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Mariinsky Ballet: Carmen, Infra, Paquita grand pas, London, August 2017


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Foteini Christofilopoulou was at the Mariinsky rehearsal of Paquita grand pas (setups) taken from the mixed bill also including Infra and Carmen Suite, at the Royal Opera House, August 2017
Here are some sample photos...


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Viktoria Tereshkina, Vladimir Shklyarov
© Foteini Christofilopoulou.
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

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Viktoria Tereshkina, Vladimir Shklyarov & artists of the company
© Foteini Christofilopoulou.
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

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Set from DanceTabs: Mariinsky Ballet: Grand Pas - Paquita
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

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  • John Mallinson changed the title to Mariinsky Ballet: Carmen, Infra, Paquita grand pas, London, August 2017

Just a few thoughts, this felt like a very long drawn out evening due to Carmen looking quite dated and boring and I didn't think I could make today, but have decided that Infra and Paquita are too good to miss! I was surprised that the Mariinsky brought Carmen but this might just be me, interested to hear what others feel.  Thought they danced Infra really well, Alexander Sergeev in particular is a bendy Edward Watson type of dancer, liked Andrei Yermakov too, looks like the cast is the same tonight.The Paquita grand pas was very different to the version I have on DVD, the style much more delicate and light, quite a revelation, and beautiful costumes, I know Yuri Burlaka makes a good job of these reconstructions, wish the Mariinsky had brought the full length ballet!

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I really enjoyed the Carmen - Diana Vishneva was scintillating. Loved the half-and-half costumes for the other cast members, and generally found the piece wizzed by. I liked the musid too - so memorably used by Mats Ek later on (and seen on the RB a few years back). Striking bull ring set, with dramatic lighting, and the afore mentioned Ms Vishneva scorching up the stage - a winner for me!

Infra was very balletically danced, but lacked a little 'snap' we are used to with Wayne's work. Still enjoyed it though.

Paquita was a classical joy. Tereshkina always a pleasure to watch I find, and a special mention for newbie May Nagahisa, who was light as a feather and impeccable (apart from a slight wobble in the final pirouettes). A future star for sure. Current star Ekaterina Kondaurova was imperious in her solo - I could watch that several times on the trot. Corps were lovely too. Amother winner for me.

So overall, a very enjoyable triple bill - can't understand why it wasn't sold out!

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Can't understand why it wasn't sold out either. A very interesting mixed program.  I love this Carmen, always have.  I've only seen it previously with Lopatkina and the great Maya.  I felt that unlike her Anna Karenina, Vishneva's Carmen lacked passion, but no complaints about seeing this wonderful ballerina on stage for what can be her last performance in London.  I am very much looking forward to tonight to see what Kondaurova does with it.  I liked Infra - having never seen it before, I found it quite engaging and beautifully danced albeit McGregor is still not one of my choreographers.  Finally, Paquita was spell-bounding, with Kondaurova, Batoeva and, especially, Tereshkina dazzling.  All in all, a fabulous evening - can't wait for tonight! 

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I am rather diffident about writing posts, everybody is knowledgable and my memory is sometimes confused after 75 years of balletgoing. However it is always emphasised in posts that we are all different and entitled to an opinion, so here I go! My non ballet going husband kindly took me to Contrasts. We were in the balcony amid seat changing Russians who didn't stay for Paquita! My view was not good. 

We started with Carmen, a new version for me. I loved the music, especially the hand clapping and percussion. However it was a passionless performance, beautifully danced bur, for me, lacking passion. I missed Rojos sexy approach. Vishneva danced well coping with the foot flexions required. Zverev was the strongest performance for me. Husband thought 'man in white' appeared sloppy! I was impressed by Chebykina, beautiful lines and crisp performance. The impression of the bull ring worked well. Enjoyed a production, new to me, but won't rush to see it again.

Sorry but really don't like Infra. Interesting to see a Russian version but just find the repetitive choreography boring. Exaggerated over extensions by girls unpleasant to watch. Repetitive body undulations remind me of horses in a field. Yes, much to admire in dancers, especially Kim but just not for me. I found the background figures distracting. Husband said they were a welcome distraction. I am not just anti McGregor because I love Chroma.

i did enjoy Paquita. Loved the costumes and crisp lightness of the dancers. Enjoyed the solos, especially Batoeva. Tereshkina gave a good performance but I am not a fan of Shklyarov, I would call him solid and reliable. I would like crisper feet. A reliable partner. The whole a relief after Infra. Husband complained not enough male dancing.

The evening really was one of Contrasts and I did enjoy my evening as I had Don Q and Swan Lake. So glad we made a last minute decision to go! I feel very guilty not liking Infra, but we are an audience of Contrasts too.

