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Classical Ballet Efrem Podgaits "Moidodyr (Wash`em Clean)" (Ballet-Fantasy in two scenes)
World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Small Stage

Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes


Schedule for Efrem Podgaits "Moidodyr (Wash`em Clean)" (Ballet-Fantasy in two scenes) 2022

Composer: Efrem Podgayts
Choreography: Yuri Smekalov
Production: Andrei Sevbo
Chief conductor: Alexei Bogorad
Light Designer: Sergei Shevchenko

Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra

Ballet-Fantasy in 2 acts

Premiere of this production: 21 December 2012, Bolshoi theatre, Moscow, Russia

Libretto by Yuri Smekalov after the tale of the same name by Kornei Chukovsky.
The ballet was written by Efrem Podgaits for a contest for the best music piece for children, held by the Bolshoi Theatre and the Union of Theater Workers

Several years ago, the Bolshoi Theatre and the Union of Theater Workers, RF held a contest for the best music piece for children, as the Russian musical theater has long been in desperate need of children’s repertoire.

The winner of the competition became a well-known Russian composer Efrem Podgaits, the author of thirteen operas, including Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, The Prince and the Pauper, Thumbelina, Lord of the Flies, Little Longnose and others which were and still are successfully on the stages of various theaters. However, for this competition, he decided to present the ballet, but also written on the subject of a famous literary work — a very popular Russian fairy tale in verse by Korney Chukovsky called Moidodyr.

The winner of the competition for the best libretto became Gennady Malkhasyants (1937-2008), but he managed to write only the synopsis for the first act of the ballet, unfortunately his death did not allow him even to learn the results of the first round. So Efrem Podgaits had to finish the second act of the libretto by himself, practically ‘blindfold’.

At the initiative of Sergei Filin, the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Ballet, the young choreographer Yuri Smekalov, the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, was invited to produce a ballet at the New Stage of the Bolshoi. After reviewing the libretto and music material Yuri Smekalov decided to write a new story, a thriller —fairytale , with new eccentric characters — such as Generalissimo Soap, Kitty, Wizard (Chukovsky), Fresh as a Daisy , Uncle Croc, Soldierpicks.

Smekalov staged several choreographic miniatures, successfully performed on different stages. As a choreographer, he debuted in 2008 within the framework of the Autumn Gold ballet festival creating the original project Verba volant, scripta manent, dedicated to his friend and mentor, George Aleksidze.

Moidodyr
is the first full-length ballet by Yuri Smekalov and his first production at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia.



 

© Photo by Damir Yusupov/Bolshoi Theatre

Libretto

Act I
Scene 1
Tauride Garden
A boy nicknamed Piggy-wiggy is walking with his parents in the Tauride Garden. As soon as he sees a dirty puddle, the little rascal makes a beeline for it. Attempting to assert his independence, he keeps slipping out of his mother’s grasp who is trying to shake the mud off his clothes.
Passersby appear, including Wizard and a little girl called Fresh as a Daisy. Everyone admires Fresh as a Daisy, who is as pretty as a picture, but no one wants to talk to the grubby little boy. Uncle Croc is the only person who seems to understand Piggy-wiggy and therefore the latter looks on him as his friend. Pretending he is totally oblivious to Fresh as a Daisy, the little terror parades his grubbiness.

His parents are upset, but Wizard calms them down. Enter Chimney-sweep and his gang: Piggy-wiggy is the only person to notice them. Feeling uneasy, the little boy hides behind Uncle Croc’s back. Engrossed in their photography, Mama and Papa walk off in the opposite direction. Uncle Croc, friend to Piggy-wiggy, leads him to his parents. Wizard and Fresh as a Daisy are standing right by them. The children meet but, running off in different directions, they do not make friends.


