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Bolshoi Ballet, Don Quixote, Royal Opera House, 2016


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Just to elaborate somewhat on last night. My overall impression was of an exceptionally high standard throughout. There were only a couple of minor mistakes that I noticed (including an awkward turn short on the PDD pirouette, which Lantratov realised and corrected)

 

Compared to Acosta's production the set was much more impressive, the costumes were so elaborate and beautifully detailed. I was especially Impressed with the 'real' windmills and the funny moment when Don Q gets caught up in one and flung away! Basilio's suicide scene was also very amusing and well acted. The only elements I missed were the giant articulated Rocinante and the live guitar playing by the gypsies (but that wasn't original anyway)

 

Of course Masha's comeback was superb, but for me Lantratov was the star. He reminded me of Muntagirov, full of passion, joyful and proud to be performing, but had a much more confident approach and technical mastery. We need him at the RB, imagine him partnering Osipova, that would be stupendous!

 

For me, one of the all time best Don Qs (the Mariinsky Sarafanov performance being number 1)

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I was in some doubt after reading reviews of Monday's performance. However, I can confirm that Tuesday's performance was truly wonderful, from principals to corp de ballet to the Bolshoi orchestra. Can't wait for Le Corsaire!

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Another wonderful Don Q (I enjoyed Monday's) I had been so looking forward to it as it was my birthday and I wanted to see Maria Alexandrova's return after witnessing the horrible Bayadere injury, so I'm feeling very, very happy as she looked and danced radiantly!

 

As on Monday all the dancers were inspired by the ectstatic audience response, this could be a very exciting Season.

 

I think the floor patterns at the front of the stage look odd, as though someone has thrown piles of rubbish, at my very first sight of it on Monday I thought the dancers might slip, then I realised it was permanent. As far as I'm concerned the more lighting the better!

 

I'm not going tonight (already feeling exhausted) but it should be another fantastic one going by the cinema performance, and looking forward to seeing this new girl and Artem Ovcharenko tomorrow.

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Delighted to hear of Alexandrova's triumphant return to the ROH stage. I am surprised that she didn't open the season with Lantratov. It sounds like they were a great Don Q pair. I am looking forward to seeing Le Corsaire in August.

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In another hugely enjoyable performance, yesterday's principal couple were the pair featured in the live relay earlier this year : Krysanova & Chudin. Their characterisation was less exuberant than that of Alexandrova/Lantratov on Tuesday but their dancing was technically classier, culminating in a pretty much faultless grand pas and the fastest set of fouettes I've ever seen. No wonder the OS leapt to their feet at the curtain calls. 

 

I love the tavern scene, the Spanish costumes are quite stunning & the dancing with those incredible back bends is terrific. Skvortsov smoulders charismatically as Espada and I did like Oxana Sharova's Mercedes on Tuesday evening. 

 

Having seen it three times now I'm underwhelmed by the Dryad scene choreography. Last night Anna Nikulina made heavy weather of the Dryad Queen variation which seems to be taken at a very slow pace & I guess is maybe more difficult to execute than it looks. Whatever, I much prefer the Mariinsky version, it seems a better fit for the music. Interestingly, like Alexandrova, Krysanova also chose not to include the Italian fouettes in her Dulcinea variation although I can't believe that wasn't because she couldn't rattle them off ! 

 

The grand pas 1st variation was danced by Daria Bochkova on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, and I'd probably have been perfectly happy with her performance had she not been totally eclipsed by Anna Tikhomirova on the opening night. 

 

This version of DQ is everything it should be : a splendid showcase for this fine company which is looking on cracking form from top to bottom. 

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Thank you Annamk you've cleared up a mystery for me. Smirnova did some Italian Fouettes but I couldn't recall seeing either Alexandrova or Krysanova doing them now I know they - didn't! In most DonQs the Italian Fouettes are done by the Queen of the Dryads so that has been chopped from QDs role here with 5/6 being given to Dulcinea (if she feels like it). I do miss them as they are a sight to behold done well - I'm thinking here of Ekaterina Kondaurova's (Mariinsky) performances as Queen of the Dryads she's wonderful. Likewise Nicoletta Manni at Milan is good too.

Agree that Krysanova did a tornado set of fouettes - for the most part doubles and ended on a triple. Most impressive. For high jinks and fun though I think Alexandrova and Lantratov are the winners to date, but tonight will be v interesting with Shrainer's debut as Kitri!!!!

