Kevin Ng

Sonja, it won't be long before you have the pleasure of seeing the Kirov in your city Munich in September. Are the several performances of "Jewels" nearly sold out? I suppose I'll try to see the Kirov again somewhere in the world before the end of this year. [ 07-18-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

A.M., thanks for the list. Look forward to your report on the second programme this week. As an aside, the second Maryinsky International Ballet Festival will be held in St. Petersburg from 9-18 March 2002.

A.M., thanks for your wonderful report. I am so happy reading your detailed comments; it has partly made up for my regret that I cannot be present myself. Igor Zelensky was guesting in Greece last weekend, which explains his absence from France. It's good to hear that Andrei Batalov, who was absent from the London season, is dancing again with the Kirov. (I heard that he danced Le Corsaire pas de deux in Granada with Elvira Tarasova during the Kirov's tour there a fortnight ago.) It's interesting that they did Tchaikovsky pdd in Versailles. What a pity that they didn't do it at Covent Garden as part of the all-Balanchine programme. They did include it in Japan last winter. [ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Mashinka and Amy, thanks for your description of the atmosphere of the last night of the season. I find very memorable the last sentence in Nadine Meisner's review in The Independent of the Fokine programme. "This is ballet as only the Kirov can provide, and London will now be very dull without them." And a quote from David Dougill's review in The Sunday Times. "The Kirov Ballet reached the end of its latest London season last weekend, and it was with a real pang that we said goodbye to all those magnificent dancers for another year. They have given a richly varied repertory, ranging from the heritage of old classics to their latest acquisitions of Balanchine and MacMillan. Many stars have shone, and the corps de ballet has deserved the constant plaudits." [ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Quote from NO7- >It eventually comes to the last day of the Kirov season. Sad that it's all over, isn't it? > I came up with the idea of Kirov Poll. What an excellent idea, NO7. >Based on watching 20 performances out of 28 Actually there were 32 performances - 8 per week. I counted, and I had watched 23 performances. >are my choices: Will stick to your categories as far as possible. >Best performances: Symphony in C, Diamonds I would also add Serenade, Rubies and Emeralds, if you mean the Kirov company as a whole. >Best staging: Sleeping Beauty As well as all the Balanchine ballets. >The least impressive: Manon (of course!) Yes. >Most moving: strange enough, Manon with Ayupova and Zelensky In my opinion - both Uliana Lopatkina and Svetlana Zakharova as the Diamonds ballerina, Andrian Fadeyev as Apollo, Veronika Part in 2nd movement of Symphony in C and in Emeralds. >Most enjoyable: Le Corsaire, Rubies(Jewels) Yes. >Queens of the Kirov: Uliana Lopatkina in Diamonds, Diana Vishneva in Scheherazade and Rubies. Vishneva is a sublime Aurora as well. Svetlana Zakharova as Terpsichore and as the Diamonds ballerina. >Best males: Igor Zelensky and Igor Kolb in whatever they danced! I would vote instead for Andrian Fadeyev for his superlative performances as Apollo, Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty, and Lankedem in Le Corsaire. Anton Korsakov for his brilliance in Emeralds pas de trois, as the Rubies soloist, and in 3rd movement of Symphony in C. Also Ilya Kuznetsov as the cavalier in the 2nd movement of Symphony in C and in the Elegy in Serenade. >Very impressive females: Veronica Part in all Balanchine's ballets, Gumerova in Le Corsaire I would add Daria Pavlenko as Princess Florine, the Lilac Fairy, in the Prelude in Chopiniana, and as the second girl in Rubies. Also Irina Zhelonkina as Gulnara in Le Corsaire, as the Marzurka ballerina in Chopiniana, and as the jumping girl in the Act 1 pas de trois in Swan Lake. >Male on the rise: definitely Dmitry Semionov and Maxim Krebtov Definitely Dmitry Simeonov. >Female on the rise: the one and only Irina Golub in Rubies (but I didn't say she's most impressive!) Irina Golub was impressive too in the Odalisque solo in Le Corsaire, and as Polyhymnia in Apollo. >Dancer of the season: Ilya Kuznetsov; I believe without him the Kirov couldn't go all the way through the end. Well said. [ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

I wasn't present on the closing night last Saturday, but I can certainly understand your disappointment. I heard that artistic director Makhar Vaziev didn't even appear on stage at the end to acknowledge the long ovations. On the closing night last August Vaziev led all the coaches, teachers, and the entire company (those dancers who didn't dance Don Q that night appeared in casual clothes) on stage amidst the endless showers of flowers, ribbons etc. in the numerous curtain calls. It was a moving sight. This year the circumstances may have been slightly different. A number of Kirov dancers left London early last Wed. to dance in Granada, and some more left London on Saturday to return to St. Petersburg in time for a performance on Sunday night. But I am still puzzled why Vaziev didn't appear on stage with the coaches.

Re Yulia Makhalina, I heard tonight by chance that she may dance Giselle in St. Petersburg next week. [ 07-05-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

David, I've been following the Kirov since 1987; and I have a number of contacts in the company.

The Bolshoi star Nikolai Tsiskaridze returned to London today to guest with the Kirov, and will dance the 3rd movement of Symphony in C on Monday. Yulia Makhalina won't be in London next week to do her scheduled performances of Scheherazade.

