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Freedom Celebrity Gala in Cyprus

FionaM

By FionaM
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FionaM

FionaM

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News of a ballet gala to take place in the ancient Kourion amphitheater near Limassol in Cyprus on 7 and 8 October 2023.  
 

It is produced by Igor Tsvirko, Bolshoi principal and includes Royal Ballet principals Reece Clarke and Yasmine Naghdi amongst the performers.

 

More info on their website https://celebritygala.eu/#artist

 

and on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxX1tFCNSAN/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

 

Igor also produced an earlier gala indoors in Cyprus in February 2023, which included principals from Bolshoi, Mikhailovsky, Dutch National, Kremlin Palace, Astana Opera, Berlin State Ballet and English National Ballet.  ENB dancers were Gabrielle Frola and Natasha Mair.  
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cowir-Zo62g/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

Edited by FionaE
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capybara

capybara

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11 minutes ago, FionaE said:

News of a ballet gala to take place in the ancient Kourion amphitheater near Limassol in Cyprus on 7 and 8 October 2023.  
 

It is produced by Igor Tsvirko, Bolshoi principal and includes Royal Ballet principals Reece Clarke and Yasmine Naghdi amongst the performers.

 

More info on their website https://celebritygala.eu/#artist

 

and on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxX1tFCNSAN/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

 

Igor also produced an earlier gala indoors in Cyprus in February 2023, which included principals from Bolshoi, Mikhailovsky, Dutch National, Kremlin Palace, Astana Opera, Berlin State Ballet and English National Ballet.  ENB dancers were Gabrielle Frola and Natasha Mair.  
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cowir-Zo62g/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==


My goodness that’s ‘some’ write up about Reece Clarke.

 

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Peanut68

Peanut68

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When I first saw this I thought Freedom in title referred  perhaps that it was a fundraiser for Ukraine & that the Bolshoi dancers were ones sympathetic to Ukraine & in exile from Russia…. But digging deeper it appears using make Freedom is actually the name of the bank sponsoring the event. Looks like it is purely a money making enterprise….& I have no issue with that….though I do think many will have drawn similar initial assumption as I did (weren’t their some fundraising ballet Galas/companies for Ukraine using word Freedom in title?) 

Another lottery win like to go to event…. Though not sure how comfortable I personally feel giving backing to dancers being welcomed touring from Russian companies at present…. Only in sense that they are very much state employees & thus represent the current Russian leader whether they agree with his actions or not. 
Just my personal opinion…

 
As an aside….Certain RB dancers seem to be doing very well at upping their dancing profiles & bank balances by being in gala after gala…can’t blame them for seeing a good chance for this but it dies make me question about RB’s employment policies? Do they get kickback fees for lending out their prime dancers? 
Is it a way to ensure they keep talent happy without having to up their wages/performance quota? I still feel there are too many under-utilised Principals….must be very costly & I imagine at times frustrating for these dancers 

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MAB

MAB

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I don't see it as a political debate but as a moral one.  The Bolshoi has been super active in its support for the war against Ukraine to the extent of fundraising to buy armaments.  Some of you will no doubt have seen the picture of the missile inscribed with the message 'from the Bolshoi'.  I am very uncomfortable about dancers from a British company being allowed to take part in this.  The more so as the ROH, and indeed ACE are so overly politically correct in other matters.

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Estreiiita

Estreiiita

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In my opinion it would be so much better if we speak here about the art and leave the political aspects outside. 

  I'm sure that the great many of russian dancers don't support this war and are, moreover, against it as they only lost a lot with the beginning of the war (there are many russians perished as well, and the human lives is what matters most, but they also lost the collaboration with the european/american theaters, choreographers, etc .) There were cases in Russia when the authorities took a child away from the parent because of the antiwar drawing made by the kid, and there were arrests of the people wearing something blue and yellow (colours of the ucranian flag), not mentioning the imprisonment because of the real antiwar protests - you can't expect the artists being able to struggle against it. Sometimes they have no choice.

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capybara

capybara

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4 hours ago, Estreiiita said:

In my opinion it would be so much better if we speak here about the art and leave the political aspects outside. 

  I'm sure that the great many of russian dancers don't support this war and are, moreover, against it as they only lost a lot with the beginning of the war (there are many russians perished as well, and the human lives is what matters most, but they also lost the collaboration with the european/american theaters, choreographers, etc .) There were cases in Russia when the authorities took a child away from the parent because of the antiwar drawing made by the kid, and there were arrests of the people wearing something blue and yellow (colours of the ucranian flag), not mentioning the imprisonment because of the real antiwar protests - you can't expect the artists being able to struggle against it. Sometimes they have no choice.


