Alexander Gradsky - Unofficial site
MR RUSSIAN ROCK
TV Park, 1998, №14Alexander Gradsky. He studied at the Conservatory in composition with Tikhon Khrennikov. Member of the Union of Composers, Honored Art. Performer of the Astrologer in the opera "The Golden Cockerel" at the Bolshoi Theatre. Author vocal cycles on poems of Robert Burns, Sasha Black, music for several films. Unofficial title - Mister Russian Rock. Recent years, is building his own musical theater in the cinema "Petrel", composing an opera, "The Master and Margarita", released two albums in Japan, ten titles in Russia. For twelve years he was a professor, Head. Department vocals GITIS. Family, status: wife Olga and two children - son Daniel (sixteen years), daughter Mary (twelve years).
- Alexander, you are rarely seen in Moscow based venues. Was one of the last New Year's Concert Orchestra conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov ...
- It was called "Hits of the past century." The program includes works that became a musical legend. In the Great Hall of the Conservatory were standing in the aisles, was a full house! I sang along with Larisa Dolina "Barcelona", which the duo performed Caballe - Mercury, and Yesterday. "Caruso" from the repertoire of Pavarotti and Be my love Mario Lanza I sang one. As for my participation or non-participation in the concerts, I agree to act in charity programs. Sometimes there are orders that are well paid. We have to perform on the same stage with the performers is not my genre. I once sang on the same stage with the band "The leg cramped". Can you imagine? I'm expensive, and if I get paid accordingly, I try not to pay attention to those who end up in the same program.
- You are known for a sharp temper. You many fear ...
- And rightly so. I think people do not like me, especially journalists. I should be afraid of those who have "snout in feathers." Man with an open, honest manner and actions have nothing to fear. Although in our country so happens that any honest person can mix with the dirt. It is important how he reacts.
- And how do you react?
- I hold life motto: sit quietly and calmly on the porch of his house - and by you will carry the corpse of your enemy. And most surprisingly, this system works! I absolutely can honestly say that no one my enemy, I do not know. While earlier, to thirty-five years, I attributed entirely different motto - expression Juan Ramon Jimenez, "If they give you lined paper, write across it."
- And that you appreciate your friends?
- Revelation. I can not say to someone's face all that I think of him, and to the friends'm In very critical, I do not like them to cheat.
- What do you Cunning?
- I cunningly how to establish themselves in the art of how to do so that you do not guessed a little longer, because the artist cracked, he was not interested.
Gradsky Alexander was a composer for film by Andrei Konchalovsky's "Romance for Lovers," and, ironically, his first marriage, combined it with the clan Mikhalkov. Gradski became her second husband Vertinsky Anastasia when Stepan Mikhalkov was ten years old. With Natalya Petrovna Konchalovskaya it became a close, trusting relationship. And with the power he remained friends for life after the divorce from his mother.
- your union with Anastasia Vertinsky was short. Maybe the reason 6 that two such bright personality can not exist under the same roof?
- The situation is reminiscent of the plot of the film "Prisoner of the Caucasus", from splints refused, three bottles of wine thrown into the abyss ... Discussion of this topic is tired of my family. Speaking of talented, famous people, everything depends not on popularity, but on the people themselves, how they relate to each other.
- your second marriage lasted for twenty years ...
- Olga graduated from the Economics Faculty of Moscow State University, organized its pharmaceutical firm, but now mainly helps in my work and take care of children.
- They learn to "excellent"?
- No, no, thank God! Of honors are usually obtained mediocre professionals.
- What about the view that the nature of genius in children rests?
- No, nature never rests! My guys are capable, they have well-developed memory, associative thinking, they are dreamers. Son graduated from the School of Music in violin. But, unfortunately, he had no great desire to continue, although the potential to become a serious violinist Daniel were. Daughter is playing the piano, but not for long. She has an obvious interest in the design and modeling of clothing. I do not want any violence, but I know for sure that his son will work with me, probably a lawyer or an economist, I need your people. It is easier to trust their business to his son, the ideas, the more that Daniel, as they say, with the head, although entrepreneurial spirit he does not, and thank God.
- Why "thank God"?
- I do not think that business - inspired work, it does not work. Business - it is pure excitement, the game. There are business people who consider themselves to be creative individuals, but in the entrepreneur than ushlosti and excitement, a lot of the daily grind, which kills any fantasy. Between ushlostyu, the ability to make important decisions and creative work - a huge difference.
- For several years, you are in the construction of musical theater in a former cinema "Petrel". At what stage in the realization of this idea?
- I have almost everything I can and as a vocalist, and composer. Now I'm the foreman, for five years to build musical theater. Hopefully in two or two and a half years, the reconstruction will be completed. In gos.organizatsii, I run, there is a building, so I'm a government official in Moscow. Since the city theater exists on taxes people, I am aware of the fact that all the benefits laid theaters, all the support that I have is - is the support of ordinary people in Moscow. While I was busy just building a base for the performances and operas. Will be established when the light, heating, plumbing, then I'll start coming up with the show, writing ... Assume that my theater in the first place, I can not. I'm patiently waiting for the Moscow government will pay attention to me.
- You have said that business and creativity are incompatible. And the construction of the theater you do not consider business?
- This, of course, not a business. Theater can not life of a business! Any performance may be loss-making, and business - this is when money is made for the money. In Russia, unfortunately, everything is based on making a profit, and how the creation of spiritual values? Although, if I were to really become a billionaire businessman, I would have them in a year and a half, because of their ability and knowledge. I probably would have become the same as Berezovsky, if not cooler. But I'm not interested. People do what they want to do.
- And what do you do now?
- Send to my records - both individual and collections - a collection of all that I perform songs, arias, concert versions. In 1998, about to release a new album. Composing fragments of the opera based on the novel "The Master and Margarita." It is synthetic, consisting of many musical genres, will be like a novel. Designed to record CDs. Sometimes hard to believe that I would ever end up working on this opera.
- Alexander, now on the stage almost every day there are new artists, each with a claim to the talent and originality. Of musicians who do you prefer?
- on the stage there are none, from the western I can not mention Sting and Phil Collins ... All hits - false! From superkumirov to shadow rulers - all false, doltishness and unprofessional, and I have a suspicion that this is the problem that it is beneficial to someone.
- Are you a believer?
- For me, the church and the faith - two very different things. Christ said that he wants to erect a temple in his heart. I think he told me that directly. I do not need mediators to communicate with God. There are people who need a church, we need holidays, precepts, prayers, communion with the priest, and I respect them, so it should be. But I do not need. I do not go to church, but a deeply religious man. I talked about this with the priests, and even bishops of the church, and none of them objected to my understanding of the faith.
Eugene Yezerskaya
