Marc Haegeman

Regardless of the somewhat archaic production, this Kirov Raymonda is one of the handful of recordings that should figure in any serious ballet collection (and quite near to the top of it). Not only do we have here one of the greatest exponents of the Vaganova School and Petersburg classicism in full glory, but the cast itself is essentially what the Kirov and its tradition is all about. Practically all the dancers are now teachers in St. Petersburg and elsewhere in the world of the current generations, while the character artists featured here (Strogaya, Ostaltsov) are among the greatest names in the genre.

i think i realized the Asylmuratova BEAUTY was filmed at the Bolshoi by the theater's curtain. but i haven't yet put my hands on my tape.

Yes, it was filmed on tour at the Bolshoi.

I admit I've never seen the Bolshoi's production (is it on DVD? I'm curious to now). I also have extremely mixed feelings about Grigorovich's restagings of the classics--I think he always put a lot of thought behind them and they're handsome productions but sometimes his decisions of change were really misguided, still I think I enjoy them a lot more than other Western ballet fans I've spoken to. The cynic in me thinks that with Simon Virsaladze passed away he simply didn't know any othe rmodern designer to use so had to resort to the originals ;)

Anyway this is what I do know:

From the Bolshoi's official website:

Libretto by Marius Petipa and Sergei Khudekov

Choreography: Marius Petipa

New scenic version: Yuri Grigorovich

Scenes from productions by Vakhtang Chabukiani, Nikolai Zubkovsky, Konstantin Sergeyev used

Sets and costumes after sketches by designers of the first production (1877) revived by Valery Firsov,

Nikolai Sharonov (sets) and Nikolai Sviridchikov (costumes)

Supervisor of scenery and costumes revival: Valery Levental

Premiered on November 25, 1991.

Presented with two intervals.

Running time: 3 hours 30 minutes.

So I'm not sure how faithful the designs are--probably less so than the Marrinsky's are to the 1900 production, this sounds a bit more like "inspired by".

I assume why the Marrinsky's 40s production used most of the sets from the 1900 revival simply because they were still in decent shape and were the last sets they had--and kept with them. But that's just a guess--of course the reason they were used for the reconstruction was the 1900 production, as you know, was the one that was notated.

Leonid thanks for your detailed information! You may want to update the Wikipedia Bayaderer page where they wrongly seem to think the last time the Bolshoi did Bayadere was 1917 until the Grigorovich production.

As leonid pointed out, it's indeed erroneous to think that there was no La Bayadère at the Bolshoi after 1917, but also typical for the tendency in historical surveys of this theatre to let everything begin again with Yuri Grigorovich and act as if nothing much happened between Gorsky and him - one might call this period the Bolshoi "Dark Ages". (Something that former AD Alexei Ratmansky always tried to reset, precisely by paying attention to ballets that were staged in those Dark Ages.) The 1923 production was performed no less than 126 times until 1936. The WW II revival was performed by Marina Semyonova and Sofia Golovkina. Only afterwards the full-length ballet disappeared from the Bolshoi rep and just the Kingdom of the Shades Act was kept until Grigorovich revived the whole ballet in 1991.

No chance the new/old Mariinsky productions will be filmed. They didn't bother with them when they were new and in, they're not going to now.

Yes, it is the same production.

Three DVDs of the Bolshoi Ballet's Swan Lake with Bessmertnova/Bogatyrev, Mikhalchenko/Vasyuchenko, and Plisetskaya/Bogatyrev (all recorded in the 1980s, I believe) have a happy ending. But I think I remember reading somewhere that their version was changed to a more traditional sad ending recently -- someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.

That's correct Rosa. Grigorovich unconvincingly changed the ending and the music in a recent revision of his Bolshoi Swan Lake (the Prince is left on his own etc.)

