“If there are thirteen at the table, then there are lovers here,” noted Chekhov's Three Sisters. The thirteen characters in the play testify to the same. On the stage of the theater named after M.N. Yermolova played a love story in which there were no victims - "The Snow Maiden". Fairy tale? Lie! Musical performance. If the first is indisputable, then the second is still on the rise.
Father Frost, according to Ostrovsky, the father of the Snow Maiden, was withdrawn from the play. Spring-Red appears before the audience in a quilted jacket and felt boots - Spring in a different outfit would not have reached our northern regions. With a large janitor's shovel, she collects from the stage traces of her husband's stay - snowdrifts. However, the story is fabulous, and therefore the snowdrifts come to life and turn into Berendeys asleep under the snow: it is warmer under the snow. They also want to warm the audience of Yermolovsky with the "Spring Tale", but it is perceived with coolness.
Alexey Kuzmin-Tarasov in this performance is one in three persons - the author of the idea, embodiment and music. There is enough music in the performance and the audience is quite satisfied with it. "The Snow Maiden" is defined as "Scenes from the Outback in 12 Songs", so that the operatic creation of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov remained untouched. But the text of A.N. Ostrovsky, written 140 years ago, freely fit into the rhythms of folk, reggae and rock and roll performed by the musicians of Garik Sukachev's group "The Untouchables". After all, the author of the play also provided for songs, and therefore such a musical interpretation does not seem alien to the original source. The music in the performance is lively and incendiary, and the singers do not cause any complaints - everything is in time: the sounds, the voices, and the swaying of the audience's legs. And yet "The Snow Maiden" is far from a musical, because twelve songs are diluted with "scenes".
The Snow Maiden is a winter, festive character, but A.N. Ostrovsky wrote a spring fairy tale, and therefore the daughter of Frost, who went with her soul to her father, would not celebrate for long. Veronika Ivashchenko, who plays this role, appears either as an angular disheveled (from the forest) “blue stocking” (in a blue dress), or as a spectacular cold blonde, on which field wreaths wither every now and then - a sharp temperature drop. Well, without the motives of a children's matinee and a white and blue fur coat with an inventory number, it could not have done here. The Snow Maiden desires love, having no idea about it. For her, in the performance, an arrogant and arrogant person, love is something like a dress code, without which she will not be allowed to a party on the occasion of Yarilin's Day. Because the words: “Mom, give me love!”, She pronounces with an impassive everyday intonation like: “Mom, give me money!”. The Snow Maiden will dress up both the camp and the heart, but this outfit is akin to what Medea Kreusa gave to a dress soaked in poison (in this case, love). The finale is known - "melts, melts, disappears." The Snow Maiden will leave a wet place and dry eyes of the audience.
The ups and downs of The Snow Maiden, for reasons that come from childhood, cannot surprise, therefore you expect a reason for surprise from the actors. And you get it. The actors of the performance, recent graduates of theatrical universities, oddly enough, did not bring the heat and energy of youth into the performance. On the contrary, they play according to the weather - "the sun shines, but does not warm." Not that they can be called "Thugs" (play by Kirill Serebrennikov), but their reaction and dynamics leave much to be desired. The performers are slow, relaxed, pampered, but their characters lack the sun, there is no “golden laziness” from the sky, and severe frosts, it would seem, should stir up the Berendeys. Sbiten is not boiled, and it is not clear how they are warmed. Soul fire? But his sparks do not reach the audience. The words in "The Snow Maiden" do not "sound", but the songs do.
Lel (Artyom Efimov), the first guy in the village (and the village, judging by the scenery of Leonid Shulyakov, is in one house), also sings with an overweight guitar (from which, however, he does not extract a sound), along with Spring (a wonderful work by Elizabeth Pashchenko) and the Snow Maiden. A barely noticeable competition for the shepherd's heart is planned between mother and daughter. “Guys from our yard” are also good, like Smoking Room (Anton Kolesnikov), a kind of street bully with chains on his jeans, twirling the keys to ... a non-working motorcycle on his finger, or a big man Brusila (Nikolai Zozulin). Noteworthy are the girl-girlfriends of the offended Kupava (Anna Kuzmina) - Radushka (Margarita Tolstoganova) and Malusha (Valentina Oleneva), the funny-strange Beautiful Elena (Kristina Pivneva). Only the oriental youth Mizgir (Rustam Akhmadeev) and his unforeseen bodyguard, called by the simple “Slavic” name Emil (Yegor Kharlamov), stand out from the general motley canvas of the performance. If the Sloboda residents of Berendeevka would have been fine with a light patter, then Mizgir would not at all like a clear accent. However, Mizgir is a stranger in Berendeevo Posad, and therefore his oriental flair as an addition, opposing him to the townspeople. Another excellent feature of the actor is deliberate seriousness in the interpretation of the proposed circumstances: the actor presents his hero with an anguish, a sharp gesture, a tragic grimace, which makes him ridiculous against the backdrop of relaxed, calm "colleagues". And this is not so much a problem of the performance, but of an actor who weighs down a light production. “The East is on fire,” remarks the Snow Maiden, and, judging by the ardor of Mizgir, it seems that he will answer her; "Juliet is the sun."
