NURIEV'S SMILE REMINDED US OF JOCO NDE

Many famous men lived a lifetime of rejection and vilification only to see their names given to festivals after their death. By contrast, the Rudolf Nuriev Festival of Classical Ballet in Kazan got its name with the great dancers own approval

NURIEV'S SMILE REMINDED US OF JOCO NDE

Like a man has two arms, the Opera House of Kazan has two festivals. First there was the Shaliapin Festival, and when it proved to be a success the idea of a festival of classical ballet came up. In its early days, it was nothing very big, nobody had the ambition of inviting dancers from the Bolshoi or the Kirov. But for the local fans it was an exciting event, and its audience grew steadily, as did the festival. It started to get better promotion and better dancers. Then it became an international affair, and leading dancers and even troupes came from Kiev, Germany and America. Local dancers got new motivation and became better and better. The new festival was acquiring a special aura of its own. Each year, for ten days, the local troupe of dancers was getting the adrenalin going. It was finally time to find a good name for the event.

For a festival, its name is as important as it is for a human being, if not more. If it is true that any serious festival must have a web of myths, then the Kazan Festival of classical ballet is no exception thanks to the legends relating how it acquired Rudolf Nuriev's name. Vladimir Yakovlev, artistic director of the troupe of ballet dancers of the Kazan Opera House, told us the true story.

Sometime in 1987, Rudolf Nuriev was invited by the Kirov Ballet to dance in Silfide. At the time, an official indictment, dating back to the days of Nurievs defection to the West, was lingering on in Russia, charging him with high treason, and it was the very first time that he had received an invitation to come. So Raufal Mukhametzianov, director of our Theatre, and myself thought it was a unique opportunity to meet Nuriev and to invite him to our festival. We were reckoning he could come in any capacity he wished, since we knew that he was dancing, choreographing and conducting. We knew how difficult it would be to have a meeting arranged; not only because the KGB was trying hard to prevent all contacts with the defector — there were still quite a few honest artists who refused to mix art with politics, and one of them was willing to help us. But also because Nuriev himself was not easily accessible, and because even getting admitted inside the Kirov Opera House was an achievement: one needed a special permission for that, directors of other opera houses included.

Raufal did find his way backstage. Through the open door of one of the dressing rooms he caught sight of Nuriev, and they had the following conversation in Tatar: «Hello! — Who are you? — I am a director of a theater and I would like to discuss a few things. — Then come back after the show. — Come on, they won't let anybody in! — If you really want to talk, you will manage». Raufal decided to simply stay there and wait. During the break, oblivious of all the people around them, Raufal accosted Nuriev and talked to him. In the end, Nuriev accepted our invitation. After that there were endless negotiations and telephone calls, and then one day Nuriev disappeared and everything came to a halt. I don't know what happened. Our original idea failed and was just about to die when, in 1992, we had a phone call from Moscow. It was Boris Weiss, a gifted and charming conductor who had worked for us before. He said that he had been invited to join Nurievs farewell world tour. Then he asked: «You once invited Rudolf to come to Kazan. Does your invitation still stand? — Certainly!» Six weeks later Weiss called again to let us know that Nuriev had accepted. In March 1992, Nuriev paid his first visit to Kazan.

He came by train. When he stepped down on the quay he looked sick and slightly neglected in his famous beret and a huge wide scarf round his neck. From behind that scarf, like from a cocoon, he was having quick scared glances around. In the first days that followed he was tense and suspicious, as if he was expecting some treachery at any time. He was behaving as if he were back in the Soviet Union he had known; he did not realize how many things had changed since then. For me, Nuriev had never been a political figure and I had never been curious about his private life. He was a great artist I admired, a living legend. So we tried to take good care of him and to meet his every wish.

