Ballet

Nicolai Boyarchikov

Ballet Company's Artistic Director of St. Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre

Nikolai Boyarchikov graduated from Leningrad Choreographic School (at present the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy) in 1954 and was admitted to Leningrad Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre (at present St. Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre).

In 1967 he graduated from the Ballet master Faculty of Leningrad Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory under the leadership of the professor Fedor Lopukhov, who founded the ballet company of former Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre and choreographed its first ballet performances.

From 1971 till 1977 N. Boyarchikov was Chief ballet master at Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre where he made the ballet productions such as "Romeo and Juliet", "Tsar Boris", "Three Cards" (based on Pushkin's "The Queen of Spades") by Prokofiev, "The Miraculous fMandarin" by Bartok.

In 1977 Nikolai Boyarchikov was appointed Chief ballet master of Leningrad Maly State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre (at present St.Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre). In 1990 he became Ballet's Artistic Director of the Mussorgsky Theatre. Keeping up Fedor Lopukhov's traditions, N. Boyarchikov is drawn to involved performances. Producing new ballets (moreover, he is almost ever an author of the scripts), the choreographer appeals to the masterpieces of Russian and world classical literature such as "Boris Godunov" by Pushkin, set to music by Prokofiev, "The Robbers" by Schiller, set to music by Minkov, "Macbeth" by Shakespeare, set to music by Kallosh, ancient Greek myth "Heracles", set to music by Martynov. Some Boyarchikov's choreographic works regard the Russian prose: the ballet "Placid Don" after Sholokhov's novel of the same name, set to music by Kalinichev, "The Marriage" after Gogol's novel of the same name, set to music by Zhurbin, and "Petersburg" after Andrei Bely's novel, set to music by Banevitch. N. Boyarchikov also made his version of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky and renewed "Swan Lake", "The Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky, "Le Corsaire" by Adam, "Don Quixote" by Minkus.

Nikolai Boyarchikov is People's Artist of Russia, State Prize winner of Russia, professor of St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1996 he was awarded the Order of Friendship.

Soloists

Regina Kuzmicheva, Honoured Artist of Russia	Irina Kirssanova

Irina Kosheleva	Tatiana Kurenkova	Julia Averotchkina	Alena Klotchkova

Oksana Kucheruk	Galina Laricheva	Elvira Khabibullina	Oksana Shestakova

Elena Sheshina	Victoria Shishkova	Natalia Ossipova	Olga Prygina	Olga Poryvko

Iury Petukhov, All-Union and International Competitions prize winner State Prize winner of Russia People's Artist of Russia	Kirill Miasnikov, Honoured Artist of Russia

