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Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky


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Do we know if there will definitely be any tours to the UK this year by the Russian Big 3? We've heard rumours of a Mariinsky short tour to the Coliseum in April but nothing else. Since the Bolshoi changed their website there is no English translation like on the old one (yes I know Google can do it but it's not so easy to navigate around the website) I can't find any tour info.

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So that's why I couldn't find anything in English on it a while back. What a shame.

 

I thought I saw some reference the other day to Peter Schaufuss having got the Coliseum for April - but surely can't be for all of it, anyway.

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Oh that is a pity as I was looking forward to that especially being in April - I am really bothered that the Olympics will interfere with any Russian visits to London in the summer too making travel and accommodation very dear. Difficult to plan anything at this stage.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Bolshoi site continues to post only in russian for the time being. Of possible interest is that the very young and highly talented Olga Smirnova, just graduated from the Vaganova Academy, is already dancing such important parts as the Lilac Fairy from The Sleeping Beauty (January 12 and 14). Like some of you, I saw her at the London gala in honor of Galina Ulanova last year, and I believe that she has a remarkable career ahead of her.

 

Also Svetlana Zakharova along with David Hallberg once again danced together in The Sleeping Beauty, January 13 and will be dancing Swan Lake together at this very moment on Thursday.

 

http://www.bolshoi.ru/timetable/

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Not as dramatic as Polunin's departure from the Royal Ballet this week. But I just noticed from the Mariinsky website that two stars have disappeared from the list - principal Denis Matvienko, and first soloist Evgenia Obraztsova.

 

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/troupe/

 

There have been rumours in the last month that Obraztsova is going to join the Bolshoi, where she has been dancing more. As for Matvienko, there was a report earlier that he's been appointed as the director of the Kiev Ballet.

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Hi Kevin

 

I don't suppose you've heard anything about possible visits of the Bolshoi, Kirov, Mikhailovsky to London this year? Even if it's that they're definately NOT coming it will help in making summer plans a bit easier. Thanks Joan

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I agree it would be good to know either way so we can plan our summers! I keep checking the Hochhauser website but there is nothing on there either.

 

Interesting about Obraztsova - as for Denis M well he seems a bit of a nomad anyway!

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What a disappointment but thanks for replying Kevin. At least now we know. Is this the first summer since 1999 when neither have come? If it's to do with the Olympics there are plenty of weeks in the summer with no sport! That means it could be another 3 year wait before we see the Bolshoi again and the Kirov were definately resurgent last year. I have withdrawl symtoms already! the only slight consolation is seeing the Bolshoi at the cinema though no Vasiliev and Osipova even then. Bel Air Media keeps saying whenever I email them that their Don Q will be released on dvd this year. What's kept them so long?! Joan

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Yes, congratulations to Obraztsova!

 

The programme for this year's Mariinsky Festival (22 March - 1 April) is now available on the Mariinsky website.

 

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivale/fest_2011_2012/ballet_fest_229/

 

I am rather disappointed that the earlier announced company premiere of Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" hasn't materialised in the end. The major premiere is now an evening of Bejart ballets.

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Hi Kevin,

 

I too was greatly looking forward to seeing Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", especially the magnificent Act II Divertissement duet which the Mariinsky could do so beautifully.

 

The Bejart will be interesting. I was wonderfully surprised by Angelin Preljocaj's "Le Parc" at last year's Festival so let's see what happens.

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So let our dreams dance on.

 

There are many women that I'm very much hoping to see at this year's Festival.

 

Alina Somova and Ekaterina Kodaurova. They are among the somewhat younger Stars. They are both long and statuesque. Alina Somova has beautifully graceful, linear flow. She is a source of fascination for me. I'm never quite sure what she will do next, but I made a special trip across the Channel last summer just to find out. Ekaterina Kondaurova is scupturesque. She is picture perfect, elegant. If Alina Somova is of the air then Ekaterina Kondaurova is of the gods.

 

Ulyana Lopatkina is the immortal. She is statuesque. She has poetry built into every inch of every limb. Her "Swan Lake" performance from a few years ago at the Festival was possibly the best dance performance that I've ever seen -- Ever !

 

Alina Cojocaru may be at the Festival. She has been to many. She is so wonderfully expressive in both her portraying and her dancing. She is Lovable.

 

 

Diana Vishneva -- I haven't been able to see her in a long time. She shines like a sun from her own distinct universe.

 

Viktoria Tereshkina also must be mentioned. She comes through like a bolt of artistic lightning.

