"BOGIS" Agency
presents

OLEG MENSHIKOV
ALEXANDR FEKLISTOV
in the production

N

January - March 1993

NIZHINSKY

The play by Alexey Burykin
Art-director - Pavel Kaplevich
Score - Larissa Rybakova
Light - Sergey Makryashin
Consultant - Andris Liepa
The performance engages the students of choreography schools
Assistant director - Marina Brykova
Costumes - Valentina Morozova
Make-up - Olga Kalyavina
Properties - Marina Brykova
Theatrical manager - Oleg Kondakov
The decorations are made by Alexandr Bekeshev and Sergey Ivanov.
The costumes are created by the craftsmen of Culture Center of Fashion "Pashkin House". Art-director - Pavel Kaplevich
Light and radio - "Artservice" Company, director - Sergey Makryashin
Executive producer of the production - Lubov Vyazinova
Agency Art-director - Galina Bogolyubiva
Agency General Director - Larissa Isayeva
Sponsor of the play - Andrey Lukyanov
General sponsor of the production - "The Way International Company Ltd."

***

Vaclav Nizhinsky's major performances and parts

1907

White slave ("Pavilion of Armida". Music by N. Cherepenin, choreography by M. Fokin)

1908

Slave ("Egyptian Nights". Music by A. Arensky, choreography by M. Fokin)

1909

Tornado ("Talisman". Music by R. Drigo, choreography by N. Legat)

1910

Harlequin ("Carnival". Music by R. Schumann, choreography by M. Fokin)
Golden slave ("Scheherazade". Music by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, choreography by M. Fokin)
Albert ("Giselle". Music by à K. Weber, choreography by M. Fokin)
Narcissus ("Narcissus". Music by N. Cherepenin, choreography by M. Fokin)
Petrushka ("Petrushka". Music by I. Stravinsky, choreography by M. Fokin)

1912

The Blue God ("The Blue God". Music by R. Khan, choreography by M. Fokin)
Daphnis ("Daphnis and Chloe". Music by M. Ravel, choreography by M. Fokin)
Faun ("The Afternoon of Faun". Music by C. Debussy, choreography by V. Nizhinsky)

1913

Young sportsman ("Games". Music by C. Debussy, choreography by V. Nizhinsky)
"The Rites of Spring". (Music by I. Stravinsky, choreography by V. Nizhinsky)

1916

Till Eulenspiegel ("Till Eulenspiegel". Music by R. Strauss, choreography by V. Nizhinsky)

***

"Today we saw Nizhinsky, who possesses talent and genuine school at the same time. His art is so rich and various, that it verges on genius. The harmony of his mimicry and plastics is magnificent. His whole body expresses what the intellect dictates".
Auguste Rodin - about the ballet "The Afternoon of Faun"

"Nizhinsky disappears in the window with a leap so pathetic, so denying all the laws of gravity, so curved and high, that from now on the light scent of a rose will never touch me without bringing to life this unforgettable phantom".
Jean Cocteau - about the ballet "The Vision of Rose"

"I greet you, Nizhinsky! God bless your darkened soul! There, where friendship stops respectfully on the verge where two sisters - admiration and sympathy, embracing each other are deep in thought and reminiscences, there only a prayer can reach".
Paul Claudel - from the introduction to Romola Pulska's book about Nizhinsky

***

Vaclav Nizhinsky was born on February 28, 1889 in the family of Polish dancers. In 1900 he entered St. Petersburg Choreography School and after graduation was taken to the Mariinsky Theatre. Here he meets young choreographer Mikhail Fokin, their first joint works are the ballets "Chopiniana" and "Egyptian Nights". The meeting with Sergey Diaghilev.
April 6, 1911 - the opening of Diaghilev's seasons in Paris. Nizhinsky's brilliant success in "Petrushka" and "The Vision of Rose".
1912 - first independent productions. Choreographic miniature to the music by C. Debussy "The Afternoon of Faun".
1913 - marriage to Hungarian dancer Romola Pulska. First breakup with Diaghilev. Attempt to create his own troupe. 1914 - his daughter Kira was born.
During the years of the First World War he and his family are interned in Hungary. This period is the beginning of his disease. In January 1916 he moves to Vienna. From April of 1916 to January of 1917 he tours about the USA with Diaghilev's troupe. 1917 - South American season. September 26 - the final performance of Diaghilev's troupe.
January 19, 1919 - Nizhinsky's last public performance in St. Moritz (Switzerland). His disease grows worse, prosecution mania develops. Three times, in 1922, 1924 and 1929, Diaghilev makes attempts to return Nizhinsky to the ballet. Without success… Wandering about the best world's clinics and mental health centers begins.
On April 8, 1950 Nizhinsky died in one of London hotels. On June 16, 1953, his dust was brought to Paris and buried at Monmartre cemetery.

