Catherine Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I posted this on Critical dance and just wanted to share the news with fellow Bolshoi/Kirov followers. Current Vaganova Academy graduate (2011) Olga Smirnova has accepted a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet to begin her career for the 2011-12 season. An interesting choice, but explainable given the odd shifts happening at the Mariinsky recently. Having seen Smirnova at the graduation performances as far back as 3 years ago, and again this month, I can attest to her beauty and already polished performance style. One can hope that she will not remain in the corps de ballet for too long. Congratulations to Miss Smirnova and best wishes for the first steps in her professional career! (Post Script: She also appeared in Vishneva's benefice/ "15 yrs in the theatre" gala concert this past Thursday). Link to comment
Natalia Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Thank you, Catherine. One now wonders where the other top female graduate of the 2011 Vaganova class, Kristina Shapran, and the "better man," Sergei Strelkov, will go? Link to comment
bianca Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Shapran is in Stanislavsky, she's listed in corps de ballet on theatre's website, but only in Russian version. Strelkov is second soloist in Mikhailovsky. Link to comment
Lidewij Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Olga Smirnova has been given another big role: she will make her debut as Nikiya in La Bayadere on the 4th of March. She seems to be getting many more principal roles than all of the other dancers in her rank.. ('Soloist', below 'First Soloist' and 'Leading Soloist' and of course 'Principal') Link to comment
mumwang Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Thanks to "Allga" from youtube, we have this short feature of Smirnova and her la bayadere debut. Would be most grateful if anyone could do a brief translation of what Smirnova says, thanks Link to comment
fan2546 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 A little loose translation: First, ballet was where she could be a number one, a leader. She had always wanted to be a leader in academics (all As), life, and ballet. Real understanding of what ballet is came later. She answered a question about her move from Mariinsky to Bolshoi. "It was certainly somewhat unexpected. After nine years in Vaganova school dreaming of joining the Mariinsky and at the last moment change the city and the company." The parents are still in St. Petersburg while she had moved to Moscow. She said it was good to her to move and start living on her own ("I am already 20 y.o" ), have responsibilities and have to manage her life. As far as the Bolshoi, it is now where she gets opportunity to realize herself as an artist and now all her goal and dreams associated with Bolshoi. "There are no real friends in ballet world, only acquaintances..." She describes herself as not a very social person; she is comfortable to be in her own thoughts and things to do. She finishes saying that to reach your goals you have to be bold and not to be afraid to dream and work toward your dream. Link to comment
macnellie Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 She leading in Diamonds on may 5. Is scheduled for several performances and Emeralds as well. Wish i could be there! Link to comment
Rosa Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Olga is being given a lot of opportunities. Noticed Evgenia Obraztsova will also be in Emeralds, and David Hallberg in Diamonds. Link to comment
Cygnet Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 In today's Moscow Times, Raymond Stults intereviews Merrill Ashley, Sandra Jennings and Paul Boos re the Bolshoi's rehearsals. Pic of the day: Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin and Olga Smirnova are shown rehearsing "Diamonds" with Ashley! http://www.themoscow...ife/457969.html Brava ! Link to comment
Laura Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I've just seen on the Bolshoi Ballet's website the Olga Smirnova has now been promoted to First Soloist! Link to comment
Natalia Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Hoorah! Not even a year out of the Vaganova Academy and she is now a First Soloist at the Bolshoi and starring in the biggest premiere of the season (Diamonds)! I shudder to think of how she may have languished in the back row of the corps had she stayed in St Petersburg. A very wise career decision! Link to comment
Cygnet Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Hoorah! Not even a year out of the Vaganova Academy and she is now a First Soloist at the Bolshoi and starring in the biggest premiere of the season (Diamonds)! I shudder to think of how she may have languished in the back row of the corps had she stayed in St Petersburg. A very wise career decision! Indeed: The Vaganova Alumnae are thriving at the Bolshoi. Olga will follow up "Diamonds" with another debut: She will be one of the leading "Emeralds" on May 9. http://www.bolshoi.r...#20120509190000. On May 10 she will join Yevgenia as she repeats "Emeralds." http://www.bolshoi.r...#20120510190000. These are important debuts for both ladies. For example, Yevgenia was never given any segment in "Jewels" while she was in the Mariinsky. We all wait for Katya Kondaurova's promotion. She is still a 1st soloist even though she's won a Benois, a Golden Sophit and a Golden Mask http://www.mariinsky...rs1/kondaurova/. Moreover there are other Honored Artists and decorated ballerinas who haven't advanced as they should have, and now, (for a lot of them), their "time" has passed. Had Smirnova and Obraztsova stayed (under the current regime), the former would have been a perpetual corps member waiting years for her first opportunity, and the latter would have retired a 1st soloist. Link to comment
Rosa Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I've just seen on the Bolshoi Ballet's website the Olga Smirnova has now been promoted to First Soloist! for Ms. Smirnova. Link to comment
MakarovaFan Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Thanks so much, Rosa, for posting the video! Kudos to Merrill Ashley for prepping the company and the result is a beautiful performance. Smirnova is a new ballerina to me and she is lovely. Link to comment
Cygnet Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 The Moscow Times' Raymond Stults reviews the Bolshoi premiere of "Jewels." http://www.themoscow...uts/458362.html. Thank you Marc Haegeman for the beautiful pics ! http://www.for-balle...ewels-2012.html. The costumes for Emeralds and Diamonds are lovely. Now that I can compare the review with some visuals, I must say I'm ITA with Stults' assessment of the new decors for Emeralds and Rubies. The costumes for the Rubies females aren't as successful... Karinska's design for Rubies remains the best. I feel that if it isn't "broke don't fix it" - MO. I apologize if production values may be considered slightly off topic here. Link to comment
ksk04 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Thanks for posting; I love Smirnova in pretty much everything I see her in. Also highly recommended is her Lilac Fairy opposite Obraztsova--they are divine together. Link to comment
cinnamonswirl Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 The women's in Rubies look like they're going to go clubbing. In really cheap dresses. The costumes for Diamonds are lovely though (but Karinska is still tops!) Link to comment
Drew Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Rosa--Thank you for posting that clip. Link to comment
MakarovaFan Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Thank you, Rosa, for the beautiful clip. I love Smirnova! Link to comment
Helene Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 This stunning Marc Haegeman photo of Smirnova and Chudin in "Diamonds" appears in a two-page article in "Dance International" Magazine: Link to comment
Kerry Lyu Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Olga Smirnova is amazingly excellent in her debut La Bayadere in this March. She also proved her great potential in May's Jewels as a major role of the Diamond. I hope to see more of her performances. Kerry Lyu, from Beijing, China Link to comment
carbro Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thank you for the report, Kerry Lyu, and welcome to BalletAlert! Link to comment
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