Edited by Don Q Fan
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In another hugely enjoyable performance, yesterday's principal couple were the pair featured in the live relay earlier this year : Krysanova & Chudin. Their characterisation was less exuberant than that of Alexandrova/Lantratov on Tuesday but their dancing was technically classier, culminating in a pretty much faultless grand pas and the fastest set of fouettes I've ever seen. No wonder the OS leapt to their feet at the curtain calls. 

 

I love the tavern scene, the Spanish costumes are quite stunning & the dancing with those incredible back bends is terrific. Skvortsov smoulders charismatically as Espada and I did like Oxana Sharova's Mercedes on Tuesday evening. 

 

Having seen it three times now I'm underwhelmed by the Dryad scene choreography. Last night Anna Nikulina made heavy weather of the Dryad Queen variation which seems to be taken at a very slow pace & I guess is maybe more difficult to execute than it looks. Whatever, I much prefer the Mariinsky version, it seems a better fit for the music. Interestingly, like Alexandrova, Krysanova also chose not to include the Italian fouettes in her Dulcinea variation although I can't believe that wasn't because she couldn't rattle them off ! 

 

The grand pas 1st variation was danced by Daria Bochkova on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, and I'd probably have been perfectly happy with her performance had she not been totally eclipsed by Anna Tikhomirova on the opening night. 

 

This version of DQ is everything it should be : a splendid showcase for this fine company which is looking on cracking form from top to bottom. 

I am essentially in agreement with everything you say. Regarding the Dryads scene choreography, it is due to Gorsky in the redaction of Fadeechev the younger. It is indeed rather so-so. Mariinsky’s version, due to Gorsky as well, is a different text.

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Another evening, another Don Q this one particularly intriguing for the debut in the role of Kitri of cdb dancer Shrainer, partnered by Artem Ovcharenko. 


From her first entrance Shrainer was an attractively vivacious and delightfully humorous Kitri not letting the occasion overwhelm her characterisation. Equally, there was nothing tentative about her dancing and perhaps as a result one or two of her finishes in Act 1 were off balance/slightly ragged. Her Dulcinea was sweet and delicate, she danced a lovely variation, complete with Italian fouettes.
 
The chemistry between Shrainer and Ovcharenko was charming and tender. Partnering was generally sound, although they so nearly came to grief in the fiendish one-handed lifts, particularly in Act 1. In Act 3, the lifts accomplished they could relax and they both danced variations worthy of Bolshoi principal standards. Shrainer obviously has no problem with balances and turns, she rattled off the fouettes without hesitation. 
 
Hats off to her for a well executed debut and to Ovcharenko for being a considerate partner, an elegant and appealing Basilio. 
 
The last word is reserved for the white suited corps assembly of Spanish dancers in Act 3 they were quite magnificent ! 
 
Edited by annamk
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There were a few 'whoops!' moments indeed...and the one hand presses seemed rather tentative throughout. Anna Balukova's little slip was so nearly a splat. Credit to her for a good recovery.

I thought Sancho Panza seemed slightly more subdued last night, but enjoyed his 'cannonball' in the sheet toss!

I somehow sensed that the cast might be starting to get a little fatigued? It just overall felt not as zingy as my last viewing. I was side SCS (big boss Vladimir Urin a few rows in front!) So missed the geometrics of the dryads, but still appreciated their movement and discipline.

Wish I could have seen all of the run to see 'who did it best' but might have needed to take a loan out to do so!

Edited by nickwellings
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An enjoyable performance last night yes there one or two niggles but considering it was Shrainer's debut I think she did well. Other delights included another wonderful Espada by Vitaly Bikitimorov and Anna Tikhomirova's Grand Pas variation.

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Wish I could have seen all of the run to see 'who did it best' but might have needed to take a loan out to do so!

 

I think the sentimental vote goes to Alexandrova/ Lantratov and the most exciting technical fireworks display vote to Krysanova/ Chudin, Nick.

 

Highlights for me were not the principals but Biktimirov who was a wonderful Espada on Tuesday and Anna Tikhomirova for her performances as the street dancer/ grand pas 1st solo. The character dancers were also wonderful.  Loved the new sets but prefer the old costumes but didn't find any of the performances came anywhere near the excitement created last time around.

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Wish I could have seen all of the run to see 'who did it best' but might have needed to take a loan out to do so!

 

 

Having seen all four (tired feet by the end) my take is that each principal couple demonstrated different strengths (and weaknesses), and brought something greatly charming but slightly different to their performances so for myself there wasn't an overall "best". Every performance showcased a company on fine form and the 100% commitment from dancers at every level made this terrific new production simply gleam. 

