Career
From the age of six, the future celebrity was engaged in folk dancing, and already at ten she entered the Kiev Choreographic School and connected her life with ballet. In many ways, the choice of this path was suggested to the girl by her mother, who wanted to see her daughter as a ballerina and was able to persuade her to enter the school in time. Already as a student at Zakharova, Svetlana successfully built a career as a ballerina, dancing Masha in “The Nutcracker,” the Dying Swan, and the Lady of the Triads in “Don Quixote.” And not only on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater... The troupe of this theater accepted Svetlana into its ranks at the age of 17, immediately after graduating from the academy, and literally a year later she already received the status of a ballerina. Experienced mentor Olga Moiseeva actively helped Svetlana in her creative development, thanks to which the young ballerina quickly began to receive many leading theater roles. In 2003, Svetlana moved to Moscow and went to work at the Bolshoi Theater, where she received the status of prima ballerina. Her debut on the new stage as a soloist took place in October 2003 in the ballet Giselle, although she had already danced this role three times at the Bolshoi Theater before the transition. The rapid development of her career accompanied Svetlana’s participation in world-class ballet companies as a guest celebrity. Svetlana Zakharova is a ballerina with unusually high merits: her repertoire includes dozens of brilliant roles, which she performs on the leading stages of the world.
Svetlana Zakharova: “Most ballerinas don’t know real life”
“This is Chapurin? All his things seem to be sewn for me,” notes Svetlana Zakharova, examining the dress, delicate and weightless, like herself. The dress was really made just for her, according to a special order from Bazaar.ru: in the morning before the meeting with the prima ballerina of the country’s main theater, we picked it up “in the heat of the day” from Igor Chapurin’s atelier on Savvinskaya embankment. The participation of the designer and “freelance costume designer” of the Russian ballet played an important role in the fact that the prima agreed to give us an interview: as you know, it is very difficult for Svetlana Zakharova to find time to communicate with journalists, especially now that her new program “Amore” Having received an incredible ovation in Moscow, he sets off on a journey across the world's stages.
We chose no less than the Moscow Planetarium as the setting for the shooting: “placing” a world-class star next to other celestial bodies seemed an ambitious, but quite logical idea. There is some kind of metaphorical poetics in this, isn’t there? However, Svetlana Zakharova does not show the excessive “stardom” expected from the prima of the Bolshoi and La Scala (on the Milan stage the ballerina is called only “etoile”) and behaves with rare professionalism: she obediently follows the busy shooting schedule, steadfastly endures the unexpected cold in premises of the museum and, despite her busy schedule (Svetlana has to fly to Tokyo for a performance every other day), patiently and with a smile answers all questions. Perhaps the whole point is that many years of ballet life have taught this fragile girl to overcome any difficulties without a single hint of effort. During the 6 hours of our collaboration, Odette of the 21st century (she danced more than ten editions of Swan Lake) drinks only two cups of Nespresso cappuccino, which makes me want to ask her about her strict diet. But stylist Evgeny Zubov, the only one to whom the ballerina trusts her hair, shows touching concern for his ward and asks us to avoid platitudes in the interview. Therefore, in a conversation with the artist, we raise completely different topics: how to combine personal life and career, the behind-the-scenes life of ballet in Russia and abroad, and why she refused to film in Big Babylon.
Dress, Chapurin
You are a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater and etoile of the La Scala Theatre, you have danced on all the world's main stages. How do you feel differently when you go on stage in Milan and in Moscow?
Any appearance on stage is special; it requires a lot of preparation and attitude. I will not hide that wherever I performed, the stage of the Bolshoi Theater was always the most “emotional”: here there is the highest concentration and the strongest excitement. They say that my native walls help: on the one hand, yes, but on the other, such a storm of emotions occurs inside me like nowhere else.
Maybe the Russian public is more picky?
No, you can’t fool any viewer. It doesn’t matter where you perform: either the audience likes it or they remain indifferent. I think that here, on the stage of the Bolshoi, I am influenced by its special historical spirit.
When performing in Milan, Paris, New York, do you feel that you are responsible for the image of the country? Do you feel like a Russian ballerina?