	Rashid Mamin	Andrey Merkuriev	Roman Mikhalev	Kubat Boskunbaev

Andrey Bregvadze	Daniil Salimbaev	Vladislav Ilyin	Andrey Kuligin

Igor Soloviev	Denis Tolmachev	Dimitry Shadrukhin

Ballet dancers

History of ballet troupe

The ballet company was founded in 1933 as contemporary ballet troupe, having own original repertoire and singular style, by outstanding choreographer of 20th century, Fedor Lopukhov. He began with the productions of the comedian ballets such as "Harlequinade" by R. Drigo (1933), "Coppelia" by L Delibs (1934), "Clear Rill" by D. Shostakovitch (1935). By means of social comedy the choreographer formed universal eloquence using buffoonery, circus, operetta puppet show, taking off the old ballets salon aesthetism and introducing a mind of fresh spontaneity, peculiar to mass theatrical celebrations, into his productions. The company found a genre of modern comedy and effectively, courageously proved itself to be a troupe of new time and new audiences. The Harlequin, created by Lopukhov and performed by publuc's favourite Zubkovsky, entered in theatre's annals as an artistic symbol of the ballet company. Changing images, that symbol reflected a motion of epoch and art that never stopped in Malegot which in no way repeated what was already discovered. Particular and uncommon productions appeared here yearly. Every decade brought to Russian stage new names of choreographers, ballet masters. An atmosphere of artistic studio, where experiments and risk were admitted, promoted it. The first productions made by L. Lavrovsky, V. Varkovitsky, B. Fenster, P. Gussev, 0. Iordan, N. Anissifnova, K. Boyarsky, N. Boyarchikov, I. Chernyshov; N. Dolgushin, B. Eifman, G. Zamuel, A. Polubentsev, L. Lebedev, Iu. Petukhov etc. appeared here. Probably, the main company advantage is that it has gained exceedingly valuable experience of work with various choreographers and diverse choreographic styles Lavrovsky's lyrical dramatic ballets "Fadetta" and "The Caucasian Prisoner" turned up the programme choreodrama performances based on psychologically adjusted direction which caused exact outline of the characters' nature. Varkovitsky's ballet "The Tail of the Priest and His Farm-hand the Dolt" continued Lopukhov's and Feks's tradition of the "attractions' parade" with numerous tricks, dancing pots, samovars etc. what ever provoked a good laughter. Fenster's comedy and fairy-tale ballets such as "The Imaginary Fiance", "Jovial Deceiver", "Blue Danube", "The Doctor Aibolit" added one of the most interesting chapters to the history of ballet stage by means of thoroughly elaborated drama, new dance expressiveness and pantomime acting. "The Imaginary Fiance" and "The Youth", staged in cooperation with the composer M. Tchulaki, the designer T. Bruni, the conductor E. Kornblit, were awarded State and become the Malegot’s classics. In. the 1940s G. Kirillova,'S. Sheina, V. Tulubiev, N. Filippovsky, N. Mirimanova etc. moved forward as the first personalities. In the 1950s the productions arised even more frequently.

N. Anissimova staged the ballets "Willow" and "Sheherezade", V. Varkovitsky directed "Gavroche", L. Yakobson produced "Spanish Capriccio" and "Solweigh" where the choreodrama was enriched by dance symphonism, P. Gussev made colourful ballet "Seven Beauties" with S. Virsaladse's magnificent design. For the first time the theatre's program included the classical ballets such as "Le Corsaire" (revised by Gussev, 1955), "Paquita" (renewed by Boyarsky, 1957), "Swan Lake" (renewed by Lopukhov, 1958) that contributed to the ballet dancers' professional development. V. Stankevitch, L. Safronova, G. Pirozhnaya, M.Mazun, N. Mirimanova, V. Zimin, A. Khamzin, Iu. Litvinenko, Iu. Malakhov held a leading status in the company. The young dancers T. Borovikova, L. Morkovina, G. Pokryshkina manifested their improvement. Since 1959 within four seasons the troupe showed 16 new one-act ballets which brightened the company's repertoire. The ballet triptychs by Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Ravel, Shostakovitch and "Classical Symphony" by Prokofiev were staged. In the sixties the company took a priority position in regard to revive Fokin's ballets on Russian stage. Boyarsky renewed "Eros", "The Firebird" and "Petrushka". The latter remained in the repertoire and took up the torch from Harlequin. The ballets "Daphnis and Cloe", "The Waltz", "Bolero" by Ravel, produced for the first time in Russia by G. Davitashvily, were remarkable for exquisite style. A modern argument has begun to sound in Boyarsky's original production of the ballet "The Girl and Hooligan" by Shostakovitch. The talent dancers L. Klimova, L. Kamilova, V. Panov, N. Boyarchikov, A. Sidorov, G. Zamuel became the company's members.

