Aruna S

Of course I wish them all the best and hope to see them elsewhere, but this is awfully sudden. Will the fans be able to get a proper send-off together I wonder?

What a shock! I was really hoping to see Alina in The Dream next year.

I found the complete ballet on YouTube, with Roland Petit himself as Copernicus and Altynai Asylmuratova as Swanilda. Not posting the link here to avoid infringing any rules, but it should be easy to track down. An interesting touch I noticed was that Franz seems to be openly flirting with Coppelia right under Swanilda's nose, so to speak, instead of behind her back as in other productions I've seen.

They'll be dancing at two performances, on 21st and 23rd October.

My favourite of the Rumer Godden ballet novels is "A Candle for St Jude" which isn't one of those being reprinted, but they're all wonderful books. There's also the non-fiction "Tale of the Tales" about the making of the Peter Rabbit film which is an absolute gem.

Just out of your date range but well worth considering, IMO, is Mara Galeazzi's last bow, a gala called "Mara and Friends" at the Teatro Romano in Verona on 23rd July. The 'friends' include a lot of RB stars, details in the link from her website http://www.maragaleazzi.com/

Alas, Sarafanov and Novikova are no longer listed for La Sylphide in Rome this month. They have been replaced by Alessia Gay and Alessio Rezza.

The thing is, the plot of ME is well known, and even if one didn't know it, there must have been a synopsis in the programme. So if it was found to be squallid or shocking that was to be expected. I remember the Bolshoi bringing the Rite of Spring to Calcutta eons ago and the audience being outraged. There it was a question of inadequate information, if people had known what it was about I don't think they would have gone to see it. I remember feeling very sorry for the ballerina who was brilliant and gave her all, I was too young to notice names then, alas. But the look on her face is one of the reasons why I would never boo a performance, I would limit myself to perfunctory applause for the dancers and not the production, or just not applaud at all. Personally, I wouldn't go to see ME, just as I haven't been able to watch The Judas Tree, because I am squeamish. But if I did and then were to be disturbed by what goes on onstage, that would be a little silly, IMO. I do wonder what the dancers feel when, for example, Carabosse is booed. Do they take it as a response to the character or are they upset by it?

You're welcome, capybara. I'm really looking forward to finally seeing them live.

Anyone yearning to see Sarafanov and Novikova should hop over to Rome next month. They'll be dancing in La Sylphide at the Teatro dell'Opera on the 28th and 29th.

What a gorgeous picture of Yuhui Choe! Thank you, zxDaveM.

I was wondering about that too.

I'm planning to do that, but was hoping the ROH would put it on because it's so much easier to book than the POB. I am also still hoping to see it in Stuttgart!

I was rather hoping for Onegin to return, but am very pleased about The Dream and The Concert. Not so excited about the Beauties, Nuts, Giselles and Romeo and Juliets, all of which are lovely ballets but have been recurring a little too often.

I did wonder if it was some kind of special occasion. Fingers crossed that that won't mean a mad rush for tickets, I am so hoping to be there!

I've just finished reading all the posts on this topic and I wanted to add my thanks to Angela for starting it. A whole new world is opening up for me! A question about Stuttgart's current season - isn't it unusual to have performances of Onegin scheduled in October/November 2012 and then the last one in July 2013?

"I saw a funny interview with Tamara Rojo..." I saw that too, chrischris . I particularly liked her masterly analysis of Tatiana's character, and of why she is the way she is in the third act.

The new Bayadere production sounds wonderful, can't wait to see it in March. Does anyone have any comments on La Fille du Pharaon? I'll be seeing it tomorrow and it's completely unknown territory for me.

"Reports on twitter state that the 33-year-old ballerina has left Russia following threats and hacking of her facebook and email accounts." Oh no!

I don't think this has been posted before, apologies if it has. The full interview: http://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/interview-bolshoi-ballet-director-sergei-filin-says-ill-be-back

Well, I sent in the form, and have been told that at the moment orders are being collected but ticket sales open two months ahead so no confirmation can be given now that there will actually be a ticket for me... There's just the one performance of Onegin, no indication whether it's some special occasion or not, but obviously this means there would be less tickets available than if there were multiple performances. 4 anxious months to go.

Lovely, lovely photographs. My only consolation for having missed this run is the rotten weather, it would have been far worse had I had tickets and not been able to get there. I would also be very pleased (understatement of the year) if there were to be a DVD. I saw the Haydee-Cragun Romeo and Juliet as a child, when it was screened at the German cultural centre, and never forgot it. That and Onegin, with Haydee, should be released on DVD, where's the genie of the lamp when you need him!

Thank you, Amelia, for the translation, certainly the impression is very different when the comments are read in context. The way they were quoted is distorted and definitely to be taken with a large spoonful of salt!

Thank you, toursenlair, I will consider taking the plunge for Stuttgart. Bratislava had an excellent symphony orchestra, I never did get to see the ballet company, unfortunately.

Speculation is always odious, but Nikolai Tsiskaridze's reaction to this shocking incident (as reported here : http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2013/jan/18/bolshoi-ballet-director-acid-attack) is bizarre, to say the least. 'Tsiskaridze, who was once floated as a possible director for the Bolshoi ballet, told the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets: "This all means nothing to me. I have nothing to do with it." He speculated that the attack may have resulted from a business deal or love affair gone wrong.' Hopefully the doctors will be able to save Sergei's sight and he will recover fully from this horrifying experience.