On the eve of a premiere: the performers’ view
With the premiere of a triple bill of one-act ballets by Ivan Vasiliev at the Hermitage Theatre around the corner, performers from the Mikhailovsky ballet company speak about the star dancer’s new role as a choreographer.
Irina Perren: “For some reason I am always cast in ballets about drug addiction — our theatre’s repertoire also includes Nacho Duato’s White Darkness. But Nacho treats the subject in an abstract way, whereas Ivan’s Morphine has a specific plot, a specific story, and specific characters. The performers’ main task is therefore to understand their characters, their torments and inner turmoil, their battles with themselves. Ivan and I have talked a great deal about my character’s image.
The subject covered in Blind Affair is equally topical. It is a very contemporary story about how people live their lives in the virtual world, often losing touch with reality. To a certain extent it is relevant to me too. I wouldn’t say that I have a dependency on social networks, but like anyone else, the virtual space occupies a certain place in my life.”
Alexander Omar: “Ivan Vasiliev’s ballets are based on classical dance. Ivan actually dances in a lot of classical ballets himself and I think his choreography will be comprehensible to any dancer from the Russian school. I am performing in Morphine and Blind Affair. I prefer the second of the two ballets, in which the storyline is transmitted through us, the dancers, and we bear responsibility for telling the entire sequence of events. In Morphine we are more like a corps de ballet. Blind Affair is generally the more comprehensible of the two, as these days the problem of gadgets is one that we are all familiar with. Anyone who travels on the metro will surely have noticed that everyone in the carriage is looking at their mobile phones, when previously they would have been deep in a book. There’s nothing wrong with that in itself, of course, but it can be harmful if you spend too much time staring at a screen. It’s like sweets — there’s nothing wrong with them either, but if you eat too many, your teeth will start to fall out.
It’s a bit nerve-racking in the build-up to a premiere, of course — that’s only normal. But I think it’s worse for Ivan, because he has all the responsibility. I don’t think these are the kinds of ballets which will leave everyone in raptures — opinions are likely to be divided, but either way, they are sure to generate a reaction. Of that I’m certain.”
Maria Dmitrienko: “I think Morphine is the most modern of the three ballets. It is fascinating to dance in one of Ivan’s productions and see how he creates it. After all, Ivan is incredibly experienced. He seems to have danced every ballet role many times over. Modern choreography tends towards minimalism — inner emotions are more important, and they are more interesting to dance. It’s a bit like a sound and light show, where colour is used to reflect a melody. Ivan has the ability to listen to music and hear nuances in it which are not always obvious to others.”
Sabina Yapparova: “There are always a few butterflies before a premiere. We want to do exactly what Ivan wants from us, to the best of our ability. Working with him is very comfortable and easy in every respect. That may be because there isn’t a big age-gap between us and we can relate to one another as equals. Ivan, of course, is no ordinary person — he’s a star, but you don’t feel any pressure during rehearsals. All that happens is that this person comes along and we create something together. He is very attentive to our ideas, which I like.
I am dancing in all three ballets, but Blind Affair has touched me more than the others. When Ivan explained the idea behind the ballet at one of our first meetings, I honestly thought it would be a difficult subject to show on stage, but during the first run-through I was moved to tears. I realized that he really could illuminate this problem in our society in just forty minutes. I covered my face with my mask right then and there and wept — it genuinely touched me.”
