Ticket to the Ballet
By Lada Chernova, student
Marina Kochetova is known to Ottawa residents as a Russian language teacher and journalist. But not everyone knows about her love for ballet. This love is so deep that it goes far beyond simply watching performances. As it turns out, she has a large and unusual collection of ballet souvenirs at home. That is what we will talk about today.
Lada Chernova: Love for something does not come out of nowhere. Something has to lead people in that direction. When did you first realize that you liked ballet?
Marina Kochetova: The very first time I attended a ballet! I was only five years old when my mother took me to the theatre — and not just any theatre, but the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow to see Swan Lake. And not just Swan Lake, but a performance starring the great Maya Plisetskaya in the leading role. However, I was even more impressed by the Prince, performed by the equally legendary Alexander Godunov, probably one of the most handsome ballet dancers of all time. My mother certainly set the bar very high from the beginning.
L.C.: Since then, how many different ballets have you seen, and how many times each?
M.K.: Practically all of the classical ballets — several dozen in total. Some I have seen many times. For example, I have watched The Nutcracker in different productions and theatres more than seventy times altogether. Even people professionally involved in ballet cannot always boast such a record number of viewings.
L.C.: So your love for ballet began in childhood. But you do not only watch ballet performances — you also collect ballet souvenirs. How did your collection begin?
M.K.: With the program booklet from that very performance of Swan Lake. On the cover there was a photograph of Maya Plisetskaya and Alexander Godunov performing an adagio. At the time, my father made furniture himself. He burned an enlarged version of that image onto the door of a wardrobe. Every morning, when I opened my eyes, I saw that elegant ballet couple before me. It became deeply imprinted in my subconscious.
L.C.: Why do you keep this collection? Do you have a particular goal?
M.K.: Interesting question… The goal is to experience the joy of beauty. That is why I surround myself with it! Even my clock has a ballet theme — instead of hands, it has the legs of a ballerina.
L.C.: Your collection is very large. How many ballet souvenirs does it contain?
M.K.: I have never counted them. I think there are several hundred! I have not only figurines and dolls, keychains and brooches, jewelry boxes, paintings, booklets, and ballet recordings. I also own many books, rare photographs, posters, and pointe shoes signed by world ballet stars, some of whom I know personally and communicate with regularly.
L.C.: So many?! Where do they all come from?
M.K.: From many different places: friends, theatre boutiques, and numerous acquaintances. I do not only admire ballet — I also write about it as a journalist. Not only articles, but even two ballet books among the six books I have written. As a teacher, I taught Russian as a foreign language to dancers from England, France, Brazil, and Japan. So, if I may put it this way, quantity eventually turned into quality. One of my close ballet friends even gave me parts of his stage costume sewn by the costume designers of the Mariinsky Theatre forty years ago!
L.C.: But such a large collection must require a lot of space and time. Have you ever become tired of it?
M.K.: How can you get tired of something you sincerely love? Of course not. On the contrary, I cannot imagine my home without ballet-themed items, not to mention bags and clothing, from T-shirts to jackets. Ballet inspires me. Every little object connected to this art form gives me a storm of positive emotions and extraordinary memories. Ballet has long become an important part of my life.
L.C.: I became curious — do you still have the old ticket from the first ballet performance you ever attended?
M.K.: Unfortunately, that ticket did not survive, but I do have many theatre programs from different theatres and a huge number of invitation tickets, some of them absolutely unique! Complimentary passes in my name for the best seats in the world’s finest theatres — that is really something. Any ballet ticket is a kind of historical document. Come visit someday — I will show you.
L.C.: Thank you for your time and attention! And for your love of ballet…