Amelia

Pierre Lacotte 2023 - Tribute with Maximova, Nureyev, Novikova, Osipova, Obraztsova, Ganio and more!" на YouTube: https://youtu.be/kNAVHXDsHLY

Nina Timofeeva was a participant in the very first tour of Bolshoi Ballet in London in 1956, after she had just been transferred from the Kirov/Mariinsky Theatre. The best Swan of the Bolshoi Ballet Maya Plisetskaya was restricted to travel abroad for political reasons: her father was shot during Stalin's "purges". So Nina danced "Swan Lake" in London. She was a remarkable ballerina with a very strong technique. The best Aegina in "Spartacus". I have seen her on stage more than once. You can see her in the pas de deux from "La Bayadère" with Mikhail Lavrovsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvMkVsRJp-g With Alexander Godunov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2UucLxw-dY And more of her recordings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9phtjL99ZY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJY_Z15IWWk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6RVdFwQj1Y

The Bolshoi Ballet's tribute to Pierre Lacotte : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iLkSZnu949U

Today is the 150th anniversary since the birth of Sergey Rachmaninov. A tribute to the great composer - the ballet “Paganini” by L.Lavrovsky. Paganini - Nikolay Tsiskaridze, Muse - Nina Kaptsova. Recorded performance in London in 1999. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwFS21QyQwc

True, this is a citation from 'The Guardian'. In 2019, some reviewers used different descriptions: - "Designs suggest an asylum or sanitorium of sorts, a place where white-uniformed disturbed people are locked up..." - "An alternative adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet' set in a mental hospital called 'Verona Institute’…" - "Verona Institute, populated by teenagers who are strictly policed by guards and medics. controlled through medication and punishment…" - "Romeo meets Juliet in a brutal ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’-style psychiatric hospital-cum-borstal…"

A few years ago Matthew Bourne produced his alternative adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" set in a mental hospital called 'Verona Institute’. Unless I missed something, I don’t remember any critical remarks against this choice of place where the actions of this ballet unfold. It means for me that the choreographer covered this point thoughtfully, with tact, and the inhabitants of that institution did not become a target for sneers from the audience. However, I wouldn’t like to see what you, Lizbie1, saw in Paris and described as "almost parodic and grossly insensitive” portrayal of mental patients. I wonder how the audience reacted to this? Where the not very bright Alain is concerned I don’t feel that this character provokes an unpleasant reaction and sneers. On the contrary, when sensitively performed, without exaggeration, he elicits warm feelings and is no less lovable character than the leading 'heroes'.

Yes, Geoff, of course, you can, if you think it will be appropriate there.

It is interesting to compare different productions of ballets with the same title and the same music. While I was waiting for my first “Cinderella” in the current block, I remembered the very first “Cinderella”, which I saw at Bolshoi in 1948 with a very young Raissa Struchkova. After "Romeo and Juliet" was staged at the Leningrad Kirov (Mariinsky) Theatre, Prokofiev, who was greatly impressed by Galina Ulanova’s Juliet, decided to write a ballet especially for her and chose Cinderella. However, due to theatrical political shenanigans, on the opening night in Moscow in November 1945, the dashing and daring virtuoso Olga Lepeshinskaya danced the leading role. Later Ulanova danced and also Marina Semyonova. In order to see each ballerina Prokofiev came to performances 3 times and every time watched one act only. Much later, in 1960, a ballet film "The Crystal Slipper" was made on the base of this production, with Raissa Struchkova who was now 12 years older and her raven-black hair were made blond. Prince was Gennady Ledyakh, the Spring - Katya Maximova and the Summer - Elena Ryabinkina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIo1bdJLPZc

Now it was also danced by a student of Vaganova Academy - Kirill Mezin

I scraped together as much dancing as I could. Ekaterina Kondaurova talks about pantomime {Mariinsky's website): https://vk.com/video-130074765_456241155 Victoria Tereshkina as Aspiccia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE8w0w3rwMI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-tEAmu6cT4 Kimin Kim as Taor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-uRmGDz26Y Maria Shirinkina as Ramsea {including Monkey): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPL0EitbEQ Maria Ilyushkina as Aspiccia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnp1rc7UTcA Curtain calls with Maria Khoreva & Philipp Stepin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxPE3S1pX-4

Yes, his name is not credited for "The Flames of Paris", which is still in the Bolshoi's Repertoire. https://2011.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/235/

