News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland

[Sabine0308]

On 15/06/2022 at 13:14, FionaE said:

David Motta Soares has announced his debut performance with his new company Staatsballett Berlin will be 24 June.  
 

Sleeping Beauty with Ksenia Ovsyanick. 

I got a ticket👌 looking forward to see what he can do.

[Angela]

Promotions at Hamburg Ballet for next season: Xue Lin was promoted to principal, Alessandro Frola and David Rodriguez were promoted to soloists.

[annamicro]

1 hour ago, Angela said:

Promotions at Hamburg Ballet for next season: Xue Lin was promoted to principal, Alessandro Frola and David Rodriguez were promoted to soloists.

 

Alessandro Frola was superb as Desiree in Neumeier Sleeping Beauty on June 24th: he transformed what looked as a bad pastiche with another dancer in a masterpiece. A dancer born to be a principal.

Edited July 4, 2022 by annamicro

[capybara]

2 minutes ago, annamicro said:

Alessandro Frola was superb as Desiree in Neumeier Sleeping Beauty on June 24th: he transformed what looked as a bad pastiche with another dancer in a masterpiece. A dancer born to be a principal.

 

Any relation to ENB's Gabriele Frola?

[annamicro]

4 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Any relation to ENB's Gabriele Frola?

Yes, they are bothers. Alessandro is 22 I think. Quite different personality and qualities, both great talents.

[Angela]

I forgot the farewells at Hamburg: soloists Leslie Heylmann, Marc Jubete and Atte Kilpinen will end their careers, Heylmann joins the ballet school management team at Hamburg. Other leavers are Georgina Hills, Yungu Kang, Miguel Wansing Lorrio, Pietro Pelleri, Mia Petrovic, Chiara Ruaro and Aleksa Zikic.

Alexandre Riabko, principal dancer for 21 years and the ruling Nijinsky in Neumeier's "Nijinsky" for a long, long time, will move to Character Dancer.

[annamicro]

Alexandre Riabko....the most underused dancer of all time....

is Kilpinen really ending his career? I understood he just wanted to ho back to Finland (he is quite young)

[Angela]

2 hours ago, annamicro said:

Alexandre Riabko....the most underused dancer of all time....

 

Ah well, he had a lot of principal roles. There was a time when he danced everything and every other day. But I admit I'd prefer him to other Hamburg dancers today, too.

[annamicro]

He basically isn't cast in anything since a few year. Good he has several projects in other countries, especially Japan. 

He was sidelined more or less when Thiago Bordin left the company (2014) and Carsten Jung seemed to  fill in all the available spaces (as soon he finally retired, they moved to Trusch): I honestly thought Neumeier had the desire to destroy his company before leaving.

Yes, Riabko is still the greatest artist of the company and in excellent physical and technical shape (I saw him dancing few months ago in the beatiful Echoes of Life with Silvia Azzoni, accompanied by pianist Michal Bialk, and in a gala insupport of his Ukraine).

[Sabine0308]

Bayerisches Staatsballett is currently in Spain for a  mini tour. Yesterday, they opened the "Festival de Peralada" (nearby Barcelona). What I saw on Instagram is that the dancers enjoy the cultural inspiration and spending some time at the beach (well deserved after the long season) before heading to the Peralada Castle. Yesterday,they performed "Rubies", "With a chance of rain" and "Bedroom Folk". Today, it's "Affairs of the heart", "Pictures at an exhibition" and again "Rubies".

 

https://www.festivalperalada.com/en/programacio/

 

[The Sitter In]

On 21/05/2022 at 14:06, Jeannette said:

Best news: It’s the Macmillan Requiem with music by Faure from the late-1970s, rather than his late-1980s edition for ABT, to Lloyd-Weber. Hallelujah! 

 

 

 

 

This Requiem is, of course, the one made for Stuttgart by MacMillan shortly after Cranko’s death and therefore a very personal response - hence the entire cast shaking their fists at the heavens in grief at the beginning.  First cast included Cragun and Haydée, of course.

[Angela]

Some explosive roster news from Bavarian State Ballet:

As you already read here, Shale Wagman was promoted to first soloist. But Laurent Hilaire also hired a new principal dancer, Julian McKay from Mikhailovsky/San Francisco. New in the corps de ballet: Yago Gonzaga from Ballet Perm, Dani Gibson, Eline Larrory, Zhanna Gubanova, Emma Knowlson, Noah Hak.

