meunier fan

Given that he was so spectacular in Spartacus ... I myself hope that Ivan the Terrible gets the full Bolshoi guest principal Ivan Vasiliev treatment. I would imagine that could potentially be a treat and heaven knows I. Vasiliev is built for just these kind of roles.

Saw Vasiliev on Saturday afternoon in the principal role of Rubies at La Scala with the Company of that truly grand theatre's name. The performance of Jewels was a decidedly mixed affair. In many instances the company seemed to lack the precision of exact focus that is demanded. They didn't appear (at least on this one outing) to have that strength in their ranks which - at any particular time - must define a truly great ensemble. The opening movement of Emeralds held more promise than would otherwise prove to be the case elsewhere. Certainly Vittoria Valerio (in the V. Verdy role) was more at home in that movement - noting that she would later replace Osipova in the principal female assignment in Rubies - than she appeared to be elsewhere. Her sense/strength of 'off balance' was blurred and that would really tell in the latter piece where at no point could she simply relax and enjoy herself. So different from the entrancing Ms. Osipova in the same role. A Shame. In each instance this was the third performance this particular cast was giving. I was looking forward to this showing because it would at last be something different to see Vasiliev in apart from all those other massive outings such as have been otherwise itemised herein which I, too, have enjoyed seeing him decorate since I first spied him when he was 17. I find it a little hard even now to think that first viewing was some eight full years ago. His slyly forward thrusts at the opening of the Rubies pas were embellished with that delightfully mischievous smile that he is wont to spring but otherwise his overall lack of placement defeated him in Balanchine's challenges I fear (the stamps in the first quarter round were virtually non-extant) and his partnering was more than cavalier shall we say. Indeed there was little sense of a relationship between him and anyone or anything but his own determination to follow through. Those devilish building churns - so redolent in my own memory when delivered, say, by the likes of Damian Woetzel, Robert Fairchild and, most recently, the wonderful Steven MacRae - where here not even completed. In fact mid-way through Vasiliev virtually stopped and ran off stage. He seemed to be in obvious pain when he returned in his one final campaign to complete the ballet. At the very end when he lunged to his knee I could see his left hand clutching his lower back. The scrawl burning on his face was excruciating in the extreme. His response in the curtain calls - usually so ardent in its somewhat child-like thrill - was notably restrained. Indeed he looked for all the world drawn in concern as if to say: 'What now?' . It made me wonder if we will, in fact, see him in this week's Kings of Dance performances in London. My heart went out to his concern. Perhaps he has just been doing too much in too many different places. Polina Seminova of ABT and Friedemann Vogel (a principal with Stuttgart) in that consummate achievement that is Diamonds proved to be the real thrill. Vogel as ever proved to be the chevalier of any ballerina's dreams. It was intriguing to watch Seminova in her chosen transformations (more cool in their roundness than anywhere sharp) in THAT FABULOUS adagio. Her's were so different - but no less telling - than those of Marianella Nunez the week before in London's 'Russian Icons' gala. The large orchestra swelled in its precision here - as did the overall company. That final promenade was made even more heady simply by virtue of being in the physical surrounds of such glorious splendour. A sidelight: I had never been to La Scala as I had only ever passed through Milan on my way to other Italian landmarks. This day trip was a thrill. I would recommend it to anyone. (Helped that the sun was shinning too.) It was also very cost effective. I had caught a cheap return flight to Milan from London on Ryanair (£19.99/$33.18) and got a relatively cheap seat in the second gallery at La Scala in the front row of one of its side divisions (fourth one from the end) at a cost of 15 Euros (£12.45/$20.66). A good 95% of the stage could be seen (which is far more than you would get in a similar position at Covent Garden). The entire door-to-door cost of this particular jaunt was only £61/$101.26 and that included my food and entry to the La Scala museum (highly recommended). In the museum you not only get to go into your choice of several of the central boxes in the grand La Scala but you can see a marble bust of Nijinsky which virtually speaks, stunning paintings of Patti and one glorious one of Tebaldi and death masks of Verdi, (as well as his piano and an open hand-written score for the Requiem), Puccini and Toscanini. I became intrigued by the locks of hair of each exhibited - and especially that of Mozart. It virtually glistened - much like his music; being a flaming golden brown. There was also a special exhibition featuring the costumes worn by Corelli on the second floor. In one lower case on the ground floor there were items belonging to Verdi. These had been extracted from his suite at the Grand Hotel where he lived and ultimately died. So interesting to peer at the stamps on letters in their original stand and the various writing instruments of the time. Later I would make a detour in my whirlwind run around the city and go to the Grand Hotel et Milano itself. It is suitably grand I must say but I was shocked that there was no reference that I could see that the great man himself had ever existed. Very strange. I even checked with the front desk staff in my broken Italian that I was, in fact, in the right place. They politely assured me that I was. Time is a strange thing - but the splendours of La Scala defeat the clock itself even now. If you haven't had the pleasure I would highly recommend it. Well worth the journey from any prospective I felt.