Haein Lee. Watch her on 3:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWU6y-tpDWs&list=PLNuJDkj3zBvOqEVPACZDnQxttUdbH7jmJ&index=4

Here is a “promo” piece on this new production: https://youtu.be/9ijKe6ykPHA

A video with rehearsals of The Pharaoh's Daughter at Mariinsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NDA1PDB4Hc

Maybe someone is interested in looking at the digitized "DF" notations: https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:425988089$5i /from the site "Балет и Опера"/

I came across the film about Ludmila Semenyaka made in 1979, which I haven’t seen before, and was captivated by it. It contains 6 scenes from ballets, mainly duets: Legend of Love, Swan Lake, Spartacus, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty. The ballerina sparkles there with her technique, temperament and physical perfection. There are no commentaries in the film, and only in 2-3 sequences you can hear the tweeting voice of Lyudmila, telling about her roles and about her teacher, Galina Ulanova. The scenes from the performances are interspersed with clips of Ulanova coaching Lyudmila for Giselle. In my view, it is a treasure, an echo of the "golden age" of Bolshoi Ballet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTvGqKh3Lc&t=25s

Among the amusing theatrical incidents, there was one that happened at the opening night of "The Pharaoh's Daughter." Petipa explained to a super, who impersonated the lion, how, after being shot, he should jump off the bridge into the Nile. When this moment came during the performance and a shot rang out, the "lion" hurriedly crossed himself from right to left and jumped down. The audience erupted in laughter: an Orthodox lion in Ancient Egypt!

The graduation concert was 8 months ago. During the autumn and winter months the Academy was preparing for the annual block of “Nutcrackers”. They claim that their version is based on the original, first production at Mariinsky Theatre in 1892. In December 2022, it was shown in Moscow, on the huge stage of the Kremlin Palace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TtgXdwp08I To answer your question, Jeannette, I am not aware of any announcements about the graduation concert in June ’23 but I saw on the Academy’s website that now they are preparing to commemorate several anniversaries associated with the name of the choreographer Fyodor Lopukhov, including 50 years since his death (1886-1973). Lydia Lopokova, by the way, was his younger sister. In his honor, students of the Academy are preparing a concert to be held on 17 March at the Hermitage Theatre. It will show: Part 1 of his Dance Symphony, choreographic miniatures from the "Pictures at an Exhibition" cycle and other pieces. The choreography is revived by his grandson Fyodor Lopukhov Jr., also a graduate of our Academy. https://vk.com/vaganovaacademy

Is there a link available confirming his cancelation?

If you haven’t seen it yet, please, enjoy it now in a very good quality. Vaganova Academy graduation concert in Moscow, June 2022. https://disk.yandex.ru/d/FVu7R1zwcJVcfg/Выпускной_спектакль_Академии.mp4 Part 1 — Gioconda, by Petipa /?/ Flower Festival in Genzano, by Bournonville The Classic Symphony, by L.Lavrovsky Part 2 — Raymonda, Act 3, by Grigorovich

I tried unsuccessfully to find this clip online. Geoff, can you please provide here the link. Thanking you in advance.

"Les Ruses d'Amour" / "Trial of Damis” The choreographer and author of the restoration Stanislav Belyaevsky said the return of the performance became possible thanks to a joint project of the State Hermitage Museum, Yuri Berestov and the Ayra Company. The performance of 21 Dec 2020 at The Hermitage Theater can be watched here: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0+%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B0+%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BF%D1%8B%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5+%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%B0&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:29550e46,vid:HAjbtglQwis

On 20 December 2022, the pupils of Vaganova Academy performed “The Nutcracker” in Moscow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TtgXdwp08I Masha, aka Clara — Maria Koshkareva Nutcracker Prince — Luka Dobosh /a student from Romania/

Several recordings of Ludmilla Belousova and Oleg Protopopov in 1960s when they became Olympic champions twice. It wasn't so much WHAT they did but HOW they were doing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61t0KQFa_g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55RKCoVWuDY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me4FlewMtaI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1jZ4qWF-00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tKNnbUJh4s

There is no particular author of this encyclopaedia. Dozens of consultants and contributors are listed there and the editorial team of 5. Publisher: Soglasie, Moscow, 1997. Here are the title and details in Russian: Русский балет. Энциклопедия. Издательство “Согласие”, Москва, 1997.