45 replies to this topic

[Mashinka]

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Tkachenko was dreadful in Ballet Imperial in her debut several months ago.

When she danced this role in Germany last December, I thought she was perfectly adequate, not inspired, but far, far from being "dreadful"

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How dare they not bring Dumchenko for Juliet?????!!!!!

Having seen Ms Dumchenko dance The Firebird in Cardiff last April, I feel her return to the stage has been premature; she needs a lot more time to get back to the kind of form necessary for leading roles.

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Scherbakov was reportedly told that he would finally get to repeat his Albrecht on July 30, more than a year since his wonderful debut.  Then the performance was taken away from him, with no explanation given.

Will Scherbakov appear as Mercutio?  I'm told he's wonderful in the role.

Also will Baimuradov and Zubkovsky be included among the character dancers?

Alina Somova should notbe dancing the lead in Swan Lake, in fact she shouldn't be allowed near any type of leading role at all.

[Thalictum]

There may be people who have bought tickets to see Vishneva and Sarafanov dance together that night.  They may well be disappointed.

[Thalictum]

Tkachenko was dreadful compared to what the role should be.  She didn't fall down, but there wasn't one imperial moment in the entire performance.
She's been good in other things -- in fact I thought she looked very promising at the Kennedy Center in 2002 -- but she's been pushed way too fast.  

Dumchenko reportedly danced brilliantly at Lopatkina's gala June 22.  She also gave a superb Juliet last December.  I don't know why she was wobbly in Cardiff.  She dances quite infrequently now -- although three times in the Lopatkina evening -- and it is hard to regain shape that way.  She is a great favorite in London, and was on maternity leave last time the Kirov was there two years ago.  
Personally I'd rather see her wobble than watch Tkachenko plod.
  
I don't know whether Scherbakov dances Mercutio in London.  

I assume Baimuradov and Zubkovsky will be there -- don't know for sure.

Couldn't agree with you more about Samova.

[Natalia]

Thalictum,  Vishneva has never danced Odette/Odile at the Mariinsky so why would you think that she would dance it in London?  (wink) She is not considered to have the right temperament & line for Odette, while Somova, Bolshakova & Vostrotina are. Perhaps if the Vaganova version of Swan Lake is ever revived -- with different dancers dancing Odette and Odile -- we'll see Vishneva's Odile at the Mariinsky.  Luckily for DV's fans, she's been able to dance the full SL in Berlin, Tokyo &, now, in NYC (ABT).

FACT:  Somova & Terioshkina are absolutely being pushed/promoted by the Kirov management.  All we can do is deal with it (if not accept it). Terioshkina has speedily been promoted to First Soloist.

PREDICTION:  Terioshkina, I predict, will be named Principal (the highest rank) by season's end.  Clement Crisp's flowery praise of Terioshkina at the last Mariinsky Fest has just speeded things up!

PREDICTION: Somova will probably achieve Principal by the end of next season.  She gets debut after debut....'Etudes' lead just prior to embarking on the DC tour, for example.

FACT:  Somova is absolutely despised by all of my knowledgeable 'old timer' ballet friends, who pay for Balcony seats. I don't mean 'disliked'...I purposely state the word 'despised.'  Read/translate the Mariinka.com and other unofficial web Russian-lang web fora & read that this is the common thinking among local Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet followers, not just my personal circle.

[Azulynn]

Daria Pavlenko's website gives the dates of 21, 24, 26, 27 and 29 July ; 21 July is the only date that isn't actually stated in the casting provided in this thread. Any chance she might be finally replacing Vostrotina in the last Swan Lake, according to you all ?

[Helene]

[ADMIN BEANIE ON]

Please note that the casting predictions, while based on long-time observations by knowledgeable posters, are predictions only.  

There will be no refunds

[ADMIN BEANIE OFF]

[Natalia]

I hear you, Helene!  A prediction is definitely a prediction & no refunds are offered!

Azulynn - I can't predict that for you. All I can say is that Vostrotina *did* dance Swan Lake in early June, in St. Petersburg, as a warm-up for London....as did the other novices (Bolshakova & Somova).  In other words, all systems are 'go' for the three young Odettes/Odiles to take London by storm, so to speak.  I don't remember the last time that Pavlenko danced Odette/Odile..last August, perhaps.

