Bertman has earned himself the reputation of being the "bad boy" of modern opera production. He was among the first to bring modern staging principles to a Russian opera house, in stark contrast to the traditionalism practiced by the Bolshoi Theatre and other traditional opera houses.

The most classic and traditional operas in Bertman's hands become subjected to ruthless experiment, from which emerges a new and topical meaning.

Bertman's productions are always original. He gives a careful study to the script and musical material, looking for logic in his characters' actions and works to bring out something new in well-known subjects. This could just be the case with his Lulu.

His early works by Helikon was not well-received by opera-goers in Moscow who were used to traditional styles.

His tough, shocking productions verge on indecency and are always met with enormous enthusiasm by one half of the audience. Critics and great indignation make up the other half.

But Bertman never gives up.

Bertman has his own concept of theatre: "Theatre of today is a theatre asking questions: We ask questions and our spectators are supposed to answer them. And there can be plenty of answers."

(China Daily October 28, 2002)