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Mikhailovsky Don Q live on website


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Just been on the Mikhailovsky website (www.mikhailovsky.ru/en) and under forthcoming live broadcasts there is a performance of Don Q on Wed. July 25th starring Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova. It says it is a premier of the revised version of the ballet. Time is 7.30 pm, presumably St Petersburg time so not sure what time that makes it here. Running time 3 hours including 2 intervals. Can't wait!!! Joan

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Replying to my own topic but just to say I think the time here is 3 hours behind St Petersburg so it should start about 4.30pm which is about the time I used to see their performances at the cinema.

Also, the website seems to contain an archive of past broadcasts so even if it can't be seen live there will hopefully be an opportunity to see it later.

Having waited for over a year for the Bolshoi Don Q on dvd just to be told by Bel Air it will be released sometime this year (but never any sign of it) this may be the nearest we get to see them performing this role for a while.

Who needs the Olympics when you can see Osipova and Vasiliev? Joan

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My son and I watched them in Don Q during 2010 and in the PDD Vasiliev did the one arm lift, with Osipova perfectly balanced. Then he went into an arabesque, and Osipova adjusted her balance. Then he rose onto what my son described as 'demi-pointe' and yet again the balance was adjusted! Just one of the many incredible scenes we watched.

 

 

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Just been on the Mikhailovsky website (www.mikhailovsky.ru/en) and under forthcoming live broadcasts there is a performance of Don Q on Wed. July 25th starring Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova. It says it is a premier of the revised version of the ballet. Time is 7.30 pm, presumably St Petersburg time so not sure what time that makes it here. Running time 3 hours including 2 intervals. Can't wait!!! Joan

 

Thanks for the info, Joan.

 

Let's see ... the curtain rises at 10:30 am in Chicago. I suppose I'll be watching at work. :)

Edited by Willie
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Don't Forget!!! Mikhailovsky Don Q starts online on their website in just over an hour. Hopefully about 4.30pm our time. Possibly our only chance to see Osipova and Vasiliev together this year (though Osipova is, of course, guesting at the ROH in Swan lake later this year).

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No, Alison - I simply meant that the access (as an educational benefit) was free to all ... which is most refreshing ... much like the NYCB or POB educational programmes (again given in large part in free access) ... which have been so successful in building educated audiences over the long-term ... Strange, too, that they are the two companies whose schools (at least outside of Russia) are MOST identified with the company style and their own specifically identified professional core. Just remarking on and in appreciation of this tradition.

 

Enjoyed the first act - but felt some of the camera-work missed some important elements - especially vis a vis Vasiliev ... I wonder if the camera team had been present at the performance the two gave earlier in the week.

Edited by Meunier
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Just been on the Mikhailovsky website (www.mikhailovsky.ru/en) and under forthcoming live broadcasts there is a performance of Don Q on Wed. July 25th starring Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova. It says it is a premier of the revised version of the ballet. Time is 7.30 pm, presumably St Petersburg time so not sure what time that makes it here. Running time 3 hours including 2 intervals. Can't wait!!! Joan

Thank you for drawing our attention to this. I didn't pick upon it until Act3 sadly but it was an entirely unexpected pleasure to watch. I too saw them in London and they do look and dance so well together. Don Q is a great ballet for their style. I still cannot get to like the Russian habit of taking curtain calls at every verse end, but there again I suppose it's OK in Don Q

 

Why is the Russian ensemble dancing so wonderful? I am afraid I can never help comparing the togetherness and style of their corps with our own RB much as I love the latter. I suppose it must be the training

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I just thought I would take a look and it seems the stream is staying there. so take a look while you can. Beware, it is high quality, so could eat your bandwidth.

 

and maybe it was my computer, but it seemed like Osipova's fouettes were speeded up! or maybe that's actually just how fast she can do them :)

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I suspect she can do them that fast! it would be interesting to compare her and Nina Anashiavilli to see who can do the speediest fouettes.

For anyone who missed the broadcast it still seems to be on the Mikhailovsky website. Hopefully they will archive it as they have with other broadcasts so we can still enjoy it.

Like Meunier I thought the camerawork could have been better. it seemed to zoom in on Don Q himself while there was other action going on. Also, it missed half of at least one of Vasiliev's most stunning leaps. He seems to have got even better at those if that were possible. At one point I too wondered if the camera operators had seen the ballet before!

However, it was a stunning production; great sets, colourful costumes and brilliant dancing; and also very well lit (ROH take note!) apart from some dark bits in the gypsy scene.

The only thing was it did make me wonder if the Royal Ballet are really the company to tackle anything so alien to their usual style of dancing. Comparisons will inevitably be made to Osipova and Vasiliev as they are the most recent exponents people in this country have seen yet their training and traditions are very different.

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Who knows, if the suggestion I made about using the 'principal guest contract' to cover a variety of international sources as guests with the RB - (instead of but one soul artist - understandable when created for Guillem) we might have the pleasure of seeing Osipova and Vasiliev with the RB company. That would be grand I think and surely a benefit for all ALL-ROUND.

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They are such a fabulous partnership. I didn't have the time or money to get to see them in London last year so what a treat to catch it online. The Pas de Deux in Act 3 had me in tears and of course all the pyrotechnic stuff is just amazing. Was very slightly disappointed with the matador though. Usually another favourite part in the ballet for me. But wonderful to get this chance to watch online :) :) :)

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At one point I too wondered if the camera operators had seen the ballet before!

 

I've wondered that with the Bolshoi, too! It should be a sine qua non for anyone filming dance, as far as I'm concerned.

 

The only thing was it did make me wonder if the Royal Ballet are really the company to tackle anything so alien to their usual style of dancing.

 

And if meunier's suggestion of using O and V to obtain the required standard were to turn out to be correct, that would be a very big indictment either of the company or the original decision.

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Alison, I was merely suggesting that that O&V might be considered as guests ... that's all ... I wouldn't want to tamper with the home team's opportunities ... (given that I myself will be most interested in seeing them step forward in glory in whatever capacity the master choreographer - in this case Maestro Acosta - sees best fit and comes up with ... One thing of which I'm certain: it will have a wide range of differing traditions thrown in ... which will, of course, certainly honour that piece's particular history.

 

Thanks so for your kindly considered words, Alison. I so value your input: Always. You are always such a wonderful writer, and always so gloriously supportive of others. Bless you for ALL the hard work you do on behalf of us (and here I include myself) all .... This board is such a wonderful buoy. I am so pleased that the good work of this forum - seeded so fantastically by Bruce - has been able to be continued .... It makes such a notable difference for what I'm sure (well I hope) is an ever burgeoning many to balance a wide variety of views. Indeed: Bless you and ALL for this great achievement, it is truly humbling.

 

With sincere thanks.

Edited by Meunier
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