47 replies to this topic

[Alexandra]

Don't despair, Katja -- I can think of quite a few examples of dancers who get off a plane at noon and are on stage at 8 that night.

Welcome,  rmcconne.  I think there are quite a few companies that run group tours to Russia. We get them coming to the site every once in awhile to promote them   I hope you get to go, one way or the other.

[Natalia]

Programming details are coming in from the Mariinsky press office, slowly but surely. I received this today, regarding the "Evening of Historic Ballets" on February 26. This one promises to be one of the more fascinating nights in this festival.  Makhalina dancing Elssler's 'Cachucha' and a rarely-seen masterpiece of character dancing -- Lev Ivanov's 'Hungarian Rhapsody' from Act IV of "Little Humpbacked Horse" staged by Irina Gensler. Yum-yum!!
************

Wed, 26 Feb 2003, 19:00
                       Themes and variations of classical ballet
                       Variations on a Romantic Theme
                       Variations on a Folklore Theme
                       Variations on a Spanish Theme: Agnes Letestu,
                       Jean-Guillaume Bart (Opera de Paris)
                       Conductor: Boris Gruzin


                       DETAILS:

                       I. VARIATIONS ON A ROMANTIC THEME
                       PAS DE QUATRE
                       Music by Cesare Pugni
                       Choreography by Anton Doline (1936) after Jules Perrot (1845)
                       TBA

                       PAS DE DEUX from LA PAPILLON
                       Music by Jacques Offenbach
                       Choreography by Pierre Lacotte (1976) after Marie Taglioni (1860)
                       Zhanna Ayupova, Igor Kolb (Mariinsky Ballet)


                       FANNY ELSSLER'S CACHUCHA from DIABLE BOITEUX
                       Traditional Andalucian music
                       Choreography by Pierre Lacotte (1979) after Jean Coralli (1836)
                       Yulia Makhalina (Mariinsky Ballet)

                       PAS DE DEUX from FLOWER FESTIVAL IN GENZANO
                       Music by E. Helsted and H.S.Paulli
                       Choreography by August Bournonville (1858)
                       TBA

                       PAS DE SIX from LA VIVANDIERE
                       Music by Cesare Pugni
                       Choreography by Pierre Lacotte (1979) after Saint-Leon (1843)
                       Irina Golub, Anton Korsakov and artists of the Mariinsky Ballet


                       II. VARIATIONS ON A SLAVIC THEME
                       THE BALLAD OF THE EAR OF WHEAT and VARIATIONS ON A SLAVIC THEME from COPPELIA
                       Music by Leo Delibes
                       Choreography by Marius Petipa (1884) after Saint-Leon
                       Reconstruction by Sergey Vikharev
                       Yekaterina Osmolkina, Andrey Merkuriev and artists of the Mariinsky Ballet

                       HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY from THE LITTLE HUNCHBACKED HORSE
                       Music by Ferenc Liszt
                       Choreography by Lev Ivanov (1900)
                       Renewal: Irina Gensler
                       Polina Rassadina, Lira Khuslamova, Islom Baimuradov, Artem Yachmennikov
                       and artists of the Mariinsky Ballet


                       III. VARIATIONS ON A SPANISH THEME
                       GRAND PAS from PAQUITA
                       Music by Ludwig Minkus
                       Choreography by Marius Petipa (1881)
                       Adwiser of the Renewal: Pyotr Gusev and Lidia Tyuntina
                       Agnes Letestu, Jean-Guillaume Bart (Opera de Paris),
                       Natalia Sologub, Daria Pavlenko, Elena Sheshina, Irina Golub, Sofia Gumerova,
                       artists of the Mariinsky Ballet and Student of the Academy of The Russian Ballet (Vaganova
                       Academy)

[Marc Haegeman]

Thanks, Jeannie. There are indeed some delightful works on that evening. It's a shame that they actually became such rarities.

Also interesting to note that the fragment from "Coppelia" they are doing is taken from Vikharev's reconstruction.

