39 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

Here we go. The moment that many of us have been dreading. Somova has just been named Principal Ballerina of the Kirov!  

http://www.mariinsky...company/ballet/

I am sorta hoping that this was done to get her out and off to La Scala as a principal. Not that I wish any evil to La Scala, mind you.

On the positive side, I see that Ayupova is back on the roster. Hopefully, she will get a proper Farewell once she decides to truly retire. In the meantime, it is great to have her back at the Mariinsky, where she belongs.  

Later, I'll check the rest of the roster to see who else has been promoted in other categories. I quickly glanced at the choryphees and saw that Selina is still languishing in that category, despite years of dancing featured roles and solos...not even 2nd Soloist for her? Ridiculous.

[Marc Haegeman]

Natalia, on Nov 13 2008, 06:01 PM, said:

Here we go. The moment that many of us have been dreading. Somova has just been named Principal Ballerina of the Kirov!  

http://www.mariinsky...company/ballet/

I am sorta hoping that this was done to get her out and off to La Scala as a principal. Not that I wish any evil to La Scala, mind you.

On the positive side, I see that Ayupova is back on the roster. Hopefully, she will get a proper Farewell once she decides to truly retire. In the meantime, it is great to have her back at the Mariinsky, where she belongs.  

Later, I'll check the rest of the roster to see who else has been promoted in other categories. I quickly glanced at the choryphees and saw that Selina is still languishing in that category, despite years of dancing featured roles and solos...not even 2nd Soloist for her? Ridiculous.

Thanks for the update, Natalia. These promotions are indeed surreal.... Somova on the same level as Lopatkina, Ayupova, Vishneva, Pavlenko...

[Natalia]

Marc Haegeman, on Nov 13 2008, 12:20 PM, said:

Thanks for the update, Natalia. These promotions are indeed surreal.... Somova on the same level as Lopatkina, Ayupova, Vishneva, Pavlenko...

...Not to forget, the legacy of Pavlova, Karsavina, Trefilova, Dudinskaya, Kolpakova, Makarova, Shellest, Osipenko. Sorry - Is this some sort of joke?

[Cygnet]

OMG (Insert exclamation points to infinity here) .  The Vazievs leave for Milan, and The Accidental "Ballerina" is elevated to Principal Dancer? >> A position she is neither (a) worthy of or (b) QUALIFIED FOR?!   And before Kondaurova, Obratzova and Novikova?!

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I am sorta hoping that this was done to get her out and off to La Scala as a principal. Not that I wish any evil to La Scala, mind you.

Vous pensez 'quid pro quo?'  Je pense, oui.  I guarantee that Somova will follow them to La Scala as a frequent guest "artist."  
She will headline La Scala's "Swan Lake" and "Bayadere."  DVDs are next.  Zakharova should start getting worried - uh, NOT.

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" . . . a day that will live in infamy."

  (F.D.R.)

"

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It's the end of the world as we know it."

   (REM)

[cubanmiamiboy]

Cygnet, on Nov 13 2008, 10:33 AM, said:

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" . . . a day that will live in infamy."

  (F.D.R.)

"

Quote

It's the end of the world as we know it."

   (REM)

[Hans]

Dear Mariinsky Ballet,

Please bring Ayupova to the Kennedy Center before she retires for good!

That is all,

Hans

P.S. Yes, I am aware of the futility of this request....

[Solnishka79]

Did anyone also notice that Amosova is now a principal character artist?

[Natalia]

Cygnet, on Nov 13 2008, 01:33 PM, said:

Quote

" . . . a day that will live in infamy."

  (F.D.R.)

    

Solniska - Good catch about poor Amosova. I guess that she's been deemed too matronly for a tutu. I noticed that Alexander Sergeev is 2nd soloist (hoorah!) and that a couple of recent-graduates are now choryphees - Vasnetsova (recent Swan Lake debut), Chugai, Petushkova.  VERY recent graduate, Anastasia Nikitina, already danced a muse in Apollo at Zelensky's recent gala (thanks to a fellow board for reporting this)...but she remains in the corps; by spring '09 she will be choryphee, most likely.

[Sacto1654]

I KNEW a riot would break out when Alina Somova was promoted to Principal status. Now, when will we see Ekaterina Kondaurova get the same status, given her artistic success within the last two years (especially the triumphant Swan Lake performance around two weeks ago). (Mind you, I think Kondaurova could be the next to get Principal status, though.)

[carbro]

Cygnet, on Nov 13 2008, 01:33 PM, said:

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" . . . a day that will live in infamy."

  (F.D.R.)

As long as we're quoting presidents, allow me to invoke the ever-quotable Mr. Lincoln:

If you call a sheep's tail a leg, how many legs does it have"

Five.

No, four.  Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it one.

[Cygnet]

This just in - breaking news from Petersburg. The Management has just announced Somova's debut Dec 7 in . . .  (wait for it),
Fokine's "The Dying Swan."    

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Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.

Albert Einstein

[abatt]

Do you think that in the Somova version the dying swan will touch her knee to her ear one last time before expiring?

[bart]

Based on just a few videos, I do understand the responses that have been posted here so far.  

But ... there must be those at the Mariinsky and elsewhere who DO see this promotion as deserved.  It always helps to understand the way the other side thinks.  

For the purposes of discussion:  How would a supporter  of Somova's promotion justify it -- aesthetically or in other relevant terms?

[leonid]

Natalia, on Nov 13 2008, 01:01 PM, said:

Here we go. The moment that many of us have been dreading. Somova has just been named Principal Ballerina of the Kirov!  

http://www.mariinsky...company/ballet/

I am sorta hoping that this was done to get her out and off to La Scala as a principal. Not that I wish any evil to La Scala, mind you.

On the positive side, I see that Ayupova is back on the roster. Hopefully, she will get a proper Farewell once she decides to truly retire. In the meantime, it is great to have her back at the Mariinsky, where she belongs.  

Later, I'll check the rest of the roster to see who else has been promoted in other categories. I quickly glanced at the choryphees and saw that Selina is still languishing in that category, despite years of dancing featured roles and solos...not even 2nd Soloist for her? Ridiculous.

It is often internal or external politics not art that runs the ballet world.
As Marc points out, how do you place this young lady on the same plain as Vishneva and Ayupova.

[Mashinka]

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For the purposes of discussion: How would a supporter of Somova's promotion justify it -- aesthetically or in other relevant terms?

Well, the Somova supporters (Kirov management?) seem to be flooding You Tube with clips of her dancing and the comments posted underneath are very revealing, as they seem to come in the main from pre-teen ballet school pupils that have it in their heads that the height of balletic attainment is a 180 degree extension.  The dissenters are shouted down extremely rudely by posters with an imperfect knowledge of English.  That says it all as far as I'm concerned.