Vladimir Kekhman to lead Novosibirsk Theatre

On 29 March, it was announced that the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Medinsky, is appointing Vladimir Kekhman to the position of General Director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Vladimir Kekhman said, “The plan is for me to direct both the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Mikhailovsky Theatre. The theatres have different governors, but the question of my joint directorship has been discussed and has received all of the relevant approvals. My central aim is to show that there can be effective collaboration between theatres at the federal and regional levels.

It is possible that we will see some changes in the way the Mikhailovsky Theatre is managed; a new General Director and deputy may be appointed, with me taking on the role of Artistic Director. Initially, however, it looks like I will have to work to a schedule of four days in Novosibirsk, three days in St. Petersburg.

We have put together an incredibly talented team at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, but I have no plans to make use of its resources in Novosibirsk. First of all, I want to get to know the situation there for myself. I have been very impressed by the staff at the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre whom I have already met. I aim to further this working relationship, in part by means of a general meeting of the team, set for 31 March.

The cultural institutions in the Siberian capital — the State Philharmonic Society, the State Conservatoire, the State Choreographic College, children’s music schools, and the theatre itself — offer huge potential for the region’s cultural life. I feel that the Novosibirsk Theatre can and should become a sort of bridge linking the entire ‘cultural infrastructure’ of Siberia, the Urals, and the Far East. And so I plan to start by reverting the theatre to its historic name: The Bolshoi Theatre of Siberia.”