On June 1, 2020, new General Director of the State Theater in Košice Ondrej Šoth took the office. “First of all, I would like to thank to my predecessors, longtime Director Peter Himič and a temporarily appointed Igor Dohovič for their work in the leadership of the State Theater in Košice. I want to ensure everyone that I am not going to make any rifts or revolutions. I appreciate work of everyone in the Košice theater and I take the office with an ambition to create conditions for the theater and people in it, necessary for them to express all the creativity and talent they have in them,” new General Director Ondrej Šoth has said. We wish him a lot of success at the beginning of his mission. At the same time, we are bringing his interview for mojakultura.sk portal, in which he is talking about his concept of theater development, but also about the first steps that are awaiting him in the new office.
“As it was in the Slovak National Theater, the same is happening in Košice, it is not only my person who makes people nervous, but the fact that I come from ballet. Despite the fact that it is the 21st century and ballet is a highly regarded art in the world, in theaters it is as if somewhere in the back, this feeling is still “flying” in the air that ballet is a subordinate part of musical theatre. “Some people find it difficult to deal with the fact that “a ballet dancer wants to run opera and drama”,” says new General Director of the State Theater in Košice Ondrej Šoth for our portal.
Difficult times are probably awaiting you as the General Director of the State Theater in Košice after the corona crisis. Are you familiar with the financial situation? What financial losses has the theater suffered?
From the position of director of ballet, I also noticed the difficult phase the theatre is going through. And I am a person who is interested in cultural and social events so I know that impact of the anti-epidemiology measures (which were inevitable to protect health) will be fatal for many people and institutions. I do not know about the particular economic situation, and it will, of course, be one of the first things I will be interested in once I take my office.
What will be the first measures you will implement from the position of the General Director?
I will try to calm down the people who work in the theatre. We are in “the state of emergency” and it shows not only on the economic situation of the individuals but especially on their mental state. And demonisation of my appointing in the office is not adding up to it either. I will not talk about any measures and decisions until I get familiar with all the data and the context. The only thing I can tell you today that I will have to deal with missing management of the ballet.
As a director of ballet, you know the situation in Košice’s theatre very well. Do you consider it an advantage or rather disadvantage?
I do know the situation in theater intimately as a director, choreographer and director of the ballet. I know “where which door is”. That is definitely an advantage. My experience from the Slovak National Theater is definitely an advantage as well. And now I am not only talking about the media attacks and unconfirmed (or already refuted) suspicions which accompanied my (I note, voluntary) departure from the Slovak National Theater. As they say, “I am used to it” and I see some current attacks that way, too. I'm just annoyed that people I respect and their only “mistake” is that they work with me, are slandered. I am mostly talking about having to learn and understand many things as the General Director of the Slovak National Theater and the artistic employees of the theater are not interested in these - administrative, economic, legal, technical things. I will be able to use all of these but first, I have to get deeper familiar with the theater “through papers”. And I have to talk to people who are behind those papers. Therefore, I will be studying and talking to people in my first days and weeks.
And do you know what I think? That same as in the Slovak National Theater, people in Košice are concerned not only over my persona but especially the fact that I come from ballet. Despite the fact that it is the 21st century and ballet is a highly regarded art in the world, in theaters it is as if somewhere in the back, this feeling is still “flying” in the air that ballet is a subordinate part of musical theatre. Some people find it difficult to deal with the fact that “a ballet dancer wants to run opera and drama. But I have never seen it this way. I am a performer in my body and soul and a brilliant theater strikes me all the time - regardless the genre. I appreciate work of everyone in the Košice theater and I take the office with an ambition to create conditions for the theater and people in it, necessary for them to express all the creativity and talent they have in them.
What did you build your concept, submitted in the selection process, on?
I was trying to propose several solutions which could help the theater in its development.
I find it important that the artistic institutions communicated more and more, searched for overlaps and were able to establish dialogues with the communities in which they work. So they would “open” themselves in a sense that those become a natural part of them. Only the institution which people consider for “theirs” is resistant against negative influences such as economic crisis or political pressure.
In Košice, there is a wide range of excellent public and private cultural institutions which can earn a lot with the mutual cooperation. The theater can open - show the audience a part of its secrets, give them a chance to get to know people on stage and away from it. The theater can go to the people - for example, to the New Year’s concert in the Cathedral. For example, in cooperation with the Philharmonic in Košice. This will bring together individual artistic communities, enrich cultural life and gain new viewers. And perhaps, we will attract new partners who will want to financially participate in financing such a life in Košice.
