On May 28th, on 3rd and 4th of June in the Big hall of the Astrakhan state theatre of opera and ballet will take place the world premiere of the ballet "ANDREY RUBLYOV". The world premiere is a huge cultural event, it means that this work was not performed nowhere in the world yet. It is a great honor to become the first-ever! Especially for the Astrakhan Theatre was written the ballet in two acts which main theme are spiritual searches and a creative way of the most great Russian artist-icon, monk and Saint - Andrey Rublyov. The ideological orientation of Andrey Rublyov's creativity is indissoluble with the culture of the Renaissance in Russia. The ingenious icon-painting works that he created at turning points of the formation of the Russian state at the beginning of the way of finding the national self-identification by the Russian people.
The way of life of Andrey Rublyov always interested researchers of his biography. Historians of culture carefully study his creativity. Artists, cinematographers, writers, poets tried to decipher the mystery of the identity of the greatest master of the Moscow school of the iconography. The author of the idea and the libretto of the ballet "Andrey Rublyov" producing choreographer Konstantin Uralsky first-ever had decided to display a career of the artist who is torn through conventions of life to the tops of creation by dance language - the classic imaginative language of the planet.
This is very difficult and in some aspects revolutionary decision. The world choreographic imagery dictates the laws of reflection of reality, not based on literal conformity to the life and art material, but on the degree of fidelity to the metaphorical, poetic reflection of life. Therefore the way from the initial idea of the ballet performance was not rapid, and lasted more than 10 years.
Music for the ballet was written by Valery Kikta - the talented composer, professor of the Moscow conservatory, the author of many musical works about the greatness of Russia among them - the symphonic chronicle and the ballet "Vladimir Baptist". "Andrey Rublyov" became the twelfth ballet work of the composer. The main musical theme of the performance is a beautiful choral monologue. This is the second joint experience of the ballet and chorus for the Astrakhan theatre. Choral singing in combination with ballet choreography creates special lyricism of a performance and reflects the spirituality which filled Andrey Rublyov's image and it is the basis of all Russian culture! Through the vocal and orchestral score there passes theme of oppressed medieval Russia - severe and ascetic state. One of the choir performances has the name "Clouded chant".
In contrast to its enlightened and life-affirming sound plays executable women's voices "Chant Light ", symbolizing the awakening of the Russian land and its nature. Artists of the choir describ in celestial tones fresco theme of Andrei Rublev- the man who have God's gift. Sounding of voices a'capella has to make big emotional impact on the audience: the singing sounding after leaving of the Horde soldiers - cry women about their sons and husbands, strict choral singing of monks about the dead which can quite be ranked as a genre of sacred music.
The author of the scenographic decision of a performance is the art director Nikita Tkachuk who was invited from Chicago (USA). He has over 150 feature performances in Russia and America. For the ballet "Andrey Rublyov" he has thought up unusual decorations. On the stage will run the stream and not the imitation, but the real water. At the bottom of such streams the artists were finding multi-colored stones and rubbed them in powder for manufacture of paints. A stream is such as the reflection of promptly changing life of the Russian people. Water of a stream will assume the light of heaven and reject patches of light on scenery - white walls of the ancient temple on which there were frescos. The video content will turn the white planes into the running clouds in the sky, into mysterious play of light and shadow.
Rublyov lived during that period when the country was exhausted by the Tatar-Mongolian yoke, when it was torn apart by fratricidal conflicts, an arbitrariness reigned, and cruelty was norm of life. The ingenious artist wrote the icons with light and love that his sublime painting inspired people for the pursuit of a different life, gave faith in the possibility of peace, harmony and love. It was time of origin of the Russian culture embodying beauty of the person and his moral force.
The Astrakhan theatre of opera and ballet gives to all audience the WORLD PREMIERE"ANDREY RUBLYOV" as continuation of an infinite conversation about the RUSSIAN SOUL.
