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Le Corsaire at The Kennedy Center


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[Admin note: this discussion has been split off from the original discussion of the production. This thread has great details and photos about the production:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=24998]

Tickets go on sale this coming Thursday, April 9, for the Bolshoi's performances of 'Le Corsaire' at the Kennedy Center, June 16-21. Casting is here: http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/ind...amp;event=BJBSH

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In an attempt to make lemonade of lemons, and in an attempt to stimulate the economy with my upcoming baby tax refund, I was thinking of taking the train to DC for the Osipova "Le Corsaire" on the 19th, and returning to NYC the next day for the Part "La Sylphide" at ABT.

But looking at this cast list,

PRINCIPAL CASTING (subject to change)

June 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Medora – Maria Alexandrova

Conrad – Nikolai Tsiskaridze

June 17 & June 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Medora – Ekaterina Shipulina

Conrad – Ruslan Skvortsov

June 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Medora – Maria Alexandrova

Conrad – Alexander Volchkov

June 19 at 7:30 p.m. & June 21 at 1:30 p.m.

Medora – Natalia Osipova

Conrad – Ivan Vasiliev

June 20 at 1:30 p.m.

Medora – Anna Nikulina

Conrad – Alexander Volchkov

should I see Shipulina before NYC, and actually pay attention to my best friend on whose couch I will be surfing on Friday night? There's a rare chance I could make the Osipova Sunday matinee, if I can figure out the logistics of getting there on time and stashing a suitcase, but that might be a bit much, since "I" and "leave at the crack of dawn" are rarely uttered in the same sentence.

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In an attempt to make lemonade of lemons, and in an attempt to stimulate the economy with my upcoming baby tax refund, I was thinking of taking the train to DC for the Osipova "Le Corsaire" on the 19th, and returning to NYC the next day for the Part "La Sylphide" at ABT.

But looking at this cast list,

...

should I see Shipulina before NYC, and actually pay attention to my best friend on whose couch I will be surfing on Friday night? There's a rare chance I could make the Osipova Sunday matinee, if I can figure out the logistics of getting there on time and stashing a suitcase, but that might be a bit much, since "I" and "leave at the crack of dawn" are rarely uttered in the same sentence.

I have seen Shipulina several times and always enjoyed her dancing but if it's a question of her or Osipova Ms O wins hands down. Plus Vasiliev is partnering her. I'm going to the V Part Sylphide on Saturday and then hopping on a bus Sunday morining to catch the Osipova/Vasiliev Corsaire matinee in DC. My big regret is that I can't go to opening night with Alexandrova and Tsiskaridze but it's impossible for me to get away early in the week

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This may be coming together, although I won't be able to get home from DC Sunday night. If I use the Alaska 15K miles for a discounted plane ticket, the difference should cover the hotel room Sunday night, and I'd have most of Monday to be a tourist.

Many thanks for the advice, nysusan!

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This may be coming together, although I won't be able to home from DC Sunday night. If I use the Alaska 15K miles for a discounted plane ticket, the difference should cover the hotel room Sunday night, and I'd have most of Monday to be a tourist.

Many thanks for the advice, nysusan!

Helene, try www. megabus . com. i just got my two round trip tickets for $4.50 (I haven't got the tickets yet for the performances, only to the Burlaka talk and the dress rehearsal). I tried megabus twice, and they are NICE and reliable (conveniently leaving from Penn Station in NYC, and only within 25-30 min WALK from Kennedy center)..... I might gamble and get the Sat & Sund. Matinee and the openning night.

Added after checking their site

they have a 6:45am from Penn Station for $5, 7am from Pike Street for $1, and 8am from Penn for $5.

I am NOT a morning personmyself, but for the russian ballet - i MADE myself get up early several time,,,,,, sleeping in on the bus ;_))

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Ticket sales to the general public began this morning, for both Bolshoi and Royal Ballet runs this summer. They seem to be selling very quickly for Corsaire. Alas, you must telephone if you want to specify your exact seat location. The on-line "pinpointing system" that I used on the Kennedy Center website last week to buy the Washington Ballet tickets is not working for Bolshoi or Royal Ballets. They seem to be back to the old system of specifying a price range, then the computer selects the tickets for you and you have a certain time to buy them.

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Many thanks for the advice. When I know what day I'm traveling from DC to NYC, I'll use megabus. I've booked the train for Sunday morning, though. I know I'm going to be up late on Saturday night, and, unfortunately, I'll sleep through the bus ride and "Le Corsaire" if I have to get up by 5:30am. Everything else has fallen into place. Now the dancers just have to show up :lol:

I had the same experience with the website -- I chose sections, and the system assigned the tickets. I just plunged right in on this one.

