Пресса об Иване Костяхине
"In a new one-act Belarusian ballet, based on the music of composer Peter Warlock, stylized as Welsh antique, and a connoisseur of medieval English music by Ralph Vaughan-Williams in the wonderful performance of the theater orchestra under the direction of Ivan Kostyakhin, the atmosphere of the courtly ball of the Shakespearean age is simply perfectly recreated. And each number is a kind of microcosm, so harmoniously intertwined in the general outline of the macromir of the ballet, where the sphere of love feelings and flour of creativity act as leitems. "
Ulkar Aliyeva is a theater and music critic, librettist, doctor of art history, professor at the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.
«Under Ivan Kostyakhin's baton, the orchestra (strings especially) played with wonderful warmth, and the cast was on level you'd feel pleased to find anywhere in the world»
John Allison / «Opera», February 2017
"The disclosure of the ideas of the opera in their primordiality is the noble task that the authors of the play set themselves and with glitter embodied it. Musically, "Kashchei" certainly turned out. The complex score was excellently voiced by the orchestra of the theater under the guidance of maestro Ivan Kostya Khin: it was felt that this music is close to the conductor, that he understands it, knows how to give it and what to say in it. The level of the orchestral game was pleasantly surprised - not because there were doubts in the class of Minsk musicians, but because the material itself - well, it's very non-trivial, requiring careful, thoughtful, laborious work and reflection. The Minskers did it all perfectly. "
"All three ancient operas (" Rita "G Donizetti," Theater Director "WA Mozart," First music, then words "A. Salieri) were particularly successful in the musical plan: the young maestro Ivan Kostyahin managed to realize the ease of style, pass the playfulness the atmosphere of the unfolding action, the operatic voices of soloists for whom the heavy repertoire on the big stage is common (the same soloists who sang in the "Dutchman" and "Turandot" took part in the performances), acquired spontaneity and grace, while the conductor did not force the voice to hide or art It is not enough to "melt down" - the very atmosphere of the musical context designed by him was such that the soloists felt comfortable, making a bet on easy, graceful singing.
In Minsk they are not yet "sick" with authenticity, but we can rightfully say that the old comic opera was authentic at the Forum - not in terms of old instruments or some special vocal technique of singers, but in terms of artistic understanding of the style of the works themselves, their genre accessories, and hence - the appropriateness of this or that manner of execution. "
"The audience was fascinated by the virtuoso playing of the orchestra and the charm of the conductor Ivan Kostyakhin."
"This opera allows you to create on the stage a kind of parallel reality, in which you can try to find answers to important life questions for yourself. In the allegorical form, the play shows serious situations connected with our inner moral choice. We constantly struggle with our personal Kashchei. We are compelled to fight with them every day and every hour, otherwise there will come a time when they will get stronger and win.
Very curious how Rimsky-Korsakov in the intonational structure of the opera is trying to convey this. He has musical themes of heroes, and often - heroes-antagonists, built around several intonations, as if from one root sprouted. I believe that in this way the composer alludes to the fact that Kashcheev's features are inherent in one way or another to each of the characters, to each of us, "said Maestro Kostyakhin.
Conductor Stanislav Ivan Kostyakhin, production director Natalia Kuzmenkova, production designer Alexander Borichevsky created witty, elegantly ironic, up-to-date modern mini-performances, in the repertoire billboard designated as "Evening of one-act operas", where the best young performers of the Bolshoi Theater are employed.
Magnificent sounds arias, duets, tercets. It is difficult to single out someone. A well-knit cast ensemble creates a festive atmosphere. The plasticity of movements, gestures as if written off with paintings of artists of the XVIII century. Energy, energy, pleasure, which the actors themselves receive from the performance of their parties, naturally, are transmitted to the viewer. Texts - operas are in Russian - they sound instructive, but without didactics.
The performances are interesting to amateurs, music connoisseurs, and those who came to listen to the opera for the first time. After listening to these one-act creations on the chamber stage, the viewer will certainly want to get into the world of the big opera and become its constant co-creator.
"Under the direction of the production, the orchestra under the direction of maestro Ivan Kostyakhin sounded very dynamic, easy, like the music of the genius composer (VA Mozart) - a lively, funny, life-affirming one. And the main thing is that all the performers both on stage and in the orchestra pit had courage, excitement and they all skillfully gave it to the audience "
"In the play, which lasts just over 20 minutes, a great place is devoted to the inspired music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - 17 minutes. But the remarkable performance of the orchestra under the baton of Ivan Kostya Khan is somehow still not enough, I want to listen even now. "