Some shots from the 4th Prague Ballet Gala, which took place on 9 Jan 2009, featuring Ekaterina Krysanova and Dmitry Gudanov (Bolshoi Ballet), Aki Saito and Wim Vanlessen (Royal Ballet of Flanders), Viengsay Valdés and Romel Frometa (Cuban National Ballet), Mathilde Froustey and Josua Hoffalt (Paris Opera Ballet), and Elisabet Ros (Béjart Ballet Lausanne).

http://www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com/prag...etgala2009.html

Both the Kirov and the Bolshoi companies were better companies when the stage was filled by older dancers. Why, because in general it is was their home, their life and their experience brought a weight to performances that in general has been lost especially in character corps work. Those old dancers loved being on the stage and danced as if they loved it and lived their roles as if it was their own lives.

In January 1989, Makarova discussed this issue on the "Leningrad Legend" Kultur dvd. There were two extended segments where she coached the young Elena Pankova in the 2nd variation from "Paquita," and the young Zhanna Ayupova for her first Odette/Odile. Even then, she noticed a big difference in the company she had left 18 years earlier. She lamented the fact that the young members had few, " . . . examples of master dancing." She also mentioned that when she started out, she had been inspired by watching the "masters," and that, " . . . inspiration is important in the theatre." She was concerned about the technical and artistic development of the younger members, and that they should take the initiative to, " . . . develop their inner world." Fast forward to the present. With a few stellar exceptions, exactly what will this new generation learn and from whom?

Vinogradov did get rid of the older dancers and the tradition you talked about that made the two major companies what they once were, has been diminished

Vinogradov didn't limit himself to just the older dancers. Before his removal in 1995, he "ran off" dancers such as Larissa Lezhnina. Elena Pankova, Irina Schapsits and Anna Polikarpova (to name a few), also departed. Of that generation, (mid-late 80s graduates), the ones who stayed and eventually became Principals were Makhalina and Ayupova. At that time Asylmuratova was in her dancing prime, and she repeatedly opted for international guest engagements, notably with the Royal Ballet and Petit's Marseilles company. The immediate past Director of the Ballet, Makhar Vaziev, also saw these departures on his watch: Natalia Sologub, and Dmitri Semionov (Polina's brother), and others. When a new Director comes to power, his/her tastes and vision (or lack thereof), prevail. Before he was appointed Interim Director, Fateev's was the company's main Balanchine repetiteur, and still is, so it figures that he would favor Balanchine mixed-bills. IMO what the Maryinsky Ballet needs is a resident choreographer, or a Director who is also a choreographer. Ideally, this would be the same person. For all of Vinogradov's pecadillos, he was (also) a credited choreographer: The Maryinsky hasn't had such since 1995. Hopefully, Fateev will try to develop and encourage young choreographers, or stage his own work. Obviously, the company is in transition; and as someone stated earlier, "time will tell" what the ultimate results will be.

Interesting points, cygnet.

This lack of living examples from older artists has been a problem at the Mariinsky for a long time now and people like Makarova, Lezhnina, Shapchits or Asylmuratova always underlined how important these models have been for their own development, although at that point they were essentially talking about their own traditional classics. The repertoire at the Mariinsky has broadened considerably in the last ten or fifteen years, especially with western import, for which the whole issue of live examples becomes even more difficult.

As the example of Alexei Ratmansky at the Bolshoi has shown the combination of AD with chief choreographer is less ideal than we would like to think it is. In a recent interview in the UK magazine Dance Now Ratmansky made it very clear that the two positions are in fact incompatible, especially in a huge company like Bolshoi or Mariinsky. In any case, in the long run, it didn't work for him.

I wouldn't see it so dramatic. It's not back to anything: the Bolshoi has always kept the Grigorovich ballets in the rep (some of them like Spartacus were even given a second youth in the last 4/5 years, something that even Grigorovich himself would never have expected to happen at this point), just like the Mariinsky always kept the Sergeyev versions (leonid of course meant Konstantin, not Nicolay Sergeyev), even alongside the new/old reconstructions.

What will matter, though, in the near future is how much attention and playtime these Soviet productions will be given in respect to the newer (let's call it the reconstructed) work. In the Mariinsky's case it looks rather bad, but it remains to be seen how much they will weigh in at the Bolshoi.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm a little confused. Does this mean that that there will be no more NEW productions of reconstructions created, while still dancing the ones that have been introduced (eg 1890 Beauty), or does this mean that the reconstructions that exist will be scrapped?

