Buddy

Credit where credit is due, annamicro. It's quite amazing. Of eleven Mariinsky Festivals, Alina Cojocaru has danced leads in full length classics at five of them and will be doing it again this year. No one else from outside the Mariinsky has come close to doing anything like this ! She is in fact (if not in title) a Principal Dancer of the Mariinsky Festival. Then consider that she worked her way back from a very serious injury, dancing only in two very courageous Gala performances before being invited back to dance another lead last year, "Giselle", which could well have been a performance of a lifetime ! It was possibly the most enthusiastically received performance of the entire Festival ! From my somewhat distant observations of her, she is a lovely, lovely, totally unassuming person, who is also a performing arts Giant ! I remember sitting next to a lady from the UK at one of the Festivals, who expressed some disappointment at having come all the way to Russia to see a dancer that she could have seen back home. I said to her something to the effect that I would climb a mountain to see Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg perform anything, anywhere. The lady was very nice and I believed enjoyed the evening immensely. This is a quote from the program to the Anna Pavlova Gala in London last Sunday. * “Pavlova Danced As If She Were Living An Experience" Of all the Festival dancers that I have seen, Alina Cojocaru fits this description as well as anybody. It is not a matter of just being exciting, it is a matter of touching the heart-and-soul as well. At the evening that I just mentioned sitting next to the lady from the UK, Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg performed "Romeo and Juliet". Several minutes into the ballet some amazing Burst of Sunshine 'flew' onto the stage from behind Juliet's nurse sitting in a chair. "! Is That Her? !", I exclaimed to the lady. Yes, it was her and I couldn't believe what I had just seen. This is still one of my highlight 'Alina' memories. At the very end of the ballet Johan carried Alina up a flight of stairs holding her on one arm over his head. It was not the Mariinsky ending that I saw at last year's Festival. It was one of those Alina-Johan nearly over the top moments, but it was -- Powerful !! Another Alina-Johan moment that I may never forget. And there's so much, so much more. Thanks for the thanks, Kevin, and I hope to see you in about ten days. * (Arnold Haskell) http://www.telegraph...eum-review.html

Videos uploaded by the Bolshoi. "Le Corsaire" this Sunday can be seen live. (Here?) http://www.youtube.com/user/bolshoi (posted at ballet alert) Added comment: According to Dansomanie "Le Corsaire" live will not be available on line outside Russia. If I find more information I will try to post it. In any case you can enjoy the other good stuff now.

And from Graham Watts yesterday. "Alina Somova showed an English audience why she is fast becoming one of the world’s best interpreters of romantic ballet, with its emphasis on beautiful lines, carriage and port de bras, and she was sensitively partnered by David Makhateli in the Giselle pas de deux." http://londondance.com/articles/reviews/russian-ballet-icons-gala-at-the-london-coliseum/

Alina Somova Alina Somova's "Swan Lake" will be the first major (full length) work of the Festival. It will be one of the performances that I'm most looking forward to seeing and it will be right at the beginning so I won't have to wait. Good news. (I made a mistake in my initial post by saying that Svetlana Zakharova's "La Baydere" would be the first major work (full length) of the Festival. It will be the second.) So why do I continue to be so excited about Alina Somova ? For me, her 'Lyrical' Dancing is some of the most Beautiful that I've ever seen and she is also one of the most 'Interesting' dancers today. And she always seems to be trying to make what is 'Interesting' more Beautiful. 'Lyrical Dancer' Once again here is what Ismene Brown and Sarah Crompton had to say about her "Giselle" duet Sunday at the Anna Pavlova Gala. Ismene Brown "More revealing was that eternal surprise girl, Alina Somova....showed in the silken expressiveness of her upper body and free-moving arms a gladness of movement hauntingly close to that in the Pavlova clips". http://www.theartsde...london-coliseum Sarah Crompton "....Alina Somova the incarnation of a Romantic ballerina in an extract from Giselle...." http://www.telegraph...eum-review.html 'Interesting Dancer' Sometimes when she is dancing, I can almost see her mind at work. I think that she is a very intelligent artist as well as a very dedicated one. And she doesn't necessarily play it safe. She takes artistic chances and in searching for the best possible expression doesn't seem to be afraid of not being perfect at a given moment, although a fine end result is probably what she hopes for. For instance, like others here, I saw her perform George Balanchine's "Ballet Imperial" and Jerome Robbins' "In the Night" last summer in London. Where I felt that the Mariinsky dancers had succeeded Magnificenty(!) in making the Balanchine and Robbins works 'their own', Alina Somova seemed to be subtly different. She seemed to be trying to find just the right balance between what Balanchine and Robbins had intended and the world of the Mariinsky. In her performance of "Swan Lake" in London she also seemed to be searching for exactly the right expression and not playing it safe by using what she already knew would work just fine. Remember that this lady was one of the stars of her Vaganova class and probably had her traditional basics pretty well mastered. So what I always hope for in a performance from her, such as "Swan Lake", is a performance of magnificent lyrical beauty, such as one of Ulyana Lopatkina's. I'm sure that she can do this. But I have to keep in mind that she is also a dancer who can amazingly balance on pointe for seconds while holding her other leg at the side of her head, that she has outstanding expressive capabilities (portraying and dancing) and that she is a searching artist trying to make 'All' her exceptional abilities work together for the best ultimate result possible.

