Bolshoi Ballet: The Flames of Paris, London 2013

[Bruce Wall]

Joining in this fray - one more time - I will repeat that if the RB REALLY wanted a permanent principal danseur - one who was already that rare entity - a world established ballet STAR - and one that could REALLY tick ALL the boxes (including those of McGregor whose choreographic frame I agree now forms the current shape of the rep - much as, first, Ashton and then MacMillan had before him) it would be LEONID SARAFANOV.  (Also crucially he would NOW have the professional maturity to deal with a situation that a goodly number of others have struggled with.)  Of course, these people are rare at the best of times.  What are the odds of such a thing happening?  Very small I'm certain.  (At a pinch I might even additionally suggest Robert Fairchild - (O'Hare saw him while visiting NY to see MacRae as an exchange guest in ABT's Corsaire) - but that would simply be in the realm of fantasy and, as it happens, he is far better off where he is - as are we happily.)  

That said, - while recognising I. Vasiliev's limitations which are (as I'm sure even he would admit) real - there is no question but that market forces now blow in his favour.  I'm certain that such fans considerable heat on any Director's balance.  Certainly there are roles in the Royal's rep that I think he would do well in, e.g., Prodigal Son, third movement of Symphony in C,  La Bayadere, Mercutio in R&J .... even Colas in Fille (which he has danced with note both in Moscow and Paris), etc., - EVEN DON Q which I am yet to be convinced is in the RB's character - that would make him a more than prime candidate as a current RB guest.     

Edited August 21, 2013 by Meunier

[ENBlover]

Above post for ENBlover!

 

I liked Lantratov too very stylish dancer.....too much to ask for both I suppose!!!!

 

I only saw Lantratov in the Swan Lake and loved him.  I can see him being a much more versatile dancer than Ivan -- both techinically and artistically.  What Ivan does though, he does very well.

[ENBlover]

My only reservation about this dancer in Flames of Paris is that he has somewhat patrician features making him not wholly believable as an uncouth peasant, it is to his credit that he worked so hard to overcome this "disadvantage" and to deliver such a compelling performance.

 

Felt the same way about Krysanova's Jeanne to be honest.  She did an amazing job. 

[Amelia]

Quote Meunier:

 

"Vakhtang Chabukiani (the chap who was featured in those film clips in the Mikhailovsky's Laurentia production this season.) .http://www.youtube.c...h?v=E2mY3yA2Hi4  ...  If you replaced the name with Ivan Vasiliev (or Valdimir for that matter) I think what is being said would still stand true.  It is this size of performance that has always made the Bolshoi stand out for me; the force of their stars. that has really differentiated them from the Mariinsky."

 

Yes, everyone who danced the role of Philippe in 'The Flames of Paris' admitted that he was inspired by Vakhtang Chabukiani's performance in film. Although Chabukiani’s dancing went very well together with the Bolshoi style but it is interesting to note that after training in Tbilisi in his young years he was trained for 3 years in Leningrad and was dancing with the Kirov Ballet for 12 years (1929-1941) as well as producing his own choreography there. When he did his very few performances with the Bolshoi after the war, even there he stood out. No Bolshoi male dancer of that time could match his incredible energy and fiery Georgian temperament. He was then and remains now absolutely unique.

There is a long clip on YouTube of him and Natalya Dudinskaya dancing pdd in La Bayadere. This studio recording was made, I think, in 1940. His tours and grand pirouette at the end dazzle even now:

http://my.mail.ru/video/mail/alexmix56/33042/39526.html#video=/mail/alexmix56/33042/39526

Edited for typo.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Amelia

[jmhopton]

I too would be keen on having either Lantratov or Ivan in the Royal Ballet. (Like a previous poster I suppose both is too much to hope for!) Lantratov's is obviously very versatile; easily able to tackle both the courtly roles and the more energetic character roles. I could see Ivan might be more problematic (much as I love his dancing) but I think he does need a permanent company in order to find and perfect his classical style. At the moment he just seems to be doing a lot of guesting and while that is fine while he is young I think if he does not become affiliated to one company (not necessarily the Royal) he will never successfully extend either his rep or his style. I think he is dancing Romeo at La Scala either later this year or next year but without being a company member how can he develop a classical style? it's not something you can learn in a few weeks rehearsal. Ratmansky once said he would like to see Ivan with the strictest classical teacher there is for 2 hours a day and that way he will become a good classical dancer and extend his career, both artistically and in length. At the moment if he carries on just guesting, companies are only going to want him to perform the virtuso roles he does so brilliantly because they know that's what the audience expect to see from him. But not even Nureyev managed a career based solely on virtuoso roles. He had to dance classical roles as well.  Like previous posters I think there are valid comparisons between Ivan and Irek. Both virtuoso Bolshoi dancers who left because they were typecast in Russia; even their physical shapes are similar; neither seen as ideal for classical dancing. But surely the criteria for a classical dancer should be his dancing not his shape? I do think Irek fitted in very well into the Royal Company and rep and he was 30 when he came here. Ivan is only 24. Plenty of time for him to develop classically but he does need to be thinking about it. I love seeing Ivan dance. He is possibly the most marketable male dancer in the world today (certainly in England) with the possible exception of Carlos and this is because he gives his all on stage. The audience realise that and that is why they respond to him like they do. I think his dancing in Flames was entirely appropriate given the role. You only have to see the energy of Russian Folk Companies such as the Moiseyev (If that's spelt correctly) to realise the folk based dances he was doing do need to be performed with energy and enthusiasm. The fact he always seems to be having such fun on stage is infectious too. After all, Osipova is now a principal with both the Royal and ABT as well as being given freedom to guest with companies like La Scala so she doesn't seem to think belonging to a company is holding back her career.