«I DON'T FEEL MYSELF A STRANGER HERE»

Tatyana Melnikova is an art director from St. Petersburg. It is her seventh visit to Baku. She is a graduate of the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography (LGITMK, now the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts). Before that, Tatyana graduated from the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute (now the University of Architecture and Civil Engineering). Melnikova decided to get her second education when she realised that designing for theatrical stage is much more interesting than for a huge city. She later graduating from the Department of Scenography and Theatre Production as an art director. She knew about Baku only from the stories of her retired neighbour Joseph Aronovich, who left Baku at the age of 16, but could not forget the city of his happy childhood. And now, admiring the beauty of the buildings and streets of Baku, Tatyana feels sorry for Aronovich, who could not visit Baku to see how beautiful it has become since his departure.

The Baku experiment

Back in 2009, as part of the state program on the development of theatrical art in Azerbaijan, Melnikova visited the Samed Vurghun Russian Drama Theatre (RDT) to stage Jean Anouilh's play The Lark (L'Alouette), followed by the cooperation with the Baku Puppet Theatre (4 performances) and the People's Artist of Azerbaijan, stage director Irana Taghizade. Together they worked on the production design of The Karamazov Brothers and The Fate of the Artist staged at the RDT. This time Tatyana came to implement the conceptual idea of ​​Irana Taghizade as part of the project initiated by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, Aydin, a play by Jafar Jabbarly, which in director's interpretation will be called Forgive for Love. This is a story of Aydin and Gultekin, which is completely different from the conventional storyline of the play once popular in the Soviet theatre. This is a story of sacrificial love; the love that happens between people once every hundred years and remains a beautiful legend in memories of generations to come. For Tatyana Melnikova, this work is another experiment in interacting with the stage, because it is an integral part of her life. This is exactly the case when professional skills make a person's life creatively meaningful and interesting. At home, Tatyana Yuryevna is the chief art director of the Y. Demmeni State Puppet Theatre, the first state puppet theatre in Russia, which turned 100 years old in 2018.

Irana Taghizade's play has its own character, emotional intonation and original interpretation. The task of the production designer is to strengthen the nature of this character with visual elements, including the decorations, costumes, and makeup. The current premiere is the fourth experience in staging cooperation between an Azerbaijani director and a Russian artist.

"Your cooperation with Taghizade continues, which means that you have established a creative and professional understanding with each other."

"Yes. It is easy and pleasant to communicate in the language of joint creativity and art, especially with Irana Taghizade. I feel comfortable with her. I generally love working with demanding directors like her. This is happiness when the director always knows exactly what he wants. It is like a burning torch: it burns itself and ignites others. And this is wonderful! She is ready to burn both herself and the production team to ensure the success of the performance and to accomplish her mission. That's how it should be. Because this is the only way to get a lively performance with pulsating emotions. This is the only way to create living real art. That's why I always try to do my best. I would also like to be like her: demanding, confident and strong-willed. Alas, I do not know how to do that."

"Unlike you, many do not like such a demanding director and tight control of the design process..."

"It's normal! You can find professionals, I mean workaholics, who sacrifice their creativity and life for the sake of the Art, a common theatrical goal called 'performance' in any theatre. There are those whom I call 'mental lazybones'. They talk a lot trying to show everyone how well they know and understand the subject, but in fact they don’t know how to do anything. Nevertheless, they can somehow create an impression of stormy and vigorous activity. These are those who are always dissatisfied."

"Have you come across a similar phenomenon in the Russian Drama Theatre?"

"Not yet. On the contrary, I was glad to learn that the people whom I had known and worked with during my previous visits, were still there. This is an indicator of stability in the theatre. There is an understanding of the importance of the creative process. Believe me, I have something to compare, because as a production designer, I travel a lot around Russia and can see how the creative process is replaced by commercial interest. I don't see this here."

"You have a fairly extensive work experience in both puppet and drama theatres. Is the format of production design different between the two?"

"Good question. Incompetent people tend to think that the design of puppet shows for children has nothing to do with the design of plays in drama theatres. It's a deception. As my favourite artist Klemke once said "There is not a separate world for children." And he is right."

"What is the moment of joint creativity between the author of the play and the artist who materialises his ideas on the stage?"

"It depends. Usually, I read the play trying to identify the catchy points, the ones that kick in, you know. Then I carefully listen to the director immersing myself into his ideas. It's important for me. I found such a catchy point in Jafar Jabbarly's play too, which resurrected in me the painful memories from my own past. Then I superimpose the concept of Irana on these catchy points trying to get into her line of thought as deep as possible, and start working to create the artistic image of the performance necessary for the director."

"So, by creating the image of the play, you create it deep in your heart first?"

"You could say that. Heart is important. Always! If I stop working that way, I will leave my job."

"You have not seen Baku for almost five years. How did you find our city in November? Do you enjoy your stay in Azerbaijan?"

"Of course, I do! Let me tell you something—I don't feel like a stranger here at all. Baku keeps the warmth of hospitality of many nationalities who have been traditionally living in Azerbaijan. That's a wonderful! My each visit to Baku is like returning home. I feel good and warm here. Your people is friendly and sincere. I like walking among them, just like that, wandering around the city in the night. It is a pity that there is no time to do this often. I don't feel the nervous energy overload that I feel in St. Petersburg. Your world is not aggressive. It is soft and relaxed. Secondly, I can feel the spirit of fairy tales from 1001 nights here! Alas, I didn't feel the same in Iran though. You preserve a wonderful relaxed life here: at nights, people walk around the city, while the men drink tea in a peaceful and relaxed manner. Then I understand that this is a calm lifestyle, which means that everything is fine here. I like that this leisurely life gives you the opportunity to feel the breath of the city. I understand the people of Baku well now!"

"Would you like to live in our city?"

"I want to return here again and again. To the city of oriental tales, to the city that my neighbour Joseph Aronovich used to sing about in his memoirs, to the city of good people and amazing beauty, to the city which hosts the Academic Russian Drama Theatre. By the way, seizing this opportunity, I want to congratulate the administration of the theatre, including the director, chief director, and my director Irana Taghizade and the entire staff with the assignment of the status of an academic theatre. I wish them all a long creative life, success, good health and loyal audiences."

"Ahead is the premiere, which means days of hard work and creative search. Then you will leave Baku again. What do you feel when you part with the performance and the people you befriended with during your stay?"

"I feel sad. I hope for a new meeting. Every time I leave Baku, I am excitedly waiting for another invitation."