Birdsall

Do you mean the steps in the dream scene? If so, I agree. I thought the steps were covered in sheets and very dangerous (slipping potential for dancers), but when I sat up close 2nd row for Lopatkina's Raymonda this past summer I saw it was built to look ragged. But even though I think the reconstruction sets are more beautiful I love the Sergeyev version anyway.

Plisetskaya was like a national figure and her death touched the entire ballet world in Russia. Gergiev was friends with her and champions her husband's music, and that is why the Mariinsky has had tributes to her both at home and now in NY. It doesn't matter she wasn't a Mariinsky ballerina.

Yes, doesn't matter and not being argumentative but it looked like entrechats to me and I have videos of her doing entrechats as well. But Kondaurova last night did look like she was just hopping but I could be wrong. I just can't imagine they would choose to hop. It seems like they would do changements if they chose not to do entrechats.

Skorik danced Act 1 today and I kept dozing so maybe it wasn't the wine at all on Friday but Skorik. Then, when we sat down for Act 2 it was announced Anastasia Kolegova would dance the rest of the leading role. The Gods smiled down on me because I considered skipping the final one! And to me it looked like entrechats quatre that Kolegova did like always. Calves were switching.

Between museums, Raymonda performances, and SLEEP it has been hard to find time to review. On Friday Skorik was better than I have ever seen her, but I have to say I hate the idea of people new to the Mariinsky who do not really follow ballet viewing her as the best the Mariinsky has to offer. Many casual ballet lovers think a principal ranking means the ballerina is one of the best. I heard a comment about Kolegova ("She's just a First Soloist"), but she can dance circles around Skorik in her sleep due to musicality, artistry, and acting. With that said Skorik had one of her best nights on Friday night but some "deer in the headlights" looks as nysusan says. This is one of my problems with her. I don't want to travel and spend money on a ballerina with a "deer in the headlights" look. It would be fine at a regional company in a debut to have this look. For me it is not good for a venerable company like the Mariinsky to have a principal who often looks scared or like she's concentrating on remembering the steps. I do think she's come a long way and is better than when she came onto everyone's radar. I would applaud loudly if she were appearing as a principal in a regional company, but I still think she is not yet principal material for the Mariinsky (so many other dancers are better). In contrast Kolegova was smooth as silk during the Saturday matinee. She has the delicate, sweet, and happy persona on stage that fits Act One. But for me her arms are the real Vaganova trained deal. Her arms are shorter than Lopatkina's so not as obvious to notice at first glance but if you pay attention her arms move with incredible grace and always to the music. Her arms flow, flow, flow. The best Vaganova graduates have this quality, and some people don't care for it. The flowing arms put me in ecstasy and make Vaganova graduates seem like unique sea creatures or alien dancing beings who have come to earth to teach us what beauty is. This is the special Mariinsky style that you see in no other company in the world and why I tell people that if they are looking too much at dancers' feet they are totally missing the unique quality of the Mariinsky. For me the Mariinsky has been a blessing and a curse. Blessing for the joy the company brings to me, but a curse at the same time because when I don't see flowing arms I lose interest and just feel the dancers are stiff at other companies even when I tell myself it is a different style and try to enjoy this other style. Even the Bolshoi doesn't do it for me because of this. Kondaurova has always struck me as a strong diva looking ballerina who would fit the Bolshoi much better. For me she would actually look delicate at the Bolshoi but she looks like an Amazon at the Mariinsky. I have always thought she was more of an Act 3 Raymonda. Imperious looking and strong and commanding. I didn't think she was delicate and sweet enough for Act 1. Basically she does not fit a "damsel in distress"....she looks like she would karate chop Abderakhman herself or burn his body up with a glacial stare. So I was quite surprised how much she softened her natural persona on Wednesday night, and I very much enjoyed her. But last night I felt she was back in her "strong" persona. She was still good but I liked her better on Wednesday. She also has more flow to her arms than Skorik. My main quibble last night were Kondaurova's very shallow renverses. I like the leg to go up higher as it rotates back. More later...

Too tired after 2 shows in one day to write much but thrilled that Kolegova is getting good reviews from fellow BA members. In my opinion, she is treated as a B cast ballerina who they use to fill in whenever someone cancels, and I find her artistry and her facial beauty amazing. In both of her DC Raymondas she comes running downstage for her final coda (a Hungarian pique March thing) and literally jumps onto pointe, holds the first pique pose longer than most and then begins. I see little details like this in every performance of hers. Anyway, more later....going to bed...

