Larisa Gergieva is a frequent guest at our Opera and Ballet Theatre. A legendary personality, no less famous than the “Chief Ossetian of the World” (this is not what we called it, it was the audience who elevated him to such a rank) is her brother Valery Gergiev. There is no special need to introduce him: conductor, musician, director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater, chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. But Larisa Abisalovna did not get lost in the shadow of her brother and entered her name into world culture. Pianist, opera director, artistic director of the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre. It is difficult to remember someone else who has done more for opera in Russia than she did.

Larisa Gergieva was born in Moldova, studied and worked in North Ossetia, received the title of People's Artist of Russia and Ukraine, and presented opera productions at all famous venues in the world. She is the person of the world. He travels all over the planet, carrying on his shoulders the love of opera and uniting continents, peoples and cities. Three years ago she was awarded the Order of Friendship - for her personal contribution to the development of friendly relations between peoples, merits in the development of world and national musical classics. Talking to her is like drinking from a spring. Calm, measured speech, deep voice, femininely soft, but at the same time internally strong, she carries such a love for the art of opera that there is confidence: while Larisa Abisalovna Gergieva is doing this, there is no need to fear for this genre.
God grant that this lasts as long as possible.

ELITE IS THE PRESENCE OF THE OPERA THEATER

- Larisa Abisalovna, you are coming to Yakutsk for the fifth time. Bring opera performers from your academy, hold master classes, audition our artists. Has anything changed since your first visit? Are there any progress or are we “frozen” in our Yakut opera school?
- I always come to your republic with pleasure, because I know that I will meet with interesting voices here. The voices are really rich in timbre, high-quality, real operatic in scale. I meet young people who want to succeed, burn, live by the opera, dream of becoming professionals. You have a large number of singers, voices that your theater is rich in.
And I would like to express such a wish: that, despite the difficult times, I would emphasize the situation in which we are in the country! - First of all, it was culture, when it is especially difficult for provincial theaters to survive, that they paid more attention to these young talented guys who do not look for an easy way, do not go to karaoke, to nightclubs, having a voice. I travel a lot around the country and face this all the time.
The elite culture of the city, republic, region is primarily determined by the presence of the opera house. It's the opera! - as the highest genre of art, in which many are united. It seems to me that having an opera house, the authorities need to make as much effort as possible so that it flourishes. So that young singers can go on internships, have the opportunity to receive advice, creative assistance from the highest rank of specialists. We are talking not only about specialists from St. Petersburg and Moscow, but also foreign coaches - masters of Italian, German, French styles, if you stage an opera in this language. The opportunity to invite not just native speakers, but people who are directly related to the art of opera will pay off handsomely in the future.
Now such a special word has appeared - coaches, that is, coaches and tutors, but of the highest class.

She interrupts herself, begins to speak rapidly:
- I am very worried that you will write my words of praise, and most importantly, omit it. And most importantly, they need help!
- Do not worry, we will voice not only praise ...
- Now the leadership of the Yakutia Opera House is making a lot of efforts to make your theater more famous in our country. There are several interesting, I would say, tempting offers to bring and show what you are rich in, in Moscow, in St. Petersburg - on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater, in Minsk. It's just wonderful! Your Andrey Savvich, a wonderful director (Borisov. - L.T.), staged the opera "Prince Igor". They talk about it as a stunning epic action. And now negotiations are underway to show it in the fall in St. Petersburg.
- But you understand that this is very large-scale and ...
- This is very large-scale, and we must take it lightly! We need to prepare for this, because the Mariinsky Theater is the greatest theater in Europe, and the very first Russian operas were first shown on this stage.
And if the tour of the opera "Prince Igor" is scheduled for the fall, then we need to start now, right now, to prepare very carefully: to nurture singers, polish the parts, do exercises, rehearse parts-movements, adjust and clean every intonation! I want to say that you are far from big cities, it is not easy to fly here, and therefore, it is not easy to take the team, costumes and scenery out. The preparation should be no less grandiose than the production itself. I really hope that the tour will be successful!

TATYANA LARINA CANNOT BE 50 YEARS OLD!

