rock Opera Theater took place in St. Petersburg.

The opera has also been staged in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, South Korea, Ukraine and other countries.

Summer 2009 in France State theater under the direction of People's Artist Russian composer Alexei Rybnikov presented new production rock opera Juno and Avos. The main emphasis in it is placed on the musical component of the performance. Vocal numbers were staged by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Zhanna Rozhdestvenskaya, choreographic numbers - Zhanna Shmakova. The main director of the performance is Alexander Rykhlov. A. Rybnikov's website notes:

The full author's version... is a serious innovation in the genre of the world musical theater and is designed to return the original idea of ​​the authors. IN new version operas combined the traditions of Russian sacred music, folklore, genres of mass "urban" music, with figurative, ideological and aesthetic priorities of the composer.

The original source of the plot

According to the memoirs of Andrei Voznesensky, he began writing the poem "Maybe" in Vancouver, when he "swallowed ... the flattering pages about Rezanov of the thick volume of J. Lensen, following the fate of our brave compatriot." In addition, Rezanov's travel diary was preserved and partially published, which was also used by Voznesensky.

And after another two centuries, there was a symbolic act of reunion of lovers. In the fall of 2000, the sheriff of the Californian city of Benisha, where Conchita Arguello was buried, brought to Krasnoyarsk a handful of earth from her grave and a rose to lay on a white cross, on one side of which the words I will never forget you, and on the other I will never see you.

Naturally, both the poem and the opera are not documentary chronicles. As Voznesensky himself puts it:

The author is not so consumed by self-conceit and frivolity as to depict real persons on the basis of meager information about them and offend them with approximations. Their images, like their names, are only a capricious echo of the fates of the famous...

A similar story happened to the future Decembrist D.I. Zavalishin during his participation in round the world expedition under the command of M. Lazarev (1822-24) (See Questions of History, 1998, No. 8)

Plot

• Rezanov - G. Trofimov
• Conchita - A. Rybnikova
• Federico - P. Tiels
• Rumyantsev, Khvostov, Father Yuvenaly - F. Ivanov
• Voice of the Mother of God - Zh. Rozhdestvenskaya
• Soloist in the prologue - R. Filippov
• Davydov - K. Kuzhaliev
• Jose Dario Arguello - A. Samoilov
• Praying woman - R. Dmitrenko
• Praying girl - O. Rozhdestvenskaya
• Sailor - V. Rotar
• A group of worshipers - A. Sado, O. Rozhdestvenskaya, A. Paranin

For more than 30 years, the rock opera "Juno and Avos" continues to excite the hearts, immersing the audience in romantic world two lovers: Count Rezanov and young Conchita. However, not everyone knows that this is the basis of this story. real events that took place in early XIX century.

One of the main characters of the opera, Nikolai Rezanov, was born into an impoverished noble family. He received a good education at home and showed a brilliant ability to learn languages. In a fairly short period of time, Rezanov rose to the rank of head of the office under the secretary of Catherine II, Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin.

Rezanov and Conchita on a mural in Post Interfaith Chapel (San Francisco)

However, the appearance of a new young tall handsome man at the court aroused fears among the favorite of the Empress, Count Zubov, and Rezanov was sent to Irkutsk. He inspected the activities of the traveler Grigory Shelikhov, who founded the first Russian settlements in America, and after a while married his daughter.

To stimulate the development of Alaska, on the orders of Paul I, in 1899, the private-state Russian-American Company (RAC) was created, and Rezanov became its authorized representative. He sought to establish sea communication with Russian settlers in America, because due to the irregular and long delivery of food from Russia, they often received it expired and already unusable. A plan was developed to inspect settlements in Alaska and establish ties with Japan.

However, at this time, the count's wife dies. Rezanov wanted to retire and take up the upbringing of children, but was stopped by the order of the emperor. In 1803, the expedition led by him set off on the ships Nadezhda and Neva. Negotiations with the Japanese were unsuccessful, "Nadezhda" and "Neva" continued their journey to Alaska. Arriving at the place, Rezanov was struck by the living conditions of the settlers: they lived on the verge of starvation, in devastation, and suffered from scurvy.

Rezanov at his own expense acquires the frigate "Juno" with a cargo of food. But this was only a partial solution to the problem. Winter was approaching, and until spring the products from the Juno would not be enough for the settlers. Then the count orders to build another ship - the Avos tender. For provisions, he goes to San Francisco, hoping to establish trade relations with the Spaniards.

For 6 weeks, Rezanov managed to impress the Californians. He completely subdued the governor of Upper California, Jose Arillaga, and the commandant of the fortress, Jose Dario Arguello. The daughter of the latter was 15-year-old Donna Maria de la Concepcion Marcella Argüello, simply called Conchita.

One of the members of Rezanov's expedition, the ship's doctor Georg Langsdorf, wrote in his diary: “She stands out for her majestic posture, her facial features are beautiful and expressive, her eyes are charming. Add here a graceful figure, wonderful natural curls, wonderful teeth and a thousand other charms. Such beautiful women can be found only in Italy, Portugal or Spain, but even then very rarely. And one more thing: “One would think that Rezanov immediately fell in love with this young Spanish beauty. However, in view of the prudence inherent in this cold man, I would rather admit that he simply had some diplomatic views on her.

