Marc Haegeman

Irina Shapchits left the Royal Ballet of Flanders in 2001 to join the Peter Schaufuss Ballet in Holstebro, Denmark. As far as I know, starting this season, she is finished there as well and seems to be teaching and dancing in Lissabon, Portugal. If you are interested, mohnurka, there is an interview with Shapchits from the time when she was still a soloist with the RB of Flanders on For Ballet Lovers Only

To be fair to Makhar Vaziev, the words « leading ballerinas » are entirely mine, not his (Vaziev of course only uses the word “balerin”). By doing so I implied nothing else than that these three are principal dancers of the Mariinsky – but that’s a fact, thalictum, not a matter of opinion. Apologize for any confusion this might have caused. As for the “Soviet propaganda”, please explain your point. Of course, western company directors and ballet masters never have favourites and hype simply doesn’t exist here.

In the recent press release of the Mariinsky there was next to nothing about possible plans for the ballet company. In an interview with “Kommersant” company manager Makhar Vaziev nonetheless revealed some new things the Mariinsky ballet might have in store for the current season. Vaziev mentions the reconstruction of Drigo’s one-act ballet “Le reveil de flore” choreographed by Marius Petipa in 1894 for Kshessinskaya. Since the reconstruction would be based on Sergeyev’s choreographic notations preserved at Harvard, this could be the major premiere of the season, and it should take place in the spring of 2005. According to Vaziev the Mariinsky will also perform Forsythe's “Approximate Sonata” which had already been scheduled for the Mariinsky Festival last season, but was withdrawn at the last moment. Vaziev also mentions that during the coming Festival next March ballets should be created especially for the three leading Mariinsky ballerinas, Lopatkina (by Hans van Manen), Vishneva (by Forsythe) and Pavlenko (by Kirill Simonov). Finally, there will be the full length “Princess Pirlipat” by Shemyakin in May. Finally, Vaziev stresses it has always been his intention to keep the old Soviet versions of the classics "La Bayadère" and "The Sleeping Beauty" next to the new/old reconstructed versions. Fingers crossed ! The interview in Kommersant.

Also interesting to note that both opera and ballet companies return to London next summer. The dates for the ballet engagement are July 18 - August 7, 2005, at Covent Garden.

Nothing of this is mine, thalictum, it's word for word what the press office considers "the highlights of the season". I'm sure everyone will have his or her own highlights, but that's another story. Please, feel free to share yours.

As sent by the Mariinsky press office here are some highlights of the current season: · Uliana Lopatkina as Nikia (La Bayadere, November 2004), the Lilac Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty, December 2004, February 2005) and Odette/Odile (Swan Lake, January 2005); · Daria Pavlenko and Igor Zelensky in Swan Lake (October 2004); · Daria Pavlenko's debut as Manon (Manon, November 2004); · Diana Vishneva and Igor Zelensky in La Bayadere (November 2004); · Diana Vishneva as Juliet (Romeo and Juliet, November 2004) and Manon (Manon, December 2004); · Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva and Igor Zelensky in the programme A Tribute to Balanchine (December 2004); · Leonid Sarafanov as Prince Desire (The Sleeping Beauty, December 2004, January 2005) and Solor (La Bayadere, February 2005); · An Artistic Evening with Diana Vishneva (January 2004). This season's festivals: In addition to the Theatre's traditional festivals - the Mariinsky International Ballet Festival (24 March-3 April 2005) and the Stars of the White Nights International Festival of Arts (28 May-16 July 2005) - this season will see the thematic Tchaikovsky Festival (12-19 February 2005) and Shrove-Tide Week at the Mariinsky Theatre (7-13 March 2005). I posted a more complete survey on For Ballet Lovers Only

On the Philips/Mercury label, Fistoulari's complete recording of "Giselle" has the Peasant pas de deux as well. And yes, as BalletNut mentioned, Bonynge on Decca too.

Estelle is right. The current "Grand défilé" was introduced right after World War II by Aveline, when Lifar was in disgrace. There had been previous efforts, though, among others by Staats, who arranged a similar défilé on the March of "Tannhäuser" from Wagner in the twenties - not surprisingly done only a couple of times.

For the record, "Serenade" was danced by Natalia Sologub, Ekaterina Osmolkina, Ksenia Ostreikovskaya and Danila Korsuntsev. I couldn't agree with you more, Herman, about the casting info etc, yet we should keep in mind that the Mariinsky itself is notoriously careless about these matters and tour organizers are often at loss. And it is the "Gergiev" Festival after all.

According to Terpsichore, the three muses were Daria Pavlenko, Sofia Gumerova and Irina Golub. Mikhail Lobukhin danced Apollo. Both nights. I kept my word, Herman, I wasn't there. I'm glad you enjoyed it, though.

Giannina, it's physical theater, it's not ballet - even if it is performed by the Bolshoi Ballet.

Thank you for the review, Natalia, but to be fair the current Mariinsky version has, as you know, still some Soviet embellishments as well: the fandango is from Lopukhov, the gypsies dance is from Anisimova and Belsky, and then that fearful oriental dance in Act III is also from Anisimova. I also find it interesting that the Bolshoi locates the final act in a palace. After all, according to a certain tradition one only wears tutu in court (or in fairytales and dreams, of course) In the Russian versions the street dancer and Mercedes (the girl in the long red dress in the tavern scene) are two different characters. In the Bolshoi production there is moreover a spanish dancer in the tavern scene - they have very little in common, except that they all seem to want Espada...

