Jean Christophe Maillot The Taming of the Shrew. Ballet by Jean-Christophe Maillot at the Bolshoi Theatre. Tickets for the ballet “The Taming of the Shrew”

This Shakespearean play, reformatted into a ballet, is included in the Bolshoi Theater repertoire for the second time. Apparently, the theater management associates with this name a certain forward movement, the beginning of a new era.

When The Taming, staged by John Cranko (with music by Dominico Scarlatti) was staged here in 1996, Bolshoi Ballet woke up to a new life after many years of rule by Yuri Grigorovich, who had just left his royal post. It’s funny that neither in 1996 nor in 2014 was there talk about a total rethinking of the choreographic language spoken by the troupe, while both then and now there was a pleasant breath of fresh wind. There was a change of generations, the young were eager to fight, they were ready to do anything to get a part in the premiere performance.

“The Taming” of Kranko brought forward Dmitry Belogolovtsev and Marianna Ryzhkina, “The Taming” of Mayo - Vladislav Lantratov, Ekaterina Krysanova, Olga Smirnova, Anna Tikhomirova, Artem Ovcharenko, Yanina Parienko, Artemy Belyakova.

They are already stars, but new roles take them to a new level.

It is symbolic that the Bolshoi artists, 20 years ago and now, have opened additional chakras of their talents through ballet that is conflictual, acutely dramatic, comic and sometimes even aggressive. Maybe through this theatrical aggression the artists are clearing themselves of what they have experienced over the past 2 seasons? Most likely, in 1996 it was the same thing - searching for oneself in changed conditions, when the “collapse of the ceiling” in the country reached the roof of the Bolshoi Theater.

It is believed that the very fact that Jean-Christophe Maillot came to the Bolshoi to perform an original production is incredible luck and luck, as well as the fruit of competent foreign policy artistic director of the ballet Sergei Filin. The latter is undoubtedly true, since two years ago Filin made a beautiful gesture - he invited the Monte Carlo Ballet to tour to the Bolshoi for the festival he organized [email protected](the French showed “Daphnis and Chloe”) and gave our artists to participate in “Swan Lake” in the scandalous production of Mayo. And Mayo, for whom the statuses and ranks of troupes have no meaning, but he knows how to appreciate artists, met Ekaterina Krysanova, who performed the main role in that edition of Swan Lake.

Filin hardly knew in advance how much Mayo would like Krysanova,

but when it came to talking about an original production for the Bolshoi, Mayo, who had previously refused to all theaters, gave deafening consent. Soon the name “The Taming of the Shrew” appeared, where in leading role Krysanova was supposed to shine.

The casting was difficult. Mayo is actually used to working with a team of like-minded people, with people whose body language he knows by heart (that’s why he creates all his performances in his company Ballet Monte Carlo), and here there is a line of prime ministers, premiers, first and leading soloists, ready for all.

They have their own logic. For example, someone did not participate in other premieres of the year and wanted to make up for it with the last ballet of the season, someone returned in excellent shape after an injury, someone is getting old and sees a new production as their last chance to be noticed.

But all these factors did not bother Mayo at all. He is not used to troupes that live by such calculations; he loves to look at the artist’s plasticity, look into his eyes and not see the past there.

Lantratov, who had not yet found himself in the vast repertoire of the Bolshoi, was quickly chosen for the role of Petruchio.

He is the ideal version of a person without a past: good technique, beautiful lines, interesting face, a little subtlety, a little brutality, unsuccessful roles in the ballets of Grigorovich and Cranko - and here he is, the hero of the Mayo ballet. You can start working with such an artist clean slate, and he will be happy to comply, because he is tired of missing hits.

Another cast included Maria Alexandrova and Denis Savin, a couple who became famous in 2003 in Poklitaru-Donellan’s Romeo and Juliet. Mayo worked with them warily, since he was dealing with people from a rich background. He didn’t like a lot of things, but ultimately Alexandrova’s hard work and obedience prevailed, and Maria embodied the cherished role on stage.

Bianca, Baptista’s “good” daughter, was very important to Mayo.

Through her, the modernist choreographer could speak in the language of pure classics. While creating ballets in Monte Carlo, he hardly used it, lying in deep passive form like school Latin and Greek. Olga Smirnova and Anastasia Stashkevich - wonderful classical ballerinas - made him speak a language that he considered dead in the current circumstances of his life.

