MAB

Quite right Alison, Fuente Ovejuna was written by Lope de Vega, the Spanish Shakespeare in many respects, they were roughly contemporaries I think. I saw it many years ago at the NT and it is a very gritty play. Regarding Ivan Vasiliev, I think he is bravely dancing through an injury and that fact needs to be taken into account when watching his current performances. The Novikova Giselle has been the highlight of the season for me and this is one of the dancers largely ignored when it comes to big roles at the Kirov.

Come on Dunc, put your money where your mouth is. There have been few politicians more lacking in empathy and compassion than this one. Thanks Janet and The Quays, more than happy to sign this.

I doubt if the Filin story will have any effect at all, the Bolshoi has exceptionally loyal fans that will turn up regardless. Don't forget between now and August there will be far more important things on peoples minds, hate to say it but this is a minor story outside ballet fora and even RT have stopped commentating on it anymore with the big stories being Cyprus and Syria.

So you write as a cheer leader for Sergei Filin, as if he needed one, and writing rubbish about Nikolai Tsiskaridze is somehow all his own fault, and exactly what negative things have been written here about Filin? The Ballet.co regular posters have all shown sympathy towards him.

I said he was one of the most popular teachers at the Bolshoi, I was not referring to his coaching because as you confirm, almost all his students were 'advised' to leave him. I sat in on one of Tsiskaridze's classes when the Bolshoi was at the ROH last time, indeed I hope to do so again this summer, it was a highly enjoyable experience. A few years ago Marina Leonova, director of the Bolshoi Ballet School, was full of praise for his teaching abilities, indeed she told me her daughter Anna Leonova attended his classes, if his classes are now also being curtailed, I can begin to understand why he is less than enamoured of the Bolshoi management.

So it was your mutual dislike of Tsiskaridze that led you both to post here? Edited to amend grammar.

Unsurprisingly the link doesn't work. This is nothing more than petty gossip anyway. How's the weather in Moscow today "Clarissa"?

Staying away? Why should they?

Very pleased to hear your good news, now sit back and enjoy your good fortune

Was just sent a link, they look more than good to me.

The NY Times has the best coverage I've read so far http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/world/europe/russian-police-say-three-confess-to-bolshoi-attack.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss& The references to low rates of pay are interesting, maybe that's why so many dancers are girlfriends/toy boys of mafiosi. Of course with Filin also heading up the union it isn't so surprising that there is a 'faction' that is less than keen on the situation. Have to say though that I applaud Pavel D. for taking on a critic in print, I wish some of the UK dancers would do the same. Anzhelina Vorontsova is supposed to be quite beautiful but I've only seen inadequate You Tube clips; I notice she isn't listed as appearing in London, I wonder why?

Try the Guardian article - no paywall http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2013/mar/06/bolshoi-dancer-confesses-acid-attack

Sim, I was responding to Marissa, not Farfallina.

Exactly which news report was that? A link please. The fact that she is a pupil of Tsiskaridze's is neither here nor there, he is one of the most popular teachers at the Bolshoi.

The article states that police have raided Dmitrichenko's home, so they must have evidence to make him a suspect other than that he and Filin didn't get on. His isn't the name I was led to believe would eventually emerge. On one of my trips abroad to watch the Bolshoi a few years back I was very kindly allowed to watch the daily class and among the younger dancers it was Dmitichenko who impressed me the most as a pure classicist. Although he does get the occasional leading role, such as dancing Spartacus here in London, his career doesn't seem to have progressed the way I rather imagined it would.

I'd seen the ads on the tube, going down the escalator and it didn't register at first that they were for any sort of ballet, just rather ugly pics selling something I undoubtedly didn't want. When I saw them in the Guardian I was very sad they are being used in conjunction with ENB and I wonder just how much this **** cost. Answer: too much for a cash strapped ballet company.

McRae is pretty impressive granted and Watson is very good in modern or dramatic roles but the rest simply don't register on an international or historic scale.

No, I think Mr Watts is right in this instance.

Interesting overview of the Moscow ballet scene in Le Monde. http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2013/02/20/au-bolchoi-l-odeur-tetue-du-vitriol_1835467_3246.html

I always rather liked Dances of Albion and was hoping it could be revived at some time. Still have vivid memories of Collier dancing 'Goddess Excellently Bright' and Whitten & Eagling in the 'Rose Thou Art Sick' pas de deux.

I was told that Wayne Eagling once danced Armand with Fonteyn in the US, can anyone confirm this? For those less than enthusiastic about La Valse, get yourselves over to Sadlers Wells and see what the Pina Bausch company does with it, the dog alone is worth the price of admission.

Don't think hair colour is a consideration for Onegin, they dance it at RDB where blond men are commonplace, indeed the best Onegin I ever saw was Kenneth Grieve.

I've been wondering about this too, could it have been some caustic substance was thrown that wasn't actually acid? That poor young girl that Ann commented on in an earlier post did have acid thrown at her and the effect on her face was catastrophic.

Thanks a lot, that's very helpful. Mary B.

A quick question from someone with a train to catch: how long is long? More than three hours?