Composer Teodor Currentzis. Teodor Currentzis: Permian anomaly. Teodor Currentzis. Biography and creative path

Among the talented conductors who give music to the world, Teodor Currentzis especially stands out. This charming artist attracts the attention of the public not only with his virtuoso playing, but also with his creative achievements. Wherever a luxurious brunette appears, all attention invariably turns only to him, from the fairer sex to the curious paparazzi.

Childhood and youth

Theodor Currentzis was born on February 24, 1972 in the capital of Greece - Athens. From the first day, Theodore's life was closely intertwined with music. The parents of the future artist, as soon as the child was four years old, sent their beloved child to a music school. There, the young talent mastered the basics of playing keyboard instruments, and a couple of years later he learned the mystery of the sound of the violin.

The talented conductor grew up listening to the sounds of classical music. It is known that every morning the mother woke up her son by playing the piano. His parent, who worked as vice-rector at the Athens Conservatory, instilled in Currentzis a love for the illusory world of sounds. Among other things, the conductor’s younger brother also connected his life with music, becoming a composer.

At the age of fifteen, Theodore graduated from the theoretical department of the Greek Conservatory, and a year later completed a course in playing string instruments. Everything in Theodore's hands was burning and arguing. The instruments loved the young talent, and he reciprocated. After graduating from the conservatory, the young man began vocal lessons.

In 1990, the talented musician organized his own orchestra playing chamber music. Theodore independently trained and selected the repertoire for the members of the group, which existed for four years. Afterwards, the conductor came to the conclusion that he needed to continue his studies in order to reach new heights.

Few people know, but the Greek, while still living in Athens, became interested in the music of Russian composers, constantly listened to and studied it. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 1994 the conductor came to the cultural capital of Russia with a deliberate decision to conquer it with his skill and talent. That year, the brilliant musician was immediately taken to Ilya Musin’s course at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. It is known that during his studies, Theodore completed an internship in the St. Petersburg orchestra of Yuri Temirkanov.

It is worth noting that Currentzis’ teachers already predicted a great future for the child prodigy, speaking about him exclusively in a positive way. In conversations with media representatives, the artist has repeatedly said that everything he has achieved is the merit of his wise mentors. After graduating from the conservatory, the young conductor plunged headlong into his work.

For a couple of years, the virtuoso collaborated with the national orchestra, with which he even went on an international tour. Then there was work with the name orchestra and a trip around the world to the countries of the USA, Bulgaria and beloved Greece. A new milestone in Currentzis’s career was his work as a conductor at the Moscow Theater, in which Theodor performed two productions of the great.

Music

During his career, Theodore attended a large number of festivals and competitions, and also played a couple of dozen different world and Russian works.

The orchestra “Music Aeterna” and the chamber choir “New Siberian Singers”, created by Theodor, appeared during the conductor’s work in Novosibirsk. These musical associations became known all over the world, and trips to perform in cities added a couple of thousand more people to the army of fans of Currentzis’ work.

With these groups, Theodore at various times performed concert performances of the operas “Dido and Aeneas” (Henry Purcell), “Orpheus and Eurydice” (Christoph Gluck), “That’s What Everyone Do” (), “The Marriage of Figaro” (Wolfgang Mozart), “Don Juan" (Wolfgang Mozart), "Cinderella" ().

In January 2011, Theodore was appointed to the post of artistic director of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater named after Pyotr Tchaikovsky. It is known that then some of the musicians of the “Music Aeterna” orchestra moved to Perm with him. After this, Currentzis staged the opera Iolanta at the Teatro Real in Madrid.

Work on the territory of the Russian Federation continues to this day. Theodore himself said more than once that he would stay here forever. His attraction to Russian music and folklore is so piercing that he will no longer be able to leave the lands that have become his home.

Personal life

It is worth noting that, unlike most stars, the world-famous conductor is happy to communicate with representatives of the press, telling journalists details of his personal life and plans for the near future.

It is reliably known that Theodore was married. At one time, the heart of a young guy was won by an elegant ballerina from the Mariinsky Theater - Yulia Makhalina. All the media then wrote about the relationship between these two stars. True, this union was not long-term. The couple broke up, and each of the former lovers went their own way.

Now the musician is credited with an incredible number of novels, but whether the artist actually has a girlfriend is unknown

Teodor Currentzis now

In 2017, the eminent conductor continues to travel around the world, performing in different cities with a concert program consisting of compositions beloved by the public. At the end of November, the artist will visit the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Moscow Conservatory named after Pyotr Tchaikovsky and the Tonhall Concert Hall (Zurich).

