Stage director Nadezhda Stolbova, Valeria Besedina, Svyatoslav Besedin
What associations do we have with the word "composer"? Probably, first of all, famous portraits- Bach, Mozart in wigs, Tchaikovsky with a beard, Rakhmaninov, clean-shaven with the same short haircut, others ... and all are men. Ladies, as a rule, do not come to mind. There are quite a few popular performers own songs to the guitar, whose names are on posters and well-known, but they are not composers in the full sense of the word. A composer is a professional who must have not only a talent for composing, but also a conservatory diploma confirming knowledge of the laws of melody, harmony, orchestration, mastery of the technique of composition, writing scores, and much more. 
All this is in the arsenal of Valeria Besedina. She is beyond stereotypical associations - stately, bright, more like an opera soloist than her creator. This season, the famous Moscow composer celebrates various creative dates one after another. Theater lovers have long known her - the ballet "Shulamith" is still remembered by everyone who was at this performance in the musical theater named after Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko.
She was still a schoolgirl when 35 years ago she first performed in front of a large and very serious audience - at the plenum of the Union of Composers of the USSR. By that time, her "portfolio" consisted of several piano pieces and romances. To be shown at such an important event, Valeria chose "Voices of the Galaxy" for piano and vocal cycle"Step songs". The compositions and the author's bright performance made such an impression on a representative audience that musicologists announced the birth of a new talented composer and recommended the girl to continue her studies in this direction. 
Tikhon Khrennikov was at that time a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Valeria, of course, like everyone else in our country, knew by heart his melodies from the films “The Pig and the Shepherd,” Hussar ballad», the most popular song Moscow Windows, and was happy to find out that she was enrolled in his class. Khrennikov immediately saw in her not only talent, but also a kindred spirit of a melodist, and called her one of the greatest joys in pedagogical work: “She composes music, the basis of which is a beautiful melody and human feelings and it touches the heart and brings the love of the listeners. She has an extraordinary artistic talent - she herself masterfully plays the piano and sings superbly, creating vivid images". He did not honor every student with such a high mark both for writing and for performing arts. And Besedina still confirms her reputation as an excellent pianist at her concerts. 
Having taken off from the conservatory "nest", the "chick" immediately flew high - this is already a serious author, performed in the House of Composers and the Great Hall of the Conservatory. In the same year, a performance with her music "Leader of the Redskins" was staged at the Gogol Drama Theater, which did not leave the stage for twenty-three seasons. The works of Valeria Besedina began to be recorded in the funds State House sound recordings, performed on the radio, including radio programs on foreign languages. The responses of foreign listeners showed that her music, so Russian in its deepest essence, is close and understandable to people all over the world.
The following year after the premiere of "The Leader of the Redskins" - namely, 25 years ago - Valeria consolidated her status "officially" by joining the Union of Composers of Russia. And a month later she was born best work- so she calls her son and considers his anniversary also her important creative date. And not only by the fact of birth, but also because Svyatoslav Besedin is a graduate of Gitis, a singer, actor, poet and librettist - a colleague in art, literary author and performer of many of her compositions. 
A few years later, Valeria Besedina met with artistic director ballet of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater by choreographer Dmitry Bryantsev - by the way, under rather funny circumstances. He had long nurtured the idea of a ballet on biblical story about King Solomon and his young lover Shulamith and searched for a composer for a long time. Rejecting a myriad of records contemporary authors, he finally settled on one: “Bring me this man, I’ve already seen half a ballet here!”. The "muzhik" got a call and agreed to meet at the theater with the director of the ballet. On the same day, Valeria also came to him. Bryantsev said that he was very busy - the composer was about to come about the new ballet, and if she had urgent business with him, then she would have to wait. The conductor, laughing, could hardly pronounce that she was "the same man."
Alexander Zhilenkov - pianist Nadezhda Stolbova - director
Sofia Selezneva - Goddaughter folk voice,
Valeria Besedina - composer
Natalya Melnik - Princess,
Evgenia Segenyuk - Catherine II
Artem Garnov - Alexey
People's Artist of the USSR Vladislav Piavko - Chancellor.
