88 replies to this topic

[Waelsung]

YID, on Nov 6 2007, 01:33 PM, said:

a totally strange (out of box) idea? about "abundance of Somova shows"....
Should we consider sending a forum letter to Ardani Artists to REPLACE Somova with other dancers? I hope they may hear the "VOICE of the paying audience" ;-))
It's not too late - almost 5 months before the tour ;-))
I would not mind contacting Ardani Artists  on behalf of the forum ;-)) (but I 'll need the forum's support) ;-))

I don't think this will have any effect on Ardani's management, but even if there's a slightest chance Somova will be replaced in at least some of the shows, I'm all for it...

[drb]

The season's flyer arrived in the mail last week.  The cover photo is of Somova/Sarafanov in Bayadere, her raised leg exactly parallel to the floor.  There's a gigantic photo of Lopatkina's Scheherazade inside.
The casting is almost identical to that on Ardani's site; the one exception is Vishneva replacing Kondaurova in Steptext on April 17.  A quick count of the number of listed performances:
Vishneva 13
Tereshkina 12
Sarafanov 12
Lopatkina 11 (including 6 in first week...)
Golub, Fadeev, Korsuntsev 9 each
Kondaurova, Somova and others 8

[Dale]

Here's the latest release with casting:

KIROV BALLET
AND ORCHESTRA
TO PERFORM AT
NEW YORK CITY CENTER
April 1 – 20, 2008
Featuring Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva,
and Leonid Sarafanov

New York, NY –  February 21, 2008 - The world renowned Kirov Ballet, also known as Ballet Company of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Russia, returns to New York for a three-week engagement, April 1 – 20, performing for the first time at New York City Center. The season will be presented by Ardani Artists in association with New York City Center.

During its three-week season, the 200-year-old Russian company, under the Artistic Direction of Valery Gergiev and Director of the Ballet Makhar Vaziev, will be performing a wide range of works by the choreographers and artists who have made the Kirov one of the world’s greatest ballet companies, as well as works by contemporary dance makers. The company’s rich classical repertoire includes works by Marius Petipa, Michel Fokine and George Balanchine and more modern works by William Forsythe. The Kirov Ballet will bring some of its most acclaimed repertory classics: Petipa’s The Kingdom of Shadows from La Bayadere; Fokine’s Scheherazade and Chopiniana; Gorsky’s The Grand Pas de Deux from Don Quixote; Rubies from Balanchine’s Jewels, and Ballet Imperial; as well as Forsythe’s Steptext.

It will be first appearance of the Kirov Ballet and Orchestra at New York City Center, home to some of the country’s leading dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre and Paul Taylor Dance Company.

The historic Kirov Ballet was founded in 1783 and is closely linked with the legacy of classical Russian ballet, and throughout the centuries, the company has produced the world’s greatest dancers in ballet, including such legendary performers as Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Natalia Makarova and many more.

Under the artistic direction of Valery Gergiev since 1988, the Kirov continues its tradition of discovering exceptional dancers: Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Daria Pavlenko, Igor Kolb, Andrian Fadeev, Danila Korsuntsev and Leonid Sarafanov will be part of the 200-member company performing at City Center.

Ardani Artists Management was founded in Moscow by arts promoter Sergei Danilian in 1990, and entered the American market in 1994. The Company has brought to the U.S. some of the best exponents of arts and culture from the former Soviet Union. In 1998, Ardani Artists introduced American audiences to the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, Russia’s leading contemporary ballet company. Since 1998, the Eifman Ballet has appeared regularly at New York City Center, and toured the U.S. on regular basis. Ardani Artists has also presented the Bolshoi Ballet on a U.S. tour in 2002, and the Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet in 2003, 2005, and 2006 U.S. tours. In 2006, in collaboration with the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the West Coast’s premier presenter of dance, Ardani Artists produced the critically acclaimed “Kings of the Dance” and The Mariinsky Festival (Opera, Ballet, Orchestra) as part of the Center’s 20th Anniversary celebrations and opening of its new concert hall.  Ardani Artists’ upcoming projects include another co-production with OCPAC: “Diana Vishneva: Beauty in Motion,” Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company U.S. tour and a “Kings of the Dance” tour in Russia.