We were going to check him into the hotel of the Youth Center. Just as we were getting close he asked me: «Where am I staying?» I said: in a very good hotel, on the fifth floor where all rooms are for special guests. We got out of the car, crossed the lobby, and then he remarked: «The elevator must be out of order. — Can't be true, it certainly works!» I pushed the button — nothing happened; it was out of order. Nuriev looked at me and said with a good deal of sarcasm: «Volodia, didn't I tell you that in Russia an elevator cannot be in working condition. I am going back to Paris». He turned his back and started towards the door, followed by the bellboys carrying his countless pieces of luggage. To make him change his mind and to lure him upstairs we had to use all possible tricks short of carrying him in our arms. On each landing he would stop and moan: «I am going back to Paris». In his room, he went straight to lie down and said: «Get me a masseur. Find one». Easy to say! We got one though. The deputy of our director, a retired colonel with the brave looks and the bellowing voice of a true army man, ran out and returned soon with a masseuse. Damn if I know where he found her. Most probably at the nearest health center; must have grabbed her and pushed her into his black «Volga» without any explanation. I said to her: «We need you to give a massage to someone. — To whom? — It doesn't matter. Just make sure its a good one». I tried her hands. She was so scared they were cold as ice. I said: «Warm them up!» Then we took her to where Nuriev was. I said to him: «You can have your massage now». His had pulled the blanket over his head so he lifted one corner, glanced at us and exclaimed in English: «Woman? No! Only man!» Then he hid again under the blanket. I barely had the time to thank the masseuse; she was more than happy to depart at once.

Nuriev's first visit was meant for him to meet the troupe of dancers, to see the rehearsal rooms and to oversee other preparations. We discussed all the details, made the necessary decisions, and he led several rehearsals, not missing any single one even though he had constant fever. Then he left for America where he was to conduct the «Romeo and Juliet» suite, the same piece he was going to conduct at the Kazan Festival, with the philharmonic orchestra. It was agreed that he was also going to conduct our orchestra for the performance of the «Nutcracker».

Nuriev returned in May for the festival. His sickness was over and he was in great form. To say that his performance was a triumph is to say nothing. It was an incredible success! When they had finished, he came to sit down backstage. The leading dancers were answering the audiences enthusiastic calls for an encore, and he was just sitting there smiling! He was absolutely happy, and his smile reminded us of Joconde. He asked: «Do I also go back on stage? — Absolutely. Go there, go! They are waiting for you! — I am on my way then». He was a happy man, as if he had never had such a big success. All his life was about being on stage. He knew how short a dancers career was and learnt to conduct too. He was not very young anymore, and yet he took his chances. On that occasion in Kazan, he told us that it was one of the happiest moments of his life. He often claimed that he was a citizen of the world and that he had broken up completely with Russia, but we could see how much this success in Kazan counted for him. If this weren't true, he would not have come in the first place: the fee we paid him was a pittance. In todays terms, barely enough to buy a snack or something.

During both those visits, Nuriev proved to be a really good man. We worked hard and had many discussions making ambitious plans for the future. With time, feeling that we genuinely cared about him, Nuriev relaxed. His natural self turned out to be that of a charming man with engaging manners. After the show was over, we finally asked him to allow our festival to be called after him. By that time, he had sufficient knowledge of our troupe, our orchestra and our facilities, so he agreed easily. Our arrangement then was that Nuriev would join the organizing committee, that he would help to invite leading dancers and would come to Kazan for the festivals and other events. We also agreed that he would direct a ballet of his choice with our troupe. Unfortunately, six months later Nuriev died. But the Nuriev Festival lives on.

There are many similar events in Russia but few are held as regularly as the one in Kazan; it has been an annual affair, strictly limited to classical ballet, for the last sixteen years. Fans can't anymore imagine that there were times when there was no festival. It is known throughout the world, and we had many nice dancers as participants. The festival is good for local fans because nowadays they cannot, as many did before, go for a weekend to Moscow to enjoy some great performance at the Bolshoi. Thanks to the festival, they can see at home some thirty or forty dancers from the best troupes. We have been hosting Vassiliev, Maksimova, Zakharova, Lopatkina and others. People do love and trust the festival completely; all its performances are sold-outs. And each year we can see that it is not turning into a formality held for prestige reasons only. Our Theater promotes it with the help of the government, and we greatly benefit from our association with Rudolf Nuriev's name. He was and remains our lucky charm.

Interview by Aleksandra LAVROVA

Photo: Farid GUBAREV, Mikhail MEDVEDEV (ITAR-TASS)
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