Drew Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Short feature on next month's Bolshoi premier of Possokhov's Hero of Our Time -- in Russian but with English subtitles and a few glimpses of rehearsal: Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 There are some rehearsal photos in the latest edition of the Bolshoi Theater gazette (pp. 6-9), including an English-language summary toward the end (p. 15). http://www.bolshoi.ru/r/3F8CD8A3-683B-4B79-A59F-7C1F52D7CFFC/Bolshoi-6-2015.pdf Link to comment
yudi Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Bolshoi has not published the libretto of this ballet. Although I love the novel, I really like to know the ballet Synopsis. I have got visa to travel in Russia. Do you guys think it is fun to catch the premiere of this ballet in Moscow? mmmm, little bit too much about ballet. BTW, the National Ballet of China is coming to New York around that time. ... Link to comment
Swanilda8 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Bolshoi has not published the libretto of this ballet. Although I love the novel, I really like to know the ballet Synopsis. I have got visa to travel in Russia. Do you guys think it is fun to catch the premiere of this ballet in Moscow? mmmm, little bit too much about ballet. BTW, the National Ballet of China is coming to New York around that time. ... Yes, go! If only because I have to go back to the US before it premieres, and I really wish I could see it. So I need to live vicariously through you. I do agree that it will be interesting to see how they adapt the book into a ballet. I haven't read the whole thing (just excerpts for Russian class) but it seems kind of difficult to work with - how are they going to manage the multiple narrators? Link to comment
yudi Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Yes, go! If only because I have to go back to the US before it premieres, and I really wish I could see it. So I need to live vicariously through you. Thank you for your passionate suggestion! Let me see how I would feel about Russia trip. Russia is a such huge country. When I look at the map, I cannot figure out how I would make a tour of Russia in 30 days. I had spent 40 days in Austria, Germany and Paris. But, all these adding together are smaller than Russia. Plus, I don't speak Russian. I cannot make my mind for another reason. I have read the warning on the webpage of the State Department. "U.S. citizens most at risk are ... These U.S. citizens are also at risk for harassment by police authorities." - Well, that is pretty much true. I love ballet! But, sometimes I am too sensitive. Unless I feel very easy to stay in Russia, I would not just go and stay for the premiere. Link to comment
Swanilda8 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thank you for your passionate suggestion! Let me see how I would feel about Russia trip. Russia is a such huge country. When I look at the map, I cannot figure out how I would make a tour of Russia in 30 days. I had spent 40 days in Austria, Germany and Paris. But, all these adding together are smaller than Russia. Plus, I don't speak Russian. I cannot make my mind for another reason. I have read the warning on the webpage of the State Department. "U.S. citizens most at risk are ... These U.S. citizens are also at risk for harassment by police authorities." - Well, that is pretty much true. I love ballet! But, sometimes I am too sensitive. Unless I feel very easy to stay in Russia, I would not just go and stay for the premiere. I'm sorry to say that those are legitimate concerns about life in Russia. I also would not recommend traveling to places in Russia that aren't St. Petersburg and Moscow without speaking Russian. Even in those two cities you might get confused - though less so if you stayed in the center of the city in a nice hotel (where the staff would all speak English). At the same time, I do really enjoy being in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and my friends who have visited me in Moscow think it's a very exciting city. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 The Bolshoi's July gazette features more rehearsal photos, with Possokhov, Svetlana Zakharova and Ruslan Skvortsov on the cover, and more photos on pp. 6-9. http://www.bolshoi.ru/r/0632D264-1015-4D5D-B4C1-AEA857A5B5FE/Bolshoi-7-2015.pdf The cast list has also been posted. "Bela" Pechorin: Igor Tsvirko (July 22, 24, 26), Mikhail Lobukhin (23, 25) Vladislav Lantratov, Denis Rodkin Bela: Olga Smirnova (July 22, 24, 26), Maria Vinogradova (23, 25) Ana Turazashvili Kazbich: Alexander Smoliyaninov (July 22, 24, 26), Denis Medvedev (23, 25) Igor Tsvirko "Taman" Pechorin: Artem Ovcharenko (July 22, 24, 26), Vladislav Lantratov (23, 25) Artemy BelyakovUndine: Ekaterina Shipulina (July 22, 24, 26), Maria Alexandrova (23, 25) Anastasia MeskovaOld Woman/Yanko: Vyacheslav Lopatin (July 22, 26), Anton Savichev (23, 24, 25) Yuri BaranovBlind Boy: Georgy Gusev (July 22, 26), Ilya Artamonov (23, 25), Sergei Kuzmin (24) "Princess Mary"Pechorin: Ruslan Skvortsov (July 22, 24, 26), Vyacheslav Lopatin (23, 25), Andrei Merkuriev (24)Mary: Svetlana Zakharova (July 22, 24, 26), Anastasia Stashkevich (23, 25), Ekaterina Krysanova (24)Vera: Kristina Kretova (July 22, 24, 26), Daria Bochkova (23, 25), Anna Tikhomirova (24)Grushnitsky: Denis Savin (July 22, 24, 26), Artemy Belyakov (23, 25), Semyon Chudin (24) http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/813/roles/#all Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Just ahead of the premiere, the Bolshoi has posted a few dress rehearsal photos. http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/about/press/photo/hero/ Added: A number of (small) images are available on the ballet's front page. http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/813/ Link to comment
Drew Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 They also published this video (English subtitles included) with some comments on the role of the director, Serebrennikov, in the production: Link to comment
Drew Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 I found the following interesting as well from the press office (link below quote): "It was the Bolshoi’s artistic director of ballet, Sergei Filin, who suggested choreographer Possokhov and director Serebrennikov should work together on a new ballet. 'Have a think about subject matter', he said to Kirill Serebrennikov. 'A Hero of Our Time', the latter answered straight off.A Hero of Our Time is one of Serebrennikov’s favorite books. But however much one might love a book, not everyone is capable of bringing it alive in ballet. 'I find it surprising no one thought of doing it before', says Serebrennikov, 'it is a quintessentially poetical and inwardly musical work. And where there is poetry there is ballet.'" http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/about/press/articles/2015/3392/ Not every new production from the Bolshoi captures my attention to such an extent, but this one--obviously--does. I am very much hoping it is a substantive work and a success. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 An AFP story on the ballet includes some pertinent information on Serebrennikov. "Hero of Our Time" comes out as Serebrennikov, director of several critically acclaimed films and cutting-edge plays and operas, is rapidly falling out of favour with Russia's cultural authorities. Last month, prosecutors asked to check seven of his productions for possible pornography, and Russia's culture minister denounced his adaptation of the classics as inappropriate. Activists from conservative groups have protested against his state-funded theatre, Gogol Centre, once installing a naked cutout of the director outside. Under fire at home, Serebrennikov this month was a rare Russian presence at the Avignon Festival, with his theatrical version of Lars Von Trier's 1998 film, "The Idiots." He previously staged an opera at the Bolshoi in 2011. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/heroes-time-wheelchair-dancers-grace-bolshoi-135109606.html I'm racking my brain now to remember a television interview with Vladimir Urin in which he expressed his dislike for Serebrennikov's production of The Golden Cockerel. (Or was it some Tcherniakov production?) Personally, I suspect the longevity of the production will probably depend primarily on the quality of the music. Link to comment
Drew Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 This news story (in Russian-which I do not know) has some video clips -- including bits of Smirnova, Shipulina, and Zakharova and clips from a section danced by Russia's wheelchair sports team dancers performing as wounded soldiers -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KJlbrIck7I Link to comment
mussel Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I am glad see Smirnova is back from injury hiatus. Link to comment
Lynette H Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 It's been reviewed in the FT. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/103d328c-311d-11e5-91ac-a5e17d9b4cff.html Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 The Bolshoi's own feature on the premiere: Link to comment
Recommended Posts