pherank

Miniature World sounds great! I could go for that too. I had thought of Tea at the Empress, actually, but I'm not sure if I want to brave the big crowds by myself. That will be a 'wait and see' idea...

I was actually able to get 3pm departures on the Clipper, so perhaps they've changed their departure time options recently. I prefer the leisurely departure myself - gives me extra time for a nice lunch in Seattle. ;) I'll most probably take in the BC Museum while in Victoria.

All great info, Helene. I am taking the Victoria Clipper - they have good hotel rates in the package deals, better than Orbitz actually. And it appears that they get a block of rooms set aside for them so it is a way to get into a hotel that is otherwise unavailable (as I discovered). I'll be going in early June, so I'm sure the ferry will be packed, but I just want a good view of the channel, and a reasonably fast journey. I'll definitely have earplugs with me - it's the only way to travel!

FYI: I decided upon the MarQueen - very close to McCaw Hall, and since they have refrigeration in the rooms, I can always bring food to the room, which I like. They also have a new Tin Lizzie lounge which provides food most of the day. I decided to make a mini-vacation out of it (since I'm going to the trouble of flying to Seattle). I'm going to take the ferry to Victoria and spend a couple of days there as well. Is a taxi the best way to go getting from SEA-TAC to the MarQueen?

Well that's a shame, but it was good of you to try. Any public (or semi-public) figure posting their email address online has to be certain of receiving some emails from strangers. ;) It's a public website. But I can believe that Pavlenko has received more than her share of emails lately! So perhaps the service was turned off for that reason.

A truly odd mish-mash - not sure how the Glenn Gould part relates to the more obvious Dior ad. The tempo of camerawork and editing is mostly too fast for my taste. The images washing back and forth across one another doesn't really convey much in this case. But that's just my take. During the beginning sequence especially, I kept thinking of Kenneth Anger's "Fireworks". (A great, though 'controversial', little avant-garde film - look for it on YouTube)

You should email her - seriously! And mention your own experiences with such things. It would be a nice gesture of solidarity. ;) http://www.daria-pav...shacontact1.htm

December 20th is the date used in this Aussie ad (with video clip): http://villagecinemas.com.au/Movies/Mariinsky-Theatres-The-Nutcracker-3D.htm We will be 'treated' to Alina Somova, and Vladimir Shkliarov.

An amusing thought. ;) I will miss this generation of etoiles once they've all retired (and it won't belong for many). It would be nice to think that there might be 'similar' ones in the works!

I do. It greatly enhances his already fine reputation in European dance circles. I think he has great influence over other dancers, as well. No shame in voting for who you like - Guillem is an admirable artist. I'm not sure she would want anything to do with running a huge organization like the POB though, and dealing with its bureaucracy. Would be pretty ironic for Guillem (who bailed out early on the POB) to return to run the entire operation. Seems to go against her character, and personal interests as an artist.

Thanks Sandy, I will most likely stay in the vicinity of Seattle Center if everything works out.

This recent article is full of interesting information regarding Gillot: http://www.nytimes.c...era-ballet.html

Some more references to Gillot's ballet in this interesting article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/arts/a-shining-star-at-the-paris-opera-ballet.html

Natalia, Paul - I believe that Ekaterina Kondaurova was made a principal as part of the buildup to this program. It's interesting to me that a Mariinsky dancer could be promoted based on preparation for a Balanchine ballet. That has to be a first for that company. A bit like Marie-Agnes Gillot being promoted to Etoile after dancing Carolyn Carlson's Signes. RE: Any video clips of the performance - it's very difficult finding unauthorized video of Balanchine ballets, not to mention authorized ones. ;)

Fortunately that is not the case under Helgi Tommasson. He specifically asked choreographer Christopher Wheeldon to keep his eye out for a small dancer, and Wheeldon 'discovered' Maria Kochetkova at the Royal Ballet, and she was snatched away. ;) Yuan Yuan Tan and the other principal women are certainly not very tall - though they claim she's 5'10" on pointe!

I remember getting into a heated discussion of the arm movements of NYCB dancers, especially regarding the Corps de Ballet. I had recently rewatched the documentary, Bringing Balanchine Back in which the NYCB travels to the Mariinsky to perform for the Russians. And I felt there were too many shots of the Corps looking rather 'unkempt' (arms in all directions rather than synchronized to each other, and to the music). I remember Farrell writing about the Scotch Symphony staging in her book, and it sounded like a nightmare, but she of course puts a positive spin on it - at least the Russians are dancing Balanchine! I've read other accounts of staging western dance in Russia, and generally it is difficult to get the proper amount of time with the principals, and especially hard to get most of the dancers to care about new techniques and approaches. There are a few exceptions, of course, but its rather surprising how many Russian dancers just want to shrug off the newer works as odd and uncomfortable filler. RE: the older Balanchine dancers - A glimpse of Tanaquil Le Clercq & Diana Adams in Concerto Barocco

