Jump to content

The Mariinsky - booking and casting discussion 2017


Recommended Posts

Disappointing cast changes :( 

 

In my opinion, and others might have a different view, Kim is technically the best male dancer in the Mariinsky. He has astonishing elevation and the Bayadere variations will show off his dancing to fabulous effect. But, and it's a pretty big BUT for me: he's from the method school of acting, he lacks nuance and subtlety, little things maybe, but to me they make the difference between a good performance and one that is moving and memorable. If I could only see one Bayadere I'd still choose Shklyarov ..... 


I wonder why has Kim been cast first night of the three full lengths ? With the cast changes because of Skorik's injury (which has been obvious for weeks/months in St Petersburg)  it means that Kim/Tereshkina have danced the first night of Don Q, Swan Lake, and Bayadere. Why not showcase other dancers on an important tour ? Although I suppose if you look at the list of current male principals it's hardly inspiring .......

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 179
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

That is really annoying.  I booked especially to see Tereshkina.  I have already seen Osmolkina.  Why on earth did they bring Skorik if they knew she was injured?  This tour is a disaster as far as I'm concerned.

 

Does this mean that The Marinsky only brought three female Principal dancers for this tour?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A disaster?  Because one (not universally popular) dancer is injured?  Dancers are human beings, not automatons.  Never mind, with advances in AI you may soon have the dancer of your dreams - no errors and no injuries.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that injuries happen and that no-one should ever bank on being able to see a particular dancer on a given night. In the last RB season I've had at least three principals cancel on me late in the day, two of which I'd specifically wanted to see and one I was pretty pleased to see replaced! (That's out of perhaps nine visits this year.) I don't see anyone calling their season disastrous, despite that.

 

As for errors: I haven't yet seen any to signify - perhaps that will change over the next week. But like others above, I'd rather dancers took some risks that didn't come off than played within their comfort zone.

 

However (and I think I'm over the worst of any annoyance so I hope I'm being objective!) it does worry me that Tereshkina is apparently the only available dancer who they feel up to the job of opening night.

Edited by Lizbie1
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

That is really annoying.  I booked especially to see Tereshkina.  I have already seen Osmolkina.  Why on earth did they bring Skorik if they knew she was injured?  This tour is a disaster as far as I'm concerned.

 

Does this mean that The Marinsky only brought three female Principal dancers for this tour?

 

I'm not sure that the number of female principals that the company has brought is important, in the Mariinsky most of the First Soloists have danced principal roles for many years. I'm not even sure that the title of principal dancer is reliable as a measure of quality to distinguish Principal dancer from First Soloist. There are many ballet watchers in St Petersburg who would argue that some of the First Soloists are more talented than the Principals, on both the male and female sides. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, annamk said:

 

I'm not sure that the number of female principals that the company has brought is important, in the Mariinsky most of the First Soloists have danced principal roles for many years. I'm not even sure that the title of principal dancer is reliable as a measure of quality to distinguish Principal dancer from First Soloist. There are many ballet watchers in St Petersburg who would argue that some of the First Soloists are more talented than the Principals, on both the male and female sides. 

And not just ballet watchers in St Petersburg! (Of my 3 favorite Mariinsky ballerinas for the classics, only one is a Principal.)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MAB said:

A disaster?  Because one (not universally popular) dancer is injured?  Dancers are human beings, not automatons.  Never mind, with advances in AI you may soon have the dancer of your dreams - no errors and no injuries.

Okay, MAB.  I will consider myself jumped all over for expressing an opinion which you disagree with.  Clearly I know nothing about Greek Islands and even less about ballet.  

 

I thought this was a forum for all, not just the purists.  Before bowing out, I will just comment that I have always been keen to learn and have acquired much valuable knowlege from those good enough to share it (thank-you Floss) with posters who admit they are amateurs.

 

I will not apologise for saying I have been disappointed with The Marinsky because I have.  Ballet and opera are one of my passions and I spend a disproportionate amount of my cash on indulging the habit.  Because I live a long way away, any trip to ROH is expensive and fatiguing, hence expectation is high.  With RB I have never yet been disappointed other than with Raven Girl.  I don't enjoy Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker so I choose not to book for those ballets, but everything else is always pretty wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

 

Prices for The Marinsky are sky high and I expect high standards which, in the main, (and as I made clear), I got.  But the magic wasn't there.  

 

May I end by saying that all forums need new blood if they are to survive in to the future.  The views of newcomers may sometimes be unwelcome but nurture works rather better than censure.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, ENBlover said:

Perhaps words like 'disaster' can only lead to more drama. We all need to take a step back. 

Indeed, in the theatre world I believe the definition of a disaster is a half empty house.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So Viktoria Tereshkina dances the opening night again with Kimin Kim, although obviously pleased (I saw them in Don Q) I do feel very sorry for those who booked for Friday, not really surprised as press nights are so important, glad Kim is still dancing though, I think I passed him on Floral Street on opening night and hoped it was an omen!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Okay, MAB.  I will consider myself jumped all over for expressing an opinion which you disagree with.  Clearly I know nothing about Greek Islands and even less about ballet.  

 

I thought this was a forum for all, not just the purists.  Before bowing out, I will just comment that I have always been keen to learn and have acquired much valuable knowlege from those good enough to share it (thank-you Floss) with posters who admit they are amateurs.

 

I will not apologise for saying I have been disappointed with The Marinsky because I have.  Ballet and opera are one of my passions and I spend a disproportionate amount of my cash on indulging the habit.  Because I live a long way away, any trip to ROH is expensive and fatiguing, hence expectation is high.  With RB I have never yet been disappointed other than with Raven Girl.  I don't enjoy Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker so I choose not to book for those ballets, but everything else is always pretty wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

 

Prices for The Marinsky are sky high and I expect high standards which, in the main, (and as I made clear), I got.  But the magic wasn't there.  

