Helikon-Opera tour to France continues
30.11.2010
Helikon’s tour to France continues
Until the 5th of December Moscow musical theatre Helikon-Opera is performing on stage of Parisian Opera de Massy.
On the 24th, 25th, 26th and the 27th of November French spectators has already seen “The Love for Three Oranges” by S. S. Prokofiev, proposed for “The Golden Mask” this year in three nominations “The Best Performance”, “The Best Stage Director” and “The Best Male Role”. The hall for 1800 seats was sold, though ticket prices were from 53 to 77 Euros. The performance was staged by Dmitry Bertman, set and costume designers Igor Nezhny and Tatiana Tulubieva. The soloists and choir of “Helikon-Opera” and orchestra of “Opera de Massy” took part in the show. The roles were performed by Alexey Tikhomirov (the King of Clubs), Vasily Efimov and Dmitry Ponomare (Prince), Larisa Kostiuk (Princess Clarisse), Andrey Vylegzhanin (Leandro), Vadim Zaplechny (Truffaldino), Alexander Miminoshwili (Pantalone), Dmitry Skorikov (Tchelio), Elena Mikhailenko (Fata Morgana), Alexandra Kovalevich (Linetta), Marina Kalinina (Nikoletta), Anna Grechishkina (Ninetta), Alexey Dedov (The Cook), Mikhail Davydov (Herald), Ekaterina Oblezova (Smeraldina), Ilya Ilin (Master of Ceremonies).
On the 28th of November “Kalinka-Opera” was successfully played in Longjumeau.
It is the 9th time, when “Helikon” arrives to Paris. In 2000 Dmitry Bertman showed his version of “Carmen” on stage of the famous theatre on Champs-Élysée. The same year “The Queen of Spades” was shown in Opera de Massy. In 2003 “Falstaff” was shown there, and soloists of “Helikon” participated in charity concert of Gorbachev’s Fund in Chateau de Forge. In the end of 2004 the scale project of joint production of “Nabucco” by G. Verdi by “Helikon-Opera”, “Opera de Massy” and “Opera de Dijon” was realized. Helikon didn’t have the possibility to play such kind of performances in Moscow, and project of restoration of the theatre’s building was only in the process of endorsement. Valery Gergiev saved the performance, taking it for rent for Mariinsky theatre. In 2007 Helikon played “Boris Godunov” by M. P. Moussorgsky (D. D. Shostakovich edition) and “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” by D. D. Shostakovich on stage of Opera de Massy. In 2008 “Aida” and “Vec Makropoulos” were shown there.
Another Helikon’s arrival became the big cultural event in Paris – the representatives of leading mass media, business and political elite are visiting the performances. The most pleasant thing was to see monsieur Claude Blanchemaison, ex-ambassador of France to Russia and nowadays diplomat of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France. A long year warm friendship connects him and Helikon.
On the 4th and 5th of December French spectators will see "Rasputin" opera by modern American composer Jay Reise. In 2008 this production aroused wide spectators interest to Rasputin’s figure and this period of Russian history in society and media. The Russian maestro Konstantin Tchudovsky is going to conduct orchestra of “Opera de Massy”. Helikon-Opera’s tour is held in the context of cultural program of the Year of Russia in France.
While “Helikon-Opera” artists gladden French spectators with their art, the passions around restoration of Helikon’s main building in Bolshaya Nikitskaya in Moscow are roaring.
The materials about this issue can be found at “Helikon-Opera” website at “Future of the theatre section”: http://helikon.ru/tree/?lang=rus&id=225.