"Jesus Christ Super Star" (1991-1992)
YURI TSIVTSIVADZE ON THE PRODUCTION OF "JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR" AT THE MOSSOVET THEATER
(https://jcs-mossoveta.ru/Memoirs_Tsivtsivadze.html)
On the Trial Performances in September 1991 on the Stage of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater
The performance began, and the first scene, The Sermon on the Mount... My microphone didn’t turn on, so I sang live, the sound engineers cut the backing track, and everyone realized that the actors were singing live and not lip-syncing. Later, in the scene Gethsemane, during the climax (I reached up to the second octave there), I walked through a door, pushed it open... and it came off its hinges, falling an inch from the head of a girl lying on the stage. I didn’t even understand what had happened—I was immersed in the moment, singing with all my emotion. I only heard the crash behind me... I saw it later from above. In short... I was like Hercules on that stage. There had never been so many mishaps during a performance. Since then, I’ve disliked the Stanislavsky Theater.
In that same ill-fated performance at the Stanislavsky Theater, the backing track stopped and glitched at the one spot where Judas’ voice with the choir was recorded. As you know, everything else was sung live. Valerik got understandably nervous, started pacing the stage; naturally, we tried to communicate in a half-whisper—French, or rather, curses. He recently recalled this incident in an interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DyTzkY5znw), saying that he couldn’t perform for a month afterward because of the stress.
I won’t comment on Valerik’s post-traumatic stress, but for me, such glitches were par for the course in other roles and theaters. That’s why I calmly stood and waited for everything to resume, without running offstage into the wings—it’s not my style. Besides, I didn’t have any parts recorded on the backing track. Mishaps were always plentiful... For instance, when I was quickly being changed into white robes for the opening scene, they would constantly struggle to find the sleeve to put my arm through. So often, I performed with one arm in the sleeve while the other stayed under the robe. I’d just turn my side to the audience and perform as if nothing happened.
I loved performing with Valera most of all; he was my favorite Judas. I don’t know about him, but I felt him deeply... there was a connection. I think he felt it too...
There were also funny moments in our cafeteria. During intermission, Judas, Pilate, and Jesus would sit at the same table, peacefully drinking coffee and chatting.
During the performances, Boris Ivanov—a brilliant actor!—would sit on a stool backstage, surrounded by young girls, 16-17 years old. He would regale them with stories, and they would listen with such admiration. Meanwhile, on stage, the world’s most famous characters were in the throes of their dramatic confrontations. Ivanov always had a great sense of humor. He gathered the young girls backstage during performances, captivating them with tales—I have no idea what he talked about, but the girls were utterly enchanted, and he was over 70. A true legend.
One of my favorite moments was the finale when policemen on foreign motorcycles would come onstage to “take us away.” It was such a touching scene, the audience would often tear up. The policemen, meanwhile, were always so nervous driving between the sets in the dim light, carrying actors in front of the audience... Their hands and legs would shake, and they often drove the wrong way. Even when they didn’t, their faces were pale with fear, despite being big, strong guys.
