Exhibition match in 1933 Bolshoi Theater. The opera "Carmen" returns to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. Artistic directors of the opera

On its 82nd birthday, May 25, the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater opened its doors to spectators and let them into its bowels: onto the stage and even under the roof. More than two thousand people who signed up for excursions saw the Bolshoi from the inside and learned how it prepares for performances, how rehearsals are held and how the scenery is created.

"When you do something for the first time, everyone considers it an adventure. This was the case with the Christmas Opera Forum, the Grand Ball, Bolshoi Theater evenings at the Radziwill Castle, the International Vocal Competition... Everything happens for the first time, and then everything good becomes a tradition", said the general director of the Bolshoi Theater on the solemn day Vladimir Gridyushko in his office.

Back in winter, they announced an internal competition for proposals on how to celebrate the theater’s birthday. Among other ideas, the head of marketing and advertising Tatiana Alexandrova and deputy general directorSvetlana Kazyulina proposed to show the inner life of the Bolshoi on this day.

"When a person comes to the theater, he sees everything in a festive format. But not everyone can understand what it means to create a performance. It's hard labor", Vladimir Gridyushko explained why he liked the idea. This idea was conveyed to visitors on the holiday by 20 guides, specially trained theater employees.

Back in the 20s, an opera house and ballet troupe, choir and orchestra. In 1924, a music college was created, and a year later opera and ballet departments appeared on the basis of the college. Then, in 1930, opera and ballet studios arose, and on May 25, 1933, the premiere of the opera "Carmen" took place on the stage of the current Kupala Theater. State Theater opera and ballet of the BSSR. The main party performed by Larisa Pompeevna Alexandrovskaya. It is noteworthy that the opera was in Belarusian, Carmen was the heroine of the proletariat, and the smugglers fought injustice. In 1935, Carmen was staged again, also in the Belarusian language, but without the proletarian flair.

In 1939, the current building of the Bolshoi Theater was built, and the first opera was Mikhas Padgorny. It, together with “The Flower of Happiness” and the ballet “The Nightingale,” was shown at the ten-day period of Belarusian art in Moscow in 1940. At the same time, the theater received the title of Bolshoi. In 1964, the theater was awarded the title of academic, and in 1996 - national.

On June 14, the Bolshoi will host the eighth production of Carmen in the theater’s history. The theater administration revealed the secret and said that the artists were learning flamenco and Sevillana.

When there is no performance, the stage is closed with a fire curtain. Mechanic Anatoly specially raised the curtain for a while on the open day, and the auditorium appeared - at first glance so small from the stage.

On the stage itself there are seven tripods with spotlights and four more side towers for lighting. Each spotlight rotates in any plane independently of the other. This allows you to create the necessary lighting for the performance. All stage mechanics are controlled using an electronic remote control and a touch screen. There are 21 platforms under the stage, which can rise separately and change the slope. The stage itself, according to the rules, has a slope of 4 degrees.

The chandelier in the auditorium, with a diameter of 4 meters and a weight of 1200 kg, consists of 30 thousand pendants, 500 light bulbs connected using 1 km of wires. After the season closes, the chandelier is lowered, and you can see that it is twice the height of a person.

With fire curtain raised

Stage without fire curtain. After the reconstruction of the theater, which took place from 2006 to 2009, the structures were secured. There is a schedule for regular inspection of premises, when the slightest changes are measured.

There is a small props room near the stage so that goblets, swords, sabers, masks and bottles are at hand for stage feasts.

On the open day, the theater was preparing for the evening ballet “The Sleeping Beauty.” In the scene, a safe was lifted from the floor, in which soft decorations are stored. Each of the four tiers contains three sets of decorations. They are all labeled so workers know which beam to tie the drapery to.

Upper part theater stage- grate bars. They are located high above the stage and covered with bars to lower the scenery. Frankly, even on a flat floor you feel uneasy and your legs give way when you look down through the cracks. The grate bars contain motors capable of lifting up to 1 kg of decorations.

Grate bars. The most mystical room under the roof of the Bolshoi.

According to her, in the first year of work, the employees themselves become lost. But the turnover in the theater is low, people have been working for decades, so they navigate almost intuitively, including in the room with costumes.

Natalya herself already remembers by heart where each suit is kept. It’s hard for an inexperienced person to believe this, because without preparation in such a mass of costumes, even with the signatures of each row, it would be difficult to find something. We went to the largest warehouse, and there are 11 more of them in the theater, but smaller in size.

One performance can involve 250-300 costumes, and for the costume designer this is a busy day: all the costumes are carried by hand or on trolleys. " The costume designer must have good memory to remember which sock or handkerchief is which", says Natalya Kharabrova.