Is that the dancer she performed with in that 3D film a couple years ago? It is indeed. He was then with the Mariinsky as is currently his much undervalued wife.

Ah, well, I did get to see her in Rubies twice in London with Steven McRae who was, it has to be said, wonderful. They were wonderful together. Loved how she put the twist into her second variation. She did, I understand, dance the Rubies pas again in Brussels with McRae and the Sleeping Beauty third act pas with Golding. Hope the injury is not so severe that it will stop her making her Royal debut in Sleeping Beauty (again with Golding's debut as a fully fledged RB principal) next week. Something tells me that she will be fine!! Lucky you NYers to get those two Giselles of hers with Sarafanov. That is heavenly casting .... and she looks so good with him .... and they are both currently at the peek of their powers. Do enjoy. Last time the Mikhailovsky was in London at the Coliseum we had the Osipova / Vasiliev Giselle followed by the (married partners) Novikova / Sarafanov. Both were excellent. Hope they will bring Flames next time. We had the Osipova/Vasiliev take in the Ratmansky version of Flames that was done for them at the Bolshoi. That was probably the last time you'll see that original cast I'd hasten to imagine. Still, magic CAN happen .... or so I keep telling myself. As Shaw put it: 'You never can tell, sir .... You never can tell!!' (The punctuation is mine. Shaw - who hated to be 'Georged' in public - would have detested it. Wryly, of course.)

Very interesting!!! He may have been ill I suppose. I will assume that Osipova DID dance as contracted. Certainly she is dancing a lot in London. I'm supposed to see them both on Saturday in Milan. I will let you know if they both show up in Rubies. I wonder if the 'breakup' means that they won't dance together very much any more. That said, they are doing their Vasiliev and Osipova show in California twice this year and are again scheduled for the Mikhailovsky in New York and a further Romeo and Juliet in Milano .... ???? I would imagine that the commercial tow would be considerable.

Is it my imagination or does Vasiliev have ONLY two performances (both Don Q) listed???? Hardly seems that he is now rightfully a 'principal' (not being injured as far as I know - I'm seeing him dance Rubies in Milan on Saturday) ... as there are some ABT guest artists who are dancing more in the main Met season and certainly with greater variety in terms of roles. Surely this couldn't be because of any 'exclusion' clause vis a vis the November Mikhailovsky stint could it?. That would leave more than three months either side in any case - even if he had, say, six commitments through the ABT MET season. Wonder how he must feel ... if, of course, this wasn't at his own request. Wonder too, therefore, how long he can rightfully remain rightfully itemized as an ABT principal??? Good to see many more opportunities being given to the burgeoning home team.