New York City Center has long been known and beloved by New York audiences not only as one of the city's preeminent performing arts institutions but also as an accessible and welcoming venue for dance. New York City Center is the New York home to some of the country’s leading dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre and Paul Taylor Dance Company.  Continuing to fulfill its mission to make the arts accessible to the broadest possible audiences, in 2004 New York City Center launched the acclaimed Fall for Dance Festival which, for $10 a ticket, annually celebrates the vitality and creativity of dance today.  In 2006, New York City Center and London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre created a partnership to facilitate the exchange of innovative dance works and new commissions by up-and-coming and acclaimed choreographers and dance companies, both in London and in New York City.  In addition to its rich dance offerings, New York City Center also produces the Tony®-honored Encores! musical theater series, and is the home of Manhattan Theatre Club, one of New York City’s premier theater companies.

Tickets for the Kirov’s 2008 New York City Center season are available at the New York City Center Box Office (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues), through CityTix® at 212-581-1212, or online at www.nycitycenter.org.  Tickets for the Orchestra and Grand Tier are $110; Mid-Mezzanine tickets are $75; tickets for the Rear Mezzanine are $60 and $35.

The Kirov will be performing the following ballets and excerpts during its City Center engagement:

Paquita (Grand Pas), Marius Petipa
Raymonda (Act 3), Marius Petipa
La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows), Marius Petipa
Le Corsaire (Le Jardin anime and Pas de Deux)
Chopiniana, Michel Fokine, Michel Fokine
The Dying Swan, Michael Fokine
Le Spectre de la Rose, Michel Fokine
Scheherazade, Michel Fokine
Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux), Agrippina Vaganova
Don Quixote, (Grand Pas de Deux), Marius Petipa
La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows), Marius Petipa
Etudes, Harald Lander
Steptext, William Forsythe
Approximate Sonata, William Forsythe
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, William Forsythe
In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated, William Forsythe,
Jewels (Rubies), George Balanchine
Serenade, George Balanchine
Ballet Imperial, George Balanchine

(Further information is available at www.nycitycenter.org or www.ardani.com.

Kirov Ballet & Orchestra New York City Center Program


WEEK 1
April 1, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina, Ivan Kozlov

Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Diana Vishneva, Andrian Fadeev

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov

April 2, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Olesya Novikova, Andrian Fadeev

Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Victoria Tereshkina, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina, Ivan Kozlov

April 3, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Victoria Tereshkina, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Alina Somova, Anton Korsakov

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Diana Vishneva, I Yevgeny vanchenko

April 4, 2008 at 8PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Yekaterina Osmolkina, Anton Korsakov

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Irina Golub, Igor Kolb
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina

Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb

April 5, 2008 at 2PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Anastasia Kolegova, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Nadezhda Gonchar, Anton Korsakov
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina

Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Ekaterina Kondaurova  Yevgeny Ivanchenko

April 5, 2008 at 8PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Yekaterina Osmolkina,  Igor Kolb

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Irina Golub, Leonid Sarafanov
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Diana Vishneva

Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina, Ivan Kozlov

April 6, 2008 at 3PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Anastasia Kolegova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Irina Golub, Leonid Sarafanov
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina

Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 2
April 8, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Le Corsaire  (Le Jardin anime and Pas de Deux)
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Diana Vishneva, Anton Korsakov, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova
Victoria Tereshkina, Mikhail Lobukhin

Pause
Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina,Ivan Kozlov

April 9, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Le Corsaire  (Le Jardin anime and Pas de Deux)
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina,, Igor Kolb,Ivan Kozlov

Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova
Yekaterina Osmolkina, Mikhail Lobukhin

Pause
Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
Victoria Tereshkina, Anton Korsakov

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Olesya Novikova, Andrian Fadeev

April 10, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Le Corsaire  (Le Jardin anime and Pas de Deux)
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Victoria Tereshkina, Leonid Sarafanov, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova
Olesya Novikova, Mikhail Lobukhin
Pause
Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
Diana Vishneva, Andrian Fadeev

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Alina Somova, Danila Korsuntsev

April 11, 2008 at 8PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Natalia Bolshakova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Irina Golub, Igor Kolb
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina


Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander
Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov, Andrian Fadeev

April 12, 2008 at 2PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Daria Vasnetsova, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Nadezhda Gonchar, Leonid Sarafanov
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Diana Vishneva

Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander
Olesya Novikova, Vladimir Schklyarov, Anton Korsakov

April 12, 2008 at 8PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Yekaterina Osmolkina,  Igor Kolb

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Irina Golub, Anton Korsakov
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Uliana Lopatkina

Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander
Victoria Tereshkina, Leonid Sarafanov, Andrian Fadeev

April 13, 2008 at 3PM Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Anastasia Kolegova, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Nadezhda Gonchar, Igor Kolb
Pause
The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
Diana Vishneva

Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander
Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov, Vladimir Schklyarov

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


WEEK 3
April 15, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb, Mikhail Lobukhin, Alexander Sergeev
Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Elena Sheschina, Andrei Ivanov, Ti Yon Riu, Sergei Popov,
Yana Selina, Anton Pimonov, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Maxim Zyuzin
Pause
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
Victoria Tereshkina, Nadezhda Gonchar, Yekaterina Osmolkina,
Leonid Sarafanov, Andrian Fadeev

Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Irina Golub, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Olesya Novikova, Elena Scheschina,
Yana Selina, Xenia Dubrovina, Mikhail Lobukhin,
Alexander Sergeev, Anton Pimonov

April 16, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
Ekaterina Kondaurova, Anton Pimonov, Mikhail Lobukhin,
Alexander Sergeev

Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Elena Sheschina, Andrei Ivanov, Ti Yon Riu, Popov Sergei,
Yana Selina, Anton Pimonov, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Maxim Zyuzin
Pause
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
Victoria Tereshkina, Nadezhda Gonchar, Yekaterina Osmolkina,
Leonid Sarafanov, Vladimir Schklyarov


Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Irina Golub, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Olesya Novikova,
Elena Sheschina, YanaSelina, Xenia Dubrovina, Mikhail Lobukhin,
Alexander Sergeev, Anton Pimonov

April 17, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
Ekaterina Kondaurova, Anton Pimonov, Mikhail Lobukhin Alexander Sergeev

Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Elena Sheschina, Andrei Ivanov, Ti Yon Riu, Sergei Popov,
Anastasia Petushkova, Alexei Nedviga, Xenia Dubrovina,
Aleksei Timofeev

Pause
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
Victoria Tereshkina, Nadezhda Gonchar, Yekaterina Osmolkina,
Vladimir Schklyarov, Andrian Fadeev

Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
Irina Golub, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Olesya Novikova, Elena Sheschina, Yana Selina,
Xenia Dubrovina, Mikhail Lobukhin, Alexander Sergeev, Anton Pimonov

April 18, 2008 at 8PM Act One Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Alina Somova, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Rubies from Jewels
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Diana Vishneva, Andrian Fadeev, Ekaterina Kondaurova

Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Uliana Lopatkina, Ivan Kozlov

April 19, 2008 at 2PM Act One Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Yekaterina Osmolkina, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Rubies from Jewels
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Victoria Tereshkina, Anton Korsakov, Nadezhda Gonchar

Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Alina Somova, Igor Kolb

April 19, 2008 at 8PM Act One Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Ekaterina Kondaurova, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Rubies from Jewels
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Irina Golub, Leonid Sarafanov, Nadezhda Gonchar

Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Victoria Tereshkina, Vladimir Schklyarov

April 20, 2008 at 3PM Act One Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Victoria Tereshkina, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Two Rubies from Jewels
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Olesya Novikova, Vladimir Schklyarov,
Ekaterina Kondaurova

Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Diana Vishneva, Andrian Fadeev
Program and Cast subject to change

[canbelto]

I don't know about the other artists, but all of Diana Vishneva's performances are confirmed on her website, which is extremely accurate.