 

Ksenia Ryzhkova and Jonah Cook are leaving for the Stanislavsky Theatre at Moscow, also Dmitrii Vyskubenko will return to Russia, to the Bolshoi. Vera Segova and Marina Duarte will move to Staatsballett Berlin, Raúl Ferreira will go to Marco Goecke's Ballet Hannover. Mia Rudić and ballet mistress/former principal dancer Ivy Amista will end their careers.

[bangorballetboy]

Hopefully Mackay will settle in Munich.  He's been a bit of a rover so far.

[FionaM]

@Angelacould you copy the press release here? 

 

[FionaM]

2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

Hopefully Mackay will settle in Munich.  He's been a bit of a rover so far.

I’m amazed he is joining as a principal.  Bravo for negotiating that.  
 

There are a number of other soloists there who are streets ahead of him in all-around ability, in my opinion, obviously, including Shale Wagman and Antonio Casalinho.  But … there is a height issue and need for traditional looking princes at Munich.  Julian does have this advantage.  
 

I also admire very much what he and his brother are bringing to ballet in the multimedia area.  I hope they will do more and better things.  

[Angela]

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

could you copy the press release here? 

 

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/press/translate-to-english-presseinformation-rueckblicke-und-ausblicke-zum-saisonende-des-bayerischen-staatsballetts

 

I fear it's in German, but you'll find the English version in the next days there, I suppose.

[FionaM]

34 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/press/translate-to-english-presseinformation-rueckblicke-und-ausblicke-zum-saisonende-des-bayerischen-staatsballetts

 

I fear it's in German, but you'll find the English version in the next days there, I suppose.

thank you that’s very helpful.  I can translate.

Edited July 14, 2022 by FionaE

[bangorballetboy]

3 hours ago, FionaE said:

I’m amazed he is joining as a principal.  Bravo for negotiating that.  

 

Well, he was a principal at San Francisco!

[capybara]

Thank you Angela for this news - very interesting.

I’m a little confused….. I was under the impression that First Soloists in Germany were the equivalent of Principals elsewhere. But the recent hirings and promotions in Munich suggest otherwise.

Please could you clarify?

[FionaM]

49 minutes ago, capybara said:

Thank you Angela for this news - very interesting.

I’m a little confused….. I was under the impression that First Soloists in Germany were the equivalent of Principals elsewhere. But the recent hirings and promotions in Munich suggest otherwise.

Please could you clarify?

Here’s the Munich dancers listing (pre-announcement) … the rankings are  principal, first soloist, soloist and corps de ballet, plus character and trainees.  Akin to Royal Ballet ranks.

 

That’s in English.  In German (you are right) the top ranks are First Soloist, Soloist  and Demi soloist 

 

So I’m now confused … what is Shale Wagman’s recent promotion to First soloist?  Is that top rank or second?  I think it’s one below the top rank.  If I read the German correctly.

 

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/bayerisches-staatsballett

Edited July 14, 2022 by FionaE

[Jeannette]

Shale is now in the next-to-highest rank, First Soloists. Julian is in the very highest rank, Principals.

 

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/bayerisches-staatsballett

 

Congratulations to both! 

[Sabine0308]

Woah about Julian joining Munich company. And yes I hope he can bring more and better multimedia content to the German/Bavarian public. We need it badly, imo. I am very confused about Yago. According to his Instagram account, he was principal in Perm, and is now joining as Demi Solist...who would do that?? Well, unless you badly want to leave Russia, maybe.

[FionaM]

11 minutes ago, Sabine0308 said:

I am very confused about Yago. According to his Instagram account, he was principal in Perm, and is now joining as Demi Solist...who would do that?? Well, unless you badly want to leave Russia, maybe.

  
Similarly Zhanna Gubanova is a leading soloist at Stanislavsky (one below top rank) and she is joining Munich in the corps.   Laurent knows her well from his AD years there.  You’d think she’d be at least a lowest level soloist in Munich.  

[LACAD]

I’m quite surprised Jonah Cook is bucking the trend among non-Russian dancers and is heading to the Stanislavsky.

[Angela]

6 hours ago, FionaE said:

Here’s the Munich dancers listing (pre-announcement) … the rankings are  principal, first soloist, soloist and corps de ballet, plus character and trainees.  Akin to Royal Ballet ranks.

 

That’s in English.  In German (you are right) the top ranks are First Soloist, Soloist  and Demi soloist 

 

We don't have a word similar to "principal", so most companies call them Erste Solisten = First Soloists. When I translate press releases into English, I try to use the English/American names for the ranks. We have "Prinzipal" which is the same Latin word, but it's not used for ballet here, but for other things.

