88 replies to this topic

[richard53dog]

I'm putting together a list of programs I'd like to see.

Great intentions. It'll be interesting to see next April how the programs match what they are showing now.

A year is a long time in advance to put out a schedule.

[drb]

One should temper one's enthusiasm.
Point 1: Most of what will be on stage will be blocked from view.  See recent venues discussion, not to mention the leaners problem.  Unless you are in the (W)NBA, I hope you can get Grand Tier, Row A, 3 digits.  But definitely not row B.  
Point 2: Some of what is promised will not fit on that stage.  I would assume that at some point the Mariinsky will learn the stage dimensions.

[carbro]

drb, on Apr 19 2007, 08:38 PM, said:

Some of what is promised will not fit on that stage.  I would assume that at some point the Mariinsky will learn the stage dimensions.

I won't assume anything -- at least ahead of time, but a reduced Shades corps of 24 should be okay.  Balanchine's Theme & Variations, with its 24 corps & demis combined, plus two principals, premiered on that stage, and ABT has performed it recently there.

There is the additional matter of no wing space, which I hope comes as no surprise by the time the company arrives on 55th St.

[Dale]

The Kirov (and the Vaganova school) did the Shades scene at BAM and the company did it at the smaller of the 2 theaters at the Kennedy Center.  It wasn't the perfect space but I think they're used to those conditions.  Not every theater they perform in is as big as it's home theater, the Royal Opera House or the Met.

[papeetepatrick]

carbro, on Apr 19 2007, 05:05 PM, said:

Given the dearth of Good Seats in City Center, I would recommend buying at the soonest opportunity, not the second soonest.  

Thanks, I agree, and had not immediately noticed that that will be all-Balanchine--should be stupendous, even in that theatre.   Good Seats in City Center are definitely in dearth supply, as we all know...

I guess I'll try the phone first, and if I don't get through in five minutes, then do it online.  

This is just plain thrilling, especially after I was recently lamenting not finding it practicable to travel to Russia (nor terribly wanting to) to see the Kirov.  I hope the Royal will see fit to re-visit us too, even if we get the same sea-level arrangement (if it's good enough for the Kirov, it's good enough for me and anybody else, if I do say so myself).

[YID]

Natalia, on Apr 19 2007, 09:15 AM, said:

Spectacular news!  It's nice that we know about this one full year in advance, so as to make appropriate vacation & lodging plans. Some of us may be 'camping out' in NYC for an extended period. )

Wow, great news!!! tempted to go and get tickets to EVERY performance ;-)) (will go bankrupt then). Is it common that tickets go on sale so long in advance? a year?
... anyway, praying that I can stay in the USA next year... and if it happens - contact me if you need "the camp out" solutions ;-)) NY is such an expensive place for even camping out ;-))

[Natalia]

Purchase done successfully over the City Center website. Nice Center Mezz seats for all of my choices. Now I need to hide the bill from my husband....   Awww, just kidding! He loves ballet, too!

[richard53dog]

Natalia, on Apr 20 2007, 03:13 PM, said:

Purchase done successfully over the City Center website. Nice Center Mezz seats for all of my choices. Now I need to hide the bill from my husband....   Awww, just kidding! He loves ballet, too!

Me too! Very fast and easy and I got decent seats. I bought three programs I wanted to see, maybe will pick up more later.

[Dale]

Got mine, too.  I feel weird ordering tickets a year in advance.  I'll have to tell my next of kin about them!  My guess is they'll use the revenue generated by the early ticket sales the same way sports teams use their early season ticket renewal money.

[richard53dog]

Dale, on Apr 20 2007, 03:54 PM, said:

Got mine, too.  I feel weird ordering tickets a year in advance.

Truly weird. One of the dates I bought was the closing performance, the matinee on April 20, 2008 and I thought, "that's exactly a year from today"

Oh well, nothing wrong with doing something different

[Helene]

I've been trying to get onto the City Center site since 7:30am PDT, to no avail   Diagnostics says the City Center host is not responsive to a ping.

[Leigh Witchel]

Am I the only one hesitant because of the inevitable program changes?  

And this is just me, but between the Kirov doing Balanchine at the tail end of the run and going to Paris/London for the programs from 4/20-24, I'm going to opt for Paris/London.  It's not that I think the Kirov won't do Balanchine well; I just want to go to Paris

[atm711]

I phoned in my order for 3 performances.  Fairly good seats---mid-mezzanine Row A.  Price is a bit steep for that location. ($75.)

[Natalia]

The big Kirov Shuffling Game is usually with the announced casting. Perhaps one out of three ballets on a mixed bill may be changed, e.g., Theme & Variations in place of Ballet Imperial.  'Flora's Awakening' and 'Raymonda Act 3' are, IMO, the huge novelties (for the US) and, thus, lures of this run; they wouldn't dare change that.

We can almost guess the casting.

The first night will undoubtedly include Lopatkina and Vishneva. I can easily see the following casting for the opening night:

Raymonda A3 - Lopatkina/Zelensky
Paquita - Vishneva/Kolb
Bayadere Shades - Pavlenko/Sarafanov (...they wouldn't dare cast Somova first night, would they?)