Periodically, the sanitation station comes to the warehouses and treats them to prevent moths and dust. After the performance, some costumes are washed, some are dry-cleaned, some are washed by hand in a special laundry. According to the costume designer, all the outfits for the performance are unique, “it is impossible to repeat them,” and this is the reason why the theater does not rent them out – it is like a work of art. And some costumes have been kept for decades, such as the leather ones for the ballet “Spartacus” - they have been at the Bolshoi since the 80s.

However, the theater will not stop at opening its doors. The birthday boy is already preparing certificates for performances for the next season. According to the director, when theater tickets are given as a gift, a person does not always have the opportunity to go to a specific performance at a specific time. The certificate will allow you to buy any ticket for any time for the specified amount.

In 1970, Andzhaparidze returned to the Tbilisi Opera House. He was in excellent vocal shape, continuing creative career on the Georgian stage. Having captivated the audience with his Radames in Aida, the singer performed there for the first time in the most difficult role of Othello in Verdi’s opera, which is a signature role for a dramatic tenor. At the same time (until 1977) he remained a guest soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, continuing to sing on its stage Herman, beloved by himself and his listeners, and, less often, Don Carlos, Jose and Cavaradossi.
“I’ll express one, perhaps paradoxical, thought,” the artist shared his feelings in the audience. – It is more profitable and convenient for an actor to sing in Tbilisi - the audience here is more emotional, and, in in a good way this word forgives us, artists, more, which also has a good educational meaning. The more difficult it is. But if you’ve already been accepted, then that’s it! What has been said does not, of course, negate the simple truth, the same for both the Tbilisi and Moscow public: if you sing poorly, they are poorly received, if you sing well, they are accepted well. After all, as a rule, casual audiences do not go to the opera house.”

"La Traviata". Alfred – Z. Andzhaparidze, Germont – P. Lisitsian

Since 1972, Zurab Andzhaparidze has been a teacher, professor at the Tbilisi Conservatory, then head of the department of musical disciplines at the Tbilisi Conservatory. theater institute. In 1979–1982 - director of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater. He also worked as a director at the Kutaisi Opera House (staged the operas “Mindia” by O. Taktakishvili, “Leila” by R. Lagidze, “Daisi” by Z. Paliashvili), in theaters in Tbilisi and Yerevan. Participated in the creation of film versions of Paliashvili’s operas “Abesalom and Eteri” and “Daisi”.
Not often, but he loved to perform on the concert stage, captivating listeners with his sunny, sparkling voice and artistic charm as a performer of romances by P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S.V. Rachmaninov, Neapolitan songs, vocal cycles O. Taktakishvili. He was a member of the jury of international vocal competitions, including the V International Competition named after P.I. Tchaikovsky (1974). First Chairman International competition named after D. Andguladze (Batumi, 1996).
A friendly person, responsive to real talent, Zurab Andzhaparidze at one time gave a start in life to many singers, including the soloists of the Bolshoi Theater Makvala Kasrashvili, Zurab Sotkilava, Badri Maisuradze. In Georgia, he was the pride of the nation.
Having received the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1966, on the 190th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theater, the singer was subsequently awarded several high awards: the State Prize of the Georgian SSR. Z. Paliashvili (1971); Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1971); Order of the October Revolution (1981).
Zurab Ivanovich died in Tbilisi on his birthday. Buried in Tbilisi park opera house next to the luminaries of Georgian opera music Zakhary Paliashvili and Vano Sarajishvili.
In the 1960–1970s, the Melodiya company published recordings of opera scenes with Zurab Andzhaparidze in the roles of Radamès, Herman, Jose, Vaudemont, Othello with the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra (conductors A.Sh. Melik-Pashaev, B.E. Khaikin, M.F. Ermler). With the participation of the singer, the Melodiya recording company recorded the opera “ Queen of Spades"with soloists, choir and orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater (1967, conductor B.E. Khaikin).
The Evgeniy Svetlanov Foundation has released a CD with a recording of the opera “Tosca” 1967 (State symphony orchestra p/u E.F. Svetlanova) with T.A. Milashkina and Z.I. Andzhaparidze in the main roles. This masterpiece of performance brings back two great voices of the last century to their contemporaries.
In the collection of the State Television and Radio Fund, the singer’s voice can also be heard in the roles of Don Carlos, Manrico (Don Carlos, Il Trovatore by G. Verdi), Nemorino (Elisir of Love by G. Donizetti), Canio (Pagliacci by R. Leoncavallo), Turiddu (“Rural Honor” by P. Mascagni), Des Grieux, Calaf (“Manon Lescaut”, “Turandot” by G. Puccini), Abesalom, Malkhaz (“Abesalom and Eteri”, “Daisi” by Z. Paliashvili).
“Often today, when you listen to recordings of singers of past years, many idols of the past lose their halo,” says leading baritone of the Bolshoi Theater Vladimir Redkin, a participant in a gala concert in memory of the artist at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater named after Paliashvili a year after the singer’s death. – The criteria for vocal mastery, manner, style have changed a lot, and only true talents have stood the test of time. The voice of Zurab Andzhaparidze, his singing personality is perfectly listenable and can be heard now. The ease of sound, the soft timbre, the volume of sound, its cantilena - all this remains.”
The memory of the extraordinary tenor is honored in his homeland - in Georgia. On the fifth anniversary of the artist’s death, a bronze bust by sculptor Otar Parulava was installed on his grave in the park of the Tbilisi Opera House. At house 31 on Paliashvili Street, where the singer lived, a memorial plaque was unveiled in 1998. The Zurab Andzhaparidze Prize was established, the first laureate of which was the Georgian tenor T. Gugushvili. A foundation named after Zurab Andzhaparidze has been created in Georgia.
In 2008, on the occasion of Zurab Ivanovich’s 80th birthday, the book “Zurab Andzhaparidze” (M., compiled by V. Svetozarov) was published.
T.M.

