Get out of here! This is "Helikon Opera"!

One of the interesting phenomena of modernity in the field of culture and art was the discovery after many years of restoration of the historical stage of the musical theater "Helikon-opera". The event took place on November 2, 2015. Since then, a year and a half has passed. The theater is gaining popularity among the guests and residents of the capital.

What's in a name?

An unusual name for the theater was given not accidentally. What is a "helikon"? Helikon is a hill in the mountain range called Parnassus. Mistakenly over the mountain take Parnassus himself, but, as you can see, this is not entirely true. In any case, the Parnassus mountain chain and the separately taken Helicon peak are associated with Greek mythology. Helikon is the "residence" of Apollo, the god who patronized the arts, and the Muses accompanying him. On Helikon they were going for a musical. Among the Muses, most people have a special attitude to the theatrical art. We do not think that it is necessary to clarify their purpose in relation to the musical theater. So, one can draw the conclusion that the name of the theater is symbolic and in this case it has the meaning of allegory: the helikon is an unattainable peak of the mastery of opera art, which is demonstrated to the viewer from the helikon-opera stage.

There is another version of the origin of the name of the theater. They say that Helikon is a huge wind musical instrument. It is made of copper and has a curved tube body. Helicons were used previously only in military musical groups. The shape of the instrument makes it possible to play on it, even sitting astride a horse, since the helikon can be hung on the shoulder, and the hands will remain free. A non-absolute analog of the helicon in modern orchestras is the tuba.

Among the ancient Greek philosophers Aristide and Ptolemy, mention is also made of the ancient helicon - a quadrangular string instrument. According to various sources, he had 4, 7 or 9 strings. With the help of this instrument, ancient musicians could study musical intervals.

However, these versions are less convincing.

Characteristics of the theater

"Helikon-Opera" - the creation of Dmitry Bertman - was born in 1990.

In the ancient building on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, the Bertman Theater is located in the year of its foundation. And it existed there until the restoration of the mansion, which began in 2006, began. Only eight years later the theater was returned to his native scene.

The performances of "Helikon-Opera" differ from traditional ones. They are full of irony and grotesque, farce and parody, brilliant carnival. The interpretation of images and events is ambiguous and provides an opportunity for reflection and the formation of personal attitudes towards them. Bertman actively uses the elements of the game, the stylistics of musical and theatrical language, close to the modern spectator, while maintaining the fidelity to classical traditions. The theater's performances are democratic and rely on the eternal theme of the struggle between good and evil. Lyricality, deep tragedy, personal moral authorial position, psychologism of images make the plays an important moment in the comprehension of life in general.

Since childhood, a little magician ...

The founder of "Helikon-Opera" is a graduate of GITIS. Dmitry Bertman first took a great interest in theater in four years. He "fell ill" to them after a visit with the mother of the Moscow Theater of Young Spectators. Later, with the permission of his parents, he designed the layout of the scene.

According to Bertman's memoirs, the theater, built by him at home, was located under a sofa. It had backstage and scenery, which hid in the sofa, and the actors were colored figures. Decisions became more and more, and the theater ceased to fit under the couch. Then he was moved to the shelves of a nearby rack. During the performances, the light in the room was turned off, but turned on in the "stage", the musical effect was achieved with the help of a plate with the opera. Such performances guests could not watch for a long time and very quickly left the "theater space".

The first home-grown theater of Bertman became interested in the theater director of the Moscow Art Theater, Kama Mironovich Ginkas, who often came to visit his parents. Fragment from the "play" "Swan Lake", he even used in his "Carriage". The next admirer of Bertman's home theater was the theater director Henrietta Naumovna Yanovskaya, who also often visited their house. Yanovskaya helped ten-year-old Dima to make lifting scenery with the help of school rulers and threads. And Vladimir Bugrov presented for the birthday of the boy a huge pallet-cloth with a turning circle of the stage, ramp, spotlights. On the foam plastic, with which it was lined, it was possible to fix pins various coatings. And my mother allowed me to use my wedding dress to create a curtain.

Historical building

The address of "Helikon-Opera": Moscow, Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 19/16. The theater is located in the historical estate of the noblemen Glebov-Streshnev-Shakhovsky.

From 1759-1761 he was reigning Nastasya Mikhailovna Dashkova - a passionate lover of organizing entertainment. In 1768, the owner was Fyodor Ivanovich Glebov, and then - the widow of Elizabeth Petrovna (on the father - Streshneva). Since 1864 the owner of the estate was Evgenia Fyodorovna Shakhovskaya, at which the main perestroika works were carried out. In the estate, the Italians and the French, the operetta of Vienna, constantly presented their performances. After the owners moved to Europe, the building was rented, and at the beginning of the next century there was a small stage for concerts.

Concert halls of the manor

The first performances "Helikon-opera" gave in the Pokrovsky Hall. In it there is a harpsichord, executed by Dmitry Belov according to the project of I. Rukkers in 1617. The main stage of the theater was the Belokolonny Hall. It managed to restore stucco decorations, marble columns, a unique wooden ceiling. Now the most striking is the hall of "Helikon-Opera", named after the composer Stravinsky. He is famous for his ceiling in the form of a starry sky.

Reviews of the "Helicon-Opera" guests and regulars are always enthusiastic. The architecture and interior of the historical building are amazing with splendor, where in the warm period performances are organized even in open courtyards. Equally magnificent are the theater productions, world-renowned performance, the brilliance of direction and entertainment.