 

I wouldn't give so much weight to the ranks and positions, it's not like in Russia or Paris - principals and soloists are not entitled to certain roles or premieres in German companies. I'm sure Laurent Hilaire will cast the dancers as he thinks is good for them and for the ballets.

 

6 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I am very confused about Yago. According to his Instagram account, he was principal in Perm, and is now joining as Demi Solist...who would do that??

 

I've seen it before - maybe they only had a corps de ballet position or a demi soloist position, but normally dancers like that are promoted in the following years. 

 

[Sabine0308]

6 hours ago, Angela said:

 

We don't have a word similar to "principal", so most companies call them Erste Solisten = First Soloists. When I translate press releases into English, I try to use the 

 

I've seen it before - maybe they only had a corps de ballet position or a demi soloist position, but normally dancers like that are promoted in the following years. 

 

Yes I thought it's about open positions (Shale’s was available) but I was surprised from the dancer's point of view. Well he's made a good choice and of course, promotion is on the horizon 

[Sabine0308]

6 hours ago, LACAD said:

I’m quite surprised Jonah Cook is bucking the trend among non-Russian dancers and is heading to the Stanislavsky.

This might be for very private reasons. Ksenia Ryshkova is his Partner in private life and they have small children (or at least one very small, Ksenia returned from maternity leave this year) and she's from Moscow.

[Angela]

 

The Süddeutsche Zeitung has spoken to Ksenia Ryzhkova and Jonah Cook about their reasons to leave Munich for Moscow. Of course they have private reasons, Ruzhkova’s parents live there. They told the newspaper that "going to Russia was not our original hope at all." Cook, who is British, said that Brexit has made Germany and Great Britain, in other words: him and his parents, "feel further away than ever". The dancer thinks that Moscow makes no big difference to that, he told the Süddeutsche. According to the newspaper, Cook also cites political motives. He looks critically at the current polarization of society: "Cultural norms in the West are shifting. What was a reasonable conservative opinion ten years ago has become something unspeakable." What superficially looks like fighting for freedom of expression, is actually about "who has freedom of speech". Cook also said: "The level of aggression of many Europeans towards normal Russian citizens is amazing - it will take generations until all this is over."

 

[FionaM]

"The level of aggression of many Europeans towards normal Russian citizens is amazing - it will take generations until all this is over."

I find this comment to be terribly sad (though not surprising) … that Ksenia and other Russians in the West are suffering in this way … especially when ordinary Russian citizens have arguably less influence over their government’s actions than UK/EU citizens do. 

I shall personally miss Ksenia Ryzhkova … a favourite ballerina of mine in Europe … and will console myself with audience videos of her shows in Moscow.  That is definitely an upside of Russian ballet.  And it does not stop anyone from going to live shows … quite the opposite … it encourages more.
 

I am feeling very grateful indeed to have seen her perform just 2 months ago in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Munich.  Jonah was also in it … very good technically (graceful dancer) and so comical as Lysander; a more substantial role in this full length version than in Ashton’s one act ballet.  Jonah has also just completed his first choreography for the company.  

[Sabine0308]

I saw both dancers last season in several productions, dancing together or not, and loved them, and will miss them. When I saw Ksenia debut as Swanilda, alongside Shale Wagman as Franz, I thought they would make a good couple for future pieces/ballets. It's sad how the gap between cultures is getting deeper and deeper again. Let's not forget them and respect their decision. And let's not loose hope for a reunion, someday❤️💐

[Birdy]

I’m not sure it’s fair to characterize Julian MacKay as a rover. He only left Russia when the Covid pandemic started and his dad was dying. Unfortunately all the cancelled flights made him miss his dad’s final days. It doesn’t sound as though he left San Francisco Ballet by choice, so he may well have hoped to settle in there for a while.

[LinMM]

I know the other thread about the statement put out by Northern School of Contemporary Dance has been closed but today Lauretta Summerscales from the Bavarian Opera and Ballet Company has put out a statement on her Facebook page in defence of Ballet and urging people to take up its cause where needed.  
Just in case anybody wants to read it. 

[Jan McNulty]

Lauretta Summerscales FB page is open if you are on FB:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=591879162304394&set=a.280601470098833

 

Her post is highly emotive and she hasn't mentioned the statement put out by NSCD that while ballet may not be part of the audition process it will still be part of the curriculum.