33 replies to this topic

[little-junkie]

I was wondering about that last nite...the eight drum dance guys came out to bow, then I was expecting the 3 soloists, and nothing. I thought, "where did they go?"

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The two Magdaveyas (Head Fakir - fire guy) were excellent. In the matinees, Grigory Popov  displayed wonderful high jumps...but the 'true show-off' among the two was a new name for me in solo roles: Alexander Kulikov, not only a high jumper but extremely flexible and milking every second to the hilt. Bravo!

They were indeed very impressive. Did you also notice that they were left out at the curtain calls, for all three acts? Perhaps the character is considered too small to have any spotlight...

[Natalia]

Really? You're right! The Head Fakir performs quite a bit - one of the few who appears in every act. I wouldn't want to see him coming out at the end of Act III just for the little dance with the snake charmer but he certainly performs more in Act I than many others.

In Russia, the two leads (not the 'drum boy') of the Indian Dance actually get curtain calls after Act II, with the female getting flowers.

[little-junkie]

The music of la Bayadere has been stuck in my head since the performances...

[Natalia]

Me too, little-junkie! Especially the festive march that opens Act II, with the parade of characters. And who was the first Mariinsky artist who I recognized as we were checking into our Toronto hotel? Hard to miss:  the very tall & imposing Vladimir Ponomaryev! He turned around and laughed when I told my husband, "Look! It's the High Brahmin!"