“Tuktamysheva’s issue talked about man’s relationship with life and death”
— There was a lot of drama, a lot of gloom bias in the showbiz tournament this year. Why do you think this happened?
— There was absolutely no special work, there was only one task – a subject based on some materials of Russian art. Actually, Evgeny Semenenko, for example, wanted something fun, he had a few ideas, he wanted it to be festive. But it seems to me that the general atmosphere played a role. It’s probably a not-so-joyful moment in world history in every way, and you can feel it. And since freedom was given by only one chosen direction, of course everything turned out the way the person felt.
When Lisa chose this poem, I said to her: “Did you listen to the end? Are you happy with everything? And he said: “This impressed me.” Skaters are independent people, they have their own views on life and they skate whatever resonates.
— Is the previously given issue still freedom? Isn’t it a limitation?
– It’s hard here. I think for skaters this could be a limitation, but for me the only difficulty was the choice of music, and we still came across Chopin (according to the rules of the “Russian Challenge”, the basis of musical accompaniment should be the music of Russia; the performance should reflect the cultural traditions of the countries. – “socialbites.ca “). When we realized we were drifting away from the mission, we coordinated Chopin separately. There was an option to change this to Rachmaninov in the vocalized, instrumental-only version, which Zhenya Medvedeva later shifted to.
— What image did Lisa embody: Marina Tsvetaeva herself, an abstract creator, or did you include something else in this production?
— Initially, Lisa was the one who was impressed by what she heard. Once they started creating a visual image, I realized I wanted to make it more solid. That’s why this dress appeared – there was a request: “Make it almost an evening dress, make it feminine and with a very neat hairstyle.” This was done to make Lisa different, more mature, more serious and more tragic. Lisa’s figure skating look is different, to say the least (smiles). It seems to me that it was to his advantage that he appeared here in a new role for himself.
We did not have the task: “You are Tsvetaeva” the task was: “You are a creative person, you create, you are an artist.”
Figure skating, like ballet, can provide a wide perception: someone read it as Liza, someone as Tsvetaeva, someone as an abstract creator, and this did not spoil anyone’s impression. We are talking about a person and his relationship with life and death.
“There was a complete epic with the lighthouse”
— Lanterns have an important place in production. Lisa told me that shortly before the tournament, force majeure arose regarding these accessories, what happened?
— This lantern was specially made in a single workshop in the shortest possible time. And actually when Lisa put a candle in it, it was supposed to shine like nine hundred candles. The idea was that he put this candle and thousands of people would shine from it and a general light would begin, but in the end this effect was achieved only with the help of projection.
We were already upset, but during the transition Alexey Nikolaevich (Mishin, Tuktamysheva’s coach. – socialbites.ca) calmed us down. When we realized that there was no technical possibility of lighting the lantern, no one was to blame for this, it just so happened and we started to slide without light, Alexey Nikolaevich said: “And it is so beautiful, everything is atmospheric and understandable, the lantern The idea is clear, neither of you should be upset.” And we exhaled.
There was a whole saga with the lantern – finding someone to do it quickly in three days, measuring everything – in St. Petersburg, where there are many theater workshops. It turned out to be a difficult task even in St. Petersburg conditions. But it will burn later, it will be completed as originally planned, it will be done remotely so that if Lisa wants to move this number somewhere, she can burn it.
— Did you expect this number to be well received by the tournament jury?
— Lisa intuitively feels which program will work and which will not. We had a conversation, I asked him: “What do you feel? What will happen?” He told me: “I don’t know what will happen, but I think you will like this figure.” Alexey Nikolaevich set a task before the tournament and said: “Friends, there is no task to win, there is a task to do it well and efficiently.”
Zhenya Semenenko’s room was well built, Lisa’s room was made up to the point that I deliberately “spoiled” her pen with which she wrote, looking for sheets of a certain color.
Little things are important, it’s all about the atmosphere, it may not be noticeable from the outside, but when you’re inside and have a pen with “lived life” in your hand, you feel different. I think that’s why he got fired up.
Was the room originally built? No, but it’s very well built and built for him. Lisa is very impressive, she has been through a lot on this path, so there is something to talk about.
I was very worried about this story when I saw Boris Yakovlevich (Eifman) in the jury. We didn’t know who would be on the jury. And in conclusion, when I had two bosses in the hall – Alexey Nikolaevich and Boris Yakovlevich, it was necessary to somehow provide a pleasant impression (smiles) to both.
— The number was criticized for being staged too quickly.