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I was quite well-prepared for Don Q having seen the Krysanova/Chudin cast in the cinema (where her energy, in particular, blew me away). However, having also seen Alexandrova dance Kitri many many times, I settled on seeing Smirnova/Rodkin and Shrainer/Ovcharenko live this week.

 

I have to say that the current production doesn’t ‘do it’ for me like the immediately previous one did. So I’m afraid I am starting with what were some negatives:

·         in Act 1, an overcrowded stage  and too many waving onlookers (including some on an unnecessary bridge) which, along with the costumes for some main characters, detract from the central dancing

·         an interminably long tavern scene with an audience pleasing (!!!!) variety act thrown into the mix; a gypsy scene which somehow lacked purpose

·         a vision scene  unconvincingly reworked (back to the original?) and visually marred by having Don Q wandering around the dancers.

 

This is very much a company show piece and the Bolshoi give it all they’ve got. The corps was excellent everywhere – except at times in the vision scene where coordination and lines went a bit awry. Stunning in some of the lesser roles were: Anna Tikhomirova (Street Dancer and Grand Pas Variation), Daria Khokhlova (Cupid) and the Acts 2 and 3 leading character dancers.

 

As others have said, Kitri doesn’t seem to be a role for Olga Smirnova. She seemed hard and distant and no real joy or energy came across the footlights. Denis Rodkin was big on attractiveness, full of Spanish-style gestures, giving his portrayal a lot of ‘oomph’ and relating well to his Kitri. But there was no chemistry between him and Smirnova. Debutante Margarita Shrainer did have charm and brought life to her character in a way that drew one into the narrative. She did more than OK overall but there were quite a few mishaps in her solos and in some of the partnering which made me wonder whether a big tour date is the best moment for a company to showcase a relatively untried corps de ballet member in a leading role. Was it necessarily the best plan for her? Shouldn’t we expect to see the very best a visiting company has to offer? [Maybe there is a discussion point here?] Artem Ovcharenko danced, acted  and supported Shrainer well but there were some understandable moments of strain.

 

Unlike some critics, I found the storyline even more blurred than usual. The portrayal of Don Q himself (by Alexei Loparevich who must have done it a thousand times!) seemed to lack gravitas – but, maybe, he just needed a horse.

Edited by capybara
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Some scattered thoughts ... 

 

Saw all four performances (thank heavens for Amphi Standing Room - that refuge for the poor) and too relished the wonderfully BOLSHOI energy of the whole - ah for the sashaying bedazzlement of that massive Bolero - but still felt some principals/soloists where more equal than others.  Chudin was the best partnering Basil I felt - while Alexandrova's Kitri was the only one for me that held aloft the largess that any great ballerina should.  I'm sorry but I did not feel that Shrainer was even adequate as Kitri last night and felt distinctly sorry for Ovcharenko who - as the evening progressed - and experiencing much hard work in this particular bout of heavy weather - was bravely - and all too clearly - 'acting' in his adoration for his principal charge.  There is no question but that the loving smile became rather fixed I fear.  (Shrainer may have sawed out her fouettes - distinctly NOT to the music - Krysanova was the role model there - but her finish was far from anyone's idea of a second - be it open or closed ... landing something more akin to a 22 I think - and the reason she tripped at the end of her pirouette diagonal in the first act is because on several earlier turns she hadn't finished and thus found distinct difficulty in beginning again!  Classroom stuff.  As capybara suggests I'm not sure it was the wisest - or certainly the kindest - to her or us - decision to throw her on in London in this iconic role)  There is a clear reason I think why Shrainer/Ovcharenko never took a call in front of the curtain either after the first act or at the end.  You didn't need a PhD to be able to read between Ovcharenko's lines.  That was understandably beyond the call of his duty last night.  

 