Kolegova is normally technically immaculate but she did have a couple of slight mishaps falling off balance. However, she was in a daring mood and threw the veil, for example higher than I have seen in the past almost losing it at one point but catching it and hopping onto pointe for a couple of poses like the balance on one foot in the coda of Act 3. These small daring feats told me she was taking some risks and paid for them. She has to be the most beautiful ballerina in the world. She could turn a gay man straight, in my opinion. She is the sweet, delicate, and innocent Raymonda in Act 1 but commands the stage for the final variation. Ivanchenko was more energetic than I have ever seen him which isn't saying much, but it was very nice to see him this way. I think Smekalov is turning into the new Kuznetsov (giving all he has to Abderakhman). Batoeva is a joy to see as Henrietta (yesterday she danced the Act 3 variation). Shapran is not quite up to Clemence and that ultra difficult adagio variation. She even had an unfortunate slip, although that happens to everyone, but I do feel she is being pushed into difficult roles before she is ready. Petushkova and Kuzmin have been electric as the Spanish couple this run. Her back bends aren't quite as amazing as other dancers in that role but pretty amazing nevertheless. She is always extroverted in her dancing. Sofia Ivanova-Skoblikova danced the Act 3 variation which I view as a "Mini-Raymonda." She is a talented dancer but her legs are rare even if this were Soviet times when Russian dancers were meatier. Huge muscular calves. I actually find it refreshing but I suspect it might limit her roles. It will be interesting to see. It was so refreshing to see all four males land in 5th. There is usually one who messes up his landings. Overall a fun night. The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra sounds better each night. I am hearing darker colors and less sour notes in the horn section. In their defense they might be new to this score.

Fateyev's rotating repertoire in St. Petersburg concentrating heavily on the classics compared to other companies is also a plus, but his casting is atrocious most of the time which makes it hard to be happy about the things he does do right.

Well, I am not defending Skorik by any means but the Mariinsky ballerinas show off their extensions. It is part of their style now. They do not aim for Petipa reconstruction dancing even though that is what balletomanes seem to want nowadays but even a bio on Alicia Alonso said dancers have always used their full extension.

I believe debuts for both. I think Aurora was the only classical main role Skorik lacked and her debut was supposed to be a year ago or so but she canceled. I don't think it is ideal for her at all. I like Auroras to have a joie de vivre that I have never seen Skorik have.

CubanMiamiBoy said a lot of what I would say about last night's Raymonda. It was like night and day. Kondaurova was much better than Skorik. It underscores just how much Skorik is being pushed (she dances more roles than most, she gets opening night, she's been the only one to have her promotion announced on stage, etc.) Fateyev continues to push her down our throats and she's mediocre at best. She's no longer messing up right and left so she is technically okay but the poor audiences who think her dancing and acting represents the best of the Mariinsky!!!

Jean de Brienne presents Raymonda with the scarf in the Bolshoi's version before he leaves for the crusades.

Saw Petushkova and another dancer I didn't recognize walking down the street with a Macy's bag! She danced the Spanish dance last night!

They had a major issue with the horses at the rehearsal. The entire stage motioned upstage and no horses showed up so they did it over and horses came late. There must be some sort of problem. The Kennedy Center stage looks more shallow (backdrops look too close to each other compared to the Mariinsky Theatre), so maybe that is the problem. Maybe the horses are kept in an awkward angle off stage in the wings and it is difficult to move them to the back? I have only seen Raymonda and Jean de Brienne on horses and Raymonda comes first but at the redone apotheosis at the rehearsal Jean de Brienne came first, same as last night.

I forgot about Skorik's early start during the scarf variation, Natalia! She had to start over after she realized she started too early. You are right. The orchestra had some iffy moments. I missed the Mariinsky orchestra very much which is much more used to playing this score and plays it with more oomph! The Kennedy Center opera house orchestra might have never played it until now in their defense. I know that a few dancers seemed frustrated with the orchestra during the open rehearsal. Amelishko has lost weight and no longer looks like that Game of Thrones Amazon, so he was better. I agree Zverev gave his all. Askerov and Skorik did not. He is a true artist. I think Skorik still concentrates and worries about technique constantly. I think Natalia is right that it is a self confidence thing. No idea. Her acting is marred by lots of "Okay, let me do the next step..." faces.

Nice meeting Liotarded, Natalia, and seeing CubanMiamiBoy again! I might write more tomorrow but a quick note before bed. For me Opening Night had a principal who is simply not ready to command the stage. The worst moment came when Abderakhman took Skorik from the two troubadours and held her aloft in Act 2. I was in the second row and there was absolute fear and nervousness on her face. Every other current Mariinsky Raymonda hides her fear. I mean, if someone as thin as Zverev lifted me like that I guess I would be scared too, but I am not a stage performer! I enjoyed seeing the company dance this ballet overall. I had fun, but it is sad that there were so many corps dancers and soloists I would have loved to see in this role.