- You rush around the world like a rocket. Carry singers, work with artists, put on performances. You came to Yakutsk from Europe.
- Yes, I have just returned from Bulgaria, participated in the production of the opera "Eugene Onegin", was the musical director of an international project with the participation of Russian, Bulgarian, Chinese and Romanian singers. I must say that the interest in the Russian opera in the world is now greater than ever! I really want to know, listen, watch not only the operas that are staged in Moscow and St. Petersburg. I would like to see what people live in other cities. Such visits on tour allow not only the audience to get acquainted with the theaters of the regions, but also the actors to breathe fresh air and present their art. I want to say that among music lovers, connoisseurs of the opera genre, there is an opinion that Yakutia, like Buryatia, is rich in voices. And this is absolutely correct opinion.
But this is not enough! It is also necessary to show culture and artistry, not only professional performing skills. And this is a real school for young singers. It is very important for them not to stew in their own juice, to present themselves to as many viewers as possible, and this is what tours and creative business trips are for. Show your artists to the world!
- In addition to being a musician, accompanist, director, you are also an opera director...
Here Larisa Abisalovna begins to protest violently:
- Not the director, no!
- But you have a lot of opera productions! And what more! All the cream of the musical classics: Tales of Hoffmann, Iolanthe, The Snow Maiden, The Stone Guest, The Magic Flute, Trovatore, Carmen... Yes, I can enumerate until the evening. (Larisa Abisalovna condescendingly agrees - well, yes, they say, I bet). Tell me which one is your favorite? Your brainchild, your pride.
- (Laughs). I want to say this: that's what I'm doing at the moment - this is what I'm in love with. I am often invited to work at various global venues precisely as a specialist in Russian classics, Russian style. Just now in Sofia, for the thousandth time, I was carried away and fell in love with the opera Eugene Onegin. I think that this is one of the most brilliant Russian operas, and I am always just happy to work on it. I hope that fate will give me this opportunity more than once. I also love Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. Probably, for the creator it is ... as for a sculptor who sculpts a sculpture and cannot but love it, as for any creative person, what is important is what he is doing here and now.
- As for "here"...
- Maybe someday I will be able to do something on your stage, who knows!
- You have no idea how happy we would be! We are glad for each of your visits, you always bring amazing artists, but if you also stage a performance here, the audience will be in seventh heaven! And our singers too.
- To be honest, I didn’t even expect that you had such amazing guys. One “but”: many, in the presence of wonderful voices, lack finishing. It seems to me that it would be nice to strengthen the work of the vocal accompanists who prepare the parts. More wishes for the preparatory work, it determines the quality, the success of the performance depends on it. The concertmaster is now a dying profession. The pay is low, but the work is great! There is a lot of work, and I would like your accompanists to be supported: they were given the opportunity to travel to seminars, so that they could travel with vocalists to competitions, communicate with colleagues, grow to a world level. Most importantly, you have votes, trust me!
But there is a flip side to this coin: when a person with much more modest vocal abilities, thanks to support and hard work, achieves much greater success than his more talented colleague, you need to think about it. What's missing from a great voice? You don't have to be happy just because you have these treasures. They need to be cut, polished and placed in a decent frame.
- Any art changes, even classical. Have the requirements for opera performers changed?
- Undoubtedly. The viewer loves it when they sing "stylishly". Yes, the concept of style is multifaceted: a lot depends on how you know the traditions, how you present the part, what kind of charisma you have, what kind of artist you are. And another obligatory requirement for a young singer: you have to look very good! Gone are the days when a portly singer at the age of “well over forty” played the part of Juliet, and Romeo could be short, bald and with a belly. You need to take care of your appearance. Imagine 17-year-old Tatyana from Onegin. She can no longer be 50, she must be a young graceful girl, and the directors are very attentive to this now. So it is very difficult for young singers now.
- Everyone knows that you have a musical family, your brother Valery Gergiev is the pride of culture. Your husband, Hrayr Hrayrovich Khanedanyan, a well-known musician, artist and composer, opera singer, also works at the Mariinsky Theatre. How did you meet?
- Oh, yes, you all know! My husband and I met in Vladikavkaz, his father is an Armenian from the Turkish city of Trebizond. Hrayr's entire childhood and youth were spent in Lvov. He became a professional singer, came to Vladikavkaz to perform the opera Pagliacci, the main role of Canio, and since then we have been together for more than 40 years. Of course, it is not easy to live with a tenor-husband (laughs), but at the same time, such a creative union of like-minded people is becoming stronger. It is good because it combines common tasks, interests, and we had the opportunity to always be together, go on tour, prepare operas, parties. Now Grir teaches at the Academy of the Mariinsky Theater, at the Conservatory, he is very good at it. And today, in a concert on the stage of the Opera and Ballet Theater in Yakutsk, the guys with whom he worked will come out to sing (Performances took place on Wednesday and Thursday last week. - L.T.). I hope you enjoy the concert.
- Back to your family. Unlike you and your brother, little is known about your sister Svetlana...
- Oh, she helps us a lot, supports us in all endeavors! Svetlana is our younger sister, she does a lot for us, she has a big family, three sons. And her youngest son, Zaurbek Gugkaev, is a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre. He is still very young, but he has already made his debut abroad in the opera Eugene Onegin, a very talented, subtle musician. I am very glad that he went on our path, let him comprehend this profession to the end. I hope someday he will come to perform on your stage.
- Our audience is always looking forward to the arrival of the Mariinsky!

Interview

If we talk about unique people in creative professions, then the first lines will be the name of Larisa Gergieva - a brilliant pianist, teacher from God, an outstanding figure in the field of culture, the owner of an incredibly charismatic and charming nature. She is the artistic director of the Academy of Young Opera Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre, the best concertmaster in the world according to the BBC, and the organizer of several vocal competitions and art festivals. Finally, she is a representative of a world-famous dynasty: but we deliberately put this fact not in the first row. After all, everything that Larisa Abisalovna Gergieva has achieved in life is the merit of her character, talent, and moral principles. 2017 is a doubly jubilee year for her, she celebrates half a century of creative activity. In the February days, concerts were held in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where the best pupils of her school performed in her honor. And we asked Larisa Abisalovna about her deeds, aspirations, and views.

Evgenia KRIVITSKA

– When the idea of ​​creating the Academy of Young Opera Singers was born in 1998, what were its objectives?
– Creating the Academy, we first of all wanted to educate a galaxy of young singers, good professionals who understand the aesthetics of the Mariinsky Theater, who are in demand primarily in it. We selected 20 people from all over our country. It was a bright set, suffice it to name such artists as Nadezhda Serdyuk, Daniil Shtoda, Larisa Yudina.
We have been working very intensively with this and the following sets. The guys have become really in demand, but not only in our theater, now their names are known abroad. Where they just did not sing. I would like to name Ilya Bannik, Anya Kiknadze, Eduard Tsanga, Alexei Tanovitsky, Dmitry Voropaev, Oksana Shilova. Now they are the leading soloists of the theater, they sing a lot, go on tour. I am glad that at one time I spent a lot of energy together with fellow teachers of the Academy. We tried to pay attention to the fact that the individuality of each was preserved and developed. Do not cut them all with the same brush.
Unlike the current academicians, they were not so busy in the current repertoire, but instead we prepared various programs, parties, went to concerts - to London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, New York, all important concert venues were open to us.

