37 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

Very busy, so haven't done a full analysis...but I see that Principal Denis Matvienko and First Soloist Evgenia Obraztsova are now gone from the Mariinsky roster. Anastasia Matvienko is still there, though.

http://www.mariinsky.../ballet/troupe/

[Dale]

That's surprising about Obraztsova. Her own website lists her as having performances with the Mariinsky but also with the Bolshoi.

[Helene]

I'm hoping the Bolshoil snatches her up.

[Solnishka79]

I also hope the Bolshoi grabs her. Maybe Mikhailovsky.
Skorik is now Second Soloist.

[Natalia]

Skorik became 2nd soloist a few months ago. Ditto Alexander Sergeev becoming 1st Soloist or Shirinkina another 2nd Soloist. These promotions had already happened well ahead of today's changes.

I have my recent (2 days ago) print-out of the roster at home...but I seem to think that Anastasia Kolegova was just promoted from 2nd to 1st soloist (?). [UPDATE: Not the case; both Anastasias -- Kolegova and Matvienko -- were already 1st soloists well before these latest roster changes.]

[Cygnet]

Wherever Obraztsova lands, she'll thrive and excel.  Now she's "free and clear to navigate," and
will make even more bank !  On the lower tone, this is the Mariinsky's loss: Epic fail
on the management's part.

[Fraildove]

Never a dull moment in the ballet world! I hope that the Mariinsky will realize what the have lost. Obraztsova will be an asset to any company she chooses, and hopefully they will utilize her gifts much better than her home company did. And the Mariinsky continues to loose my respect, which considering my own training and professional background is very sad indeed. At one time, the Kirov was the be all, end all company for me. Now my allegiance has shifted. But all the best for these dancers' futures.

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

[Cygnet]

Fraildove, on 26 January 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

Never a dull moment in the ballet world! I hope that the Mariinsky will realize what the have lost. Obraztsova will be an asset to any company she chooses, and hopefully they will utilize her gifts much better than her home company did. And the Mariinsky continues to loose my respect, which considering my own training and professional background is very sad indeed. At one time, the Kirov was the be all, end all company for me. Now my allegiance has shifted. But all the best for these dancers' futures.

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

Fraildove, Yuri Fateev is the Captain Schettino of the Mariinsky Ballet.

[Natalia]

Cygnet, on 26 January 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

...Fraildove, Yuri Fateev is the Captain Schettino of the Mariinsky Ballet.

   You can say that again, Cygnet.  Fraildove, your instincts are correct; the Mariinsky Ballet used to be a classy brand. I feel sorry for all of the better dancers who we saw at the Kennedy Center last week. It's not their fault that they find themselves aboard the Costa Mariinkordia.

[bingham]

Costa Mariinkordia

[Lidewij]

This makes me sad.  I like to think of the Mariinsky as the "best company of the world" (that's what my mother said to me when she first showed me a ballet video when I was 6 or 7), and when I see (or usually: see on youtube) that the standards are not as high as they used to be, it makes me really sad.

Fraildove, on 26 January 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

Is it just me, or does it seem lime the Kirov has lost their identity?

It's not just you.

How can they let one of their most brilliant dancers go?  They should cherish dancers like her..
Reminds me of how they didn't hire Ayupova as a coach; this way they will never reach the level they were at 30 years ago again..  And the problem is NOT that there isn't any potential in the company/Vaganova academy.  
But what are they doing with it?  I simply cannot understand what is going on in the AD's mind. (Or whoever is responsible for this)

[Natalia]

It says it all when the top graduates of the Vaganova Academy for the past two years -- Smirnova, Shapran, Lebedev, Strelkov -- have opted to take employment with different companies immediately upon graduation.

The Mariinsky brand is being cheapened and 'reality TV'ed' -- quickly.

[Mashinka]

Nice to see Natalia and Cygnet on top form   but joking aside it's hard not to see Gospodin Schettino Fateyev steering the Costa Mariinkordia onto the rocks.

I'm in two minds regarding Obraztsova, on the one hand applauding her newly found independence, but on the other hand truly sad that such a pure exponent of the old Kirov style finds it necessary to leave.  She has the example of such beautiful classicists as Osmolkina and Zhelonkina to ponder over, two dancers not that much older that have been pushed to the sidelines whilst nonentities took stage centre.  Had she stayed I think that would have been Obraztsova's fate too.

[Natalia]

I've now compared my printed-out roster from two days ago against the current online list.

Four Departures:  
D. Matvienko (Principal)
E. Obraztsova (1st Soloist)
Yulia Smirnova Slivkina (Character Principal)...not very old...Vaganova grad ca 2000/01
Pyotr Stasyunas (Character Principal)...a veteran

One Promotion:
Alexander Fyodorov (from "reserves" to corps de ballet) - Congrats to him!

Still one 'Trainee':  Kim Kimin


Mashinka, I'm not so sure that Obraztsova's departure is because she found it necessary to leave, if you get my drift. That said, European fora are reporting this morning that both D. Matvienko and Obraztsova might still perform occasionally as "guest artists" of the Mariinsky...so what does that make Igor Zelensky or even Vishneva, who are de facto -- if not de jure -- guests at the MT? I still don't like it.

[chiapuris]

Natalia, on 26 January 2012 - 09:16 AM, said:

........... First Soloist Evgenia Obraztsova are now gone from the Mariinsky roster.............

http://www.mariinsky.../ballet/troupe/

There's a  "special" title in the Bolshoi roster for Eugenia Obraztsova  titled Guest Soloists. No other name. Hmm; no rank.