Nights, crowds of ticket-seekers would tear the box-office apart
ON OPERA
When in Kazan, you can't miss the Opera House or, as it is officially called, the Musa Djalil Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. The main building is of neo-classical origins, with oriental decorations and a fountain. It is in the heart of the city. As music is in the hearts of the people of Kazan, whose festivals have helped its reputation of cultural hub both in Russia and internationally.
The biggest is the International opera festival in memory of Fyodor Shaliapin. Each and every one of its events is widely discussed by critics in Tatarstan and in Moscow. There may be some shortcomings, by the very strict standards of the Muscovites, but in Kazan, native town of the legendary Shalyapin who is as much of a deity in opera history as were Caruso and Callas, it is easy to see that this festival is a feast and an intrinsic part of the cultural life of the city.
Raufal Mukhametzianov became director of the Opera House a few years ago, at a time when nobody went to theaters anymore. He proved to be the right man for the challenge. Holding a technical and a musical diplomas, in his young days he had played in a rock band, and had been active in the Communist Youths organization. At the Opera House, he put these experiences to good use to expedite the radical reforms which, he could see, were long overdue. He introduced a totally new and viable format, in line with what is seen today as the only feasible way forward. Importing parts of the very competitive western system, which includes contracts, castings and new casts and directing crews for each new play, Mukhametzianov preserved many old traditions of a classical Russian permanent troupe with an extensive repertoire. The effect was immediate, the public reacted enthusiastically, and this helped to bring new life into one of the oldest opera festivals in the country.
Another innovation has been to appoint two artistic directors, one in charge of ballet, and the other overseeing operas, who do not however direct plays and are mostly responsible for the overall artistic development of the theater. The Opera House struck a lucky deal when it appointed Vladimir Yakovlev and Guzel Haibullina, two very dedicated and very talented people with a big trust in the future of the theater. Their small offices are always full of people, they collect information coming from all parts of the world, and they can talk endlessly about the Opera House and the festival.
Yakovlev, the ballet director, is an inspired administrator but also a big talker; he is full of stories and anecdotes. Haibullina is much more organized, preferring working formulas and structures to myths and legends. She is a miniature beautiful woman with big eyes and a misleadingly soft voice. Camped in her tiny study like on board a small ship out there on the high seas of music, she speaks with forcefulness and is ready to take on anyone brave enough to challenge her and contest the value and the quality of the Shaliapin festival.. Her arguments are always contagious and convincing.
The extensive history of the festival — it will be twenty one years old this year — makes it a unique event on the opera landscape in Russia. It has been held every year since its inception, no matter what. It survived all the political and economic upheavals of our recent past. It came out unscathed where others were badly hit, when Russia defaulted on its foreign debt. There are good festivals, including in the Mariinski Theater, in Saratov and in Yaroslavl, but none of them has been so consistent, year in and year out, maintaining the same format and promoting the same ideas, over more than twenty years. The Shaliapin festival, which is now a big international event, truly deserves to have a place of its own in the world hall of fame of festivals.
Shaliapin was born in Kazan, and because of that all the performers inspired by his art are eager to come. This year alone, more than thirty premiere singers from different Russian towns and from seven countries were in Kazan for the festival. Actors from the Bolshoi, the Mariinski, «Helikon-Opera» and other prestigious houses have become permanent features in the performances during the event.
The Shaliapin festival is very loyal to its tradition and nothing is ever changed in its format: the best performances and premieres of the year, as well as the most famous operas of Shaliapin's repertoire are given every evening. This traditionalism is easily understandable in a city where opera has 125 years of history, where opera is something of a phenomenon. Medvedev, who established the first opera theater in Kazan, once said: that there was something special about opera in this town: a drama would be played in front of a half empty house; a scandal would inevitably be triggered by an opera comique; on opera nights, crowds of ticket-seekers would tear the box-office apart. This love for the opera is still alive and well, and is also a tradition.
The festival is a culmination of the best of what the theater has to offer. New singers are engaged in every presentation. Young talents and newly born stars are crucial because, unlike the Mariinski for example, the Kazan Opera House cannot afford to have six to eight premieres in a season. That is why so many of those who have started in Kazan are now having a successful career in Russia or in the world.
The Mariinski is the only troupe which has more international tours than the Kazan Opera House. Last season, the troupe toured seven European countries, including the UK, France and Switzerland, and gave 109 presentations. Quite a record if one keeps in mind that, financially, the theater is only supported by the Government of Tatarstan. The Tatar company producing helicopters is also contributing, but not really much. These two — helicopters and opera — are the biggest exports of Tatarstans economy. Thanks to them, people know where to find the place on the world map. In many cities in Europe, tours by the Tatar opera have become a familiar feature.
For two years now, the Kazan Opera House is promoting co-productions. «Falstaf» was the first one, made with Dutch and Italian partners, in memory of the 100th anniversary of Verdi. The most recent is the «Barber of Seville», a production with Dutch participation. These were totally original plays, with castings, six weeks of daily repetitions, premieres in Kazan and tours in Europe. Audiences in Tatarstan have learnt first-hand how these things are done in the West. They could see how big theatrical effects are combined with music, decorations and whatever the directors whim. Next co-production will be a «Faust» produced together with Italian partners.
This proves that the International Festival in memory of Fyodor Shaliapin is like a sum up of the last season and a boost for any further progress to be achieved by the troupe, the orchestra and all the supporters of art of Kazan.
Aleksandra LAVROVA