Who does Teodor currentzis live with? Conductor Teodor Currentzis: biography, personal life, creativity

One of the most sought-after contemporary Russian conductors, Teodor Currentzis is Greek by birth. Having received his primary 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.

Teodor Currentzis. Photo: Charis Akriviadis/EPA/Scanpix/LETA.

On October 23, Teodor Currentzis, a superstar conductor of Greek origin, Russian residence and global scale, will perform at the Latvian National Opera with his orchestra MusicAeterna.

Where does Europe begin? This geographically incorrect question will be answered without hesitation in the largest of the easternmost cities in our part of the world - in the Ural Perm. “Perm is the first city of Europe!” — such a flattering thesis for the townspeople was generated by its place on the map. True, this place can also be described in the opposite way: they say, Europe ends in Perm. However, in the last half-dozen years, supporters of the first point of view have an indestructible trump card. This is the name of the most famous Permian in the world and one of the most famous Russians in the world of modern music. Greek, born in Athens. Conductor, musician, culture manager, frantic experimenter Teodor Currentzis.

True caliber

Recently Robert Wilson, the famous American theater director, said: “New York is a provincial city because they don’t know anything about Perm.” In fact, this phrase contains more reasons for the patriotic pride of Russians than in all the reports from Moscow military parades, as well as reports about the launches of Caliber missiles, combined. But the merit is that the Americans Wilson and Peter Sellars, the Italian Romeo Castellucci, the Austrian Markus Hinterhäuser and other theater grandees are now well aware of Perm, and that Moscow snobs and millionaires flock to the premieres of plays in the gloomy industrial-prison-taiga Prikamye , belongs to one person. To the artistic director of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater, living in a village house an hour's drive from the city, but at the same time constantly moving somewhere between Vienna, Salzburg and other musical capitals of the planet. An undoubted and sincere Russian patriot, who still speaks Russian with a rather strong accent.

The case of Currentzis says a lot about the role of the individual not even in history, but in geography. “It’s very fun when you fly to conduct the Vienna Opera from Perm, and not from Paris,” he notes, not without panache, in an interview. The frantic activity of the maestro levels out geographical distances and familiar cultural hierarchies. During his time at the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater (its chief director Currentzis was in the 2000s), he made a splash with Verdi’s Macbeth: the opera was staged by Moscow director Dmitry Chernyakov, the Paris National Opera actively participated in the project, and artists from the most different cities and countries. Currentzis invited Moscow composer Dmitry Kurlyandsky and Greek director Theodoros Terzopoulos to stage the opera Nosferatu in Perm, and a British observer said about the result: “Even in London you rarely see a performance so daring and radical in both music and staging.” I was no less impressed by the audacity and radicalism of the production in Perm of the seemingly textbook “La Traviata” (its director was Robert Wilson) - in which Danes, Austrians, and Luxembourgers also participated.

And these are just a few examples from Currentzis’ endless track record, of which the aforementioned Markus Hinterhäuser, intendant of the prestigious Salzburg Festival, simply said (about the conductor and his orchestra): “There is nothing better in the world at the moment.”

“I conquer the capitals of the world from my village,” states Theodore. — Can you tell me which of the Moscow orchestras performs at the Salzburg Festival? Nobody will offer a Russian orchestra to play Mozart in Salzburg and Mahler in Vienna or Provence. And that’s exactly what we do.”

Press photo.

His conceit is understandable and deserved: this summer, Currentzis and his Perm orchestra and choir MusicAeterna (the orchestra, however, includes musicians from different countries) opened the opera program of the Salzburg Festival with “The Mercy of Titus,” staged by the American director and master Peter Sellars. Salzburg is perhaps the main music festival in the world, and La Clemenza is one of the last two operas of the local genius of the place, Mozart. The work of the 18th century in the Permian-American interpretation turned into a statement on pressing modern topics (for example, the theme of refugees), and even underwent musical changes. Journalists wrote: showing this in Mozart’s homeland is “as if a chef from Russia came to a restaurant with centuries-old traditions in the center of Vienna and said: “Now I will show you how to cook schnitzel correctly.” Nevertheless, the production was a resounding success.

Even this year, Currentzis held the traditional Perm Diaghilev Festival (Theodor is its artistic director), signed a contract with the famous German SWR Orchestra (from the 2018/19 season he will be its chief conductor), and a concert at the Latvian National Opera, which will be held as part of “Baltic Musical Seasons” will begin his joint tour of Europe with pianist Alexander Melnikov.