Of course, there is a feeling of a certain responsibility. I am proud that I am a Russian ballerina, and that I was brought up in the best traditions of the Russian ballet school - without exaggeration, the best in the world.
Is it true that in Europe and the USA, ballerinas and theater workers in general are treated more strictly in terms of discipline: they are seriously fined for missing a rehearsal and other violations?
For dancers, theater is first and foremost work. Therefore, as in other areas, management has the right to fine you for violating labor discipline. At the Bolshoi, as throughout the world, this is strictly monitored, but there are exceptions for leading performers. We work on quality, and not on the number of hours spent in the rehearsal room, so soloists in any Russian theater have the right to determine their own regime. In foreign theaters, the rehearsal schedule is drawn up a week in advance: it doesn’t matter whether you are tired or not, you must be in the hall if your name is indicated. But this applies to the permanent theater troupe - not to the guest performers. So even there I stick to a schedule that suits me.
You amazingly combine a successful career as a ballerina with a busy personal life. How do you do this?
It seems to me that since Soviet times there has been a stereotype that a ballerina should give herself completely to the stage: not have children, think about roles all the time, rehearse. My generation is more free in this regard: dancers go on maternity leave without fear, some manage to do it twice during their career. I will even say more: it benefits everyone. Other feelings are born, new forces and emotions appear... Life changes, the speed and rhythm are completely different, and one way or another there must be enough time for everything, the main thing is desire. We live in an age of new technologies and speeds: everything passes so quickly that we want to do a lot and experience a lot in life.
Dress, Chapurin
Wherever I perform, the stage of the Bolshoi Theater has always been the most “emotional”: here there is the highest concentration and the strongest excitement.
Your schedule is booked several years in advance, and your husband probably has an equally busy schedule. How do you manage to maintain strong family relationships and pay enough attention to your child?
When Vadim and I met, the life of each of us was already like this: tours, performances, rehearsals, meetings... Neither I nor he know any other rhythm, and we have nothing to complain about: initially it was our conscious choice. Whenever possible, we come to each other's performances. It is very important for me to discuss the performance after, to hear the opinion of my loved one. Our daughter is already 5 years old. She is a well-mannered, creative child: she goes to plays and concerts and knows that if I have a performance, she must be quiet and not make noise while I am resting. Of course, at first I had to explain this to her, but now she understands everything without words. Anya got used to our constant departures. At 2.5 years old she was already watching the ballet “Giselle” in Prague and, in general, from an early age she flew with me on tour. Now Anya is engaged in dancing, gymnastics, and English, so she is more attached to Moscow. My mother is always there - they are great friends: my daughter calls her by name, since no one in the family dares to call my mother grandmother. Mom is the closest and dearest person, who else can you trust if not her?
You have admitted more than once that you would be happy to send your daughter to ballet. Based on your experience, what is the most important advice you would give her?
She is very mobile! I hope that dance classes will direct all her energy in the right direction. It is difficult to give advice, but I know for sure that in addition to discipline, ballet gives a life of beauty, a dream and a goal. A child begins to strive for something from an early age and grows up faster. If my daughter chooses my path, I will gladly support her.
Nowadays ballet is actively presented to the masses - it is shown on TV, artists participate in various media projects. Also, several years ago, Bolshoi performances began to be broadcast in cinemas. How do you feel about such popularization of art?
This is positive, because it makes ballet more accessible. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to the Bolshoi Theater for various reasons. And so, ballet fans from all over the world can attend a performance with the participation of their favorite artists without leaving their city. Thanks to such broadcasts, my fans are becoming more and more. These performances are filmed by a professional team from France, they are familiar with the theater and know how to film ballets - they say it looks amazing on the big screen! I often hear this from people from different countries. Another thing is that for me as a performer this is an additional burden. During the broadcast, you dance not only for the audience in the hall: cameras are placed on different sides, and you don’t know at what moment and from what angle they are filming you, showing your movements in the background or showing your face in close-up. And there is no opportunity to change anything after the show. When dancing, I have to control myself more than usual. The broadcast is actually live: hundreds of thousands of viewers watch it. After such loads, it takes me much longer to recover and come to my senses.
