At the invitation of the Chamber “Ballet Moscow" Konstantin Uralsky  creates a modern ballet based on Remarque. In this work Constantine Uralsky is not only a director and choreographer, but also  the author of the libretto for which he also selected music from the works of Ravel and the French chanson of 30s.

- Why do you use both troupes - classic and contemporary - of the Chamber Ballet "Moscow" in the ballet?

- It was necessary to implement my plan. I am, so to speak, a "product" of the Russian school of choreography, enriched by the knowledge of modern dance forms. I have developed my style - staged synthesis and choreographic language, which seamlessly combines techniques of classical ballet and various trends of contemporary dance.

- Your unique style is well known in the States. But still - isn’t  there some eclecticism?

- Yes, this ballet is eclectic, but eclectics here works as a style. I use a variety of directions in dance, binding  together the possibilities offered by the theater. In general, the theater is a magical place, where anything can happen.

- And what happens in  your in ballet? What is the plot?

- There is a story of heroes, their meeting, the growing of their  love, their death in the final of the show. I do not like pure fable-scene performances. For me dance as a form is strong in its conditionality, its symbolism. The energy of dance, of movement, of image captures the audience. The two most important, from my point of view,  characters of Remarque - Life and Death – are withdrawn by me in the ballet as two counterpoints, two interesting characters, as a red line passing through all the action. So there is a very handsome hero with an elegant bouquet of white orchids.

- It is a symbol of death?

- Yes. The Elegant, falling in love with someone, gives that person the orchids, gently allowing the lover to gracefully pass away.

- So, that means  death is the winner in your ballet?

- Not at all, for me, the joy of life, strength of my characters, regardless of their doom, is central to the ballet -  in my sense of Remarque. Therefore, the action is punctuated by cabaret dance performances - as a reminder of the joy of life inside us.  Often we simply do not know how to be happy, to enjoy – the very evening, the very day, the very meeting, the very bottle of wine… We plan for the future, but live actually here and now. Remarque lived in the period between the two world wars in Europe, in a very difficult period, but as a writer he was fighting for his position, for his vision of the world. After all, violence and blood has existed in the history forever.

- Remarque’s is also the theme of loneliness.

- This is one of the central themes in my ballet. Loneliness turns up  constantly in the ballet, connecting all the characters. So, fate brings two friends playing chess.

- So what works of Remarque were the basis of the libretto?

- My ballet should not be subjected  to any certain  book by Remarque. In my ballet  I would like to convey my vision of his work, which reflects the images and stories of different works of Remarque's "Arch of Triumph", "Life on loan", "time - to live, time - to die", "Night in Lisbon", " Sparks of Life, " “On the Western Front".

- I honestly do not see how you can show  Remarque’s  "trench life"  on the ballet stage?

- Over 10 years I work with a very talented artist Nikita Tkachuk. He is unique in that he is not illustrating but looking for the spiritual world, able to convey the state. We have the development of costumes from the 30s to the present in the ballet. My favorite part is a unique collection of "trench fashion": a military type, gray colored as if  dust, calico. There are lots of costumes - they are bright and varied. Solved in the style of European aesthetics of the 30s, and they are made of modern thick tranquil plastic, that gives me the opportunity to work all over the stage, highlighting different shapes, creating a surprising atmosphere on stage.

- Your ballet is as unique as  your creative life in general. Being a successful artist of the Bolshoi Theatre, all of a sudden  you change everything, go to the U.S. and get rave reviews from leading Western critics. You are an American?

- I am a Russian American. I was brought up in the rich Russian culture. But at the same time I love and I know American culture that really exists. It is very interesting and very "strong". My performances are born on the streets of Moscow and New York.