MAB

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.

Seeing as Swan Lake, like all the great classical roles, was created on a short dancer I see no reason why Obraztsova wouldn't be suitable. Personally I don't like tall girls in the role as they tend towards slow motion and distort the music.

Smirnova is making her London debut and I believe she is very young, so to compare her with an experienced dancer such as Nunez isn't really fair, I can only repeat what I've heard - that she impresses everyone who sees her. Obraztsova is an older dancer who has even appeared as a guest with the RB and has a sizeable following among the Russian ballet fans. Short, blonde and pretty she is very technically assured, I've seen her in most of her roles when she was with the Kirov and she never failed to deliver.

Wow! I would love to handle a lion cub, handled a baby croc recently but not the same. I can't get over the fact that big cats purr just like a common or garden moggy, it seems incongruous somehow.

Of the dancers coming to London, I’m disappointed that popular Obraztsova hasn’t been given a Swan Lake. Two are complete newcomers to the Bolshoi ranks, as Kretova and Smirnova are recent joiners. I’ve seen Kretova, a dancer of middling ability, with other companies and am frankly surprised that she has been shoehorned into the company and should be included in a prestigious London tour when the Bolshoi has far more interesting dancers that aren’t included. Smirnova is very young and is rumoured to be a sensation. Alexandrova is the company’s prima and gives a very dramatic, very involved reading of Swan Lake. Krysanova is a delight but I have only seen her as the Black Swan, not in the full length ballet. Shipulina is a hard working dancer but not terribly inspiring. The Bolshoi’s production of Swan Lake is interesting but doesn’t bear repeated viewing in most people’s opinion; the role of Rothbart (called The Evil Genius in this version) is greatly enlarged with some real virtuoso dancing and in the past when danced by say, Vetrov or Tsiskaridze, the role could become almost the focal point for the ballet though as far as I’m aware casting for Rothbart hasn’t been announced this time around. Hope this has helped you.

Zakharova is basically a contortionist and not typical of the Bolshoi as she was trained in Kiev before joining the Kirov where she danced for some time before re-locating to the Bolshoi. If you like high extensions and a blank canvas look no further, but for depth of feeling and a more involved approach to the role look elsewhere.

So what exactly are you saying? That because this story is published in a paper you disapprove of it isn't factual? "Russian-Orthodox-Communist" sounds like an oxymoron to me - I was under the impression that communists regard religion as "the opiate of the people". As for conspiracy theories, I thought that is par for the course in Russia. I occasionally watch Russia Today (an absolute hoot at times) and they wheel out one conspiracy theory after another. Clearly the paper in question must have some merit though if it is published as far afield as New Zealand.

I visited the Walker Gallery last year, also the Port Sunlight Gallery and the new Liverpool Museum, terrific city for seeing art and people are so friendly there - they actually speak to you. Terrific addition to an already impressive collection.

Just for the record, only Monaco is dearer then London if you are looking for a flat.

On the other hand I found an ad on Ebay for a DVD of the Kirov in The Awakening of Flora, turned out to be a bootleg recording of surprisingly good quality.

There may be personal reasons involved in being reluctant to move away, having a spouse/partner whose work is firmly in UK for example. I'm told that the eye watering costs of renting or buying a home in the London area makes people reluctant to move out as once gone it can be impossible to afford to move back: think about it.

It always seems to pour for these big royal occasions leaving me to firmly believe that God is a republican. I have a big school photo of my entire infant school to mark the coronation and the little boys all wore uniforms identical to the kiddies in the opera, the designers certainly got the period right.

Could you honestly see him happy to go on a gruelling UK tour?

I'm actually rather upset by this, he is a very unique performer, one that draws you into his world when he has a complex role to play such as the young man in L’Arlésienne. I will miss him very much, but nevertheless wish him all the best and hope to see him dance in London again in the future.