[carbro]

Thanks, canbelto.  That's encouraging!

[Waelsung]

I have one ticket to the April 5th Kirov Ballet performance that to my great chagrin I won't be able to use. It's an excellent Orchestra seat right in the middle of row K. The face value is $110, but I will entertain all reasonable offers (would really hate to see this ticket go to waste). Payment can be made by PayPal and I can mail you the ticket with delivery confirmation. Or we can meet at City Center on April 1, 2 or 4. I would also consider exchanging this ticket for a good Orchestra seat to either Apr. 12 or Apr. 19 evening performances.

[Natalia]

Just a quick note to say that the Ardani website no longer lists newcomer Ivan Kozlov as Uliana Lopatkina's main partner on this tour. They now list Danil' Korsuntsev as her partner most of the time (including the Raymonda opening night), with Yevgeni Ivanchenko in others. Kozlov appears on the schedule only in one Scheherazade and one Corsaire Jardin Anine.

A wise decision, IMO.

Updated casting is here:  http://www.ardani.com/april08.htm

[aurora]

anyone more familiar with the Kirov have any recommendations for whether one would be better off seeing april 1st or april 2nd? (Already have tickets to the 3rd but was planning to add another night).

to simplify matters:

April 1, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina, Danila Korsuntsev

Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Diana Vishneva, Andrian Fadeev

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov

April 2, 2008 at 7:30PM Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Olesya Novikova, Andrian Fadeev

Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Victoria Tereshkina, Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Uliana Lopatkina, Ivan Kozlov

thanks!!

[Natalia]

I'm going on April 1 & would recommend the same, for a number of reasons:

* The opportunity to see *both* Lopatkina and Vishneva in leading roles on the same night!

* Lopatkina's Raymonda is not-to-be-missed and a real rarity outside of Russia (unlike her Bayadere)

* the only chance to see Sarafanov (in that 2-night period)

* the excitement of a season's opening night - the biggest night of them all!

* they'll surely have all of their top ballerinas and soloists on display in the many variations of Paquita only on opening night

All of the above positives more than make up for the lone negative in the casting on April 1:  Alina Somova vs Lopatkina as the April 2 Nikiya. Also, you'll miss Novikova is a leading role (Raymonda- 2nd) but you'll most likely see some Novikova on the 1st, as she is usually the first-cast First Shade nowadays.

p.s. - Kozlov is not dancing Bayadere with Lopatkina; now it's Korsuntsev.  See updated casting here:
http://www.ardani.com/april08.htm

[millamant]

Hi - I notice that Lopatkina is now listed as dancing both Dying Swan *and* Scheherazade (with Ivanchenko) on April 5 matinee (she's already slated for Scheherazade with Kozlov in the evening).  This appears to be one of the recent cast changes, since Kondaurova was originally listed for the matinee.    I'm a little surprised that they'd have Lopatkina dancing 2 Scheherazade's on the same day.   Could this be a typo?

[Natalia]

millamant, on Mar 29 2008, 08:58 PM, said:

Hi - I notice that Lopatkina is now listed as dancing both Dying Swan *and* Scheherazade (with Ivanchenko) on April 5 matinee (she's already slated for Scheherazade with Kozlov in the evening).  This appears to be one of the recent cast changes, since Kondaurova was originally listed for the matinee.    I'm a little surprised that they'd have Lopatkina dancing 2 Scheherazade's on the same day.   Could this be a typo?

