In 2016, the 110th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding composer of the XX century Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975) is celebrated. He graduated from the Petrograd Conservatory (St. Petersburg), was nominated for five Stalin awards, the International competition in Warsaw and others Wrote in the styles of classicism and avant-garde. In addition to the creative work, the composer was active in social activities.
Premiere of the theater was dedicated to him. Performance-film series directed by Michael Kislyarov combines performances based on “Symphony No. 14” and string Quartet No. 8 of the cycle “From Jewish folk poetry”. It shows us the hero of the day, in terms of the confrontation of the Artist and the Authorities. The name of the musical play “Obscurantists. Symphony of despair” – and do not go on the statement to those people who are looking for from the performances of leisure and optimism.
The play begins with the demonstration of films with propaganda materials of the Soviet era and relives the thesis of the “multinational Soviet people” and its ideological attitudes. It’s hard to imagine anything that could better configure the viewer in the contemplation of the suffering creative genius with the so-called totalitarianism.
Flickering before the eyes the Soviet era ends the video by imposing performance of Shostakovich – he seems to be moving on, and begins the author’s reinterpretation of the circumstances of the life and work of the composer from the point of view of modern conceptual art.
The image of the Soviet era throughout in the formulation of the cruel recalls a farce. Thus Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev, and Brezhnev are represented… we can not imagine how can feel the audience who love the Soviet time or its values. Probably, it hurts to the heart.
The rest of the depicted circumstances also require its audience. In the play there are many lines – lyrical, tragic, romantic – but they all drown in the darkness of the overall theme of death. Say, love of Riva and Abraham, emphasized the emotional part of the action called “Jewish happiness”, seems almost a joke and has no credibility. Or the song ode to friendship by Wilhelm Kuchelbecker, the highest expression of sincere romanticism, is perceived as a sham. And this despite the fact that the young talented singers to efficiently and dynamically sing and play their role. Apparently, this distortion and zamisljeno the author to demonstrate Ada coexistence of creativity and political pressure on him.
Leaving the hall after the performance, one respectable woman loudly telling her companion delighted with the presentation and said, “Here’s that scene on the cliff, it reminded me of Rome… Ah, when you know a lot, you get this image!”. And I felt kind of awkward because I can’t share the enthusiasm of the performances. Whether lack of knowledge or understanding of contemporary art, or values nesusvetnye…
But that’s really what the string Quartet was beautiful – he crowned the first act and at the time of his inspired games are no strangers to those on the scene was not…
Those who are interested in the spectacle, will be able to visit on 25 and 27 September, when the main part of the celebrations of the anniversary of Shostakovich.
