Tsiskaridze’s interviews are always bright and extraordinary. This is a famous Russian ballet dancer, who has his own opinion on many sensitive issues, which does not hesitate to express. Therefore, journalists love to communicate with him. His career is accompanied by scandals. For example, in 2013, he broke up with the Bolshoi Theater. Often conflicts arise just after an interview with an artist.
Biography Tsiskaridze
In an interview, Tsiskaridze says that he was born in Tbilisi, this happened in 1973. His father was a violinist, and his mother taught physics at school. The boy was raised by his stepfather, he often attended concerts with his mother, and from childhood he was fond of the works of Tolstoy and Shakespeare.
How many years Tsiskaridze is now, you will learn from this article. In 1984, he entered the Choreographic School in Tbilisi, studied classical dance with the honored artist of the RSFSR Peter Pestov. Already at school, he stood out with physical data, he was often charged with solo parts in concerts.
After graduating from college in 1992, he joined the Bolshoi Theater troupe. He danced in the corps de ballet, after which he began to perform solo parts in Grigorovich's ballets. His debut was the image of Konferansiev in the "Golden Age".
Success in ballet
The year 1995 became truly successful in the fate of Tsiskaridze. For a short period, he performs the main roles in the ballets The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Cipollino, Chopeniana.
In 1996, he graduated from the Choreographic Institute in Moscow, and soon became a member of the Union of Theater Workers. In 2001, Nikolai Maksimovich Tsiskaridze dances in Roland Petit's ballet The Queen of Spades, which was specially staged for the Bolshoi Theater. After some time, she has an accident, due to which she stops her television career in the program “Sight” on Channel One.
Only a few years later he returns to television. She takes part in the popular show "Dancing with the Stars", leads the program "Masterpieces of the World Musical Theater" on the state channel "Culture".
Conflict at the Bolshoi Theater
In 2011, Tsiskaridze has a conflict at the Bolshoi Theater. He begins to criticize the leadership of the institution for the protracted restoration, which has been going on for six years, directly accuses them of incompetence. He especially did not like the quality of the reconstruction of the historical scene, where instead of the old stucco work the artist discovered papier-mâché and cheap plastic. In general, Tsiskaridze compared the interior decoration of the theater with the decoration of a five-star hotel in Turkey.
The audience of the theater will be able to see each viewer. He will see, for example, that instead of old stucco moldings - plastic or papier-mâché glued to PVA glue and painted with gold paint. [...] Not a single bronze candelabra remained in the theater.
All this was told by a ballet dancer to the correspondent of the newspaper Zavtra. Tsiskaridze spoke even more sharply in an interview with Interfax, directly calling the reconstruction that had taken place vandalism.
All that was done to the Bolshoi Theater is vandalism ... They say, for example, that they did wonderful make-up rooms, but this is not at all. What is wonderful about them if they don’t even have windows.
Soon after, a letter appeared addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which cultural figures demanded the dismissal of General Director Aksanov, replacing him Tsiskaridze.
Eagle Owl Attack
At the beginning of 2013, the hero of our article was at the center of the scandal associated with the attack on the artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater Sergei Filin. The media reported that there was a conflict between celebrities. On January 17, an attempt was made on the artistic director, an unknown person splashed acid on Filin's face. As a result, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater Pavel Dmitrichenko was found guilty of organizing the attempt. He was sentenced to six years in a maximum security colony.
At the same time, the Director General of the Bolshoi Theater Anatoly Iksanov stated that the motive was the intention to remove Filin from the post of ballet director, and in an interview with Snob he did not even exclude Tsiskaridze’s involvement in this crime:
I have only one feeling: everything that happened is a logical result of the lawlessness that was created primarily by Nikolai Maksimovich Tsiskaridze. Pouring mud at the theater and its employees, constant intrigue and confidence in their own impunity - the background against which this tragedy became possible.
Tsiskaridze was summoned for questioning by the Investigative Committee. No charge was brought against him. Eagle owl continued to work at the Bolshoi Theater, until March 2016, he led the ballet troupe.
Contract not renewed
In March 2013, Tsiskaridze said on Channel One that he was worried about his future at the Bolshoi Theater. According to him, he has already accumulated two reprimands for violation of labor discipline. As the hero of our article noted, in this way the theater management decided to get rid of it.
