Bolshoi - Legend of Love 60th Anniversary - Alena Kovaleva

[Buddy]

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Yuri Grigorovich's famous masterpiece, A Legend of Love, and the Bolshoi is presenting it five times this month.

 

I'm a particular fan of the young, captivating and highly talented Alena Kovaleva, who has risen fast having been given the coveted Odette/Odile from Swan Lake almost upon her arrival. Now she just debuted as Queen Mekhmene Banu (the lead) partnered by Jacopo Tissi with the lovely Anna Nikulina as Princess Shireen, her sister.

 

I am reading what seems to be a very nice review by Inna K at the Bolshoi oriented Balletfriends, Большой - Балет и Опера, Forum. Not wanting to rush through, I'm stopping here to post two Google translated quotes.

 

"I will say right away that I really liked her Mekhmene...."

 

And most touching and important to me:

 

"As a simple spectator, I am guided by a very simple criterion - it touches the soul or not, and in this case Mehmene convinced me from the very first minutes of her appearance".

 

I may write some more at another time. I do wish her much success with this and her entire career.

 

http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=9480&start=135

Google translate -- https://translate.google.com

 

[Buddy]

I caught this too late to make the correction, but the ballet premiered in 1961 making this its 60th anniversary, not its 30th. If a moderator wishes, maybe the title of this topic could be changed to:

 

"Bolshoi - Legend of Love 60th Anniversary - Alena Kovaleva" 

 

"Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love premiered in 1961 while he was head of the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet, with Rudolf Nureyev in the lead role of Ferkhad. It was Grigorovich's second ballet – the first being the highly successful Stone Flower –and it established his reputation as an innovative new choreographer. The production was a multi-national collaboration: the choreography by the Russian [choreographer], the libretto by Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, a score by Azerbaijani Arif Melikof, and sets designed by Georgian Simon Virsaladze."

 

https://bachtrack.com/review-legend-of-love-bolshoi-ballet-historic-stage-moscow-december-2015
 

[Jan McNulty]

I've amended the title as you requested Buddy.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Buddy said:

I caught this too late to make the correction, but the ballet premiered in 1961 making this its 60th anniversary, not its 30th. If a moderator wishes, maybe the title of this topic could be changed to:

 

"Bolshoi - Legend of Love 60th Anniversary - Alena Kovaleva" 

 

"Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love premiered in 1961 while he was head of the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet, with Rudolf Nureyev in the lead role of Ferkhad. It was Grigorovich's second ballet – the first being the highly successful Stone Flower –and it established his reputation as an innovative new choreographer. The production was a multi-national collaboration: the choreography by the Russian [choreographer], the libretto by Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, a score by Azerbaijani Arif Melikof, and sets designed by Georgian Simon Virsaladze."

 

https://bachtrack.com/review-legend-of-love-bolshoi-ballet-historic-stage-moscow-december-2015
 

He was certainly director of the Bolshoi Ballet, but I don't think he was ever 'head of the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet)'

[Buddy]

1 hour ago, Darlex said:

He was certainly director of the Bolshoi Ballet, but I don't think he was ever 'head of the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet)'

 

Here's how that goes, Dalex, and thanks, Jan. This is actually kind of interesting as I didn't know about it. And Rudolf Nureyev being the first in the lead role of Ferkhad is also quite interesting.

 

"A graduate of the Leningrad School of Dance in 1946, Yuri Grigorovich began his artistic career as a ballet dancer (and later a soloist) at the Leningrad State Academic Kirov Theatre, where he staged his first productions – The Stone Flower (1957) and The Legend of Love (1961), while from 1961 to 1964 he was the theatre's resident choreographer."

 

(Mariinsky site) -- https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/choreographers/grigorovich/

 

I'd like to add that the interpretation of Queen Mekhmene Banu is generally a deeply dramatic one. I have written elsewhere that because of Alena Kovaleva's 'vibrantly' graceful manner and presence, I really wouldn't miss this sort of 'heavy' interpretation. Apparently, according to the review, this is exactly how she handled it and very effectively -- being regal, but "kind and touching" rather than heavily dramatic.    

 

Also another Correction:  Ferkhad was Denis Rodkin (not Jacopo Tissi) and Princesse Shireen was Maria Vinogradova (not Anna Nikulina)

 

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by Buddy

[Jeannette]

Alexander Gribov, not Nureyev, danced Ferkhad at the premiere of Grigorovich’s Legend of Love (Kirov, 1961).  