Not to worry, millamant, on either count. Both ballets are among the least physically taxing in Lopatkina's rep, so she could handle Dying Swan and Scheherazade in the same matinee performance, as well as an extra Scheher in the evening. However, I would not be surprised if casting changes are afoot...and the expected Cavalcade of Changes and No-Shows has begun, ladies and gentlemen (witness the switches in partners for Lopatkina, cited above).

The Mariinsky website's playbill (castings) for ballets to be presented in the home theater during the NYC tour is telling:

http://www.mariinsky...ill?pbmy=200804

Here we can see who will NOT be in NYC, e.g., Evgenia Obraztsova, Vladimir Schkyarov, Anastasia Kolegova (so her name on the Ardani site for Chopiniana in NYC is wrong?), Alexander Sergeyev, Ruben Bobobnikov, Tatyana Tkachenko, Viktoria Kutepova, Elena Sheshina, Ilya Kuznetsov, Irina Zhelonkina and Irma Nioradze. In fact, the latter two are scheduled to dance more often in April than they have danced at the MT during the past year or two!

Pavlenko, of course, remains on maternity leave, so she won't be here.

On the positive-hopeful side....Maya Dumchenko is not listed to dance at the MT while the main group is on tour -- something that usually happens back home while the big group is on tour -- so (gulp!) could this mean that Dumchenko will appear in NYC??? At the last Lopatkina Gala back home, Dumchenko was a soloist in Paquita so...maybe? We will know tomorrow, for sure.

[Catherine]

Just a note -- Sergeev will be in NYC but only for the Forsythe "week". SO yes, he dances Giselle (his debut) here on April 4, and I think sometime after the 12th flies to NYC.

Some of the dancers have later departures/arrivals than others. Initially Schklyarov was set to dance James this past Sunday (March 30) but Grigory Popov filled in for him (and did a stunning job; I would be hard pressed to have seen a greater performance, Popov's acting abilities far surpass Shklyarov's in my opinion). Nonetheless I think Schklyarov is also flying to NYC... The others you list though, Natalia, are absolutely staying here. It's going to be a La Sylphide and Don Q fest in April for the MT locally!

[Natalia]

Hubby and I will be on our way to National Airport soon...off to NYC for the opening night. We are absolutely-totally psyched!!! After having purchased tickets one whole year ago and counting the months, we're all really to roll!       

I wanted to post some info that we got from well-placed sources that V. Shklyarov is planning to arrive in NYC later in the run...but I see that Catherine has already beaten me to the punch.  Thank goodness that NYC will have a chance to see the two great up-and-coming male classical dancers of the MT (Shklyarov & Sergeev).

I hope that Kolegova and Sheshina -- both still listed on the Ardani cast sheet -- also materialise...but I haven't heard that they would.

p.s. Edited to add the 'bombshell' news in this morning's NYTImes (Dirac will post the link a bit later, I'm sure):  Makhar Vaziyev did NOT travel with the troupe to NYC! Yuri Fateev has been given temporary oversight of the dancers. Quote from the article, by Jennifer Dunning: "... temporary leadership of the company had been handed over to Mr. Fateyev, a decision Mr. Gergiev conveyed at a 2 a.m. meeting on Monday."

OK - off to the airport. Wheee!!!!

[naomikage]

Natalia, on Apr 1 2008, 08:17 PM, said:

Hubby and I will be on our way to National Airport soon...off to NYC for the opening night. We are absolutely-totally psyched!!! After having purchased tickets one whole year ago and counting the months, we're all really to roll!       

OK - off to the airport. Wheee!!!![/i]

I am going to fly to New York from Tokyo to see 4 performances.. from Thursday to Saturday and return to Tokyo on Monday. I too was counting the months. I would die for seeing Kolb and Vishneva in Sheherazade as well as Lopatkina.

One thing that worries me is the article on NYT. The absence of Vaziev.