 

May I end by saying that all forums need new blood if they are to survive in to the future.  The views of newcomers may sometimes be unwelcome but nurture works rather better than censure.

 

Please don't stop posting, penelopesimpson. Your contributions are interesting and honest and passionate, and that's really valuable. And I wouldn't have been able to tell that you were a 'newcomer' from what you write.

 

I have to say that it does seem to be rather pointless booking (or having booked) for any particular cast for this season. I only booked for one performance and I didn't mind what cast it was since I don't know the dancers well enough. Just as well!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Penelope please don't stop posting.  I would hope that everyone who posts on the Forum feels welcome and I am sorry that you do not feel so at the moment.

 

I am too far out of the Mariinsky loop to have been bothered about which cast I saw for my one performance next Saturday.  I just booked for a date that was convenient for me.  Coming from Liverpool to London these days is not a cheap outing by any stretch of the imagination and I do have to think much more about what I do than I used to.

 

I booked extra performances for a company a couple of years ago specifically to see my favourite dancer.  The casts were moved around the day after I had booked and I didn't see him on either visit.  Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued but at least I enjoyed the performances I saw, although it was a 200 mile round trip for each one.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very thrilled my granddaughter has managed to get me tickets for Contrasts on Tuesday. No wheelchair seats so my lovely husband will get me into a seat in the balcony. Opera house staff very good helping parking the chair. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/5/2017 at 13:55, Beryl H said:

So Viktoria Tereshkina dances the opening night again with Kimin Kim, although obviously pleased (I saw them in Don Q) I do feel very sorry for those who booked for Friday, not really surprised as press nights are so important, glad Kim is still dancing though, I think I passed him on Floral Street on opening night and hoped it was an omen!

 

 

I can understand that press night is important at the beginning of the tour when reviews might impact ticket sales but by the end does it really matter ? Wouldn't it be more interesting for the press to see different dancers ? In any event the press seem to have some choice over their performances - Clement Crisp reviewed the second rather than opening night of Swan Lake and Louise Levene reviewed the second night of Don Q.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing as most of the season sold out long before press night, you are partially right but reviews constitute a continuous stream of publicity, the Mariinsky is in town and everyone is made aware of it. 

 

Tickets for designated press nights are put aside for reviewers well in advance, so requesting seats for another night is risky as there may be no unsold tickets or suitable returns.   I am sure however that if Clement Crisp requests a different night he will be accommodated, even if Yuri Fateyev has to vacate his seat.

 

T

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear knowledgeable balletcoers, I have tickets for Tuesday's contrasts and am deciding whether to leave part way through due to travel issues. Before I make a final decision can anyone confirm when the pervious mariinsky performance of Paquita in London took place? Thanks in advance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Mariinsky may be going through some problematic times, but Paquita is still right in their wheelhouse (much more so than Infra which I should think you could see danced much better at the Royal Ballet no?).  Unless you actually don't much care for "pure" displays of nineteenth-century classical dancing, I would try to find a way to stay for Paquita if you can...

 

I can't bring myself to comment on the Alonso Carmen, but I know tastes vary greatly.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ROH website briefly mentions a "thrilling restaging of Petipa's famous Grand Pas from Paquita". 

 

I'd assumed (hoped) that this would be from the new version of the ballet by Yuri Smekalov - a Mariinsky dancer - which had its premiere in March this year. This included a reconstruction and staging by Yuri Burlaka of Petipa's Act 3 Grand Pas. The Mariinsky website claims this Burlaka version is "brought close to the historic original....using surviving records of the production from the early 20th century". 

 

It would be surprising if they brought an old version of the Grand Pas to London after just unveiling a new one in St Petersburg. Especially as they're taking the whole new Paquita to Baden-Baden later in the year. 

 

But, of course, I don't know for sure. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curses! It's not that I booked specially for Tereshkina/Sklyarov, as I took pot luck on casting which hadn't been announced when I booked, but the fact that it was meant to be them on Friday was the reason I still have my ticket, La Bayadere not being a favourite of mine by any means.  Now I'm not so sure...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 05/08/2017 at 07:53, penelopesimpson said:

That is really annoying.  I booked especially to see Tereshkina.  I have already seen Osmolkina.  Why on earth did they bring Skorik if they knew she was injured?  This tour is a disaster as far as I'm concerned.

 

Does this mean that The Marinsky only brought three female Principal dancers for this tour?

 

I may be wrong but it looks like Swan Lake is being performed concurrently in St Petersburg by the Mariinsky, so some Principals helping there. This would explain the paucity of Prinicpals!  Skorik might even have stayed behind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, nickwellings said:

 

I may be wrong but it looks like Swan Lake is being performed concurrently in St Petersburg by the Mariinsky, so some Principals helping there. This would explain the paucity of Prinicpals!  Skorik might even have stayed behind.

I believe it is the Yakobsen company that is currently performing at the Mariinsky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the record the company lists eight female principals, one of whom has recently retired, three are in London, one is injured, one I believe recently gave birth, one is close to fifty and no longer dances full lengths and the eighth, Daria Pavlenko, has not danced in London for years unfortunately, and I have no idea why that is.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to all who replied to my question. Nineteenth century classical ballet is what I booked for and hoped would not be scheduled last! It seems that there may not be an opportunity to see paquita again in the uk for some time so I will brave the late trains and hope!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, now voyager said:

I believe it is the Yakobsen company that is currently performing at the Mariinsky.

 

However Mariinsky has a few stages around the country so some of the company are engaged there (e.g., Vladivostok).

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...