[Buddy]

1 hour ago, Jeannette said:

Alexander Gribov, not Nureyev, danced Ferkhad at the premiere of Grigorovich’s Legend of Love (Kirov, 1961).  

My quick perusal of the internet seems to confirm what you say, Jeannette. Thank you.

 

Apparently Rudolf Nureyev was chosen by Yuri Grigorovich for the debut, greatly desired it and rehearsed it for quite awhile, but it didn't happen.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Buddy

[Jeannette]

Buddy, the problem is that the Bachtrack reviewer who you quoted didn’t do her homework. Alas, in this social media age, there are too many parvenues masquerading as professional critics. Fact checking is part of being a professional.

[Guest]

And once published, it's too late to Backtrack! 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Darlex

[Jan McNulty]

11 minutes ago, Darlex said:

And once published, it's too late to Backtrack! 

 

Darlex, that's just made me laugh out loud!!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Darlex, that's just made me laugh out loud!!

Not sure that my very occasional forays into humour have always hit the right note, but very happy to have made you laugh, Jan. Thanks for all your work on this forum, especially the links. 

[Buddy]

Yes, thank you, Jan, and Ian also. 

 

The Mariinsky had an exhibit celebrating the 60th Anniversary and here are some nice, historic photos. (scroll down)

The forth photo shows the creators. (from left to right): Simon Virsaladze, Yuri Grigorovich, Nazym Hikmet, Arif Melikov, Niyazi. 1961

 

And sure enough, in the last photo is Alexander Gribov as Ferkhad. (March 23, 1961)

 

Thanks to Алексей Яковлев (Alexey Yakovlev) at Balletfriends, Большой - Балет и Опера 

http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=9480&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135

 

Here's the Google translator for anyone who wants to read the captions.

https://translate.google.com

 

"Olga Moiseeva performed the role of Mekhmene Banu, Irina Kolpakova, the future prima of the Kirov ballet and the last student of the great Vaganova, performed the role of Shireen."

 

https://www.bolshoirussia.com/news/?year=digest2&newsid=106
 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Buddy

[Jeannette]

5 hours ago, Darlex said:

And once published, it's too late to Backtrack! 

 

I’ve just spilled my coffee! Bwaaaah hah hah!!! 😂 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Jeannette

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Jeannette said:

 

I’ve just spilled my coffee! Bwaaaah hah hah!!! 😂 

 

 

 

 

 

Glad that made you laugh, Jeanette. I still felt I had to make it up to you after my naughty April Fool! 

 

And thank you Buddy. I have never seen Legend of Love, but will make an effort to now. 

[Buddy]

What makes this work so interesting to me, Darlex, is its Structural Invention, in particular its shapes and motion. They are an extension of previous classical ballet. But most important, they work so well.  

 

"His dancers are usually seen in profile, with flexed wrists and palms out, evoking Asian dance silhouettes, but also exploring the V‐shaped acrobatic broken lines of the plastique special to Soviet ballet."

 

https://www.nytimes.com/1979/08/23/archives/ballet-us-premiere-of-legend-of-love.html

 

I think that this description could be extended to all the elements of this work. "Dance silhouettes" and "acrobatic" are possibly key words.

 

There's also a contrast of quiet peace and surging energy throughout and a merging of East and West.

 

Added: What Alena Kovaleva apparently has brought to this work is a significantly heightened sense of warmth and grace.
 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Buddy

[Buddy]

If I could just add a few more brief thoughts.

 

Again, it's worth emphasising that A Legend of Love is generally considered Yuri Grigorovich's finest work, perhaps one of the finest works in all of ballet. In invention, it's possibly on a par with the best of George Balanchine, although George Balanchine was probably much more prolific in output and ideas.

 

The fact that Yuri Grigorovich stayed closer to the 'etherial' nature of classical ballet is something that I appreciate. 'Etherial' nature is what makes me a ballet fan, a lover of Swan Lake, Giselle....  

 

On the other hand, the attraction for me of A Legend of Love is that it's driven by a pulsating momentum with a depth of poetic reflection, but probably most importantly -- by a wealth of imagery.

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Buddy