Mariinsky in DC, Jan 2012 - Diaghilev 3ple bill

[Natalia]

p.s. - It was a joy to have seen old acquaintances and meet new BalletAlertnik friends these past days....nysusan, YID, abatt, kim, marie, simon, sheila and other Mariinsky Lovers. I hope that everybody gets back home safely!

[abatt]

It was nice to meet you too, Natalia, and to catch up with other Ballet Alert friends.

[YID]

Here's the link to an interesting little report on this DC tour, from the Russian TV channel VESTI. It includes the revelation that the Mariinsky will be returning to Washington, DC, next October with "Zolushka" (assume that this is CINDERELLA by Ratmansky?)! The report also shows scenes of Tuesday's KennCen dress rehearsal of CHOPINIANA. Dancers clearly shown include Svetlana Ivanova near the beginning and, later, a ruffled Oxana Skorik, having some words with the conductor about tempo. There's also a 'closeup moment' of Yulia Stepanova at the head of a line of sylphs. The film also contains short interview bits with Ekaterina Kondaurova (about Firebird), Maria Shirinkina and the A.D., Yuri Fateev. Enjoy!

http://www.vesti.ru/...html?vid=391390

p.s. - I've just posted this news separately, in another thread, to discuss next season's tour. The current tour is still under way, after all. Link to other thread discussing the next season and the next 10-year arrangement with the KC: http://balletalert.i...__fromsearch__1

Several big announcements are going to be made from the Kennedy Center during this Diaghilev run, according to Voice of Russia news. All the more reason for me not to go home early, after the Firebirds!

Natalia, i just watched it twice, i did NOT hear anyting about ANOTHER 10 years after this run.

edited - However,

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2...9/64137819.html

- the russian text confirms that they extneded a 10-year by another 10-year. however, the English text misinterpetes that the russian seasons will be back in the fall. The correct text should have said "the current tour wrapps up/celebrates a 10-year collaboration between the two organizations. The troupe is performing the famous ......"

[Natalia]

Thanks and I caught the language flubs in the TV report. However, the 10-yr run AND the return of the Diaghilev 3ple Bill are both mentioned in the in-print Voice of Russia report that I posted elsewhere (a new thread about the return to DC). That is the article with the headline "Mariinsky and MET Extend Contract"...but no mention of the Metropolitan Opera House in the article, which probably says it all: that Voice of Russia isn't the most reliable news service.

Link to the separate thread for the discussion of the next Kennedy Center season & 'deal.':

http://balletalert.i...ybe-cinderella/

There's also another thread on the October 2012 Ardani-sponsored USA tour, of which the DC/Kennedy Center stop is just one segment.

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/35034-fall-2012-mariinsky-us-tour-ardani/

[nysusan]

It was a pleasure to see everyone in DC! Natalia did such a great job of describing all the performances, I will just put my 2 cents in to say that what I will remember most from this trip is the Sat Matinee Scheherazade with Lopatkina & Korsuntsev (HOT,HOT, HOT) and the Sunday matinee Chopiniana with Shirinkina, Pavlenko, Selina and Zyuzin.

I was great to see Pavlenko, who is a big favorite of mine. She was a great Zobeide and her Chopiniana prelude was wisper soft, a true prayer. Her arms and phrasing were gorgeous. She is a true ballerina but wonderful as she was it was also apparent that she is not back at 100% yet. For me Pavlenko at 80% is still better than most anyone else at 100% but here's hoping that she continues to work towards regaining 100% of her form and reclaiming all off her former roles.

[Natalia]

I totally agree with your thoughts about Pavlenko, nysusan. The best news about her season at the 'home theater' so far is that she is slowly getting into full-evening pointe-shoe roles, most notably GISELLE on Nov 25, 2011, opposite Alexander Sergeev (her real-life husband). The previous season, one of her very first 'full-evening pointe roles' was Ratmansky's CINDERELLA so...who knows...maybe we'll see her back on these shores sooner than later? [i'm also hoping to see Ekaterina Osmolkina once again here -- and, so far this season, Osmolkina has danced the only CINDERELLA back home, so she is a good candidate to make the DC tour. Other Cinderellas in the past 2 or 3 seasons back home have included Obraztsova, Cheprassova, & Golub; mmmmmaybe Shirinkina too (even if not on her bio). Others? Vishneva created the ballet but hasn't danced it at home in a while, that I recall.]