- The Academy will soon celebrate its anniversary, what have you managed to achieve over the years?
– The Academy will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2018. A lot of guys passed through my hands. Of course, not all of them remained at the Mariinsky Theatre: only as a result of constant, daily, painstaking work, after some time, you realize that this or that person will not take root in our theater. But my main task is to grow a good professional. Over the years, if you look at the composition of the Mariinsky Theater, many academicians have joined it. Many of them have become famous singers, in addition to those who have already been named, these are Vika Yastrebova and Sergey Semishkur, many of them sing on the world's leading stages, perform in the title, important roles and are in demand in the theater. I would also like to name Varvara Solovieva, Sasha and Natalya Timchenko, Andrei Popov, Alexei Markov, Vladimir Moroz, Vladislav Sulimsky, Viktor Korotich, Pavel Shmulevich, Yuri Vorobyov, Mikhail Kolelishvili, Anna Makarova, Lyudmila Dudinova, Irma Gigolashvili. All names are dear to me.
Many became winners of international competitions during their stay at the Academy. Scored a wonderful concert and opera repertoire. Now they are already independent, but still they are with me: they deal with their problems, come, take lessons, consult, study. I love them and to this day I participate in their creative life.
Every year we continue to recruit guys, we see the future and give them a chance. At the same time, now the Academy works differently than in other theaters - now it is actually a young theater troupe. No theater in the world gives singers such chances as the Mariinsky. Look at the titles of the operas we are making at the Mariinsky Concert Hall. These are Italian, French, Russian names. At the same time we put on chamber operas. As we call them - small operas for adults and children - this is, of course, modern material.

- Over the past two seasons, a whole clip of operas for kids has come out!
- Yes, we now have an amazing children's repertoire. With what pleasure the youngest part of the Academy is engaged in it! This is a wonderful school, our singers are growing on this material. They work with great directors. And the performances are so perfected, so interestingly done that they are in great demand among the children's audience.

– Do academy graduates and academicians work together a lot?
Actually, they shouldn't be shared. Often, for example, if some kind of opera provides for the presence of age or simply older characters, of course, first of all, I invite my former pupils. They sing with pleasure. We are doing this kind of work together. For example, Massenet's Cinderella has just passed. The main part was wonderfully performed by a girl with a wonderful voice - Anzhelika Minasova, who just recently came to us, in the spring. And next to her, the very experienced, talented Anna Kiknadze sang her stepmother. One of my favorite students. And also Olya Pudova. In "Siberia" Giordano has the most difficult tenor part, and I invited an experienced singer Ahmed Agadi, who sang it brilliantly.
We also have an ensemble of soloists from the Academy. It is big, more than 80 people. There, the guys get the opportunity to learn ensemble singing, and at the same time, this is our choir. We call it an ensemble of soloists. While it is too early for them to sing solo parts, they work there. And the theater supports them financially very well. It is important!
I would like to emphasize that Valery Abisalovich Gergiev conducts many performances of academicians – a huge creative experience for young guys.

– How does Valery Abisalovich influence your activity?
“We agree with him. But the main thing is that he gives a chance to young people. This year we have absolutely amazing opportunities. The guys grow by leaps and bounds and sing. These are Puccini's Swallow, Napravnik's Dubrovsky, and Dzerzhinsky's Grigory Melekhov, Massenet's Werther, Lucretia Borgia, Rossini's The Thieving Magpie...

– Please tell us about the Soviet operas in the repertoire of the Mariinsky Theater.
– In two seasons, we have resurrected a whole layer of forgotten Soviet operas. Many of them are well known to me. Even in my youth, I participated in their productions. One of my favorites is The Dawns Here Are Quiet. It was interesting for me to hear a number of titles performed live. Such as "Gadfly", "Quiet Don", "Storm". It's all very interesting. And I think that very many of them are worthy of a big stage. Not all, but this work is of great importance, it is our history, and young people should know it. The guys ask a lot of questions, read books, try to understand that time and the events that took place then. We need to continue this work, and we should have the most interesting titles, at least in concert performance.

– Do you have grandiose work ahead of you with the theater in Vladikavkaz, which is becoming a branch of the Mariinsky Theatre?
– Yes, this topic is very relevant, there is a solution. It is too early to talk about how the theater model will change. But it really becomes a branch of the Mariinsky. It is very difficult for regional theaters to survive, there are absolutely no means of staging. Spectators also do not have the opportunity to buy tickets at an expensive price. I think this is a very noble decision. Thanks for this to the Mariinsky Theatre. I hope that the life of the Vladikavkaz theater will become much easier. I can't say that Vladikavkaz was sleeping, waiting for help, and did nothing. Everyone knows that very interesting events are taking place on the stage of the Vladikavkaz Theater, in which our Mariinsky youth have always participated with pleasure. Our festivals with the participation of stars also arouse great interest in the entire region of the North Caucasus.

