119 replies to this topic

[Birdsall]

Tiara, on 12 September 2012 - 01:43 AM, said:

Inexplicable why Oksana Skorik is to be given three performances, including opening night, and my commiserations to those unfortunate enough to have purchased tickets for these performances.  She is the most junior ballerina of the O/Os and the least representative of pure Mariinsky style: the opening night should have gone to Kondaurova, the only principal on the tour, and the closing night to Kolegova.  Oksana Skorik, if she had to be on the tour at all, should have done the matinee performances.  Furthermore, to pair Skorik with Shklyarov is just ridiculous - Skorik must be nearly the same height as him and is totally unsuitable for him.  With so many talented ballerinas just waiting for the opportunity to be given an O/O debut this is just nonsensical and yet another example of Yuri Fateyev's complete ineptitude in casting.

I think I would cry buckets if I had the wrong tickets, but Shklyarov would be my only consolation. But who goes to Swan Lake to watch Prince Siegfried all night???? It is a tragedy of epic proportions for those ticket holders!

[Natalia]

I know of 'booby prize' ticket holders who RAN to the box office yesterday evening to exchange for the Friday-night Kondaurova performance, for a $5 exchange fee. For their sake, I PRAY and HOPE that the casting sticks.

[Mashinka]

By rights shouldn't Osmolkina or Pavlenko be replacing Tereshkina?  They both dance the role even if their performances in it have been limited.

[Birdsall]

Natalia, on 12 September 2012 - 07:53 AM, said:

I know of 'booby prize' ticket holders who RAN to the box office yesterday evening to exchange for the Friday-night Kondaurova performance, for a $5 exchange fee. For their sake, I PRAY and HOPE that the casting sticks.

I didn't know you could exchange! It was probably a mad rush to the box office like how people rushed to their banks when the stock market collapsed in 1929!!! LOL

[Natalia]

Mashinka, seniority-wise, yes, even though Osmolkina is still a First Soloist (Pavlenko, like Kondaurova, is Principal).  Perhaps both Pavlenko and Osmolkina are still working their way back to the 'classical tutu roles' following maternity leave? That said, Osmolkina is 'good enough' that she is scheduled to join the troupe for the final DC-Cinderella leg....begging the question, "Since she is already slated to be a part of the Ardani USA tour, why can't she dance Swan Lake in California?"

Pavlenko danced Chopiniana and Scheherazade in DC last January. I was almost expecting her to dance Cinderella opposite her husband Sergeev, as she has done in StP...but she was not named to the tour (but she may yet replace the now-indisposed Somova,who was to have danced opposite Sergeev in DC). As much as I love Pavlenko, I'm not sure that she is still at her optimal shape for Swan Lake, unless she's made enormous strides since January. She COULD do Cinderella in DC, IMO.

Edited at 1pm to add: The Kennedy Center has just announced that Pavlenko WILL make the tour and dance Cinderella in DC,replacing the Somova performances (so dancing opposite Sergeev)! So, Mashinka, now there will be TWO Mariinsky Odette-Odiles on the Ardani tour who could conceivably be cast in California, i.e., could replace Skorik. Not that I want the California casting to be reshuffled yet again, for the sake of everyone who is trying to 'get' Big Red.

[nysusan]

I have been debating whether or not to make the OC trip for weeks however now that I know the engagement is Somova and Matvienko proof I took the plunge and bought tickets last night.

I am not enthusiastic about either Skorik or Kolegova but I've never seen either's O/O so I will give them a chance. I don't actually mean to put them in the same category - Skorik seems to have major technical problems, though I've only seen her live in small corphee roles. Kolegova is a very good dancer, I just didn't like her style as Aurora and don't think that bodes well for her O/O.

I agree that giving Skorik opening night is completely inexplicable - and its not selling well. Last night I got an email with a $35 ticket offer for orchestra seats on opening night. Its a 1 day only deal so click here
if you'd like to take advantage of it:
http://www.scfta.org...ne%20Day%20Sale

Also, when I ordered my tickets I asked about the 3rd Tier. It is not sold out, they haven't put it on sale. That's a shame.

