MAB

Not a conspiracy, certainly not, but an anti Tsiskaridze claque emanating from Moscow certainly exists and certain UK critics are part of it. I have been a major fan of the Bolshoi for almost forty years and have done my best to read everything written about the company and in all those years I have never come across such orchestrated hostility against one particular dancer as I have read about Tsiskaridze.

I admire his chutzpah, agreeing to be interviewed by one of the critics who is part of the organized claque against him takes some courage, but as he sees his dancing days as numbered, perhaps the ensuing bad publicity doesn’t bother him. Publishing that particular picture of Filin looking unscathed after the attack does appear to endorse some of his remarks though.

I imagine Mr Crisp first saw Tsiskaridze as the Golden Slave when he danced it with the Kirov here in London. There is no contadiction in C.C.'s views it was a turnip when he first saw NT in it even though he clearly loved his performance, and he still thinks much the same singling out the surplus-to-requirements pas de deux. He is right on both counts.

I love the score for this and although I am a fan of the RB's version, I feel uncomfortable with the scene where the princess gets slapped about by one of the princes. Will be looking forward to this Bintley version.

Indeed, Ms Isobel Fokine has a lot to answer for!

As you have been rather rude about Tsiskaridze before, may I ask why you bothered to see someone you so very clearly detest? Other than being able to make peurile remarks about him on this forum that is. And by the way, I thought it was the rule to put a full name to a post that is overly critical, though perhaps you escape that rule by dint of your post being malicious rather than critical. As for the unprofessional corps members, sadly indiscipline is the Kremlin Ballet's hallmark which I've witnessed before when watching this company regardless of who was dancing.

I make no excuses for the fact that I worship Elena Glurjidze, she is very, very special with the two qualities I rate most highly in a dancer: beautiful line and natural musicality - the same qualities that set my beloved Margot apart from the crowd. I don't understand why she doesn't get opening nights either as for me she is the jewel in the ENB crown. Of the younger girls it is Ksenia Ovsyanick and Shiori Kase that I can see climbing the heights, glad they are both promoted, but yes I expected a meteoric rise for Ms Ovsyanick.

I enjoyed Tsiskaridze too, age has slowed him down a little but of course he was absolutely turbo charged in his youth, so can still whizz round a stage better than most. Loved his pirouette a la seconde, super fast and totally on the spot. It breaks my heart that we won't see him here with the Bolshoi particularly as Bayadere is one of his best roles. Will be back to see him again tonight.

Without mentioning names, a friend and I once booked to see our favourite in Moscow, but after having booked flights, hotel and visas, we heard the date of said favourite's performance had had to be changed due to a rehearsal in St Pete's the following morning. Could have been a disaster, but on hearing what had happened our dancer (at some inconvenience) changed back to the original date and caught the overnight train to St Pete's right after the performance. After all that stress we did however witness the performance of a lifetime. Moral of the story however is that best laid plans do go awry and most people wouldn't be as lucky as we were: often you must take what you get.

Originally Scheherazade was only being danced tonight and tomorrow with Tsiskaridze scheduled to dance both performances. It is only because of the change of programme that Scheherazade will be danced on Saturday.

Sounds more like tongue in mouth than tongue in cheek Anjuli The more of Ms Rojo's thoughts I read, the more I think she would be better imparting them to the 'celebrity' magazines: 'perks of the job' indeed!

Awful article, I can remember when the Standard used to have first rate arts coverage. It wasn't Rojo who was responsible for Muntagirov joining ENB - it was Wayne Eagling.

I'd like to see her dance with Yonah Acosta as they would match well height wise. Anton Lukovkin could be a good partner for her too.

There is always that phrase 'Bringing into disrepute' to contend with and most companies would be uneasy at the very least if one of their dancers embarked on a parallel career in pornography. Nude photos are different from actual 'performance' in the genre and although many consider them distasteful I don't think they can be considered as sordid as pornography undoubtedly is. I can think of one other dancer I know was involved in this sort of thing, though of the hetero variety, and he seems to have been off loaded by the company he danced with though I don't know if that was specifically due to his 'moonlighting job'. He was an exceptionally talented dancer by the way. Ediited because originally last sentance was ambiguous.