Together with Mayo, a team of directors came to the Bolshoi. Bernice Coppieters, prima of the Monte Carlo Ballet and Mayo's muse, now works with him as a choreographer. Perhaps the confidence that Bernice would be there, even if not as a dancer, but as an assistant, forced Mayo to change her principles and stage a ballet with someone else’s troupe. Another important person is the set designer Ernest Pignon-Ernest, also known as a contemporary artist who creates street installations. Costume designer - Augustin Maillot, lighting designer, video projection author - Dominique Drillot and playwright - Jean Rouault.

This is such a “little France”, without which the premiere of the ballet “The Taming of the Shrew” would not have happened. It is interesting that Slava Samodurov formed a similar brigade, only British-German. Part of his style is McIlwain's transparent plastics and obedient fifth positions, which Vaganova graduate Klara Dovzhik guarantees to the artists.

A feature of Mayo's productions, by which we unmistakably recognize his “hand,” is a certain touch of glamor and chic.

It is felt everywhere - in the dance, costumes, design, and behavior of the characters. Jean-Christophe, not a glamorous person by nature, has been wearing this protective mask for a long time in order to adapt to the difficult environment of the mini-state of Monaco. His company is patronized and controlled by members of the princely family, and potential spectators of Mayo's ballets are bon vivants from all over the world, regulars of the famous casino and owners of luxury yachts. In addition, the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit passes through the city, and the Monte Carlo Rally takes place annually.

To abstract himself from all this, Mayo came up with a kind of “dress code” that makes him one of the strangers and does not interfere with his creativity. He composes quite serious philosophical ballets, psychologically filled, even sometimes with social significance, but hides these subtleties under a light veil of glamor: minimalistic white design scenes, gold inserts in character costumes, model hairstyles, posture. He doesn't allow it, even if we're talking about about Cinderella, so that external disharmony would creep into the sacristy of his theater. At the Bolshoi, all these conventions could have been discarded, but “the mask has already grown to the face.” Maillot definitely brings with her a slight cloud of glamor.

In Shakespeare's play, Jean-Christophe and his playwright Rouault were primarily interested in the characters, whom they divided depending on their disposition and character into types on the Theophrastus scale, describing the characteristics of each in the program.

And for each character, a style of behavior was invented, expressed in dance.

And the second idea is that each hero (character) is looking for his soul mate and, only having found it, becomes truly happy and harmonious. Couples are formed: the poetic Bianca and Lucentio, the grotesque Hortensio and the widow, the extravagant Gremio and the housekeeper.

The most complex ones are Petruchio and Katarina, they have more similarities than differences, according to the laws of physics they must do something, receive some new charge, grow, change, mature, so that they are automatically attracted to each other. The ballet is dedicated to the history of these two, unpredictable people.

The idea of ​​connecting “halves” is embodied in stage architecture.

Pignon-Ernest builds such a sliding structure, which when assembled is used as a staircase, a bridge, an arch, front doors to the living room, a portico of the cathedral (the newlyweds can come out of it), and when disassembled it figuratively hints that each part separately experiences a feeling inferiority.

The ballet begins interactively, when the audience has not yet taken their seats - an elegant lady with a cigarette holder and in a costume more suitable for a cabaret from Grigorovich’s “Golden Age” walks along the proscenium. This is the housekeeper, who was gracefully embodied on the first evening by Anna Tikhomirova, and on the second by Yanina Parienko.

It’s funny that parallels with the “Golden Age” and the second act of Neumeier’s “The Seagull” will arise more than once through Shostakovich’s music. Mayo used his film music (various songs, polkas, romances, couplets from the films “Counter”, “Alone”, “Hamlet”, “Pirogov”, “Gadfly”, “Sofya Perovskaya”, “Great Citizen”), fragments from musical comedies (“Walk around Moscow” and “Moscow-Cheryomushki”), partially symphonic works (Chamber Symphony, Ninth Symphony) and “Tahiti Trot” by Vincent Youmans (transcription for orchestra by D. Shostakovich, Op. 16). At the controls is Igor Dronov.