– Are you talking about the festival “Visiting Larisa Gergieva”?
- Yes, and now, I hope, it will be much easier for me to do it. I also want to say that Vladikavkaz has always been a good starting point for many young players. You could sing "Carmen", "Onegin". And then, feeling more confident, sing it in St. Petersburg. Vladikavkaz has a very interesting repertoire policy. Despite great poverty. In recent years, the local authorities have hardly helped the theater, they simply could not. Nevertheless, there were people who supported us, and we did interesting productions. Such as "Fedora" by Giordano, "Agrippina" by Handel, operas that are not shown anywhere in Russia.
The last major work last season was "Demon". And now I hope that the Mariinsky Theater will expand our possibilities. We can bet more. Probably, there will be no such difficulties with inviting artists. And the audience goes very well. In general, the theater has become the center of cultural and musical life in the North Caucasus. People come to us with pleasure from Kabarda, from Dagestan, from South Ossetia, from Mineralnye Vody and nearby cities.
They just come and book tickets. In Vladikavkaz, we also pay great attention to the children's repertoire. The theater travels around the republic and every month holds about 20-25 events - these are concerts, and performances, and visiting ones, and on the home stage. I have an amazing team. Of course, it is understaffed. But still, every year it is replenished with new young names. I am glad about this, because the theater needs to be updated. The youth should work side by side with the masters of the stage and learn a lot from them. Very interesting guys came to our troupe after the competition, which took place in the fall. The theater itself is very cozy, especially the hall with 650 seats. The scene is prayerful.

– Among your projects is the Rimsky-Korsakov festival in Tikhvin. Last year, we covered the Tenth Anniversary Vocal Competition held as part of the festival. What are you planning next time?
- I would like to show in Tikhvin, in the homeland of Rimsky-Korsakov, his opera. I wanted to increase the scale of this festival. This year there were 5 cities in the region. Maybe next time the festival will cover more cities: we are met everywhere with great attention, the halls are always full. This time we brought children's works to Tikhvin and Gatchina. And we will continue to develop in this direction. I would like to acquaint the public with the new names of performers. During the last festival, a lot of Rimsky-Korsakov's music was performed. The competition was attended by representatives of 16 countries. It's great, because this is how we draw attention to the music of this composer.

- Do you travel a lot with master classes?
– It’s not so important for me to go somewhere abroad, although I didn’t give master classes anywhere: in all European capitals, in America, in Japan, in China. But even in recent years, it has been more interesting for me to conduct master classes in our country. There is a festival during which I travel a lot and listen to young guys. I invite the most promising, talented people to our Academy. But the master class is not only to listen, select, invite, but to give someone valuable advice on the repertoire, role.

– What are your impressions of the master class at the Bolshoi Theatre?
– It was interesting for me to come to the Bolshoi Theatre, this is our first experience. Among the pupils of the Youth Opera Program there are bright voices. Everyone worked with great dedication. I suggested my favorite topic - the composers of the Mighty Handful. The master class was then crowned with two concerts in the Beethoven Hall. I hope that they have taken out a lot of useful things for themselves. Of course, this is a completely different theater, a completely different aesthetics. But we do not have to be the same, use the same methodology and repertoire.

Do you feel the need to share your experience?
– For the last 25 years I have been working with young people. It's so exciting and gives me a lot myself. I really want to help you get a good career. I like talented guys who not only have a good voice, data, perspectives, but also fanatically love voice, vocals, opera, theater. You can not only study with them, but talk a lot. They sometimes express very curious thoughts. It is interesting to look at many well-known things through the prism of their judgments.

- Does your school have its own peculiarities?
– Of course, Moscow and St. Petersburg are different schools. But how they teach at the Bolshoi, I can’t say, I didn’t sit in the lessons. The result is important. The group of guys that was given to me for work is motivated to take a worthy place in this theater. They put a lot of effort: they go to everything, listen, and are friendly in communication. It seemed to me that there was a good atmosphere. We talked a lot with Dmitry Vdovin, with whom we are old friends, including about meeting more often and exchanging experiences.

– Why did you, as an accompanist, turn your interest towards an ensemble with vocalists?
– I have always enjoyed performing in an ensemble with singers. I love the voice and I think it's a gift from God. Those who are around the singers, who can influence their growth, career, so that they can take place, must definitely tune in to this. If I am a vocal accompanist, then I must love and serve this idea very much. In order for the vocalist to open up, to decide correctly on the repertoire. I have said more than once that the role of an accompanist is not just the role of a person who performs in an ensemble. Often this is a psychologist, and a coach, and a doctor, and a friend. The kind of rock that a young singer can lean on.
I think that I was born for this, with such a mission. I am proud that I have brought up about 200 laureates, but in general the number of my vocal students is several hundred. I always try to pay attention first of all to their individuality, to what they do best - to the strong, to the good. And I'm pretty good at it. I am also always surprised when people ask me why I chose this profession. Because she is beautiful. Probably, until the very last moment of your life, you can study, comprehend the secrets of the accompanist. And I like to understand the voice, I like to do something with it, I like to see the fruits of my work, whether it's an opera stage or a concert stage. There is no scene where I would not perform. But I am especially proud of the concerts at Carnegie Hall and La Scala.

– At the Mariinsky Theatre, you also began to hold a competition for young opera directors. Tell us how it goes, what are your impressions of the participants?
- The idea turned out to be extremely successful. Those young directors who were selected staged the performances they proposed. They are all different, with their own wonderful inventions. I don't want to single out one person. But I like working with the young director Mstislav Pentkovsky. We made "Brundibar" with him in Vladikavkaz, received the Onegin National Prize for it. There was a real creative process. Then we made The Diary of Anne Frank with him. Completely unexpected solutions were proposed, and the production became an event. I like Alexey Smirnov - an inquisitive graduate of GITIS with a broad outlook. I think he has serious professional prospects. We have just staged Britten's The Little Chimney Sweep, directed by Vasily Zarzhetsky, who has his own personal style. But the main thing is that the ideas are fascinating, that there is fantasy, that the director understands what a voice is.
I am glad that these guys took their first independent steps on the opera stage at our Mariinsky Theater in children's and chamber operas.