I was shocked to read this. How often we (or at least I am apt to) forget that/how time passes. I met Carley in what for me was - truly - another world. One belonging - as she does now - to time. In every way it was a privilege. I sit here remembering the joy of her many kindnesses whilst we shared the excitement of our enthusiasm. We were friends of a shared passion. The power of that gift was heady. I can feel its air even now. The memory burns in the sincerity of her warmth. It is one I could never care to forget. Bless you, Carley. Bless you for ALL. May you not only rest but smile in peace.

The following was reported on the Balletco Forum: “Sheherazade”: Golden Slave - Denis Rodkin (Bolshoi), Zobeide - Alisa Sodoleva (Mariinsky) “The Dying Swan” - Maria Semenyachenko (Bol) “La Spectre de la rose” - Anton Korsakov (Mar) ? “The Firebird” - have no idea. Diaghilev - Yuri Smekalov (Mar) I also saw Anastasia Kolegova’s face (Mar) among soloists. A big ballet gala-concert took place in Sochi last night. Among those who took part were Zakharova, Polunin, Zagrebin, Ryzhkova, Sarafanov, Bondareva and other Russian dancers. There were also dancers there from New York and Germany http://buro247.ru/cu...eta-v-soch.html Another post notes: The Firebird was danced by Anastasia Kolegova

And it said there would be dancers from NYCB .... Oh, and the Paris Opera Ballet ... There are none listed from either that I can see ... More's the pity.

As relates to the above .... The Hochhausers did, in fact, say that Osipova and Vailiev would appear with the Bolshoi or else no deal in London this past summer. .... Guess it depends on the producers ... and, of course, they did ONLY appear once together during that three week season in FLAMES OF PARIS (the production of which had been done FOR them after all ... and they lost out on the Paris opening of the same) .... although Vasiliev did do a second 'replacement' performance.

If distribution is such an expensive concern for companies like NYCB, I wonder why they simply don't organise an on-line subscription situation themselves - a la 'Met on Demand'. In that way they (e.g., NYCB) could control matters and not depend on the almighty (outside) middlemen (at least in terms of the marketing/distribution). I'm sure there are a world of people out there who in time will be eager to view their product and for whom an opportunity to experience such live at the Koch Theatre (no matter how many levels are closed - READ 'SHOCKING: I GREW UP IN THE FOURTH CIRCLE' - and regardless how astute the almighty social media interface may be) is an all-too-rare luxury. Surely NYCB simply have to start somewhere* in this regard ... and time does, after all, wait for no man (nor ballet company for that matter). (*NYCB did a few years ago do a live cinema broadcast of Balanchine's The Nutcracker I believe [e.g., other than the commercial cinema release shot some years previous]. I know I saw a screening of the live performance in London and was deeply appreciative ... or am I dreaming .... and merely old ??)

I have a feeling the O/V dates in Japan may have been set well in advance of Ms. Osipova's announcement vis a vis the RB. I have a suspicion that the O/V names were most probably part and parcel in ensuring the ABT Japan booking ... much as they were for the Bolshoi most recently in London, albeit for one performance only initially. Still they did appear ... and .... surprise, surprise ... the Company did arrive unto the Royal Opera House. Their performance in Flames of Paris was the only one to sell out on the first day of general public booking. .

Thanks so much Volcanohunter for yet another BRILLIANT review. Bless you for ALL.

Thanks so Volcanohunter for another glorious review. We learn so much from you. You will be much missed in London once the Bolshoi season has completed and you have returned to your native climb, one so very fortunate to be graced by the generosity of your good self. I agree with you totally in your comments about the Bolshoi's decor and costumes for JEWELS. Those for RUBIES were particularly distasteful in their overall misunderstanding of Balanchine's remit. One observation: You say of that same piece of stunning potential: "The audience reacted enthusiastically, but then I’ve yet to encounter an audience that wasn’t won over by Rubies." It is a shame you weren't able to be present in the ROH on Monday. You would have been able to add another first to your admirable list. The audience then present was all but tepid in its response to this insightful slice of balletic wit, deservedly so from my viewpoint. It was performance which, much like the said sad decor/costumes, was truly misguided. Agree with Yudi that Tuesday's showed a definite improvement.