Maybe the doctor was just wrong? But Rezanov himself, in his reports to Russia, does not look like a man who has lost his head from love. Despite the fact that Rezanov was already 42 years old, he did not lose his attractiveness at all, in addition, he was famous, rich and revolved in the highest circles of society. Contemporaries claimed that in Conchita's desire to marry a Russian count there was as much love as calculation, she allegedly dreamed of luxurious life at the court in St. Petersburg, but subsequent events proved the sincerity of her feelings for Rezanov.

The relationship between Rezanov and Conchita developed rapidly, and soon the engagement ceremony took place. Then, the groom left the bride to return to St. Petersburg and ask for the emperor's petition to the Pope for consent to the marriage. Nikolai Petrovich calculated that two years would be enough for this. Conchita assured him that she would be waiting...

Moving on the road, Rezanov was in a terrible hurry. The autumn thaw was approaching, but the count still stubbornly continued his movement through Siberia. As a result, Nikolai Petrovich caught a terrible cold and lay in a fever and unconsciousness for 12 days. And as soon as he woke up, he again moved forward, completely sparing himself. One frosty day, Rezanov lost consciousness, fell off his horse and hit his head hard on the ground. He was taken to Krasnoyarsk, where on March 1, 1807, Nikolai Petrovich died. He was 42 years old.

After 60 years, Russia sold Alaska to America for nothing, along with all the possessions of the Russian-American Company. Rezanov's plans were not given to come true. But he still won fame over the centuries - thanks to Conchita. True, she did not wait for him for 35 years, as the famous rock opera says. No. Only for a little over a year she went out to the cape every morning, sat on the rocks and looked at the ocean. And then, in 1808, Conchita found out about the death of her fiancé: a relative of Nikolai Petrovich wrote to her brother. He added that Signorita de Argüello was free and could marry whomever she pleased. But she rejected this unnecessary freedom. Whom was she to marry, what dreams to cherish? Twenty years after that, Conchita lived with her parents. She was engaged in charity work, taught literacy to the Indians. Then she went to the monastery of St. Dominic under the name Maria Dominga. Together with the monastery, she moved to the city of Monterrey, where she died on December 23, 1857. Having survived, thus, Rezanov for half a century ...

Not so long ago, in 2000, in Krasnoyarsk, a monument was erected on Rezanov's grave - a white cross, on one side of which is written: “Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov. 1764-1807. I will never forget you”, and on the other - “Maria Concepción de Argüello. 1791-1857. I will never see you." The sheriff of Monterrey came to the opening - specifically to scatter a handful of earth from Conchita's grave there. He took back a handful of Krasnoyarsk land - Conchite.

For more than 30 years, the phenomenal rock opera "Juno and Avos" continues to excite the hearts, immersing the audience in the romantic world of two lovers: Count Rezanov and young Conchita. Their sad love story ended over two centuries ago, but thanks to heartfelt poetry set to beautiful music, this story seems to live forever.

background

The modern opera Juno and Avos is based on real events that took place as early as the 18th century. In St. Petersburg, a son, Nikolai, was born into the impoverished noble family of the Rezanovs. The boy received a good education at home and showed a brilliant ability to learn languages. In addition, by the age of 14 he had grown handsome beyond his years and was able to enter military service into the artillery. For quite a short time an ambitious and purposeful young man changed several positions and rose to the rank of the ruler of the office under the secretary of Catherine II, Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin.

Portrait of Count Nikolai Rezanov, correspondent of the Russian-American Trading Company, by an unknown artist

However, the appearance of a young, tall, handsome Rezanov at court aroused fears among the new favorite of the Empress, Count Zubov. The latter, having decided to remove a potential rival from the road, ordered Nikolai to be sent to Irkutsk. In the province, Rezanov was supposed to inspect the trading activities of the merchant and traveler Grigory Shelikhov, known as Russian Columbus. He became the founder of the first Russian settlements in America, it was with the help of Shelikhov that Alaska became part of the Russian Empire under Catherine II.

From that moment on, Rezanov's fate was forever connected with Russian America. He married Shelikhov's daughter, the young Anna, both of whom greatly benefited from this marriage. Shelikhov strengthened his position at court, his daughter received title of nobility and all the privileges associated with it, and Nikolai became a co-owner of a huge capital. By order of Paul I, who replaced the Empress, a single Russian-American company () was created on the basis of the Shelikhov trading company and the companies of other Siberian merchants. Of course, Rezanov became its authorized representative, who did his best to merge the companies into one powerful organization.

At his new post, Rezanov petitioned the emperor to establish sea communication with Russian settlers in America. Due to the irregular and long delivery of food from Russia, they often received food expired and already unfit for consumption. By 1802 a plan was drawn up world travel, whose goals were to inspect Russian settlements in Alaska and establish ties with Japan.

