Katerina Novikova, head of the music programming department of the Rossiya-Kultura TV channel, has headed the press department of the Bolshoi Theater for a quarter of a century, broadcasting film screenings and conducting the interview series Green Living Room. Knowing multiple languages gives the impression that she knows the whole world and that the world reciprocates her feelings. However, this is a common rule, when ability and charm make the longest road become the shortest way to others, including world-famous stars.
New year is coming. And the world went crazy again… because of The Nutcracker. You have repeatedly commented on the broadcasting of ballet in cinemas. And this year everyone will be able to see The Nutcracker thanks to the Russian television channel K TV.
Katerina Novikova: Optics have changed so amazingly that for me suddenly “The Nutcracker” turned out not like Tchaikovsky's Christmas story, but like an amazing real-life magic – the “Nutcracker” competition for children, organized by the “Culture” channel for more than twenty years. This is truly an event full of wonders, revealing incredible talents to the world! You may be surprised but for me this is the most patriotic event. Moscow gives us hope that we have a lot of good music and excellent performers ahead.
“Culture” always shows the ballet “The Nutcracker” on Tet days, the channel has a rich treasure. There is an all-time favorite recording with Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasiliev – the first performers arranged by Yury Grigorovich.
When will we see the main New Year's fairy tale?
Katerina Novikova: This year there will be an interesting move: we will record “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Yury Possokhov, a performance of the Moscow Opera by Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. Broadcast – December 21, will take place at the Oktyabr cinema.
What is your favorite “nutcracker”?
Katerina Novikova: I have a special relationship with The Nutcracker. I have read the entire Hoffmann fairy tale and Dumas's retelling. It seems to me that Yu Grigorovich's “The Nutcracker”, with its clarity and depth, allows people of all ages to remember their childhood: there is a fairy tale and nostalgia, sadness and themes about the process of growing up. Yury Posokhov's ballet is an exciting and vibrant performance. In Petipa's script, it was a journey through Confetenburg, in Yury Grigorovich's script, it was around the New Year tree, and it seemed to me that Posokhov showed us New Year's cards from different countries. When I worked at the Bolshoi Theater, a quarter of a century ago, I saw “The Nutcracker” almost every day every winter – different casts, different introductions. This is a great reward in my job.
A quarter of a century in the Bolshoi is time and experience. Every performance opens with your voice – you ask the audience to turn off their cell phones in Russian, English, French. How do you like change in life?
Katerina Novikova: You could say that I went from a luxury airliner to a high-speed plane and now I'm looking at the Earth from a different altitude. I am new to the channel and I feel deep gratitude to Sergei Shumkov for that trust. In general, it is surprising that Valery Gergiev began my fate in the musical theater many years ago, inviting me, while still a student, to work as press secretary of the Mariinsky Theater (the first in its history). And now I know that Valery Abisalovich again supports my candidacy. I am reminded of Azary Plisetsky's quote, “life is better than you planned”. The Bolshoi Theater has been my favorite house for the past 25 years. Everyone close to me works there. The space of the History Stage itself is charged with incredible energy. But sometimes you stop noticing that you are no longer growing. You become comfortable, you become comfortable, you love many things, you know, it comes easily to you.
People who are passionate about their work will work at Kultura. An active creative process is underway – the channel not only orders shows, but also creates them itself. This comes with a lot of paperwork. There is an impressive array of information that needs to be mastered; it was difficult for me but interesting and I am very grateful to my colleagues on the channel for their help and support. And I hope that my knowledge, social connections, and perspective can be helpful here.
You once wrote on social networks that in real life you only meet the audience of the “Culture” channel. Do you have any special friends? Did you inherit them? Your father Viktor Novikov, who for many years headed the Theater. Komissarzhevskaya is also called by many people a “genius of friendship”.
