Mariinsky Ballet - News

[Amelia]

Sorry to start this topic on a sad note.

 

GALINA RAKHMANOVA

 

There are some special dancers whose names never (or almost never) appear in the first lines of castlists but, nevertheless, not only their performance impresses as much as the principals’ but on some occasions is even more memorable. For me Galina Rakhmanova at Mariinsky Ballet was one of those special dancers.

She graduated as a classical dancer from Natalya Dudunskaya’s class at Vaganova Academy and, as tradition required, joined the Kirov’s corps de ballet. Gradually she started getting some coryphee and solo parts, like Kitri’s friend in Don Q., one of Big Swans in SL and even Zarema in “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”. Later she moved away from these roles and switched over to character dances. Here, with her distinguished appearance - raven-black hair, enormous dark eyes, tall and incredibly flexible figure and long supple arms - she was unforgettable. It wasn’t just her technical prowess that delighted me but the grace and dignity in each of her gestures and her entire noble image.

When I heard on the 5^th of October that Galina died on that day, aged 49, I felt so sad and cannot help but keep watching from time to time some short recordings of her dancing. Here is one, the Spanish dance from ‘La Traviata’. Every movement is beautiful but how different it is in style from her Spanish dance in ‘Swan Lake’ or Mercedes in ‘Don Q.”! Even after the end of her dance she moves in such a stylish manner, totally appropriate for the Verdi’s opera.

Spanish dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJWbbYHDiwo

What a great loss for the company and the dancers she was working with as a repetiteur.

Galina’s funeral will be tomorrow, on Wednesday. This is the obituary on Mariinsky’s website:

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news1/news2/08_231oct1/

 

[Amelia]

Mariinsky Ballet Festival started with the opening night of McGregor's "Infra":

 

http://www.tv100.ru/news/mariinskij-festival-maslenica-startoval-s-premery-uejna-makgregora-infra-88370/ 

[Amelia]

Laura Cappelle awarded Mariinsky's "Sylvia" and "Infra" with 4 stars in FT:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/450905d4-bf01-11e3-8683-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2ykV3sBBD

Edited for typo.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Amelia

[alison]

22 hours ago, Amelia said:

Sometimes you hear a news that is difficult to believe. Just heard some minutes ago, confirmed by Igor Kolb, that Sergei Vikharev died. He had a lively, boyish personality.   https://www.facebook.com/igor.kolb

An excellent Mariinsky dancer whose dancing in “La vivandiere” in London in 1988 remains in my memory as one of the highlights of that tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNyp-WPV-aM

as well as his meticulously researched and reconstructed ballets by Petipa.

Mariinsky Ballet has not put this news on its website yet.

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/repetiteurs/vikharev

 

 

22 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

What dreadfully sad news.  Condolences to his family and friends.

 

22 hours ago, MAB said:

I'm mortified to hear this news, I first met Sergei Vikharev when I interviewed him prior to his reconstruction of La Bayadere,  Meeting him was an education as his knowledge of ballet history was profound and subsequent conversations with him concerning the aesthetics of classical style gave me an understanding of the art that cannot be found in books.

 

His death will I imagine dash the hopes of those of us that dreamed he would have the opportunity to bring back to life further Petipa gems in the Harvard archive.  This is a terrible tragedy.

 

Off duty, Sergei was a good natured soul, always friendly and easy going and although better known for his vital work reconstructing the Petipa classics, he had been a dancer of considerable talent and fortunately examples of his performances exist on video.

 

Rest in peace dear Sergei. 

 

21 hours ago, assoluta said:

He died today, not even 56. Terribly sad news...

 

21 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Lovely words MAB.  Thank you.

 

20 hours ago, Amelia said:

 

He was asked by the Bolshoi to rehearse in the coming season the renewal of his version of "Coppelia".

This TV programme shows his rehearsals of "Coppelia" with Osipova, Alexandrova and others at the Bolshoi in 2009: http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=4750&start=570

 

Official announcement on Mariinsky's site:

https://www.mariinsky.ru/news1/2017/06/02_2

You can use:  russian english translator

 

 

18 hours ago, LinMM said:

This is very sad and he was so young. 

 

4 hours ago, Amelia said:

I received a PM about an erroneous link in my previous message to Vikharev's rehearsals of "Coppelia". Sorry! Please see the correct link here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYICLLPKnp4

 

 

3 hours ago, Geoff said:

 

Who is dancing in the black and white clip at 2:50? Fabulous!

 

2 hours ago, assoluta said:

Olga Lepeshinskaya

 

I'll leave a copy of this conversation here, but I think this sad news deserves a thread of its own.

[alison]

New thread here:

 

[assoluta]

Once again, the top graduating student of the Vaganova Academy is choosing Bolshoi over Mariinsky. This time it is Eleonora Sevenard. The trend is due to 9 years of discrimination of the Vaganova students by the acting director of Mariinsky who is on record saying (in an interview published in Dancing Times) that "Vaganova graduates are good only for corps de ballet". And good they are, as we will have soon an opportunity to witness this in London.

[MAB]

I would have thought the fact that seven out of eight of the company's female principals are Vaganova graduates would have exactly the opposite effect.

[assoluta]

Would have but it doesn't: only one one of those "seven" has been promoted during the interminable "interim" appointment of the acting director, this happened exactly 5 years ago (Kondaurova) and was expressly the will of Mister Gergiev who considers Mlle Kondaurova to be very photogenic. Stellar quality artists have been seemingly forever dancing at the lower ranks all their careers, some buried in the thick mass of corps de ballet.