I’m a bit confused @Estreiiita because you suggest we should steer clear of ‘politics’ on here but then seem to proceed on that path.

 

As regards guesting assignments, I believe that, in a very limited number of instances, one AD or Promoter might approach a dancer’s home Company with a focused request for a someone to perform.
However, as far as my understanding goes, most appearances abroad are arranged by the dancers themselves or, increasingly, by their agents, with an AD agreeing to the absence if it meshes with the schedule. (Outside the situation, there is no way of knowing whether an AD examines/approves the specifics of any assignment.)

 

The gala scene is now a very crowded space which must make it more difficult for the participating parties to be fully aware of exactly who the organisers are, who they will be performing alongside, and what the wider considerations involved in accepting a ‘gig’ might be.

 

Since no one on here (well, not yet) has asked the two RB dancers concerned what their perceptions are, I wouldn’t want to appear to criticise them, especially as I am one of those who tends to bang on about the limited number of shows RB Principals have ‘at home’ and I want the world to see how good they are - and, even if the promo for this gala appears over the top, these two are GOOD.

 

(By the way the organiser, Igor Tsvirko, is one of my favourite current Bolshoi dancers and it is so sad that we might never see him dance in the UK again.)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by capybara
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MAB

MAB

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8 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I'm curious to see how you now deal here with "we have double standards" (ref: Prisca Zeisel vs. ROB dancers).

Ms Zeisel chose to dance in a part of Russian occupied Ukraine thereby giving credence to the invaders.  On the face of it Cyprus doesn't pose the same problems, but for me a quick google serch set alarm bells ringing.  Freedom Holdings, with a Russian born CEO  doesn't look squeaky clean as the US financial investifators  Hindenburg Research appear to have have discovered. 

 

. Freedom Holding Corp. was accused of “brazen sanctions evasion,” along with openly flouting anti-money laundering 

 

Come to your own conclusions.

 

 

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FionaM

FionaM

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As I’ve mentioned elsewhere sanctions only apply from some countries (NATO and allies), and sanctions only apply to some products.  There are many exemptions … humanitarian needs such as food and health products, plus commodities such as aluminium, nickel, palladium, gold and silver. All exempt.  I’m also told there are still M&S and Clarks shoes shops in Moscow malls. (No doubt they have some way of justifying that).  
 

This gala is arranged by Bolshoi artists with Bolshoi technical team.  So it is Russian in Cyprus.  (Not the part in dispute and administrated by Turkey.)

 

It is not the only Russian / NATO collaboration going on.  
 

I assume many here will be going to see Roberto Bolle in Manon with Marianela Nuñez.   Bolle performed with Maria Khoreva, Mariinsky first soloist in Argentina and Italy earlier this year.  
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CupH9KDoeOT/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

(photo by RB’s dancersdiary)

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs8-BHsI5T5/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

 

Then there was Julian Mackay inviting Mikhailovsky dancer Anastasia Smirnova to perform with him in USA at both his own family arranged gala in Montana (covered by Graham Watts) and also a YAGP one at Segerstrom Arts Centre in California 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvvJ3bfto-k/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

 

Personally I think it is immoral to persecute these dance collaborations, when our own govts and many corporations have ongoing relationships with Russia at financial levels that dwarf anything going on in the arts.  
 

Even if NATO govts and corporates were to cease all collaborations (unlikely as the financial impact would be too huge … NATO stock markets would collapse.  It is always about the money), I don’t agree with art being subservient to politics, or worse, being a tool of politicians.  
 

Arts and literature should be free to entertain, but also to be thought provoking and to challenge the status quo.  
 

So I say bravo to those brave souls who are going against the tide, keeping connections and building bridges by collaborating in whatever way, including Kevin O’Hare who presumably is well aware of the organisers of these galas.  He must have approved participation in prior galas by RB dancers that also had Russian artists alongside.  
 

Art could and should lead the way to a better world.  

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FionaM

FionaM

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1 hour ago, MAB said:

Ms Zeisel chose to dance in a part of Russian occupied Ukraine thereby giving credence to the invaders.

 


More double standards.  
 

Nobody gave a hoot about Zeisel and others from Europe performing in Sevastopol between 2014 and 2022.  
 

Maybe because Sevastopol has always had special status being the main base of the Russian naval fleet, even when Sevastopol and Crimea were under Ukraine administration.  

