Priezzheva Elizaveta S.

The article analyzes «Winter Dreams», a ballet in one act by K. MacMillan, based on Chekhov's play «Three Sisters», staged in 1991 in the UK, in the context of interpreting the literary source on the ballet stage. The idea of the ballet is revealed, the dramatic and musical foundations, the set design, the features of choreographic dramaturgy, and the artistic methods compared with the choreographer's personal style are analyzed. The research provides a brief overview of the theatrical productions of «Three Sisters» in London, in the context of the approval of Chekhov's works in the English classical repertoire of the XX century. The author explains how the internal structure of the ballet meets the compositional complexity of the original play and how Chekhov's psychology is remained in the conditions of the ballet genre. It is noted that the choreographic dramaturgy principles used by K. Macmillan hide the linear development of the action, and escape the interpretation excessive illustrativity. It is also specified that the musical score in the form of mixing piano pieces by P.I. Tchaikovsky and Russian folk music supports a «Chekhovian genre», characterizing personal states of mind, and reflecting the reality in its comical ordinariness; and the characters are presented through a life prism and are truthfully revealed by the choreoplastic nuances. In conclusion, the article's author notes that the choreographer's experience looks credible, characterizes the mutual influence of cultures in the ballet directing, and the interpretation itself marks the rejection of a direct recreation of the plot with the help of artistic methods and the transformation connected with the literary source rethinking and conceptualizing in European choreographic art.

The article analyzes «Jardin Infinito», a one-at ballet by Nacho Duato, staged in 2010 at the Compania National de danza in honor of Chekhov's 150th anniversary, in the context of the figurative connection with the primary source beyond the plot and expression of Russian culture features. The concept of the ballet is outlined the musical and set design foundations, the features of choreographic structures, and the artistic methods are analyzed under the influence of postmodern aesthetics and in relation to the сhoreographer's personal style. It is noted that Duato identifies Russian culture through the deconstruction of the artistic world of Chekhov, combining semantic, sound and visual allusions, regarding existential issues and the problem of creativity. Direct connection with Chekhov is realized in the musical design through the reference to his notebooks and diaries, using plastic metaphors associated with the sounding text, and more specific allusions to the images of Chekhov's plays, and with number of audio and visual techniques. It is also specified that Duato goes beyond the limits of the Chekhov universe, emphasizing the imagery of the Russian language through the symbolization of the text by staging techniques. In conclusion, the author notes that the problem of the relevance of the Russianness, highlighted by Duato both in the characters and verbal text, and in the ideological understanding of the play, remains controversial, and gives several arguments in support of his opinion.