Nikolajus Zverevas ir Lietuvos baletas

LTNikolajus Zverevas (1888-1965) - rusų baleto artistas ir baletmeisteris, susijęs su XX a. pradžioje prasidėjusia klasikinio šokio kultūros reforma. Jis dalyvavo rusų baleto impresarijaus Sergejaus Diagilevo „Ballets Russes“ trupės spektakliuose Paryžiuje, dirbo kartu su kitais žinomais XX a. pirmosios pusės baleto menininkais, kūrė adaptuotą ir originalią choreografiją. Reikšminga jo kaip baletmeisterio ir choreografo biografijos dalis yra susijusi su darbu Valstybės teatre Kaune, Lietuvoje: 1931-1935 m. jis vadovavo baleto trupei, statė spektaklius, pats juose šoko charakterinius vaidmenis, sukūrė pirmųjų lietuviškų baletų - Balio Dvariono „Piršlybos“ Juozo Gruodžio „Jūratė ir Kastytis“, Vytauto Bacevičiaus „Šokių sūkury“ choreografiją, kūrė šokius šio laikotarpio operų spektakliams. Straipsnyje apžvelgiama Nikolajaus Zverevo kūryba iki atvykstant į Kauną, analizuojami Lietuvoje pastatyti spektakliai, apibūdinama jo veikla Paryžiuje, Briuselyje, Buenos Airėse išvykus iš Lietuvos, įvertinama jo reikšmė Lietuvos baletui. Raktažodžiai: Kaunas, Valstybės teatras, baleto trupė, klasikinis baletas, Nikolaj Zverev. [Iš leidinio]

ENNikolai Zverev (Николай Зверев, Nicolas Zvereff, Zwereff, Sverev, Svereff, Swereff, in Lithuania - Nikolajus Zverevas, Zvierevas, Zverjevas, 1888-1965) was a Russian ballet artist and ballet master associated with the reform of classical dance culture that began at the beginning of the 20th century. Born and educated in Moscow, he participated in the performances of Russian ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev’s “Ballets Ruses” company in Paris, collaborated with other well-known ballet artists of the 1st half of the 20th century, created original and adapted choreography. A significant part of his biography as a ballet master and choreographer is related to his work at the State Theatre in Kaunas, Lithuania: in 1931-1935, he was an artistic director of the ballet company, choreographed performances, appearing in some of them as a dancer. The article reviews Nikolai Zverev’s creative work before coming to Kaunas, analyzes the ballet performances he produced in Lithuania, and describes his activities in Paris, Brussels and Buenos Aires after he left Lithuania. Nikolai Zverev’s creative period in Lithuania, compared to other periods of his career in various cities of the world, is distinguished by intensity and productivity.At the State Theatre in Kaunas, he created dances for twenty operas, had the opportunity to stage nineteen ballet performances - some of which he staged based on well-known productions by the world famous choreographers of the late 19th-early 20th century, including Marius Petipa (Giselle, Swan Lake, Raimonda, Sleeping Beauty, Harlequinade), Mikhail Fokin (Les Sylphides, Carnival, Polovtsian Dances, Le Spectre de la rose), Vaslav Nijinsky (Afternoon of the Faun), George Balanchine (Aubade), often significantly changing them, interpreting some of them in an original way (Islamey, Night in the Witch's Mountain, Bolero, Coppelia, The Dwarf Grenadier). Especially significant for the history of Lithuanian ballet are the choreographer’s works based on the music of Lithuanian composers: Juozas Gruodis’ Jūratė and Kastytis, Vytautas Bacevičius’ In the Whirl of Dance and Balys Dvarionas’ Matchmaking. The latter performance was also included in the tour programme of the State Theatre Ballet Company in 1935 in Monte Carlo (presented twice) and London (presented six times). Nikolai Zverev’s pedagogical merits are particularly significant: while working in the ballet studio and with the artists of the ballet company, he made a significant contribution to increasing their professional excellence and contributed to the further artistic and technical development of Lithuanian ballet. Keywords: Kaunas, Lithuanian State Theatre, Ballet Company, classical ballet, Nikolai Zverev. [From the publication]