 

Of the youngest ladies, Oksana Skorik, Daria Vasnetsova and Maria Shirinkina just shine brighter and brighter each time that I see them. I'm not going to let Olga Smirnova slip off the radar even if she did decide to start her career at the Bolshoi as an instant Soloist and instant Star. When they complete the transcendental express from the lobby of the Mariinsky to the lobby of the Bolshoi, I want to be on it.

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There has been very little new Mariinsky Festival information since Kevin posted the schedule several weeks ago.

 

The only casting that has been announced is that Ulyana Lopatkina will appear in "Anna Karenina" on the usually high profile last Saturday.

 

Diana Vishneva will perform her own program, "Dialogues", the night before and Svetlana Zakharova (now at the Bolshoi) will dance "La Bayadere" on the first Saturday.

 

With less than a month to go, there should be a lot more information before too long.

 

http://www.mariinsky...allet_fest_229/

 

The only two Festival 'standards' being performed this year are "Swan Lake" and "La Bayadere". "La Sylphide" should be somewhat in the same spirit.

 

Two Balanchine/Robbins works, that were so Wonderfully! interpreted by the Mariinksy in London last summer, will return -- "Ballet Imperial" (Balanchine), on opening night, and "In The Night" (Robbins). Also on opening night will be "Prodigal Son" (Balanchine).

 

The surprise revelation from last year's Festival "Le Parc" (Angelin Preljocaj) will be staged again along with this year's 'unknown', two stagings of "An evening of choreography by Maurice Béjart". I'm very curious to see what happens with this one. I've seen very little Béjart, but after the Mariinsky's beautiful handling of "Le Parc" and Balanchine/Robbins (London), we could be in for another very fine effort. I did see a Béjart dancer perform at the 'Aid for Japan' Gala in Paris last year and he gave one of the most expressively compelling male performances that I have seen. Also Maurice Béjart was the only choreographer who would take Suzanne Farrell into a dance company (so I've read) after she left George Balanchine, so I have a warm hearted respect for him.

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It would really be nice to see Daria Pavlenko once again at a Festival. She seems to be appearing much more this year (Washington DC tour, etc.) A lovely lady.

 

One of the key performers from the London Balanchine/Robbins and a former Festival regular is Evgenia Obraztsova. Several times last year she showed an electrically vibrant aliveness that I've never seen from her before. She has since become a Principal at the Bolshoi. I'll miss her at the Mariinsky, but wish her all the best at the Bolshoi.

 

I also look forward to seeing Yana Selina. She has been at every Festival that I've been to, and probably every Mariinsky performance anywhere, that I've been to. She is an everywhere-doing-everything sort of person and she sets a very high standard for the other soloists, etc.

 

Then there's Yekaterina Osmolkina, Olesya Novikova, Valeria Martynyuk, Anastasia Kolegova, Svetlana Ivanova, the entire Corps de Ballet....

 

As for who will be there from other companies, your guess is as good as mine. Roberta Marquez was there last year. I liked her very much recently in London as Titania in "The Dream".

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Buddy, I look forward to meeting you again in the Mariinsky Festival next month. I've now got information on the Bejart evening in the Mariinsky Festival. The ballets are as follows:

 

Bolero (Choreography: M. Béjart, Music: Ravel)

Ce que l'Amour me dit (Choreography M. Béjart, Music: Mahler)

Cantate 51 (Choreography: M. Béjart, Music: J.S. Bach)

La ou sont les oiseaux (Choreography: Gil Roman, Music: original composition by Citypercussion)

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They are allowed to dance Bolero??? Incredible. For the last two decades it was very, VERY hard for any company to get the rights for this ballet, only few dancers were allowed to dance it - Sylvie Guillem for example, Tokyo Ballet and of course Béjart's own company. Since his death the restrictions seem to have gone, now that Gil Roman decides... who of course sold one of his own ballets along with the Béjart classics :-)

Do you know the cast for Bolero, Kevin? One of the greatest ballets I know - if danced by a great dancer. And only then.

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Alina's in !

 

I never like to post what I hope will happen/wish will happen, because....you know. Well it happened !

 

Alina Cojocaru -- "La Sylphide" with Johan according to Anna Gordeeva in "Time Out Moscow". Perfect !

 

Also

 

Matthew Golding -- "Swan Lake"

Vladimir Shklyarov -- "Le Jeune homme et la mort".

Jose Manuel Carreno at the Gala.

 

http://www.timeout.r.../feature/26281/

(thanks to sophia at dansomanie (in french) for this information)

 

I mentioned Evgenia Obraztsova in my above post. Apparently she will continue to perform at the Mariinsky from time to time.