The housekeeper “accompanies” the audience to Baptista’s living room, where a rather unbridled ball is taking place among the strict geometric figures - dancers in black tutus roll gentlemen across the floor. Then the quiet Bianca appears, and all attention turns to her exquisite dance.

The role of Bianca Mayo was composed especially for Olga Smirnova

I saw features in the ballerina that we do not have time to see in her when she is intently dancing pure classics. In fact, when Olga is on pointe, she is so confident in herself that she does not need the support of a partner, but when playing the gentle Bianca, the cat girl, she is able to deftly portray vulnerability and fragility to correspond to the book's idea of the right woman. Bianca is wearing a crisp white turtleneck and a blue bell skirt.

Katarina appears in home clothes(in the grandiose performance of Maria Alexandrova, wrapped in a robe, it looks especially defiant), she is rude and hooligan (Ekaterina Krysanova is inimitable here), but that’s not all - she eventually throws off these clothes too, remaining in a swimsuit. They hardly force her to wear the rehearsal Chopin's tunic.

Petruchio comes to woo Katarina like a shepherd descending into the mountains - a sheep's skin hangs on him.

He introduces himself to those present, dancing a rough variation, which reminded connoisseurs of the ballet “Bolt” (Shostakovich) of the “crowbar” variation of Denis (the name of the hero in the ballet by Alexei Ratmansky), and to experienced balletomanes the dances of the Hooligan from Boyarsky’s ballet “The Young Lady and the Hooligan.” His young lady could be the touchy Bianca (when she was danced by the diminutive Anastasia Stashkevich on the second evening), if we continue to develop intra-ballet associations. It is clear that Mayo, with his glamorous approach, is far from these Soviet ballets, but the images themselves float along with Shostakovich’s music.

Mayo's signature style was evident in the inventive dances of Bianca's unlucky suitors and their soon-to-be new girlfriends.

Here is a regular at acid parties, the youthful playboy Gremio.

Denis Medvedev in this role looks more like the king of the club dance floor, and Vyacheslav Lopatin looks like a moth hunter. Both dance very precisely and musically. Hortensio (the wonderful Igor Tsvirko and Alexander Smolyaninov) radiates pathos - his majestic steps are clumsy, which does not at all bother this narcissistic gentleman. He will eventually find comfort with a rich widow (Yulia Grebenshchikova, Anna Balukova).

However, the choreographer only had enough real ingenuity for the first act,

where he paints Shakespearean characters with picturesque dance and shocks with the plot of the story, and the second act turned into a well-made drama with a minimum of dancing and originality. Moreover, half the load is carried by the designer and video director. Phallic flasks, symbolizing the dark forest through which Petruchio leads Katarina home, a plastic bed and a fireplace.

In general, the season ended with a very worthy premiere, in which the best part of the troupe was occupied. There are still casts that haven’t danced, which means there is a reason to go to the theater in the fall, when “The Taming” will be repeated. The line-up with Krysanova, Lantratov, Smirnova and Chudin (the first) is also irresistible - you have to see it more than once.

Photo by Mikhail Logvinov and Elena Fetisova

Instead of turning The Taming of the Shrew into practical guide according to Domostroy - how to pacify a disobedient wife - the play tells about the meeting of two incredible strong personalities, each of which eventually recognizes itself in the other. Cause they're uncontrollable, going against the grain social norms behavior - in the loneliness to which they are doomed among ordinary people, in the fact that not one of them has yet met his equal. These are two albatrosses among a flock of sparrows. Here we are talking about love beyond generally accepted norms. After all, Petruchio, who, it would seem, is attracted only by the fortune of Baptista’s future father-in-law, having entered into marriage, does not leave Katarina, but takes her with him, although he could have happily squandered her dowry. He is attracted to this woman. She is his true dowry, his true treasure. And after a series of tests, he is convinced that he was not mistaken in Katarina, she is exactly the woman who is commensurate with his immense personality. He wasn't wrong. And she was not mistaken. If she gives in to her husband’s demands, it is not because she considers him stronger, but because she recognizes herself in him. She plays at being submissive rather than actually submitting. And it doesn’t matter that the moon is now called the sun, the two lovers have their own celestial bodies. The wife's submission did not mislead Petruchio. However, for those around her - those who previously knew this woman as an out-and-out savage - the current codes of conduct in society are observed, and everyone can breathe a sigh of relief, because even the most daring are forced to come to terms with generally accepted rules. In fact, Katarina and Petruchio perform their special score with extraordinary harmony, and their masterfully staged number allows them to break out of the framework of ordinary ideas about lovers.