[ksk04]

I don't have any issue with Skorik getting one night of SL but three is nuts and a huge stress on any dancer to be honest (3 SL in 6 days??). A company like the Mariinsky (even with pregnancies) should be able to field several principal/first soloist level casts for a tour. It's insane that they have lowered themselves to this position.


nysusan: Yes, thanks for the reminder about the opening night sale...And I thought that was the case re: third tier. Third tier never sells out for ballet here.

[Natalia]

Just up on the KennCen website: http://www.kennedy-c...ts/?event=BNBSG
Do You Believe in Miracles?
PAVLENKO REPLACES SOMOVA! PAVLENKO REPLACES SOMOVA as Cinderella!!!! Will dance with her husband Sergeev. My predictions came true!!!

PRINCIPAL CASTING (subject to change)
Tue., Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Maria Shirinkina
The Prince: Vladimir Shklyarov
Stepmother: Ekaterina Kondaurova

Wed., Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Ekaterina Osmolkina
The Prince: Igor Kolb
Stepmother: Alexandra Iosifidi

Thu., Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Daria Pavlenko
The Prince: Alexander Sergeyev
Stepmother: Sofia Gumerova

Fri., Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Maria Shirinkina
The Prince: Maxim Zyuzin
Stepmother: Alexandra Iosifidi

Sat., Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Ekaterina Osmolkina
The Prince: Igor Kolb
Stepmother: Sofia Gumerova

Sat., Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Daria Pavlenko
The Prince: Alexander Sergeyev
Stepmother: Alexandra Iosifidi

Sun., Oct. 21 at 1:30 p.m.
Cinderella: Ekaterina Osmolkina
The Prince: Igor Kolb
Stepmother: Sofia Gumerova

OK, some of you know that I'm now overseas BUT, for Pavlenko, I may get my 'arse' back up to the US. Even if I have to sit through that horrible production one mo' time.

[ksk04]

More salt in the wounds that we won't see her on the West Coast. I'm thrilled for DC though.

[Natalia]

The Segerstrom Center/OC (L.A. area) is now showing the revised casting, no different than what the L.A. Times reported yesterday (whew!):
http://www.scfta.org...px?EventID=1307

No changes yet on the Berkeley-Zellerbach Hall performances:
http://www.calperfs....a-swan-lake.php

[Tiara]

Natalia, on 11 September 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

ksk04, from the Mariinsky, I've only heard -- unofficially & not in a forum -- of the sweet 2nd soloist known for her Fairy Canary. She would have been dancing Cygnets, if on the US tour.

Two Mikhailovsky 'primas' - Borchenko and Perren -- are happily 'with child,' as reported on numerous other fora and maybe even BA (other thread?).

I am happy for her - Yana Selina is a lovely ballerina who sadly has been overused and confined to dancing minor solo roles - a kind of Fairy of all Trades - instead of being given the more important roles she should have been dancing.  Her absence from the company this season will open up a multitude of interesting role possibilities for the younger ballerinas - or at least it should do, if Yuri Fateyev could be relied upon to recognize their talent and cast them appropriately.

[Mashinka]

Pavlenko fans will be interested to know that she is due to dance in Athens this Sunday.  Bad boy Polunin also appears.

[Cygnet]

Natalia, on 12 September 2012 - 07:53 AM, said:

I know of 'booby prize' ticket holders who RAN to the box office yesterday evening to exchange for the Friday-night Kondaurova performance, for a $5 exchange fee. For their sake, I PRAY and HOPE that the casting sticks.

I'm one of the patrons who pulled an Usain Bolt and exchanged Nastya Kolegova's Saturday matinee for Katya's Friday evening
performance.

[Natalia]

Tiara, on 12 September 2012 - 12:15 PM, said:

.....happy for her - Yana Selina .....

Russian boards are also reporting that another of the soloists originally scheduled to dance O-O in Calif, Anastasia Matvienko, is also pregnant. So congrats to her and to Denis Matvienko.

Pregnancy tally (thus far...there may be more!)

Terioshkina
Somova
A. Matvienko
Selina

+ Perren & Borchenko from the Mikhailovsky

[Solnishka79]

Wow! Congratulations to all! It seems there is something in the water in St. Petersburg...