XII Mariinsky International Ballet Festival -- 2012 March 22 Prodigal Son The Siren: Teresa Reichlen (New York City Ballet) The Prodigal Son: Daniel Ulbricht (New York City Ballet) Le Jeune Homme et la Mort (premiere) Vladimir Shklyarov (not officially confirmed) 
 Ballet Imperial Viktoria Tereshkina, Olesya Novikova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko March 23 Swan Lake Odette-Odile: Alina Somova Siegfried: Matthew Golding (The Het National Ballet) Rothbart: Konstantin Zverev The Prince’s friends: Yana Selina, Olesya Novikova, Filipp Stepin Joker: Vasily Tkachenko March 24 La Bayadere Nikia: Svetlana Zakharova Gamzatti: Anastasia Matvienko Solor: Alexander Volchkov March 25 La Sylphide Sylphide: Alina Cojocaru (London Royal Ballet) James: Johan Kobborg (London Royal Ballet) Effie: Nadezhda Batoeva Medge: Elena Bazenova Gurn: Dmitry Pykhachov March 26 Le Parc Viktoria Tereshkina, Alexander Sergeyev March 27 and 28 Béjart Ballet Lausanne Ce que l’Amour me dit. Cantate 51. Là où sont les oiseaux. Boléro No official casting announced. My understanding it that this will all be performed by the Béjart Ballet. Second Night: Bolero Julien Favreau (according to Kevin's post) March 29 In the Night Maria Shirinkina, Viktor Baranov, Alina Somova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Danila Korsuntsev Divertissement Ulyana Lopatkina, Svetlana Zakharova , Viktoria Tereshkina, Olga Yesina, Yevgenia Obraztsova , Alina Somova, Vera Arbuzova, Igor Kolb, Danila Korsuntsev, Alexei Timofeyev, Alexander Sergeyev, Andrey Kasyanenko, Andrei Yermakov and Béjart Ballet Lausanne’s soloists Symphony in C Alina Somova, Alexander Sergeyev, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Olesya Novikova, Alexei Popov, Maria Shirinkina, Alexei Timofeyev March 30 This is essentially Diana Vishneva's evening. Errand into the Maze Diana Vishneva and Ilya Kuznetsov Pierrot Lunaire Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb, Alexander Sergeyev, Konstantin Zverev Subject to Change Diana Vishneva, Andrei Merkuriev, Alexei Nedviga, Anton Pimonov, Ilya Petrov March 31 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina: Ulyana Lopatkina Alexei Karenin: Islom Baimuradov Count Vronsky: Andrei Yermakov Princess Shcherbatskaya (Kitty): Maria Shirinkina Stepan Oblonsky (Steve): Dmitry Pykhachov Daria Oblonskaya (Dolly): Xenia Ostreikovskaya Konstantin Levin: Alexei Timofeyev Princess Betsy: Sofia Gumerova April 1 Carmen Suite Carmen: Diana Vishneva Jose: tba Torero: Konstantin Zverev Divertissement Ulyana Lopatkina, Yekaterina Kondaurova Viktoria Tereshkina, Irina Golub, Oxana Skorik Matthew Golding (The Het National Ballet), Timur Askerov, Kim Kimin, Danila Korsuntsev, Vladimir Shklyarov Symphony in C Alina Somova, Maxim Zyuzin, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Olesya Novikova, Filipp Stepin, Maria Shirinkina, Alexei Timofeyev http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivale/fest_2011_2012/ballet_fest_229/

I'm very glad that you and others like them so much. Each year on my way back to Europe I make a quick stop in Florida primarily to see them. This year I saw Liam Scarlett's "Viscera" (Great!) and they have another of his works planned for next year. Much of this must be credited to Edward Villella (founder and Director), I believe. They also performed Jerome Robbins' "In the Night" and George Balanchine's "Ballet Imperial". Those who saw the Mariinsky perform these two works last summer in London would have seen a wonderful contrast. I think that both companies' "Ballet Imperial"s were equally fine. Last summer MCB was in Paris and was very well received. I believe that they have been invited back for the summer of 2014.