The Snow Maiden, set to music, is pleasant to listen to, but strange to see. No folklore, in extreme cases - folk. They saved money on the costume designer - he is not in the program, there is no trace of him on the stage either. The actors are dressed in everyday clothes, devoid of a single style, who is in what - in a summer sundress, in a sweater, in a dress. Musicians in hats (although they take them off), actors with thermoses and plastic cups, outsiders (not from Ostrovsky) remarks ... In combination with student signs of the performance, a complete illusion of an open rehearsal is created, to which the audience was allowed. People on the stage are like people from the street, at least in terms of external characteristics, and this "democratism" is not good for the "Snegurochka". The lack of a unified style can only be justified by the capitalized outback mentioned in the program. There is such a “shelter of tranquility, work and inspiration” on the map of the Pskov region, but it is unlikely that the costumes were painted from the local residents.
Despite the lightness of the idea and the significant editing of the text, there are curious, but undeveloped (by the director) moments in the performance. Thus, the dialogue between the Tsar (Sergey Badichkin) and the “near boyar” Bermyata (Yuri Kazakov) turns out to be very consonant with the time (not stage, local). The tsar complains that the people “have lost the service to beauty”, in general, a decline in morals, to which the adviser offers a universal remedy for those in power at all times: “Issue a decree!”. “But will we wait for some good?”, Specifies the Tsar, “None,” he hears in response, “Cleaning us.”
The state of affairs in the kingdom of Berendey is akin to Karamzin's diagnosis - "They steal", however, this kingdom is "not enough, there is nowhere to roam", and therefore Bermyata specifies: "A little bit." “And catch?” His Majesty asks without much interest; – “Why catch them, / Lose labors? / Let them steal for themselves, / Someday they will get caught ... ". But, judging by the simple decoration of the royal chambers, everything has already been plundered. Yes, and the king himself, who exchanged the scepter and orb (or maybe with a capital letter?) For a massive clock and an ax that he thrusts into the platform on the stage, does not look much like a king. Although it just so happened, they are kings either with or under an ax. In a different way - only in fairy tales, where "porridge from an ax." For The Snow Maiden, both porridge - a mixture of genres, and an ax - a montage of text and meanings - are symbolic.
“The magnanimous people are great in everything,” the Tsar sings a fervent song at the end of the performance. Berendey sing sadly to the king. As befits the people under the Tsar - in chorus. A few scenes before the finale, the “generous people” rejoiced at the death sentence handed down to Mizgir, shouting: “And when? At what time?". Winter crops with spring crops - in the field, but you need to nourish your soul - with spectacles. But the execution will be canceled, however, Mizgir's death cannot be avoided. People's sacrifice is manifested here in the minute-by-minute readiness to make a sacrifice. Rather, as a sacrifice of those who do not live "in the Berendey way", those who are not used to bowing "more often, but lower."
The musical numbers go with a bang in the performance, but it’s as if those who voted go astray to the recitative, the record seems to stick. The style of the performance is a kind of jam session (not musical, but artistic), which is played out without any special preparations, thoughts and effort. It seems that the artists on stage are having a good time, the audience, in general, is also happy with everything. Both those who are on the stage and those who are in the hall for about two hours manage to spend their leisure time quite tolerably. "The Snow Maiden" is not an evening at the theater, but a theatrical evening. There is no need to talk about interpretations of images, super-tasks and relevance, but you can’t call such an evening wasted either. "Snegurochka" in combination with the democratic and hospitable buffet of the theater is an ideal option for meetings, while away the evenings and moments when there is an acute desire to be in public. Nice, smart, not expensive. Not to the heart, but not to the wallet. But even this kind of theater, which is “not low, not high,” not only can, but must exist. “Drive your worries away: there is a time for caring,” they sing in the play, and they are right.
The Snow Maiden, according to the director, is played in "timelessness", but this is due, perhaps, to its temporary presence in the theater's repertoire. Her appearance, however, is fully justified - the theater is not afraid to open its doors to young directors, and this is worth a lot. Of course, we are not talking about losses. "Snegurochka" is a universal, family, easy and spring project. “Spring is coming”, “the mind is not in harmony with the heart”, but the “Snow Maiden” has every chance not to melt, but to tune in the right way.
"Komsomolskaya Pravda", "Teatron"
Not only decorated Christmas trees and bright illumination on the street, but also many New Year's performances speak of the approach of the New Year. The Children's Variety Theater has already begun showing the fairy tale "The Snow Maiden"!
