On creativity, family and backstage life: meeting with Teresa Durova held at the National Centre RUSSIA
What happens behind the scenes at a theatre that has
developed its own distinctive artistic language? How are its productions
created, and what drives one of the country's most sought-after creative
companies? These and many other questions were discussed on 13 September at the
National Centre RUSSIA during a creative meeting with Teresa Durova, People's
Artist of Russia, Artistic Director and Chief Stage Director of the Moscow
Music and Drama Theatre. Guests had a rare opportunity to ask questions about her
life and work, hear the theatre's story first-hand and experience its unique
aesthetic. The event formed part of the cultural and educational programme of
the "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats" exposition, dedicated to the 150th
anniversary of the Theatre Union of Russia and held under the motto "Union
of Happy People".
Teresa Durova comes from a long-established circus family. She is the
great-granddaughter of the legendary clown and animal trainer Anatoly Durov and
the first member of the dynasty to leave the circus ring at a young age and
devote her life to theatre. Challenging the well-known saying "The apple
doesn't fall far from the tree", Teresa Gannibalovna spoke about the
turning point in her life that not only led her to dramatic art, but also
prompted her to establish a theatre from scratch in 1992. Today it is widely
known as the Teresa Durova Theatre — one of Moscow's most successful music and
drama companies, staging productions for audiences of all ages. Teresa Durova
emphasised the importance of family support on the path to finding one's
vocation and recognition, and admitted that her relatives accepted her choice
even though it differed considerably from the family profession.
"From birth, my fate seemed predetermined. Everyone understood perfectly well how my life would unfold, and there appeared to be no other possibilities. But somehow I kept rolling farther and farther away from my family apple tree. Life wrote a completely different script, and I am deeply grateful to my family, who helped me stay on the path I had chosen. They loved me so much that they allowed me to make my own decision," Teresa Durova admitted.
Over the years at the Teresa Durova Theatre, the director has trained several generations of professionals with versatile acting skills and has staged more than 40 productions for family and adult audiences. During the meeting, she explained how she manages to bring together performers with very different personalities and views on the creative process into a single, cohesive theatre ensemble.
"A theatre ensemble needs to be united and very strong. But achieving that is extremely difficult, because every actor who steps onto the stage is living through their own destiny and carries their own play in their mind. None of them is alike — in temperament, voice, height or the theatre school they attended. All of this places an enormous responsibility on the theatre director. And it is a very difficult but fascinating task to make the entire team into one family. At the same time, we must not forget the great responsibility we have towards the audience, because they too are an important and integral part of the theatre," Teresa Durova said.
The meeting was held in a question-and-answer format. The director spoke about when and how best to introduce a child to theatre, why it is important to listen to the younger generation and where the line lies between personal life and creativity. She shared family and professional traditions and rituals, and even explained what creating a production has in common with cleaning the house. Concluding her conversation with the audience, Teresa Durova noted that theatre venues, like families, are very different, and that everyone therefore has their own kind of theatre.
"As for our theatre, it welcomes you at any age. And whenever you feel like bringing us the child who lives inside you, you are very welcome," the director said.
The "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA takes visitors behind the scenes of theatre and tells the stories of the people who create productions, as well as the 150-year history of the Theatre Union of Russia.
The exposition features more than 600 exhibits from 117 theatre organisations across 30 regions of Russia, including scenery, stage machinery, costumes, masks, sketches, props, puppets, archival documents, photographs, and audio and video materials. The project is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.
Visitors can see the unique exhibits and discover the world behind the scenes
until 25 September. Admission to the exposition is free. Advance registration
on the russia.ru website is required to join a guided tour. Visitors can also
use an audio guide to the exposition, recorded with the participation of
well-known actors.
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The creative workshops are held at the National Centre RUSSIA stand in the very centre of the "Cultural Code" thematic space.
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