Antarova Concordia Evgenievna
mezzo-soprano
1886–1959

Concordia Evgenievna Antarova, an outstanding opera and chamber singer, was well known in the twenties and thirties of the twentieth century. She was bright interesting personality, in whose fate happy ones are intertwined creative achievements and sad life trials.
The singer was born in Warsaw on April 13 (25), 1886. His father served in the Department of Public Education, his mother gave foreign language lessons. There were many people's activists in the family; the famous Sofya Perovskaya was Antarova's great-aunt. From her ancestors, Cora inherited culture, determination and fortitude.
At the age of eleven, the girl lost her father, and at fourteen, her mother. She worked part-time giving private lessons and was able to finish high school. When it became unbearably difficult, I went to a monastery. Here she learned hard work, patience, kindness, and here her amazing voice was revealed - a beautiful deep contralto, and she sang with pleasure in the church choir. Talent played a decisive role in her later life. With the blessing of John of Kronstadt, Antarova returned to the world.
In 1904, she graduated from the Faculty of History and Philology of the Higher Women's Courses in St. Petersburg and received an invitation to the Department of Philosophy. But she was irresistibly attracted to the theater, she dreamed of singing. Antarova took private lessons from Professor I.P. Pryanishnikov, she studied with him at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. She earned her living and education through lessons, night shifts, taught at a factory school, and persistently strived for her desired goal.
In 1901–1902 she performed at the St. Petersburg People's House in the operas “Vakula the Blacksmith” by N.F. Solovyov in the role of Solokha and “Boris Godunov” by M.P. Mussorgsky as the Innkeeper.
In 1907, after graduating from the conservatory, having withstood the most difficult competition of one hundred and sixty applicants, she was accepted into the troupe Mariinsky Theater.
A year later she moved to the Moscow Bolshoi Theater, where she worked (with a break in 1930–1932) until 1936, being one of the leading soloists in the contralto group: at that time the theater was in great need of such voices.
The singer's repertoire included twenty-one roles in Russian and Western classical operas. These are: Ratmir in “Ruslan and Lyudmila” and Vanya in “Ivan Susanin” by M.I. Glinka; Princess in “Rusalka” by A.S. Dargomyzhsky, Genius in “The Demon” by A.G. Rubinstein, Polina and Countess in “The Queen of Spades”, Olga and Nanny in “Eugene Onegin”, Martha in “Iolanta” by P.I. Tchaikovsky; Konchakovna in “Prince Igor” by A.P. Borodina, Egorovna in “Dubrovsky” E.F. Napravnik. Several roles in operas by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov - Alkonost in “The Tale of the City of Kitezh”, Nezhata and Lyubava in “Sadko”, Lel in “The Snow Maiden”, Dunyasha in “The Tsar’s Bride” (Antarova was the first performer of this role at the Bolshoi Theater).
Among the foreign operas in the singer's repertoire were the roles of Schvertleit in Die Walküre, Floschild in Twilight of the Gods, and Erda in Das Rheingold by R. Wagner (the first performer at the Bolshoi).