Well, I'm old enough to know that patience is a virtue ... and that yours will be something rightfully worth waiting for. Bless you, Volcanohunter.

Not reviewing the performance - I'm sure Volcanohunter will do that more than justice ... but I just wanted to mention that at the end of this first performance of Jewels tonight by the Bolshoi in London Sergei Filin was led out on the stage. You could see the affection the dancers hold him in through the mad dash made by both Smirnova and Chudin as soon as he came into their eyesight on the stage right side. Certainly that - in and of itself - succeeded in turning the evening from a performance into an event ... and, at that moment in time, the audience responded in rapturous kind.

Thank you Volcanohunter for this wonderful review. Although I did not see this performance, you very much made me feel as if I had. Thanks so. I'm so pleased you made the journey to London for the Bolshoi run. I hope you are enjoying your stay here. Please know that your insightful input is hugely appreciated.

I have seen both Vasiliev (only once I should add) and Le Riche dance this. I ended up seeing all three of Le Riche's performances with ENB in the role. He was, IMHO, totally mesmerising.

I wrote the following comments on the production on the balletcoforum ... for what they are worth ... From Monday Night ... Very briefly - out of a scale of 10: Stage floor: -1 (most distracting as seen from above - read Amphi ... especially when any satin pointe shoe merges - read disappears - into the light reflecting gilt of it); Denis Savin as the Grey Wolf: 11 (so refreshing to have a total characterisation - even half covered in a mask - THROUGH dance, one followed through and delighted in by the audience ... watch out for them there fangs ... but then he was brilliant too in the dance with the drum pairing on Saturday afternoon in Bayadere.) I'm sure others will have much more to say vis a vis last night ... but just now I must proverbially dash. Thanks for the photos, Dave. They are a truly luxuriant treat and wonderfully framed. That is Denis Rodkin partnering in the first photo in posting 3. He danced the Bluebird last night and did, I thought, a good job of it. (Believe it or not this lad is now one of the two dancers - the other being V. Lantratov who he replaced due to injury last night - doing the major roles in the Bolshoi's current productions of SPARTACUS and IVAN. So pleased I had the privilege of seeing the 'other Ivan' ... a certain Mr. V .... while he was still about in Moscow Perhaps while Vasiliev is still at ABT they should consider borrowing one or two of those Russian productions for him. - (Methinks they are inter-changable only IVAN has the better score.)!! Love to see him opposite either, say, Gomes or Cornejo - or a guesting La Riche. THE LATTER WAS A BRILLIANT IVAN IN PARIS - but ALL listed are special artists!!) Who knows that might even be able to fill the Coli if ABT were to bring it here and help to off-set the traditional lesser audiences for more recent works like Ratmansky's hailed Shostakovich Trilogy .... or his upcoming Tempest .... What say we trade Wheeldon's new WINTER'S TALE ... Yeah, but I know the NBoC already have the NA rights for that!!). Rodkin's Florine, Kristina Kretova, also pleased and she has the most enchantingly natural smile. From last night ... (Tuesday) ... Saw it for a second time tonight. Highlights lodged within a gleaming but nonetheless sorry (or is that rather dull) lot: (1) David Hallberg deserves a medal (or is that a peerage - lots being given away for less at the moment) for (i) life-saving partnering given a partner (no names mentioned ... cough .. Zakharova ... cough) whose legs seem to live on a planet of their own imagining and (ii) for etching a character (one might almost say forcing one) out of exactly nothing (which last night's occupant did not even attempt I now realise) and doing it all with such enormous and open grace and joy. Smirnova danced the Lilac Fairy and - after Saturday night's Bayadere - I was mightily disappointed. True she has a ravishing instrument and was also gifted by Hallberg's esteemed presence ... but I lost count of the number of pirouettes she fell out of during her initial variation. After that the smile of my heart in her regard became rather fixed I fear. Of course, Mr. Crisp, It will live in the hope that it might be warmed again. Fingers crossed. (2) the graceful Florine of the ever-dependable and charming Anastasia Stashkevich. She danced tonight with last night's Desire, Artem Ovcharenko. He looks good in blue, - a long, cool drink of water - but Denis Rodkin, while more compactly so was, I fear, better equipped and certainly more responsive in terms of his partnering. SO VITAL. (3) True highlight, however, was the ever wonderful Igor Tsvirko who appeared as Carabosse. If you MUST have a Carabosse en travesti .... (and I, myself, prefer when they are not ... Oh, for Merrill Ashley in the original NYCB production) ... then THIS is your (wo)man!! A class act Igor - No qualms there. Loved how he played the curtain call as if he was in a panto ... to (variously) much amusement and confusion amongst his Bolshoi peers. 'Only in England, huh!' one heard them murmur ... in Russian of course !! .... Somehow it sounds so much better that way

