Summer 2014 NYC & Saratoga Tour

[Ekaterina]

Thanks for your answers! Of course we are not all the same as taking our dancers in the world.

SL at Grigorovich is a philosophical parable about the good and the evil that is in every man, and, unfortunately, the good does not always triumph. It's all imagines Prince

Zakharova, indeed, sometimes it is removed, but it is me in SL it. She Swan, not Carmen and all the passion inside of her. Their blows with Holberg I don't like, don't understand why the Filin persistently puts them together, but I can not objective - David leaves me indifferent at all its advantages. Sveta is very dependent partner. For example, when she danced in

in the lady of the Camellias with Lantratov it was amazing. Or her performances with Polunin, in Moscow it was only three times this season (they work in different theatres) La Bayadere (edition Makarova), Marguerite and Armand, Giselle. Polunin, as we say, it "lit", pulled from inside her feelings was stras and love and tenderness with a wonderful technique for both. Zakharova in Moscow adore, but it Smirnova very mixed attitude so far. Vishneva I like many love - looked in April with her Giselle with Polunin (our Primas want to dance with him), it was one of the best performances that I've seen - makes me shiver, but the Swan it I don't like. All this is my amateurish opinion. I will wait for your impressions from DQ and Spartak (in my opinion this is one of the best ballet of the XX century).

[abatt]

Lantratov was replaced on Sat evening as Evil Genius. Hope it was just fatigue. The same dancer did Evil Genius on Sat evening and Sun afternoon, and on Sunday afternoon he looked exhausted. Don't have my program handy to identify him by name.

[Drew]

....However both Smirnova and Zakharova have a very classical look (having trained at the Vaganova). Tikho, with her tremendous jumps and outgoing personality, seem more in line with my expectations of a Bolshoi ballerina: big, showy, power steps and a larger than life stage presence.

Assuming Alexandrova is fully back from her injury, she should be much more what you have in mind. Saw her dance it roughly a decade ago and she was fearless...(perhaps you have seen her dance it already?)

[abatt]

Tikho seems like a Bolshoi ballerina with similar qualities as Osipova.

I too saw Alexandrova a decade ago at the Met in Don Q, but a lot has happened since then. I'm not sure she will have the same amount of gas in the tank as she did a decade ago. We'll find out tomorrow.

[Barbara]

I truly do not know what to make of David Hallberg. He came into the ABT season late and, IMO, gave a very unimpressive showing in Giselle with Alina Cojocaru (those brise voles). Then he left early to rest a foot injury. I thought his Siegfried with the Bolshoi on Tuesday was similarly very unimpressive. From what I have read about the Krysanova/Hallberg Swan Lake, he also struggled with her as well (not just Zakharova). Is he still injured? Is he not being pushed enough at the Bolshoi? This is not the same dancer who used to wow me at ABT.

Perhaps he is simply tired. The constant traveling back and forth between companies as well as touring must be exhausting. He tweeted that he's now on vacation and one well deserved imo. Because of his injury during ABT Met season I did not see him at all. And he was not cast for my Bolshoi Swan Lake. My hope is to see him back in form for ABT fall season. And my wish is that he will stay stateside for a few months, take care of himself, and perhaps do an ABT Nutcracker or two before heading back to Moscow.

[abatt]

Sometimes fame can become a distraction. Hallberg seems to be constantly in the press, giving interviews and going to events. (He now has a press agent, according to one article I read.) Maybe all these events are depleting valuable time and energy. I think the spotlight has been particularly bright lately during this Bolshoi tour to NY.

[Barbara]

Query for those in the know: in my Bolshoi program it lists Sergei Filin as Managing Director and Tugan Sokhiev as Artistic Director. I thought Filin was Artistic Director. Is this change perhaps since his terrible ordeal or has it always been so?

[volcanohunter]

That would be a mistake, or at least unclear terminology. Sokhiev is the Bolshoi's music director and chief conductor, Filin is the ballet director ("Artistic Director of the Ballet Troupe" in Russian), and Galina Stepanenko is the ballet company manager.

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/persons/management/

[Plisskin]

There is a well known Russian ballet forum that is full of comments that are highly offended by a lot of Americans not liking Grigorovich's Swan Lake production. I'm guessing that is how Ekaterina got wind of this thread. It's quite puzzling to say the least.

[volcanohunter]

On the whole Westerners have never liked Grigorovich's ballets very much. Many of the comments on this thread remind me of my first live exposure to the Bolshoi 35 years ago, in the same theater. I was also shocked and horrified by what I saw. ("But it's the Bolshoi!" - my aunt protested in vain.)