Edited to add: I just found the seating chart for the Opera House on the Kennedy Center site, and for one performance, I'm in row K of the left section of the orchestra facing the stage, four seats from the center-most aisle, and for the other, I'm in the first tier, in the right hand section, row D, about center.

I'd rather know bad news up front rather than be surprised later, and if there's something I need to know, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me.

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This may be coming together, although I won't be able to home from DC Sunday night. If I use the Alaska 15K miles for a discounted plane ticket, the difference should cover the hotel room Sunday night, and I'd have most of Monday to be a tourist.

Many thanks for the advice, nysusan!

Helene, try www. megabus . com. i just got my two round trip tickets for $4.50 (I haven't got the tickets yet for the performances, only to the Burlaka talk and the dress rehearsal). I tried megabus twice, and they are NICE and reliable (conveniently leaving from Penn Station in NYC, and only within 25-30 min WALK from Kennedy center)..... I might gamble and get the Sat & Sund. Matinee and the openning night.

Added after checking their site

they have a 6:45am from Penn Station for $5, 7am from Pike Street for $1, and 8am from Penn for $5.

I am NOT a morning personmyself, but for the russian ballet - i MADE myself get up early several time,,,,,, sleeping in on the bus ;_))

YID, I checked the Megabus website a few minutes ago and all the NY departures they're showing for 6/21 are from Pike Street in Chinatown PLUS their website indicates that these are operated by Eastern Express - a known low service Chinatown bus company. Do you know anything about this? The Megabus website also indicates that some of their departures from Penn Station & DC are also operated by Eastern. I was ready to give them a try but not if I'm taking the chance on a Chinatown bus ride! I might try Bolt instead

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Susan,

6:45 & 8am are indicated by the blue bus i.e operated by Megabus (but then you never know). I bought it (for Saturday though) but should just be ready to hop on Amtrak. I forgot which company it was but when i was using them in Feb to go to Philly, the administrator (of tickets) said that they were bought by someone else. I will need to explore your BOLT.

Helene, Kennedy is designed the way that if your seat is before 6th row (usually M row), you'll need to have a very straightned back to see the tips of point shoes, however, it's great seats. I got my tickets for Sat & Sunay Matinee row M 14 & 12. Susan, will you be in your favorite spot?

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The seating chart says that my section begins with row B, which would make K the 10th row back (unless they remove some rows). I hope that's far enough back, but I'm sure there will be plenty to see. I appreciate the warning, though, and will assume I will miss some of the pointe work to avoid the risk being hit over the head by the person in back of me.

The Sunday matinee sounds like a great time for a Ballet Talk get-together, at least during intermission, and maybe for a drink/snack after the performance, before everyone heads back to NYC if there's time. (I fly out the next day. Alas the bus to "Washington" is not to Washington State!)

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Helene, you should be fine in Row K sides, especially if you're just four seats from the aisle. The side-orch rows begin with a lower letter of the alphabet than does the center, when there is an orchestra pit.

I already saw this beautiful Bolshoi CORSAIRE in London in '07, so I'm going to 'only' two performances here, to see new casts for me -- the opener with Tsiskaridze/Alexandrova on June 16, then Osipova/Vasiliev's first outing (we hope!) on Friday night, June 19. To me, it's quite a shock that the prima ballerina who was showcased as the star of those London performances, Svetlana Zakharova, will not come. Too busy with politics, perhaps, or other tour commitments? Another of the London Medoras, Lunkina, is also out. Back in '07, Osipova only danced the 3rd Odalisque but, my, what a solo, performing all of the pirouettes of the famous diagonal as double-tours en l'air and not pirouettes en terre, as is normally done! I am hoping that she may dance Odalisque #3 here at least once, so that the USA can see this incredible feat.

I'll be out of town on the Saturday & Sunday, so I'm very sorry to miss the BT get together. I'll be back in time for Alexandra Ansanelli's MONTH IN THE COUNTRY on the 24th, though. :lol:

p.s. on the Royal - Skipping the MANONs; I can't take another MANON in my life, except for an occasional gala pdd. What a shame that the Royal is not bringing SYLVIA or ONDINE instead.

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Your reviews of this, Natalia, and Marc Haegeman's photos made me very anxious to see it. If nothing else, the ABT Osipova "in or out of 'La Sylphide' discussion made me aware of how the close the dates were, and that I could hop down on the train and see ABT and the Bolshoi on the same trip. I had filed "Le Corsaire" in my "too bad they're not bringing this to Berkeley" envelope.

I am looking forward to seeing all of the dancers in featured roles. When the Bolshoi visited Seattle, I guess five years ago now, they brought "Don Quixote" and "Romeo and Juliet", and while it was interesting to see Juliet bite and scratch Romeo, I'm much more interested in seeing the Company in the classical rep, and in a ballet that has so many roles for soloists.