Natalia, Zakharova is guesting in Tokyo in the middle of October and in Milan, Italy on November 12 and 13.

As Leigh suggests, it is more circumstance. Svetlana Zakharova is busy guesting elswhere in this period; Tsiskaridze is slowly coming back from his injury and it makes sense if he doesn't join the tour. Lunkina is coming back from maternity leave. On paper this is really not a bad group - It could be that they try to have two, but then I'd much prefer seeing this touring group than the one that's left behind in Moscow .

Quite a piece, I must say, Leigh. And no trace of Zakharova either. (Although, please remember, this is only a preliminary cast list )

BOSTON, Wang Center 6 Oct Raymonda Stepanenko-Filin-Belogolovzev 7 Oct Raymonda Allash-Volchkov-Arifulin 8 Oct DQ Alexandrova-Klevzov 9 Oct DQ Gracheva-Filin 10 Oct DQ Antonicheva-Belogolovtsev MINNEAPOLIS, Northrop Auditorium 22 Oct Romeo Meskova-Godovsky-Petukhov-Klevtsov 23 Oct DQ Alexandrova-Filin 24 Oct DQ-mat. Shipulina-Belogolovtsev 24 Oct DQ-ev. Stepanenko-Klevtsov SEATTLE, Paramount Theatre 27 Oct Romeo Alexandrova-Savin-Medvedev-Klevtsov 28 Oct Romeo Meskova-Godovsky-Petukhov-Lavrenyk 29 Oct. DQ Stepanenko-Klevtsov 30 Oct. DQ Gratcheva-Filin 31 Oct. DQ-mat. Shipulina-Belogolovtsev BERKELEY, Zellerbach Auditorium 3 Nov Romeo Alexandrova-Savin-Medvedev-Klevtsov 4 Nov Romeo Meskova-Godovsky-Petukhov-Klevtsov 5 Nov Raymonda Antonicheva-Filin-Belogolovtsev 6 Nov Rayonda-mat Allash-Volchkov-Arifulin 6 Nov Raymonda Gracheva-Skvortsov-Klevtsov 7 Nov Raymonda-mat Stepanenko-Filin-Belogolovtsev CHICAGO, Auditorium Theatre 10 Nov. DQ Stepanenko-Klevtsov 11 Nov DQ Alexandrova-Filin 12 Nov Raymonda Gratcheva-Skvortsov-Belogolovtsev 13 Nov Raymonda-mat. Allash-Volchkov-Arifulin 13 Nov Raymonda Antonicheva-Filin-Klevtsov 14 Nov Raymonda-mat Gratcheva-Skvortsov-Belogolovtsev (Courtesy of the Bolshoi Theatre press office)

Exactly, Lesley Collier retired in July 1995 with a performance of "Giselle" (partnered by Irek Mukhamedov).

That's correct, Roma: "Three-Cornered Hat" (music by De Falla), "Les Présages" (music by Tchaikovsky), and "Gaité Parisienne" (music by Offenbach). Premiere on 14 April 2005.

In any case it's great news that this performance will be released on DVD. The production is worth seeing and so is the company. Yes, Herman, I find Sofiane Sylve much too athletic for the role , but I suspect many will like her no-nonsense I-can-do-anything approach. I agree that Lezhnina's more recent Aurora's in Amsterdam were a major improvement on her early filmed performance we have with the Kirov, so I can only regret that she wasn't filmed instead of Sylve... It would have been great to have one of the great Aurora's of our time in the beginning and near the end of her career.

This "Glory of the Kirov" DVD easily surpasses all other issues in the genre, and is a must have because of the quality and rarity of the material compiled there, as well as for the excellent tranfers. There is a similar "Glory of the Bolshoi" release, although slightly less interesting.

Robert, there is at least one short clip of Bregvadze which is easily accessible, on the "Glory of the Kirov" DVD, featuring him and Kurgapkina in the "Viennese Waltz" by Yakobson.

When watching ballet, especially outside of our own villages, we should realize that there is such a thing as different traditions of performing. That said, carol, we should keep from over-generalizing. How many bows did you see during the Bolshoi performances of "Romeo and Juliet" or "Spartacus" for instance? And did you ever see any “playing to the gallery” during a performance of "Agon" by the Bolshoi? I'm sorry, but Russian ballet companies do not always do that. It entirely depends of the ballets. In ballets like "Don Q" or the "Pharaoh’s Daughter" variations and solos will be applauded and the dancers will take a bow, but then again in the recent London season I never felt that as being exaggerated or for that matter undeserved.

Yes, that's right, that's part of a Kirov "Paquita" - in a 1980 gala program filmed at the Mariinsky and shown in those years on BBC. The lineup is quite amazing, featuring Komleva and Zaklinsky, Sizova, Kunakova, Efremova, Evteyeva. A great ballet moment on film. Sizova was then pushing forty. I never saw this on any commercial video release, though.

Melissa, Sizova prepared many of her roles with Alla Shelest. You can find a biography (by Geoff Whitlock) and photos on http://www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com/Sizova10.html

Since some posters refuse to understand the logic of this forum and this thread is turning into a clash of fans, I feel obliged to close it. Dear Akimova, if you have anything constructive to say, you are most welcome to, but stop putting oil on the fire every time you come to post something. Thank you.