55 replies to this topic

[Zachary]

Hello everyone!

I didn't really do my research so I'm not 100% sure if this is the first topic completely dedicated to Olga Smirnova, extremely talented 2011 Vaganova grad of Kovaleva's class who is now first soloist at Bolshoi Theatre. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knows about videos of her debut in 'La Fille du Pharaon', or 'The Pharaoh's Daughter' at Bolshoi Theatre recently; I have found pictures but I'm dying to see a video. I also want to hear other people's opinions on Smirnova and how quickly you all think she will reach principal status. She is personally one of my favourite ballerinas and for me is definitely a rising star of the Russian ballet, alongside fellow classmate Kristina Shapran who dances as a soloist at Stanislavsky Ballet.

[Zachary]

Ah, my bad. The pictures i found were from a rehearsal I think... so maybe she has not debuted yet, maybe that is on the 14th. Anyways, if we could all keep our eyes open maybe we can find the video as soon as it comes out. If there is to be one, that is...

[macnellie]

I think she is wonderful too.

[leonid]

Zachary, on 13 July 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:

Ah, my bad. The pictures i found were from a rehearsal I think... so maybe she has not debuted yet, maybe that is on the 14th. Anyways, if we could all keep our eyes open maybe we can find the video as soon as it comes out. If there is to be one, that is...

FROM BOLSHOI THEATRE WEBSITE

Cast for tonight is:- (Plus BIOGRAPHY)

14 july 2012
Aspicia, the Pharaoh's daughter - Olga Smirnova   
Lord Wilson, an Englishman, who turns into an Egyptian called Taor - Semyon Chudin
John Bull, his servant, who turns into an Egyptian called Passiphonte - Denis Medvedev   
Ramze, Aspicia's Nubian slave = Anna Tikhomirova
A Fisherman = Vladislav Lantratov   
The Fisherman's Wife -  Anastasia Stashkevich
Pas d'action
Yan Godovsky
Alesya Gradova (Boyko)
Xenia Kern
Svetlana Pavlova
Maria Prorvich
Igor Tsvirko
Two Cavaliers -  Karim Abdullin - Igor Khromushin
Rivers
First River – Guadalquivir  Daria Khokhlova   Second River – Congo  Anna Okuneva  Third River – Neva  Maria Vinogradova
The Pharaoh - Andrei Sitnikov
The King of Nubia -  Andrei  Melanyin   
The God of the River Nile - Georgy Geraskin  
River  Servants to the God of the River Nile -
Karim Abdullin
Yevgeny Golovin
Yegor Khromushin
Ivan Mikhalyov

Caryatids
Olga Kishnyova
Anastasia Meskova
Anna Rebetskaya
Victoria Yakusheva   

The High Priest
Alexei Loparevich   

Herald - Denis Savin   
A Monkey -  Alexander Pshenitsyn
Conductor
Pavel Klinichev

BIOGRAPHY OLGA SMIRNOVA
Born in St. Petersburg. In 2011 she graduated from the Academy of Russian Ballet (ARB) to them. AJ Vaganova (teacher Lyudmila Kovaleva) and was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet.
teacher-coach was the actress Marina Kondratieff . Its successes were noted throughout the study repeatedly awarded various scholarships. Continuously participated in the tour ARB - performed at the academy in Japan, Britain, Italy, Lithuania, Hungary, Greece and Portugal. In 2004 took part in a joint concert of the ARB and the School of the Royal Ballet of Great Britain, held in London. He has an extensive repertoire. In particular, sang - Masha in the ballet "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky (choreography by V. Vainonen), Queen of the waters in the movie "The bottom of the sea-ocean" (music by C. Puni, R. Drigo, B. Asafiev) from the ballet "The Little Horse -Horse "(choreography by Alexander Gorsky's version of Yu Boatmen) Seventh Waltz from the ballet" Les Sylphides "(choreography by Fokine), great classical music on the pa DF E Aubert (choreography by V. Gzovsky)," Thais " the music of Jules Massenet (choreography by R. Petit), etc. She put the number "Mazurka" to the music of Chopin (choreography by Vladimir Romanovsky).