Don't you think that the very magic of going to the Bolshoi Theater is lost when the play is shown in cinema?
The public, as far as I know, gathers for such broadcasts not like in a movie, but like in an academic theater: people dress appropriately, applaud during the performance and after it. Judging by the attendance at such events, people need this. Still, many people watch recordings of my performances on Youtube—hundreds of thousands of views! So it’s better for the audience to see the whole performance in high-quality filming on the big screen, rather than excerpts in poor quality, filmed secretly, sometimes from the top tier, on a smartphone.
Bodysuit, Maison Margiela; skirt and cape, Dries Van Noten (all – Leform)
It’s better for the audience to see the whole performance in high-quality footage on a big screen, rather than poor-quality excerpts filmed on a smartphone.
A ballerina, especially one who dances in several troupes, constantly changes partners on stage. Having worked with a large number of artists of different types and temperaments, how do you establish contact with each of them?
All my first partners were the older generation of amazing artists: with them I studied and gained experience as an aspiring ballerina. Everyone treated me very kindly and introduced me to performances. I took a lot from them in terms of knowledge. And now, having stage experience, I myself try to help my new partners delve into this or that material. If a dancer starts working on a role from scratch, I share my knowledge and emotions with him to make it easier for him. At these moments I review my games and dive deeper into them. I am interested in having not just a good partner nearby, but, above all, an interesting personality. The success of the performance depends on the work of both main performers.
Do you need some kind of real emotional connection with your partner to show genuine emotion on stage?
A personal connection is not necessary, but there must be sympathy between the people dancing in pairs. A special chemistry that makes people who are strangers to each other a stunning duet on stage. And then the audience believes everything that happens between the performers and is imbued with the atmosphere of the theater. It happens, of course, that this does not happen, and in this case acting skills and professional experience are included.
I can’t help but ask you about working together with Roberto Bolle, the star of Italian ballet. What was the most memorable thing about working with him?
We often dance together on the stage of La Scala. In Italy, even those who do not attend performances know his name. In Italian I call him bella persona: he is not only a unique dancer and partner, but also a good person - modest and very private. And, despite his popularity, he is an incredible workaholic: he is ready to work all day in the ballet hall, endlessly repeat lifts and movements. He is very easy to dance with, he is stable and reacts instantly if something goes wrong. One of my friends said: “Your rehearsals with Bolle can sell tickets.” This is because we give them 100 percent. In October we have Giselle scheduled at La Scala, so we will delight the audience with our duet again.
At the end of May, the Russian premiere of your solo program “Amore” took place at the Bolshoi Theater. What did you want to say with this production?
First of all, this is my first big solo project. I often give solo concerts, but usually these are excerpts from classical plays and individual numbers. I wanted to do something new, large-scale, emotional, to surprise and inspire my viewers. Together with a huge team, we worked on this project for a year. The performance consists of three one-act ballets, staged by different choreographers, in completely different styles. “Francesca da Rimini” to the music of Tchaikovsky, staged by Yuri Posokhov: I fell in love with this performance at first sight! The second - “Before the Rain Passes” - was staged especially for me by the Austrian choreographer Patrick de Bana: in this performance there is no plot as such, and the viewer comes up with his own meaning to what is happening; there is a share of emotional impromptu on stage. And the third is a kind of joke ballet “Strokes through Tails”, staged by Margarita Donlon for Mozart’s 40th symphony. It has a subtle humor that is not always easy to convey on stage. I wanted the drama and philosophy to be balanced and for the audience to leave the show smiling.
Why did you collaborate with these particular choreographers?
When Yuri Baranov, the producer of “Amore,” invited me to do a solo project, I already had ideas to dance “Francesca da Rimini” and make a new performance with Patrick de Bana. All that remained was to find the third ballet. Yuri soon showed me “Strokes through Tails”, discovering Margarita Donlon for me. She has never worked in Russia before, and I am very glad that everything turned out this way: all three choreographers are very talented people and are not at all similar to each other.
Will you repeat this program?
Yes, we will show the next performances of the “Amore” project on June 30, July 3 in Italy and July 6 in Monaco.
Which contemporary director do you dream of working with?