"Prince Igor". Konchakovna – K. Antarova, Vladimir Igorevich – A. Bogdanovich

K. Antarova participated in the first productions of Soviet operas “The Stupid Artist” by I.P. Shishova (Drosida’s part) and “Breakthrough” by S.I. Pototsky (Afimya’s party). The singer worked under the guidance of famous directors P.I. Melnikova, A.I. Bartsala, I.M. Lapitsky, R.V. Vasilevsky, V.A. Lossky; outstanding conductors V.I. Bitch, E.A. Cooper, M.M. Ippolitova-Ivanova and others. She creatively communicated with F.I. Shalyapin, A.V. Nezhdanova, S.V. Rachmaninov, K.S. Stanislavsky, V.I. Kachalov...
Colleagues highly valued K.E. Antarov as a singer and actress.
“Antarova is one of those working artists who do not stop at their natural abilities, but all the time tirelessly move forward along the path of improvement,” this is what the outstanding conductor V.I. said about her. A bitch whose praise was not easy to earn.
But the opinion of L.V. Sobinova: “She always had a wonderful voice, outstanding musicality and artistic abilities, which gave her the opportunity to take one of the first places in the Bolshoi Theater troupe. I witnessed the artist’s continuous artistic growth, her conscious work on her naturally rich voice, with an original beautiful timbre and wide range.”
“Kora Evgenievna Antarova always occupied one of the first places in the Bolshoi Theater troupe in terms of her artistic abilities,” M.M. also confirmed. Ippolitov-Ivanov.
One of the singer's best roles was that of the Countess. K. Antarova later wrote about working on it for several years: “The role of the Countess in Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades was my first role as an “old woman.” I was still very young, accustomed to performing only in young roles, and therefore, when the Bolshoi Theater orchestra asked me to sing this role in its benefit performance, I was both puzzled and embarrassed. The performance in this ceremonial performance was especially frightening, since the director of the Moscow Conservatory, Safonov, who was unusually demanding and strict, was invited to conduct it. I didn't have any stage experience. I had no idea how an old woman should get up, sit down, move, or what the rhythm of her experiences should be. These questions tormented me throughout the entire time I was learning the Countess’s musical part, and I could not find an answer to them.

Countess. "Queen of Spades"

Then I decided to find A.P. in Moscow. Krutikova, a former artist of the Bolshoi Theater, the best performer of the role of the Countess, who at one time earned the approval of P.I. himself. Tchaikovsky. Krutikova tried to convey to me her interpretation of the image of the Countess, demanding imitation. But it is unlikely that this method would give fruitful results... I went to Tretyakov Gallery and other museums, where I looked for the faces of old women and studied the wrinkles of old age for makeup, looking for poses characteristic of old age.
Several years passed and I met in artistic work with K.S. Stanislavsky. Only then did I understand what did not satisfy me in my Countess, despite good reviews and praise. It didn’t contain me, Antarova, or my artistic individuality. Classes with Konstantin Sergeevich revealed new tasks to me. The image of the Countess ceased to exist for me in isolation, outside the era, environment, upbringing, etc. Konstantin Sergeevich taught me to reveal the entire life line of the human body (that is, the logical sequence of external physical actions), which developed in parallel with the line of the internal life of the image.
Gradually, I no longer needed the crutches of conditional role transfer. I began to live a natural life on stage, since my imagination easily transported me from the magnificent halls of Parisian palaces to the Summer Garden or to the boring and gloomy chambers of the old countess herself.
I found the rhythm of the Countess’s pulse in my heart.”
K.E. Antarova sang solo concerts, the program of which included works by A.P. Borodina, P.I. Tchaikovsky, S.V. Rachmaninov, M.P. Mussorgsky, M.A. Balakireva, V.S. Kalinnikova, A.T. Grechaninova, N.K. Medtner, P.N. Renchitsky... In 1917–1919 she often performed in patron concerts.
Participated in the performance of symphonic works. She was the first performer in Moscow of the vocal part in the “Solemn Mass” by G. Rossini at the Pavlovsky Station under the baton of conductor N.V. Galkin (1892), the first performer of J. Brahms’s “Strict Tunes” (1923).
Possessing an extraordinary literary talent, Antarova translated the texts of romances by foreign authors for herself. Philological education was useful to Concordia Evgenievna in the future. The singer worked with Stanislavsky in his Opera Studio, created for the comprehensive creative formation of Bolshoi Theater singers. As a result, I wrote a book, much needed for professionals, “Conversations by K.S. Stanislavsky in the studio of the Bolshoi Theater in 1918–1922.” These were almost verbatim recordings of the director’s sessions with the studio members.
The main task that Stanislavsky set for the actors was revealed by Antarova in these recordings: “At his rehearsals, Stanislavsky carried out what he so often said: “In art you can only captivate, you cannot order in it.” He burned himself and ignited all the studio students with a love of working on true art, teaching him to look not for oneself in art, but for art in oneself.”
Stanislavsky's sister Z.S. Sokolova wrote to the singer in 1938:
“I’m surprised how you could record your brother’s conversations and activities so verbatim. Amazing! While reading them and after, I had such a state as if, really, today, I heard him and was present at his classes. I even remembered where, when, after what rehearsal he said what you recorded..."
The book was published several times and was translated into foreign languages. In 1946, K. Antarova created the Cabinet of K.S. at the All-Russian Theater Society. Stanislavsky, where active work took place to promote his artistic heritage. There is another valuable book - “On One Creative Path”, which is a recording of the singer’s conversations with V.I. Kachalov, who reveals his legacy in art to young artists. Perhaps it will also be published someday.
But you can also learn from Cora Evgenievna herself a truly high attitude towards art. She was not always satisfied with the atmosphere in the theater. She writes: “When the actor moves from the personal “I”, which he considers the center of life, and from protecting his personal egoistic rights to listing and realizing his responsibilities to life and art, then this atmosphere will disappear. Apart from culture, there are no ways to fight.”
The personal life of K. Antarova was difficult. Happiness with a man of high spirituality, close in views, ended tragically: Cora Evgenievna’s husband was repressed and shot. As for her future fate, then there are two versions. According to one, there is evidence that, at her personal request, she was “released from service” at the Bolshoi Theater in 1930 and became an employee at the Leningrad library. According to another version, creative life The singer was interrupted by exile, and her return to the stage took place thanks to the order of I.V. Stalin, who, having visited the theater, did not hear Antarova in the play and asked why she did not sing.
K.E. Antarova returned to the stage and in 1933 she was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. However, there was less and less strength left to continue creativity.
She taught a little, remained in Moscow during the war years, and, as it turned out later, continued to engage in creativity, but of a different kind. And in this she again found her philological education useful.
Despite the tragic circumstances of her life, K. Antarova kept her rich and bright spiritual world, was able to rise above the circumstances, moreover, she always had the strength to support others and even be a spiritual teacher. Her attitude to life and people was reflected in the book-novel “Two Lives,” which she wrote in the 40s and did not intend for publication. The manuscript was kept by her students. Now it has been published. This amazing book stands alongside the works of E.I. Roerich and N.K. Roerich, E.P. Blavatsky... It is about the spiritual life of a person, about the formation of his soul in life trials, about daily work for the common good, in which K.E. Antarova saw the meaning of existence.

