32 replies to this topic

[Stecyk]

American steps into Bolshoi Ballet corps

By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times

October 12, 2011

Quote

Reporting from Moscow — When the Kings of the Dance tour — a showcase of some of the top male dancers in the world — premiered at the Stanislavsky Musical Theater last week, the representative of the legendary Bolshoi Ballet was South Dakota-born David Hallberg. An American in the Bolshoi? It was unimaginable just months ago.

But the Bolshoi did imagine it, and on Sept. 21 what some dubbed a defection in reverse was announced, recalling the days when heralded dancers, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov among them, fled the Soviet Union for Western companies.

[bobbi]

Hallberg fans can catch his Bolshoi Sleeping Beauty with Zakharova at a live transmission on Sunday, November 20, at the Big Cinemas theater on East 59th Street.  I was at the Esmeralda this past Sunday (reviewed in today's Times) and can report that it was very well done from the filming point of view.  It's like having a prime orchestra seat for $25 (but with a more comfortable seat).  I hope these transmissions "take off" because the Symphony Space discontinued the opera ones because of lack of interest.

[abatt]

http://artsbeat.blog...ancer/?ref=arts

Here's another mini interview w. Hallberg regarding his feelings about his recent Giselle performance, and his prep for the upcoming Sleeping Beauty.  All this publicity is great for Hallberg, but also for ABT.  People who have no interest in ballet seem to have heard of David Hallberg due to all of the publicity.  My brother,, who has never been and will never go to any ballet, even heard about Hallberg and asked me some questions. Hopefully Hallberg is solidifying his fan base here in the US.

Also, with reference to Bobbi's post, some additional theaters will be broadcasting the upcoming Sleeping Beauty. Go to Fathom Event and follow the links relating to the Bolshoi Sleeping Beauty.