The artist decided to appeal against the labor censure. The court even canceled one of them, which Tsiskaridze told the “Moscow Komsomolets” in an interview. But this did not have a fundamental impact on his future in the theater. On July 1 of the same year, the leadership did not renew with it the expired employment contract.
Work at the Academy
In October 2013, Tsiskaridze and the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation arrived at the St. Petersburg Academy of Russian Ballet, which bears the name of Agrippina Vaganova. Then, as noted by many employees, in violation of the charter of the educational institution, Tsiskaridze was introduced to the labor collective as an acting rector. His predecessor, who until then was engaged exclusively in economic functions, was transferred to work at the Mikhailovsky Theater.
As a result of these rearrangements, the artistic director of the Academy Altynay Asylmuratova, who was actually subordinate to the artist, soon left her post. The place of the new artistic director was proposed to take the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater, whose name was Ulyana Lopatkina. It is noteworthy that at that time she had not yet finished her career.
On November 4, members of the Academy's labor collective sent an official letter to the Ministry of Culture. It contained a demand to cancel the appointment of Tsiskaridze as rector, and Lopatkina as artistic director. At the same time, the ballerina herself did not comment on what was happening. But Tsiskaridze actively talked with reporters, setting out his point of view on everything that was happening around them. In particular, he stated that he renewed the employment contract with Asylmuratova, however, she herself decided to quit, not wanting to spread the reasons for her departure.
As rector
On November 29, the hero of our article was officially approved as the rector, 227 employees with the right to vote supported him, only 17 spoke out against him. So, he became the first leader in the history of the Academy who did not finish it himself. He was not aware of the pedagogical and performing traditions that had existed in this educational institution for years.
According to rumors that Ksenia Sobchak actively disseminated (at that time she was a TV presenter), Yekaterina, wife of Sergei Chemezov, head of the Rostec state corporation, helped head the Ballet Academy. Tsiskaridze himself assured that he was asked about this by a small but influential group of people. He talked about this in an interview with Forbes magazine.
Then a small, solid group of people persuaded. They persuaded me because I understood very well that I, as a Moscow graduating artist, would have a problem in Leningrad in terms of positioning. When I already decided that I would go to this position, there was a rumor about it, a number of people began to shout "guard"! But at the same time, they still said: “Give him carte blanche, and you will see what he is!” And those who supported me, who treated me well, also said: “Give him carte blanche, and finally, let the person realize himself, show that he can.” They appointed me and on the very first day said: “You have carte blanche. Absolute. Whoever you want to fire, what you want to change, what kind of reorganization you want to do. ” And they didn’t touch me at all for six months. And six months later, Vladimir Rostislavovich (approx. Ed. - Medinsky) told me with humor: “You know, Kolya, we are amazed because everyone said that there would be a catastrophe. But not a single complaint - neither from parents, nor from teachers, nor from anyone ”. And this is true - except for positive reviews, I have not received anything in recent months. There is no point in silence that I have subordinates who, say, did not accept me, were categorically against, but during all this time we did not say a single word of bad to each other. We are now working in tandem, very interlocked. I tell everyone: "Gentlemen, this happened for only one reason - because they and I work at the Academy." I do not work for myself.
Now Tsiskaridze remains the rector of the Academy.
Personal life
How old is Tsiskaridze? many fans of his talent are interested in this question today. Now Tsiskaridze is 44 years old, he talked about his preferences in life and art more than once. In particular, he is an ardent admirer of Edward Radzinsky, Leonid Parfyonov, Vitaly Wolfe. His favorite work of art is the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. This story at one time simply conquered him.
Not much is known about the personal life of Nikolai Tsiskaridze. Although journalists often ask him a question about who his lady of the heart is, is he going to get married. But in response they almost always hear one thing: the personal life of Nikolai Tsiskaridze is hidden from prying eyes, he himself was not married and in no hurry to conclude a marriage.
Among his relatives there are many people associated with the acting profession, for example, an actress, his cousin, whose name is Veronika Ilinichna Itskovich. The Tsiskaridze family has always been creative. His father, Maxim Iosifovich (according to other sources - Nikolaevich), worked as a violinist. My father’s grandmother played in the theater before marriage. By the way, by nationality she was French. Undoubtedly, it was the Tsiskaridze family who instilled in him a love of art and ballet.