In the sixties Malegot's ballet company was leaded by Belsky who supported choreographic symbolism. Witty "The Humpbacked Horse" by R. Shchedrin, philosophic "Eleventh Symphony" by Shostakovitch, dramatic, in Hoffmann's manner, "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky replenished the company's repertoire. Boyarchikov's ironical "Three Musketeers" and Chernyshov's ballet tragedy "Antony and Cleopatre", where A. Ossipenko and J. Markovsky starred with passion, appeared also under Belsky. In the late sixties N. Dolgushm became the company's classical dance star who had intellectual and noble performing manner. He also directed several new ballets such as "The Reflections" ("Hamlet"), "Mozartiana", "Romeo and Juliet" by Tchaikovsky and renewed classical "Giselle" and "Paquita". Zamuel showed his outstanding one-act ballets "Bravo, Figaro", "In Lautrec's style", "Don Giovanni, or Love for Geometry", "Pierro".

The troupe has been reinforced with technically strong, peculiar ballet dancers: T. Fesenko, L. Filina, A. Evdokimov, V. Ostrovsky.

From 1973 till 1977 O. Vinogradov was at the head of the troupe. He realized, conjointly with the director Iu. Liubimov, the production of the ballet "Yaroslavna" by B. Tishchenko where showed through historical theme a modern human's attempt to become aware of being. O. Vinogradov revised the ballets "Romeo and Juliet", "Cinderella" by Prokofiev and put in them a sharp modern grasp. He made new versions of "Coppelia" as well "La Fille mal gardee" which were distinguished by imagination and ingenuousness. At that time Eifman made his debut with stirring ballet "Gayaneh" by Khatchaturian, Polubentsev showed his amusing "The Tale of the Jester" by Prokofiev. For the first time in Russia, the classical ballets "La Sylphide" (1975) and "Flower Festival in Genzano" (1976) by the Dane A. Burnonvill were staged here.

Over the last twenty years Nikolay Boyarchikov leads the company. Under his guidance the troupe turned into efficient author's theatre that unexpectedly sharp expressed a paradox of modern consciousness and the ideas of spiritual and social life. Every Boyarchikov's performance is uncommon for ballet intellectual revelation, having new artistic structure and metaphorical expression that anticipate the public's awareness.

So the repertoire was enriched by original productions, formed on literary and mythological base, which give a many meanings interpretation of individual conflicts and epoch problems. "The Tsar Boris" (1978) has become one of the most significant performances of the seventies.

The rock-ballet "Orphee and Eurydice" by A.Zhurbin, where jazz, variety dance and acrobatics were used, appeared on the academic stage. The ballets "Heracles" by N.Martynov (1971), "The Robbers" by M.Minkov (1982), "Macbeth" by Sh.Kallosh (1984) treat the problems of evil in nature, society and man.

The ballet "The Marriage" (1987) continued a comedian performance tradition and brought back Lopukhov's "Harlequinade".

Boyarchikov's ballet productions made evident the talent of the singular dancers such as G. Sudakov, Iu. Petukhov, V. Adjamov, M. Kurshakova, R.Kusmicheva, A.Linnik, I.Soloviov, G.Abaidulov.

The choreodrama came back with “The Servant for Two Masters” and Boyarchikov's version of "Fadetta". The classical repertoire was replenished by "Esmeralda" and over the last period by "The Sleeping Beauty" as well "Don Quixote", unexpected for this stage. These ballets achieved here individual intonation and furthered the ballet dancers' technical and stylistic improvement. The company, as first in Russia, staged Balanchin's choreographic masterpieces "Serenade", "Theme and Variations", "Pas-de-deux" and "Apollo Musagetes"; showed J. Lemon's ballet "There is a Time for Everything", made in american modern dance style; produced the very Russian B. Nizhinska's ballet "Les Noces" (1995) which came back home from its emigration, making a world resonance.

As ever, the company's main tendency is a quest for new ideas, fresh choreographic imagery, original incarnation of dramatism on ballet stage.

The company toured all over the world, showing the productions in Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece, France, England, Norway, Australia, Latin America, Vietnam, Corea etc. The last decade is distinguished by yearly tours in Japan what is justly considered to be a long-term cooperation.