Still, I ADORED the delightfully fussy detail of Denis Savin's rich Gamache - as vibrant as his wonderfully constructed costume - and preferred the Jig trio that included Denis Medvedev's stunningly effective 'drunk dancing'.  A thrill.  Vitaly Biktimirov (who remains by far the best Cabulette I have EVER seen bringing the full detail of Peter Seller's genius to his own personal - and vast - canon) was here - by something more than a Spanish country mile - a dazzling Espada.  His second act solo was worth the price of a stalls ticket unto itself - as was Kristina Karasyova's Spanish Dance and Anna Tikhomirova's sultry - (is this woman ever not sultry?) - Street Dancer on the opening night. Sincere applause too I think should be granted Alexei Loparevich as the title character; always so wonderfully earnest in this responses - while never gilding his lily (as might be easily done) at any moment in any one of the four performances.  Sadly I wasn't convinced by either of the Queen of the Dryads - finding both Stepanova and the technically awkward Anna Nikulina wooden when they should be lithe.  The latter was distinctly unmusical at both of her two performances and I lost all respect for the conductor (Pavel Sorokin) in his twice toying with the score during her variation to the point where the music itself was mashed.  (Otherwise I was delighted with the characterful playing by the orchestra and it was so wonderful to hear the joy of the score - or the Bolshoi take for this production - without Martin Yates' soggy RB over-washed orchestration.)  Daria Khokhlova was a delight as Cupid throughout ... but I did wonder - with a goodly number of seemingly fine smaller dancers - why someone else had not be granted an opportunity on any one of these four occasions.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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I'm sorry but I did not feel that Shrainer was even adequate as Kitri last night and felt distinctly sorry for Ovcharenko who - as the evening progressed - and experiencing much hard work in this particular bout of heavy weather - was bravely - and all too clearly - 'acting' in his adoration for his principal charge.  There is no question but that the loving smile became rather fixed I fear.  (Shrainer may have sawed out her fouettes - distinctly NOT to the music - Krysanova was the role model there - but her finish was far from anyone's idea of a second - be it open or closed ... landing something more akin to a 22 I think - and the reason she tripped at the end of her pirouette diagonal in the first act is because on several earlier turns she hadn't finished and thus found distinct difficulty in beginning again!  Classroom stuff.  As capybara suggests I'm not sure it was the wisest - or certainly the kindest - to her or us - decision to throw her on in London in this iconic role)  There is a clear reason I think why Shrainer/Ovcharenko never took a call in front of the curtain either after the first act or at the end.  You didn't need a PhD to be able to read between Ovcharenko's lines.  That was understandably beyond the call of his duty last night.  

I completely agree with you, Bruce.  I don't hold it against Shrainer but rather the company management for putting her on when she clearly was nowhere near ready for a stage performance (and was, I understand, really quite unwell).  I felt terribly, terribly sorry for both her and Ovcharenko and that the whole event was an embarrassment to the company.  No one sensible expects a first performance of a principal role by such an inexperienced and junior dancer to be perfect, but this was just beyond the pale.  I really hope it doesn't mean she won't get another chance when properly prepared for a leading role (it isn't as if this of all companies lacks the resources properly to prepare its dancers for performance), as I did see the positive qualities in her, and several aspects of her performance, that others have been kind enough to focus on.  One of the company's other Kitris (and if necessary her own Basilio) should have been fielded in the circumstances.  After the first act I felt things were going so badly that I seriously thought they might switch in another ballerina to finish, but unfortunately they didn't.

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You have been braver than I dared to be BruceWall  and Barton22!!!! I considered missing the last act because my enjoyment was so impaired by being nervous for Shrainer and worried for Ovcharenko.

 

Doesn't Vaziev (still) appreciate that London is used to absolutely top notch performances and the ROH audience has very high expectations? I doubt that we shall see a review of last night's show from Clement Crisp (who was there!).

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Unfortunately I am not seeing Don Q this time around so it is lovely to read all the reviews. Delighted that there are so many positive remarks about Vitaly Biktimirov as he has long been a favourite of mine!

Susan

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I have to say that the current production doesn’t ‘do it’ for me like the immediately previous one did.

No, me neither. Assuming I'm thinking of the right production, they've changed various parts of Act II around, and I don't think it's for the better.

 

IIRC, it used to be the "running off to the gypsies" bit first, followed by the tilting at windmills and then the dryads scene. Was the tavern scene the early part of Act III, or the last part of Act II? Anyway, it seemed to make rather more sense to me that way. You had the lovers running off at the end of Act I to escape Gamache and Kitri's father. They escaped to the gypsies, who took pity on them and hid them from their pursuers (in turn pursued by the Don), who are fooled. Don Q gets confused, attacks the windmills, gets concussed and dreams the vision scene. Lovers are still in jeopardy, so we have the tavern scene, Basilio pulls the fake suicide, father agrees to the "deathbed" marriage, and Don Q holds him to it when he realises he's been tricked. Marriage celebrations.

 

Now, the lovers' jeopardy is resolved in the first scene of Act II. Kitri and Basilio then vanish for the entire rest of the act. Don Q wanders off, meets some gypsies, gets confused, tilts at windmills - vision scene. At the end of the vision scene he comes to, encounters some nobles who are down on their luck, obviously, since they have gone in for renting out their superb palace to complete strangers (they never even meet K & B ) as an upmarket wedding venue. Kitri's father has obviously won big time on El Gordo, because otherwise I doubt a lowly innkeeper would be able to afford such a venue for his beloved daughter (not to mention all the gorgeous costumes). Marriage celebrations.

