33 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

- Reports of the actual performances begin with Post #24, below on page 2 of this thread -


I did not see a thread for the Ottawa tour of Bayadere (just next week's Toronto Swan Lakes).

http://www.ardani.co...s-mariinsky.php

I hope that someone reports on tonight's premiere with Vishneva. I'm wondering who'll dance Solo Shades and other important classical solos? This should be a larger group than came to DC last week. I read that there will even be local dance students for the traditional children's roles usually seen only in Russia (such as the sambos who accompany Golden Idol and two little girls with Manu), unlike at the KennCenter in 2008.

I'll be there for the weekend and hope to see other BalletTalkers. I'm looking forward to all performances and am particularly curious about Kondaurova's Nikiya on Saturday afternoon; I saw her dance only the Shades act Nikiya years ago as part of a mixed bill at the KennCen and have so been looking forward to seeing her in the complete role.

[Natalia]

Announced principal casting, as per the Ardani site:

La Bayadere
February 24 at 19:00 (Vishneva/Fadeev/A. Matvienko)
February 25 at 19:00  (Terioshkina/D. Matvienko/Kolegova)
February 26 at 13:00  (Kondaurova/Ivanchenko/A. Matvienko)
February 26 at 19:00   (Lopatkina/Korsuntsev/Kolegova)
February 27 at 13:00   (Somova/Shklyarov/Kolegova)
February 27 at 19:00  (Vishneva/Fadeev/A. Matvienko)

Edited at 4:45pm to add -
NOTE - The printed playbill, issued on the 24th, shows some changes, such as Somova no longer performing here.

[little-junkie]

Natalia,
Thank you so much for the casting information. I've been looking for it everywhere...
I'm attending the Saturday afternoon performance so I guess I'll see watching Ekaterina Kondaurova's performance. Interesting. Do you know that Vishneva is coming back to Ottawa in May for the La La La Human Steps performance?
Can't wait!!

[Natalia]

Thanks, little-junkie. It appears that you've picked an interesting performance out of the blue. This is, I think, Kondaurova's NAm debut of the complete role of Nikiya, just as next Friday, March 4, will be the NAm debut of her complete Odette/Odile, in Toronto. (I'm hoping to be there too but depends on workload in DC that Friday.) Thanks for the info on Diana Vishneva and La-la; she does 'modern' very well, too.

[Natalia]

Canadians are tops! I just found the complete casting (well, casting as of now) in the Ottawa National Centre for the Arts website. Go here and scroll down to the little PDF icon ("Programme Information"):

http://www.nac-cna.c...ent.cfm?ID=6298

Of special interest -

Many recent graduates have solo and demi-solo roles of note. This will be a great chance to better acquaint ourselves with the highly-touted Stepanova, Chereskevich, etc. Also, my disappointment at not seeing Anastasia Petushkova's Myrtha in DC will be remedied...as I'll see her in her A#1 role, as leader of the Indian (Tom-Tom) Dance. Oh, yeah!!!! And - to top it off with a cherry on the sundae - Vladimir Ponomaryov is supposed to be back, as the High Brahmin. Sweet!

Soloists at the various weekend performances include:

Rajah - Pykhachev
Magdaveya a.k.a. 'the fire guy' - G. Popov or Kulikov
Aya - Bazhenova
Jampe Dance - Ostreikovskaya & Nikitina
4 Little Bayaderes - Shirinkina, Cheprassova, S. Ivanova and D. Pavlova
4 Big Bayaderes - Chereskevich, Vasnetsova, Stepanova and Krasnokutskaya
2 men partnering the 4 big bayas - Romanchikov and Solovyov
Golden Idol - Styopin (only tonight) or Timofeev
Manu - Martinyuk at all perfs
Indian (Tom-tom) Dance - Petushkova (yesss!), with Baimuradov or Ioannisian


and last but most certainly not least, the solo shades -

Shade 1 - Martinyuk (only tonight) or Cheprassova
Shade 2 - Kasenkova (only tonight) or Chereskevich
Shade 3 - Vasnetsova every perf.

[little-junkie]

Natalia,

I have just made up my mind that I'll get the last-minute ticket to see Lopatkina on Sat evening, and Vishneva on Sun evening. So it will be a very intensive "La Bayadere" weekend for me, seeing 3 different Russian dancers performing the same ballet in just 2 days! Call me crazy but I don't know when this kind of opportunity will come again!

[Natalia]

I don't think you'll be sorry, little-junkie! You might even want to add Somova on Sunday afternoon, to have the 'full perspective'...this is the best role in which I've seen her, IMO, based on that Jan 2008 Kennedy Center performance.

We're going almost to the same perfs. I'll be seeing Terioshkina tomorrow night but missing Vishneva on Sunday, as I'll be on my way home right after Somova/Shklyarov...but I've seen Vishneva live in this role 3 times (once each in DC, London & St P) and she is not-to-be-missed. Watch out for the way that she dances the 'hootchie-kootchie' with the basket of flowers in Act II. Nobody puts as much gusto into that 'silly' little dance than Vishneva.