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Well I think they should have jettisoned Carmen and Infra and brought the full length Paquita. Not surprised they were discounting - you could have had an £80 ticket for £25 last night. I don't remember the Kirov/mariinsky having discounted tickets before. If anyone hasn't  got a ticket for tonight they may be able to buy one discounted.

 

carmen - enjoyed the music but thought there was a mismatch between the music and the dance. Lots of repetitive choreography. Could have benefited from Petipa perhaps? I would not choose to see it again.

 

Infra - found the electronic effects distracted from the dance. A waste of all that dance talent IMO.

 

paquita- Wonderful dancing and costumes. I wished it had been in the middle and i could have left earlier!

 

was it worth all the expense and inconvenience to me - for the dancers yes- content no. In the past I have found the mariinsky mixed bills to be the most interesting of their season but this time not.

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I didn't feel it with Carmen either - it all seemed a bit dated and, worse, most of either the choreography or the dancing lacked attack, which you'd have thought the music called out for.  I don't think one could ever not enjoy seeing Vishneva dance, but her Carmen was rather polite!  The other problem for me was Ivanchenko (who I've not seen before) as the Torero: he's a very handsome presence but that's as far as it goes IMO - very underpowered dancing.

 

Infra I mostly enjoyed, though I do have "issues" with the way McGregor has the male dancers repeatedly manipulate the women into extreme extensions: it makes for very uncomfortable viewing for me, both ideologically and out of sheer ouch factor. Kondaurova was pretty special in it though, and hats off to her for performing brilliantly in both the McGregor and Paquita in the same evening!

 

I loved the Paquita: really beautiful costumes and gorgeous light choreography and dancing throughout: there's not much more I can say except bravo to all involved.

Edited by Lizbie1
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I found Carmen almost unwatchable. For me it was an embarrassment to see such fine dancers in some dreadful costumes, doing their best to make something out of such ghastly choreography. Having said that, there was general agreement that we preferred it to Carlos Acosta's version ! 

Loved Infra, loved to see a different company style dancing it, not better, not worse just different and equally compelling. Everyone was stunning (Shakirova, Sergeyev, Stepin caught my eye) but head and shoulders above them all was the divine Kondaurova. 

Adored Paquita: adored the costumes, adored the choreography, adored the dancers. The variations, all tricky, were all well executed. Tereshkina dances so effortlessly and I especially enjoyed watching her again with the hugely charismatic Shklyarov. His stage presence elevates everything he performs in and last night he danced and partnered beautifully - in spite of being saddled with curly hair and a moustache :) As others said it's a pity the company didn't bring the full length. 

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Jillykins I don't think you should feel guilty about not liking any ballet!! Even though I loved Wolf Works I sometimes find Wayne Macgregor's choreography a little "busy". I've not seen Infra but didn't mind Chroma too.

 

Sometimes you feel differently about things on different occasions as well.

Have to disagree about Shklyarov though!! I find him immensely watchable for whatever reason.....don't know whether he's the absolute best classical technician etc but he does also look really interesting in more modern pieces too( YouTube) and I think he is one of those dancers who likes to experiment. 

I would love to have seen the Paquita but the timings of this triple just didn't work for me .....wish they had put more shows of this bill on.

 

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I have to begin once more by saying that I'm not able to be at these performances but really wish that I could be. In regard to Carmen Suite I've seen it several times by the Mariinsky and, for me, its success depends totally on the ballerina. I saw Diana Vishneva once and she was brilliant as she's been in everything that needs brilliance that I've seen her do in recent years.

 

Now hold on for this !  The expressive ballet 'genius' of our times, Olga Smirnova, is going to give it a go. Fasten your safety belts !

 

http://www.olgasmirnovaballet.com

(scroll down to Sept. 30 and thanks to Sophia at Dansomanie for finding this)

Edited by Buddy
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I'm afraid that Carmen Suite and Vishneva didn't do it for me last night. 

 

May Nagahisa, who danced the third variation in Paquita and has, I believe , only just joined the Mariinsky from the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco, was my highlight of the evening.

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I found this to be, overall, a really interesting evening - even if a bit hit and miss. I was trying to remember if I had ever seen a Carmen ballet that I have really liked - and couldn't think of one. Really disliked the Mats Ek production, despite Tamara being fabulous as Carmen, the Acosta one just beings to mind the words'drawing a discreet veil' and the one tonight I found very odd indeed, and totally passionless. Like others have said above, much of the choreography seemed very repetitive - are those bottom sticking out movements meant to be sexy? I certainly didn't get a sense of any real drama or great passion. Having said that, this was the first occasion I have managed to see Kondaureva and I can see why people rave about her. 