Nezhata. "Sadko"

In 1994, the book was published and soon republished.
In the memoirs of K. Antarova, one of her spiritual students, Doctor of Art History S. Tyulyaev, cites the singer’s last letter to him, which expresses the essence of her attitude to life: “...I never say: “I can’t,” but I always say: “I will overcome.” " I never think: “I don’t know,” but I keep repeating, “I’ll get there.” Love is always good. But you need to remember that the Mother of Life knows everything better than us. There is no past, the future is unknown, and life is a flying “now.” And a human creator is the one who lives his “now”.
Concordia Evgenievna died in Moscow on February 6, 1959. Buried at Novodevichy Cemetery.
The spiritual power emanating from her was felt by everyone who knew Antarova. As one of her friends said, she “was talented in everything. She herself was beautiful... and everything around her. The famous Chekhov saying found an unusually complete embodiment in Kora Evgenievna.”
L.R.

Antonova Elizaveta Ivanovna
mezzo-soprano, contralto
1904-1994

A contralto of extraordinary beauty, full of purity, strength, deep expressiveness, characteristic of Russian vocal school, brought Elizaveta Antonova the adoration of both the audience and her colleagues on stage. To this day, her voice, fortunately preserved in recordings, continues to excite listeners. “...Voices like Antonova’s contralto are extremely rare, maybe once every hundred years, or even less often,” considered the recognized master of the opera stage Pavel Gerasimovich Lisitsian, the singer’s long-term partner in Bolshoi Theater performances.