A merrily beginning acquaintance turned into a serious fruitful cooperation and the creation of a wonderful performance "Shulamith" - this is the next date in our story - 20 years from the date of the premiere. Besedina in the highest degree inherent sense of the theater, especially dance. “I appreciate the “visible sound” and embody it in theatrical fantasies,” she says. No wonder Shulamith ran for seven sold-out seasons—a huge success for a young author. The performance is also notable for the fact that for the first time a singer participates in the ballet. “Bryantsev felt the music very subtly and was flexible in his work,” recalls Valeria. - “We worked in his office - he told, and I improvised. On the move, she portrayed the song of Sulamith - the choreographer accepted the innovation with great enthusiasm, and the song entered the ballet. ”Enriching the score with a vocal line, Besedina attracted opera soloists to participate in the ballet - Sulamith's vocals were performed by prima donna Khibla Gerzmava. The audience discovered new beautiful ballet music, and Dmitry Bryantsev found his composer and soon worked with her on the next performance, The Circus Has Arrived. 15 years ago, the premiere of this merry performance for children took place, which, unfortunately, became the last in the life of the choreographer - a year and a half later he was killed.
By the way the children's theme is widely and artistically weighty represented in the composer's work, it is clear that she attaches great importance to it. Ballets, musicals, music for theatrical performances, she writes songs, following her own credo: “For children, it is necessary to compose in an accessible way, but not primitively, beautifully, but not cloyingly, figuratively, but not with clichés.” AT recent times in the Moscow Philharmonic is becoming more and more popular the new kind musical and stage action - cycles for children "Tales with an Orchestra", and Valeria did not stand aside. The Tales of Charles Perrault from this cycle were first performed in the Tchaikovsky Hall by the actor Alexander Oleshko and the Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of conductor Igor Manasherov. And a year later, they were repeated for an encore at the Philharmonic-2 (Rakhmaninov Hall) - and again a stunning success, a festive atmosphere, the delight of children and the smiles of the orchestra artists during the performance. 
The theme of dates is continued by "El mundo de GOYA" - "The World of Goya". 10 years ago, the premiere of this ballet in the choreography of Konstantin Uralsky took place at the Chelyabinsk Glinka Theater at the opening of the Ekaterina Maximova Ballet Festival. The work reflects the most tragic period of the artist's life, his suffering, visions - love and betrayal, the court of the Inquisition, revived "Caprichos". In the colorful score, exuberant rhythms are replaced by subtle unhurried lyrics, and the vocal component, which has already become a tradition in Besedina's ballets, plays the main role in the Inquisition scene, when the Gregorian singing of the choir temporarily replaces the dance. For this work, Besedina and Uralsky received the title of laureates of the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture, and Valeria became the first composer to receive this award. Subsequently, the author's one-act version, staged by Irina Lazareva, was staged in Moscow, and "splendid music with a Spanish flair", in the words of Vladislav Piavko, again made people talk about themselves.
And, finally, the smallest figure, but an incredibly significant date: 5 years ago, the opera “The Changeling” was released in Krasnoyarsk to a libretto by Svyatoslav Besedin about an adventurer who pretended to be the daughter of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, later known as Princess Tarakanova. By order of Catherine II, she was taken to the Peter and Paul Fortress and died of consumption six months later. But thanks famous painting K.D. Flavitsky "Princess Tarakanova" in the people's memory, the legend of the terrible death of a young woman during a flood that flooded the casemate, where she was imprisoned, was entrenched. This plot became the basis of Besedina's opera, which united history and legend.
Scenes from the opera The Changeling at the Novaya Opera: Ekaterina - Yevgenia Segenyuk, Count Orlov - Artem Garnov. Even according to the concert version with an orchestra and choir, it became clear that a new Russian historical opera was born, which grew out of the roots of the great classics, primarily Mussorgsky, and imperiously declared itself with intonational solidity, proximity to the emotional melody of speech, richness of orchestral colors, the power of conception and embodiment. . This, of course, is not only cultural, but also social. significant event especially in our time. In a deeply patriotic work, the image of an outstanding woman is clearly revealed. , born in Germany and became the great Russian Empress.