For the record, the afternoon and evening casts of Sleeping Beauty were swapped round at the last minute. Sologub and Fadeyev danced in the matinee instead, while Vishneva and Korsakov danced the evening performance. Casting for Swan Lake should be- Thur. - Lopatkina, Korsuntsev Fri. - Gumerova, Zelensky. Sat. mat. - Gumerova, Korsuntsev Sat. eve. - Zakharova, Kolb [ 06-29-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

The cast on Wed. night should be Natalia Sologub and Andrian Fadeyev who danced the opening night 2 weeks ago. [ 06-27-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Salome, I second your appreciation for Ilya Kuznetsov's hard work last week. He danced 6 performances - 3 of Manon and 3 of Le Corsaire. I didn't see Vishneva's Manon however. By the way, Dmitri Simeonov will dance the Act 1 pas de trois in Swan Lake this Sat. afternoon. After the Balanchine programme early next week, a part of the Kirov company - e.g. Irina Golub, Andrian Fadeyev, Danila Korsuntsev etc. - will leave London early to dance for a week in Granada. The Kirov will do a divertissements programme in Granada including "Rubies", "Raymonda" Act 3, "Le Spectre de la Rose". [ 06-27-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

No, Irma Nioradze hasn't gone home. She just danced Medora in Le Corsaire tonight, though I prefer Sofia Gumerova this afternoon. And Lankadem, in particular, was strongly cast - with Anton Korsakov in the afternoon, and Andrian Fadeyev (being cast against type) who acted and danced vivaciously tonight. The Rubies cast on Monday has been changed. It will be Irina Golub and Anton Korsakov. [ 06-24-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Updated casting for Jewels this weekend. Changes from the advertised casting are as follows. Emeralds - Andrian Fadeyev to replace Viktor Baranov as Maya Dumchenko's partner. Rubies - Diana Vishneva and Nikolai Tsiskaridze on 15, 16 eve., and 17 June. Elvira Tarasova and Anton Korsakov on 16 mat. Diamonds - Daria Pavlenko and Igor Zelensky on 16 June mat., Pavlenko and Danila Korsuntsev on 16 June eve. [ 06-16-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Sylvia, there's also a new section on Kirov dancers on Ballet.co.uk. http://www.ballet.co.uk/links/dancers_kirov.htm

Not as far as I know. The cast for Manon on 21 June is Diana Vishneva and Ilya Kuznetsvov. Other performances of Manon - 18 June- Zakharova and Kuznetsov 19 June- Nioradze and Zelensky 20 mat.- Ayupova and Kuznetsov 20 eve.- Nioradze and Zelensky Also on 3 July, Andrian Fadeyev to replace the injured Ivanchenko in Apollo. [ 06-14-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

The Bolshoi's Nikolai Tsiskaridze, who missed the Bolshoi Stars season at Drury Lane last month due to injury, is in great form and was a dazzling Blue Bird tonight. Tsiskaridze will dance "Rubies" this weekend on 15, 16, and 17 June with Diana Vishneva.

Tonight's opening Sleeping Beauty was led by Natalia Sologub and Andrian Fadeyev. I've found out about the following changes in casting in Sleeping Beauty. Tomorrow's (Wed.) matinee will be danced by Zhanna Ayupova and Anton Korsakov. In tomorrow's evening performance with Diana Vishneva and Igor Kolb, the Bolshoi's Nikolai Tsiskaridze will dance the Blue Bird pas de deux with Daria Pavlenko. Thursday night - Svetlana Zakharova and Igor Zelensky. Due to Ivanchenko's injury, his performances in Manon and Le Corsaire will be danced by Ilya Kuznetsov. Other changes are- Le Corsaire - Svetlana Zakharova to replace Lopatkina on 22 June, and Sofia Gumerova will dance on 23 June matinee. Swan Lake - Gumerova on 30 June afternoon, and Zakharova on 30 June evening. Fokine programme - Igor Kolb, instead of Danila Korsuntsev, will dance Chopiniana on 5 and 7 July. [ 06-13-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

I saw this fabulous Japanese company on my first trip to Japan in the 1970s. And the last time I saw Takarazuka was when they toured Hong Kong 3 years ago. I remember that several hundred Japanese fans flew specially here to catch that week's performances, similar to Tetsuya Kumakawa's guest performancs later that year. The two-act show was most spectacular and entertaining. The first act consisted of traditional Japanese dancing, while the second consisted of Western dances. The Can-can number, the tango, and the final tribute to Broadway were grandly danced. [ 05-29-2001: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]

Wendy, thanks so much for informing us about the list of tributes at the back of the souvenir programme. I suppose your copy of the programme will be a valuable collectors' item, since there won't be any more copies on sale after the Gala.

Makarova didn't participate in the gala. As for Irek Mukhamedov, I heard that he was somewher in Poland where he is in charge of a new production of Swan Lake.

Lovebird, please call me Kevin by the way. I don't know who the two Russian founders of the National Ballet of China are, (Hu Xinxin should know) but it can't be Nadezhda Pavlova who would have been too young when the company was established in China.

Lovebird, how interesting to hear that you also studied at the Liceo School. You are obviously very familiar with the Stuttgart Ballet. Yes, I hope to see Yseult Lendvai do Tatiana in future, having seen her as Kate this time. As Kate, I found Lendvai's acting more subtle than Sue Jin Kang in the second cast.

Lovebird, Ivan Gil Ortega was trained at the ballet school of the Gran Teatro de Liceo in Barcelona and then at the dance school of Carmen Roche in Madrid. I saw Patricia Salgado listed as a demi-soloist in the programme notes, but I don't recall seeing her in Shrew last week. Yes, the ballet scene in Hong Kong has improved in recent years as we get more visiting companies, though it's still no comparison to Tokyo.