***

VACLAV NIZHINSKY

"So, no jokes, I am a human and God at the same time. And, if I'm made of flesh, then I was born from it. God created flesh. I'm God. God is the source of my happiness…
I chose universal love. I'm from Poles, but I'm Russian in my heart, as I was brought up in this dear to me country… I'm not Russian, I'm not Polish, not a foreigner, not a cosmopolite, I'm a human…
I appear in clown's dress to be understood better. I like Shakespearian clowns possessing a great sense of humor, but they have malicious features as well, and due to this they keep away from God. I value jokes because I'm God's clown. But I think a clown is perfect only if he expresses love, otherwise he is not God's clown for me…
Rejected by evil, attracted by love, I carry peace in my heart - and I'm considered a wicked man. I wrote and told only truth, because I hate insincerity and strive only for kindness…
It's my vital need to enjoy light, to see my stars sparkle. And if one of them stopped to shine, for me it's a sign of death. I noticed there are many human beings who don't shine. Death is extinct life, as a man who has lost his mind…
I would like to describe my lonely strolls, which I was fond of. But are we some lonely rhythms? We - we - we is you and they. I would like to say - say, I must have some sleep. Write and sleep. I write, write, write…
Spirit is infinity, and infinity is me, who is spirit. I will never die".
God and Nizhinsky
St. Moritz-Dorf (Switzerland)
1919

OLEG MENSHIKOV

Graduated from Shepkin Higher Drama School in 1981. Performed in Moscow theatres under direction of Y. Yeremin, V. Fokin, P. Fomenko.
The major roles in theatre: Ganya ("Idiot", directed by Y. Yeremin, The Central Theatre of Soviet Army), Serezha ("Sport Scenes of the Year 1981", directed by V. Fokin, The Ermolova Theatre), Caligula ("Caligula", directed by P. Fomenko, The Mossovet Theatre).
During the seasons of 1991 - 1992 worked in London performing the parts of Sergey Esenin in "When She Danced" and Ikharev in "Gamblers".
Acted in 16 films. The latest cinema works: "The Stairs" directed by A. Sakharov and "Dyuba-Dyuba" directed by A. Khvan.

ALEXANDR FEKLISTOV

"In my childhood there was love for puppet-shows, for the mystery that doesn't leave even now. Oh, Gabaridze! (By the way, and what is the support in ballet if not the highest manifestation of puppet-show?).
In early 70's I was in Spesivtsev's studio, than in Mirzoyev's, in late 70's I started to study with Efremov, (my children are born), than I worked with him for 6 years. Acted in films. (More children).
Rehearsed with Chkheidze, Vasiliyev, Dodin, Mokeyev, Kozak.
I like to work with friends, but I dream about animation.
...It's a pity to read about Nizhinsky: "He had a genius gift of performance". He's not a performer, but a creator, a master. Subconsciously we all strive for it, and if we see "performance" on stage, than something has gone wrong. You always ask yourself: "Aren't you tired of pronouncing somebody else's words, thoughts, lines?" Of course you are tired, if it's not created from your own emotions, your own tenderness, your own hatred. No doubt, theatre is "now", it's a living emotion, it's boiling water".

Alexandr Feklistov graduated the actor's department of Higher School-Studio at the Art Theatre in 1982.
The major works in theatre: XX ("Emigrants", directed by R. Kozak, "Human" Studio"), Arbenin ("Masquerade", directed by R. Kozak, The Fifth Studio of the Art Theatre), Vladimir ("Expecting Godo", directed by D. Brusnikin, "Human" Studio).
Acted in 25 films. The major works: "Plumbum, or Dangerous Game" (directed by V. Abdrashitov), "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (directed by A. Orlov), "Queen of Spades" (directed by M. Kozakov, A. Orlov).