There are many of them: both those who have already worked with me and those with whom I have not yet collaborated. Jean Christophe Maillet, Paul Lightwood - I dream of meeting them at work. And, of course, I would really like to collaborate with John Neumeier again: I consider him the greatest choreographer of our time. I was lucky enough to perform a part in his play “The Lady of the Camellias”. I really love Boris Yakovlevich Eifman: at his anniversary I danced an excerpt from his play “Red Giselle”. This is a choreographer who has his own style, you can’t confuse him with anyone. No wonder his performances are adored by audiences all over the world, and his troupe works with great enthusiasm and dedication.
It is no secret that the Russian public is still wary of modern ballet and is usually quite cool in accepting all sorts of experiments. Are you thinking about how to properly submit new formats?
When I do something new, I think not only about what would be interesting for me to dance, but also about whether it will be interesting to the viewer. Would I like to see the play again? The main thing for me is that the audience leaves the theater inspired and spiritualized.
Costumes for the project “Amore” were made by Igor Chapurin. You are good friends with him, he often dresses you on stage and in life, and even created a dress especially for our shoot. How did your partnership begin?
Igor Chapurin has a long history with ballet, as you know (In 2005, Igor Chapurin was the first Russian designer to receive the right to create stage designs and costumes for Bolshoi Theater ballets. - Ed.
). And we became friends just when we were preparing the production of “Amore”, he “dressed” the ballets “Francesca da Rimini” and “Strokes through the Tails”. Yuri Baranov brought me to his boutique so that we could get to know each other better, and since then we have been working closely together. He is a true master of his craft, one of the brightest Russian designers, and what he does causes me sincere delight. While working on Amore, I completely trusted his vision and taste. He always shares his ideas with such enthusiasm that I agree to everything!
Besides Chapurin, which Russian designers do you wear?
I am friends with Nikolai Krasnikov: I love what he does for his brand. I respect Vyacheslav Zaitsev very much - he is our legend and the trendsetter of Russian fashion, the conductor of Russian culture.
Not long ago, the film “Big Babylon” was released, revealing the holy of holies - the backstage of the Bolshoi Theater. The film was shot in the wake of a famous tragic story. What do you think was the purpose of it being filmed and why did you not take part in it?
I have a negative attitude towards this film. It seems that the director was planning to show another scandal, apparently deciding to become famous in this way. He failed to film the real Bolshoi Theater, its rich behind-the-scenes process. Some snippets from the lives of some theater workers, nothing more. I am not interested in such projects.
For the second year under your patronage, the charity dance festival of children's dance “Svetlana” has been held in Moscow. What plans do you have for this project?
The goal of this unique event is to show how diverse dance is: from classical and folk to modern - everything can be seen at the festival. Professional teams and ensembles from different cities of Russia gather on stage and take first places in international competitions. They dance in such a way that it takes your breath away! And these are our talented children who love what they do. I cannot express how grateful I am to the teachers and choreographers who educate young talents.
Slip dress, Organic by John Patrick (KM20)
The ballet world is closed: you live like in a fairy tale and hardly know real life.
What is the charitable part of the project?
We fully provide travel, accommodation and meals for all participants. Coming to Moscow and performing at one of the best venues in Moscow (at the Rossiya Concert Hall in Luzhniki) is a reward for them. I didn’t have a goal to make a competition - it’s a festival, a dance forum, if you like. This year 500 children took part in it. A large stage was built especially for the festival, and very beautiful decorations were made. Of course, the competitive moment occurs at the stage of selecting participants. But the main thing is that children do not feel competition during the festival - on the contrary, they all look at each other’s work with great interest, learn from experience, and get to know each other. There are no losers or winners here.
For some time you worked in the Duma Committee on Culture. What did this experience give you and are you planning to return to the Duma?
Yes, I worked in the fifth convocation, and for me this period was definitely interesting and useful in terms of some discoveries.
You see, the ballet world is closed: you live like in a fairy tale and, despite all the “adventures,” you hardly know real life. And when I came to the Duma, I saw the world from the other side: I managed to help someone, but I couldn’t do something. Now my schedule is planned for several years in advance, and all plans are related only to art. I'm used to giving myself completely to what I do. But I don’t rule out that I will be able to return someday: there may be changes in life. We would like to express our gratitude
to the Moscow Planetarium for their assistance in organizing and conducting the survey.