In face of Alexandrova's unfortunate injury, the following cast changes have been made to the Bolshoi/London Schedule: Sleeping Beauty: Krysanova August 8th Swan Lake: Krysanova August 10th; Shipulina August 14th Flames of Paris: Osipova and Vasiliev - now dance August 17th (evening) as well as 16th Lantratov will now dance with Shipulina for the 17.8 matinee in place of Volchkov. All has been gratefully updated on the Bolshoi website, but not - as usual - on the ROH's. (Perhaps it is because ALL the tickets have been sold and this is, of course, a rental .... though they are never very quick on the draw for the Royal Ballet even when they still have seats a-begging and the productions are in-house!!)

If you want to see where the accident took place with Alexandrova, please pull through to 2.23 on the following filmed clip of the cinema release performance with the same principal Bolshoi cast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkNcLy-Pzbk She fell from her full jete prep to the floor of the stage landing on her foot. Lantratov may well have accidentally been out of placement on the cross. Certainly she indicated by her immediate glare that she had been hit and understandably looked to be in shock. You can imagine what was seen by the ROH audience by removing the principal couple thereafter in your imagination and entirely cutting (again understandably) Gamzatti's variation. Even the movement down of the two male soloists to lift the ballerina was undertaken. They stood and looked at each other.

Meunier fan, I hope you don't mind if I correct a typo. It appears that the brave dancer who 'attempted the fouettés' was, according to the above press report, Daria Bochkova. Bless you, Bella. Not at all. I was going from sight and sadly got it wrong. I should have safely stuck to 'a soloist'. My sincere apologies to you and Ms. Bochkova.

That's a lovely picture of Dame Beryl. Thank you. She has such a glorious smile and it is wonderful at her age that she gets out and about to so much. It is always a joy to see her and she is always so kind. She is a true inspiration. As to the music, the only thing that looked to be cut was Gamzatti's variation. During the substantive MIDDLE section of the adagio the supporting artists stood nobly in two semi-circles, one on each side of the now sadly empty central dancing area.