[Angelique]

I watched Mariinsky "Bayadere" performed on stage of the beloved Kennedy Center and also "The Kingdom of the Shades" act presented in NYC at the NYCC - Natalia,  please remind me what year was that.  Anywayz, I was so captivated by its powerful human drama which unfolded right in front of my eyes and even more so by Marius Petipa’s potent choreography powered by divine logic,  that  up to this day "La Bayadere" remains my favorite ballet and the most powerful theatrical experience in my life.  In fact,  I prefer it to "Swan Lake".  As far as cast goes,  I don’t see how one can go wrong with any Mariinsky cast,  provided that lead roles are performed by company's Principals and/or First soloists.  What a magnificent show it is!  I see what I can to to jet there myself.

[Natalia]

That was in 2008, Angelique - full ballet in DC, in January, and 'Shades' as part of mixed bills, in NYC in April. Wow, I don't want anyone to break-the-bank but it would be great if you could come too. Baya, Sleeping B, DonQ and even Corsaire are richer in solo and demi-solo roles than Swan Lake, IMO. (More classical variations; Swan is more a seamless poem than a series of classical variations, although it has the A1 pas de trois for non-principals.)

[Angelique]

Natalia, on 24 February 2011 - 08:45 AM, said:

Watch out for the way that she dances the 'hootchie-kootchie' with the basket of flowers in Act II. Nobody puts as much gusto into that 'silly' little dance than Vishneva.

Indeed.  Save  for Asylmuratova, perhaps (La Bayadere / Asylmuratova, Bussell, Dowell, Mukhamedov; Lanchbery, Royal Ballet.  DVD). I start to suspect that in order to release the pent-up energy stored in the core of the scene,  one must have some middle Eastern blood in her.

[little-junkie]

Speaking of "breaking the bank", that is actually the reason why I opt out on Sunday afternoon performance. I WAS originally thinking of attending 4 performances this weekend. My wallet is already hurting... LOL but hey you gotta do what you gotta do.
Natalia, please let us know about Somova's performance after, I'd be all ears.

[Natalia]

little-junkie, on 24 February 2011 - 10:14 AM, said:

....
Natalia, please let us know about Somova's performance after, I'd be all ears.

Sure thing. I'll probably post on Monday, after I get back to DC. I've promised my husband to NOT take the laptop...but we ARE taking our skates, to try-out the amazing Rideau Canal, the world's longest frozen skateway. [The ice is supposed to be in good condition, according to the website! It's 7.8 km long! http://www.ottawatou...-canal-skateway ] Canal begins next to our hotel (Lord Elgin), which is next to the theater. Hopefully I won't injure myself before performances, either tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning.  

p.s. - Yes, we know that the skates have to go with the checked luggage. That's the only reason why I won't be doing carry-on.

[little-junkie]

I don't mean to post off topic information but I can't use PM yet.
Natalia, the weather will be mild, and Sat will be sunny so A LOT OF PEOPLE will be hitting the canal. Go early in the morning, the ice will be in better condition than when it has a few thousand people skating on it. Skate rental is available so that's one option you may consider, but again, they might run out if there are too many skaters at once. If you and your husband don't mind Japanese food, go to Genji (3 blocks south of Lord Elgin Hotel) for a dinner before the evening performance. Check out Al's steakhouse on Elgin St. if you prefer Western food. And most importantly, enjoy the performances, because I will

[Natalia]

Thanks so much for your invaluable tips, little-junkie! We love Japanese and, for sure, will be lacing the skates early. My only problem will be keeping my hockey-nut husband from joining some impromptu pick-up game, or we might miss the 1pm curtain. Luckily everything seems to be close by.

I bet that the Russian visitors will feel right at home with the frozen canals and such.

[Natalia]

Ahhhhhh.....I just read the 'fine print' of the printed playbill for the run, issued today (link above). I was so busy taking-in the names of the soloists in small parts that I failed to see the big shift in principals!

Somova is no longer on the tour (or at least the Ottawa leg)! Too bad. I hope she's OK.

Little-junkie, you'll still be seeing your selected casts but it's Vishneva with Matvienko now on Saturday night. (Hey, no complaints from me either!) Lopatkina on Sunday night, still with her usual partner, Korsuntsev. STILL Kondaurova and Ivanchenko for the Saturday matinee (please, no changes there!).

In sum, principal casting according to the theater's printed playbill (not the Ardani site):

Thurs, 24th (today) - Vishneva/D. Matvienko/A. Matvienko
Fri, 25th - Terioshkina/Shklyarov/Kolegova
Sat, 26th matinee - Kondaurova/Ivanchenko/A. Matvienko
Sat 26h eve - Vishneva/D. Matvienko/Kolegova
Sun, 27th matinee - Terioshkina/Shklyarov/A. Matvienko
Sun, 27th eve - Lopatkina/Korsuntsev/Kolegova

Other news that I missed earlier:  the main ballet music director of the Mariinsky is back - Pavel Bubelnikov...rather than the younger gent who directed the Kennedy Center Orch in Giselle at a snail's pace (a.k.a.'King of Swing').

AGAIN - the Ardani site still shows the original casting...and anything can and may happen in such tours. And the playbill, though more recent, may be full of errors, e.g., it lists Yuri Fateev as "Interim Director of the ballet company." Never a dull moment with the Mariinsky!