Orchestral and flying cymbals

In 2017, Currentzis’s name is constantly heard in the media - but it has been heard in them (at least in Russian ones) more or less constantly for many years. This is facilitated by the director’s amazing efficiency, his tireless innovation (often provocative), and, of course, his very figure: extravagant, impressive, highly attractive to journalists and the public.

A conductor is generally a public profession, and Currentzis behaves in front of cameras and recorders no less artistically than his theater colleagues from the acting workshop. A 45-year-old tall brunette with an unusual appearance for Russia and a piquant accent, he participates in glamorous photo shoots, produces a perfume under his own name, and willingly gives interviews to all kinds of publications, including glossy ones. They call Theodore the “black prince” and mention his reputation as a heartthrob. As a result, Russian Google immediately strives to supplement the request with the following: “Teodor Currentzis, wife” - the girls, therefore, are interested and, perhaps, counting on something.

Brightness, catchiness, and effectiveness are characteristic of everything the conductor does. Whether it’s the avant-garde La Traviata, concerts where listeners can lie on the floor and receive programs at the exit, Currentzis’s style of conducting or his own style of dressing. “Now he is wearing a strict black jacket, but the maestro’s stage image is usually very theatrical and thought out to the smallest detail,” writes Russian Vogue. - Clothing - only black or white. The legs are pulled into almost ballet-like leggings and lace-up boots, a shirt with wide sleeves and cuffs a la Don Juan. There’s also something intriguing about the hair.”

In articles about the maestro, the adjectives “mysterious”, “mystical”, even “alien” are thrown around. Which, in general, is natural - since we are talking about a resident of the Urals, the Russian metropolis of mysticism and ufology. Old-timers like me should remember the series of reports “M-Triangle”, which once made the Riga newspaper “Soviet Youth” famous throughout the Union. It was about contacts with aliens; behind the mysterious letter “M” there was hidden the village of Molebka in the then Perm region - to this day it lays claim to the title of mecca of Ufonauts and Ufomans.

You may not believe in specific Ural miracles, but you cannot help but admit that the Urals are a land of wonders. The writer Olga Slavnikova, born in Sverdlovsk, glorified a special Ural (“Riphean”, as it is called in the novel “2017”) type: passionary, idealist, eccentric, contactee with extraterrestrial and otherworldly entities. “The thinking of a true Riphean is fantastic thinking,” she asserts. The one who most closely matches the spirit of this land is the one who breaks away as far as possible from the Earth in general, from solid ground, flat reality. The Greek Currentzis, who was born in hot yellow Attica and lived for twenty-two years on the shores of the Aegean Sea, according to this definition, is one hundred percent Riphean, Uralian.

An idealist and ascetic, even accused of messianism. A mystic who gives business cards to journalists with the inscription “Dreamer of dreams” (“Dreamer of dreams” in his own translation) and explains: “The real life in which we live is in harmony with the world of dreams.” A hoaxer who may casually tell an interviewer that he sometimes looks into the past.

“I called Brahms yesterday, and he told me how to perform it,” the conductor says in a dispute with fellow musicians. This is, of course, a joke. But Currentzis is unlikely to be ironic when he explains his own “superpower” this way: “My intuition is close to mysticism - that which connects us with another world.”

When talking about music, he often resorts to metaphors from the fields of magic and alchemy. The word “alien” in Theodore’s mouth is high praise for the performer and composer. This is what he calls Stravinsky, whom he considers “the greatest artist of the 20th century” for his musical radicalism and ability to go against established rules. “Stravinsky was something of an alien,” Currentzis says. “But this is the real voice of Russia.” Exactly the same can be said about himself.

Hundred Ruble Opera

Looking into the past, breaking the usual rules: for Currentzis himself, both are something like a credo. On the one hand, he is known as an innovator, even a provocateur, an adept of the music and theater of the future, on the other hand, as a kind of reenactor, trying to reproduce old works in the form in which they were once conceived and sounded. After all, centuries ago the instruments were different, the music sounded different, the opera sets and costumes looked different - hence Mozart’s performance on violins with gut strings, which became the talk of the town, and Currentzis’ other historical meticulousness, which seems no less a radical gesture than the performance of ultra-modern avant-garde works.