ALEXEY BURYKIN

"Deafness is out of the fullness of sounds
Blindness is out of the fullness of colors
Dumbness is out of the fullness of words
Death is out of the fullness of emotions"

Aleksey Burykin graduated the actor's department of Higher School-Studio at the Art Theatre.
Worked as an actor in two Moscow theatres.
It is the first dramaturgical experience.

PAVEL KAPLEVICH

"I don't know what will come of our undertaking, but the feeling of the verity of what is going on never leaves me. I love everybody who participates in this work. I have loved Nizhinsky himself for a long time.
Myth is what remains in our cheerless reality.
Creating of a myth is a stream of sweet fantasies, illusions, dreams of and about non-existent, might-have-been…
Islands. Their loneliness in the stream of wild nightmare is the loneliness of islands.
Man of Universe - his loneliness in the fussy, shaking, cracking nuts, mocking world. The loneliness of a man of Universe.
The attraction of a clown is his sparkling hastiness. Burning mystery. Fest of a clown".

Pavel Kaplevich graduated the actor's department of Higher School-Studio at the Art Theatre. Worked as an actor in St. Petersburg. Since 1985 is a scene-painter, costume designer, art-director in theatre, in cinema, on TV.
Major works in theatre: "Serso", "Six Characters Looking For an Author" (directed by A. Vasiliyev, The School of Dramatic Art), "Masquerade" (directed by R. Kozak, The Fifth Studio of the Art Theatre), "Caligula" (directed by P. Fomenko, The Mossovet Theatre), "Bald Brunet" (directed by D. Gink, The Stanislavski Theatre), "The Government Inspector" (directed by V. Mirzoyev, Toronto, Canada), "Salome, the Judaic Princess" (directed by K. Strezhnev, "O'kay" Theatre).
Worked as art-director in 14 films. The latest works in cinema: "Anna Karamazoff" (directed by R. Khamidov), "Luna-Park" (directed by P. Lunguine), "Sanctified" (directed by O. Teptsov).

GALINA BOGOLUBOVA
LARISSA ISAYEVA

"N - "Nizhinsky" is the first theatrical experience of our agency: producing a performance on contract basis. Not only for all of us but for Moscow as well it is unusual when the production is created in forty two rehearsals and is performed daily during almost two months. When the director, the art-director, the actors, the workshops, the technical personnel are gathered especially for a certain production, and the play was written on contract with us particularly for Menshikov, Kaplevich, Feklistov.
Everything is amazing and complicated, everything is unusual: search of money and location, design and making of advertising materials and even distribution of tickets.
But if you hold this playbill and read these lines, then the premiere took place after all. We hope that our future projects will take place too".

"Bogis" Agency (Bogolubova - Isayeva) was registered in January of 1992. Collaborates with state and independent private film studios of Russia and foreign countries. The field of activity and interests: casting, crew forming, defense of the professional rights of actors, directors, artists, playwrights. Also the creation of permanently functioning theatre on contract basis.
Collaborates with the magazines "Dramaturg" ("Playwright") and "Kinoglaz" ("Cinema-Eye").

***

Artist - Pavel Kaplevich
Photo by Vladimir Yatsina, Nikolay Yezhevsky
Photo of Nizhinsky by Larissa Pankratova from V. Krasovskaya's book
Authors: Galina Bogolubova, Maya Folkinstein

Acknowledgements

Margarita Eskina, Anatoly Danilov, Ludmila Chernovskaya, Vadim Gayevsky, Sergey Nikulin, Alla Sigalova, Sergey Tomash, Evgeniy Izenkovitch, Irina Apeksimova, Vera Nikiforova, Ekaterina Bonch-Bruyevich, Tatiana Drubich, Alexandr Vasiliyev, Natalia Volkova, Rafael Oganov, Anatoly Isayev, Lubov Kopay-Gora, Nelly Iyevleva, Valeria Iyevleva, Valery Temirov, Sofia Sorokina, Yuri Kuznetsov,
Department of State Protection and Use of History and Culture Memorials Control (Moscow)