Katerina Novikova: Of course they are special. My parents immediately created an incredible circle of communication with extraordinary, interesting, and intelligent people. In St. Petersburg – then Leningrad – in the first years of our childhood we lived in a communal apartment on the 1st floor: Isaakievskaya, building number 5. Sometimes, before reaching the front door, people visited directly through the window. Who hasn't visited my parents yet? How they all fit on these 12-15 meters, I don't know. Once at our house, Mikhail Zhvanetsky was reading his stories. There was a knock on the window from the street – when the curtains were opened, there was a crowd standing in our small courtyard and asking for the reading to be louder.
The Bolshoi Theater has been my favorite house for the past 25 years. Everyone close to me works there. Space charges itself with incredible energy
We hid under the table with Mikhail Baryshnikov's royal poodle named Foma. Then we moved several times, and the inner circle changed a little, but they were always great people – Mikhail Shvydkoy, Lev Dodin, Yuri Temirkanov, Garkalins, Sasha Morfov, Anatoly Belkin. Despite the age difference, my parents remained friends with Eldar Ryazanov, Kirill Lavrov and Alexander Belinsky. It's hard for me to stop. But what's important is that I'm always there for them. I was never sent to the children's table or played on the sidelines. They all set the scale and unintentionally convey their values. And the main value of the house where I grew up was love.
The iron curtain against Russia is now worse than an epidemic. However, many of our creators continue to work in the world's most famous opera houses. You recently flew to Amsterdam to attend the premiere of the film “The Maid of Orleans” directed by Dmitry Chernykov.
Katerina Novikova: I was also lucky enough to go on a trip to Milan to attend a Daniel Barenboim concert, and in the summer to the Salzburg Festival. When the outstanding French choreographer Pierre Lacotte was asked where is your homeland, he said: “My homeland is ballet.” Culture cannot be made hostage to politics.
The idea of restricting Russian culture seems unfeasible to me. The whole world still listens to Tchaikovsky, reads Dostoevsky and admires Malevich. Chernykov's performance featured many Russian singers, the hall was packed and, in my opinion, the feeling of the music and performance did not follow any national lines.
How much freedom and camaraderie does your multilingualism give you? You speak French, English and even Japanese.
Katerina Novikova: In fact, the feeling of inner freedom is generally less dependent on external factors. My father, who doesn't know foreign languages, can negotiate with anyone. In my case, multilingualism brought me friendships with Roland Petit, John Neumeier, David Hallberg, Daniel Barenboim, with talented theater directors Hugues Gall and Gerard Mortier, with Pierre Lacotte. And opening the Bolshoi Theater for Jude Law, Dolce and Gabbana, Tom Cruise, Richard Gere, Gerard Depardieu, Francis Ford Coppola, Valentino, Kenzo and many others is always an incredible pleasure…
What languages did you study abroad?
Katerina Novikova: I studied for several months at the Eugene O Neill Center in the US. She lived in Japan for nine months and studied cultural policy at Dauphine University in Paris. Trained at the Edinburgh Festival. In America, it was a harsh school for me, but very important for personal growth and self-knowledge. I was there alone as a foreigner taking intensive acting courses – 7 days a week from 7am to 10pm, three people living in one room, no private space at all. But many hours were spent on voice, breathing, movement, African dances and the history and development of speech. I have learned a lot about myself physically. And the Japanese have a special sense of beauty, a special understanding of politeness and relationships, and a very deep sense of dignity. All this teaches tolerance and a different worldview.
You are also a good interviewer. Could your conversation appear on TV?
Katerina Novikova: I like to talk with people, learn about their past, I like to communicate with creative people. I really appreciate having such an opportunity, but it is difficult for me to have my own show on the “Culture” channel. We have had quite a few such programs. Maybe we can launch such a podcast on our social networks. The format of my conversation is more suitable for the Internet. Television requires precise timing. Everything must meet established standards. And I want freedom.
What do you think is the most important thing in the television broadcasting of the Rossiya Kultura channel?
Katerina Novikova: I am still new to “Culture” and maybe I am wrong, but I like when there is a conversation, a discussion, when art not only pleases but also stimulates, arouses different emotions and feelings. In fact, our channel, like academic theater, has the mission of presenting the best, setting high standards for the masterpieces of the past, while constantly remembering that we are in the 21st century and today's audiences want to see both modern creators and contemporary art.