Scene 2
Piggy-wiggy’ Room

Dead of night. Kitty wakes up and stretches herself. But suddenly something very odd starts to happen... Wizard climbs through the window into the bedroom. Muttering “Chukokkala, Chukokkala”, he touches everything he comes across with his magic, shining cane, and the things begin to come alive. Wizard disappears through the doors into Piggy-wiggy’ parents’ bedroom. Gradually, Piggy-wiggy wakes up. He carefully pulls up his eiderdown which is falling off his bed, but it flies away from him and, for some reason, everything he tries to pick up, he drops. Due to the little boy’s clumsiness, Candle ends up in the stove. The domestic utensils and toys are indignant. Closing ranks, they surround Piggy-wiggy and advance on him with threatening look. The little boy pretends this does not frighten him in the slightest. He chases them all off with Papa’s newspaper and is left entirely on his own.

The doors are flung open and Moidodyr appears on the threshold. Great Wash-basin’s army immediately occupies the stage. Sponge-in-Chief is in charge of the parade. Piggy-wiggy tries to hide from Moidodyr’s army. Making a fool of Sponge-in-Chief, he tears round the room and eventually manages to escape. Everyone rushes off in pursuit of the little boy.


Act II
Scene 3
Tauride Garden. The World of the Chimney-sweep
Piggy-wiggy does not recognize his beloved Tauride Garden. He is trying to find his friend Uncle Croc whom he hopes will save him from Sponge-in-Chief’s intolerable harassment. Uncle Croc’s cloak flashes here and there between the chimneys, Piggy-wiggy flings himself after it, but all this is no more than a mirage. Chimney-sweep’s suite and his Guttersnipe underlings do their best to confuse Piggy-wiggy and lure him into their world of soot and lamp-black.
Suddenly Sponge-in-Chief falls upon the little boy, the cunning Guttersnipes, however, immediately get rid of her. Enter Chimney-sweep: he and his gang pull wool over Piggy-wiggy’ eyes. And when it seems the rascal’s fate is all but decided, Fresh as a Daisy puts in an appearance. The little girl is wearing a snow-white dress, while floating round her are a mass of different coloured soap bubbles — this frightens off Chimney-sweep and his stooges. Fresh as a Daisy presents Piggy-wiggy with a magic shell, it is as if she is giving him a chance of changing himself and his life — all he has to do is to go home. The little boy puts the shell on one side: he is fine where he is. This is just what Chimney-sweep is waiting for. The Guttersnipes seize Fresh as a Daisy. But, suddenly, thunder claps are heard and the rain starts pouring down; a bright rainbow forces the Guttersnipes to retreat. Accompanied by the Raindrops, Fresh as a Daisy leaves Chimney-sweep’s garden.

The little boy is left on his own: he realizes he is in no way different to the inhabitants of this dirty spot. The though the nearly caused Fresh as a Daisy’s undoing, makes Piggy-wiggy feel really ashamed. He decides to go home.


Scene 4
Return Home
In Piggy-wiggy’ room, Moidodyr’s suite are dancing and preparing to give the little boy a welcome. Great Wash-basin is carefully monitoring the proceedings. A parade of bathroom accessories is underway.

Enter the young owner of the room and, behind him, the exhausted Sponge-in-Chief who is so tired she immediately collapses. Hanging his head, Piggy-wiggy asks Moidodyr’s forgiveness. He is ready to wash himself clean and, together with Sponge-in-Chief and Generalissimo Soap, he jumps into the bath. After his bath, he is seized by Towel who carries him off to the cupboard to get dressed.

Enter Wizard and Fresh as a Daisy.
The little boy emerges from the cupboard transformed, he holds out his hand to Fresh as a Daisy who, in turn, holds out hers and their palms meet.


Epilogue
His parents return home. When they see their clean and handsome son, they are overjoyed at the transformation. But the little boy knows full well it is Fresh as a Daisy and Wizard whom he has to thank for this miracle.




Schedule for Efrem Podgaits "Moidodyr (Wash`em Clean)" (Ballet-Fantasy in two scenes) 2022


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