“Informal from classical art,” as he is called, Currentzis is cramped within traditional frameworks and boundaries; he tries, at a minimum, to go beyond them, and at maximum, to erase them. For example, to erase the boundary between the stage and the auditorium, which the conductor directly calls his goal. At his Perm theater there is a Laboratory of Contemporary Spectators, which introduces the public to the working process of musicians. These are lectures, master classes, rehearsals to which outsiders are allowed. “Only by seeing and hearing all the stages of work on a work can you understand what the composer put into it,” says Currentzis. — In general, my goal is to erase the boundary between the stage and the hall. I want to create the feeling that we are all together, the orchestra and the audience, making music.”

Consistent democracy in celebrities is as rare as it is attractive. Having held leftist beliefs in his Greek youth and going to demonstrations, Currentzis even now, not without pride, albeit ironic, calls his Perm theater “absolutely communist.” In Russian capitals, Theodore's concerts are famous for their sky-high ticket prices - but he himself complains that he has no control over pricing in the touring process, and claims: in Perm you can listen to him for 100 rubles. At the current exchange rate - one and a half euros.

By the way, Currentzis rarely performs in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Having worked in Siberia and the Urals for a decade and a half, he is generally a convinced patriot of the province. In it, according to the conductor, the performers are much less weighed down by monetary and status considerations, in it the musical policy is more flexible and not so crushed by tradition.
However, it is impossible not to pay attention to the disadvantages of Russian provincial life even if you are a Currentzis. The Perm Theater, famous throughout the world thanks to him, has almost the smallest stage of all the opera houses in Russia. “Musicians rehearse in gyms, the ballet does not fit on the stage, and the roof is blown away by the wind,” is how Currentzis describes the preparations for the premieres, which delight Western theatergoers and Moscow oligarchs. By 2020, the local authorities promise to build a new stage at the Perm Opera House - and the conductor is forced to reinforce the agreement with them by threatening to leave Perm if the promise is not fulfilled.

Theater of the Perm period

However, it all began for Currentzis in the capitals. In the capital of Greece, where he was born in 1972, he entered the Greek Conservatory, graduated from its musicology department and the department of string instruments. In the northern capital of Russia, where he came in the first half of the 1990s to study with the legendary teacher Ilya Musin. “The St. Petersburg teacher of conductors, he trained, it seems, everyone, including the current leaders of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi,” they write about Musin; and if there is something that unites such dissimilar Russian stars as Gergiev and Currentzis, it is studying with Ilya Alexandrovich.

In the 2000s, Theodor managed to work in Moscow with the orchestras of Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Spivakov, and the Bolshoi Theater - but since 2003, Currentzis’ name begins to be heard in connection with high-profile, even sensational premieres in distant Novosibirsk. There, in 2004, the MusicaAeterna orchestra arose, which the conductor now calls “special forces” (“This is a group of outstanding musicians who gather to transform the musical system. The strength and passion of performance that they give is something amazing. They are like special forces in that").

Currentzis arrived in Perm in 2011. Under the then young, ambitious governor Oleg Chirkunov, they tried to turn the rather scary industrial city into the cultural capital of Russia, including through the efforts of invited enthusiasts. Little came of it. Moscow gallery owner Marat Gelman became a personal enemy of the Perm patriots and was eventually fired from his post as director of the museum of modern art that he had created. Chirkunov was also soon expelled from government service. And only Currentzis, who was appointed artistic director of the Perm Opera at that time, is still in his post.

To understand how a single extravagant Greek influenced the reputation of the harsh Ural population of over a million people, you can compare two passages. This is what the Perm writer (and great patriot of the Urals!) Alexey Ivanov, author of “The Heart of Parma” and “Tobol”, said about his hometown and the area where he lived: “You can’t walk here alone in the evening. Recently, near the path along which I walk when I come up with stories, a security guard and a girl operator were shot dead at a gas station at night - for thirty thousand in proceeds. Not far from my student’s house, the body of his classmate was dug up. By the way, at the local school where I worked, a gang of schoolchildren was identified, responsible for eleven murders. If I take a collective photo of the students who attended my local history club, a third can be safely crossed out: this one hanged himself, this one was killed, they were imprisoned..."

And here’s what a Moscow glossy magazine wrote less than a year ago: “The most discerning public from all over Russia and real figures of world art are now flocking to the Diaghilev Festival in Perm. Theater legends walk the streets of Perm: directors Peter Sellars and Bob Wilson. In the dumpling shop you could meet radical performance artist Romeo Castellucci. And over a plate of soup at the Ural Hotel - the intendant of the Vienna and Salzburg festivals, Markus Hinterhäuser.”