It is important to create space for new generations — by setting up early studios for individual ensembles, collaborating with art schools, creating space for novice directors and artists or chamber studios for young people. We must become an integral part of the highest theatrical quality of the wider region — Hungary, Ukraine, Poland.
And bring the audience a piece of “world” art. A not everything is “only” a matter of money. A lot of it is mostly about communication and cooperation.
Even though theaters have been greenlighted and currently, they can open their gates to the audience, people will probably be able to see new performances only in September on all three biggest scenes, that is, in a new season. Are you ready for it?
It will be complicated. From organization and financial point of view. Since the theaters have been closed since March 10, more than one third of the season was cancelled. Theaters have lost their profit which is a significant source of their financing. And this money will be missed. It is possible that at the beginning of the new season, anti-epidemiologic measures, which mean extra expenses, will be necessary. New season will have to go through premieres, postponed from this one because most of the money has been invested in their production - production of the scene and costumes is implemented months ahead. But it is necessary to say that the season is pre-arranged. State Theater in Košice and its artistic ensembles work. Taking into account postponement of the spring premieres, we have to give up some new titles which the management of artistic ensembles have been planning for a year or even longer. However, I want to emphasize that I am getting on a runaway train and I am not going to make any rifts or revolutions.
You have to fill the office of the ballet director. Will there be an audition? What is next for the ensemble?
I will have to fill the office of the ballet director. Considering the fact that directors of artistic ensembles in Košice theater have to be selected in audition, for now, there will only be a managing director.
As a director and choreographer, you are an author of many successful production which are played in the State Theater in Košice until today. You set out to rehearse a production about Nureyev for your 60th birthday but the corona crisis has ruined it for you. Will the office of General Director “ruin” it again? Or can you imagine that you will rehearse this work with the ensemble?
Noreyev is one of the productions I have already talked about. We had started to rehearse before the theaters were closed. The premiere was planned for April 30 and almost all money were invested in its production already It is an authorial performance, not a production of a classic title that could theoretically be taken over by someone else (until it is not a strong authorial interpretation as it was, for example, with The Swan Lake by Vladimir Malakhov, which our ballet ensemble has in its repertoire). I am aware that I am trapped because no matter what decision I make, those, who are already against me, will rip me apart. If I stopped the production preparation, money invested in it would be not used economically. If I finish it, I will be the General Director who “assigned work for himself” immediately. However, the Theater cannot afford to throw any money away. I will inform the Minister of Culture about the situation in advance, I will submit copies of contracts, signed with me and other creators by the previous management to the Ministry and will finish the production.
However, I would like to add at the same time that everywhere an artist occurred in a managing office of the theater, they never completely resigned from their occupation. Of course, it is necessary to take balance and especially the fact that the decision on possible cooperation should be on the director of a given ensemble, into consideration. I would like to emphasize that I will not interfere with competences of individual directors regarding the artistic direction and repertoire of the given ensemble. I was also able to effectively direct the ensemble only when I had necessary competences. Now, from the office of the General Director, I will not change my opinion on who is supposed to have what in their competences.
Speculation might rise that you are preparing to return to Slovak National Theater and are planning on participating in the audition for the office of its General Director, can you confirm or refute these possible assumptions?
I applied for the office of General Director of the State Theater in Košice because I have been working in this theater for almost twenty years and I am convinced that I can be useful in this office. In this theater, I have gotten space to build an exceptional ballet ensemble and experience an adventure of creation of our own production and many collaborations with special figures of Slovak and world dance art of all generations (Juraj Kubánka, Andrej Halász, Natália Horečná, Libor Vaculík, Mário Radačovský, Pavel Šmok, Jiří a Otto Bubeníčkovci, Petr Zuska, Rafael Avnikjan, Bachram Yuldashev, Jaroslav Ivanenko, Giorgio Madia, Kirill Simonov, Paul Frenak, Nelson Reguera Perez, Vladimír Malakhov) with it. I want to repay it all now. I do not play any games and do not hazard with people’s trust. Theater in Košice and its employees definitely deserve fair and responsible approach. I appreciate very much that I have gotten such opportunity.
Zuzana Vachová