I rather like Big Red's version - it has a different feel from the usual Raymonda approach, and it's nice to seem something different (especially when it works!). I think what has impressed me most about Big Red is her versatility - unlike many of her fellow Mariinsky compatriots, she dances neo-classical and modern ballet increasingly well, and BELIEVABLY. And I don't think I'm the only one who feels that way: "Irina Golub and Vladimir Shklyarov are fine dancers, but their tricky, central pas de deux looked under-rehearsed, and they compensated with a cartoonish excess of sluttiness and bounce. Underlying Rubies' sexy Broadway pizazz is a vein of menace, insinuation and mockery; the only dancer to grasp this was Ekaterina Kondaurova, giving one of the performances of her career as a vamp with a hypnotic edge of hauteur." The Mariinsky: Homage to Balanchine -- Judith Mackrell "But still, what sexy, electrifying dancing from both of them – and, yet more so, from Ekaterina Kondaurova as the lofty ice-maiden who appears to vie for his affection. She repeatedly bent her perfect line (that back! that neck!) into the most fantastically provocative shapes, and moved with the speed of a performer half her height." The Mariinsky Ballet's Homage to Balanchine at Covent Garden --Mark Monahan "Later, in Black Swan, Ekaterina Kondaurova sizzled with dramatic fire and her dancing was on the grandest scale; she and Marcelo Gomes (at his most charismatic) had the chemistry going full-blast." YAGP Makarova Gala 2012 --Oberon's Grove "Kondaurova made a wonderful Lilac, benevolent and gracious but also very much in control. Its hard to describe her dancing, the extensions were all as smooth as they were high and her upper body was luscious, just one stream of continuous flowing motion. She belongs to my own personal trinity of Lilacs – Lopatkina, Kondaurova and Mearns." Mariinsky SLEEPING BEAUTY at Covent Garden --Oberon's Grove "The centerpiece of the performance was Ekaterina Kondaurova in the title role. Dressed in a bright red tutu, she created one fascinating moment after another. With her beguiling and animated stage presence, Kondaurova was her own spectacular show, dancing with a trademark precision, intensity, and ardor. Watching her darting across the stage was a blissful thrill. She captured the essence of her role – a bold and free spirit, inspiring and energizing the entire cast." Mariinsky Ballet – Chopiniana, The Firebird, Scheherazade – Washington --Oksana Khadarina Kondaurova as Myrtha: Middle Duet: Carmen: Nutcracker Arabian Dance: Very interesting comment from a video poster: "Coinciding with Ekaterina Kondaurova's debut as Titania in George Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream, the Mariinsky Theatre website disclosed that Kondaurova has been promoted to principal ballerina status, several hours before her debut in one of Balanchine's rare full length ballets. Talking about Balanchine ballets, if not for the New York Gestapo, known as the [you can guess], this video would have shown Kondaurova in Rubies from Jewels, the slow second movement from Symphony in C and the lovely leading role in Serenade." So far, Big Red is the only Mariinsky dancer who strikes me as 'getting' Balanchine - at least to some degree. Too bad she most likely will never be trained specifically in his techniques.

I had chosen Legris too, Cubanmiamiboy - he seems the most obvious good fit. Guillem would be an interesting choice, but I don't think she necessarily has the all the managerial skills, and perhaps temperament, to run a large company. Forsythe, MacGregor, Ratmansky - all interesting to think about, but I have to believe they want to stay close to the art of choreography, rather than spend their time in arts management and 'human resources'.

Agreed. Many key poses in Apollo have a flat aspect, tableau quality to them - befitting the ancient Greek subject matter. Seeing things from the sides would reveal too much of the 'seams' (especially regarding the sunrays arabesque pose). I've decided that the balcony view shown in the video of the MCB is a pretty excellent viewpoint for this particular ballet. The camera work is a little shaky at times, but I'm just happy the event was captured. I'm not sure the Royal ballet dancers would want to be thought of as the 'Michelin Man' dancers, but I can agree that the RB version certainly looks dark (in this video), and there's a certain careful, deliberate quality to the dancing, rather than the sort of buoyant, exuberant feel that really engages an audience. But it's a short clip, and who knows how things went later in the season (assuming that this is just a taste of what was to come for RB ticket holders).

"San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker has been chosen as the only American production to compete in Ovation TV’s sixth annual programming event, “Battle of the Nutcrackers,” featuring six different Nutcracker productions from around the world, and a chance for viewers to vote on their favorites. This event also marks the U.S. cable premiere of SF Ballet’s Nutcracker. Additional productions competing in this year’s “Battle of the Nutcracker” include: The Nutcracker: Mariinsky 2012; The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker (2009); Bolshoi Ballet’s The Nutcracker; Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! ; and Australian Ballet’s Nutcracker: The Story of Clara." http://www.sfballet.org/battleofnutcrackers?utm_source=mail2&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=YourSanFranciscoBalletDecemberENews-A-Winner SF Ballet should win for best Act 1 - though the SF Act II might be a more controversial choice. ;)

It means the website carries details of the casting etc for each of those performances, taken from the nightly programme sheet. No video, I'm afraid. The RB Ballet Imperial clip is taken from the gala reopening of the Royal Opera House in 1999 and there may be a few more seconds of it but that's all - it was a programme of short extracts from significant works from the past repertoire. Ah well, no treasure trove to hope for. If the clip was from a gala performance, then you are right, there won't be much more footage.

RE: Mme. Hermine's excellent video find - it is almost as if we are dealing with two different ballets, even though the changes are largely 'superficial'. But the traditional costumes, and painted backdrop, instantly add to the 'message' of the music and the choreography. I like both versions, and am happy that we can have both - it wouldn't be as good to be forced to view only a single approved version. In the search for MORE of this video footage (and I'm sure there is more somewhere in this world), I ran into this page: http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/work.aspx?work=620 But what exactly does "performances online" mean?

Yes, could be very worthwhile - thanks Sandik

Post-performance Q&A? That seems a bit unusual. I thought those always preceded the performance. But if it means it is easier to arrange for a taxi, then maybe that is the way to go.

These are great things to know - thanks to you both. If I should end up with a rental car - what is the public parking like around the Hall?