Peter Morozov: "To become a personification of the epoch"
29.05.2014
Peter Morozov: "To become a personification of the epoch"
On June 24, 2014 Moscow musical theater "Helikon-opera" will present "Fallen from the Sky" performance, based on the opera "The Story of a Real Man" and "Alexander Nevsky" cantata by S. Prokofiev staged by People's Artist of Russia Dmitry Bertman on stage of "Novaya Opera” in the context of the festival "Garden Opera". We chatted with a soloist of the Moscow musical theater Helikon-opera Peter Morozov who plays young Alexey Meresyev in this production:
- The role of young Meresyev in this performance was my first job in Helikon- opera, perhaps, that was the main difficulty. New company, new director's requirements. You needed to understand the material, to embody it, to think about readability conceived for the viewer, all of this made me to work carefully and thoughtfully.
- In your opinion, which requires you to greater effort dramatic or vocal components of this performance?
- When we started to learn Meresyev role, we learned her completely and did not know how to share it between Alexey and young Alexey. But in the process of production it turned out that the main vocal load, the music volume falls on the role of the young Alexey. Therefore, I personally believe musical and vocal load to be predominant in my role. I must say that Sergei Prokofiev, with all its wealth of melody, harmony spices, colorful language - the vocal component is not an end in itself. His aesthetics of opera art is a strengthening of psychology after the literary text.
- What are the emotional and psychological tasks Dmitry Bertman confronts before you?
- My role in "Fallen from the sky" is a past life, the youth of hero. It is similar to the transfer time in contemporary movies. And Dmitry very boldly and originally embodied this technique here. For Bertman the past is not ephemeral, it doesn’t only exists in the memories of the old heroes, the past coexists in parallel to contemporary events, it lives its independent life. In the past there are dramas, conflicts, joys and intense expectations, there is a sense of impending tragedy, and at the same time there is a pure youthful love of a "Soviet" human. There are episodes in the play, where the present meets the past and the hero deals with his youth, as if he wants to find help or answer to what is happening in a nowadays life. Maybe he thinks it is that segment of the real life. Dmitry demanded to be realistic, truthful. It was necessary not just to portray the young "hero", but to become the personification of the era, to reincarnate to a man of the time.
Peter Morozov (in the middle) in "Fallen from the Sky" performance
- Are the problems of "Fallen from the Sky" relevant today?
- In 2005 when he released the premiere for the 60th anniversary of the Victory, the themes of heroes-veterans, social security, wrong attitude to such people and forgotten heroes was so topical that the show had social resonance. Today, I think the problem is no less relevant. But, unfortunately, there are very few such people left today, because the time goes. A policy for older heroes about the livability of their life, their well-being, health care has not changed. Caring for them is often replaced by pseudo-patriotic fervor. I would be very happy if this performance could somehow have a positive impact on the situation.
- What are the reviews of the play your fans and friends told you?
- Friends reviews of this performance were always highly enthusiastic. But the most valuable experience is coming from strangers. Coming out of the hall after the each performance they were all under a deep psychological impact of what they saw. It is worth noting the precise cast of actors for the relevant roles, and competently chosen sequence of numbers both from the opera and "Alexander Nevsky" cantata - all of this was the key to success with the public.
- What are your impressions from working with Dmitry Bertman? What you got in your personal baggage while working with him?
- I like the definition "in Helikon’s way", "Helikon people". Spirit of the theater is the most valuable thing that Dmitry gives us. In recent years this spirit has become a sign of quality, good mood, beautiful productions and concert events. And where I perform I often hear admiring reviews and even envious talks behind my back: " ... well , it's Helicon", "... as in Helikon" and so on . We understand that you cannot be boring on stage or to pass even the slightest phrase to be expressionless, you have to live through every thought... We need to bring the audience the full contents. “There are no small roles”, that's what we owe to creative communication with Dmitry Alexandrovich Bertman.
- A few words about your plans for the next season?
- In the next period of time I have the urge to sing a few more roles in the repertoire of "Helikon- Opera", but I will not say the titles yet. I also lead a concert activity outside the theater with different programs. One of them is this ancient Russian music. Today the music of Russian Baroque is a little-known to a domestic listener. I also hope to prepare another program, accompanied by folk instruments ensemble, dedicated to immigrants of the early twentieth century. There will be songs and romances from the repertoire of P. Leshchenko, I. Rebrov, B. Rubashkin, as well as Russian and Ukrainian folk songs.