Edited by FionaE
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Lizbie1

Lizbie1

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I thought that this recent article (about football) offered a very persuasive answer to the argument that sport - and by extension the arts - should not be held to a higher standard than governments.

 

"Not being able to heat your home is suffering. Cowering as the bombers fly over your school is suffering. Being imprisoned and tortured is suffering. Going a few years without winning a cup is not."

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MAB

MAB

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First of all mo one is persecuting anyone, merely pointing out the moral ambiguities of appearing with artists of a company actively supporting the Ukrainian war.

 

8 hours ago, FionaE said:

Arts and literature should be free to entertain, but also to be thought provoking and to challenge the status quo.  

 

No one would disagree but the fact remains that the arts in Ruaaia have always been used for propaganda purposes and with the current regime are used to  showcase rabid nationalism in their theatres.  Artists in Russia have historically been persecuted, imprisoned and, in the Stalin era, executed.  

 

As far as sanctions go, I am among those believing they should be far more severe and I also believe the frozen assets of Russian oligarchs should be unfrozen and given to those sufferring in Ukraine.  By the way M&S no longer operates in Russia.  If they did I personally would boycot them.

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Silver Capricorn

Silver Capricorn

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2 hours ago, MAB said:

First of all mo one is persecuting anyone, merely pointing out the moral ambiguities of appearing with artists of a company actively supporting the Ukrainian war.

 

 

No one would disagree but the fact remains that the arts in Ruaaia have always been used for propaganda purposes and with the current regime are used to  showcase rabid nationalism in their theatres.  Artists in Russia have historically been persecuted, imprisoned and, in the Stalin era, executed.  

 

As far as sanctions go, I am among those believing they should be far more severe and I also believe the frozen assets of Russian oligarchs should be unfrozen and given to those sufferring in Ukraine.  By the way M&S no longer operates in Russia.  If they did I personally would boycot them.

I totally agree!

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FionaM

FionaM

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All the posts, photos and write-ups about them have also been removed.  


I’m sorry for these artists if somehow there were misunderstandings about what they were involved in, and if their management have now prohibited participation.  (I’ve been told by ROH employees of other restrictions imposed on them.)  Sigh. 

 

 

 



 

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Guest oncnp

Guest oncnp

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39 minutes ago, FionaE said:

All the posts, photos and write-ups about them have also been removed.  


I’m sorry for these artists if somehow there were misunderstandings about what they were involved in, and if their management have now prohibited participation.  (I’ve been told by ROH employees of other restrictions imposed on them.)  Sigh. 

and yet.... Núñez still dancing with Kimin Kim in Swan Lake next year, so not prohibited with dancing with someone from the Mariinsky 

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FionaM

FionaM

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17 hours ago, oncnp said:

and yet.... Núñez still dancing with Kimin Kim in Swan Lake next year, so not prohibited with dancing with someone from the Mariinsky 


where does it end?  Where is the line?

 

Nuñez and Muntagirov are performing in South Africa who have sided with Russia via BRICS.  
 

Bolle is performing Manon with Nuñez in ROH when he’s performed with Mariinsky’s Maria Khoreva at his ‘& friends’ galas this summer and in a full length ballet in Argentina. 
 

Some European choreographers have extended their licences for their ballets to be performed in Russia.  
 

Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg performed alongside Bolshoi’s Obratsova and Belyakov at a gala in Taiwan this year.  
 

These are just a few of the across the wall collaborations in ballet that I’ve noticed.  
 

I’m seeing a Russian based international concert pianist next year.  There doesn’t seem to be the same consternation in classical music about artists collaborating.  

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FionaM

FionaM

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(How or when the war ends is not appropriate for discussion here.)
 

What I meant by where does this end … is where does one draw the line on artistic collaborations?

 

As I’ve expressed before I don’t believe arts should be kowtowing to political pressures .. but unfortunately that has always been the case. 
 

Another example to consider …why is it OK for Julian Mackay to invite and perform with a current Mikhailovsky soloist in two galas in USA during this summer.  Graham Watts was invited and reported on one of those, the Mackay family gala run in Yellowstone.  The other was a YAGP gala in Segerstrom Centre in California.
 

 His company (Munich) haven’t asked him to leave and USA border control let her in.  The American oligarchs (aka arts donors) who run the Segerstrom centre have hosted the Ratmansky Ukrainian Giselle and Xander Parish’s gala of exiles.  

 

Seems to me that there is bending of the self-imposed rules.  

 

 

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