"Pokrovsky baptising" concert in "Helikon-opera"
19.01.2012
"Pokrovsky baptising"
On the 23rd of January the whole world is celebrating 100th anniversary since birth of great Russian opera stage director Boris Pokrovsky.
B. A. Pokrovsky had been a principal stage director of Bolshoi theatre for more than 20 years. He staged more than 180 performances all over the world, 40 from which were on stage of the main theatre of our country. Boris Pokrovsky is the People's Artist of Russia, a laureate of Stalin's prize, the order of Lenin, the order of Labour Red Flag, laureate of Russian and international state prizes and orders, pedagogue, author of more than 9 books and art monographs.
Boris Alexandrovich was standing at the origins of "Helikon-opera" theatre. It was namely upon his request that "Helikon" received status of Moscow state theatre in 1993.
Artistic Director of Helikon-opera Dmitry Bertman and Boris Pokrovsky were not only teacher and student, but also they were friends. Boris Alexandrovich has always been a permanent spectator and a tutor. The whole troupe gathered after performances and rehearsals, visited by Pokrovsky. He analized work, giving wise advice, criticising and approving. He personally knew many Helikon's artists, whom he had worked with in other theatres.
Pokrovsky's last open letter, in which he supported the reconstruction of "Helikon-opera" building in Bolshaya Nikitskaya, was published in "Izvestia" newspaper. Besides his words of support, Pokrovsky said: "As it is impossible to imagine Russia without Bolshoi, it is impossible to imagine Moscow without Helikon-opera".
On the 19th of January friends, colleagues and relatives of Boris Alexandrovich gathered in the hall of Moscow musical theatre "Helikon-opera". Among them were his wife Irina Maslennikova with her daughter Maria Lemesheva, his daughter Alla Pokrovskaya, his son ALexander Pokrovsky, his grandchild Mikhail Efimov with his family, colleagues and devotees Karina Melik-Pashaeva, George Ansimov, Alexander Voroshilo, Vladimir Redkin, Alexey Maslennikov, Yuri Vedeneev, Nikolay Tsiskaridze, Andrey Petrov and Grigory Spektor, Olga Ivanova and Oleg Mikhailov from Pokrovsky Chamber theatre.