121 replies to this topic

[Waelsung]

SimonA, on 19 June 2011 - 10:42 AM, said:

Hello -- I am a relative novice to ballet, and have seen the Kirov only once before (the Fokine Triple Bill, some years ago on tour in Boston).  I'll be in New York for a few days next month when the Kirov will be in town.  If I had to choose one performance to see, between Vishneva in Anna K and Obraztsova in LHH, which would you recommend?  I know that's probably not much to go on (in terms of making a recommendation), but I am a fairly blank slate when it comes to ballet, with no strongly defined tastes -- yet.  I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Don't mean to add fuel to the fire, but I would see Lopatkina. She's a living legend and some day you will spend many-many cold winter nights telling your grand-children about that time you saw her live.

Vishneva can be seen on a regular basis dancing with ABT during their NY season, and Obraztsova is quite young, while every chance to see Lopatkina on our shores can easily turn out to be the last one.

My second choice would be Kondaurova, but that's just my personal opinion

In any case, with luxurious casting like what we are being offered by Mariinsky this summer, you simply cannot lose - all these ballerinas are absolutely great.

[cargill]

Do keep in mind, though, that Russian casting is often subject to change!  So I would choose by the ballet rather than the cast.  Mary

[YID]

Waelsung, on 22 June 2011 - 10:55 AM, said:

Don't mean to add fuel to the fire, but I would see Lopatkina. She's a living legend and you will spend many-many hours telling your grand-children about that time you saw her live.

Ah, you're ABSOLUTELY right. Lopatkina is a MUST see. She doesn't have the same PR (and US agent) as Vishneva, but she's called "the soul of russian ballet" - ah, i wish she'd do the dying swan again....
I'd say, of what's announced - the cast is (promised to be) great..

[Batsuchan]

Waelsung, on 22 June 2011 - 10:55 AM, said:

Don't mean to add fuel to the fire, but I would see Lopatkina. She's a living legend and some day you will spend many-many cold winter nights telling your grand-children about that time you saw her live.

Vishneva can be seen on a regular basis dancing with ABT during their NY season, and Obraztsova is quite young, while every chance to see Lopatkina on our shores can easily turn out to be the last one.

My second choice would be Kondaurova, but that's just my personal opinion

In any case, with luxurious casting like what we are being offered by Mariinsky this summer, you simply cannot lose - all these ballerinas are absolutely great.

I agree!  I'm totally splurging and seeing multiple performances for just this reason.

I've only seen Vishneva and Obraztsova live (and loved them both), so I can't really make a recommendation, but I will also point out that Kondaurova won a Golden Mask award for her "Anna Karenina."

Regarding Vishneva vs Obraztsova, I agree with the others, see them both if you can!  But Waelsung is right; Vishneva does dance with ABT in NYC, whereas it is quite rare to see the others in full-length ballets in NYC.  (And perhaps if the house is relatively packed to see Obraztsova in LHH, the management might feel more inclined to give her the promotion to principal she so deserves. )

[susanger]

I went to purchase tickets today at the Met box office and when I asked about some locations that didn't seem to be available the guy advised me to try the Avery Fisher Hall box office where they are also selling tickets for the Mariinsky performances.  He said they had to give half their inventory to AFH because this is a Lincoln Center production and that the two ticket processing systems are separate from each other.  I bought my tickets at AFH and don't know that I got any better location but I was not going to visit the Met box office a second time.

[volcanohunter]

The New York Philharmonic sent out this ticket offer by e-mail today regarding the Wednesday matinee performance of The Little Humpbacked Horse (July 13).

Quote

The storied Mariinsky Ballet will perform a not-to-be-missed series of  performances at Lincoln Center Festival, including a perfect introduction to  ballet for young audiences: The Little Humpbacked Horse, a new balletic version  of the classic Russian fairy tale that features a beautiful firebird, a  demanding tsar, an enchanted tsar-maiden, and a faithful humpbacked horse.

Special offer: Buy one adult ticket, bring a child for free. For Wednesday,  July 13 at 2:00 only. Use discount code FAMILY when buying at  LincolnCenterFestival.org or at 212.721.6500.

[Batsuchan]

Here's another one:

Quote

Save 50%: Orchestra Tickets $62.50
Mariinsky Ballet: The Little Humpbacked Horse
Lincoln Center Festival
Tuesday, July 12 at 8:00
Wednesday, July 13 at 2:00
Metropolitan Opera House

Save with promotion code ADTX when buying online or when calling 212.721.6500. In person, bring a printout of this offer to the Avery Fisher Hall or Alice Tully Hall Box Offices.

[Barbara]

That's distressing since I paid $80 for a balcony seat  

[Helene]

I did, too.  I feel your pain.

[Barbara]

Would any posters like to meet up before, at intermission, or after the performance to say hello? I'll be at the July 13, matinee.

[Batsuchan]

Barbara, on 09 July 2011 - 08:06 AM, said:

Would any posters like to meet up before, at intermission, or after the performance to say hello? I'll be at the July 13, matinee.

I'd be up for meeting up!  

And I also feel your pain about the discounts.  But I had no idea how hard it would be to get tickets, so I got mine early...oh well...

[nysusan]

A bunch of us generally meet up on the balcony level, on the odd numbered side...

[Barbara]

nysusan, on 09 July 2011 - 04:25 PM, said:

A bunch of us generally meet up on the balcony level, on the odd numbered side...

Good to know, and I'll be sitting on that level. When do you meet up - at intermission? Never having met any of you, can you give me a hint as to how I might recognize the group?  

[mussel]

According to NY Times, the opening night will be a tribute to Maya Plisetskaya, Maestro Geigiev will conduct, and she will most likely take a curtain call at the end of the performance.

[Helene]

Great photos and some amusing snark in the captions.  Thank you for posting, mussel.

At least Lopatkina knows the difference between "Canada" and "America" when she says that this is the first time American audiences will see her in "Carmen Suite".  She danced a truncated version -- no chorus -- in Vancouver during the Olympics as part of the Cultural Olympiad.  (They didn't even list the other three dancers and roles in the program notes.)  For those who've seen the film, she is very, very different than Plisetskaya in the role.