On May 12 and 14 Le Corsaire ballet revised by Farukh Ruzimatov will premiere on the stage of NOVAT. A whole team of repetiteurs is working on preparing the premiere, Evgeniya Kostyleva is among them.
NOVAT: Evgeniya, what differs the new production from the one that is already in NOVAT’s repertoire?
EVGENIYA KOSTYLEVA: I’d say that the production has been enriched with different nuances and colors. Ballet is like a living organism, that’s why it is impossible to copy it to the turn of a hair. For instance, a dialogue in «Lively Garden» scene — one turn of a head and a single footstep — completely change the whole picture. As for the choreography, the core remains the same, just like in Giselle, but this version will be reduced to two acts. However, there are new fragments staged by Georgy Kovtun and which are character dances and battle scenes. And of course there will be new costumes and set design by Valery Levental. The premiere will be dedicated to his memory.
N.: Everyone in Novosibirsk knows that Le Corsaire was the first ballet on the stage of the Theatre. 70 years ago it appeared in the playbill for the first time.
E.K.: Anniversaries of both the Theatre and the ballet. It should turn out to be a beautiful and bright production! The sea plays a very important role in the production — it is life-like.
N.: You are now working on already the third premiere in our Theatre. You have staged Spartacus and Giselle, ou les Wilis so far. Is it getting any easier for you?
E.K.: There are now four of us and everyone has his own goals and areas of responsibility. When we were staging Spartacus I was the only assistant to the choreographer. But the hardest part was working on Giselle, ou les Wilis. Nikita Dolgushin wanted to make the production live and vibrant and it can be felt particularly in the first act. Artists are constantly moving and all scenic gestures have to be natural, so it would look like a conversation. For example, Giselle flourishes, you listen to her up until the end, then you think how to to respond. The artists had to be taught all of this.
N.: What does your schedule look like on a premiere’s eve?
E.K.: We work in the theatre from morning till night, we practically live here. One should concentrate on each production; change the pitch: for example, from romantic Giselle to epic Spartacus. But dancers are so happy about everything new! People’s Artist Anna Zharova, believe it or not, asked for extra rehearsals: «Let’s do more, more!». An artist should always be upon the look for artistic expression. You are alive if you keep finding something new.