115 replies to this topic

[alexaa1a]

Natalia, on 22 February 2011 - 11:02 AM, said:

I can say that she receives good polite applause but nothing like the other female principals

In Friday night's performance, when the curtain was coming down at the end of the ballet ,with Ivanchenko next to her grave, the audience erupted with screams of bravos that did not happen in any other performance as the curtain was coming down. They definitely were screaming because of Somova and not for any of the other leads, Ivanchenko or Iosifidi. Somova was dancing with the weakest leads of all those performing, so these bravos as the curtain came down was in appreciation of Somova and solely Somova. The two ballerinas that received the greatest applause were Vishnveva and Somova. Somova received more applause than Tereshkina or Lopatkina, despite having the weakest principal male as her partner. Vishneva on opening night received tremendous applause, but it was not significantly more than Somova on the next night and Somova did not dance with a stronger Fadeyev and much stronger Kondaurova. However, on Friday night, Somova received more applause than she did on Wednesday and very close to the applause Vishneva got on opening night and more applause than Vishneva got on Sunday. It is irrelevant who got more applause, but the audience on both nights Somova danced, particularly on Friday night, yelled many bravos at different sections of her performance.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I know many knowledgeable ballet people, dancers, teachers and ex of both varieties, plus fans that adore Alina Somova. As others have mentioned, Ballet Alert seems to be plaqued by an anti-Somova movement that is blind to the remarkable improvement in every aspect of her being a  ballerina and i hope that other Somova lovers will not be intimidated by the many Somova haters that discourage her many fans. Her Giselle on both nights was vastly superior in almost every section and every detail of the performance, except her grave entrance, where Vishneva was the clear champion. It is a tragedy how Somova haters have frightened Somova lovers from praising her because of fear of being insulted. Now some of these Somova lovers have come out of the woodwork and spoken their minds, despite getting insulted again with comments about phoney reviews and internet trolls that eventually get kicked out when their provenance is disclosed. People are not antiques or collectibles where provenance increases the value. I do not want any verbal battles, but I cannot be intimidated and will speak the truth, which is contrary to what has been said on Ballet Alert as the truth about Alina Somova. As far as I am concerned, we have grossly different opinions and you are entitled to hate her, just as much as anyone else is entitled to love her. When someone is severely criticized and frightened for stating their opinion, then that is seriously wrong.

[Helene]

There are people who agree with you and people who won't, but we have policies against ad hominem attacks.  I've said things good and bad about Somova, and I've never felt attacked.  I understand that I've got a harder shell than most, being a Jersey girl, and I do understand not wanting one's opinion picked at and feeling like talking against a majority or vocal minority is not worth the effort, but everyone has the choice to take a stand, hopefully a well-reasoned one, even if it is met with opposition.

There's a general tendency to feel that last word has more weight, but for careful readers, it doesn't matter how much subsequent posts SCREAM and CLANG or beat a drum, if what comes before is valuable.

[Angelique]

Joel Lobenthal writes a review on Mariinsky "Giselle" at the Kennedy Center, in witch both  Diana Vishneva and Alina Somova are highly praised:"It's Not Easy to be Noble".

[Natalia]

alexaa1a, on 22 February 2011 - 04:15 PM, said:

..... Ballet Alert seems to be plaqued by an anti-Somova movement......grossly different opinions and you are entitled to hate her, .....

Just Ballet Alert, "alexaa1a"? Uh...I don't think so. Read the majority of in-print critics, over the years.

Please be careful when you use the word "hate." "Hate" is too strong and, speaking for myself, I hate nobody in this exquisite art. "Dislike" or "not to one's taste" is more in keeping with the overall gentility of being a lover of the ballet. Do you think that I and others who dislike Somova's baroque manner of dancing would not like to see her lose the quirks? I've been looking for improvements because I would dearly love to see them. I saw hope in 2008 at the KennCen's Bayadere but it evaporated when she was back to the old mannerisms in NYC. I wouldn't love the Mariinsky Ballet if I would want to hate anyone. For this recent Giselle, I wrote about her beautifully tapered hands and fingers because that was the only bit that I could truly love...because I keep looking for features to love. I simply cannot, hard as I try, admire her legs, feet, general port de bras, face (chin problem), tin ear, lack of turn-out, etc. She was making a real effort to present her legs and feet and torso in a more 'academic' manner during the 2008 Bayadere at the KennCen, as I said. Not sure why she hasn't really progressed much since then, as I see it. I was hoping that the switch to Terekhova as coach -- undoubtedly a reason for the Bayadere improvements in 2008 -- would have a lasting effect...then I saw her Kitri in Don Q in 2009 and it was back in the days of Chenchikova as her coach. Just too many 'quirks' and 'odd mannerisms' (what I meant by abomination - a huge departure from the norm) for me to enjoy her as a product of the usual elegant Mariinsky/Vaganova system.

Funny how in 30+ years of following this company, I've never felt this way about one of their dancers. Other hyper-elongated ballerinas, like Zakharova or Mesentzeva, weren't to my greatest taste, yet they had so many beautiful features and manners that appealed to my sensitivities. Only Somova has been the toughest nut to crack. Then again, my ideal 'ballerina' with the company, right now, is Evgenia Obraztsova, who is still a First Soloist. That is the 'standard look' that I've always had in my head for a true Vaganova Ballerina, which, of course, isn't the ideal of everyone.  But 'hate' is not in the equation.

