30th June the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet theatre would like to congratulate Boris Efimovich Gruzin, the National Artist of RSFSR, conductor (1963-1969, 1976-1986) and the principal conductor (1986-1989) of the theatre on his 80th birthday. Maestro’s personality and his artistic life are one of the most unforgettable, vivid episodes of the theatre’s life.
The Novosibirsk theatre has been familiar to the maestro since his childhood, it always held a special place in his destiny. His father, Efim Efimov, dancer and ballet master used to dance at the Novosibirsk theatre since 1945 through 1965. “Our family moved to Novosibirsk in 1945, the year the theatre opened – tells Boris Gruzin – The building wasn’t fully occupied, there were no workshops, and some artists and even chiefs – designer, conductor and ballet master – lived in the theatre like our family did. I could go one stairwell up and find myself on the third circle. I also found friends of my age and we watched all the performances together, learning the repertoire by heart”.
Boris Gruzin graduated from the musical school at the Moscow State Conservatory Piano and Music Theory Division, and in 1963 he graduated with honors the Opera and Symphony Conducting Division of the Moscow conservatory (chaired by B. E. Haykin).
“I was on the fifth year at the conservatory when I got the invitation to the Novosibirsk theatre. I was proud and happy, since I felt almost blood relation to that theatre – recalls the conductor – I went to talk to the dean of our division about the invitation received in the middle of the year. And the dean said: “You should go and work there, but you will be expelled from the conservatory – at this moment I almost blacked out – keeping the right to pass the exams in the end of the year.” I came to Novosibirsk. The first production I took part in as a conductor’s assistant was Mozart’s “Don Juan”; the musical director was Mikhail Bukhbinder, the conductor. After that I took part in the theatre’s Moscow tours where I conducted my performances and passed the exams later. So I think the theatre brings me luck.”
After graduating from the conservatory Boris Gruzin worked at the Novosibirsk theatre as a conductor (1963 - 1969). In 1969 he was invited to be the principal conductor at the Odessa Opera and Ballet theatre.
“Novosibirsk and Odessa used to have very good theatres at that time. In Odessa they had an opera company of ringing voices, capable of putting up very interesting music performances – mentioned the conductor – At the same time, the Novosibirsk theatre was very respectable and well known for its conceptual productions. I liked to work in both of them”.
In 1976 Boris Gruzin returned to the Novosibirsk theatre, and from 1986 to 1989 worked as the principal conductor. He staged more than 20 performances as the conductor and musical director at the Novosibirsk theatre: Prokofiev's “Cinderella” in Oleg Vinogradov’s rendition, Khachaturyan’s “Spartacus” staged by Yuri Grigorovich, Tchaikovsky's “Sleeping Beauty”, also the operas “Mavra” by Stravinsky, Verdi's “Othello” and Leoncavallo's “Pagliacci”, Beethoven's “Fidelio”, “Halka” by S. Moniuszko, "The History of the Cleaver and the Dog" by V. Rubin (first production).
“In the Novosibirsk theatre I worked a lot with both opera and ballet productions – tells Boris Gruzin – Many conductors are afraid to work with a type ballets with conditions to agree. But I knew how to do it. “Cinderella” staged together with the choreographer Oleg Vinogradov and the designer Valery Levental was my first big work. We were 25 years old, Vinogradov and me, and that was first big independent work for both of us”.
In 1977 Yury Grigorovich brought his famous “Spartacus” ballet to the Novosibirsk stage. Boris Gruzin happened to be the conductor and the musical director. “I was preparing thoroughly for this performance – tells the conductor – that “Spartacus”staging was attended by Yury Grigorovich, and Aram Khachaturyan, who invited Boris Gruzin to Moscow, where they worked together on the “Spartacus” score”.
“Spartacus” was not Grigorovich’s first production in Novosibirsk. Before that was staged “The Stone flower” and “A Legend of Love” – two remarkable performances that laid basis for the new age of modern ballet – mentioned Boris Gruzin - I must say “A Legend of Love” of that period was featured with all-star cast – Rita Okatova, Tanya Zimina, Lidiya Krupenina and two amazing Ferkhads – Nikita Dolgushin and Konstantin Brudnov. It’s probably the patriotic feelings for the Novosibirsk theatre speaking, but I believe there was no such cast even in Kirovsky theatre, where this performance was first time staged”.
Boris Gruzin has been working in the Mariinsky theatre since 1993. We wish the maestro good health and artistic achievements.
The next “Spartacus” performances with Yury Grigorovich’s choreography will take place 3rd and 4th July. Tickets are available on the website and at the theatre box office.