Also, I think it's interesting that the Bolshoi, with the more 'modern' outlook provided by Ratmansky, is the company going back in time. Funny how things change, huh?

I also didn't know that the Mariinsky is trying to lure Irina Kolpakova back to Russia--what role do you see for her within the company?

Thanks!

Quote from the interview, linked above: "Fateev is not, to my deep regret, a fan of the reconstructions of 19th-century period performance. "Their time has gone," he says firmly."

If we have to go with this quote then the existing new/old ballets will no longer be performed.

Quote from the interview: "His approach appears to be accommodating but not lax, given that he wants (supported strongly by Gergiev) to lure the iconic Kirov classicist Irina Kolpakova back as coach from America to re-establish shapes and lines."

In any case they won't lure her back in order to reconstruct 19th century ballets....

As Marc pointed out, these attempted achievements engendered animosity which I believe originated from the older communist coaches who probably felt that their contribution as performers in the previous production was being devalued and would perhaps even become discounted which in some cases, they certainly should be. I think this decision also reflects something of the current climate in Russia of turning the clock backwards.

This has also seems to have been an issue within the Bolshoi when Alexei Ratmansky wanted to stage ballets from the pre-Grigorovich era: the coaches and through them their pupils. Creativity is limited to the familiar repertory. Anything different, whether it is going back in time or new work, is tantamount to sacrilege.

It's a great shame as these Petipa reconstructions are among the most remarkable achievements of the Makhar Vaziev era. But for Gergiev they are incompatible with his view of a "modern" image.

It wasn't just Sleeping Beauty and Bayadere though. There was Awakening of Flora, Ondine, and Carnaval of Venice. I suppose they're all going to be junked as well?

I know there's no video of it, but "Ondine" doesn't fall into the same category. "Ondine" is no reconstruction in the same vein as Vikharev's work, but is a pastiche (enjoyable as it is) from Pierre Lacotte.

The Mariinsky is probably the best-known global brand in ballet right now. Perhaps people in charge want to reap the financial rewards even more than they're doing now. An enlarged, younger company -- possibly one NOT attached to a single stage and its routines -- might actually be the goal.

This is my personal opinion, but I think there may be still another reason why Fateev is making the entire troupe younger: they're more able to do a large-scale ballets that demand a large number of physically strong dancers. This could portend the very possibility of new versions of La Bayadare, Le Corsaire and Raymonda some time in the future in true full-length versions but with more "modern" choreography (all three of the ballets I mentioned require substantial numbers of dancers on-stage).

And since when would a company like the Mariinsky only be able to do full-length classics with young dancers? Like leonid tried to explain companies like Bolshoi and Kirov were remarkable in the great classics among others because they had older dancers in their ranks - even in the corps de ballet, older members act as essential lynchpins for the ensemble. They have full-length versions of Corsaire, Bayadère (even two) and Raymonda, which count among the best around and form the backbone of their repertoire. Give me one good reason why they would change those?

And they aren't available on DVD either.

The main problem with these reconstructions has always been that the company itself never really believed in them. The dancers disliked and distrusted everything about these productions, from steps to costumes, from mime to length, considering them far inferior to the productions they knew. Dancing style? In "Beauty" and "Bayadère" there was never any concession towards a different style, they just kept on dancing them in the same way as they dance the older productions. (Not everything is lost though - I have seen the sets of the Kingdom of the Shades Act from the reconstructed "Bayadère" used for the old Soviet production.)

It's a great shame as these Petipa reconstructions are among the most remarkable achievements of the Makhar Vaziev era. But for Gergiev they are incompatible with his view of a "modern" image. It's moreover ironic that the Mariinsky is dumping them, while the Bolshoi is now taking serious efforts to revive important chunks of the Petipa/19th-century heritage, as recently with "Le Corsaire", "Paquita Grand Pas", and later this season "Coppelia" (in the reconstruction by Vikharev...).

Pavlenko's "comeback" performance should be Steptext on Jan 9.