The Bolshoi's production of Apollo flopped in Moscow, and with the exception of Jewels, the company hardly dances the Balanchine ballets ostensibly in its repertoire. But I don't think New Yorkers take it personally.

[Golden Idol]

_{For once I found myself agreeing with the Times: the Bolshoi's Swan, seen Friday evening, was indeed "dismal." Ugly in the extreme. However, I don't fault any of the dancers, all of whom were lovely; in particular, O/O seemed a much better fit for Smirnova than Nikiya at ABT some weeks ago, but that may be because in this production of SL there is so little human interaction between the characters that she wasn't called upon to "act" in any way. And although at first I thought it would be interesting to see the princesses each actually do some extended dancing (as opposed to ABT, where they are for the most part ancillary to the national dances), it quickly became apparent that the choreography was repetitive: in each national dance you have one ballerina and the corps dancing around her. By the third princess, this scenario became a bore. And that bloody "Fool." Yes, he's called upon to do some bravura stuff, but again it's terribly repetitive--get the hook! Say what you will about ABT's SL, it's colorful when the mood calls for it, and it tells a reasonably coherent narrative. By contrast, the Bolshoi's is part abstract. If you were a newbie coming to the ballet for the first time, you really might not be able to make sense of it all. I could go on, but let me just say that if the Russians are insulted that New Yorkers don't care for the Bolshoi's SL, too bad.}

[Plisskin]

On the whole Westerners have never liked Grigorovich's ballets very much. Many of the comments on this thread remind me of my first live exposure to the Bolshoi 35 years ago, in the same theater. I was also shocked and horrified by what I saw. ("But it's the Bolshoi!" - my aunt protested in vain.)

The Bolshoi's production of Apollo flopped in Moscow, and with the exception of Jewels, the company hardly dances the Balanchine ballets ostensibly in its repertoire. But I don't think New Yorkers take it personally.

That is what is so strange about it all. Other than Balanchine's Jewel's, my impression is Russian's generally dislike American ballet companies, dancers (with the recent exception of Hallberg), and productions but we don't take it personally. We also certainly don't insult Russian ballet goers education about ballet or their culture just because we don't like a single production...

I highly doubt an American company like ABT or NYCB could have sold out shows in Russia like the Bolshoi no matter how great or terrible the production is.

[Barbara]

That would be a mistake, or at least unclear terminology. Sokhiev is the Bolshoi's music director and chief conductor, Filin is the ballet director ("Artistic Director of the Ballet Troupe" in Russian), and Galina Stepanenko is the ballet company manager.

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/persons/management/

Turns out it's my mistake! Thanks, volcanohunter for pointing out that Sokhiev is the music director. I took a second look at the program and now see that the title for each person is printed above their name and not below as I was reading it.

[Mazurka]

On Grigorovich's version of Swan Lake, I must admit I am a bit puzzled by all the negativity here. I personally think this is the best version of this ballet, with all the fairy tale silliness taken out, and the plot indeed made more "streamlined", common sense and coherent. It is a clear parable about the fundamental unity of good and evil, founded on their juxtaposition, as one would not exist without the other, and the inevitable tragedy and destruction of the youthful longing for beauty and purity that is unattainable among the dark realities human existence.

I wholly subscribe to this opinion. I attended Saturday's matinee with apprehension - and was surprised at the beauty of the choreography.

This is a dark and grown up, non sentimental interpretation - I found the narrative more cohesive and streamlined, (though I do prefer the original score). I wonder if the experience of Evil in the last century in that neck of the woods, (continued even as I write-Ukraine) is the source of Grigorevich making this a parable of good and evil.

I saw on youtube the variant where good triumphs in the final scene and wonder if Bolshoi uses the endings interchangeably

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEgkKTrmlK0

I would find a happy ending more satisfying..

I thought the subdued hues were quite beautiful and the background related to the ancient Russian wooden architecture - this is far from the Loire Valley or

Mad Ludwig's confections, indeed it is fittingly rather primal. The use of empty space was striking - perhaps this was especially apparent from the stratospheric height where I was,

the empty spaces as the corps went through the wonderful formations had a tension of its own - there was also tension when the scene became empty and only the protagonists

danced - a mastery of the spacial architecture which I have not experienced before.