Since there seems to be at least two parallel topics going strong at the "Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky" forum, I would like to start a separate one for the Mariinsky Festival itself. If a moderator thinks that one forum is enough, please say so, or move this back to the "Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky". Anyone interested in viewing the beginning of the Festival discussion can see it almost from the start of the "Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky" forum. http://www.balletcof...y-mikhailovsky/ Svetlana Zakharova She will perform in the first major work of the Festival, "La Bayadere". Anyone fortunate enough to have seen her in London last May at the Galina Ulanova Gala, would have seen what I thought was a new and even more amazing Svetlana Zakharova. She had just come back from maternity leave and she was as fit as I've ever seen her and seemingly much more focused on her portrayal than in the past. She was as believable as one could ask for. I would have to think that being a new mother had a great deal to do with it. This year she has received fine comments in the press and on the internet for her performance at the Anna Pavlova Gala. I greatly look forward to her Festival performance. Vladimir Ponomarev I mentioned in my previous post that "Don Quixote" will not be performed this year. This means that we'll miss Vladimir Ponomarev's Theatrical Genius(!) performance as the Don. I've seen it about seven times and could see it another 100. I could easily watch just him, if it weren't for all the other wonderful performing. Most likely he will appear in another of his classic roles, The High Brahman ("La Bayadere") and in another personal favorite, the 'wagnerian' Father in "The Prodigal Son".) This will be my eighth Festival in a row. I believe that Kevin has been to even more. Lucky us ! It's definitely one of the highlights of my year. If anyone would like to get a some of the feel of the Aura, there is a video (VHS) that's been around for quite awhile. "Anna Pavlova" Starring Galina Belyayeva, Lina Buldakova, Sergey Shakurov, et al. (2000) http://www.amazon.co...31198161&sr=1-2 This is a romanticized look at Anna Pavlova and the famous individuals in her life. The beginning of the movie is set in Saint Petersburg and gives a very nice depiction of what was beautiful at the time and can still be felt today in many ways. There are lovely areas of the city shown I have yet to discover. One reason is that I'm probably more focused on one thing and one thing only than on any trips that I take -- The Festival. It has been a complete world in itself for me and a wonderful one.

And back to the Mariinsky for a moment. Tomorrow's 'Angels' Oksana Skorik and Daria Vasnetsova Still no sightings of these two young ladies in the Festival listings. Both already have Odette/Odile ("Swan Lake") in their repertoires. At last year's Festival Oksana Skorik danced a beautiful Princess Florine (Bluebird Duet - "Sleeping Beauty") and an excellent Dryad Queen ("Don Quixote"). Daria Vasnetsova was a very fine Street Dancer ("Don Quixote') and a breathtaking Myrta ("Giselle"). Two of these ballets will not be performed this year. It would be great if they could find a place for these wonderful young ladies somewhere. Maria Shirinkina She marvelously danced in the first couple -- "In the Night" last year (along with four other supporting performances) and will be dancing it again this year. She'll also be in "Symphony in C" the same evening. and, yes !.... Olga Smirnova Having just graduated from the Vaganova Academy, she has already danced The Lilac Fairy ("Sleeping Beauty") and Nikiya ("La Bayadere"), maybe more, at the Bolshoi.

Mariinsky Festival -- Swans and Butterflies These are two groupings among many that I love. Some of the finest examples today will be at the Mariinsky Festival. *Swans* They are usually tall these days and statuesque. Also in a broader sense, they have danced 'Swans'. Today's Swans Ulyana Lopatkina Svetlana Zakharova Ekaterina Kondaurova/Alina Somova Tomorrow's Swans Oksana Skorik Daria Vasnetsova Olga Smirnova (not listed so far to be at the Festival) 'The' Historic Swans (They will not be at the Festival and they were not tall) Anna Pavlova Galina Ulanova *Butterflies* They are not tall. They are enchanting. Today's Butterflies Alina Cojocaru Evgenia Obraztsova Myriam Ould-Braham (probably won't be at Festival) Tomorrow's Butterflies Maria Shirinkina Historic Butterflies (My knowledge of this group is probably very limited and most likely it includes a large number of historic greats, when ballerinas weren't tall) One that I love watching on the internet. Irina Kolpakova ("Raymonda")