Kira and I were honored to be among the first to see this magical story)))
The Snow Maiden lives in solitude with Father Santa Claus. Mother Spring is invisibly present nearby: she will always support and comfort her. And she has a dream: to live with people, listen to their songs, dance with them tirelessly. So far, she only dares to listen to the soulful songs of the shepherdess Lelya from afar. Santa Claus, seeing her longing, decides to let her go, but sends his faithful servant Leshy along with her for protection and help.
The Snow Maiden meets Lel, but she does not understand how such a soulful song can be worth just her kiss. Kupava is ready to become a true friend to the Snow Maiden and introduces her to her betrothed Mizgir. But then the unexpected happens...
Very interesting, folk motifs sounded in a new interesting way in the fairy tale. And in combination with dancing, it turned into a vivid spectacle: here are winter fun (“blinded” an excellent snowman), and the custom of giving gifts not only to the bride, but also to her girlfriends, and the Shrovetide round dance, when everyone takes on a colored ribbon, etc.
I really liked the costumes of the heroes: bright, original, interesting, having their own unique style. The costumes of Ded Moroz, Snegurochka, Goblin and Mizgir stood out especially. Kokoshnik, fluffy skirt, blue flowers in Gzhel style: you can admire the Snow Maiden’s clothes endlessly) I still don’t understand the trick with which a large flower on a skirt changed color!
I also want to add about the scenery: the air structures, which either turned into a throne, or into bushes in the winter forest, were beautiful. And a transparent curtain dividing the stage into two parts, which either twinkled with stars, or was highlighted in different colors.
The original ending of the fairy tale is unexpected and, I would say, in a modern style: good songs are still not enough for a strong and mutual feeling. For me, the whole production was unexpected: for some reason I thought I would see the classic fairy tale about the Snow Maiden, but I had to get acquainted with the original source) Ostrovsky had his own view of the story about the Snow Maiden))) The authors of the production decided that the New Year is a fun holiday, so fairy tales cannot end sadly at this magical time! Therefore, the fairy tale ends in an extraordinary way and, perhaps, not even logically, but this is the most interesting thing!
Very cozy and comfortable auditorium: a good rise, and you can also take a pillow for a child. Before the performance, the guys can try themselves in Russian folk amusements. When we entered the building of the Children's Variety Theater, we immediately felt like we were at a fair, so noisily and provocatively the guys were inviting them to join))
Bright and musical New Year's performance for children and their parents. If you are ready for a modern interpretation of a classic play, great costumes, bright dances and a non-trivial ending to a fairy tale, then this performance is for you! Grab your New Year's mood and come)
The Snow Maiden is perhaps the least typical of all the plays by Alexander Ostrovsky, which stands out sharply among other things in his work with lyricism, unusual problems (instead of social drama, the author paid attention to personal drama, designating the theme of love as the central theme) and absolutely fantastic surroundings. The play tells the story of the Snow Maiden, who appears before us as a young girl, desperately longing for the only thing she never had - love. Remaining faithful to the main line, Ostrovsky simultaneously reveals a few more: the structure of his semi-epic, semi-fairytale world, the customs and customs of the Berendeys, the theme of continuity and retribution, and the cyclical nature of life, noting, albeit in an allegorical form, that life and death always go hand in hand.
History of creation
The Russian literary world owes the birth of the play to a happy accident: at the very beginning of 1873, the building of the Maly Theater was closed for major repairs, and a group of actors temporarily moved to the Bolshoi. Deciding to take advantage of the opportunities of the new stage and attract the audience, it was decided to arrange an extravaganza performance unusual for those times, immediately involving the ballet, drama and opera components of the theater team.
It was with the proposal to write a play for this extravaganza that they turned to Ostrovsky, who, taking advantage of the opportunity to put a literary experiment into practice, agreed. The author changed his habit of looking for inspiration in the unattractive aspects of real life, and in search of material for the play he turned to the work of the people. There he found a legend about the girl-Snow Maiden, which became the basis for his magnificent work.
In the early spring of 1873, Ostrovsky was hard at work on the creation of the play. And not alone - since staging on stage is impossible without music, the playwright worked together with the still very young then Pyotr Tchaikovsky. According to critics and writers, this is precisely one of the reasons for the amazing rhythm of The Snow Maiden - words and music were composed in a single impulse, close interaction, and imbued with each other's rhythm, initially making up one whole.
It is symbolic that Ostrovsky put the last point in The Snow Maiden on the day of his fiftieth anniversary, March 31. A little more than a month later, on May 11, the premiere performance was shown. He received quite different reviews among critics, both positive and sharply negative, but already in the 20th century literary critics firmly agreed that The Snow Maiden was the brightest milestone in the work of the playwright.