 

Thought she was wonderful in Infra, which for me turned out unexpectedly to be the highlight. I have always enjoyed this ballet but wondered how the Mariinsky would adapt to the style but I thought the whole cast was absolutely terrific.

 

Pacquita is a lovely way to end the programme - really loved the costumes. Some great dancing of course, but was it me or were the corps out of line on quite a few occasions? Lovely to see Xander looking so handsome and elegant.

 

I always enjoy seeing the Mariinsky do something different from the classics they always bring - hope they will do more of this sort of programming on their next visit.

 

PS: best danced Carmen I ever saw was the Antonio Gades version at Sadlers Wells - but it was flamenco not ballet. Absolutely wonderful.

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I loved the film of Gades' Carmen.

 

As I am not able to attend the triple bill, I am really enjoying all your thoughts on it.  However, I am seeing three out of four Bayaderes so I'm not too hard done by!  😀

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I skipped Carmen last night although everyone I spoke to said the ballet was vastly improved with Kondaurova's cast. 

 

Infra again I enjoyed very much. One thing that has bothered me, and I'm sure one of the critics mentioned too, it is that there's too much splayed leg.  It's funny but in the comparatively few years since it's been made I have the distinct feeling that's become less acceptable or is it just me ? 

 

Paquita was pretty flat.  I don't think Parish will have been happy with his performance on this last opportunity of the tour to show the audience why he was promoted to principal rank : sadly we got untidy solos, average partnering and damp stage presence. His partner didn't give him much to go on though, Matvienko rattled through the choreography with ease but she didn't smile once either at us or him. 

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I hope Ekaterina Kondaurova's fans were there last night, she danced in all the ballets, all different styles too!

 

I liked Carmen a little bit more, was able to enjoy the dancer for themselves, think Timur Askerov has improved a lot since last season, elegant and expressive,  and I would like Ekaterina Kondaurova and Alexander Sergeyev in anything. Kondaurova and Andrei Yermakov danced a great pdd in Infra which bodes well for Saturday night's Bayadere. Fascinating to see the difference in styles, the Mariinsky perhaps faster and rougher than the RB, it got lots of applause both nights.

 

Paquita is the Mariinsky at its best, exquisite dancing from the soloists, interesting to learn May Nagahisa is from the Monaco Ballet, and I got the chance to see Elena Yevseyeva, she is lovely. Xander Parish looked at home in the Company.

 

Excited about Bayadere tonight and Saturday!

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Interesting to read reactions to the Maryinsky's triple.  Overall, I was disappointed with the evening.  Carmen had potential but I felt Vishneva, danced impeccably but without the sexy seductiveness which this role demands.  Was so surprised and disappointed as she is such a superb artist.  Infra is not on my list of favourites and the repetitious filmed figures are really irritating and serve no purpose!!!  The dancers tackled the tortuous choreography wonderfully but not a work for me.  Paquita displays the Maryinsky at its classical best.  Tereshkina I found too hard and brittle - I would have loved to have seen Yevseeva in this role.  She has an unforced brilliance which is a delight to watch.  Its a shame that she has not been cast more during this London season. 

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I was puzzled at the inclusion of Carmen Suite, to the best of my knowledge no major Russian company has brought it here since 1969 when both the ballet and Plisetskaya's predatory amazon were equally disliked.  It can work with the right cast but I see it more as a possible vehicle for exceptional dancers rather than a repertory staple, however I dislike Carmen as a ballet subject anyway, of the four I've seen I think only Petit's version has a some merit.    Vishneva's sex kitten didn't get much support from her Jose or Escamillo,  Kondaurova benefited from a stronger pair of admirers and switched on a vibrant sexual persona to seduce the audience as well as those on stage.

 

For me the highlight of the evening was Infra.  You can't expect the company to dance it in the same way as the RB and I detected a hint of romanticism in one pas de deux, but you can't argue with the company's obvious commitment to the choreography, though some looked more comfortable than others.  Once again it was Kondaurova in Lauren Cuthbertson's role who impressed me most as the isolated figure in a sea of humanity, but Matvienko was eye catching too, on the whole the male dancers seemed to catch the style most accurately though.