I know how unreliable the programs can be, and with a company in the women can look so physically similar, I'm pretty much restricted to "the taller/shorter dark-/light-haired on the right", which is about all I'll be able to report on the Berkeley "Bayaderes". I'm hoping that Ballet Talkers who are familiar with the dancers in DC can set the record straight :lol:

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Bolt Bus also runs frequent service from Penn Sta. area to DC's Chinatown. I believe it's a Greyhound subsidiary. Theoretically, you can get fares ranging from $1.00-25.00 (plus .50 "handling", which makes no sense, since you print out your own tkt), but for the super-cheaps, you have to grab as soon as the bookings for that date become available.

Greyhound, too, offers frequent service and, if you e-book long enough in advance, fairly low fares. The sole advantage is that in case of bad weather, you leave from a terminal, protected from the elements. Big drawback is that on the DC end, the walk to the terminal from the Metro is several dreary blocks long and mostly uphill.

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I have to warn, if you are traveling by Greyhound, you will not want to arrive in DC late at night. The Greyhound station is near Union Station (which contains both Amtrak and Metro) and it's fine during the day, but I would not walk around there alone at night. If you are going to Union Station at night, it is probably safer to take the train.

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Well the Bolshoi management is apparently doing the casting shuffle again, and making everyone's life unnecessarily complicated. I have already bought tickets for June 18 and June 19. I was looking forward to seeing Osipova on the 19th. Osipova was listed for June 19 on the Kennedy Center website, the Bolshoi website and Osipova's own website. I just checked the Bolshoi website and they now have Osipova doing Corsaire on Sat 20 mat and Sun 21 mat. Osipova's own website still lists June 19 and June 21 as her dates for Corsaire. Grrrrr! Make up your mind already, Bolshoi Management. How is Shipulina? She is now apparently the Medora for June 19. Also, for those who are Kennedy Center regulars, do they allow any exchanges for non-subscribers? What are the restrictions? Thanks.

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....How is Shipulina? ....

A nice 'house ballerina' - nothing more, nothing less. Absolutely not in the league of Osipova, Alexandrova, etc. I will give-away my June 19 ticket if Schipulina replaces Osipova. I am not interested in wasting my time. The opening night with Alexandrova/Tsiskaridze will suffice.

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I don't think Osipova could do Sylphide on the 19th, and then do Medora on the matinees for the 20th and the 21st, unless she has some super-human powers. It's just the Bolshoi management playing some games, apparently.

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A nice 'house ballerina' - nothing more, nothing less. Absolutely not in the league of Osipova, Alexandrova, etc. I will give-away my June 19 ticket if Schipulina replaces Osipova. I am not interested in wasting my time. The opening night with Alexandrova/Tsiskaridze will suffice.

I was afraid of that. Do you know if they permit exchanges?

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Abbatt, I believe not. "All sales are final," they tell single-ticket purchasers.

It is now official: Schipulina in place of Osipova on the 19th. I will not bother going. The Bolshoi was much more generous with the London Coliseum audience, back in August 2007, when I saw Zakharova and Lunkina, neither of whom is coming to Washington.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/ind...amp;event=BJBSH

So now it is THREE performances with Schipulina as Medora: the evenings of the 17th, 19th and 20th! As we say in Spanish: "Al que no quiere caldo - tres tazas!" (rough translation: He who doesn't like the soup gets three servings) And I have no doubt that we'll also see Schipulina as Gulnare -- her usual role in this ballet -- in the other performances.

[p.s. - Schipulina has long been an 'insider' with the ballet powers in Russia - daughter of famous dancers, always touted in ballet competitions as the 'chosen one' who never quite delivered the goods. When I attended the Moscow IBC in 2001, a medal had been minted for her before she ever took to the stage. Luckily two lesser-known ladies more deserving won the sr gold: Wan Qimin and Oksana Kucheruk. Schipulina had to settle for a shared silver with Roberta Marquez. I wrote about it here:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=3859]

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I am not having any luck with Osipova!

I have only seen her dance once live - she danced a solo in Don Quixote when the Bolshoi was at the Met in the Summer of 2005.

I waited too late to get tickets for the YAGP Gala in 2008, so I missed her "Flames of Paris" with Vassiliev.

I bought tickets for this year's YAGP Gala. She and Vassiliev were lised as performing even though they did not.

I bought tickets for her La Sylphide on the 19th of June (before the casting change).

Then I covered my bases and bought a ticket for the Kennedy Center Le Corsaire on the 19th of June (I was going to drive to DC for that) and now I see she is not doing that either.

I might as well just stay in New York for the 19th!

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I am not having any luck with Osipova!

I bought tickets for her La Sylphide on the 19th of June (before the casting change).

Can you go to the ABT box office to exchange your tixs for Sylphide to Wed June 17 evening, when Osipova will purportedly be performing? I have found that the ABT exchange policy is very liberal.

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