The Japanese cannot live without ‘Swan Lake!’ - Mariinsky acting director

RBTH: Does the Mariinsky troupe like to come to Japan?

Yury Fateyev: We have a unanimous opinion. Japan is one of our favorite countries! I also personally love Japan. I came here for the first time in 1986 and fell in love at first sight. It is a special country for me.

The Mariinsky Ballet first came here 50 years ago, during the Soviet era. We still have teachers like Gennady Selyutsky, who were participants of that first tour.

I will tell you a little secret. At the Bunka Kaikan Theater, where we perform, there is a tradition for artists to leave autographs on the walls behind the scenes. And there is a signature from 1961 – "Selyutsky." He showed this inscription to me when we were here three years ago.

RBTH: Is there any specific repertoire that you bring to Japan?

Y.F.: The Japanese cannot live without ‘Swan Lake!’ They have a great love for Tchaikovsky altogether. For them, he is the number one composer. Therefore, ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘Nutcracker’ should be in the repertoire.

Jewels. Source: Mariinskii Opera House

RBTH: You have Japanese dancer Kumiko Ishii in the troupe. Did she come on this tour?

Y.F.: Yes. How could we not bring our Japanese performer here? Kumiko speaks Russian. She graduated from the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. She has a good figure, and fits into the corps de ballet, but also dances some solo parts.

We also took our British dancer Xander Parish, who used to dance at the Royal Ballet, on our London tour last summer. It was a smash success! He drew all media the attention. When he worked for the Royal Ballet, he hardly danced. He just stood with a spear by the wing of the stage and watched the others dance.

With us, he dances for ‘Swan Lake,’ ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Giselle.’ We have raised him. We do not buy foreign players like they do in football, with a name and for big fees. When we accept an artist, it is like taking a piece of clay and molding it to perfection. This is the principle of the Mariinsky Theater.

Xander Parish. Source: Valentin Baranovsky/Tass

RBTH: Don't new stars want to return home after becoming famous?

Y.F.: It happens in different ways, but Parish always says he wants to live in Russia and work at the Mariinsky. He has been invited to different countries. He goes and dances there as a guest, when possible.

Today our artists are welcome visitors at many venues. This year Kimin Kim, also a graduate of the Mariinsky Theater, danced in ‘La Bayadere’ at the American Ballet Theater in the spring and received the highest marks from critics in the ballet world.

Kim is a Korean, who studied at the Korea National University of Arts under Russian teachers Margarita Kulik and Volodya Kim for eight years. This is the first Asian male dancer to become a first soloist in our theater.

Kumiko Ishii. Source: Mariinskii Opera House

RBTH: Are there any talented Japanese dancers?

Y.F.: Do you know how many ballet schools there are in Japan? 15,000! Recently, I was on the jury of YAGP (Youth America Grand Prix), the semi-final was in Osaka. There were 740 participants!

I found a talented girl at one of the summer programs. She is half Japanese and half American. Now she is studying at the Princess Grace Dance Academy in Monaco. She is 15. I have already made her an offer to try her hand at the Mariinsky Theater. She took it as a gift from heaven, she was crying.

RBTH: What is her name?

Y.F.: Mei Nagahishi. She can grow into a star. This is evident from her physical attributes, and from her character. She has a unique energy and an aesthetic body. She has to study for another one and half years, and I am sure that many theatres will do all they can to woo her.  We know exactly how to handle her training!