 

I know that the story is pretty patchy in Don Quixote at the best of times, but the way it currently is, to my mind, deprives it of any dramatic tension whatsoever. It may be called "Don Quixote", but to shift the focus of so much of Act II onto the title character is in my opinion a mistake.

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Interesting to note, in the Daily Telegraph article about Shrainer (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/25/bolshoi-ballet-understudys-understudy-rises-to-covent-garden-sta/ - courtesy of this week's Links page):

 

"Shrainer, 22, has had just days to prepare the role amid her normal duties in the lowest ranks of the company, saying her promotion is “like a dream”." 

 

While I suspect that "just days" will probably turn out to be rather longer than I would assume from the wording, it doesn't sound like the best preparation for such a high-profile debut, particularly if she was battling a high temperature during the dress rehearsal.

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Doesn't Vaziev (still) appreciate that London is used to absolutely top notch performances and the ROH audience has very high expectations? I doubt that we shall see a review of last night's show from Clement Crisp (who was there!).

 

I went to three out of the four DQ's and have to say I'm puzzled by the casting.  Why was Smirnova (third cast at best) given the first night?  Alexandrova must surely be senior ballerina and in a lot of people's opinions the company's prima.  She not only danced the best Don Q I've ever seen from her, together with her partner Lantratov they came close to challenging the finest Don Q.couple of them all - Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vasiliev.   Okay, no one knows in advance on what nights a dancer will give a performance of a lifetime but surely Ms Alexandrova's seniority alone should have ensured she danced the first night.

 

Krysanova can light up the stage as Kitri too with her jaw dropping technique and sunny characterization and I agree with the opinion I've heard that those two ladies should have alternated.  Putting a hapless debutante on an unfamiliar stage is totally unfair to the poor girl, I've heard on the grapevine that last nights performance was a catalogue of disasters, I hope it doesn't damage Ms Shrainer's career.

 

Was Vaziev responsible for the casting or did the former AD have a say?  Whoever it was hasn't done the company's reputation any favours.

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I did wonder whether Alexandrova wasn't given the first night in order to reduce the pressure on her, returning to *that* stage after *that* injury, but I agree that I was puzzled about the order of casting. OTOH, is it the first night of Swan Lake tonight, and is Smirnova dancing that? If so, they may have wanted to give her some space between her performances.

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Was Vaziev responsible for the casting or did the former AD have a say?  Whoever it was hasn't done the company's reputation any favours.

 

 

The casting was definitely Vaziev's as he was quoted somewhere as wanting to get to know the company before announcing it. 

 

That said, we have known the casting for several months so the "just days" of preparation for Shrainer doesn't ring true - especially in a troupe of over 200 dancers.

 

Was it Vaziev who over-exposed a young Veronica Part to a first night Swan Lake audience (and the associated media pressure) when the Mariinsky was in London some years ago? Or was that Vinogradov?

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Unfortunately my worries about giving such a young dancer an important debut at the ROH given the prestige, high prices and audience expectations proved true last night, a quiet matinee in Moscow would have been more appropriate,I read in The Times that the new Director said he had not planned the London Season but was happy to present it, did that extend to the casting? I fully expected Maria Alexandrova to dance the opening night too!

 

Margarita Shrainer actually has the makings of a fine Kitri, last night's problems were really rough edges, finishes to solo's and the fouettes, the partnering suffered too with the one hand lifts going awray, felt sorry for Artem Ovcharenko. She looked her best in the classical vision scene, and the final pdd where they had been given more rehearsals I suppose.

 

The Dryad Queen solo is disappointing, it must be the "easy" version that Marius Petipa made for his daughter who was not technically so gifted, he made 2 versions for some dances, one for her and one for a more accomplished dancer, or so I have read, strange that the Bolshoi opted for this version.

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I seem to remember reading that Vasiev was prioritising good performances in Moscow. Perhaps the thinking is London is a good place to try things out rather than with a home audience. I think I would rather take the risk a long way from home where I only went every three years than on home soil.

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It seems very strange to me that the Bolshoi would risk its reputation by casting such a junior dancer in a principal role during a prestigious international tour. Are no other female principals or senior soloists available? I'm glad that I didn't pay £145 for that performance.

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I understood Filin did the casting one of his final jobs. As suggested by Bruce it would have been better to let the experienced Anna Tikhomirova do Kitri last night in fairness to the paying audience and Ovcharenko. I spoke to her and she confirmed she does dance Kitri. Vitaly Biktimorov is definitely a dancer I like!

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