The circle of communication with the hero of our article, by his own admission, is predominantly professional. Most of the time he devotes to work, so Tsiskaridze's friends are mostly colleagues. At the same time, in an interview with the Sputnik of Georgia publication, he noted that communication is now difficult due to the active development of social networks, many of his friends spend more time there than in real life. According to him, people who are too keen on communicating on the Internet, eventually turn into zombies.
Why I do not accept social networks? The fact is that a few years ago I noticed how many of my friends and girlfriends older than me, respectable and adult people, suddenly began to turn into some kind of zombie. They put likes all the time, check Instagram and something else. And when I became interested in this, they began to persuade me to register. But I replied that I was not interested in it and so far I want to take a closer look at them.
My friends from pleasant interlocutors slowly began to turn into zombies. Instead of sitting at the table and talking, they like something all the time. I did not want to turn into such a person. Since then, I have decided that I will not do all this.
Relations with Anastasia Volochkova
Tensions with Tsiskaridze developed with the famous Russian ballerina Anastasia Volochkova, who worked with him at the Bolshoi Theater. He claimed that she was one of the culprits of the conflict, due to which the owl suffered as a result.
Tsiskaridze about Volochkova in an interview with the publication "Snob" said not the most hospitable things. In particular, he mentioned that the conflict concerned the excess weight of the ballerina.
When Volochkova worked at the Bolshoi Theater, she was in an exceptional position. She was allowed not only to do everything, but at each performance, Mr. Iksanov and Shvydkoy gave her flowers, kissed her hands. And the first shock was waiting for me when I was driving around the city. On Mokhovaya Street, between the Manege and Moscow State University, I saw a banner: “Anastasia Volochkova in the Kremlin”, and below it was written in small letters: “With the Bolshoi Theater troupe”. The whole horror was that these were the official performances of the Bolshoi Theater in the GKD, Nastya was a member of only one of the four performances. I came to the general director and said: “Anatoly Gennadievich, I used to think that I work in a state institution, now it turns out that the team is dancing at Volochkova?” To which he replied to me: “Nikolay, do you understand who her sponsors are, do you understand who is behind her?” I told him: “I’m a national artist, for a moment, not a boy from the corps de ballet. And she doesn’t even have a title. ”
According to Tsiskaridze, after this conversation, he began to have conflicts and problems at the Bolshoi Theater. True, it is worth recognizing that he was not alone in his claims to Volochkova, noting her exceptional position in the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater, which many considered undeserved.
The hero of our article says that because of Volochkova, he even had a pause in relations with Iksanov. In addition, the ballerinas, who were regularly refused roles for Anastasia, were perplexed. To all the perplexed questions, Iksanov answered that they called him from the very top, and he could not refuse.
There were even rumors that the attack on Tsiskaridze, as a result of which he was beaten, also happened because of Volochkova. Anastasia herself told the same story from her point of view. In those days, her boyfriend was an influential businessman Suleiman Kerimov, who after breaking up even gave her a boycott at the Bolshoi Theater. Over time, everything grew into a personal conflict between Volochkova and Iksanov, which could only be resolved in court. In 2003, Volochkova left the Bolshoi Theater, starting a solo pop career.
Future education
Tsiskaridze is well aware of public views from his interview with well-known journalist Vladimir Pozner on Channel One in the Pozner program. The hero of our article spoke in detail about his childhood, about how he began to live in Moscow. He expressed concern about whether Russia will be able to maintain the education system in the field of theatrical art that has developed in recent years.
“We, our society, want to kill this, because the Ministry of Education is now issuing very scary laws that all music, theater, and choreographic institutions should accept children without competition from the age of 15. And it is impossible to explain that a pianist should put his hand from the age of five, that it is advisable to put his feet in ballet from 9-10 years.
Based on the fact that training in choreographic schools in Russia takes place on a budgetary basis, he proposed introducing compulsory training for all graduates in state theaters for several years without the ability to immediately go abroad. In his opinion, such artists are obliged to benefit their country, which gave them one of the best choreographic formations on the planet.
Public views
In 2014, Tsiskaridze signed an appeal from Russian cultural figures to Vladimir Putin, in which they expressed support for the head of state in the issue of the annexation of Crimea. At the very end of 2017, he joined the initiative group that nominated Vladimir Putin for the presidency of Russia. He was registered by his election proxy.