Sologub and Fadeyev are now cast for the "Nutcracker" on Febr. 27th.

[BilboBaggins]

Hi Marc, et al.:

I've just learned I may be able to come to St. Petersburg for the International Festival, but most likely for 1-2 evenings. I know the performance list seems to be changing daily, but if you had to choose 1-2 sequential performances, what would you recommend?

Also, I have the schedule of performances for the White Nights Festival, published by the Royal Opera, as part of the "International Tours" program ... is that also undergoing massive change?

Thanks,

BB

[Marc Haegeman]

Hi BB,

Well, I guess it all depends of what kind of treat you are looking for, but why not go for the rarities and the only premiere of the week: the evening of "the historic ballets" and the Pirlipat/Nutcracker (Feb. 26 and 27).
But that’s really just personal.

“Massive” changes won’t probably happen, only here and there ;)

[Marc Haegeman]

Some more cast changes for the Festival. Andrian Fadeyev replaces Ethan Stiefel as Solor in the opening night's "Bayadère", while Jock Soto will partner Wendy Whelan in "Rubies" on the 25th (replacing Woetzel).

[Natalia]

I have to chuckle about the casting of Friday's Solor, Marc. Didn't Stiefel replace Manuel Legris? And didn't Legris replace the originally-announced Igor Kolb, when the festival casting first came out? At this stage, I'll know who dances Solor when the curtain goes up day-after-tomorrow. ;)   I mean - it could end up being Jock Soto as Solor?

[Marc Haegeman]

I've lost count, Jeannie. Obviously an extremely difficult birth that opening-night Solor.

[BilboBaggins]

Hi Marc:

Thanks for the reply ... BTW, have the dates been announced for the 4th International Festival? It would help me to block off my holiday time now!!

Regards,

BB

[Marc Haegeman]

I'd say same time (end of February-beginning of March) next year.

[Françoise]

Is Manuel Legris dancing or not, on the front page, his name disappear against he seems to dance Suite of dance from Robbins and Carmen pdd in the final gala, where is the truth, thanks !

[Marc Haegeman]

The truth will be revealed on the day itself, Françoise
For the moment Manuel Legris is only scheduled to perform "Suite of dances" and "Carmen" on the final day of the Festival.

[Françoise]

Thanks for the information, Mark !

What is sure, Legris should dance Rubies today and tomorrow but will be replace by Jeremie Belingard tonight beside of Eleonora Abbagnato  and tomorrow it's Nolwenn Daniel and Emmanuel Thibault who replace the both.

It seems that Hervé Moreau is also injuried and will be replaced by an other premier danseur who is one of my favourite one and is Yann Bridard. He is not a noble dancer, more a character dancer, but he is really elegant in second pdd of "sleepwalker".
I have the luck to see the French dancers you will see in some day. I don't love Laetitia Pujol in this part,, she's too "maniérée", too smiling, she's too much , Karl Paquette is not really good in this part of the first man, too heavy, against Eleonora Abbagnato is really wonderful in Sicilian variation and in pdd, she is like a queen !

[Natalia]

Well, I know for sure that Agnes Letestu & Jose Martinez are here, as they are staying very, very close to where I have my flat...but, bien sur, I will keep the address to myself.   
What? Is Thibault coming? Could I be so lucky??? Some of you may remember how I admired him in Paquita pas de trois, Robbins 'Four Seasons'etc .

Legris is definitely scheduled for the final gala, in the works cited by Marc but someone in the press office told me that he is injured.

The biggest news of the day is that, apparently, Nederlands Dans Theater may not come at all - not even to the gala for 'Bella Figura', as their costumes/set have not received the proper paperwork from Russian customs!!! So there may be even more 'divertissements'for the final gala?

[Marc Haegeman]

Quote

Originally posted by Jeannie
apparently, Nederlands Dans Theater may not come at all - not even to the gala for 'Bella Figura', as their costumes/set have not received the proper paperwork from Russian customs!!!

Interesting. Sounds like you're really in for a treat, Jeannie .