National Opera’s foreign concert routes

Kyiv opera singers and ballet dancers touring Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and France present their premieres and major current year repertory. The Ukrainian National Opera’s ballet troupe was the first to conquer German theatergoers. Local critics praised its professionalism after the Ballet Stars Gala Concert, describing it as a “Ukrainian gift presented to the devotees of Terpsichore.” In the course of their tours they will perform popular ballets, including Minkus’s Don Quixote and Shostakovich’s Damsel and a Hooligan. On March 2 they received reinforcements: the orchestra conducted by Volodymyr Kozhukhar, the choir conducted by Lev Venedyktov, and soloists, so that now the company’s concert routes and posters will expand. In Switzerland, for example, the Kyiv troupe will perform Shostakovich’s legendary opera Katerina Izmailova staged by Iryna Molostova (the author regarded it as the best stage production), currently restored by Valentyna Reka with jealous care. It premiered in Kyiv, on February 21, but only few could watch it, because it was performed only once.

The leading parts were brilliantly played by Svitlana Dobronravova (Katerina), Oleksandr Vostriakov (Sergei), and Mykola Shopsha (Boris Timofeyevich). Katerina is one of Dobronravova’s most spectacular performances. During her long career the singer has returned to this image several times. She worked with Iryna Molostova when she worked on a new version of the opera. Five years ago destiny gave Svitlana Dobronravova with another fortunate creative opportunity, together with the famous musician Mstislav Rostropovich and Oscar-winning Argentinean stage director Sajio Renan, when working on the memorable rendition of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk for the Teatro Real of Madrid. After the premiere foreign journalists asked Dobronravova how she would compare Lady Macbeth and Katerina Izmailova. She said that she could justify Katerina as a woman, for she was so very much in love and wanted to be loved in return; blinded by her passion, she made sacrifices; but that she could not understand Lady Macbeth, prepared to shed others’ blood for the sake of wealth and power. This was met with an ovation, whereupon Dobronravova realized that her Katerina had been accepted by the audience. She then acted as Katerina in a number of countries. At present, Svitlana Dobronravova is considered one of the world’s best operatic singers capable of mastering Shostakovich’s most complex operatic part and achieving utmost dramatic identification.

Another novelty on the repertoire is Glazunov’s ballet, Raymonda. This romantic story is staged by the National Opera’s Artistic Director Viktor Yaremenko. The choreographer admits that Raymonda is his treasured production. Two decades ago he made his debut in the ballet as production as a dancer on the Kyiv stage, and in 1987 won the gold medal of the international contest in Japan (for his pas de deux). The current version of Raymonda commemorates Yaremenko’s professor, the prominent Ukrainian choreographer Anatoly Shekera. It is the Kyiv Opera’s fourth “reading” of the famous Marius Petipa’s classic ballet interpretation. Together with Yury Stanishevsky, Viktor Yaremenko substantially revised the libretto, making his production more dramatic, dynamic, and spectacular. Interesting impersonations were provided by Olena Filipyeva (Raymonda), Tetyana Borovyk (White Lady/The Ghost), Serhiy Sydorsky (Jean de Brienne), and Ihor Bulychov (Abderachman).

As requested by the concert tour organizers, the Ukrainian troupe, in addition to the new productions, will also appear with time-tested performances, such as Adam’s Giselle, Verdi’s Nabucco and La Traviata, and, of course, Prokofiev’s sparkling Love for Three Oranges. While our masters will be certainly win Danish, French, Swiss, and German music lovers’ hearts, their home stage will be occupied by guests from the Imperial Russian Ballet, there will be festivities marking the 190th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s birth, along with concerts by students of the School of Choreography and performances by the Kyiv Music Theater.