 

Thanks for your information about Bolero, Angela, and I look forward to seeing you in Saint Petersburg, Kevin.

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Back to Alina for a moment.

 

Of the eleven Festivals so far, Alina Cojocaru has danced leads at five of them that I know of. She's danced two "Giselle"s, "Don Quixote", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Romeo and Juliet". She probably danced the Galas at all those Festivals as well. One year she even flew back for a Gala because her main performance was one of the first. She has also been to two Galas only, right after her injury. That makes seven of eleven Festivals, that I know of, that she's been to.

 

One year I actually sat on the plane next to her from London. She was lovely. For one thing, there were only entry forms in russian for some reason, and she helped those around her to fill these out.

 

She's probably been as much a part of the Mariinsky Festivals as anyone. Her full length performances have always been exceptional and extremely well received. Last year as Giselle, I would say that she was better than ever. Perhaps the finest Giselle that I've ever seen !

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I can't remember that it has: I was aware that things were pretty rocky with his company, but not that he'd filed for bankruptcy. Wonder where that leaves the Mikhailovsky - and all its recent acquisitions, human and otherwise? I also wonder whether that was behind the cancellation of the M's US tour dates?

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Some related facts about the Mikhailovsky situation. The Mikhailovsky is a government owned institution so financial aid from it would seem possible if necessary. The general director of the Bolshoi has said that he would like to invite Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev back as "guest stars". Also about a month ago, I tried to get a ticket to Nacho Duato's "Sleeping Beauty" with Leonid Sarafanov and Irina Perren at the Mikhailovsky for March and was told that all the performances were sold out.

 

 

 

And back to the Mariinsky for another moment.

 

"The first musical at the Mariinsky"

 

"My Fair Lady"

 

(Possibly my favorite musical and movie)

 

There were five performances this month with one being added "in view of the tremendous public interest in this new production".

 

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/?year=2012&month=2

 

Stage Director Robert Carsen

 

“There is something popularizing about the mixture of all forms, plus the elements of spoken theatre, drama, plus the taboo of the microphone…

 

In Vienna, Covent Garden, I did “Kandid” last year for the Shatle, at La Scala… it is something which is now happening occasionally at the opera houses. We are very happy and honored to be invited to be the first one to bring this very English piece here, …. in the Mariinsky.

 

For the choir and the ballet dancer it’s been really fun to do this mixture of genres, they have fun of working together, which I don’t think they frequently do. Plus they had to play in so-called straight drama theatre.

 

I would like to come back one day with an opera production. In my own work I’m always trying to think how to bring a piece from the original age to our age. With “My fair lady” we are not that far away from it. And I think if you modernize it the piece will be destroyed. It is because the Bernard Shaw’s characters are unbelievably English. All of them have got such specifically English qualities. Shaw was very aware about the sexual politics, defending women rights and also social justice. He always does it in comedies with the smile and in a great warmth in a way he looks at the society. So it’s a kind of hidden political piece and it’s also quite ironic. He thought that the best way to give the pill was by sugaring it”.

 

 

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news1/interview1/interview_robert_carsen/

 

And

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news1/interview1/interview_kuhareshin/

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haven't seen her mentioned so sorry if this is already known zakharova fans will be pleased to hear she is listed to dance two performances as nikiya in la bayadere at the bastille (full length nureyev production) beginning of april - casts are now on the website

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haven't seen her mentioned so sorry if this is already known zakharova fans will be pleased to hear she is listed to dance two performances as nikiya in la bayadere at the bastille (full length nureyev production) beginning of april - casts are now on the website

 

 

Thanks for this info, tim b. There actually seem to be good seats (Orchestra, 92 euro) available for Svetlana Zakharova's April 4 performance, not a normal occurence from my experiences with the Paris Opera Ballet. Grab them now if you are at all interested.

 

http://www.operadepa...r/Distribution/

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Tickets for Svetlana Zakharova's two Paris "La Baydere" appearances in April, for the moment, are no longer available at the Paris Opera Ballet site. It might be worth checking again from time to time, although seat availability of popular performances after casting has been announced is not a common thing from my somewhat limited experience. The forum, dansomanie, (in french) seems to think that more seats might become available.

http://www.operadepa...r/Distribution/

 

Tonight on television in Germany (9:10 pm) will be a documentary about Saint Petersburg today. One preview picture shows Alina Somova in "Sleeping Beauty", so there may be some dance footage of her.

 

http://www.3sat.de/page/?source=/ard/sendung/160693/index.html

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