[richard53dog]

Natalia, on 23 February 2011 - 07:04 AM, said:

Please be careful when you use the word "hate." "Hate" is too strong and, speaking for myself, I hate nobody in this exquisite art. "Dislike" or "not to one's taste" is more in keeping with the overall gentility of being a lover of the ballet.

Natalia, I find , more and more, that a lot of discussion on the internet uses this very polarized word. I agree "hate" is a very strong word and should be used with care. But many seem to disagree. Whether you are in a discussion setting or just responding to an online item, if you don't agree with a positive comment, you are often called a "hater". Or a "basher" to use another polarized term.

Whether it's coincidence or not I don't know, but a lot of people who express themselves in this kind of polarized fashion feel the need to include the rest of the audience, as if they weren't convinced that their own opinion could stand alone. Something to the effect that "I was reduced to sobbing, I was so overwhelmed by the beauty, and the rest of the audience was in tears too...."  Except of course for those 3 members of the audience that were "haters".

It's sort of comical, the best solution is to simply ignore it, there doesn't seem to be any room for negotiation.

[Angelique]

Personally,  Natalia,  I don’t believe that Somova  will,  wants to or needs to change for that matter. Improve yes. She would not portray what she can’t understand or feel and heavens know,  ballet is infused with not so subtle mime and decorum.  She is a maverick and being one in ballet is hard.  Is Somova strong or big enough to weather the storm and make her own mark?  Or perhaps there is no such thing as bad publicity after all.

Much as I like Alina Somova,  I find it a bit disheartening that many good discussions of Mariinsky  inevitably lead to debates about her.   I was very impressed with Tereshkina’s performance in the Mad Scene.  It was more conventional than Samova’s, granted,  but just as fine in its delivery and just as powerful in its effect.  Shklyarov,  what a big artist he developed into!  And what about Kondaurova?  She is bigger than life and I don’t mean her statue, rather broad and rich quality  of her dancing.   The past tour proved to me once more what a huge draw Mariinsky remains,  to which "Sold Out" signs bore witness.   After five plus years of regularly attending ballet,  I remain Mariinsky’s most ardent fan,  precisely because of diversity of its talent and unmatched quality of its corps ensemble. What brought me to ballet in the first place?  It was Somova and Sarafanov performing on stage of the Kennedy Center.

[alexaa1a]

Helene, on 22 February 2011 - 04:58 PM, said:

There are people who agree with you and people who won't, but we have policies against ad hominem attacks.  I've said things good and bad about Somova, and I've never felt attacked.  I understand that I've got a harder shell than most, being a Jersey girl, and I do understand not wanting one's opinion picked at and feeling like talking against a majority or vocal minority is not worth the effort, but everyone has the choice to take a stand, hopefully a well-reasoned one, even if it is met with opposition.

There's a general tendency to feel that last word has more weight, but for careful readers, it doesn't matter how much subsequent posts SCREAM and CLANG or beat a drum, if what comes before is valuable.

You are 100% correct in everything that you said, but it is obvious that some people have been afraid of speaking their opinion because they feel that they will be attacked and ridiculed. Every person has their own traits. Some love the color orange and others will make fun of their love of orange colors, but that should not exist in ballet forums. It is appropriate for someone to say that they completely disagree with someone's opinion, but it is definitely wrong to make comments that make this person feel ridiculed.

[Mme. Hermine]

What is right for you is right for you and what is right for me is right for me.  I don't honestly care for her at all, and find myself wishing, with all her facility, that she were somehow more receptive to what her coaches appear to be trying to give her.  

However!  I don't think less of you because you like her.  I don't understand where that came from.  Such a debate can only go so far; once it becomes obvious that each side has their likes and dislikes, the only thing a reasonable person can do is leave the other to what they like, and that doesn't include disparaging the person that's expressed an opposite view to theirs.  That's just not the culture here, and if and when that sort of thing rears its head, the point is firmly, though politely, made.

[alexaa1a]

Mme. Hermine, on 23 February 2011 - 08:38 AM, said:

What is right for you is right for you and what is right for me is right for me.  I don't honestly care for her at all, and find myself wishing, with all her facility, that she were somehow more receptive to what her coaches appear to be trying to give her.  

However!  I don't think less of you because you like her.  I don't understand where that came from.  Such a debate can only go so far; once it becomes obvious that each side has their likes and dislikes, the only thing a reasonable person can do is leave the other to what they like, and that doesn't include disparaging the person that's expressed an opposite view to theirs.  That's just not the culture here, and if and when that sort of thing rears its head, the point is firmly, though politely, made.

100% agree, except our opinions of her

[Angelique]

YID, on 25 February 2011 - 09:41 AM, said:

But we're moving off topic of the original thred. sorry. I love Mariinsky, and let someone kind come up with money for them to come EVERY year to some North East city (i'll take any NE city ;-))

Indeed.  And although quite outside the titled topic,  the side conversation above was most illuminating in more than one way.  For one-er,  I learnt that fora tend to be pro- or anti-Somova,  as if it were outside the realm of possible for a group of intelligent adults to house a variety of opinions.  But then again,   if one could answer this question,  there wouldn't be wars, would there? And goodness, yes, I am looking forward to Mariinsky’s visits on either coasts of North America and in Europe too.

[Helene]

[Admin beanie on]

I just want to re-iterate a few rules about discussing other forums and linking to other forums, because I'm not sure I explained them clearly, and you might be wondering why a slew of posts just disappeared from this thread:

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