Princess. "Mermaid"

Elizaveta Antonova was born on April 24 (May 7), 1904 and grew up in Samara. The Volga expanses have always fostered a love of singing. However, after graduating from the Labor School in Samara after the revolution, she worked as an accountant. But an irresistible desire to learn to sing led her to Moscow, where she arrived at the age of eighteen with a friend, having no relatives or friends there. An unexpected meeting with a fellow countryman, then very young, and later famous artist V.P. Efanov, who provides them with support in a foreign city, has a beneficial effect on the development of further events. Having seen an advertisement for admission to the Bolshoi Theater choir, a friend persuades Lisa, who does not even know how to read music, to try her luck. Despite the fact that more than four hundred people take part in the competition, including those with higher musical education, for Elizaveta Antonova this attempt ends in success - her voice so impressed the selection committee that she was unconditionally enrolled in the choir. She learns the first parts “from the voice” under the guidance of the Bolshoi Theater choirmaster V.P. Stepanov, who expressed a desire to study with the aspiring singer. By participating in opera productions of the Bolshoi Theater, she also acquires stage skills. And then he takes lessons from the famous former singer M.A. Deishi-Sionitskaya, a student of K. Everardi, a famous baritone singer and professor of singing, vocal mentor of a whole galaxy of singers who made up the color of the Russian opera stage.
After five years of work in the Bolshoi Theater choir (1923–1928) and fruitful studies with Deisha-Sionitskaya, E. Antonova travels to Leningrad, where she decides to try her hand at the opera troupe of the Maly Opera Theater. A soloist of the opera MALEGOTA in 1928–1929, she performs there as Niklaus in “The Tales of Hoffmann” by J. Offenbach, as well as Chipra in the operetta by J. Strauss “ Gypsy Baron" And in 1930, having returned to Moscow, he entered the First Moscow Music College, where he studied in the class of T.G. Derzhinskaya, sister K.G. Derzhinskaya. At this time he performs in experimental theaters and gives concerts. In 1933, after graduating from college, he returned to the Bolshoi Theater again, but now as a soloist in the opera troupe.
The singer’s debut on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in June 1933 was the role of the Princess in “Rusalka” by A.S. Dargomyzhsky, who was later called along with her best works. Reaching professional maturity, she first performed small parts - the Polovtsian girl in “Prince Igor” by A.P. Borodin, the 2nd Lady in “The Huguenots” by J. Meyerbeer, Nezhata in “Sadko” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The thirty-year-old first sings Nanny in P.I.’s “Eugene Onegin.” Tchaikovsky, and then Olga. Since then, Elizaveta Antonova has been performing the leading contralto and mezzo-soprano repertoire at the theater. Attaching great importance to working on stage characters, the singer, as a rule, studies not only her part and the opera as a whole, but also the literary source. Remembering my conversations with L.V. Sobinov and other luminaries of Russian vocal art, and she was A.V.’s partner. Nezhdanova, N.A. Obukhova, A.S. Pirogova, M.O. Reizena, E.A. Stepanova, V.V. Barsova, S.I. Blinking, the singer said: “I realized that you need to be afraid of outwardly spectacular poses, move away from operatic conventions, avoid annoying cliches, you need to learn from the great masters of the Russian vocal school, who created eternally living, deeply realistic, life-truthful and convincing images that reveal ideological content works." The same classic images, in tradition realistic art, marked by a high performing culture, she herself created on the Bolshoi stage, joining the galaxy of its recognized masters and becoming a phenomenon of the Russian opera theater.
“Male” roles were considered one of the artist’s perfect vocal and stage achievements: she remained in the history of Russian opera as an incomparable performer of the roles of Lelya in “The Snow Maiden” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Siebel in “Faust” by C. Gounod, Vanya in “Ivan Susanin”, Ratmir in “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by M.I. Glinka. According to Elizaveta Ivanovna, reading Pushkin’s great poem “Ruslan and Lyudmila” helped her the most in creating the image of Ratmir. As eyewitnesses testified, the Khazar Khan Ratmir surprisingly suited her low contralto and external stage features and was imbued with a real oriental flavor. E. Antonova took part in the premiere of the production (conductor-producer A.Sh. Melik-Pashaev, director R.V. Zakharov). Her partner in the play, Nina Pokrovskaya, performer of the role of Gorislava, recalled this work and her beloved Ratmir: “I loved this production by A.Sh. Melik-Pashayeva and R.V. Zakharova. I knew to the smallest detail the story of Gorislava, who was captured by the infidels and given to the harem of Ratmir. The power of love and the resilience of this Russian woman have always amazed me. Just think, for the sake of Lyudmila, Ruslan endured so many trials, and my Gorislava overcame all obstacles for the sake of Ratmir. And her devotion and strength of feeling transformed the young Khazar khan. In the finale of the opera, Ratmir and Gorislava were on equal terms with Lyudmila and Ruslan - both couples deserved a high award. This is how they knew how to love back in pagan Rus'!

