57 replies to this topic

[Helene]

Are there any official press releases from the Bolshoi that announced Vaziev as head of the Bolshoi? ....

None whatsoever. I believe that Angelique was using the words 'press releases' in a more general sense, to cover a statement in the press (an article in a newspaper) rather than formal press releases from the Bolshoi, so I continued her train of thought on 'press releases' but, no, there were none. The only formal press release appeared when Filin was named.

To be clear for our members for whom English is not their first language, the single definition of a press release is a stand-alone statement released by or by a surrogate of a company or person, usually to the press, who may print and edit it. It is not a sound bite or part of an interview with company officials or members on a topic.

There may be an unauthorized press release, where someone jumps the gun and releases a spoken or written statement that was not agreed on by the company or person. There may be rogue statements that are made to appear like official press releases, where the medial is fooled. There is no such thing as an "unofficial" press release.

The distinction is important, because Dancer A or Associate Direct B or Arts Official C may have given an interview and/or have been quoted as saying "We wanted to hire Maziev to run the Bolshoi". This is not a press release. This is a statement to the press.

The rules on Ballet Alert! are similar in both cases: there must be a citation substantiating the assertion. For example a statement like "the position of Artistic Director of the Bolshoi had been offered to Makher Vaziev first and foremost, fact which is supported by numerous press releases of the day [or was widely reported]." must be substantiated by citations to actual press release(s) or press statements. It is fine to say that the official press release/press statement was published in "Newspaper A", "Magazine B", and discussed on TV Station C, and was picked up by numerous other media outlets. "Numerous" alone is unsubstantiated.

[Angelique]

The rules on Ballet Alert! are similar in both cases: there must be a citation substantiating the assertion. For example a statement like "the position of Artistic Director of the Bolshoi had been offered to Makher Vaziev first and foremost, fact which is supported by numerous press releases of the day [or was widely reported]." must be substantiated by citations to actual press release(s) or press statements. It is fine to say that the official press release/press statement was published in "Newspaper A", "Magazine B", and discussed on TV Station C, and was picked up by numerous other media outlets. "Numerous" alone is unsubstantiated.

Very well, let me try again...

Several mainstream publications reported that Markar Vaziev was number one choice for the position of Atistic Director of the Bolshoi. Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote:

Генеральный директор Большого театра Анатолий Иксанов на прошлой неделе заявил, что из множества кандидатов на должность он отдает предпочтение Махару Вазиеву. И это было предсказуемо: его репутация балетного интенданта безусловна благодаря 13-летней успешной деятельности в Мариинском театре. Но нынешний контракт Вазиева с театром Ла Скала действует до второй половины 2012 года, и он решил его не прерывать.

http://www.rg.ru/2011/03/18/filin-site.html

And this is as mainstream as it gets. ITAR-TASS wrote:

Так что с 15 марта у балета Большого театра должен появиться новый худрук. По словам Иксанова, на эту должность рассматриваются несколько кандидатур, среди наиболее вероятных - Махар Вазиев.

http://www.itar-tass.com/txt/level2.html?NewsID=16024452&PageNum=0

If there are further problems with my wording, Helene, don't hesitate to point them out for I will be more than happy to make necessary corrections.

[Helene]

I don't speak or read Russian, so this is through Microsoft Translator, which translates the ITAR-TASS quote as:

So from 15 March at the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet, you should see the new hudruk. According to Iksanova, for this post discusses several candidates, among the most likely-Mahar Vaziev.

which means that as of the time Iksanova made the statement, Vaziev was the front-runner in according to Iksanova. According to the translation of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta article, Vaziev was also Iksanova's preferred candidate:

Bolshoi Director Anatoly Iksanov said last week that many candidates for the position he preferred Maharu Vazievu. And this was predictable: its reputation through endless Ballet intendanta 13 years of success at the Mariinsky Theatre. But the current contract with La Scala Vazieva runs until the second half of 2012, and he decided not to interrupt.

There is no announcement of an appointment or contract offer to Vaziev or any other candidate in these statements. In translation, the second implies that Vaziev decided not to try to break his contract with La Scala, but not that he did this before or after an offer. There might be nuances in Russian, either through the expression used or a verb type or tense that has meaning or implications that the translation does not express.

While a candidate may be the preference of one person at a point in time, that does not mean that there aren't other people who have input into the process or that preferences change over time as more and new information becomes available to the people making the decision.

[Angelique]

which means that as of the time Iksanova made the statement, Vaziev was the front-runner in according to Iksanova. According to the translation of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta article, Vaziev was also Iksanova's preferred candidate:

As a side note – it’s Iksanov, not Iksanova. Anatoly Iksanov is Director General of the Bolshoi Theatre. More information on him here.