It is no coincidence that the Perm festival bears the name of Diaghilev - the organizer of the “Russian Seasons”, which stunned Paris, who grew up on the Kama River, was until recently the main symbol of the Ural province’s involvement in the great cultural world. True, Pyotr Weil, having visited Perm, wrote that Diaghilev “left her for the world and will never return.” But he turned out to be wrong. Diaghilev returned - at least with the most popular festival named after him; Moreover, the world itself came to provincial Perm.

True, the person who made this happen received Russian citizenship only many years after submitting the application (although by the time he submitted he was already a world celebrity). It cannot be compared with the speed with which Russians recognized Depardieu and Seagal - even though for them it was pure clownery, while Currentzis has been raising (and how successfully!) the international prestige of Russian culture for decades.

When this Greek talks about his Russian patriotism, you suddenly realize how rare a case is in front of you in these days - a declaration not of loyalty to the authorities, not of belonging to the aggressive majority, but of real idealism: “Perhaps I’m overly romantic, but I really believe, that Russia is a country that was created for people to dream, to set new goals for the future. Reality does not exist apart from us; it is formed, among other things, from our participation. I believe that Russia still has a lot to give to humanity.”

By the way, for all his undoubted romanticism, Currentzis is by no means a transcendental dreamer. He has a civil temperament, which he proved by writing an open letter in support of Boris Mezdrich, director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater (he was fired after a loud scandal with the opera Tannhäuser, which was considered insufficiently moral by the Orthodox community there).

There, the conductor writes, among other things: “Show me the state of cultural life in your country, and I will tell you what the future awaits you.” At a time when “Tannhäuser” is banned, “Nureyev” is cancelled, and “Matilda” is being burned, these words are unlikely to set one in an optimistic mood. But the fact that Currentzis is working and enjoying incredible success at the same time in the same country allows us to believe that not everything is hopeless.

From the age of four he studied piano, from the age of seven he took violin lessons, and five years later he entered both the theoretical faculty and the faculty of string instruments of the Greek Conservatory in Athens.

In 1987 he graduated from the theoretical faculty of the Greek Conservatory, in 1989 from the faculty of string instruments.

In 1988-1989, he studied vocals at the Greek Conservatory with Professor D. Arivas, continued his studies at the Athens Academy with Professor K. Pascalias, and later attended master classes with G. Gabor.

In 1990 he founded a chamber orchestra in Athens.

From 1994 to 1999 he studied conducting with Ilya Musin at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. As a conductor and soloist, he took part in concert programs of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra.

Creation

Since 1999, he has become an assistant conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Yuri Temirkanov.

Currentzis constantly collaborates with the Moscow Virtuosi Orchestra, the Big Symphony Orchestra (BSO), the Russian National Orchestra (RNO), the State Academic Symphony Orchestra (SASO), and the New Russia Orchestra. With the “Pratum Integrum” orchestra, which united the best Russian performers of ancient music on historical instruments, he prepared, performed and took part in the CD recording of the first Russian symphony - “Symphony in C major” by Maxim Berezovsky. Since 2003 - permanent conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NFOR).

Repeatedly performed at festivals in Colmar, Bangkok, Carton, London, Ludwigsburg, Miami.

Conductor-director of the world premiere of the Russian opera performance “The Blind Swallow” by Alexander Shchetinsky (libretto by A. Parin) in Lokkum (Germany) as part of the 2002 music festival.

In October 2003, he acted as conductor of the ballet “The Fairy’s Kiss” by Igor Stravinsky at the Novosibirsk Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (NGATOiB) (choreographer Alla Sigalova).

In March 2004, as a conductor-producer, he staged Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Aida” (directed by Dmitry Chernyakov) at the NGATOiB. The performance was awarded the Golden Mask Award.

Since May 2004 - musical director and chief conductor of the NGATOiB. In the same year, on the basis of the theater, he created the chamber orchestra “Musica Aeterna Ensemble” and the choir “The New Siberian Singers”, which specialize in the field of historical performance.

In 2005 and 2006, he performed concert performances of the operas “Dido and Aeneas” by G. Purcell, “Orpheus and Eurydice” by K. V. Gluck (edited by G. Berlioz), “That’s what everyone does,” “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Don Giovanni” "Mozart, in 2007 - "Cinderella" by G. Rossini.

At the beginning of the 2006-2007 season, he again acted as a conductor-producer of the NGATOiB performances - “The Marriage of Figaro” (produced by Tatyana Gyurbach) and “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” (produced by Genrikh Baranovsky).