CHARACTERS

Baptista- a wealthy nobleman, father of Katarina and Bianca. Everything would be fine if the rules of that time did not require him to first marry off his eldest daughter, while all the potential suitors in the house were looking for the favor of his lovely youngest daughter. In fact, he cares little about the happiness of his daughters. He is interested in his sons-in-law. But it is the behavior of Katarina, the eldest daughter, that deprives him of hope of ever achieving his goal.

Katarina- has an excellent dowry that could seduce the most fastidious suitors, but in addition to it comes an obnoxious character that repels all possible suitors. Apparently, her harshness hides the contempt she feels for her sister's pale admirers. Nothing suits her. What is this - an acute form of misanthropy or a manifestation of excessive demands? She plays recklessly and riskily with her life.

Bianca- the youngest daughter, hostage to Katarina’s behavior. While her sister rejects possible suitors, Bianca will only look indifferently at the endless string of contenders for her hand and heart. This is cruel, because if her older sister is quarrelsome and obstinate, Bianca has everything. Everything to be considered an ideal match from the point of view of generally accepted norms: she has a rich dowry, she is charming, beautiful and has a gentle disposition. However, the elder sister does not care about this.

Gremio- a gentleman who would be well suited for the role of one of the lustful elders who spied on Susanna when she performed ablutions in her garden. The frantic Katarina could not become such a Susanna for Gremio; she would mercilessly drive away the uninvited spies. For Gremio, Susanna can only be the inexperienced Bianca. Age and repulsive appearance are not, according to Gremio, an obstacle to persistent courtship, and this once again confirms that a large fortune contributes to inflated self-esteem.

Hortensio- another admirer of Bianca. This is a dandy who cares only about himself and the rules of a respectable society. In a girl, he only looks for a mirror for his own reflection. The situation will be resolved by the complete opposite of Hortensio himself, a rude man named Petruchio, who is indifferent to the conventions accepted in society.

Lucentio- representative of the golden youth. He comes from a good family, is charming, seems to be educated. She and Bianca are made for each other, they are the same age, they belong to the same circle. Here it would be appropriate to recall the song of Juliette Greco: “Let's marry them, let's get them married, because they are so similar to each other.”1 No one would object. No one except Katarina.

Petruchio- a real monster. It is he who Hortensio considers capable of, if not capturing Katarina, then at least marrying her. According to Hortensio, Petruchio will not be picky. But he is mistaken, he still does not understand anything about the person whose friend he calls himself. There is no one more “fastidious” than this outwardly rude and indiscriminate man who agrees to meet Katarina. Petruchio finds that Katarina is quite commensurate with him. She is beyond the generally accepted conventions. Where it becomes clear that only monsters are not blind.

Grumio- servant of Petruchio; moderately cowardly, moderately obsequious. That's all he needs to do. An accomplice to his master's tricks.

Widow— apparently, not at all inconsolable. She has no intention of remaining a widow. However, when certain conditions: The second husband must be a person of her circle and have sufficient wealth. She will adapt to the rest. The widow quickly decides on Hortensio.

Housekeeper- believes that he has rights to the owner of the house, Baptista, ever since he has been running the household in this house. But he has only daughters in mind, therefore, judging that the house will soon be empty - after all, the girls will get married - she loses patience and agrees to accept the courtship of old man Gremio. This will provide her with a calm, comfortable old age, albeit without love, and will give her the opportunity to enter into that same high society, which is only so thanks to arrogance and money.

Part I

In the large house of a wealthy Baptist nobleman, the servants mock their master, taking advantage of his absence. They portray Baptista, a father unsuccessfully trying to marry off his eldest daughter, the frantic Catharina, and refusing the suitors of his youngest daughter, the holy-hearted, touchy Bianca. They must be patient. Baptista himself unexpectedly returns and abruptly stops the comedy being played out by the servants.

Meeting Baptista's two daughters. All eyes are focused on the youngest - the lovely Bianca; but no one and nothing can win the favor of the rebellious and daring Katharina, except, perhaps, her own father. Shrew - that's her.