[Helene]

Thank you for the correction. It explains why a search for "Iksanova" wasn't getting many good results.

[Angelique]

Helene, I have made necessary corrections to my first post on the subject, replacing “press release” with "mainstream press". Thank you for brining it to my attention.

[Angelique]

More on the subject...

Prominent business publication Komersant wrote:

Напомним, что 15 марта закончился контракт у худрука Большого Юрия Бурлаки. На его место дирекция планировала пригласить Махарбека Вазиева, директора труппы миланского «Ла Скала». В случае его отказа намечался запасной кандидат: управляющий балетом Большого Геннадий Янин.

http://www.kommersant.ru/Doc/1604631

Basically it says that Bolshoi management planned to invite Makhar Vaziev to take over Yuri Burlaka's post, while Gennady Yanin remained first runner-up in the event Vaziev turns them down.

PS. Google translator does an adequate job.

[Mashinka]

This story is clearly going to run and there is a half page feature in today’s Guardian with what they allege to be even more revelations about the Bolshoi. The article is dominated by a large picture of Volochkova, who is accusing the company of all manner of wrong doing (her picture doesn’t appear on line).

http://www.guardian....dal?INTCMP=SRCH

Volockova is such an attention seeker that it’s hard to take anything she says very seriously, though what is being said about the awarding of building contracts may well be true. Obviously the Yanin business was very unfortunate and has put the company in the paper for all the wrong reasons but the Bolshoi operates on the very highest level and after the problems of a decade or so ago it has been onwards and upwards with no looking back. But how strange it is that the otherwise stable Bolshoi is in the line of fire whereas the scandals at the declining Kirov, and there are many, somehow remain under wraps.

I am desperately, desperately sorry for Gennady Yanin and would love to know what piece of scum sank so low as to attack him in such a disgraceful manner. I sincerely hope he will be able to put all this behind him and take his rightful place in the upper echelons of the ballet world even if that means that he has to leave Russia.

[Helene]

It was once a byword for the finest in Russian culture – the "big" theatre, grand not just in scale but in reputation. But the Bolshoi theatre, which gave the world Vaslav Nijinsky, Ekaterina Maximova and Mikhail Baryshnikov, is in danger of gaining a reputation for something altogether different. It is accused of falling victim to modern Russia's ills – greed, vulgarity and corruption.

Nijinsky? Baryshnikov? The Bolshoi? Really?

[Angelique]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/mar/22/bolshoi-rocked-by-scandal?INTCMP=SRCH

What I would like to know is where the author of the article took her history and art appreciation courses?

Miriam Elder of Guardian writes:

But the Bolshoi theatre, which gave the world Vaslav Nijinsky, Ekaterina Maximova and Mikhail Baryshnikov, is in danger of gaining a reputation for something altogether different.

Both Vaslav Nijinsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov were alumni of Vaganova Academy (previously known as the Imperial School of Ballet) and product of Kirov-Mariinsky. Although, she got one of the three right. Amazing!

[Angelique]

Changes at Bolshoi Helm happened once again! This time it is Ruslan Pronin who has replaced recently appointed Yan Godovsky as the Managing Director of Bolshoi Ballet:

http://www.itar-tass...58875&PageNum=0

[Helene]

Changes at Bolshoi Helm happened once again! This time it is Ruslan Pronin who has replaced recently appointed Yan Godovsky as the Managing Director of Bolshoi Ballet:

http://www.itar-tass...58875&PageNum=0

The bing translation is:

Moscow, April 15. /ITAR-TASS/. In a large theatre still shakes. This time they again referred to the Manager of ballet troupe. Exactly one month ago this post ranked soloist GABTa, honoured artist of RUSSIA Jan Godovskij. And here's today's big theatre adopted a new zavtruppoj-they became honoured artist of RUSSIA Ruslan Pronin. The correspondent of ITAR-TASS News Agency reported today, General Director Anatoly Iksanov Bolshoi Theater.

"I approved a request from Jan Godovskogo, who, in difficult times, substituting its reliable shoulder and took office as head of the troupe, gendir GABTa. -But now that the situation has stabilized, I couldn't help but release Jan Godovskogo on his own volition, since he remains with the dancing artist also has a professional interest in pedagogy ".

From today, the head of the ballet company was Ruslan Pronin. A graduate of the Moscow Ballet School, he has been working since 1988 in the Bolshoi Theatre, though this year age already ceased active artistic activities. And he readily accepted an administrative position.

[Angelique]

Thank you for haven provided the translation of the article, Helene. I had to read twice to believe it. "Reliable shoulder" count grows alarmingly high... or should I say low?