What is your ideal opera director?
- I like it when there is fantasy, but not crazy. Of course, we all admire the productions of Franco Zeffirelli. It attracts when a director works in an opera like Nikita Mikhalkov, Andron Konchalovsky, because their approach is closely connected with music. For them, this is not an extraneous layer, not a background. When we work with the young, we are waiting for the new Zeffirelli. I am glad that the Mariinsky Theater also allows us to do this work. I am for those directors who draw ideas from music.

– Can I have a quick poll? What is your main character trait?
- Kindness.

What virtues do you value the most?
I prefer good people, not bad people. In general, I like calm people, those who are friendly to others. Anything that starts with the word good. If these are vocalists, then I like those who have a steady character, who devote all their strength to becoming successful, who understand what they want to achieve in life.

What is your current state of mind?
– On the rise: after all, every 5-6 days there is a premiere, a new name, academicians work with such dedication, speed. It's so interesting, so cool. Often with assistants we leave the theater well after midnight. Yesterday I left here at half past one in a completely broken state. And in the morning you have to be back at work. When you sit in the hall and see how your pupils sing, it is such a satisfaction. I want to start doing something again right after the premiere.

- What is happiness for you?
- Happiness - when you serve, doing the thing that you love most in life. These are not big words. You come home from the theatre, and thoughts about it do not leave you. You think about what to do tomorrow, how to make the work on the work a success. The performers are young, it is important not to make a mistake here. It is necessary to distribute the roles correctly, to attract the right style specialists. Of course, the most important thing is to find opportunities for the work itself. I love the rough, preparatory stage. You always want to do your best, but there is not always enough time. I hope that I still have time, because there are many plans.
The next season is just terrible in scope, in scale, but very, very interesting. If you find happiness in your profession, your work, then there may be very little time left to communicate with friends and acquaintances. You are barely enough for some of your tours, for holding festivals, competitions, to Vladikavkaz, for the main work with the guys.
I am happy that this year marks the 50th anniversary of my creative activity. I gave my first concert with a singer when I was 15 years old. Over the years, she played so many programs, learned so much, heard so many voices, was able to admire the outstanding professional qualities of those colleagues with whom she had to perform. There are examples of unusually friendly people and professionals of the highest level, for example, Placido Domingo. He has incredible charisma and such benevolence emanates from him that this should be taken as an example. I believe that happiness also comes from making the right choice in life.
Finally, I want to say that, loving my profession and finding happiness in it, I am worried that today there are few young pianists who want to be accompanists. I have wonderful students, whom I try to instill this love for opera, for voice, for vocals. They work for me at the Academy. There are some very talented guys. I would like to have as many of them as possible.

Valery Gergiev is a unique example of how art can become business and business can become art. On the Day of Russia, the maestro received the third State Prize from the hands of the President - for outstanding achievements in the field of humanitarian work. Gergiev immediately, without departing from Putin, said that he did not connect the award with the "liberation" (together with the cellist Roldugin) concert in Palmyra.

It's really not about Syria. And not in the "premium" 5 million rubles (a drop in the ocean of capital of the conductor, who earned in 2015, as follows from his declaration, 130 million rubles). Gergiev is one of those few people close to Putin who are sincerely welcome all over the world. Gergiev is a genius conducting an ordinary toothpick. And he is wise and cunning in the Eastern way. And he knows how to capitalize on his own talent.

Employed the whole family

For 20 years Valery Abisalovich has been Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Since then, the conductor has employed almost all of his Ossetian relatives, acquired high-ranking friends, children (three were born in the current marriage. - Auth.) And everyday chores. As the musician himself noted, "I had to learn how to negotiate - with sponsors and the state."

Gergiev's biggest headache was the construction of the concert hall of the Mariinsky Theater (its director is the husband of Maestro Svetlana Gergieva's younger sister, Tamerlan Gugkaev. The elder sister, Larisa Gergieva, runs the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre) and the long-suffering Second Stage. Mariinka-2, born with an incredible creak (architects and contractors changed more than once), cost the budget 22 billion rubles. Auditors of the Accounts Chamber only gasped at the double excess of the original estimate. Petersburgers, including the connoisseur Piotrovsky, gasped after them: how could so much money be spent on such "ugliness"?! For what Alexey Kudrin Without blinking an eye, he announced the allocation of an additional $25 million for the theatre's maintenance: "Even after I left the Ministry of Finance, it continued to support the Mariinsky Theatre."

Hermitage, do not envy! There are things more valuable than money. For example, friendship. The newly approached Kudrin is a great friend of Gergiev. Like German Gref. They are co-chairs of the Board of Trustees of the Mariinsky Theater and always, regardless of their positions, support the Valery Gergiev Charitable Foundation. The one from which, in 2009-2010, its director Igor Zotov and his accomplice Kazbek Lakuti, according to investigators, stole 245 million rubles. Zotov stated that transferred money to Gergiev's account at the request of the chief (he denied everything), and sat down for 8 years. “This is your term, Kazbek!” - shouted Zotov after the announcement of the verdict. Lakuti was given a suspended sentence. There are things more important than evidence. For example, gratitude. Kazbek is the cousin of Valery Gergiev. His father, Boris Lakuti, took care of the Gergiev family after Valery (at the age of 13) lost his father.

