GENERAL ELISEEV’S INTERVIEW
How did you take over the management of the Russian Guard Choir ?
In 1939, The Internal Army of Russia decided to form the Ensemble which will tour all over the world to play, dance and sing russians traditional songs (at that time, Alexandre Alexandrov was also touring all over the country with an Ensemble carrying his name but died in Berlin in 1946).
I joined the Russian Guard Choir and Ballet in the late 70's (the complete name of the ensemble is "Academic Artistic Ensemble of Music Song and Dance of the Federation of Russia" aka "The Red Guard Choir" when the Ensemble started to be attached to the National Guard of Russia) and then became the choir’s conductor. I had already graduated from the Gnessine Institute, which is a song faculty in which I followed the Choir’s conductor course.This is how started my career.
From there, we have created a new directory, with a Choir including more singers and dancers. We toured a lot in Soviet Union then abroad : Hungary, China, Japan, Australia, Bulgaria, Korea, Greece, etc. and in more than forty countries in the last thirty years.
What is your role within the choir and ballet ?
I am the chief manager, the main conductor and the Choir’s art director.
I also manage the Artistic Council which meets for the creation of every show.The meetings of this Council allow us to establish an artistic line for every show because we discuss the directory of choir and ballet.
What artists or characters influenced your career ?
As the Choir’s director, I admired my teacher : Alexandre Yourlov, director of the Gnessine Institute and also director of our students’ choir. His work, his relationship with the students, his knowledge, his charisma and his power seduced me and tempted me to become myself a conductor.
A further character influenced me during my career. It was the Choir’s director with whom I worked for two years : Mister Vladimir Nikolaevitch Minine. He was a surprising man and a great musician, who brought a lot to the choir’s music, in particular by creating a chamber choir, which interpreted the scores of the choir as well as the solos. And of course, I was inspired by our famous and legendary artist Joseph Kobzon. This man brought a lot to our collective especially on the artistic side. These three personalities strongly influenced my art, my character and allowed me to perfect the troop.
What is your favourite music that you last listened to ?
It is not that easy to answer to this question because I am permanently plunged into classical, folk and popular music.
If we take the kind of the song, I think that « Commandant » from Anatoly Dorovskikh, or « Ballad of the Mother » of Martynov, have really touched me recently.
Concerning classical music, I like inescapable works like Carmina Burana, it is moreover a real pleasure to interpret it with the Choir.
I am also under the spell of the classic music of Moussorgski, Borodine, Tchaïkovsky, and so many composers who wrote music appreciated today all over the world.
What are your sources of inspiration for the creation of a new show ?
The source of inspiration can be a book, a movie, a concert, etc. I explained previously that we have an Artistic Council within we exchange ideas.
It is in this way that we elaborate our new titles, by taking into account current events or for instance the audience’s reaction.
How do you manage to create and to rehearse a show ?
Generally we repeat every week from 10am to 2pm, and during the daytime of the shows we also repeat, by concentrating on the representation. We dedicate a lot of time to the preparation of our shows, more than 1000 hours for each of them !
The Russian Guard Choir allowed you to produce all over the world, what is your best tour memory and in which country ?
I really appreciated the Italian Tour in 1988, the German Tour in 1995, and the Australian Tour in 2004. In 2010, we also did 80 shows in France. We were able to admire this country and we fell under the spell of the French spectators. We also love China, Korea… In fact, each tour is a new adventure.
How do you explain the popularity of the Russian Guard Choir during every tour ?
I think that the Russian Guard Choir Ensemble is a collective which has numerous facets and multiple elements in which each can find himself.
Our troop is composed of an exceptional vocalist Choir, with soloists having unique and amazing voices, a ballet and an orchestra including the best dancers and musicians of the moment. A group of five balalaikas plays with us on stage, bringing a folk colour to the troop.
I think that the atypical style of our shows attracts the public, and explains the success of our military Ensemble worldwide.
No one can remain insensible to the power of this show, with a mens’ choir which affects every spectators’ soul, the choregraphy of the ballet of a high technicality and the music of this incomparable orchestra.
I believe that nobody can resist in the power of these shows.
Did you fear to perform in countries formerly hostile to the Soviet Union
You know, when the Soviet Union existed, half of the world was our enemy. But the Russian Guard Choir Ensemble always toured abroad with big success.
I think that it was wise to present the Red Guard Choir in an « enemy land», to present to the spectators of this country our intentions of friendship, peace, love and mutual respect.
Were you afraid the Choir could stop with the end of Soviet Union ?
Yes, I had this concern. Before there were more than 50 Russian military Ensembles and now there remains five, among two of them are academy. I notice that unfortunately we are losing our traditions. Fortunately our Choir is protected and continues to develop, like the Alexandrov Academic Ensemble.
We are the state Ensemble and as such we receive subsidies of the Russian Federation Presidency which helps us a lot. They contribute to recruit the artists, which is very important for our troop, because we have the means to always incorporate more young musicians, singers and talented dancers.
Does the Choir always perform to celebrate military events in Russia ?
Of course, there are many holidays in Russia and we always participate in the govern- mental concerts like for the one on May 1st, or the Victory Day on May, 8th, etc.
We also performed during the shows which take place at Le Palais des Congrès of the Kremlin, on Red Square, at the Bolshoi Theatre and in all the biggest and most famous Moscow venues.
We also perfom in other Russian cities for ceremonies and tributes, as in Volgograd, Novorossiysk, Saint Petersburg, etc. We also celebrated the 70th year of liberation of Stalingrad from the nazis. As we are the Official Ensemble, we have to answer first and foremost to the requests of our govern- ment, even before producing shows throughout the world.
What can we wish you for the next years ?
Well, a good health, success, new artistic ideas, and of course stability. I hope we can make some more amazing tours and gather a wider public who will appreciate our art and our shows.
The Russian Guard Choir, conducted by General Eliseev, Live in Moscow on Feb 20th 2022
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