Fans of Bianca's beauty flock to Baptista's house. There are three of them: old Gremio, foppish Hortensio and charming Lucentio. They flaunt their assets in front of the girl, trying to attract her attention. Of course, preference is given to the charming Lucentio. Yielding to the emerging feeling, Bianca dances a dreamy variation. However, the father must comply with generally accepted conventions. First, the eldest daughter must be married off. Before that, he will not accept a single marriage proposal from Bianca’s admirers. Baptista sends for his eldest daughter, he wants to introduce her to possible contenders in the hope that one of them will decide to propose to her, but Katarina’s behavior is not at all conducive to this. It is obvious that she is doing everything to scare off possible suitors. She clearly prefers the loneliness of her father's house to the comedy called marriage.

The question arises: how to get rid of such a savage? And then Hortensio remembers that he has a not particularly pretentious friend who wants to make a profitable marriage. He could marry the obstinate Katarina and thereby open the way to Bianca. Hortensio hurries to bring him to Baptista's house. The friend's name is Petruchio, he is as uncouth as Katarina is obstinate, but the prospect of getting rich thanks to the bride's dowry will force him to find attractive features in this repulsive woman.

Finally the savior appears. But where is his bride? The one that seems to breathe fire? Great, he'll take care of it! He is sure that he will seduce Katarina, he arranges a real marriage performance in front of her, in which every “turn from the gate” received from the bride only spurs his love fervor. Two monsters meet in a duel, in which Petruchio pretends to be a well-mannered man, capable of not noticing the outburst of anger of his chosen one, and Katarina, trying to discourage him, behaves more and more defiantly. Nevertheless, Petruchio is not alien to romantic feelings.

Perhaps love can bring sweetness and make a tender heart tremble? Katarina is almost ready to give in. Which, however, she immediately regards as an attack of her own weakness. But it is too late, she has already given herself away, and perhaps it is precisely for this secret reason, thanks to her awakened hope, that she agrees to accept the marriage proposal of this obliging rude man.

Katarina's consent opens the way for fans of the beautiful Bianca. Baptista tells them that the older sister is finally settled. Admirers are preparing to propose to Bianca.

Old man Gremio tries his luck first. Anticipating that his advanced age might become a hindrance, he brings Bianca a luxurious necklace that he would like to place around her neck. His efforts were not crowned with much success; the girl believes that even the most beautiful necklace is not worth the commitment that its donor craves. The scene takes place in front of the curious housekeeper, who soon risks losing her job. She is concerned about her future fate and does not want to miss out on Gremio, who has no chance of winning the affections of the lovely Bianca.

Then it’s Hortensio’s turn to veil. He has no need to bring gifts. His very presence is already a gift. However, Bianca is not impressed by his narcissism, she gives him a reserved reception, and a widow, a family friend, who is quite happy with this handsome man, enters the love scene.

Finally, Lucentio, who comes from a wealthy family, appears. His financial situation guarantees his father's favor, and the charm of youth guarantees his daughter's favor. As a confirmation of his love, Lucentio gives Bianca a collection of poems. The beauty has only to open the book to the page marked with a bookmark in order to make sure that her feelings for young man mutual. Their duet leaves no doubt about the feelings they have for each other. So, if everything works out properly with Katarina, this couple will also get married.

However, everything is not so simple. In vain Katarina waits for her fiancé - this rude man who managed to light a fire in her. She is tormented by rage, giving way to sadness and despair, she rages, rages and eventually gives up.

The celebration begins in honor of the engagement of two wild predators. Baptista tries to console the eldest daughter in the absence of the groom, while the others indulge in fun. Finally Grumio appears, whose unbridled behavior foreshadows an even more shameless prank of the owner. His owner is busier urgent matters, than marriage, he will appear in due time, when he gets drunk and eats to his fill.

Finally Petruchio appears, who has already begun to celebrate his own engagement. However, he is in no hurry to see his bride, and, it seems, in no hurry to conclude marriage. But since that's why he's here, he eventually decides to approach his future wife. Everyone is interested in what kind of gift he prepared for his bride. Petruchio takes out a necklace intended for Bianca from the case and puts it on Katarina’s neck. This is too much for the obstinate Katarina, and she gives her husband an angry slap in the face.