 

The company hasn't danced Paquita in London for quite a while so it was really something to look forward too, but this time around it looks subtly different (the décor isn't subtle it's saccharine),.  I believe some of the variations were interpolations from other Petipa ballets such as Le Roi Canduale  so perhaps some tidying up has happened.  I miss the pas de trois, but as this last act is now from a longer ballet, I imagine that lovely trio is now in an earlier act the same as in Lacotte's full length version.   The solo girls were lovely both nights with the divine Kondaurova, who featured in all three ballets last night, being a template of classical perfection.  I enthusiastically agree with the previous praise of May Nagahisa, my big discovery of this season.  On opening night the principals, Tereshkina and Shklyarov were wonderful, though I pitied poor Vladimir in that terrible wig (throw a strop next time dear, and refuse to wear it, you'll be doing us all a favour), by the way why is hero Lucien now called Andres?  Second night couple didn't look quite so comfortable together, if Ms Matvienko didn't smile it may have been due to Parish's less than perfect partnering.  His solos didn't impress me either.  For fouette fans Matvienko's were text book - all singles but danced confidently on the spot.  Strange to me that a 19th century Italian ballerina's party trick has intruded into so many ballets and created a bunch of fetishists that believe a dancers reputation stands or falls on how many doubles she throws in.

 

 

Edited by MAB
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40 minutes ago, MAB said:

  For fouette fans Matvienko's were text book - all singles but danced confidently on the spot.  Strange to me that a 19th century Italian ballerina's party trick has intruded into so many ballets and created a bunch of fetishists that believe a dancers reputation stands or falls on how many doubles she throws in.

 

 

 

I absolutely agree with you on that one MAB.  I have never counted the number of fouettes and actually find that when doubles and triples are thrown in they usually affect the timing with the music - unless done by the divine Momoko Hirata who does them so fast the orchestra has trouble keeping up with her!

 

I find single fouettes done fast and well thrill me far more than all the party tricks but a single step repeated 32 times does not a performance make (for me anyway!).

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7 hours ago, fashionista said:

Infra is not on my list of favourites and the repetitious filmed figures are really irritating and serve no purpose!!! 

 

If that's what you think, fashionista, then I don't think you've got the point of Infra at all :)

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So what is the point of Infra?  Exactly!  Personally, and I fully appreciate that we all have different tastes (would be boring otherwise!!!), I don't think there is a point - gymnastic display of dancers' skills disturbed by the unnecessary addition of electronic moving figures.  Apart from Chroma, I am afraid to say that McGregor does not do it for me.  Chroma showed great potential, was "different" and had a creative pulse.  I think that subsequent McGregor works are variations on the Chroma theme and I am not a fan of using "effects" - the "effects" should be in innovative choreography and not electronic gimmicks. 

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I saw Wednesday evening's performance and agree it was Ekaterina Kondaurova's night, lovely in all three ballets.  This version of Carmen is a bit of a curate's egg.  Some parts look dated, but it is very much of its time.  For me the stand out moment was José's solo to the music that is the Prelude to Act 3 in the Opera.  Timur Askerov danced it with excellent technique, expressing his yearning love for Carmen.   I quite like Roland Petit's version of Carmen too, but the one I think outstanding is Thierry Malandain's contemporary dance version for Ballet Biarritz. 

 

Going back to the Alonso choreography, I think he makes good use of the traditional bull fighter's stance, the feet firmly planted in parallel 4th position with straight legs and the torso angled forward, at times sweeping from side to side to denote the "pass" of the bull beside him.  This is then later exaggerated so that the dancer's head was nearly at floor level.  It was interesting to see how a similar movement is then used by Wayne McGregor in Infra, with a body ripple incorporated.  

 

Infra was well danced, but I too find the electronic figures distracting.  This style of choreography doesn't really do it for me.  The live music was beautifully played and it was good to see the string soloists invited on stage to take a well deserved bow.

 

Paquita made a jolly end to the evening, but somehow is seemed as if the stage was a bit empty at times.  The sequence of solos, one after another on a bare stage, at times made me think of a ballet competition such as Prix de Lausanne.  The costumes were lovely except I found that Paquita's white tutu with the dark underlayers made me think of a giant field mushroom everytime we saw it from underneath!  Perhaps adding some silver or grey layers in between might break it up a bit. 

 

The corps really won the day on this though - I didn't notice anyone out of line, and the fast precise foot work was magnificent.  

Edited by Pas de Quatre
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I find Infra vey moving.  To me it is about the inherent loneliness of modern life and being alone in a crowd, the coming together and parting and the indifferent attitude of society to the individual.  I accept my interpretation of what I see may not be McGregor's intention, but choreographers are often happy for the viewer to form personal opinions and that is what I see.

 

 I should add that I'm a fan of McGregor and admire his work.  My reservations are about the suitability of his extreme movements on classical dancers, his Random Dance company has always been the best exponent of his work, though I accept that there are ballet dancers with a temperament and aptitude that engages very readily with these types of modern dance,

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