akimova

I was so sad to learn that Mr. Anatole (Tolya) Grigoriev passed away last week. I attended a wonderful concert in his honour at the White Lodge organized by his former pupils and was very impressed by the performance. One could definitely see the highest standards of the Russian ballet school, maintained by Anatoly, expressed in their dance. Anatoly will always be warmly remembered as a vibrant, sincere and kind person passionate about his teaching. His work lives in his pupils and their pupils. May your soul rest in peace, Anatole.

There is a big interview with Yulia Bolshakova and several photographs of her here: http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_06/ja...hakova_0805.htm

The Bolshoi, I think, has the most exciting Don Q., especially when it is danced by such dancers as Maria Alexandrova and Sergei Filin – see the pictures of the most recent performance in Moscow on the Bolshoi’s new stage (the historic Bolshoi Theatre is closed for renovation): http://www.livejournal.com/users/divanna/66751.html#cutid1

I was also fascinated with Yuliana Malkhasyants' dancing in Don O. with the Boshoi at Covent Garden last summer. She is by the way Anna Antropova's coach. There is an interview with Yuliana where she talks at length about the training of character dancers: "The models remained and the programs have been expanded. However, success depends on personality." http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_04/au...alkhasyants.htm

“This isn't from the Bolshoi's official site, but a fan site.” It would be better to say that it is a (or the) claque’s site. Therefore, nothing should come as a surprise.

Ulyana Lopatkina expressed her opinion about Mezentseva in her most recent interview: “And Mezentseva – oh, she was serene, she was a queen, she had poise, beautiful lines and a profound dramatism. She cast a spell effortlessly. The strongest impression anyone has made on me was Mezentseva with her Dying Swan. “ Full text of the interview: http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_05/ju...w_lopatkina.htm

For me - Nikolai Tsiskaridze. See: http://www.tsiskaridze.ru/page-bio.htm

There is information in the Russian newspaper "Kommersant" of 16.06.04 that Marina Semyonova received the President's Prize. The ballet critic T.Kuznetsova reports: "The President's Prize has been rewarded to Marina Semyonova. This lady who is originally from Leningrad and was Agrippina Vaganova's first and best pupil has served at the Bolshoi for 73 years: for the first 22 years as a prima ballerina and for the rest 50 years as a coach and repetiteur. Last year this People's Artist of the USSR and a Hero of Socialist Labour considered that at 95 it was too difficult to teach a daily class and on her own accord she entrusted it to her favourite pupil Nikolai Tsiskaridze although continued checking his work from time to time. It was Mr. Tsiskaridze who received the Prize on behalf of Mme Semyonova.

Is that all that attracted your attention, Mel?

The "Triumph" awards ceremony took place in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow on 26 of January. There was only one dancer among the winners of that prize - Nikolai Tsiskaridze. A famous Russian actress Alla Demidova who presented this award to Nikolai said about him: "He combined a huge talent for dancing with the gifts of a dramatic actor, a delicate spirituality with remarkable artistry and musical sense."

The photographs are really superb, I just saw them after coming back from my holidays. It is the Russian Orthodox Christmas today. Happy Christmas to Nikolai and all his colleagues at the Bolshoi!

I think it's the time to move this topic to the "Bolshoi" section. A friend of mine phoned from Moscow to tell me of Zakharova's debut in Grigorovich's "Swan Lake" on the 7th of December. She was different from Moscow ballerinas who traditionally are more emotional and stress the contrast of two characters: elegiac Odette and vicious Odile. Zakharova prefers to be more reserved in both roles, I saw her dancing "Swan Lake" in London and loved her reserve. After all, she is an enchanted bird: both the White Swan and the Black Swan are dominated by the Evil Genius. My friend thought that Zakharova was aesthetically superlative.

Which "external factors and influences are deciding what's happening at the Bolshoi Ballet"? There is only ONE factor here: the French TV is making the film. So, it is not happening at the Bolshoi . The French TV and the choreographer will decide what is best for their fil m. If the Bolshoi made this film, they could decide what the film will be l ike. Even in this case the choreographer had to be consulted.

“Sounds like a very reasonable 'Bolshoi-style' explanation, Mikhail. A good debut is not strong enough a motivation, neither is a lifelong career at the top of the Bolshoi, but the arrival of a dancer from another company, who still has to learn the role, is.” It has become so fashionable now to talk about the ‘Bolshoi-style’ in a derogatory manner. French TV will make this film and they have to market it. Zakharova is better known in France than any other ballerina currently with the Bolshoi. She successfully danced “La Bayadere” at the Opera de Paris two years ago, the audience and the company loved her; a year later she danced there again, in “Swan Lake”. She is also the choreographer’s choice. He obviously has no doubt about her ability to learn the role. Does anyone have doubts about it? The other ballerina who made a good debut last week is so lovely in the role of Ramsea that she almost definitely will be filmed too. If the choice was to be made on the basis of “a lifelong career”, then Marina Timofeyevna Semyonova should have had priority.