I was there. She looked to take a direct hit by Lantratov at the introduction to the Solar/Gamzatti pas - Indeed it never in reality began. (Thank heavens we had seen her wonderful pas and variation as Gamzatti in the Russian first act). If looks could kill Lantratov would have been well and truly dead before Alexandrova hobbled off the stage. She only returned with the help of her on-stage father at the time of Nikiya's solo. I was looking at her through my glasses. She resolutely would not look at Lantratov in the face. Her gaze was only for Nikiya. After she had gesticulated 'get lost' to her romantic rival her father LITERALLY went downstage of her and - picking her one side up - supported her as she flattly lurched off the stage. It looked painful indeed. The pas de deux in the (Russian) second act (Solar/Gamzatti) was here done a la the Red Shoes but without either the empty follow spot or an announcement from what is most obviously a crippled management, i.e., the music was played and the corps did the surrounding choreography but the middle - where the pas de deux should have been - was amazingly left blank. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. Lantratov did come on as it happens and do his solo variation which, it must be said, he did well. Yulia Grebenshchikova bravely stepped forward from her soloist line at the end and attempted the fouettes. That they were very messy and that she feel out of them was of course understandable under the circumstances. She was roundly applauded for being a good sport and all that but THIS WHOLE EVENING was OVERALL a performance of enormous compromise on many counts. Highlights for me: (i) IGOR TSVIRKO as Magedaveya, the head Fakir .... Here at least we witnessed consummate dancing and a very focused dramatic portrayal without at any time the dancer pulling focus. In this role that is very hard to do. Bravo, Igor. Well done. (ii) The dance with a drum ... All three soloists were stunning, but the headlights that are Alexei Matrakhov's eyes glowed in the dark from atop his lighthouse-on-the-hill body. (iii) ANASTASIA STASHKEVICH - as the first shade ... a class act in everything we've been privileged to see her do thus far in London; (iv) STUNNING harp playing in the first act; a glistening cloud of sound. I was taken by Lantratov. He had the difficult job of partnering Zakharova. Can't be easy ... not easy at all given her mechanical and extreme extensions often obliterating the music and her placement - and Lantratov had, as noted, to recover himself for his solo in the 2nd act pas (being as he most obviously was here something of a dog in a glitzy manger). That was from my perspective, perhaps, his most avidly musical outing - given that he was there left entirely to his own devices. Suddenly the corps watching on looked - if only for a string of seconds - relieved.. Some of the girls with the parrot sticks who by now sat at the back wiped tears away from their eyes during his applause. One even blew her red nose. Ah, the drama. But just imagine if you had paid literally hundreds of pounds to see this. I know the show needs to go on ... but this, in many ways, was not THE SHOW ... at least NOT the show advertised and the show that had been promised to many by the live cinema relay. WHY WAS THE CURTAIN NOT BROUGHT DOWN AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT MADE. We all had been witnesses of (and after) the sad fact. We would have understood. Anna Tikhomirova who dances Gamzatti in today's matinee was dancing the third shade last night. Could she not have got into the costume and let the interrupted act go forward ensuring the purity of the work? At NO point was ANYTHING said ... but, hey, this is London. Perhaps they think we'll buy anything marked 'Russe'. 'Russe' is enough. Well, here maybe ... and, hey, maybe they are right. There's not a ticket to be had for the rest of their three week season ... and we've not even finished the first. The queue for returns tonight was out the building. Sadly the wonderful programme by the Boston Ballet at the Coliseum - including two Balanchine masterworks - was woefully depleted of an audience in large part. Some things just are NOT fair in this life. Here's hoping that Alexandrova recovers VERY SOON ... She was .. and WILL be MISSED .... sorely.

Maybe, but I''m not sure about a "goodly" number--it's a role created on one of the world's greatest male dancers and very hard to do right...I missed the spring revival at ABT (would have loved to see Hallberg) but a few years ago did see the Royal's revival with Cope and Pennefeather in the role and neither came close in my opinion, though Cope's partnering skills were on display. (The trickiness of the partnering is another issue as well. I'm plenty nervous about Stearns in the role and he at least has elegant proportions as Dowell did.) Thank you, Drew, for your kind response. I would have thought someone like Joseph Gorak might be just the ticket. I say that only from what I've read, of course. Sadly I've never seen him live. However, David Hallberg says that he sees much of himself in Gorak ... so that, among other things, made me think .... hmmmm. If McKenzie REALLY wanted to bring in a (star) dancer from outside for the role who could easily tick all the boxes I think Sarafanov would be miraculous in it ... and would be oh, so very musical which, of course, Dowell was. The last time I saw Dowell in the role was at Sibley's farewell when they danced together for one last time. It was naturally a very memorable evening.