Scenes from the opera were later shown in Moscow, first at the House of Composers, and this season - in the mirror foyer of the Novaya Opera theater staged by Nadezhda Stolbova with a guest from Bolshoi Theater Evgeny Segenyuk (Ekaterina). Besedina showed her timbre fantasy here too - she introduced the folk voice into the opera. (Sofya Seleznyova as Goddaughter) and the ringing of the bell. Placed in the foyer at the initiative of Yevgeny Kolobov, real - not orchestral - bells cast in the Urals have never sounded before, and for the first time their voices were heard by those who came to Besedina's opera. The intense dramaturgy of the work requires outstanding skill and great energy return from the performers. Confrontation of two strong women fighting for the Russian throne, heats up to the limit, but the forces are not equal, and the ending is tragic. The final Lullaby - the Princess's lament for the unborn child, who must die with her, begins to the sound of a lonely bell Peter and Paul Fortress and shakes the audience to the core.
Valeria Besedina is a rare genre and style wagon: tragic opera and cheerful children's ballet, instrumental concerts and jazz, spiritual concert and rock opera. The first children's compositions were the fugue and the song, since then instrumental, vocal, academic and pop works have gone hand in hand in her work. The product of this bright versatility is the Impromptu Heart CD album, which is being prepared for release: over four dozen songs, ballads, monologues and other compositions in all styles performed by singer Svyatoslav Besedin and the author.
Olga Novikova
Photo from the archive of Valeria Besedina
Valeria Besedina was born in ancient city Lviv, where houses with fabulous turrets, exquisite weather vanes on the roofs, and in the most beautiful, old park - Swan Lake. Maybe that's why, more than anything in the world, the little girl loved the sounds of nature and hometown play on the piano. In her improvisations, any fantastic plot came to life.
One day, as a student of a special music school, Valeria came to Moscow for the holidays and showed her compositions to an outstanding musician, Professor Tikhon Nikolaevich Khrennikov, who immediately took her to his class.
The girl grew up, became a composer, but the fairy tale remained. Moreover, she knows how to give her fairy tales to people. Valeria is able to translate her thoughts and feelings into sounds. And with the notes she has a secret collusion. They lie in wait and pursue her everywhere. So, and only so - from a voice from above - ballets were born "Shulamith" and "The circus has arrived!" (on the facade musical theater them. K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko - huge posters of these ballets staged People's Artist Russia Dmitry Bryantsev), "Goya" and "Viy", operas "The Changeling" and "Fire Maiden", adventure musical "Virtual Masquerade" (in Moscow drama theater named after Yermolova), naughty "The leader of the Redskins" and romantic "Mistress Metelitsa" (at the Moscow Drama Theatre. N.V. Gogol), spiritual concerto for choir on Old Slavic texts "Dedication to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker", virtuoso instrumental sonatas and wonderful suites for various ensembles.
And at the turn of the century-millennium, Valeria sounded a musical drama "Swan Camp" to the verses of M. Tsvetaeva. As if Marina Ivanovna led her hand. Miracles were performed in the composer's house: either the light of a table lamp turned on by itself, or someone invisible struck the keys of the piano, then in the middle of the night, contrary to all the laws of physics, a volume of Tsvetaeva's poems fell from the shelf and opened on that page, on those lines that Valeria searched so painfully.
There are many mysteries in the life and music of Besedina. At the age of 19, she had a wonderful dream: a ballet "Goya"- the composer had only to record the vision on music paper. It was then that she struck the conservatory professors with the beauty of the melodies and the exact feeling of the passionate Spanish flavor. And recently in the Ural city of Chelyabinsk at the Opera and Ballet Theater. MI Glinka premiered this ballet. Already in the intermission, a line of spectators lined up for the composer's autograph - such a vivid impression was made on everyone by the music.