Awards and titles
The first serious confirmation of Svetlana's talent can be considered the receipt of second place in the International competition among young dancers in 1995 in St. Petersburg. Successful participation in this competition helped the ballerina immediately enter the third year of the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg and study in the class of Elena Evteeva. In 1999, Svetlana won the Golden Mask Award for Best Actress in Ballet. Svetlana Zakharova received her current status as a prima ballerina in 2003 at the Bolshoi Theater, where her teacher is the famous Lyudmila Semenyaka, a graduate of the Vaganova Academy and a former ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater. In 2005, Svetlana received the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, and literally three years later - People's Artist. In 2005, the ballerina was awarded an award by the International Union of Choreographers for her performance of the role in the ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream - Benois de la Danse. In 2008, Svetlana was recognized as the star of the La Scala theater in Milan.
Childhood
Svetlana Zakharova was born on June 10, 1979 in Lutsk, Ukrainian SSR. Her father was a military man, and her mother worked as a teacher at a local dance studio. It was thanks to her mother that the girl fell in love with ballet and learned her first steps in her classes.
Svetlana Zakharova in childhood At the age of 10, Svetlana managed to enter the Kiev Choreographic School, where she studied for 6 years in the class of Valeria Selugina. After graduation, the girl took part in the prestigious dance competition “Vaganova-Prix” in St. Petersburg and took second place, losing the lead to a more experienced ballerina.
Svetlana Zakharova in her youth and now The performance of a gifted girl did not pass the attention of experts, and after the competition Svetlana received an offer to continue her studies at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, starting immediately from her final year. The next year, in 1996, the young ballerina already performed at the Mariinsky Theater, where Svetlana Moiseeva became her mentor.
Personal life of a ballerina
Svetlana Zakharova is married to violinist Vadim Repin, with whom she was once brought together at a New Year’s concert. The ballerina says that she was simply amazed by Vadim’s talented performance and after the performance she approached him for an autograph. The next time Zakharova Svetlana met her future husband was only a year later. Officially, the couple does not talk about the wedding date, but it is reliably known that Svetlana and Vadim are married.
In 2011, a daughter, Anna, appeared in the star family. After giving birth, the ballerina returned to the stage just three months later, but she never ceases to pay the necessary attention to the child, and sometimes even takes her daughter with her on tour. Svetlana often admits that the birth of a child significantly changed her views on the world, transformed her judgment and thoughts. Motherhood gave me the opportunity to perceive and feel even movement in ballet in a new way. Svetlana Zakharova is a ballerina of the highest level, but there is no doubt that a dizzying career does not prevent her from being a wonderful wife and caring mother.
Svetlana Zakharova – performances in the 2019-2020 season*
September 18, 23, 26, 29, 2020 – starts at 20.00
La Scala Theater / Teatro alla Scala / Italy, Milan Premiere! “The Lady with the Camellias”, ballet Composer: Frederic Chopin Choreography: John Neumeier Conductor: Theodor Guschlbauer Performed by: Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle
October 24, 2020 – starts at 20.00 October 25, 2020 – starts at 16.00
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées / France, Paris “ MODANSE ”, solo project of Svetlana Zakharova One-act ballets “Like Breathing” To the music of George Frideric Handel Choreography: Mauro Bigonzetti Performed by: Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Savin, Jacopo Tissi, Mikhail Lobukhin, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Ana Turazashvili. “Gabrielle Chanel” Composer : Ilya Demutsky Choreography: Yuri Posokhov Performed by Svetlana Zakharova, Ana Turazashvili, Mikhail Lobukhin, Jacopo Tissi, Nelli Kobakhidze
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*Please note that theaters reserve the right to make changes in the composition of artists involved in performances
Style and character
This woman's natural abilities are perfect for ballet. The standard figure for a ballerina can easily be called the one that Svetlana Zakharova has. Svetlana’s height is 168 cm, weight – 48 kg. She does not like repetitions and patterns in clothing and always carefully selects a costume that will be as different as possible from the costumes of the ballerinas who performed the role before her. Svetlana's zodiac sign is Gemini, so she is characterized by some mood swings and particular energy. The star does not believe in omens and does not support superstitions, always believing in her luck. The prima ballerina loves to relax mainly in the mountains, preferring them to hot sunny beaches.