Sauna in black with a cello

Needless to say, for all 20 years Gergiev, thanks to the Mariinsky Theater, has been successfully mastering endless budgetary funds. But he does make money. In 2015, the theater's net profit amounted to 800 million rubles. Against this background, a fresh, May, state contract with another relative of the maestro, 30-year-old nephew-conductor Zaurbek Gugkaev, for 585,000 rubles - a penny.

The state supports Gergiev's Stars of the White Nights festival. As well as the "Moscow Easter Festival", which appeared on the initiative of the maestro. The Mariinsky Orchestra with the main star - the conductor - travels on a special train around Russia every year, and the regions regularly conclude state contracts with the only performer (the Gergiev Foundation). In 2016, the Udmurt Philharmonic forked out 5,000,000 rubles, the Sverdlovsk - 2,547,500 rubles, the Nizhny Novgorod - 4,500,000 rubles, the Tomsk - 7,000,000 rubles, the Kemerovo - 3,000,000 rubles, Tatarstan - 6,000. 000 rubles, Perm - for 4,000,000 rubles, the Ministry of Culture is not alien to Gergiev of North Ossetia - Alania - only 2,100,000 "wooden".

In 2015, the conductor headed the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (the contract was signed until 2020). But the maestro's main source of income is his performances, mainly abroad - he receives fees for them in euros. Sobesednik.ru got acquainted with Gergiev's tour schedule until the end of this year and could not believe his eyes: he conducts every day! Moreover, he often gives two or even three (!) Concerts in a day.

However, we still found one window at Gergiev's: in mid-August, he performed at Finland followed by a two week break. Then another concert in Sweden - and again a free week. According to Finnish media reports, Valery Abisalovich has long chosen a resort town on the lake - the cottage complex Härkäniemen Tuvat (“Bull Cape”) and every summer brings his family here. And also friends. Here is what the maestro told Posner on air: “I am the president of the Finnish Black Sauna Society ... We accept one, maximum two a year as the Knights of the Black Sauna ... from those people who have proven themselves worthy, at the piano or on the stage, violin or cello in hand.

Turkey business

Gergiev also has a completely unexpected business - the Eurodon company, the largest producer and processor of turkey meat in Russia. For 6 years, thanks to loans, Eurodon has grown into a giant; in 2014, its net revenue amounted to, according to SPARK, 333 million rubles. All the raspberries were almost spoiled last year by a third shareholder, a member of the board of directors of Gazprom, the former Minister of Property Relations of Russia, Farit Gazizullin. He transferred his share to an offshore company, which sued Vaneev and almost took the business away. He, they say, again turned to the maestro, who allegedly reached the president himself.

So, for a small matter.

- a unique example of how art can become a business, and business - art. On the Day of Russia, the maestro received the third State Prize from the hands of the President - for outstanding achievements in the field of humanitarian work. Gergiev right there, without departing from Putin, declared , which does not link the award with the "liberation" (joint with the cellistRoldugin ) with a concert in Palmyra.

The point, indeed, is not in Syria. And not in the “bonus” 5 million rubles (a drop in the ocean of the conductor’s capital, who earned in 2015, as follows from his declaration, 130 million rubles). Gergiev is one of those few people close to Putin who are sincerely welcome all over the world. Gergiev is a genius conducting an ordinary toothpick. And he is wise and cunning in the Eastern way. And he knows how to capitalize on his own talent.

Employed the whole family

For 20 years Valery Abisalovich has been Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Since then, the conductor has employed almost all of his Ossetian relatives, acquired high-ranking friends, children (three were born in the current marriage. - Auth.) And everyday chores. As the musician himself noted, "I had to learn how to negotiate - with sponsors and the state."

Gergiev's biggest headache was the construction of the concert hall of the Mariinsky Theater (its director is the husband of Maestro Svetlana Gergieva's younger sister, Tamerlan Gugkaev. The elder sister, Larisa Gergieva, runs the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre) and the long-suffering Second Stage. Mariinka-2, born with an incredible creak (architects and contractors changed more than once), cost the budget 22 billion rubles. Auditors of the Accounts Chamber only gasped at the double excess of the original estimate. Petersburgers, including the connoisseur Piotrovsky, gasped after them: how could so much money be spent on such "ugliness"?! For what Alexey Kudrin without batting an eyelid announced the allocation of an additional 25 million dollars for the maintenance of the theater: "Even after I left the Ministry of Finance, it continued to support the Mariinsky Theater."

Hermitage, do not envy! There are things more valuable than money. For example, friendship. The newly approached Kudrin is a great friend of Gergiev. Like German Gref. They are co-chairs of the Board of Trustees of the Mariinsky Theater and always, regardless of their positions, support the Valery Gergiev Charitable Foundation. The one from which in 2009-2010 its director Igor Zotov and his accomplice Kazbek Lakuti, according to investigators, stole 245 million rubles. Zotov claimed that he transferred the money to Gergiev's account at the request of the chief (he denied everything), and sat down for 8 years. “This is your term, Kazbek!” - shouted Zotov after the announcement of the verdict. Lakuti was given a suspended sentence. There are things more important than evidence. For example, gratitude. Kazbek is the cousin of Valery Gergiev. His father, Boris Lakuti, took care of the Gergiev family after Valery (at 13) lost his father.

Sauna in black with a cello

Needless to say, for all 20 years Gergiev, thanks to the Mariinsky Theater, has been successfully mastering endless budgetary funds. But he does make money. In 2015, the net profit of the theater amounted to 800 million rubles. Against this background, a fresh, May, state contract with another relative of the maestro, 30-year-old nephew-conductor Zaurbek Gugkaev, for 585,000 rubles - a penny.