Works by V. Besedina in the repertoire of great musicians. But she herself brilliantly owns the piano, sings, orchestrates, arranges her compositions, improvises on any topic in front of an enchanted audience. It combines the gift of a composer and performer, intellect and artistry. Her opuses are published and heard not only in Russia, but also at prestigious international festivals peace. They do not need translations, because they are written from pure heart! After all, the soul of Valeria was born winged. And she creates for people, so that music makes them inspired!
Olga Samsonova ( magazine "Planet Beauty")
Feedback on creativity
Valeria Besedina is a composer, a creator who subtly feels the world of sounds, she exists in this world extremely organically. Valeria is naturally endowed with the gift of poetic inspiration. How talentedly she wrote a musical cycle to the verses of Marina Tsvetaeva! There is something about it that is different from anything else. An amazing fusion of music and words; it is very rare when you do not understand what is the fundamental principle - the word or the music. Spirituality - distinguishing feature V. Besedina. Her soul burns with creative tirelessness, liveliness, emotional richness and, at the same time, modesty inherent in real Artists. I would like the good that Valeria brings to people to be accepted with gratitude. Besedina's talent is worth it!
People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Vasiliev
Valeria Besedina is my student, one of my greatest joys in teaching. She composes music based on a beautiful melody, human feelings, and it touches the heart and brings the love of the listeners. She has an extraordinary artistic talent - she herself plays the piano virtuoso and sings superbly, creating vivid images. Artistry is characteristic of her in everything: in music, and in her performance, and in communication with the listener, which makes a simply magical impression on the audience. When an outstanding versatile talent, a charming appearance, professionalism, colossal diligence and brilliant results (the work of this talent) are combined in a creator, then this is doubly a success!
People's Artist of the USSR, professor Tikhon Khrennikov
As an actor, I'm used to living in anticipation of a miracle...
One thing has already happened "Swan Camp".
I believe that you and I will still experience the happiness of working together.
Thank you for keeping me waiting.
Create and remember - I'm there.
Honored Artist of Russia,
artist of cinema and theater named after Mossovet
Valery Yaremenko
I have been connected with Valeria Besedina for many years. creative cooperation and just human friendship. If I briefly describe the main thing in Besedina's music, I would name a bright individual handwriting - (literally from the first bars you recognize the composer), sculptural outline of images, depth and expression. She is also the owner of a unique gift of an improviser. Momentary impressions from the paintings, immediately presented by the audience of poems come to life in the romances, songs, preludes that have just been born on the stage. Thanks to this, the veil of the mystery of creativity opens up to the public.
People's Artist of Russia,
them. P.I. Tchaikovsky
Anatoly Skobelev
In the multicolor score of the ballet "Goya" two figurative spheres are in single combat: a hurricane bacchanalia of rhythms and refined, virginally fragile lyrics. Besedina created in academic genre the work is quite democratic, where the brightness of the figurative contrasts of modern musical language masterfully combined with the traditions of romantic ballet, and the relief of the emotional beginning is enhanced by the introduction of the choir in the scene of the Inquisition.
Professor at the Moscow Conservatory
them. P.I. Tchaikovsky
Elena Dolinskaya
The impression that Besedina's music makes on the listener can be characterized by a simple phrase: from heart to heart. It sounds trite, but with respect to Valeria, this is not a truism, but a statement of a flattering fact for the author: her music has such a degree of sincerity that it instantly evokes a response from the most different layers public. Just lovers will enjoy the beauty of melodies - sentimental without tearfulness and bright without tinsel. Experts, in addition to the melodic gift, will note the brightness of figurative and intonational contrasts, the skillful use of dance and vocal genres, juicy orchestration and knowledge of the nature of ballet.
Svetlana Naborshchikova ( "Line", June 2007)
Valeria Besedina"The soul was born winged..."
Marina Tsvetaeva
"Valery Besedina is a musician, a creator who feels the world of sounds very subtly, she exists in this world as organically as possible. She is one of the people naturally endowed with the gift of poetic inspiration," this is how world ballet star Vladimir Vasiliev characterizes the young Moscow composer.