Those present are dumbfounded. This fool ruined the holiday with her intemperance, the groom turns away offended, barely restraining himself from hitting her back. It seems like he would really like this very much. Looks like it's over. Another groom ready to marry this fighting shrew will most likely not be found soon.

Petruchio wants to slap Katarina in the face and then leave, slamming the door, but suddenly changes his mind. This woman, he thinks, this woman with her intolerable character is an exact copy of myself, she was simply created for me. We just need to make her understand something. First of all, I can't be treated like that. He drags Katarina along in front of the horrified guests, who wonder if this game has gone too far. This does not bode well for the obstinate Katarina. However, the deed is done, the wedding took place. Music, dancing!

Part II

A strange honeymoon begins. On the way to Petruchio's house, the couple must pass through a frightening forest. Exhausted, barely able to stand on her feet, Katarina begs for mercy, she can hardly move forward, she needs to rest, take a breath. However, Petruchio does not want to hear anything; he seems ready to abandon her in the deep forest if she does not follow him. The frightened woman, who until now knew only the comfort of her father’s house, rises again and asks for a break, but all in vain. Her husband is adamant. During the journey, a small procession (the couple is accompanied by the omnipresent Grumio, who suddenly disappears to God knows where) is attacked by robbers; They surround Katarina and take the necklace from her. It seems that Petruchio does not heed the calls for help from his frightened wife. She will perfectly protect herself and herself - by at least, now is a great opportunity to check it out. This continues until Petruchio decides to intervene, he disperses the attackers, among whom is the servant Grumio, hiding under a mask. This lackey is a real scoundrel, which, however, is not surprising. And what about his master, is he also an accomplice? Was it he who organized the attack of the robbers to test Katarina? For now it remains a secret.

In the end, the travelers reach Petruchio’s home, which cannot be compared with Baptista’s house. Lonely, exhausted Katarina, seeing what awaits her now, plunges into despair. She faints. Petruchio, who was watching her, rushes to her, picks her up and carefully carries her to the bed, admiring the courage of this woman, admiring her daring beauty. Confident that Katarina is sleeping, he gives vent to his feelings, his tenderness and love passion. When Katarina comes to her senses, Petruchio quickly sits down on a bench at a distance and begins a strange game. It is clear that his home is not very comfortable, and that the owner is not rich, but still not to such an extent as to pretend that you are warming yourself by an imaginary fire! Katarina is intrigued, she approaches Petruchio and, making sure that there is no fireplace, wonders if her husband has gone crazy, warming his hands near an imaginary fire. Then she realizes that it's just a game. Fine. Of course there is a fireplace. She blows on the coals to make the fire burn. She even offers her husband tea. And although this tea is not real, unfortunately, the owner of the house did not like it, Petruchio spits it out. The couple continues to act out a performance in which they gradually get to know each other. The masks they wore for spectators were torn off. End of the war. Love struck them down on the spot.

The next morning, with the first rays of the sun entering the lovers' bedroom, a blissful awakening begins. The first calm morning of their lives. However, they won't be able to enjoy it for long. Grumio's servant appears with a letter. The couple will have to travel back to celebrate the wedding of Bianca and Lucentio. For Petruchio, this is an occasion to introduce the new Katarina to Baptista’s household.

Before leaving, Grumio returns the stolen necklace to the owner. Petruchio is surprised and scolds his servant. It is unclear whether his surprise is sincere or feigned. Katarina, suspecting something was wrong, becomes furious again, Petruchio pretends to be offended, another skirmish, followed by a happy reconciliation. The couple is getting ready to travel.

At Baptista's house, preparations are underway for the wedding of Bianca and Lucentio. Hortensio and the widow, Gremio and the housekeeper announce their relationships. Everyone remembers the stormy departure of the rebel lovers, everyone awaits with curiosity the return of the obstinate Katarina and her devilish husband.

Imagine everyone's surprise when Petruchio and Katarina appear. They are elegantly dressed and exemplarily polite: Petruchio demonstrates almost secular manners, Katarina - obvious humility. Everyone rejoices at this transformation and decides that the spouses have a beneficial effect on each other. The husband and wife so perfectly correspond to the ideas of a married couple in a respectable society that Catarina and Petruchio are even invited to a tea ceremony.