I very much enjoyed last night's performance. Kovalyova is obviously not the finished article, nor would it be fair to expect her to be in such a role, at 20 years old, but after reading her intelligent and thoughtful answers in this interview, it's obvious she has the most important asset required to be an excellent artist - a good brain. http://www.vaganovatoday.com/alyona-kovalyova-bolshoi-ballet
On the subject of her height putting the Mariinsky off, can I assume that Ulyana Lopatkina was considered a significantly more promising freak talent at a young age, or has the culture changed? They are around the same height, as far as I know.