— Some works take years to complete, some are staged in two months. There is Lev Dodin’s magnificent play Uncle Vanya, which was staged in two months, this is nothing for theatre. It usually takes six months. The important thing is not how much time you physically devote to production, but how much work has been done before, how much you know about the material and how much research you need.
My first training was acting; Stage speaking was taught to us by Vladimir Vysotsky’s first wife, Iza Konstantinovna. He made a poetic cycle with us on the poetry of the Silver Age – poems by Tsvetaeva and Akhmatova, Gippius, Mandelstam, Yesenin, so I know the material by heart, it was studied. Chopin hits the viewer instantly, you don’t need to dive into it. Alisa Brunovna Freundlich, it seems to me, reads very accurately, emotionally and immediately enters the heart.
The routine was conceptually created in our minds before we took to the ice. Incorporating movements into this isn’t that big of a deal; It’s hard to come up with an idea and find brilliant means of expression to convey it to the audience.
Alexey Nikolaevich suggested starting writing at the table. And the picture took shape: He writes by candlelight, which then turns into a funeral candle.
There was a lot more preliminary practice than there was on the ice. We discussed the concept with Lisa, developed the arrangement of the music and cleaned up the tracks. There are options where a number can be choreographed in seven rehearsals, and it will not be as accurate as choreographed in two rehearsals. It all depends on the readiness for inner work, it was there and everything happened.
“I really don’t want Semenenko to feel this all his life.”
— Moving on to Zhenya Semenenko’s number, you noticed that he has ideas for funny numbers. Why did the Cranes win in the end?
— There was a brainstorming session, the four of us sat down – Alexey Nikolaevich, choreographer Nikita Mikhailov, Zhenya and I sorted out a bunch of music. They chose something, went to the ice, showed it to Alexey Nikolaevich, and he: “Let’s try “Cranes”. Moreover, Aida suggested the version fully realized by Hvorostovsky, which Garifullina later talked about. But Hvorostovsky had a thick and rich His baritone voice does not suit the thin, deep and young Zhenya Semenenko. That’s why Mark Bernes was there and it was a little difficult to perceive.
– This song was used more than once in figure skating – there was a number in the “Ice Age”, in the show by Evgeni Plushenko and in the show by Ilya Averbukh. Did you work on this layer to create something of your own, or did you set it up as is?
— When we realized that there would be “Cranes”, Nikita Mikhailov and Zhenya tried something on the ice and we started thinking about the concept. Out on the ice, Nikita and I sat in front of our phones, searching for all the performances. Nikita probably knows ice performances – maybe he watched them, we looked for clips, comments, different performances. We sat down and sketched ideas; Some of them he suggested, some of them I suggested, “let’s grow wings”, “let’s let the photos fly.” They didn’t fly in the end, but the issue came together from other ideas.
— Zhenya’s show was staged in a few days, just like Lisa’s show?
– There were several training sessions. I was a little lost because I was leaving, they started the scene with Nikita, then I came but Nikita was not there and somehow I helped Zhenya. Nikita basically did everything; periodically I approached them and asked: “Guys, how can I help you?”
— Wasn’t it scary to tackle such a difficult topic? It was very difficult to convey this accurately.
— Yes, it is not an easy task not to fall into pathos, “putting snot on ice”, banal clichés. When we started working, there was no such thought because Alexey Nikolaevich said: “It’s about good and evil, sometimes evil is so strong that it eliminates a lot of good.” He immediately formulated it. Another thing I was worried and told Zhenya: “I beg you, do not exaggerate, do not pass. “If you give more, it will be a lie, and the person in the theater on the jury will also read this lie,” he said.
There are very difficult things that need to be conveyed touchingly and preferably very individually. If Lisa’s story was made according to her, then Zhenya had a small “overcoat” on top and it was necessary to strengthen it somewhere, and in some places to straighten and tidy it up. He’s great; She did everything she could at that moment. You were supposed to feel it. To be honest, I don’t want Zhenya to ever feel this in his life, only on the ice, only on stage. She understood what needed to be done and tried to implement it honestly. You can always do better but she did a good job she.
— Before the theme of the tournament was announced, Zhenya had another idea that needed to be changed. Has the program already been staged and is there a chance for viewers to see the idea come to life?
— It was prepared in advance, but the fact that Zhenya said that he was not close to it also played a role. Although Alexei Nikolaevich and I strongly advised him to listen to this option (smiles). He almost immediately said it wasn’t his thing and he wouldn’t be comfortable with it. Something serious came up. Maybe next year he’ll mature and want to do it. The music has been arranged, the idea is ready and there is a possibility that we will implement it at some point.