* Ekaterina * At last, some Ekaterina Kondaurova Mariinsky Festival sightings. "In The Night" and "Symphony in C". And Evgenia Obraztsova(!) -- Divertissment -- Brava ! Also the complete list of dancers for "An evening with Gennady Selyutsky". (This is quite a list of Stars. I'm still hoping to see Daria Pavlenko, Ekaterina Osmolkina, Anastasia Kolegova, Svetlana Ivanova....and two younger Stars, Oksana Skorik and Daria Vasnetsova make an appearance. There is so much amazing talent at the Mariinsky that I guess everyone can't be on stage all the time, but it would be nice.) "In The Night" (Jerome Robbins) Maria Shirinkina, Viktor Baranov, Alina Somova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Danila Korsuntsev Divertissement ( This would appear to be a mini Gala. Just fine ! ) Ulyana Lopatkina, Svetlana Zakharova , Viktoria Tereshkina, Olga Yesina, Yevgenia Obraztsova , Alina Somova, Vera Arbuzova, Igor Kolb, Danila Korsuntsev, Alexei Timofeyev, Alexander Sergeyev, Andrei Kasyanenko, Andrei Yermakov and Béjart Ballet Lausanne’s soloists "Symphony in C" (George Balanchine) Alina Somova, Alexander Sergeyev, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Olesya Novikova, Alexei Popov, Maria Shirinkina, Alexei Timofeyev http://www.mariinsky...12/3/29/1_1900/

I guessed wrong. Night One "The Prodigal Son" Teresa Reichlen (New York City Ballet) Daniel Ulbricht (New York City Ballet) Great! "Ballet Imperial" Viktoria Tereshkina, Olesya Novikova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko Viktoria Tereshkina will certainly be carrying a full load with this and "Le Parc", but she's done it before at Festivals and she's done it beautifully! So have other fine Mariinsky dancers. Where's Ekaterina ? "Symphony in C" has been added to "An evening with Gennady Selyutsky In the Night. Divertissement". Ekaterina? And more names.... (click on names of ballets) "Swan Lake" Odette-Odile: Alina Somova Siegfried: Matthew Golding (The Het National Ballet) Rothbart: Konstantin Zverev The Prince’s friends: Yana Selina, Olesya Novikova, Filipp Stepin Joker: Vasily Tkachenko "Anna Karenina" Anna Karenina: Ulyana Lopatkina Alexei Karenin: Islom Baimuradov Count Vronsky: Andrei Yermakov Princess Shcherbatskaya (Kitty): Maria Shirinkina Stepan Oblonsky (Steve): Dmitry Pykhachov Daria Oblonskaya (Dolly): Xenia Ostreikovskaya Konstantin Levin: Alexei Timofeyev Princess Betsy: Sofia Gumerova "La Bayadere" Gamzatti: Anastasia Matvienko (Very glad to see that she is still dancing, even though her husband is now directing another company.) "La Sylphide" also Effie: Nadezhda Batoeva Medge: Elena Bazenova Gurn: Dmitry Pykhachov http://www.mariinsky...allet_fest_229/

Yes, I do remember, Kevin. Thanks. In NYC she was supposed to have gone way beyond even that from what I've read. Glad to hear that Julien Favreau will dance "Bolero" with the Bejart Company. I thought that he was quite special last year in Paris. It's Official ! * Alina Somova * and Matthew Golding "Swan Lake" Bravi ! Viktoria Tereshkina and Alexander Sergeyev "Le Parc" (I actually guessed that it would be Viktoria Tereshkina this morning while I was looking at the performance schedule. That leaves Ekaterina Kondaurova. Maybe "Prodigal Son" or "Ballet Imperial" with Oksana Skorik doing the other. Does that seem possible, Kevin? ) http://www.mariinsky...allet_fest_229/ Added later: Alexander Volchkov will be Svetlana Zakharova's partner in "La Bayadere".

Another dancer who lingers in my mind as a great choice for an Odette/Odile invitee to the Mariinsky Festival is Polina Semionova (Bolshoi Ballet School, Principal with the Berlin State Opera). From written reports she made an extremely fine impression doing this last summer in NYC with the ABT.