However, preparations for the expedition for the count were overshadowed by the death of his wife. Anna died 12 days after the birth of their second child. The inconsolable widower was about to retire and devote himself to raising children, but was stopped by the order of the emperor. He appointed Rezanov as envoy to Japan and leader of the first Russian round-the-world expedition. In 1803, the count set off on the two ships Nadezhda and Neva.

The brainchild of geniuses

A country rising sun she kept the diplomat on her land for six months and eventually refused to do business with Russia. After the failed mission, Rezanov continued on his way to Alaska. Arriving at the place, he was amazed: the settlers lived on the verge of starvation, in devastation, scurvy “thrived”.

Seeing the confusion of the ruler of Russian America Baranov, Rezanov at his own expense purchased the frigate "Juno" from a visiting merchant with a cargo of food. However, it was clear that these products would not last long. Then the count ordered the construction of another ship - the Avos tender. For provisions, he decided to go to the rich and prosperous fort of San Francisco in California, and at the same time establish trade relations with the Spaniards, who ruled this part of America.

Starting from this journey, the action of the famous rock opera "Juno and Avos" unfolds, although at first there was only "Avos". The poet Andrei Voznesensky wrote the poem "Perhaps!" Based on the travel diary of Rezanov and the notes of J. Lensen, he had a very high opinion of the Russian count. The poem told sad story love of 42-year-old Rezanov and 15-year-old Spaniard Conchita, a girl whom Nikolai met on the California coast.

Anna Bolshova as Conchita and Dmitry Pevtsov as Nikolai Rezanov on the stage of the Lenkom Theater in the rock opera Juno and Avos

When director Mark Zakharov turned to Voznesensky with a request to write a libretto for the plot of The Tale of Igor's Campaign, the poet was not at a loss and offered to put his poem as the basis of the performance instead. The director agreed, and invited Alexei Rybnikov as a composer. Thus, thanks to the initiative of three geniuses, one of the most poignant musical performances XX century, which became a sensation both in the USSR and abroad.

The premiere of the rock opera took place on July 9, 1981 on the stage of the Lenkom Theatre. Those who were lucky enough to participate in the production of a rock opera later admitted that their resounding success The performance owes love. Every syllable and every note of the work is saturated with an atmosphere of love and inspiration, and even with the replacement of familiar and beloved actors, the opera does not lose its charm. But still, it is customary to consider the version of the play with Nikolai Karachentsov and Elena Shanina, the first Rezanov and Conchita, to be canonical.

"I will never forget you"

The events described in the rock opera are romantic, and the main characters are full of love and self-sacrifice. reality from fiction different, but, oddly enough, not much. When the Juno and Avos arrived in California in 1806, the Spaniards greeted the Russians unfriendly and refused to sell anything to them. However, quite soon the governor of San Francisco, José de Arguello, succumbed to the diplomatic gift of persuasion and the charm of Rezanov, especially since the young daughter of the governor, the beautiful Maria dela Concepción, or, simply, Conchita, fell in love with the count.

Despite the fact that Rezanov was already 42 years old, he did not lose his attractiveness at all, in addition, he was famous, rich and revolved in the highest circles of society. Contemporaries claimed that in Conchita's desire to marry a Russian count there was as much love as calculation, she allegedly dreamed of a luxurious life at court in St. Petersburg, but subsequent events proved the sincerity of her feelings for Rezanov.

The Earl stayed in San Francisco for only six weeks, but during this time he managed to successfully fulfill his mission and even more: he obtained provisions for the starving people from Alaska, enlisted the support of the Spanish governor and became engaged to Conchita. At first, Jose de Arguello did not want to marry his daughter to a Russian count. Parents took the girl to confession and urged her to abandon such an unexpected marriage, but Conchita was adamant. Then they only had to give their blessing to the engagement, but the final decision on the issue of marriage was with the Roman throne.

However, the harsh Russian winter and the long journey through Siberia undermined the strength of the diplomat. Due to a severe cold, Rezanov lay unconscious and feverish for almost two weeks. IN serious condition he was brought to Krasnoyarsk, where he died on March 1, 1807. When news of the count's death reached Conchita, she did not believe him. True to her promise, she waited for Rezanov and for a year every morning came to a high cape, from where she peered into the ocean. Over the following years to beautiful girl the best grooms in California were wooing, but each time they received the same refusal.

Conchita remained faithful to the deceased count and saw her destiny in charity and teaching the Indians, in her homeland they began to call her La Beata - the Blessed One. After 35 years, Maria Concepción entered the third Order of the White Clergy, and after another 10 years she took the monastic order. She died at the age of 67, next to her grave in the cemetery of St. Dominic, a stele was erected in memory of her fidelity and love.

Thanks to the world-famous rock opera, a symbolic reunion of unfortunate lovers took place. In 2000, the sheriff of the city where Conchita was buried brought a handful of earth from the grave of a Spaniard and scattered it over the burial site of Rezanov in Krasnoyarsk. A monument was erected on the grave of the count, where the lines from the famous romance are depicted: "I will never see you, I will never forget you."