I've never been happy about Ms Fokine's reconstructions, though she justifies her productions by saying that more than one version of the ballets exist. Scheherazade is the ballet I'm least happy about as the long drawn out pas de deux makes nonsense of the story and even more serious is the fact that the Golden Slave no longer has the famous death scene where he dies upside down.

The Times has devoted a double page spread to+ the Bolshoi today in the Times 2 section, best thing about it is the full page picture of Maria Alexandrova in Paquita on the front cover - a ballet they will not be bringing to London by the way. For those that disregard this paper due to the firewall, the main article is by the Times Moscow correspondent, not an arts journalist. To sum up: the Bolshoi is coming to London and things have been problematic in the past six months, but hey! they're the Bolshoi and theyr'e great. The only detail is to say it is widely believed that Iksanov lost his job because Zakharova is piqued about not being first cast in Onegin and that Gennadi Yanin is now back working in the theatre which really is wonderful news. Times critic Debra Crane also gets the chance to say how good they are in a short piece at the bottom of the page 'Best on the Planet" apparently and we are told that the dancers to watch are Zakharov, Alexandrova, Smirnova, Hallberg and Volchkov.

Recently I watched a TV documentary about female pilots in the UK in WWII, they used to fly their planes, spitfires and the like, from the manufacturers to the air bases but weren't allowed into actual combat. One of the girls was a real beauty and had her picture on the front of magazines, but the best story was the one where the girl delivered her plane and stepped out to be asked by a member of ground crew where the pilot was, she explained she was the pilot but he didn't believe her and searched the plane himself to look for the man who had flown it. A feat beyond the capabilities of any woman of course. Attitudes to women back then really were the same as in Harry Enfield's Mr Cholmondley-Warner sketches.

I always invite the local witch to any planned social functions - safer in the long run.

Not all Russian dancers speak English. They will happily sign autographs - just present them with your cast sheet and a pen. If you want a picture though, I think it is polite to ask. Hold up your camera and say 'Moozhna?' which means 'May I?' They will appreciate your good manners.

If ticket sales are poor I think it is more down to the absolute flood of companies to London this year. A great deal of choice but I dare say most people (and the regular London ballet audience isn't that large) can't get to everything and in the present economic climate being able to afford to go to the ballet is a problem for many people.

That must have been around 20 years ago, goodness knows what Makhalina looks like now as although still listed as a Kirov principal she hasn't danced with them for some time.

Thank you for posting this, I already knew about Tsiskaridze but some of the casting comes as a surprise. Yulia Makhalina is someone hardly seen on stage at all these days and as a big fan of IIya Kuznetsov, it looks like I'll be going to just about everything.

Just a couple of words about the second paragraph in post 44; Mervyn King, (a very nice man - I've met him) partially introduced QE to prevent the pound becoming too strong against the floundering Euro, otherwise UK exports would have become unaffordable. Interest rates will have to rise eventually, but that will create a lot of problems for people with mortgages. Only 15% of necessary cuts have been made so far, therefore after the election in 2015 there will be a lot more pain with either more cuts in all departments or a significant hike in income tax. As personal tax stands at an all time low, I tend to favour the latter option.

I agree, but the Bolshoi ticket prices are eye watering so the companies at the Coli may still pick up interest nearer the day.

Perhaps this will help: http://www.stanmus.com/people.html?grp=3 I'm sorry to see Chernobrovkina listed as a coach rather than a dancer as she was very special. The only two I'm certain I've seen before are Georgi Smilevsky and Viktor Dik, both quite mature now I imagine. I note Andrei Uvarov is now a coach with the company too after the disgraceful way he was treated at the Bolshoi.