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Hello!

I'm trying to put my dates for my summer vacation...this year to Russia! :yahoo: I've been delaying the request at work trying to see if the website of the "Stars.." gives performances info, but to no avail so far. It's there any way to have an idea about it, or which month-(between June or July)-would be the most convenient...?

Any info appreciated!!! :tiphat:

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The details usually come out after the Mariinsky Ballet Festival, which ends on April 10 this year. We'll probably know the full schedule through the end of May before then...White Nights usually begin in mid-May, then all of June and most of July...sometimes all of July. It's a very long festival & not just for ballet. If I were you, I'd aim for the period of mid-June, to attend at least one of the Vaganova Academy Graduation Concerts, of which there are usually three, within the same week. It is truly special.

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June is best. Also, premieres and webcast-worthy performances tend to happen either the week before or after the Vag Acad graduation performances. The longest day of the year - the whitest of white nights! - is June 21...my happiest memories, too...and not necessarily involving ballet! (Wink wink)

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The last couple of years I think listings of what will play in June and July come quite late. Like Natalia says May will probably already be announced (the beginning of the festival). It is quite possible that sometime in February or March the rest of the season is listed up until the end of May. But the last couple of years June and July ballets, I think, were announced as late as beginning of May. So you could very well be totally blind for a long time as to what you will be seeing. It is all pure luck in that case. And casting comes even later. Last year very little in June interested me except the Vaganova graduations so I held out a day longer to see if July would be listed and they did list July ballets the day after they listed June and I was much more pleased with late July. I don't think they care at all that people need to get visas, book plane and hotels in advance to get the best rate possible.

Last summer I didn't think June was all that exciting (more modern things). But there have been previous years when June was the good month to go. It is very unfortunate the Mariinsky does not list its schedule in a more timely fashion.

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You might want to consider going in Spring (they are bound to finish listing ballets for March, April and possibly May pretty soon). Some ballets are already listed for those months. You would at least know much of what you might see. Or Fall b/c you will know ahead of time.....I doubt very much you will know any of the ballets that will play In June or July until early May. But maybe they will surprise me this year.

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You might want to consider going in Spring (they are bound to finish listing ballets for March, April and possibly May pretty soon). Some ballets are already listed for those months.

My traveling partner-(my mom)-who is still an active teacher, doesn't get off her school schedule by then, so I will have to settle for June.

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Ok...so I just bought my tickets for my Russian summer trip. I will be going from mid June to the beginning of July, dividing my time in between Moscow and SP. I tried to wait for the schedule on the Festival, but to no avail. Also, the Bolshoi seems to drop their performances dates little by little. But I couldn't wait any longer before purchasing the tickets, so voila. :happy:

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Yes, Drew is right....they will put the link to buy tickets soon. Just check back constantly. It could be at any moment once the playbill is posted. They actually posted the playbill for June and July earlier than the last couple of years!

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Update: I have bought tickets for three performances already for the Festival. I have been careful about the dates for which I also want to go to the Mikhailovsky and the Alexandrinsky-(I love touring beautiful opera houses worldwide). So far I have a "Jewels", starring Lopatkina in Diamonds, Anna Karenina, also with Lopatkina, and Swan Lake. At the Mikhailovsky I bought another Swan Lake, and it looks like that will be also the programming for the Alexandrinsky. I plan to buy more tickets, but oh my...my bank keeps blocking the transactions! It's been quite a painful process.

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You might want to add one of the Vaganova Academy graduation concerts. Eleonora Sevenard, who is quite special and being touted as possible future star, will be graduating either this year or next. Regardless, she'll likely be featured in the concerts.

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You might want to add one of the Vaganova Academy graduation concerts. Eleonora Sevenard, who is quite special and being touted as possible future star, will be graduating either this year or next. Regardless, she'll likely be featured in the concerts.

