Director of the theatre – a man of legend, man is a centaur, directed by Bartabas with animals have long found a common language: they seem to literally read his thoughts. How he does it, tortured Director, beginning with the first of his visits to Moscow, because at the Chekhov festival, tours of the theater “Zingaro” three times, became the mega-event. But the mind of Bartabas does not understand, and words talent is not measure – everything becomes explainable, it is necessary only to shake his hand. Not palm – stone, not flint. This, if you want to and take the reins, not the horses as dramatic artists will play – the rocks and mountains will dance as soloists of the Bolshoi ballet.
– With animals I have no problems. Harder sometimes happens with people, – told Bartabas. In “Horses of the wind”, for example, played 26 horses, 30 trained geese and 12 Tibetan monks.To obtain the latter’s consent, I had to put a lot of effort. I had to go to a monastery on the border of India and China. Four days to spend on the road. Long to explain the main representatives why the Buddhist monks are needed in the play and how I want to use. I had very good to explain what the “Zingaro”. Know already the French are not so easy to explain what it is, and even Tibetan monks… When I was building the conversation, we talked about everything and nothing. One, for example, went, showed me the cow, the tree, a small solar power… Neither about theology nor about the theatre, we didn’t say a word. I had a feeling that we do not agreed among themselves, but the next day he came and said, “I see that you are a man you can trust”. And gave his consent. He was smiling from ear to ear.
Tibet was invaded in his time by China, and these people for many years exist only at the expense of their culture and religion because of other possibilities of existence they have. We are in the “Zingaro” always interesting not just something to make with the representatives of different cultures, and share life. Within three years of the performance of Buddhist monks lived with us. And we all are always near the horses. So organized our life. My inspiration comes in cohabitation.
One of the components of Buddhist philosophy is permanence. My Tibetans are attracted to the extraordinary combination of vast knowledge: they are twenty years studied, have reached some degree, and simplicity. I was under the impression that the more people learn, the easier they hold themselves, the easier they become. The older they are, the more like children… the Problem areas they see differently than everyone else. When we rehearsed, the oldest of the monks was 72 years old, but he already fifty years old was not on ��each. As probably sad he was to meet during a rehearsal with the ethnographers, who often visited his home, and realize that he is there by himself, maybe I never will. Tibet in their mentality only exists in pictures, in images.
What attracts me more in Buddhism unlike other religions – animal and vegetable worlds there are equal with the man. In their religion the man is not above everyone else alive, and plants and animals not only serves him food. It’s important to me – I have spent my life working with horses. The question whether animals have a soul, because it remains a religion open. Catholics once doubted, whether the soul of a woman. Then he admitted that is. Maybe finally someday recognize that it is there for animals?
Working with horses and people – two big differences. It is much easier to teach something to repeat people than horses. But then… Artists are also not always all learn. By some miracle the horse is better remembered music, and even in the “rite of Spring” riders don’t always remember what the beat what you need to do, and the horses do not stray, ever.
the Horses taught me the ability to hear and listen without words. For me, the performance horse and rider are one. And since horses don’t talk, with the word I refused to work. In his performances, I don’t want to just show the horse for them and so you can see the fields and woods, – I am interested in the relationship between people and horses. Through this you can tell a lot in relationships between people. The horse as a mirror will reflect what is put into it. I’ll be rough and cruel or sweet and tender – I will respond in kind. After all, the Stradivarius violin can be played like a pig, and can put his heart and soul.
I little travel. Even when I was preparing the play “Chimera”, which is all mixed with the Indian culture, in India, I spent five days – listened musicians. To live a month in the country is to know its essence. In paper I are based on documents and stories of people: I wonder what they think about the country and its representatives. And in the third stage, I’m trying to forget everything I learned on the first two. And then I begin to work with horses and with the company. Then arise the instinctive images – I have always been guided by instinct. I don’t know what happens at the end, but like a horse, I listen to the voice of his instinct.
Our performances go a couple of hours. But the time we have another. When I was young and impulsive and watched some ballet, ten minutes seemed brilliant, but the hours I’ve missed you, and everyone around me seemed very boring. Only then I realized that maybe this time me and prepared to take ten minutes of genius…
For me it is important what happens before the show. How come sees��and how to take them. The performance begins before the audience sat down on their seats. For example – this Association. We, the citizens, are rarely found in nature. If you go into the woods, sit on the edge on the stone and say to yourself: I’ll try for two hours to concentrate, focus and just sit. The first ten minutes you will think about their household details. Then on the other, not so everyday. But it will take time and you absolutely otherwise can appreciate the surrounding nature. And realize that all this beauty around you were before you came. But now you become able to perceive it.
In my life plays a huge role in the case. I saw the horse, she inspired me, but never at the same time I don’t know how and where exactly I prisposoba. And only when the horse came to me on the Playground and I appreciated her character, I understand that it is possible to get and what kind of rider it can work.
by the way, in the same way I have with people happens. I pick up on charm. Don’t work as a drama Director, do not write any of the roles. I have them all collected together – horses, people – and look what this material can do. When I type in the company, it is important for me to see in the man generosity, desire to give, to create something together. Professionalism and technique are secondary – it can be learned. And to learn the desire to give oneself to other people is much more difficult.
But the most important thing in the “Zingaro” – to learn to hear the horse. We often hide behind words. I do believe that the word is the enemy of fellowship, a real fellowship takes place on some other level, not the language. Like now – I talk, talk, talk, and maybe I really more want to say.
a Retrospective of the performances of Bartabas will last until the end of August. On the website Trois Couleurs at 21.00 Moscow time every Friday broadcast of the performance is preceded by an introductory word of Bartabas and completes the little documentary about the history of the production. Recording of performances available week, the documentary “behind the scenes” only on the first evening of the show.
schedule Soon
until July 17 – “Lungta” (“Loungta”)
from July 17 – “Horse Opera”
from July 24 – “Calvary”
from July 31 – “Eclipse”
7 August – “Darshan”
from August 14 – “the centaur and the animal”
from August 21 – “Battuta”
from August 28 – “We finish off the angels (On achève bien les Anges) – Elegy”
All screenings is free.