FACT - A friend just reminded me that Pavlenko's last ballet performance in St Petersburg was the May 1 'Manon' with Bolshoi guest Nikolai Tsiskaridze. Happily for all of us, Pavlenko is slated to dance several performances in London...the first time she gets to dance in almost three months. Let's be grateful that she's dancing the Forsythes, the Balanchines and one Bayadere.  Anything beyond that would be icing on the cake!

Edited by Natalia, 12 July 2005 - 08:14 AM.

[Azulynn]

I don't really mind the predictions becoming true or not, since I've already got my ticket. I'll see the performance, be Vostrotina or Pavlenko, but I'd be most glad if it could turn out to be the second one !
Thanks for the answer, Natalia ! ;)

[Helene]

Natalia,

If I were buying tickets, I'd follow your odds sheet  

[Helene]

Thalictum, on Jul 11 2005, 11:01 PM, said:

No, Helene, I'm not going to tell you exactly who told me what so that I can watch more careers be destroyed. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is precisely why we have gossip and "no backstage" policies, which is, if it's in print, post and source it, and if it's not, don't post it here.

[Thalictum]

My way of dealing with the current casting decisions by the Kirov may well be to severely curtail my future visits to the company.

Samova's Etudes debut was a year ago, incredible as it seems.

[Cygnet]

Thalictum, on Jul 12 2005, 02:24 AM, said:

And a source close to [snip]

And how sad that London will not see Vishneva's magnificent Odette/Odile!!!!
Let's say that Samova, Bolshakova, and Vostrontina could learn a lot from seeing it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree Thalictum!  Who knows why the MT does what they do as far as casting is concerned.

[Natalia]

Cygnet -

Irina Kolpakova never danced Swan Lake during her many years as prima ballerina (de facto if not title) of the Kirov.  

Russian Artistic Directors simply have their set ideas on emploi. Their 'thinking' has been such since Catherine the Great, though all Czars & Commisars,  and there's nothing that you and I can do to bring logic to bear!

Thalictum - I know that Somova danced the Sylphide portion of Etudes at the Ulanova Memorial Gala at the Bolshoi in May 2004 (I was there! She bombed, IMO.) but not the full ballet back home. Can you confirm?  Last week's Etudes was reviewed as her official debut in the role, according to mariinka.org.  They could, of course, be wrong.

NN

[Cygnet]

Natalia, on Jul 12 2005, 05:42 PM, said:

Cygnet -

Irina Kolpakova never danced Swan Lake during her many years as prima ballerina (de facto if not title) of the Kirov. 

Russian Artistic Directors simply have their set ideas on emploi. Their 'thinking' has been such since Catherine the Great, though all Czars & Commisars,  and there's nothing that you and I can do to bring logic to bear!

Thalictum - I know that Somova danced the Sylphide portion of Etudes at the Ulanova Memorial Gala at the Bolshoi in May 2004 (I was there! She bombed, IMO.) but not the full ballet back home. Can you confirm?  Last week's Etudes was reviewed as her official debut in the role, according to mariinka.org.  They could, of course, be wrong.

NN

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I know, I know; but it's still frustrating.  Re Somova:  Perhaps she excels
in class and rehearsal.  I'm mystified.  Can't they see she's unable to deliver when it counts? (Also, what's happened to the Yana Selina campaign)?

[Thalictum]

How can we possibly take seriously the idea of "emploi" at the Mariinsky when Korsakov now dances Solor and Albrecht (and was scheduled, then scrubbed, for Jean de Brienne last April)?  Not to mention Sarafanov, who dances every danseur noble role in the rep regularly?

The Kirov only invokes "emploi" when it wants to keep someone out of a role.
The only functional emploi active these days is the dancer's relationship with the management.

I do predict that, after her triumphs in New York, Vishneva will dance Odette/Odile at the Mariinsky in 2005-2006

Kolpakova did, however, rehearse Swan Lake.  Probably she herself or her coach decided she shouldn't do it, because if she had insisted, she could have gotten performances -- at least after Sergeyev left in 1970.  

A friend of mine saw Samova in Etudes at the Mariinsky during White Nights, 2004.  At least when she read me the program over the phone it had Samova's name in as the lead.

Selina is a very busy soloist.  Do people feel she should be doing more?
She was superb in La Valse last January at Kennedy Center.