Eleanora graduates next year, and, given Fateev's track record for allowing wonderfully talented dancers to go elsewhere, I would say her chances of ending up in Mariinsky Theatre are extremely thin - the way he likes his ballerinas.

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Update: I have bought tickets for three performances already for the Festival. I have been careful about the dates for which I also want to go to the Mikhailovsky and the Alexandrinsky-(I love touring beautiful opera houses worldwide). So far I have a "Jewels", starring Lopatkina in Diamonds, Anna Karenina, also with Lopatkina, and Swan Lake. At the Mikhailovsky I bought another Swan Lake, and it looks like that will be also the programming for the Alexandrinsky. I plan to buy more tickets, but oh my...my bank keeps blocking the transactions! It's been quite a painful process.

That all sounds wonderful. I wish I could be at ALL of those performances, especially the Lopatkina Diamonds. I think you will have a great time.

As you probably know, the Mikhailovsky Swan Lake is the Asaf Messerer version. I saw it in London some years ago--it is Soviet-quirky in ways I enjoyed, but I can't help but remember your horror some years back at a Russian touring company that had a production in which Rothbart entered with the Spanish dancers in Act III. Well...steel yourself. Even the white acts have some unusual modifications in the corps de ballet groupings. I found it a production well worth seeing and, as best I remember, preferred it to the current Grigorovich version the Bolshoi dances. (Likewise, if you haven't seen the Ratmansky Anna Karenina before or heard the score then you might want to prepare yourself.)

Looking forward to reading your reports on what you see.

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That all sounds wonderful. I wish I could be at ALL of those performances, especially the Lopatkina Diamonds. I think you will have a great time.

As you probably know, the Mikhailovsky Swan Lake is the Asaf Messerer version. I saw it in London some years ago--it is Soviet-quirky in ways I enjoyed, but I can't help but remember your horror some years back at a Russian touring company that had a production in which Rothbart entered with the Spanish dancers in Act III. Well...steel yourself. Even the white acts have some unusual modifications in the corps de ballet groupings. I found it a production well worth seeing and, as best I remember, preferred it to the current Grigorovich version the Bolshoi dances. (Likewise, if you haven't seen the Ratmansky Anna Karenina before or heard the score then you might want to prepare yourself.)

Looking forward to reading your reports on what you see.

Thanks Drew! I always like the surprise effect in my Opera Houses touring sessions. A few years ago I saw Stravinsky's "The Rake's Process" at La Fenice in Venice, in a very modern setting and even though I don't have too many recollections of it musically speaking, I enjoyed the moment tremendously. Just being there and watching a nouvelle thing was great.

Yes...Rothbart surrounded by the Spaniards was weird. I will also probably get the Soviet finale of Odette and company turned into human form. Oh well...

Now. I know many of you some The little humpbacked horse. It is in the program. Would that be a good choice for me, knowing my absolute distaste for bare modern settings and contemporary choreo...?

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Now. I know many of you some The little humpbacked horse. It is in the program. Would that be a good choice for me, knowing my absolute distaste for bare modern settings and contemporary choreo...?

Well, actually, if I had to guess, I think you might prefer it to Anna Karenina. I only saw it once and don't have the best memory in the world, but I found the choreography and structure of the ballet not only more traditional but also somewhat more accessible and appealing than the choreography for Ratmansky's Anna (which I also saw just once). The music too. Think of the ballet as a children's fairy tale staged somewhat ironically: it's full of pantomime and comedy plus some lively dance groupings--villagers and even firebirds. It also has clever and quite virtuoso choreography for the hero. (That aspect of the ballet I think you would probably like.) I'm afraid my memory is a bit sketchy otherwise. Some of the costumes are very quirky, and the sets I don't remember at all. So, it's hard to say. But there must be video you can check out. And others with better memories than I have may weigh in!

Maybe two full-length Ratmansky ballets in a week would be too much if you don't like his work. (For ME, Lopatkina is always unmissable so I certainly envy you your Anna Karenina ticket even if the ballet isn't my favorite.)

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