The state supports Gergiev's Stars of the White Nights festival. As well as the "Moscow Easter Festival", which appeared on the initiative of the maestro. The Mariinsky Orchestra with the main star - the conductor - travels on a special train around Russia every year, and the regions regularly conclude state contracts with the only performer (the Gergiev Foundation). In 2016, the Udmurt Philharmonic forked out for 5.000.000 rubles, Sverdlovsk - for 2.547.500 rubles, Nizhny Novgorod - for 4.500.000 rubles, Tomsk - for 7.000.000 rubles, Kemerovo - for 3.000.000 rubles, Tatarstan - for 6.000.000 rubles, Perm - by 4,000,000 rubles, the Ministry of Culture is not alien to Gergiev of North Ossetia - Alania - only 2,100,000 "wooden".

In 2015, the conductor headed the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (the contract was signed until 2020). But the maestro's main source of income is his performances, mainly abroad - he receives fees for them in euros. Sobesednik.ru got acquainted with Gergiev's tour schedule until the end of this year and could not believe his eyes: he conducts every day! Moreover, he often gives two or even three (!) Concerts in a day.

However, we still found one window with Gergiev: in mid-August, he performs in Finland, after which a two-week break follows. Then another concert in Sweden - and again a free week. According to Finnish media reports, Valery Abisalovich has long chosen a resort town on the lake - the cottage complex Härkäniemen Tuvat (“Bull Cape”) and every summer brings his family here. And also friends. Here is what the maestro told Posner on air: “I am the president of the Finnish Black Sauna Society ... We accept one, maximum two a year as the Knights of the Black Sauna ... from those people who have proven themselves worthy, at the piano or on the stage, with a violin or with cello in hand.

Turkey business

Gergiev also has a completely unexpected business - the Eurodon company, the largest producer and processor of turkey meat in Russia. The musician received 15% of the shares, one might say, for a good service. He once introduced businessman Vadim Vaneev, a native of South Ossetia, to the right person - Andrey Kostin, Chairman of the Board of VTB Bank. The thing went right away. For 6 years, Eurodon, thanks to loans, has grown into a giant, in 2014 its net revenue amounted to, according to SPARK, 333 million rubles. All raspberries were almost spoiled last year by a third shareholder - a member of the board of directors of Gazprom, a former minister of property relations of Russia Farit Gazizullin. He transferred his share to an offshore company, which sued Vaneev and almost took the business away. He, they say, again turned to the maestro, who allegedly reached the president himself. Got it or didn't it? How to know. But the conflict dissipated. Suspected of trying to take over "Eurodon" fraudulently detained. There are things stronger than any mafia. For example, common interests.

imperial spirit

And back in 2013, Gergiev proposed to the president to revive the All-Russian Choral Society (before the revolution, the Imperial Russian Musical Society). And he himself led a non-profit partnership. As follows from the protocols published on the website of the Ministry of Culture, NP "VHO" regularly wins tenders for subsidies. So, in 2013, Gergiev's applications for holding an All-Russian review of choirs to form a combined children's choir of Russia (9 million rubles) and preparing and providing a performance of a combined children's choir of Russia at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi (150 million rubles) won. rubles). In 2014, the WCO allocated another 8.4 million rubles for the performance of the Russian Children's Choir in the Republic of Crimea. And 26.6 million rubles for the All-Russian Choir Festival. Another profitable idea of ​​Gergiev, put at the service of art, worked. And now Vladimir Medinsky promises to think about "transforming the All-Russian Choral Society into a public-state organization, which will allow us to take it to a qualitatively new level." Simply put, open the way to the feeder.

The only enterprise in which Gergiev failed was the creation of the National Center for the Arts in St. Petersburg. The musician proposed to unite the Mariinsky Theater, the Vaganov Academy of Russian Ballet, the St. Petersburg State Conservatory and the Russian Institute of Art History. The conductor stressed the need to revive the Directorate of Imperial Theaters. However, the expert community cut down the "imperial" idea. The ex-director of the Russian Institute of Art History Tatyana Kalyavina saw the root: "It is impossible to recreate the directorate without recreating the empire and the imperial leadership."

So, for a small matter.

Editorial

The editors of the Svobodny Vzglyad newspaper did not see any negative connotation in the publication of The Interlocutor, and we decided to reprint it. This material is another confirmation of the aphorism "A talented person is talented in everything." In addition to the fact that Valery Abisalovich is a brilliant musician, he is also a successful businessman, knows how to make friends with the first persons of the state, employs relatives ...

A lot of money and a lot of "necessary connections" - this is exactly what is needed in order to finally start building the "Gergiev Music Center". Only not in the center of the city, but on its outskirts - as the absolute majority of Vladikavkaz residents want.

So, for a small matter: listen to the voice of your people!

During the Easter Festival (May 7), when on the stage of the Surgut Philharmonic the artists of the Mariinsky Theater performed Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's opera "Eugene Onegin" (lyrical sketches in a concert performance), during a break between actions, I managed to talk with the program manager and concertmaster, People's Artist of Russia Larisa Gergieva (as you understand, Maestro Valery Gergiev's sister). She was very interesting to me as the artistic director of the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theater (see Vestnik No. 19 of May 9 and No. 20 of May 16). It is amazing how much these talented people, brother and sister, do for culture - both Russian and global.

