55 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

I shall, Cristian. (wink)

In the meantime, Clement Crisp has traveled to Moscow and is just the latest in a long line of critics praising Smirnova:
http://www.ft.com/cm...l#axzz27WNZ9emP

Crisp reveals that, alas, Jewels will not tour to London next summer. (No word yet on what will be on view...just not Jewels.)

[macnellie]

Olga Smirnova is dancing Terpsichore.   Oh how I long to be in Moscow!

[abatt]

I wonder what she will be performing at the Stars of the 21st Century gala in NYC on Oct 18.  Does anyone know?

[Natalia]

Lucky New Yorkers will be seeing Smirnova's US debut at the Stars of 21st-C gala very soon. Her partner in Diamonds, Chudin, will also be there...so maybe they might dance Diamonds pdd?


Another possibility:  Apollo pdd, as Smirnova/Chudin will dance opening night of the ballet's premiere at the Bolshoi in two days' time?  See very cool photo of opening cast (incl Smirnova) atop the Bolshoi Theater, next to the famous bronze statue of Apollo's chariot: http://www.bolshoi.r...cles/2012/2299/


(We cross-posted, abatt!)

[abatt]

The Apollo pdd or the Diamond pdd would seem logical, but getting permission from the Balanchine Police might be problematic.  I'm not sure that I've ever seen the main pdd from Apollo performed independently from the ballet in its entirety.  For that reason, I suspect we might get something with fewer copyright hurdles. We'll see.

[Zachary]

Well I sure do wish that I lived in or near Moscow. I wonder what her next debut in a full length ballet will be! I love being able to follow these up and coming stars; the people who upload her videos to YouTube are my heroes.

[macnellie]

I bet they will dance the grand pas classique-- they've done it before at galas.  I'm going and can't wait.  I only hope they all show up!

[Cygnet]

Olga Smirnova has been nominated for the "Rising Star" Award by Russia's "Ballet Magazine."
Ballet Magazine's award ceremony will take place on April 30, 2013 at Moscow's Stanislavsky Theatre.
http://www.bolshoi.r...press/articles/.  Congratulations to you Olga !

[Renata Rodrigues]

Olga Smirnova was invited to dance La Bayadere, on Feb. 4, in Mariinsky!!!

[Cygnet]

Renata Rodrigues, on 17 January 2013 - 08:39 AM, said:

Olga Smirnova was invited to dance La Bayadere, on Feb. 4, in Mariinsky!!!

Riddle me this:  Why would/should Olga bother, given the current conditions in that theatre?  Of course, this is another feather in Olga's cap to have the opportunity and privilege to dance on the Mariinsky stage (and HUGE congratulations to her )!  

However, IMO all of the benefits of the doubt have long since been exhausted.  Given the current atmosphere in the Mariinsky, it seems to me to be a cynical move on The Management's part.  Is it that they now want Smirnova's remarkable success at the Bolshoi to 'splash' on them, and give them CYA padding, when she was one of the two potential prima ballerinas (Kristina Shapran being the other at the Stanislavsky) that "got away?"  Draw your own conclusions.  

I think that Olga need not look back, only forward at this stage of her young career.  She should reach Principal at the Bolshoi then guest at the Mariinsky - and that journey will not take long.  Why?  Because right now, Olga has travelled light-years ahead of where she could have been, specifically the Mariinsky corps had she joined the company after gradudation from Vaganova  Academy.  This is not to suggest that she would have stayed in that rank.  Who knows what Fateev might have done with her had she opted to join the Mariinsky?  And yet, given the substantial evidence of suppression of the gifted and talented, all signs certainly pointed to that scenario for her.  

This is yet another regular performance and Fateev asks for Smirnova to come up from Moscow?  Can he not develop and showcase his own personnel?  Might I suggest the obvious yet again?  With great respect to young Smirnova, Fateev didn’t have to dip into Sergei Filin's company to find a Nikiya for a routine performance.  He already has plenty of Nikiya's at his disposal – great ones - namely, Katya Konadaurova, Dasha Pavlenko, Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, and potentially great ones – like Olesya Novikova and Katya Osmolkina who have yet to make their Mariinsky debuts as Nikiya. There are many ladies who have been waiting and they're all right there in the Mariinsky Theatre.  There's no need to outsource leading roles for regular performances at home.  After Smirnova's predictably stellar debut, the company will swing again as on a pendulum from feast to famine.  Expect Keenan Kampa to grace us very soon as the next Nikiya and O/O debutante.

[Natalia]

I want to cheer for Olga's latest casting coup but am tempered by the horrible news of the acid thrown on AD Sergei Filin last night.

[Cygnet]

Cast update: Smirnova & Vladislav Latrantov didn't appear in "Bayadere" on Feb. 4.
Skoryk and Yermakov danced Nikiya and Solor.
http://www.mariinsky...013/2/4/1_1800/

[volcanohunter]

Smirnova's scheduled Moscow performance of La Bayadère was called off at the last minute. The note from the Bolshoi press office simply stated that Anna Nikulina would be performing the part of Nikiya that evening and that Smirnova's previously announced performance was being cancelled. If she wasn't able to dance the ballet on January 31, I guess it's not surprising that she wasn't able to dance it four days later.

You'll find the reference to the cast change dated January 31.
http://www.bolshoi.r...press/articles/

[ksk04]

That must have been a debut for Nikulina?? Wish some of that would pop up on youtube.

[volcanohunter]

Nikulina had danced the part a few times previously.

http://www.bolshoi.r...#20110204190000
http://www.bolshoi.r...#20120303190000
http://www.bolshoi.r...#20130129190000