Edited June 7, 2017 by assoluta

[LinMM]

Do you know where the information about Eleonora Sevenard accepting a contract at the Bolshoi has been revealed....is it on the Vaganova website?

[assoluta]

Such information is private, the Academy doesn't publish it, of course. Only three graduating females were offered a job this year at Mariinsky in the first round by the acting director, Sevenard one of the three, she had also an offer from Bolshoi. She chose Bolshoi and wanted this to be known.

[Pas de Quatre]

This sounds like the latest round in the Mariinsky/Bolshoi centuries old rivalry. Nikolay Tsiskaridze left the Bolshoi to become Rector of the Vaganova Academy, much to the dismay of many in St. Petersburg.

[assoluta]

Not really, Pas de Quatre, this is exclusively due to the situation at Mariinsky. Diana Vishneva made every effort to dislodge the acting director last year, many believed she succeeded. Alas, he is again as secure in his position as he ever was, probably even more now. Expect seven more lean years ("seven" here is a biblical number, not an exact prediction).

 

By the way, one cannot really talk of " centuries old rivalry". Before the revolution, the Bolshoi theatres in St. Petersburg and in Moscow were of different level (yes, there is no mistake here, originally, the seat of the Imperial theatre in St. Petersburg was known as "Bolshoi" too; it was indeed bigger than the later Mariinsky theatre).

Edited June 7, 2017 by assoluta

[Pas de Quatre]

Yes Bolshoi is a rank not just a physical size. It was used to denote theatres for Opera & Ballet as opposed to Plays.

 

[Amelia]

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

Do you know where the information about Eleonora Sevenard accepting a contract at the Bolshoi has been revealed....is it on the Vaganova website?

 

It was on St.Petersburg TV Channel.

Eleonora Sevenard, a student of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet:

“I had two invitations, to Mariinsky and Bolshoi, but I made my choice — next season I will start working at the Bolshoi Theatre.” https://topspb.tv/news/2017/06/6/naslednaya-graciya-vnuchataya-plemyannica-matildy-kshesinskoj-gotovitsya-k-vypusknomu-balu/

Edited for layout.

Edited June 7, 2017 by Amelia

[LinMM]

Many thanks for that I will send you a PM

[MAB]

15 hours ago, assoluta said:

Not really, Pas de Quatre, this is exclusively due to the situation at Mariinsky. Diana Vishneva made every effort to dislodge the acting director last year, many believed she succeeded. Alas, he is again as secure in his position as he ever was, probably even more now.

 

Is this information in the public domain?  I really think you should provide a link to a reputable source, otherwise you are simply peddling partisan gossip.

[assoluta]

This is not a partisan gossip, this is a common knowledge, e.g., Igor Stupnikov mentions this in Dancing Times.

[capybara]

 When people discuss the issues relating to the leadership at the Mariinsky, it feels as if they are speaking in code. What exactly is the problem with Yuri Fateyev?

 

My personal 'beef' with him is that he is not bringing Olesia Novikova to London. (Yes, I know she has young children and all that, but......)

[MAB]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

 When people discuss the issues relating to the leadership at the Mariinsky, it feels as if they are speaking in code. What exactly is the problem with Yuri Fateyev?

 

My personal 'beef' with him is that he is not bringing Olesia Novikova to London. (Yes, I know she has young children and all that, but......)

 

Osmolkina has two little boys, but she is coming.

 

I'm not a big fan of Fateyev myself, but I feel company intrigues aren't suitable topics for a thread dedicated to factual news.

[assoluta]

Ulyana Lopatkina retired from the Mariinsky (according to an announcement by the Mariinsky).

[penelopesimpson]

Wow!

[John Mallinson]

It's here on their Facebook page.

[ENBlover]

Ulyana and Diana have defined the era. I have so much admiration and respect for these two artists. I am glad Diana is still dancing. And I'm very sad I won't see Ulyana on stage any more. I hope she takes over Vaganiva at some point or becomes AD at Mariinsky. A true ballerina. 

[LinMM]

Agree ENBlover.

i was just hoping she still might be coming to UK in the summer or whether she has gone already.

[alison]

It feels like the end of an era, somewhat

[assoluta]

In reality, that era ended several years ago, I am afraid.

[cavycapers]

Lopatkina was the loveliest swan I ever saw.

[capybara]

I remember Lopatkina as a superb 18 year old Lilac Fairy.

[assoluta]

She was indeed exquisite when young. Her 1994 Adagio in Balanchine's Symphony in C is one of the most memorable things I witnessed on ballet stage during the last 30 years (later she lost that fresh tenderness she had been been displaying when she was very young, her dancing acquired a certain aura of deliberate preciosity, in particular, the Swan Lakes of her middle age were not moving me the same way).

[penelopesimpson]

Was Lopatkina the ballerina everybody was raving about when the Kirov came to the Design Centre?

[capybara]

2 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Was Lopatkina the ballerina everybody was raving about when the Kirov came to the Design Centre?

 

No, that was in 1988, before her time. The leading ballerina then was Altynai Asylmuratova. Also fabulous although completely different.

[penelopesimpson]

14 hours ago, capybara said:

 

No, that was in 1988, before her time. The leading ballerina then was Altynai Asylmuratova. Also fabulous although completely different.

Was Asylmuratova at the Design Centre?  I don't remember it.  I saw her at The Colisseum and she took my breath away.

[capybara]

Yes, she was. She danced Medora in the Jardin Animee from Le Corsaire on the Saturday evening when Natalia Makarova made her return appearance with the Kirov (earlier in the programme)..