It is much easier to discern a precious breed in an uncut stone than to hear a voice and see acting data in a young artist who has not yet been revealed. Larisa Gergieva is a sensitive teacher and accompanist, whose complex and painstaking work at the Academy of Young Singers is to see, hear and allow the vocal and acting talent of an aspiring artist to unfold. The result of this grandiose and meticulous work is appreciated by music lovers all over the world: everyone associates the Mariinsky Troupe, first of all, with beautiful voices.

Larisa Abisalovna Gergieva is the artistic director not only of the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre, but also of the State Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (Vladikavkaz). She has outstanding musical and organizational qualities, is one of the best world-famous vocal accompanists, director and jury member of many prestigious international vocal competitions. Among her pupils there are 96 laureates of All-Union, All-Russian and international competitions. She has prepared more than 100 opera productions for various theaters around the world.

Since the reason for the arrival of Larisa Abisalovna was the Easter Festival, I started the conversation with a question related to this topic, namely:

- Why did Surgut become one of the happy cities where the Easter festival takes place?

Well, why not?.. The Easter festival travels around the country, constantly expanding its geography and scope. And this time, in my opinion, more than 50 Russian cities, large and small, covered. This cannot but rejoice and is very impressive. Thanks to this festival, residents of cities that are small or very remote from St. Petersburg and Moscow have the opportunity to listen to a concert, opera or some rare symphony programs with our famous orchestra. Or chamber programs with amazing works - both unfamiliar, and hits of Russian and Western European music, which happened now, when we traveled to Altai, through the cities of Siberia with chamber programs that I know. They are of great interest to music lovers, and young soloists are allowed to get acquainted with the country. I teach them to sing equally well, to give their best, both in Paris and London, and, say, in Kemerovo, Barnaul and Tomsk ... First of all - in our country, for my audience. In Soviet times, when I was young, cultural ties between cities and republics were closely monitored by the state. The artist simply had to go on tour, represent his theater or philharmonic. There were very intense creative connections. Then nothing happened for a long time. And now theaters are having a hard time finding the opportunity to go on tour. Thank God that there is an Easter festival, thanks to which the audience, music lovers of the country have the opportunity to listen to academic music.

- Recently, here in Surgut, cultural life has been stirred up again thanks to the opening of a new building of the Philharmonic...

By the way, I am pleasantly surprised by the state of your Philharmonic. There are a lot of dilapidated philharmonics in the country, in which things are not going so well and inside is not so comfortable. And you have such a wonderful room!

- How do you like our audience?

Viewer?! The viewer is good. But it is also hot. Apparently, the climate affects (laughs).

- Larisa Abisalovna, how do you think, in general, do local music lovers perceive the opera work today?

I think it's wary. Maybe the viewer is not yet very prepared for the perception of academic music. It is necessary to acquaint with the opera more, because there are certain traditions. For example, where to applaud, and where not to. You need to know the arias. For this, the ear must be educated. The public also needs to be educated. There is only one conclusion: to bring such performers, such music as often as possible, and, I think, everything will be fine.

- Did you like our city?

I did not see him at all, because I arrived at night and barely had time to sleep ... I hope that this is not the last time I am in Surgut and I will have more time to get to know him better. When you arrive in an unfamiliar place, you want to know how wonderful it is. Although the fate of the artist is such that it is not always possible to do this. But I try, there are cities that you know. For example, if I take my artists to London, I tell them that it is impossible not to visit there and there, even if we only have one tour day. I really hope that you also have such sights that you just need to see. Since now Surgut has joined the orbit of the Easter Festival, I think it makes sense to plan the arrival of our theater here next year with a chamber program.

- Larisa Abisalovna, you travel all over our country, and even abroad, looking for singing "diamonds", tell me, are there many beautiful voices in Russia?

In Russia, yes. But you have to deal with them, grind them, polish them. It is necessary to develop many children simply spiritually, to introduce them to culture in general. Well, probably to call to read. Now is the time of not very reading young people. It is necessary to tear them away from phones, computers. They should listen a lot. How others sing, how orchestras play. What they write about music. There are such guys, they come from the provinces and at first they get lost in St. Petersburg, and then they get used to it well and achieve a lot. If hardworking, if fanatically want to become singers, then they find their place under the sun. But it's hellish work. This is a profession that... a lot depends on the person himself, but also a lot depends on others: teachers, conductors...

- And from luck?

Yes. In addition to voice and acting data, one must also have charisma and have stable health. And be confident. And if this is not the case, then professional vocals should not be engaged, because the competition cannot be sustained.

- Do you think it is important for a vocalist to graduate from a higher educational institution related to music?

There are cases when young people without special education studied at my academy. One boy came after graduating from the flight school, now he is the leading soloist of our theater and sings at the New York Metropolitan Opera House often. I stayed at the academy for several years. And if you graduated from the conservatory, for example, even better. It all depends on what kind of teacher. With teachers, too, everything is not as good as we would like, there are not so many worthy ones.

Sometimes it happens. But, in principle, a person learns a lot on his own. You just need to have someone around to point you in the right direction. At some point in your life, you need to work closely with a talented teacher. At the same time, some age of singing has come, everyone sings - both old and young, everyone takes lessons, even private ones. But it's good. Let them sing better. They join the beautiful, rather than drive through the streets and what the hell are they doing. I travel a lot around the country, and I manage to meet talented people in the outback, in provincial cities. And some go through a certain development path and become good vocalists, real professionals.

- Can those who have not very good vocal abilities and amazing technique become great artists, singers?

No, no, they will always lose to the one with nature. Yes, you can learn to sing correctly, you can sing culturally, technically. But if there are no natural data, there is nothing special to count on.