Since the fall of 2006, among the famous young cultural figures, he has been a co-organizer of the “Territory” festival of contemporary art.

As part of the “Offering to Svyatoslav Richter” project, on March 20, 2007, Teodor Currentzis presented Verdi’s “Requiem” to the public, changing the usual interpretation and bringing the composition of the instruments closer to the one that sounded at the premiere in 1874.

In April 2007, the NGATOiB’s play “Cinderella” became a laureate of the National Theater Award “Golden Mask”. Teodor Currentzis, conductor and musical director of the ballet, was awarded a special jury prize “For the vivid embodiment of S. S. Prokofiev’s score.”

In addition to his interest in the music of composers of the Baroque and Classical eras, and successful experiments in the field of authentic performance, Teodor Currentzis pays great attention to the music of our days in his work. Over the past few years, the conductor has conducted more than 20 world premieres of works by Russian and foreign authors.

In the 2007-2008 season, the Moscow Philharmonic presented a personal subscription “Teodor Currentzis Conducts”, the concerts of which were a resounding success.

In June 2008, he made his debut at the Paris National Opera as conductor and director of G. Verdi's opera Don Carlos. In December 2008, he acted as musical director of the production of G. Verdi's opera Macbeth, a joint project of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater and the Paris National Opera. In April 2009, the premiere was a huge success in Paris.

By Decree of the President of Russia Dm. Medvedev on October 29, 2008. Teodor Currentzis, among cultural figures - citizens of foreign countries, was awarded the Order of Friendship.

From Season 2009-2010 Teodor Currentzis is a permanent guest conductor of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia. In November 2009, the premiere performances of A. Berg’s opera “Wozzeck” (staged by Dmitry Chernyakov) took place on the New Stage of the Bolshoi under the direction of Teodor Currentzis.

In January 2011, he was appointed to the post of artistic director of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater named after Tchaikovsky. Some of the musicians from the “Musica Aeterna Ensemble” orchestra moved to Perm with him.

Movie

2009 - starred in I. Khrzhanovsky’s biographical drama “Dau”, playing the role of Lev Landau.

The work, personal life and biography of conductor Teodor Currentzis has gone down in the history of world music. His works were appreciated not only by Russian critics, but also by foreign ones.

Teodor Currentzis is a world-famous conductor, his work is so original and inimitable that it is difficult to find a person who could repeat his actions. He is constantly in search of inspiration, looking for something new. Popularity came to him not only because of his musical achievements, but also largely due to his appearance. An attractive man, when he appears in a public place, immediately becomes a hostage to the attention of various reporters and journalists.

At the moment, he continues to be actively involved in work in the Russian Federation and delights listeners with his conducting. A considerable number of projects have already been created under the leadership of Theodore. Many expect that he will soon do something new and modern.

Childhood and education

The young talent was born in 1972, his hometown is Athens. Greece became the place for him to create many new works, here he received his education and began to earn popularity. From an early age he was sent to a music school, where he immediately learned the ability to play the piano and violin. The lessons took quite a long time, but the boy liked it all.

You could say that his ears were accustomed to listening to the classics from an early age. Even then, together with his mother, he attended the theater, opera, and performances. Waking up, Theodore heard only the sounds of the piano his mother was playing. Of course, it was she who played the main influence on the development of his talent. It is known about Currentzis’s mother that she subsequently became the vice-rector of the conservatory in Athens.

There is also a second son in the family, who today lives in the Czech Republic and has also connected his life with music. As for Theodore, his achievements can only be praised. Already at the age of 15, he graduated from the Faculty of Music Theory of the Conservatory in Athens, and 12 months later he graduated from another faculty. Next was work on vocals, which also took place in Greece. It’s safe to say that my mother and the Athens Conservatory were able to raise a truly creative and famous person.

It is no secret to many that the conductor Teodor Currentzis’ family had two children, that is, there is also a brother about whom there is a lot of information on Wikipedia. Young people maintain family relationships and meet each other quite often. Both connected themselves with music, like their mother.

In 1990, under the leadership of Currentzis, his first chamber orchestra appeared; he was very pleased with this event. Working as a conductor for four whole years provided him with enormous and irreplaceable experience. At that time, conductor Teodor Currentzis was not at all interested in the personal life. He devoted himself entirely to music. I worked on my talent and tried to achieve as great heights as possible. In general, he succeeded, but not as he dreamed. Subsequently, a long move to Russia awaited him, where he remained forever.

