Requiem to be premiered in Moscow

Eifman Ballet’s new production of Requiem will premiere on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, on September 29, 30, and October 1. The performance will be part of the International Chereshnevy Les Open-Art Festival.

“In Requiem we fused together some great music pieces by Mozart and Shostakovich with poignant poetry by Anna Akhmatova, that reflected her own suffering as well as the pain experienced by millions of people,” the choreographer says about his creation. “However, in spite of the tragic story the ballet conveys, I would not call it gloomy. It has hope and faith in humanity and in the greatness of the human spirit. The ballet Requiem is not a funeral song, but a hymn to what is stronger and, ultimately, beyond death,” he explains.

It should be mentioned that Eifman Ballet and Chereshnevy Les Open-Art Festival share a history of successful collaboration. For example, in May 2012, Eifman Ballet presented the European premiere of Rodin, as part of this prominent international cultural event. The performance on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre was a huge success. It was then that Boris Eifman won the Oleg Yankovsky's “Creative Discovery 2012” prize, which concluded the Festival. In October 2013, supported by Chereshnevy Les Open-Art Festival, Eifman Ballet performed Beyond Sin – Boris Eifman’s new choreographic interpretation of The Brothers Karamazov novel by F. Dostoevsky – in front of the Moscow audience.

According to Boris Eifman, collaboration with Chereshnevy Les Open-Art Festival gives them a wonderful opportunity to show their latest creative achievements to Muscovites. “I admire the Festival organizers for their authenticity when it comes to real art. Requiem will become the third Moscow premiere, conducted by Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg in collaboration with Chereshnevy Les Open-Art Festival. I honestly believe that in the upcoming seasons we will keep participating in this wonderful Festival that preserves the eternal values of high culture.”