The schedule of performances in December has already been scheduled day by day, until the end of the month. Before the New Year, classical music lovers living in Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Tyumen and Perm will also hear a concert performance of classical melodies by the Music Aeterna orchestra.

Among other things, from July 20 to August 30, 2018, Currentzis, accompanied by the Perm Opera Orchestra, will perform nine symphonies as part of the Salzburg Festival.

It is reliably known that the musician is not on Instagram and Twitter. Fans can learn about the latest news from Theodore’s life on the conductor’s official website. There, anyone can get acquainted with the schedule of upcoming concerts, as well as materials related to the creative biography of the star.

Discography

• 2017 – “Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6”
• 2016 – “Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, Op. 35 - Stravinsky: Les Noces"
• 2016 – “Mozart: Don Giovanni”
• 2015 – “Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps”
• 2014 – “Rameau - The Sound of Light”
• 2014 – “Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro”
• 2014 - “Mozart: Così fan tutte”

The bright and unusual conductor Teodor Currentzis attracts the attention of spectators and the press not only with his creative inventions, but also with the unusualness of his personality. Wherever he appears, he is guaranteed the attention of the public and journalists. He also builds his life according to the laws of the theater - dynamically, with unexpected turns and extravagant actions.

Greek childhood

Teodor Currentzis acquired his profession in Greece. His biography will be connected with music from the very beginning. From the age of four, the child learned to play the piano, and later took violin lessons. Everyone in his family loved music, his mother took him to the opera from an early age and he grew up to the sounds of classical music, his mother started every morning by playing the piano. A big role in choosing a future occupation in life was played by my mother, who herself played several musical instruments professionally and later became vice-rector of the Athens Conservatory. Theodor's younger brother also became a musician, he writes music and lives in Prague.

We can say that Teodor Currentzis is a child prodigy; at the age of 15 he already graduated from the theoretical faculty of the Athens Conservatory, and a year later from the faculty of string instruments. After that, he began taking vocal lessons at the Greek Conservatory. In 1990 he created his first chamber orchestra, which he conducted for four years. By this time, Teodor Currentzis realized that he needed to reach a new professional level and decided to continue studying.

Study in St. Petersburg

In 1994, Teodor Currentzis came to St. Petersburg and entered the class of Ilya Musin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. The conductor always speaks about Musin with a special intonation; he claims that everything he has achieved to date is the merit of his teacher. He shaped the musician as a person and as a conductor. Theodore was very interested in Russian music, read, listened, researched a lot and dreamed of working in Russia. While still studying, he managed to complete an internship in an orchestra under the direction of he also participates in the work of the leading orchestras of St. Petersburg: the Mariinsky Theater, the Philharmonic, and the Symphony Orchestra. This experience became a high start for the new conductor.

Creative path

After graduating from the conservatory, Teodor Currentzis actively joins the musical life of Russia. He collaborates with “Moscow Virtuosi” by Vladimir Spivakov, with whom he participates in a large tour of the USA, with the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra. P.I. Tchaikovsky, with the orchestra. With groups from Greece, USA, Bulgaria.

Teodor Currentzis collaborates extensively and fruitfully with the Moscow Helikon Opera Theater, where he conducts two productions by G. Verdi.

The history of Teodor Currentzis’ participation in various festivals is also rich. They conquered Moscow, Colmar, Bangkok, London, Miami.

Over the 20 years of his creative activity, Teodor Currentzis has played with various orchestras around the world more than 30 of the greatest musical works, including much music of Russian classics, works of the Baroque and Renaissance periods, as well as works of modern authors.

Since 2009 he has been a permanent guest conductor of the Bolshoi Theater.

Since 2011, Teodor Currentzis has become the chief conductor of the ballet.

Music of Siberia

In 2003, Theodor Currentzis was invited to Novosibirsk, where he staged the ballet “The Fairy’s Kiss” by I. Stravinsky, then the opera “Aida” in collaboration with D. Chernyakov; this performance became a notable event not only in Siberian musical life, but throughout Russian stage. Since 2004, Teodor Currentzis has become the chief conductor of the ballet. Over the seven years of cooperation with the theater, he has directed concert performances of such works as “The Marriage of Figaro”, “Don Giovanni”, “That’s what everyone does” by F.A. Mozart, “Dido and Aeneas” by G. Purcell, “Cinderella” by G. Rossinni, “Orpheus and Eurydice” by K.V. Gluck. Works as a conductor in opera productions of “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk”.

