10 replies to this topic

[NO7]

Before the 3rd mariinsky Ballet Festival kicks off next month in St Petersburg, some Kirov principals will be guesting in Tokyo from 1st-16th Feb. at Orchard Hall.

1,2,12 Feb Le Corsaire--Farouk Ruzimatov with various dancing partners such as Irina Perren, Oskana Shestakova

14-16 Feb Raymonda--Yulia Makhalina (&Mark Peretokin)
Le Corsaire--Svetlana Zakharova/Andrian Fadeyev
Don Quixote--Denis Matvienko (& Elena Filipjeva)
La Sylphide--Ilya Kuznetsov(&Natalia Ledovskaya)
Tchaikovsky pdd--Diana Vishneva/Igor Kolb
Giselle--Farouk Ruzimatov (&Evelyn Hart)

[vrsfanatic]

Thanks NO7. Glad to see Kuznetsov on the foreign roster again. Hopefully they will not keep him behind any longer!

[Marc Haegeman]

The February dance event at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo, called "La muse de ballet", assembles not only Mariinsky soloists. There are also dancers from the Bolshoi, the Stanislavsky, Moscow City Ballet, Monte Carlo, Royal Winnipeg, etc).

The programmes as well as the casts can be found on the site of the theatre : http://www.bunkamura...ule/2003_2.html

As a very special treat, Maya Plisetskaya and Charles Jude, are cast in "L'après-midi d'un faune."

[Naoko S]

I wish I were in Tokyo at the moment...(sigh)

RE: Le Corsaire featuring Ruzimatov
If anyone's ever interested, I learnt from the official site of the impresario that Diana Vishneva will dance as Medora on the 12th February. Wow!

[Naoko S]

Not too sure if it's really worthwhile to give this to you, but as the Discussion Leader has recommended.... here's the URL for the Japanese Impresario's (company name: Koransha) website:

http://www.koransha....003/musenew.htm

Warning: As far as I could see it's in Japanese only....

[Alexandra]

Thank you! We have quite a few Japanese who read the board, although not many post, so this may be helpful.

[NO7]

It seems Zakharova enjoys guesting in Japan indeed. After La muse de Ballet, she will dance La Bayadere with Igor Zelensky and the New National Ballet Theatre in Feb 21 and 23. here is the link: http://www.nntt.jac....h/index3_s.html

[scuffite]

I will be going to the Muse performance tomorrow at Bunkamura. Can't wait!

Thanks for the info!

[Marc Haegeman]

Originally posted by scuffite
I will be going to the Muse performance tomorrow at Bunkamura.  Can't wait!

Great, Scuffite. If you do, please report about these performances.

[scuffite]

I am new to ballet performances and therefore from a layman's point, here goes:

There was a change in the ballets being performed and the dancers.�@It was actually as follows:

Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty
Elena Esveeva, 4 princes

Pas de Quatre
Oksana Shestakova, Irina Perren, Elvira Khabibulina, Oksana Kutcheruk

Sleeping Beauty Grand PDD
Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb

Romeo and Juliet (Balcony Scene)
Svetlana Zakharova, Andrian Fadeev

Don Quixote
Elena Filipjeva, Denis Matvienko

La Sylphide
Nataliya Ledovskaya, Ilya Kuznetsov

Cinderella Grand PDD
Aurelia Schaeffer, Chris Roelandt

L'apres-midi d'un faune
Maya Plisetskaya, Charles Jude

Raymonda Grand PDD
Yulia Makhalina, Mark Peretokin

Tchaikovsky PDD
Diana Vishneva, Igor Kolb

Giselle Act 2
Evelyn Hart, Farukh Ruzimatov

I think I now understand the "emploi" discussion in this board (in other threads). Diana Vishneva just is not Princess Aurora. She does not come across as princess-like. It was a lot of high extensions and tutu flopping over the head. However, she was brilliant in the Tchaikovsky PDD�@- definitely a highlight of the programme, with a standing ovation. She was vivacious and her pirouettes were just amazing. (Although the stage was rather small and she almost pirouetted right into the wings!).

Svetlana Zakharova gave a very sweet and breezy performance in Romeo and Juliet. As for DonQ, Denis Matvienko had nice bouncy and energetic jumps. I thought Elena Filipjeva was not flighty and springey enough, as a Kitri, but her fouette turns notched up the excitement level in the hall and from there, she and Denis Matvienko livened things up. The DonQ was a very enjoyable performance.

Maya Plisetskaya did not do much dancing, more like stylized walking. But I am glad she came anyway. Despite all the criticisms about Yulia Makhalina's style of dancing, I think she has very nice poses. Evelyn Hart brought back some gentle ballet. No high extensions or showiness, but very graceful and elegant ballet. Ruzimatov is Ruzimatov, of the high jumps and arched back. Again, a very enjoyable performance from Hart and Ruzimatov.

After the perfomance, I stayed back to collect autographs. Evelyn Hart and Maya Plisetskaya very sweetly and patiently signed autographs for everyone! Because there were so many to sign, the people at Bunkamura pulled out a chair, and later a table, for Maya Plisetskaya to sit down and sign! Ruzimatov on the other hand walked right out, making no eye contact and not signing any autographs - even though the fans had waited out in the cold for over an hour for him (he was being interviewed)!

Today's performance was taped by the networks! It will be shown on the following dates (in Japan, of course!):
NHK - April 6 (Sun) 10pm
BS-2 - May 24 (Sat) 12.00am (I think this means from mid-night of Friday)

Also, the 4 ballerinas who did the Pas de Quatre have also shot an advertisement for Marche curries here in Japan! The advertisement will be released on Feb 17. Curry and ballet? :eek:

[Marc Haegeman]

Thank you, scuffite, for your review, which gives us a good idea of the performances and something of the atmosphere surrounding the event.