The guy understood that in order to become famous, he needed to work on himself and receive further education.

Closing his chamber orchestra, he goes to St. Petersburg, here he easily enters the best conservatory in Russia. Together with the eminent teacher Ilya Musin, he continues to work and develop. It was thanks to this man that Theodore was able to create in himself that “zest” that he completely lacked. As for Currentzis himself, he became very attached to Russian music and dreamed of staying in Russia for a long time.

During his studies, Theodore managed to work in all famous St. Petersburg orchestras. His name appeared quite often on posters. It is no secret to many that it was Teodor Currentzis’ musical family that helped him become such a famous conductor. The musician talks about his plans very often, as he loves to share good news.

Career

In general, after graduating from the conservatory, he begins to look for work not in Greece, but in Russia. He was immediately accepted into the Moscow Virtuosi orchestra, with whom he went on a tour of the United States of America, and worked with the large Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. There were a lot of orchestras with which he managed to work, not only in Russia, but also in Greece, in the West, in Eastern Europe.

It is impossible to list the number of festivals and competitions that Theodore attended. Moscow, London, Miami and other cities heard Currentzis' work in all its colors. In almost 20 years of fruitful work, several dozen different world and Russian works were played. A considerable number of modern works came to Theodore.

In 2009, Teodor Currentzis becomes exactly the person one is happy to see at any time within the walls of the Bolshoi Theater. Two years later, many learned that he became the chief conductor of the largest opera and ballet theater in the city of Perm. In fact, many say that it is precisely because Teodor Currentzis has a free personal life that he is able to work so fruitfully.

There were works in other Russian cities. Knowing about his talent, many artistic directors invited him to stage ballets and operas. Some of the most interesting works of that time are “The Fairy’s Kiss” and “Aida”. These productions can be attributed to his “Siberian” career, which he recalls quite often. All this could not happen just like that, so young Teodor Currentzis was invited to the position of conductor of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater. Theodore devoted almost seven years to this institution; many foreign experts in the field of music and critics came to its productions, and everyone left only delighted.

The orchestra Musica Aeterna Ensemble and the chamber choir New Siberian Singers appeared during his work as a conductor in Novosibirsk. The conductor himself was very interested in Russian music, Russian classics. These musical groups have become known throughout the world. Trips with performances in various cities brought extraordinary success. There were also awards from international festivals and competitions. Theodor Currentzis's awards can be listed for a very long time; he was awarded the Golden Mask five times and received awards for his achievements in the field of art.

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 it is difficult to find a foreigner who would have the same feelings.

In the future, Currentzis plans to work only on his personal projects, as he likes to work freely without restrictions or boundaries. But the media is interested in his personal life and relationships with women, so this will be discussed further.

Personal life

Any reader is primarily interested in the personal life of his favorite actor, singer or celebrity. Teodor Currentzis is a person who is known only in certain circles of people, so not many people know about his relationships, family and children. His openness in front of the camera, quite interesting interviews, can be called one of the best. He never hides his plans for the future, but rather prepares the audience for what will happen. But personal life always remained behind some kind of curtain.

Today we can say with confidence that he was married to ballerina Yulia Makhalina. At the beginning of his career, in St. Petersburg, he met her at work at the Mariinsky Theater, the couple immediately began dating and making plans for the future. We can say that it was thanks to Julia that Theodore became famous in Russia. Makhalina worked with a large number of famous people, at that time the whole country was thundering about her talent. In general, it was the girl’s connections that helped her advance up the career ladder. Despite all of Julia’s aspirations, the marriage fell apart, and no one knows anything about the reasons for this collapse. What is going on with Teodor Currentzis’s personal life today is unknown.

In 2014, he became a full citizen of the Russian Federation. More than once in his interviews he told how much he loved this country. He has no plans to return to work in Greece, as he is completely satisfied with everything. For him, the main thing is to create music that will be interesting to young people, without barriers and restrictions. As a result of all this, Teodor Currentzis completely stopped going to other people’s performances and concerts, as he believes that this completely interferes with improving and developing in a world full of freedom. He has no plans to get married yet, but would like to start a family and have children.

Currently, Teodor Currentzis's family lives in Greece, his brother lives in Prague. Despite all this, they see each other very often.

His love for his loved ones is manifested in all his actions, which is an important indicator for an artist. Working as a conductor has become a part of life that he thinks about constantly and has no intention of stopping there.

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. Teodor'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 was 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.