- Valeria, your name is well known to professionals, because your sonatas, symphonies, concertos are in the repertoire of outstanding musicians - laureates international competitions, professors of the Moscow Conservatory, People's and Honored Artists of Russia. Your music is heard at prestigious festivals and forums in Russia, Germany, Korea... You graduated with honors from the faculty of composition and postgraduate studies at the Moscow Conservatory under the famous Tikhon Khrennikov... For a long time you have been a member of the Union of Composers of Russia. On the façade of the Musical Theater named after K.S.Stanislavsky and V.I.Nemirovich-Danchenko, a huge poster of your ballet - Shulamith staged by People's Artist of Russia Dmitry Bryantsev attracts attention. The play is in its fifth season. And in the Drama Theater named after N.V. Gogol, with constant success, young spectators have been applauding the cheerful musical western "The Leader of the Redskins" with your music for ten years already. And in New York, the star of Soviet cinema, Elena Solovey, plays in the drama "Isadora and Sergey" of the Russian-American theater "Wandering Stars". You are still so young and have already managed to create so many works!
- Indeed, I am not always identified with my music.
- You have worked a lot in the symphonic, chamber, choral genres. Usually, "academic" composers do not compose rock music, musicals, ballads, and are not fond of arranging on synthesizers.
- Even at the age of 9, I composed a fugue and a song on the same day, and it just so happened that I work in parallel genres: academic and pop. I especially appreciate the "visible sound" and embody it in theatrical fantasies.
- Yes, your songs-scenes, monologues, like mini-performances, are permeated with a single dramaturgy. When I first heard the musical drama "Swan Camp" on the verses of Marina Tsvetaeva, it was as if I became a participant in the events of those distant years so your music figuratively connected the past and the present. And how did this cycle of ballads come about?
- I really like literature Silver Age". The greatest echo in my soul was found by the poetry of Marina Tsvetaeva - "Under one cloak", "Nailed", "Don Juan". It was the 80s ... Once at my concert I met Andrei Borisovich Trukhachev - the son of Anastasia Ivanovna Tsvetaeva , a little later he introduced me to his mother. unforgettable meeting! In a small apartment in the center of Moscow, with extraordinary excitement on a huge, old piano, I performed my monologues on the verses of M. Tsvetaeva for the one who was History itself ... What a pity that it was not possible to record it on video. Anastasia Ivanovna, after listening to my compositions, kissed me, saying: "Baby, Marina herself dictates to you! Write! And don't be afraid of anything!" But the voices of Marina and Anastasia were so similar that their father confused them ... And that evening, 95-year-old Anastasia Ivanovna recited the poems of her great sister for a long time! The most dear to my heart books in my home library are the gifts of A.I. Tsvetaeva, with very kind and warm wishes, and I received the last one a few months before her death: "God forbid you, who are alive today!..."
And at the turn of the century-millennium, I heard the musical drama "Swan Camp". I was even scared to write it. I felt that the meaning is relevant even now. And Marina Ivanovna seemed to be leading my hand. I realized that today it is necessary to convey to people this undeservedly little-known cycle.
(On the concert venues Moscow and other cities, the author's evenings of V. Besedina gather viewers who have not only been following her for years creative growth but also those who discover her music for the first time. And Valeria always amazes the audience with her talent and performance skills. It combines the gift of a composer and performer, intellect and artistry. At her concerts, V. Besedina performs not only as a virtuoso pianist, but also sings).
- Is it a creative need to sing a ballad exactly the way you hear it?
- Yes, it's important to me. But I never call myself a singer. I am an artist, not just a composer. And I sing so that the listeners are emotionally accurately conveyed the meaning of the content. No wonder I invited drama theater artists for my disc "Swan Camp", but with good voices. For example, the wonderful actor Igor Kartashev witnessed the creation of ballads based on the verses of M. Tsvetaeva, since during this period we were completing work on most interesting project to the verses of Sergei Yesenin "Rough is given joy ...". Igor is an excellent melodist, and I put not only the skill of arranging, but also my soul into these songs. It so happened that these 2 discs were published in the same year.
