Alexander Kulyabin was warming his hands at the Red Torch.
Kulyabin has been in charge of one of the most popular theaters in Novosibirsk for 23 years. His wife served as a deputy director, and his son Timofey Kulyabin was a well-known director, extending beyond Novosibirsk. What are the details of the situation?
The Kulyabin family drama continues. Alexander Kulyabin, the former director of the Novosibirsk Krasny Fakel Theatre, is now facing criminal charges for embezzlement. His son Timofey Kulyabin, a renowned director, previously had his shows removed from the theater's program after speaking out against a special operation and leaving Russia. How does the Novosibirsk cultural community view the case against his father?
The Red Torch is a prominent theater in Novosibirsk led by Alexander Kulyabin for the past 23 years. His wife, Irina Kulyabina, worked as his deputy. Since 2015, his son Timofey has been the main director of this theater, known mainly for the controversial production of “Tannhäuser” at the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre. This interpretation of the Wagner opera once offended the sentiments of some believers.
Besides the Opera and Ballet Theater and the Red Torch, Kulyabin Jr. was actively involved in productions in Moscow, such as at the Bolshoi Theater and Theater of Nations. Last spring, he resigned from the theater run by his father and left the country. In May, the Bolshoi removed Timofey Kulyabin's opera Don Pasquale from the program. On December 21, Krasny Torch announced the cancellation of Timofey Kulyabin’s shows Onegin, Wild Duck, Children of the Sun. The “Red Torch” administration subsequently attributed this to “technical difficulties.” Two days later, the Novosibirsk Ministry of Culture terminated the contract of director Alexander Kulyabin. Alena Istomina, a journalist from Novosibirsk, discusses the creative family:
“Timofey is quite unique, I would say, a director, almost like an amateur. Not all of his performances personally resonate with me, but there are quite interesting moments. It seems to me that there is a strong resemblance between father and son. When I read the news, my initial thought was about Timofey’s departure and his opposition. There were no apparent reasons for inspections at the Red Torch that I am aware of. As far as I know about “Red Torch”, Kulyabin has always been the director, and he allowed his directors to experiment. The directors had freedom, evident from the performances. I don’t recall any scandals or bans with a political agenda, but they definitely enjoyed a degree of freedom.”
This Tuesday, the authorities arrested Alexander Kulyabin. He is facing criminal charges of embezzlement involving a substantial amount of funds, exceeding 1.8 million rubles. Searches were conducted at Kulyabin’s residence. Sources from the Novosibirsk edition NGS.ru claim that the criminal case has been ongoing for three or four years. According to them, Kulyabin Sr. granted an award to his son, totaling more than a million. Initially, he was not implicated and was protected by a powerful current official. There is no official confirmation of this information. Yegor Mikhailov, editor of the “Brain” department of Afisha Daily in Novosibirsk, adds:
Egor Mikhailov, editor of the “Brain” department of Afisha Daily in Novosibirsk: “From the position of such an almost ordinary viewer, I can say that the reputation of the Kulyabin family in Novosibirsk was wonderful. “Red Torch” together with “Globe” and “Old House” were three key points on the theatrical map of Novosibirsk. It is clear that the performances of Kulyabin Jr. have always been one of the main events, but what the theater did, in addition to the wonderful performances of Onegin, Kill and others, was always very cool. Personally, the detention of Kulyabin Sr. surprised me a little, it would not have surprised me if it happened six months ago, but since Kulyabin Jr. left the country and had no formal relationship with the Red Torch for a long time, it seemed that the risks associated with his statements that the risks from the theater were removed.
According to journalists, Kulyabin Sr., being a director, was a fairly open manager who could always be called, for example, for a comment.