That's the privilege of being prima ballerina. It could have been a Somova gala each year. Count your blessings.

Thanks Natalia for your Festival post!

I just hope that Pavlenko dances (in anything) during the festival.

And that the 16th's program is......Raymonda.

Wouldn't it be great, chiap? For some reason, I keep thinking that there will be a Balanchine triple-bill somewhere in the mix, given the huge number of Balanchines that were recently revived AND new AD Fateev's preferences...but perhaps the Balanchines will be shown during the Lopatkina Gala and/or the final Gala Concert? I definitely vote for a Raymonda and for Daria Pavlenko in anything.

Sacto, I'd love to see Schklyarov but, in the past, Ivan has usually gone to not-too-tall demi-caractere dancers, rather than Noble Prince types, like Shklyarov. I am almost betting on Leonid Sarafanov and/or Andrei Ivanov sharing the role, although Andrian Fadeev has a wonderful 'comic persona' as we've seen in his Lankedem/Corsaire. Actually - I will bet $100 that Sarafanov will be in the mix of Ivans! As for the Tsar Maiden, I can bet that it will go to the newest Primas, Alina Somova and/or Viktoria Tereshkina, although that is just my gut feeling on where the chips are falling nowadays. This being a Ratmansky work, though, it's not outside the realm of possibility that Diana Vishneva may be involved, in which case it may be Vishneva/Fadeev for the opener.

Tsar Maiden? Lopatkina, of course And how about Lobukhin or Sergeyev for the male role?

was it O. V. Lepshinskaya who was arrested in Italy for shoplifting on one tour outside Soviet Russia?

i seem to recall this being told to me with the suggestion that perhaps O.V.L. was trying to get arrested so she could 'stay' in Italy.

all this very fuzzy and if there has been an ref. to such an incident in the obits i missed it.

i wonder if anyone else has heard of antyhing related to this.

i could be misremembering the whole incident and connecting it wrongly to O.V.L.

She was arrested for shoplifting in Brussels, when the Bolshoi first came to Belgium in 1958. (Don't know it also happened in Italy?) Can't imagine she would have wanted to stay in Belgium. She surely just needed an umbrella or a pair of gloves.

Lepeshinskaya was not only Stalin's favorite dancer at the Bolshoi, she was a flat-out superb dancer that was probably the best female ballet dancer the Bolshoi had from the 1930's to 1950's outside of Galina Ulanova (who tranferred from the Kirov troupe to the Bolshoi troupe at Stalin's insistence in 1944). I saw an online video of an RTR Planeta report celebrating Lepeshinskaya's 90th birthday two years ago and wow, she really had superb dancing skills.

I do not know how you arrive at your evaluation of Lepeshinskaya as a dancer and it is my opinion that you are way off mark in your appreciation of her talents and more importantly her artistic and aesthetic status.

The only dancer of the period in you mention to be compared with Galina Ulanova in status and artistry was Marina Timofeyevna Semyonova who recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

And what about Struchkova?

Why make that comparison anyway? As if somebody would be argueing that Lopatkina is a better dancer than Vishneva, or Osipova better than Zakharova?

Talented artists, no doubt. Yet it will be some time before they reach the level of personalities like Zhanna Ayupova, Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Daria Pavlenko, not to mention Altynai Asylmuratova, Larissa Lezhnina, Tatiana Terekhova, Yulia Makhalina, Irina Shapchits etc. Hopefully they will be given the time to prove they are indeed that "awesome"

Actually, I see Kondaurova and Obraztsova reaching the "great" level within a few years--Kondaurova has been dancing a lot of roles that Ulyana Lopatkina is well-known for (her very recent debut as O/O in Swan Lake got RAVE reviews from Russian balletomanes) and Obraztsova has both a Gold medal win at the Moscow International Ballet Competition AND a prestiguous Golden Mask award, not to mention being a huge favorite among balletomanes both East and West (everybody lauded her current performance as Masha in The Nutcracker).

I've seen online a number of Obraztsova's performances in "romantic" roles and she is excellent in these roles.

