RITA or TO LOVE AS RUSSIANS

27.03.2006

"RITA or to LOVE AS RUSSIANS"

On 26 March a press-performance of Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Rita" took place in Opera cafe of "Helikon-Opera". More than 40 journalists from central and Moscow mass-media were looking at the troubles inside the love triangle - Rita, Gasparo, Beppe (honoured artist of Russia Tatiana Kuindji, Andrey Serov and Vasily Efimov).

Beppe - Vasily Efimov, Rita - honoured artists of Russia Tatiana Kuindji

Fluently the performance grew into a press-conference. The production team was introduced to journalists by artistic director of "Helikon-Opera" Dmitry Bertman. He thanked artists cordially, saying that he got a real pleasure both as a professional and a spectator. Alexander Borodovsky explained that it was the first author's staging of Rita and despite Russian dialogues were written by him personally, all Donizetti's motivations stayed the same.

Viktoria Unguryanu, musical director and conductor of the performance, told everybody how the orchestration for a small ensemble of musicians was born (the size of the hall of Opera cafe doesn't allow to sit an orchestra there. During press-conference Tatiana Tulubieva, costume designer, was praised. She made original costumes, which helped the artists to create bright scenic images.

Dmitry Bertman

Tatiana Tulubieva

(from left to right) Dmitry Bertman, Alexander Borodovsky, Tatiana Tulubieva, Viktoria Unguryanu, Andrey Serov (Gasparo), Tatiana Kuindji (Rita), Vasily Efimov (Beppe)

Andrey Serov and Tatiana Kuindji

Musical director of the performance Viktoria Unguryanu

Artists were asked many questions. They surprised the journalists by crazy rythm of their stage movements and it didn't really affect their vocal abilities. How could they sing the most difficult coloraturas twofold or laying under the table? "Helikon people can do everything" was their answer.