- One of your latest works is an opera-ballet in the style of "rock" - "The Fiery Maiden". This is a work at the intersection of genres: on the one hand, modern rhythms, close in spirit to the young, on the other hand, melody - memorable, bright, which will excite people of a different age. What are your plans for this project?
- I wanted to record a disc, and even more I dream of making a theatrical production, especially since the whole creative group of young and talented artists is ready to start rehearsals today. People need positive emotions, kind, bright energy. Even if complex, tragic music sounds, but Faith and Hope are embedded in it, if it is created by the heart, with pure thoughts - such music, such art will be understood and felt. But this is also a colossal responsibility, so I have to work insanely hard to convey my idea, feelings, melody to the listener.
The film director conducted the conversation -
Vera Fedorchenko
AT Aleriya Besedina,
composerCompo-si-tor, pianist, improv-vi-for-tor, honored artist of the Russian Federation, lau-re-at of the prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture Tu-ry, Honored Worker of the Compo-zi-to-ditch Union of the Russian Federation. Born in a family of musicians, graduated from the Central Musical School at the Moscow State Con-ser-va-to-rii named after P.I. Chaikov-sko-go, Moscow con-ser-va-to-riyu (class of com-po-zi-tion T.N. Khrenni-ko-va, 1991) and postgraduate studies there.
Valeria Besedina is the author of seven ballets, among them Shulamith (1997), Circus pri-e-khal! (2002), the premier of which was in the Moscow aka-de-mi-che Musical Theater named after K.S. Stani-slav-sko-go and Vl.I. Nemiro-vi-cha-Danchen-ko, “El mundo de Goya” (Chelyabinsk, 2007), “Puss in Boots” (Krasno-yarsk and Chelyabinsk, 2010; Moscow, 2015, 2016), "Love and Passion" (Moscow Regional State Theater "Russian Ballet", Moscow, 2011); the operas The Self-Proclaimed (Krasno-yarsk, 2012), The Fiery Maiden; spirit-no-go concert “Dedication to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker” (Moscow, 2006; Rostov-on-Don, 2012); cycle-la on the verses of Marina Tsveta-e-howl "Swan camp"; as well as musicals, songs, sim-pho-no-che-sky and instrumental music.
In 2014 - 2016, the author's concerts of Valeria Besedina took place with the participation of artists of the State-stven-no-go aka-de-mi-che-sko-go of the Big theater of Russia, soloists of the National-no-go filar-mo-no-che-so-go orchestra of Russia and other vir-tu-o-call. In the Moscow State aka-de-mi-che-sky children's music theater named after N.I. Sats successfully passed the premiere of the ballet "Puss in Boots"; at the International Festival of Modern Music "Moscow Autumn" there were premiers of the historical choir three-lo -gii “Echo of the Empire” and the philosophical cycle “For the Faith!” based on Ekkle-zi-a-hundred, received high marks from the music of the kal-noy kri-ti-ki. Suite for a symphony-no-che-th-orchestra from the ballet "Goya" deserved a bla-go-dar-ny ovation of publics at the festival-va-le sovre -men-noy aka-de-mi-che-sky music "Compo-zi-to-ry Podmos-ko-vya"; chamber productions - in the Moscow International House of Music, in the Small Hall of the Moscow State Con-ser-va-to- ria and in other prestigious concert halls in Russia. There was also a com-po-zi-tor-sky debut on the pro-glorious stage of the Concert Hall named after P.I. -no-che-sky orchestra in the cycle "Tales with an orchestra" performed a suite based on the tales of Charles Perrault.
The productions of Valeria Besedina entered the repertoire of many famous musicians, they are successfully published, performed as in Russia , and abroad. Now the com-po-zi-tor is completing the recording of the al-bo-ma “Impromptu-you of the heart”, which will include more than 40 songs, a ball-mode and romance-owls in various styles, from rock to jazz.
As part of the Epiphany festival-va-la theater New Opera presents a chamber version of the opera by V. Besedina "The Changeling" on the lib-ret something of the Holy Glory of Besedin, the plot of which is based on real events of Russian history during the time of Catherine II.