Social and political activities
As mentioned above, Zakharova is a deputy of the State Duma of the fifth convocation and a member of the culture committee. The ballerina takes this circumstance quite responsibly and cannot stand aside where support is needed - in 2011 she became the founder and president of a charitable foundation, which has the following main goals:
- preservation and development of the best traditions of choreography and culture;
- providing the opportunity to practice ballet to a wide range of people;
- support and promotion of the Russian ballet school;
- creating a favorable environment for the existence of a sufficient number of ballet studios and special schools for children in this area;
- maintaining professionalism in ballet;
- assistance to young dancers;
- social support and necessary rehabilitation for veterans of ballet art.
Svetlana Zakharova helped establish a special scholarship for several of the best students of the Saratov College of Arts, finding it extremely necessary, and now she is going to not stop there. In the near future, the woman plans to organize the first creative children's holiday in Russia - a ballet festival. The star openly admits that combining the activities of a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation with ballet is often very difficult, because to achieve success in one thing you need extreme concentration on the subject and the application of many efforts. Svetlana considers the almost complete lack of competent modern choreographers to be a big problem with current choreography, which is hindering its development, which forces Russia to borrow too much in ballet from the West.
Ballet
At the Mariinsky Theater, Olga Moiseeva became the artistic director of Svetlana Zakharova, who during the season promoted the aspiring artist to become a soloist of the theater. The ballerina’s debut is considered to be the play “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”, in which the girl danced the part of Maria. But critics call the ballet “Giselle”, where Svetlana played the main role, the main success at the beginning of Zakharova’s career. For the modern Russian stage it was a sensation - such young dancers had not performed this complex part for a long time, especially at such a level.
Svetlana Zakharova solos in Don Quixote
At the age of 18, Svetlana Zakharova is already a prima of the Mariinsky Theater, involved in the most important roles in the classical ballets “Sleeping Beauty”, “Swan Lake”, “La Bayadère”, “Don Quixote”. Another career takeoff begins after working on the play “Then and Now,” where the girl collaborates with choreographer John Neumeier. This director managed to take a fresh look at the Russian ballerina and showed that Svetlana has access to classics and an ultra-modern vision of dance.
Then Svetlana begins to tour the world. In France, Zakharova becomes the first ballerina from the former USSR to dance on the stage of the Paris Opera after the collapse of the Union. The dancer also enjoys New York, London, Buenos Aires, Munich, and Naples.
Svetlana Zakharova at the Bolshoi Theater
In 2003, the ballerina decides to join the troupe of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater on a permanent basis. Work at the Bolshoi began with the premiere of the ballet “The Pharaoh’s Daughter” staged by the famous choreographer Pierre Lacotte. By the way, Zakharova’s name is associated with a scandal in 2013, when the girl, not wanting to dance in the second cast, refused to participate in the premiere of John Cranko’s ballet Onegin. This incident is considered the reason for the dismissal of theater director Anatoly Iksanov.
In 2008, the ballerina entered into a contract with the Milanese La Scala theater, where the dancer was given the status of etoile, that is, the highest status of ballet dancers. In the history of this stage, this happened for the first time - no Russian dancer had previously received such an honor. In the same year, the girl received the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation. In 2010, Svetlana was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters in France.
In recent years, the ballerina has returned to the Moscow Bolshoi Theater and appears in the largest productions “A Hero of Our Time”, “The Lady of the Camellias”, “The Legend of Love”, for which she received the “ballet Oscar” several times - the international Benois de la Award Dance." In 2020, the artist received this award for her participation in John Neumeier’s ballet “The Lady of the Camellias,” where the ballerina transformed into the heroine Margarita Gautier, as well as for her performance as Mekhmene Banu in the ballet “The Legend of Love,” directed by Yuri Grigorovich.