When Chudin was on the scene I could not take my eyes of him so I do not know how Belyakov danced the evil genius, Smoliyaninov as jester was spectacular.

I usually find the cardas and mazurka at ABT missing the character of these dances which are in essence fiery and windswept -

the Bolshoi is stylized however it captures all the essential movements even if for a couple of seconds (the characteristic diagonal swaying in mazurka for example) .

A very interesting SL with superlative dancing.

[mussel]

Castings, synopsis, bios, and program notes are available to download as PDF file:

Tsar's Bride

Swan lake

Don Q and Spartacus are now available to download:

Don Q

Spartacus

[Drew]

When it comes to problematic productions of Swan Lake, I suppose a great Russian writer put it best: every unhappy ballet company is unhappy in its own way.

[angelica]

When it comes to problematic productions of Swan Lake, I suppose a great Russian writer put it best: every unhappy ballet company is unhappy in its own way.

A variation on the above theme: Every audience member is unhappy in his/her own way.

[YID]

If anyone will have a reasonably price ticket for Sunday, please contact me

[yudi]

When it comes to problematic productions of Swan Lake, I suppose a great Russian writer put it best: every unhappy ballet company is unhappy in its own way.

I knew the story that Tchaikovsky didn;t like the very first version of ballet Swan Lake. I always wondering if Tchaikovsky would like this Grigorovich's version of Swan Lake.

Over all, IMHO, G's Swan Lake is a depressing production. The sad ending is OK for me, I don;t really have preference for happy endings of S.W. However, the opening scene is also gloomy. It is about a dismal indoor crowning ceremony, but not a happy outdoor party in a bright garden, e.g., in the Mariinsky's S.W..

The whole scene design of G's S.W. makes it repressing. The main color tone in Act 1 & 3 are gray-yellow and brown, that makes the stage sets and costumes look like cultural relic excavated from deep earth. The big heavy curtain hanging down from stage top compels the stage being stifled.

I, sort of, like G's choreography for character dances in Act 3: one bride, a leading ballerina, dances with supporting corp dancers. Bolshoi has so many excellent dancers, this choreography gives more chances for more solo dancers to make bloody show off their talents. Is it wonderful?!

[danc1988]

I have a query for those familiar with the Bolshoi's practices with cinema stream in ballet and DVD productions:

The Bolshoi streamed a version of Spartacus very recently in October 2013 with a Lobukhin/Lantratov/Zakharova/Nikulina cast

There are several very high-quality excerpts from this performance on YouTube, however no full-length version that I could find either on YT or on sale

So my question is will this and similar performances from the most recent cinecast make it to DVD, or is it a case of if you miss it, you miss it, like a typical live performance? If it is not expected to go on sale then from whence do YT posters get such high-quality footage?

http://www.emergingpictures.com/2013/09/26/the-bolshoi-ballet-announces-the-cast-of-the-upcoming-live-spartacus-broadcast-in-us-theaters-on-october-20/

[volcanohunter]

Sadly, the majority of the Bolshoi's HD broadcasts have not (yet) made it to DVD.

[Mathilde K]

Tikho(mirova) seems like a Bolshoi ballerina with similar qualities as Osipova.

I know both very well and I have hard time seeing similarities (by the way, is it really necessary to create "nick-abbreviations" like "Tikho"? ballerinas are not rappers or DJ's).

[Fleurdelis]

I can see three similarities: strong leaping ability, distinct bravura style, frequent flirting with the audience.

[naomikage]

Tikho(mirova) seems like a Bolshoi ballerina with similar qualities as Osipova.

I know both very well and I have hard time seeing similarities (by the way, is it really necessaryto create "nick-abbreviations" like "Tickho"? ballerinas are not rappers or DJ's).

I was very irritated by some posters who called Tikhomirova "Tikho". It seemed kind of lack of respect to a wonderful ballerina. And also I agree to Mathilde mentioning there are not much similarities between Tikhomirova and Osipova.

[Mathilde K]

I can see three similarities: strong leaping ability, distinct bravura style, frequent flirting with the audience.

I do not wish to sound sarcastic, but all ballerinas share some similarities, for example they all dance on pointes. The two dancers in questions have different temperaments, different approach to dancing, they present different image when on stage and they bring different levels of energy to the stage, they jump big but their jumps look very dissimilar to me. Tikhomirova always looked to me more "academic" and at the same time "bulky", Osipova more "free style".

Regarding "flirting with audience" — personally I didn't witness either flirting with audience, so I have nothing to say in this regard.