Analysis of the work
Description of the artwork
The plot is based on the life path of the girl-Snow Maiden, born from the union of Frost and Spring-Red, her father and mother. The Snow Maiden lives in the Berendey kingdom invented by Ostrov, but not with her relatives - she left her father Frost, who protected her from all possible troubles - but with the family of Bobyl and Bobylikh. The Snow Maiden longs for love, but she cannot fall in love - even her interest in Lelya is dictated by the desire to be the only and unique, the desire that the shepherd, who evenly gives all the girls warmth and joy, be affectionate with her alone. But Bobyl and Bobylikha are not going to bestow their love on her, they have a more important task: to cash in on the beauty of the girl by marrying her off. The Snow Maiden looks indifferently at the Berendey men, who change their lives for her sake, reject brides and violate social norms; she is internally cold, she is alien to the full of life Berendei - and therefore attracts them. However, misfortune also falls to the lot of the Snow Maiden - when she sees Lel, who is favorable to the other and rejects her, the girl rushes to her mother with a request to let her fall in love - or die.
It is at this moment that Ostrovsky clearly expresses the central idea of his work to the limit: life without love is meaningless. The Snow Maiden cannot and does not want to put up with the emptiness and cold that exists in her heart, and Spring, which is the personification of love, allows her daughter to experience this feeling, despite the fact that she herself thinks bad.
The mother turns out to be right: the Snow Maiden, who has fallen in love, melts under the first rays of the hot and clear sun, having managed, however, to discover a new world filled with meaning. And her lover, who had previously left his bride and was expelled by the Tsar, Mizgir, parted with his life in the pond, seeking to reunite with the water, which became the Snow Maiden.
Main characters
(Scene from the ballet-performance "The Snow Maiden")
The Snow Maiden is the central figure of the work. A girl of extraordinary beauty, desperate to know love, but at the same time cold at heart. Pure, partly naive and completely alien to Berendey people, she is ready to give everything, even her life, in exchange for knowing what love is and why everyone is so hungry for it.
Frost is the father of the Snow Maiden, formidable and strict, who sought to protect his daughter from all sorts of troubles.
Spring-Krasna is the mother of a girl who, despite a premonition of trouble, could not go against her nature and her daughter's pleas and endowed her with the ability to love.
Lel is a windy and cheerful shepherd who was the first to awaken some feelings and emotions in the Snow Maiden. It was because she was rejected by him that the girl rushed to Spring.
Mizgir is a merchant guest, or, in other words, a merchant who fell in love with the girl so much that he not only offered all his wealth for her, but also left Kupava, his failed bride, thereby violating the traditionally observed customs of the Berendey kingdom. In the end, he gained the reciprocity of the one he loved, but not for long - and after her death he himself lost his life.
It is worth noting that despite the large number of characters in the play, even the secondary characters turned out to be bright and characteristic: that the king Berendey, that Bobyl and Bobylikh, that the former bride of Mizgir Kupava - all of them are remembered by the reader, have their own distinctive features and characteristics.
"The Snow Maiden" is a complex and multifaceted work, both compositionally and rhythmically. The play is written without rhyme, but thanks to the unique rhythm and melodiousness that literally exists in every line, it sounds smoothly, like any rhymed verse. Decorates the "Snow Maiden" and the rich use of colloquial phrases - this is a completely logical and justified step by the playwright, who, when creating the work, relied on folk tales telling about a girl from the snow.
The same statement about versatility is also true in relation to the content: behind the outwardly simple story of the Snow Maiden (went out into the real world - rejected people - received love - imbued with the human world - died) lurks not only the assertion that life without love is meaningless, but also many other equally important aspects.
So, one of the central themes is the interconnection of opposites, without which the natural course of things is impossible. Frost and Yarilo, cold and light, winter and the warm season outwardly oppose each other, enter into an irreconcilable contradiction, but at the same time, the thought runs through the text that one does not exist without the other.
In addition to lyricism and the sacrifice of love, the social aspect of the play, displayed against the backdrop of fairy-tale foundations, is also of interest. The norms and customs of the Berendey kingdom are strictly observed, for violation they face expulsion, as happened with Mizgir. These norms are fair and to some extent reflect Ostrovsky's idea of an ideal old Russian community, where fidelity and love for one's neighbor, life in unity with nature are at a premium. The figure of Tsar Berendey, the “kind” Tsar, who, although he is forced to make harsh decisions, regards the fate of the Snow Maiden as tragic, sad, evokes unambiguously positive emotions; such a king is easy to sympathize with.
At the same time, in the Berendey kingdom, justice is observed in everything: even after the death of the Snow Maiden, as a result of her acceptance of love, Yarila's anger and argument disappear, and the Berendey people can again enjoy the sun and warmth. Harmony prevails.