During this period, as part of his interest in the authentic performance of musical works, Teodor Currentzis created the Musica Aeterna Ensemble orchestra, specializing in the historical performance of music, and the New Siberian Singers Chamber Choir, which became widely known in Russia and abroad.

Achievements and awards

The bright life of conductor Teodor Currentzis was repeatedly decorated with well-deserved awards. Thus, he received the Golden Mask five times and is a laureate of the Stroganov Prize. His works have repeatedly received awards and prizes at music festivals around the world.

In 2008 he was awarded the Order of Friendship.

Teodor Currentzis: personal life and family

Bright and famous people are always of interest to people and the media. Teodor Currentzis is no exception, whose personal life is under close attention. The conductor, however, does not feel inconvenienced and often happily communicates with the press, talking about his creative plans and his views on music. But the question of whether Teodor Currentzis is married or not always remains unanswered. Although many ladies are waiting for him with trepidation, because the musician embodies the ideals of many women: rich, famous, handsome. So is Teodor Currentzis free? He had a wife, and this is reliably known. Even at the dawn of his life in Russia, he was captivated by a ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater. Teodor Currentzis + Yulia Makhalina - the duet has become a noticeable phenomenon in the cultural life of St. Petersburg.

The ballerina spent a lot of effort on promoting her husband up the career ladder; he owes her many high-profile acquaintances that were useful to him in the future. By the time she met the conductor, Julia was already a star; she was actively promoted by choreographer O.M. Vinogradov, and she could say a word in support of the aspiring musician. The marriage did not last long. Is Teodor Currentzis married today? Personal things are a taboo topic for him, although rumor attributes him to many novels.

civil position

The conductor leads an active creative life, but at the same time his private life is full of events. In 2014, he became a Russian citizen, claiming to have found a second home here. Conductor Teodor Currentzis, whose personal life is now connected with Russia, is actively involved in the musical and social life of the country, and was one of those who supported the fired director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater. He always advocates for the freedom of creative expression of the artist and is an active fighter against censorship and restrictions.

In his free time, Teodor Currentzis reads a lot, listens to recordings of outstanding orchestras and a lot of non-classical music, but says that he has completely stopped going to concerts - this interferes with his inner search. He believes that today music has become too academic and this prevents young people from perceiving it, so his goal is to bring it closer to the listener, removing the barriers of academics. He dreams of a revolution in music and does everything to keep it alive.

One of the most sought-after contemporary Russian conductors, Teodor Currentzis is Greek by birth. Having received his main musical education in Greece, he founded a chamber music orchestra in Athens in 1990, and in 1994 came to Russia to study conducting with Ilya Musin, a professor at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. After this, Theodore remained to work in Russia and regularly collaborates with the most famous musical orchestras in the country. For more than 20 years of creative activity in Russian art, he staged a lot of successful musical performances in different cities, performed abroad more than once, and in the spring of 2014 he became a citizen of Russia. The fame of one of the sexiest conductors haunts his fans who want to know everything about Teodor Currentzis’ wife and his personal life.

Currently, Currentzis is single. This does not mean that he is not at all interested in women, although he declares that the main love of his life is Music. There are quite a lot of rumors about his numerous novels, but no specific names are mentioned in them. There is still some information about one Russian wife of the famous conductor: having appeared on the musical horizon of St. Petersburg, he tied the knot with the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Yulia Makhalina. By the time she met the young musician, she had already made a brilliant career in one of the best theaters in Russia and was a prima ballerina there.

Makhalina has performed at least 60 roles in classical and modern ballets. She was the first performer of the roles of Anna Karenina in a performance to music by Tchaikovsky, the Firebird in Stravinsky's ballet, the Fairy in Prokofiev's Cinderella, Raymonda in Glazunov's ballet and many others. Being an influential person in the theatrical world of the northern capital, Julia used her numerous connections and acquaintances to help her talented, handsome and young (and Theodore was 4 years younger than his wife) lover gain weight in the cultural elite of St. Petersburg and find a good job. However, she did not take into account the fact that Currentzis’ talent was looking for its own ways for self-realization and he was not afraid of being excommunicated from the important cultural center of the country. In the early 2000s, he parted with Peter without regret and went to the Novosibirsk Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.

True, according to rumors, the reason for the separation of this couple was the character of Yulia Viktorovna, who was married twice and was unable to get along with any of her spouses. She has a rather difficult temperament, which makes living with her difficult, and sometimes even unbearable. Leaving her position on stage, the famous ballerina gradually switched to teaching and this transition, as evil tongues say, was accompanied by not an uncontrollable, but quite strong craving for alcohol. Now Currentzis has long been a free and eligible bachelor, having managed to star in films as the famous physicist Landau. Any of his admirers has a chance to become Theodor Currentzis’s wife.