Ratmir. "Ruslan and Lyudmila"

Handsome Ratmir was E.I. Antonov. Maybe because this was the first Ratmir for me, I still have the distinct appearance of Ratmir - Antonova. A tall, stately figure, courageous, not at all pampered, habits and movements, beautiful facial features. And, of course, the voice is a real contralto, rich, full-voiced, with a very beautiful timbre. The amazing intonations of this voice were gentle, caressed the ear, carried away with imperious impulses, and took captive. For the sake of saving such Ratmir, my Gorislava was ready to go to the ends of the earth! What a pity that film did not preserve for subsequent generations one of the best works of a talented artist!” Fortunately, the first complete recording of the 1938 opera with the participation of E.I. remains. Antonova, which was released by Melodiya on gramophone records in the mid-1980s.
Elizaveta Antonova’s performance of Vanya in Ivan Susanin, which was also considered a stage masterpiece, was no less impressive to colleagues and spectators. The singer again took part in the premiere performance - the first production of the opera with a new libretto by the poet Silver Age CM. Gorodetsky in collaboration with the director of the production B.A. Mordvinov and conductor S.A. Lynching. Previously, before the October Revolution of 1917, this opera was performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in a different version, which was based on the libretto of Baron E. Rosen. In a review of the premiere of “Ivan Susanin” in February 1939, published in the Pravda newspaper, composer, academician B.V. Asafiev wrote: “E. Antonova creates a wonderful image of Vanya. This is a great artistic success. Both the vocal part and the role are the most difficult. Glinka here gave full rein to his ardent affection for vocal skill and his discoveries in the field of vocal capabilities and prospects for Russian singing.”
In conversation with the outstanding bass M.D. Mikhailov about the performers of the main roles in “Ivan Susanin”, inspector of the Bolshoi Theater opera of the 1930s–1950s. B.P. Ivanov characterized E. Antonova - Vanya in the following way: “Antonova did not stop at carefully developing stage details, her excellent voice makes it possible to easily and convincingly perform this part. In the fourth scene, thanks to her powerful voice, Antonova achieves high pathos and captivates the audience. Vanya Antonov’s simple-hearted character is conveyed through vocal expressiveness, while Zlatogorov’s is conveyed through drama.”

In our country, volleyball began to develop widely in 1920-1921 in the regions of the Middle Volga (Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod). Then he appeared in the Far East - in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, and in 1925 - in Ukraine. Volleyball at that time was jokingly called “the game of actors” in the country. Indeed, in Moscow, the first volleyball courts appeared in the courtyards of the theaters - Meyerhold, Kamerny, Revolution, Vakhtangov. On July 28, 1923, the first official match took place on Myasnitskaya Street, in which the teams of the Higher Art Theater Workshops (VKHUTEMAS) and State technical school cinematography (GTK). The pioneers of the new sport were masters of art, future folk artists USSR Nikolai Bogolyubov, Boris Shchukin, future famous artists Georgy Nissky and Yakov Romas, famous actors Anatoly Ktorov and Rina Zelenaya were good players. From this meeting the chronology of our volleyball begins.

In January 1925, the Moscow Council of Physical Education developed and approved the first official rules volleyball competitions. According to these rules, Moscow championships have been regularly held since 1927. An important event The development of volleyball in our country was marked by the championship played during the first All-Union Spartakiad in 1928 in Moscow. It was attended by men's and women's teams from Moscow, Ukraine, North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Far East. In the same year, a permanent panel of judges was created in Moscow.

For the development of volleyball great value had mass competitions held at the sites of cultural and recreation parks. These games were a good school not only for Muscovites, but also for foreign guests. No wonder in the early 30s. In Germany, rules for volleyball competitions were published under the title “Volleyball - a Russian folk game.”

In the spring of 1932, under the All-Union Council physical culture The USSR created a volleyball section. In 1933, during a session of the Central Executive Committee, an exhibition match was played between the teams of Moscow and Dnepropetrovsk on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in front of the leaders of the ruling party and government of the USSR. And within a year, championships are held regularly Soviet Union, officially called the “All-Union Volleyball Festival”. Having become the leaders of domestic volleyball, Moscow athletes were honored to represent it on the international stage, when Afghan athletes were guests and rivals in 1935. Despite the fact that the games were played according to Asian rules, the Soviet volleyball players won a convincing victory - 2:0 (22:1, 22:2).

During the Great Patriotic War Volleyball continued to be cultivated in military units. Already in 1943, volleyball courts in the rear began to come to life. Since 1945, the USSR championships have been resumed, and technology and tactics have been improved year after year. Our volleyball players have repeatedly acted as reformers of the game. In 1947, our volleyball players entered the international arena. On I World Festival A volleyball tournament was held for youth and students in Prague, in which the Leningrad team participated, reinforced, as was customary then, by Muscovites. The team was led by coaches Alexey Baryshnikov and Anatoly Chinilin. Our athletes won 5 matches with a score of 2:0, and only the last 2:1 (13:15, 15:10, 15:7) against the hosts, the Czechoslovakian national team. The first “women’s” trip took place in 1948 - the capital’s team “Lokomotiv” went to Poland, supplemented by colleagues from the Moscow “Dynamo” and “Spartak” and the Leningrad Spartak team.