...or...it could be Lopatkina leading every ballet on opening night, as this program mirrors one of her 2005 galas, in which she led each of these ballets in a single night!

Other educated guesses:

* Dying Swan will flip-flop between Lopatkina and Pavlenko

* Ballet Imperial will be first-cast Lopatkina, with possibly Zelensky; Obraztsova as 2nd soloist (Lopatkina recently took on the leading role) Tereshkina/Korsuntsev are also very fine in this.   Tkachenko also dances Ballet Imperial (I think), as well as having recently debuted Raymonda...perhaps we'll see her in Raymonda A3? Maybe-maybe, although my guess is that the Raymondas will most likely be, in this order: Lopatkina, Pavlenko, Tereshkina.

* Somova will surely be cast as Nikiya and in Etudes. Sarafanov is fantastic in the '2nd solo guy' role in Etudes...but, if so, expect to see Ilya Kuznetsov or some other tall guy perform the portions of the role that involve partnering the lady. [The Kirov is the only place where I've seen a '3rd solo man' in Etudes, employed just to do the lifting because one of the solo men is too slight.]

* Ayupova might make a 'cameo appearance' in Spectre de la Rose, if she comes. Korsakov and Kolb as the Rose.

* Scheherazade - let's brace ourselves for Farouk Ruzimatov as the Golden Slave; then again, he is ageless in this role, a true artist! IF Farouk dances Golden Slave, then perhaps we'll see his usual recent-partner as Zobeide -- Makhalina? Nioradze may also do a 'cameo' in the role, althoughher recent appearances at the Mariinsky are fewer than even those of Vishneva and Makhalina.

* Novikova/Sarafanov will undoubtedly be first-cast Don Q pdd

* Ekaterina Osmolkina has made a name for helself in Diana & Acteon at competitions and galas; expect to see her in this, perhaps with Shklyarov or Korsakov

* Rubies is Vishneva's signature role, although Novikova dances it regularly now. Fadeev is usual male lead. Golub used to also dance the lead but has, in fact, danced little of anything since the summer '06 Shostakovich fiascos (not her fault; just a coincidence); not sure if Golub has been injured or otherwise indisposed during the present season.

* Serenade - Gumerova & Ostreikovskaya are usually in the female lead casting for this; Dumchenko used to dance it beautifully but doesn't seem to be cast in it very often nowadays

* Chopiniana - Pavlenko! Pavlenko! Pavlenko! She is incomparable in the Prelude. Sukhorukova and Ostreikovskaya have also made names for themselves in this ballet, in recent years. Kolb is a recent-notable male lead. Shklyarov may have already debuted in the role? Sergeev almost surely will, too.

* in the Forsythes, we already know the 'regulars' - see recent Mariinsky Festival cast and/or DC casts, e.g., Andrei Ivanov in Approx Sonata; Pavlenko or Vishneva leading Steptext; Sarafanov/Fadeev as the men in Vertiginous Thrill;  Pavlenko & Vishneva exchange the lead in 'Middle' with tall redheaded Kondaurova as the 2nd lead.

* Flora is Obraztsova. It would be great to see her dance the ballet with Fadeev, as they formed such a magical duo in 'Romeo & Juliet' at the Kennedy Centr, last January. Osmolkina also dances Flora. I wouldn't be surprised to also see Novikova in the mix among Floras, come 2008.

Prepare to see LOTS of Alexander Sergeev, who is being pushed mightily by the Kirov coaches nowadays. I wouldn't be surprised, come next April, to see him partnering Lopatkina in Bayadere! Shklyarov is a very wonderful young dancer who will undoubtedly also be featured heavily at City Center.

Perhaps by the time that 2008 rolls around, 2006 graduate Maria Chugai will be taken on tours. She's a real dazzler! The star of the '05 class, Daria Vasnetsova, should also be dabbling in featured roles by then.

THE ONE BUMMER with this programing:  No full-evening-length ballet! Folks, this is a season of only 'one acters.' (Inevitable, given the limited wing space at the venue.)  Well, at least we'll get the complete 'Bayadere' at the Kennedy Center a couple of months before this.

All in all, the tour is quite promising. What will be the actual casting,  one year from now, is anyone's guess.

[carbro]

YID, on Apr 20 2007, 11:10 AM, said:

Is it common that tickets go on sale so long in advance? a year?

It is unheard of, except for the Kirov.  The tickets for this summer's Ring Cycle by the Kirov Opera at the Met went on sale over a year ahead of time.  Then this, with the ballet.  I wonder if it is a matter of managing cash flow.  Smart, when you have surefire hits such as the Ring and these wonderful programs.

I arrived at 55th St. at 10:20, expecting the box office to open at 11:00, but surprised to discover 1) it didn't open until noon, by which time, I was sure, my specific seats of choice would all be snatched up by phone and internet buyers; and 2) I was, in a historic moment, Number ONE!    The second customer, a friend of friends, was number two, arriving ten minutes later.  Number three arrived closer to 11:00, as I recall.  Joining the line soon thereafter were a few BT-ers.  Fortunately, we had beautiful weather to enjoy as we queued.

I bought tickets for myself and a friend, both of us to at least one of each program, all exactly as I requested.  Now I just have to remember -- for a year -- where I've tucked my tickets for safekeeping.