These are a few remarks from the review of last night's Anna Pavlova Gala from "The Arts Desk" by Ismene Brown that I really enjoyed. "The gladness of movement came in Rojo’s effervescent Raymonda duet with Polunin, Cojocaru’s evanescent melancholy as Neumeier’s La dame aux camélias, Lopatkina’s aristocratic Russkaya (pictured right) and her breathtakingly graceful Pavlova ballet-class, another Neumeier number. "Zakharova was the definition of litheness....and Evgenia Obraztsova, one of the Mariinsky’s softer-gleaming stars (now gone to the Bolshoi), danced a Bayadère solo that surely, in its extruded, high lines and testingly slow balances on pointe, was nothing like the impression Pavlova and her generation could have made. "More revealing was that eternal surprise girl, Alina Somova [performing a duet from "Giselle"]....showed in the silken expressiveness of her upper body and free-moving arms a gladness of movement hauntingly close to that in the Pavlova clips. "The audience curtain call clapometer was sound. Loudest cheers came for Cojocaru, Lopatkina and the Rojo-Polunin duo...." http://www.theartsde...london-coliseum

Looks like a great group of dancers tonight. If it weren't over the top expensive for me to get across the Channel, etc. I would have really tried to be there. Hopefully I'll see some of these dancers in Saint Petersburg later this month. Tamara Rojo, Serguey Polunin, Ulyana Lopatkina, Marat Shemiunov, Myriam Ould-Braham, Alessio Carbone, Giuseppe Picone, Evgenia Obraztsova, Lucia Lacarra, Marlon Dino, Yana Salenko, Marian Walter, Viacheslav Lopatin, Anastasia Stashkevitch, Alina Cojocaru, Alexandre Riabko, Alina Somova, David Makhateli, Natalia Somova, Igor Zelensky, Daria Klimentova, Vadim Muntagirov, Svetlana Zakharova, Andrey Merkuriev. (list posted by sophia at Dansomanie (in french) ) Ones that I might miss, but would love to have seen, are Evgenia Obraztsova, Myriam Ould-Braham, Lucia Lacarra, Daria Klimentova.... I hope that those of you who are fortunate enough to be there will see some great performances and tell us something about them. Last year's Ulanova Gala was spectacular ! (Also see Alison's train service alert) http://www.balletcof...-march-warning/

I've been warned by someone who posts regularly about ballet on the internet in France, not to buy tickets outside the Opera de Paris (Palais Garnier) because you can be cheated. I'm just passing this on for what it's worth, Don Q Fan. I'll certainly keep Ebay France in mind. Thank you. It seems that you can always get tickets until the last minute from a ticket agent, but you may pay at least double the price for a popular performance. Where these tickets go at the last minute is something that I have some thoughts about, but I try not to take advantage of this possibility.

Yes, the Svetlana Zakharova tickets are gone again. At least you were able to get through. I may telephone the POB if I really decide on a performance (telephone 08 92 89 90 90 (0.34 euro per minute) in France ? or maybe 033 1 40 01 25 72 outside France) .

I'm very glad that you liked 'Veronika', Don Q Fan, and were kind enough to tell her so. I'm sure that she appreciated it. I've seen her do amazing stuff on stage and when the audience gives her an enthusiastic response, her face seems to be saying, "Did you really like it that much ? Thank you."
 
I've watched Irina Dvorovenko dance several times and the performance that surprised me the most was a "Giselle" (with great assistance from her husband, Maxim Beloserkovsky), that again was one of the best "Giselle"s that I've seen.

 The Mariinsky, by the way, will be performing several weeks in the US in October, two weeks of "Swan Lake" in California and one week of "Cinderella" in Washington DC. I hope to be back in California by then and could handle as much as possible of a week of Mariinsky "Swan Lakes" in the nearby community just fine.

 http://www.ardani.co...ariinsky.php


 Zvetlana Zakharova tickets ( for April 2), "La Bayadere", in Paris are again available. (but I've been unable to get through using my 'account number' which was confirmed as being valid several days ago. If someone else has better luck, please let me know. Another option is to telephone.) http://www.operadepa...r/Distribution/

Thanks so much, Ian and everyone, for this. Bruce, if you are around, thank you again so much for all that you have done and all that you are doing. And a few days late.... http://twitpic.com/8q95i6