In 1948, the All-Union Volleyball Section became a member of the International Volleyball Federation (and not American, but our rules of the game formed the basis of international ones), and in 1949 our players took part in official international competitions for the first time. The volleyball players of the USSR national team made their debut at the European Championships in Prague and immediately won the title of the strongest. And our men's team became the first Olympic champions at the Tokyo Olympics (1964). She won both the Olympics in Mexico City (1968) and Moscow (1980). And the women's team won the title of Olympic champion four times (1968, 1972, 1980 and 1988).

Soviet volleyball players are 6-time world champions, 12-time European champions, 4-time World Cup winners. Women's team The USSR won the World Championships 5 times, the European Championships 13 times, and the World Cup 1 time.

The Russian men's team is the winner of the 1999 World Cup and the 2002 World League. The women's team won the 2006 World Championships, European Championships (1993, 1997, 1999, 2001), Grand Prix (1997, 1999, 2002), and the 1997 World Champions Cup.

In 1984, Paul Libo was replaced as FIVB President by Dr. Ruben Acosta, a lawyer from Mexico. At the initiative of Ruben Acosta, numerous changes were made to the rules of the game aimed at increasing the entertainment value of the competition. On the eve of the 1988 Olympic Games, the 21st FIVB Congress was held in Seoul, at which changes were adopted in the regulations of the decisive fifth set: now it must be played according to the “rally-point” system (“draw-point”). Since 1998, this scoring system has been applied to the entire match, and in the same year the role of libero appeared.

In the early 1980s, the jump serve appeared and the side serve almost ceased to be used, the frequency of attacking shots from the back line increased, changes occurred in the methods of receiving the ball - the previously unpopular technique from below became dominant, and the reception from above with a fall almost disappeared. The playing functions of volleyball players have narrowed: for example, if previously all six players were involved in the reception, then since the 1980s, the implementation of this element has become the responsibility of two finishing players.

The game has become more powerful and faster. Volleyball has increased the demands placed on the height and athletic training of athletes. If in the 1970s there might not have been a single player on the team taller than 2 meters, then since the 1990s everything has changed. In high-class teams below 195-200 cm, there is usually only a setter and a libero.

Since 1990, the World Volleyball League has been played, an annual cycle of competitions designed to increase the popularity of the sport throughout the world. Since 1993, a similar competition has been held for women - the Grand Prix.

3. Current state

Since 2006, the FIVB has united 220 national volleyball federations, making volleyball one of the most popular sports on Earth. In August 2008, Chinese Wei Jizhong was elected as the new president of the FIVB.

Volleyball is the most developed sport in countries such as Russia, Brazil, China, Italy, USA, Japan, and Poland. The current world champion among men is the Brazilian national team (2006), among women - the Russian national team (2006).

On November 8, 2009, the current winner of the European Volleyball Champions League, Italian Trentino, won another trophy, becoming the world club champion.

4. Development of volleyball in Russia

In the spring of 1932, a volleyball section was created under the All-Union Council of Physical Culture of the USSR. In 1933, during a session of the Central Executive Committee, an exhibition match was played between the teams of Moscow and Dnepropetrovsk on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in front of the leaders of the ruling party and government of the USSR. And a year later, the championships of the Soviet Union were regularly held, officially called the “All-Union Volleyball Festival.” Having become the leaders of domestic volleyball, Moscow athletes were honored to represent it on the international stage, when Afghan athletes were guests and rivals in 1935. Despite the fact that the games were played according to Asian rules, the Soviet volleyball players won a convincing victory - 2:0 (22:1, 22:2).

Competitions for the USSR championship were held exclusively in open areas, most often after football matches next to the stadiums, and the largest competitions, such as the 1952 World Cup, were held in the same stadiums with crowded stands.

Soviet volleyball players are 6-time world champions, 12-time European champions, 4-time World Cup winners. The USSR women's team won the World Championships 5 times, the European Championships 13 times, and the World Cup 1 time.

The All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VFV) was founded in 1991. The president of the federation is Nikolai Patrushev. The Russian men's team is the winner of the 1999 World Cup and the 2002 World League. The women's team won the 2006 World Championships, European Championships (1993, 1997, 1999, 2001), Grand Prix (1997, 1999, 2002), and the 1997 World Champions Cup.