Russian and Greek conductor, musician, actor.

Teodor Currentzis. Biography and creative path

Theodor Ioannis Currentzis born on February 24, 1972 in Athens, Greece, into a family with a great love of music. At the age of four, Theodore began to master the piano, and from the age of seven - the violin.

Theo's mother took him to the opera from an early age, and in the mornings she performed various works on the piano, including sonatas by Schubert and sonatinas by Mozart. She, rather, played a leading role in her son’s choice of future profession.

Theodore's father was a sailor for some time, a naval engineer, and then became a policeman. He also had a special passion for music.

Teodor Currentzis: My childhood memories are associated with the music that my dad listened to and felt. He often sang to me a folk song, beautiful and sad, about children who either left or died. I loved her and cried every time, but not with pain, but with some strange nostalgia. Along with that song came the sweet truth about life, about how valuable people are...

When Theo was 15 years old, his parents separated, and his mother devoted herself entirely to raising her sons. Theodore has a younger brother, Evangelos, who also connected his future life with musical art.

Theodore: Vangelino perfectly understands the secret language that exists between us. I taught him a lot - to feel music, to perceive beauty the same way as I do. As a result, at some point he was my double... He lives in Prague, writes original music, including for theater and cinema. In some ways he is a more open and bright person. Better than me. He often helps me come to my senses, return to the ideas that I once began to preach.

Being 12 years old, he simultaneously entered two faculties (theoretical and string instruments) at the First Greek Conservatory in his homeland. He graduated from the first department in 1987, the second - a couple of years later. At the same conservatory in 1988-1989 he studied vocals, after which he became a student at the Athens Academy (Professor K. Paskalias), and subsequently took master classes with G. Gabor. In 1990 Teodor Currentzis founded a chamber orchestra in Athens.

In 1994 he came to Russia, where he spent five years conducting under the direction of Ilya Musin, whose students were at different times Odysseus Dimitriadi, Valery Gergiev and Semyon Bychkov, at the State Conservatory named after N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. At the same time, he took part both in her concerts and in the programs of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra. In 1999, he began assisting the conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov.

Teodor Currentzis: The main culprit of what I am is the conductor Ilya Musin, with whom I studied in St. Petersburg. He worked a lot with movements and gestures. He explained that a conductor is both an artist and a director. It is important to first draw your idea, and then direct it...

Subsequently, Currentzis began to actively collaborate with various orchestras, including “Moscow Virtuosi”, BSO, RNO and GASO, “New Russia”, NPR, etc. Since the spring of 2004, he has been the musical director and chief conductor of the Novosibirsk Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, where in 2003 he acted as conductor of the ballet “The Fairy’s Kiss” by Igor Stravinsky, and a year later he staged Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Aida,” which was then awarded the Golden Mask.

In 2004, Theodor created a chamber orchestra on the basis of NGATOiB Musica Aeterna Ensemble and choir The New Siberian Singers. These groups work in the field of historical performance.

Teodor Currentzis (from an interview in 2009): The orchestra Musica Aeterna and the choir New Siberian Singers, which I created in Novosibirsk, are a free territory of young musicians who have not yet drowned in the “swan lakes” of the sterile art that surrounds us. This is an artistic commune... For my orchestra, I am like a psychoanalyst. I don’t ask to do something specific, but I say: “Here I don’t need it to be loud or quiet. I wonder what her hair smelled like." The musicians turn on... This needs to be a shared experience. There is a language of techniques that only they understand, for example, “guts on the remote control”...

In 2011 Teodor Currentzis headed the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater, which in five years became a leader in the domestic theater scene and gained an enviable reputation abroad. The Musica Aeterna orchestra began to be applauded in the best European halls, and in 2016, the orchestra, as happened before, became the record holder for the number of nominations for the prestigious Golden Mask award.

Order of Friendship - 2008. “Golden Mask” - 2004, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015. Stroganov Prize - 2013.

In the spring of 2014, the experimental conductor and cosmopolitan Teodor Currentzis, who works at various venues with many groups, participates in a lot of music festivals, and prefers non-academic means in his creativity, received Russian citizenship.

Teodor Currentzis. Filmography

Conduction (2015) (plays himself)
Dau (2014) / Dau (Lev Landau, main role)