I've been writing a lot about David Hockney, in his latest 'incarnation' as landscape artist and possible 'choreographer', in the "What's Happening" topic. What a great idea if he could attend this Mariinsky Festival. Between the performances, the enchantment of Saint Petersburg and the endless expanses of Russian countryside, he could probably delight us and himself for years. He apparently knows some folks in the UK dance world because of his recent filming of them. If one of you happens to be reading this, maybe you could float the idea by him. Another dream, perhaps, but why not ? I mentioned Veronika Part and Gillian Murphy in my above post. It occurs to me that some folks may have seen some of the exact performing that I mentioned at the ABT "Swan Lake"s in London in the summer of 2009. If so I hope that you share at least some of my enthusiasm for them and can understand why I loved Gillian Murphy so much at the 2008 Festival and would love to see Veronika Part at this one. I believe that Ian posted somewhat similar feelings about Gillian Murphy. Also I mentioned a Bejart dancer, Julien Favreau, (the company will be at this Festival) who impressed me very much at the Paris 'Aid to Japan' Gala last May. I've got to throw in that Carlos Acosta was also there and he was Dynamite(!) in "Russell Maliphant Two". His might have been the performance of the evening and it was one that made me think that if he ever went modern he could make huge waves. I'm not sure if he's been to a Mariinsky Festival, but it seems like a very good idea.

You're welcome, Alison. So far I haven't seen any more tickets being offered. Mariinsky Festival For me, a big suspense now is who will dance Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake". I had one wish 'granted' with Alina Cojocaru in "La Sylphide", but I still dream on. The wish that I've had for many years is that Veronika Part (formerly Mariinsky, now ABT) would be invited. She did finally return to the Mariinsky last year to perform this and I tried about everything that I could to be there, but didn't quite make it. On reason for wishing this, besides the fact that I think Veronika Part is one of the best ballerinas in the world, is that I've seen her perform Odette/Odile maybe five times and each performance was Outstanding ! But !! the last time that I saw her perform it, in New York City several years ago, it simply was 'Not To Be Believed' ! I wrote many pages elsewhere saying why. I would guess that the Mariinsky already has someone in mind, but I'll keep hoping. There are also so many fine 'in house' choices. Ulyana Lopatkina (possibly the best choice in the world, but she is dancing something else), Ekaterina Kondaurova (perhaps destined to be one of the greatest), Alina Somova (capable of being one of the greatest) and Viktoria Tereshkina (exceptional) come to mind immediately. There are also many non Mariinsky ballerinas that could be outstanding. There's maybe an aura at the Mariinsky that makes for greatness. I remember seeing Gillian Murphy from ABT perform Odette/Odile about five years ago. I'd seen her do this before and she was excellent, but at the Mariinsky, about a half year later, she was Great(!) and continued to be for the next two or three years that I was able to see her. It really seemed that performing at the Mariinsky Festival somehow begged her to take it to another level and she did ! So let's see what happens this year.

Pablo Picasso is greatly admired by David Hockney, perhaps his favorite artist. In 1901 Pablo Picasso painted "Child Holding A Dove", which I believe can be seen at the National Gallery, London. http://www.globalgal...600/sw-1093.jpg For the moment I see David Hockney as somehow embracing this beautiful picture and then moving on with it to explore the world as did Pablo Picasso and many of the other great masters of art. As he explores and describes the world as a genius like Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Michelangelo....I feel that he still takes this child with him and this is one of the things that makes him so special.

Just discovered the Svetlana Zakharova Paris ticket info in english. http://www.operadeparis.fr/en/Saison_2011_2012/Ballets/La-Bayadere/decouvrir/Distribution/

Tickets for Svetlana Zakharova's two Paris "La Baydere" appearances in April, for the moment, are no longer available at the Paris Opera Ballet site. It might be worth checking again from time to time, although seat availability of popular performances after casting has been announced is not a common thing from my somewhat limited experience. The forum, dansomanie, (in french) seems to think that more seats might become available. http://www.operadepa...r/Distribution/ Tonight on television in Germany (9:10 pm) will be a documentary about Saint Petersburg today. One preview picture shows Alina Somova in "Sleeping Beauty", so there may be some dance footage of her. http://www.3sat.de/page/?source=/ard/sendung/160693/index.html

Thanks for this info, tim b. There actually seem to be good seats (Orchestra, 92 euro) available for Svetlana Zakharova's April 4 performance, not a normal occurence from my experiences with the Paris Opera Ballet. Grab them now if you are at all interested. http://www.operadepa...r/Distribution/