Repertoire
2011
Prince of peers ("Swan Lake" in the second version by Yuri Grigorovich) the second variation in the Grand Pas  ("Don Quixote" by Ludwig Minkus, choreography by Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky in Yuri Grigorovich) Myrtha ("Giselle" by A. Adam and choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa as amended by Yuri Grigorovich) maid of honor, Lilac Fairy ("Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky, choreography by Marius Petipa, in Yuri Grigorovich) Queen of the Dryads ("Don Quixote ") in 2012 Nikia ("La Bayadere" by Ludwig Minkus, choreography by Marius Petipa in the wording of Yuri Grigorovich production) The third odalis ka ("Corsair" by A. Adam, choreography by Marius Petipa, staging and new choreography by Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Boatmen) the leading party in the "Diamonds" (participant premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre) with music by Tchaikovsky and "Emeralds" to music by Fauré (III and Part I of the ballet "Jewels") (choreography by George Balanchine), two jeeps ("Giselle" in version by Yuri Grigorovich) Duet («Dream of Dream» to music by Rachmaninov, directed by J. Elo)

Tour

In May 2011 participated in a gala concert of memory of Galina Ulanova of the series "Icons of Russian Ballet", held at London Coliseum Theatre - performed with a classmate S. Strelkov, "Melody" to music by Dvorak (choreography by A. Messerer) . In July 2011 participated in a gala concert of international ballet stars in the I International Competition of ballet and dance, held in Beijing (Great classical music on the pa D.F.E. Auber).
Print

[MRR]

Zachary,

I completely agree with you.  Smirnova is a sublime young talent and strikingly mature for her age (I believe she is 19 or 20).  I definitely foresee her becoming a principal within the next few years considering how meteoric her rise has been already.  I saw some clips of her in Diamonds and Emeralds when the Bolshoi premiered Jewels, and even in just meager clips I instantly wanted to see more of her.  There are also videos of her dancing Lilac Fairy to Evgenia Obraztsova's Aurora, and they are wonderful together.  I loved that one of the coaches setting Jewels called Smirnova "a ballerina out of the past."

[Natalia]

I shudder to think where Smirnova would be after one year in the corps de ballet of the Mariinsky, had she opted to stay in St. Petersburg. Backdrop for Somova? Thank goodness, NO.

[Zachary]

At first I was a bit disappointed that she did not go to Mariinsky because I love so many of the dancers there, then I came to and realized that it was a much better decision for her to move to the Bolshoi. She is doing so well and now that Obraztsova is also there, and Kristina Shapran at Stanislavsky, she gives me a reason to make a visit to Moscow... I've been searching for videos of her Pharaoh's Daughter debut but no success so far.

[macnellie]

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?
V=|1Fob1 gksaw&feature=youtube gdata player

[macnellie]

Trying to post youtube link to Smirnova in "mazurka"
search for vaganova character dance 2/3 2010.

[macnellie]

One more time:youtube and search for

VBA Character dance exam 2010 3/2

The mazurka is at the start of part 2.

[Zachary]

I've seen that video of Smirnova's character exam 'mazurka' before. She is amazing and barre is beautiful too! I really enjoy character work, especially Vaganova's, since they really know how it's done.

[trieste]

I just watched a clip of hers...her debut in the work of a certain choreographer who shall not be named. Her dancing is beautifully transparent -- that is, her technique is without reproach, clearing the view to the choreography and to details. I particularly appreciate her consistent turnout and use of wrists and hands to punctuate those gorgeous Vaganova arms. I'm hard pressed to think of many dancers with such steely technique and the artistry to put it to use. I've heard she's controversial, due to her age and rapid promotion, but mon dieu, what a loss for the Mariinsky.

[Zachary]

I have also heard that she is controversial; someone on YouTube has uploaded the full 'La Fille du Pharaon' with Smirnova as Aspicia and Semyon Chudin, a wonderful dancer, as Taor. I think their partnership is a very good one. I enjoy her Aspicia and I think it was a very strong debut and that she will be principal ballerina material very very soon, if she isn't already.

[Natalia]

trieste, on 11 August 2012 - 08:37 PM, said:

..... I've heard she's controversial, due to her age and rapid promotion, but mon dieu, what a loss for the Mariinsky.

Rapid promotion due to age should not be controversial if the skills and beauty are extraordinary, as in the case of Smirnova (or Farrell, in the past, or Vishneva, recent past). Besides...Smirnova was almost 20 when she graduated the Vaganova, she had been held back for so long! She must be 22 by now.

Talent trumps everything and, with the exception of a couple of disgruntled members of the Bolshoi corps, I've hardly detected ANY bad feeling whatsoever about Smirnova's fast promotions. (Very, very different case with the rapid and IMO unjustified ascent of the Somovas and Skoriks at the MT...or the very latest 'project' of Fateev, which we will soon be discussing on separate thread, no doubt.)

[cubanmiamiboy]

Natalia, on 23 September 2012 - 04:05 AM, said:

...or the very latest 'project' of Fateev, which we will soon be discussing on separate thread, no doubt.)

Mmm...you got me on that Natasha..! Can you shred some light on the subject, even as in a PM..?