At the end of the rehearsal the entire corps, etc. turned to watch Raymonda and Jean de Brienne ride off on horses (fake horses), but nobody showed up so the whole stage was looking upstage expectantly with arms aimed upstage and nothing. Then, curtain. Later they redid it (started the scene over) and horses came out late and Raymonda was behind Jean de Brienne. I think in Russia she is always in front of him. Anyway, lots of minor blips and mess ups. And as I said above some marking by various soloists. The commentary on the head set you could get for this rehearsal was aimed at people with no knowledge of this ballet so was better ignoring it. It was funny to see the stage manager (or whoever he was) come on throughout in a black jogging suit correcting the blocking of the action. It was funny to see a modern jogging suit amid all the medieval costumes.

At the open rehearsal. Lots of marking by Smekalov and a little bit by Kondaurova. The children who clack their knees with palms must be local and under rehearsed because they are not as "perfect" in formations as Vaganova students. Not criticizing them. They probably haven't been able to rehearse much.but that means we all get that little dance that is sometimes cut when Vaganova is on break. Just not as perfect.

But I have seen a couple of pics in place of the outline of a head.

LOL Hungarian pose would be funny. I notice some people have their pic on their BA profile. How do you add a pic?

I will check the JFK head during intermissions but I doubt I will remember which days everyone is attending. But I have met a few people in the past so if I recognize people I will also meet new people. Problem is I won't recognize people who I don't know when there isn't a person I know standing there but maybe I will say, "Hello!" to strangers that look like they are looking for others! And if they aren't BA people, oh, well....LOL

Renata Shakirova is talented and looks to be on the fast track at the Mariinsky.....fresh out of Vaganova she began getting major roles. I have less problems with her being promoted (although others are just as talented or even more talented and are still stuck in the corps or as coryphees). But I have to say I am stunned by Chebykina. The two times I saw her in major roles (Gamzatti and Odette/Odile) I thought she was completely in over her head. For me her overly exaggerated swan arms and Lucille Ball acting in Swan Lake turned me off. Her Gamzatti was very tentative in my opinion. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Radvanovsky is about to complete Donizetti's Three Queens at the Met which I personally find crazy. So this phenomenon of rising non-talents (my opinion) is everywhere! Bel canto? Can belto!

Renata Shakirova and Chebykina are now second soloists.

I tried to be open minded when Zimmerman did La Sonnambula. I was okay and feeling like I could like the production up until the chorus found Amina in the Count's bed (which made no sense in a rehearsal room but I even accepted that), and started trashing the rehearsal room and tearing up Bellini's score that they were rehearsing. It just became like a slapstick comedy moment that did not seem like the way human beings actually act, so she totally lost me at that moment and I hated that production at that moment. It was truly a "WTF?" moment while every other moment in the production attempted to be realistic. Nobody in the 21st century would come upon a woman in some man's bed and start trashing the place and acting shocked. To me this is why most updates of opera rarely work. You have things like people fighting with swords in Wagner in the 21st century in some productions, when you know they would use guns in the 21st century, and that is just too much suspension of disbelief for me. Most updatings are an attempt to show works of art in today's light and expose the issues of today (xenophobia, anti-female, etc) and how they were right there in the 19th century but no one saw it. Well, as an audience member I can interpret all that into the story even when it is done very traditionally. For example, I always thought there was an issue of raping the environment (taking gold from the Rhine) in Wagner's Ring. I did not need the SF Ring to show me that it could be interpreted as a trashing of the environment due to lust for gold. I already saw that in the story. That time I did not actually mind it being emphasized but it did not need to be. It is already in the story if people are thinking. So I am a bit anti-postmodern productions, although not totally 100% against them. Some are good. Some are bad. I thought Zimmerman's Sonnambula was a big flop. It sounded good on paper......Sonnambula staged as a rehearsal of Sonnambula and the same events are transpiring as they rehearse the opera......but for me it was a 100% big flop.

Yes, please report. I usually attend the West Palm Kravis shows because my parents live there, but they occur during the Mariinsky's DC tour, so I am not going to Program 3. I really wanted to see Bourree Fantasque. Lourdes Lopez has sometimes repeated ballets the following year since she's taken over. Maybe Bourree Fantasque will be repeated next season. However, I suspect that if the new production of Midsummer Night's Dream is a success that is the Balanchine ballet that might get a repeat next season.