With "level" I meant artistic maturity, character, individuality - all things that make a dancer unique, not the fact that they are nominated principal. Not to refer again to recent examples, principal status doesn't necessarily imply we have to do with unique skills or personality.

(A little aside--aren't you glad that the 2001 and 2002 Vaganova Academy graduating classes have produced such awesome female ballet dancers--Ekaterina Kondaurova, Olesya Novikova, Evgenia Obraztsova and Viktoria Tereshkina? )

That's what they said about somebody like Maya Dumchenko as well.

Talented artists, no doubt. Yet it will be some time before they reach the level of personalities like Zhanna Ayupova, Uliana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Daria Pavlenko, not to mention Altynai Asylmuratova, Larissa Lezhnina, Tatiana Terekhova, Yulia Makhalina, Irina Shapchits etc. Hopefully they will be given the time to prove they are indeed that "awesome"

Maya Dumchenko in the pas de trois.... ? Unbelievable. But yeah like you say, she's lucky to be on tour once again. Maybe someone will get ill and she can jump in.

Thanks for the review.

Thank you for the reports and the link to the blog with the photos. I can't imagine these autograph sessions happening here in Europe.

That's not fair, Marc. I didn't say that I reacted to every one of her roles that way. I don't find her Odette-Odile nearly as objectionable. Yes, I have seen her subsequently, and yes, I still think she's tacky.

I was simply stating that my first exposure to her Giselle filled me with a revulsion quite unlike any I'd experienced as a ballet viewer.

Then you should have said so to avoid people from drawing the wrong conclusions. It’s bizarre that you immediately refer to unfairness in your own defence, volcanohunter. That you like a dancer or not, is your good right, but that you should slam him or her on account of one single clip you didn’t even watch completely, is anything but fair.

Remember when we all thought Svetlana Zakharova was tacky?

I still do.

So do I. The first time I saw a clip of her Giselle I was momentarily tempted to put my eyes out (but thought better of it and turned the video off instead).

Well, I hope you had the chance to see Zakharova once live after that missed opportunity, volcanohunter. You do realize that condemning an artist on account of a clip is rather cheap and doesn't really help anybody?

As Marc points out, how do you place this young lady on the same plain as Vishneva and Ayupova.

This is not news. From what I've heard, there is a LOT of politicking going on "behind the scenes" over getting the level of promotion for each dancer inside the Mariinsky troupe. I believe most of that politicking is coming from the coaches of each dancer, too. In my opinion, unless you're naturally very talented like these four female dancers from the 2001 and 2002 Vaganova Academy graduating classes (e.g., Ekaterina Kondaurova, Olesia Novikova, Evgenia Obraztsova and Viktoria Tereshkina), you need a coach that can strongly influence the Mariinsky management to promote the dancer. Given that Alina Somova's former coach was the wife of Makhar Vaziev (who was the Deputy Director of the Ballet Company of the Mariinsky Theatre), I'm not surprised Somova got promoted so fast. If I read correctly, there are still detractors about Diana Vishneva becoming Principal dancer, especially those who express concern that Vishneva is spending too much time as guest artist of other ballet companies. It's very rare for a dancer to get promoted to Principal status in a few years with the Mariinsky troupe just because his or her skills are so superior to all others--Ulyana Lopatkina is one of the few I can remember in recent years.

(By the way, in my personal opinion I can see Kondaurova, Novikova and Obraztsova become Principal dancers within the next 4-5 years--these three are favorites with both Russian and Western audiences. )

FYI, Diana Vishneva has been a principal dancer since 1996. Both she and Svetlana Zakharova made it to principal within a year after they joined the Mariinsky. It took Lopatkina 4 or 5 years before getting the big prize. That coaches lobby for their pupils is no secret, but how much and in which cases it worked, is purely speculation. Chenchikova had many dancers under her care. Some did make it to principal, others just didn't.

There's as yet pretty little to focus on, Bart, considering his age. As far as I am aware Ivan Vasiliev is still a soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. Here's his biography on the Bolshoi website.

Here's his personal webpage.

Before he joined the Bolshoi in October 2006 he won a competition in Perm. Enough said. Youtube is as always spot on...