Marc Haegeman

Great to hear the company made a favourable impression, although I would have preferred it was with something more balletic. The progress they made in the Forsythe rep is indeed considerable, remembering how awkward most of them still looked when they first staged in the Middle under previous AD Robert Denvers. Some years later they now look more at ease in it than in anything else, simply because they have been really focusing on it and take it with them season after season. A Balanchine ballet like Theme and Variations or Divertimento #15 is done 5 or 6 times and never again.

Just curious, why did the RBOF seem "a very, very good company" to you? Any particular dancers you remember?

Each theatre has different rules. Just give a call to the box-office and they will tell you what's possible and not.

It is his debut in the full-length ballet. So far he only danced the 1st Act in Moscow, in a special performance.

Actually I have a picture up of Khromushin with Alexandrova in de Pas des éventails from the new "Corsaire": (click here, 3rd photo top row). Also a bit of surprise to see him in the role of the cavalier of the principal ballerina. His performance there was by all accounts average. Not to worry, Lidewij, if this is your first "Spartak", you will find plenty to enjoy!

Khromushin is a young corps de ballet dancer (graduated in 2003), seen quite often in small solo roles over the last year or two. He was among others chosen by Alexei Ratmansky (who obviously sees something in him) as one of the guys in his ballet "Card Game". Spartacus seems like a very strange choice for him. He also seems to have already danced Ferkhad, the leading male role in "Legend Of Love" last year. Here's his bio on the Bolshoi site (in Russian).

In a nutshell, the main virtue of Alexei Ratmansky's production of "Flames of Paris" is that he allows us to see another of these old, mostly forgotten ballets, which form an essential part of the Russian and Soviet legacy, with 21st-century eyes. Ratmansky himself calls it a dialogue with Vainonen's original production, and that's basically what he brings us : it shows a definite admiration for the original work, its surviving choreography, mise-en-scène, and music, but also a questioning and reinterpreting by somebody living today. In this respect Ratmansky's work from the last four or five years at the Bolshoi (thinking of "Bright Stream", "Bolt", "Le Corsaire" etc) is comparable to Valery Gergiev's at the Mariinsky ten or fifteen years ago when he brought new life to all these forgotten Russian opera's by Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev, etc.

A selection of photos from the new production, featuring the first two casts (Alexandrova, Savin, Volchkov/Osipova, Lopatin, Vasiliev) can be found here: Flames of Paris at the Bolshoi Enjoy!

While the Suite is pure-dance and gesturing, the full-length Artifact also incorporates these shouting matches which can be relished in Impressing as well.

Impressing the Czar has become the signature work of the RB of Flanders. They tour it everywhere and gather critical successes with it. Lynette, as with Fabre's abysmal Swan Lake, the question is here not the company but the work. If you don't care for this sort of Forsythe, than don't bother with it. But it's a shame the choice is that limited.

Exactly, I made that very same rediscovery a few years ago when I was transferring my VHS tapes to DVD. She was ignored allright, but then again, these competitions.... Alexandrova would strike back two years later with a gold medal at the Moscow Competition. Here's her personal website, different from the one mentioned above, which was only a fan site.

Leigh, we're treated the full-length Artifact. Can't wait. No calendar up yet on their website. The premiere of Swan Lake is in Antwerp in January 2009 (April in Gent); Artifact follows in May 2009, in Antwerp only. As Leigh says, principals Aki Saito and Wim Vanlessen are the dancers to see (you should have them in In the Middle Somewhat Elevated); Alain Honorez is excellent as well in works like this.

Knowing that Helene and Leigh became since their last visit great fans of this company , here's what they have to offer for next season. A new (new) "Swan Lake" in a choreography by Marcia Haydée. I note that the Ivanov bits (at least for what we usually know as the 2nd Act) will be safe, but the remainder seems to be fair game: the emphasis will be on Rothbart and his role will be considerably developed ("To me, Rothbart is like Dracula", finds Haydée). In any case, come what may, and Haydée has strong competition from the previous "Swan Lake" effort for Flanders by Jan Fabre, something to look forward to. Also new for the company next season will be William Forsythe's "Artifact." Revivals will include Haydée's staging of "The Sleeping Beauty", as well as Forsythe's "Impressing the Czar", both successful additions to the repertory since Kathryn Bennetts took over.

I don't think Ratmansky/Burlaka are condensing their Flames of Paris purely for economical reasons. Their main concern is to present a ballet which is dramatically digestible for a 2008 audience and can be covered by the company they have. That's why their Flames of Paris is not an "authentic reconstruction" but a revival of an old ballet including those elements that they think will make sense to a public of today. In this respect last year's Corsaire (which wasn't a reconstruction either, but nonetheless ran in its premiere version over 3 hours 45) has been a lesson: all one could hear was that the ballet was "too long".

"First time on DVD?" Really...? This celebrated programme was re-issued by VAI (Video Artists International) last year. It will be interesting to see if Unitel/Deutsche Grammophon was able to upgrade the video quality of this old film (I can live without the promised 5.1 DTS Surround - the original was recorded in mono anyway), or maybe they even found the complete version of Giselle instead of the abridged one usually seen. Otherwise this new release will be a waste of money and time. It's always good to have a model when you prepare your press release.

As said, these are two different productions and quite different in spirit. The DVD with Kirov/Kolpakova is the Konstantin Sergeyev production; both the Bolshoi DVDs are the Yuri Grigorovich staging, grander in scale, differences in storyline, and with the character of Abderakhman considerably developed (as said by Helene a starry role for Taranda). I always had a soft spot for the old Kolpakova film, firstly because of her, but also because of having a performance of the great Kirov of olden times - something quite different from what we can see now. In this way it ranks with the old Bayadère performance with Komleva and Terekhova, or the Sleeping Beauty with Kolpakova.

Garybruce, there is only one DVD version of the POB Paquita - those listed on Amazon are different releases of the same recording with Letestu and Martinez. If you want a complete version of the ballet, that's the only one there is. Except for the Grand Pas and the pas de trois the choreography is new (in the style of) by Pierre Lacotte, so you know more or less what you're going to get. Even if Letestu and Martinez wouldn't be my choice for the leads in Paquita either (but there is always a favourite cast that you don't have on DVD ), they are definitely not bad, while the plot is good fun, the production beautiful and well rendered by the DVD.

Personally I think this interview is far too biased to be taken serious as a source for the current state of affairs at the Mariinsky. The only reason I linked it was because it was one of the first articles which stated Vaziev's departure as official. But I would be rather careful about the way Maestro Gergiev puts things. It's interesting for example how he puts up such a negative image of the man he kept in charge for 13 years. Rashomon, you say? I was thinking more in the direction of a biblical Roman character, if comparisons are to be made, while Gogol is not very far either Maestro is also frightfully short of memory when he reminds us that he needs everybody and implies he respects his artists - no doubt Gorchakova, Prokina and some others will disagree about that one. FauxPas, Terekhova has been back as ballet master for several years now and I don't think anybody of the old guard would make much difference in this hornet's nest. But to be continued....

High points: - Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in "Don Quixote" - Carlos Acosta in "Spartacus" - Osipova's debuts as Giselle and La Sylphide at the Bolshoi - Ashley Bouder in the NYCB season in London Low points: too many...

Russian papers report that Makhar Vaziev is out and is succeeded as company manager by ballet master Yuri Fateyev. Interview with Valery Gergiev about the matter in Rossiskaya Gazeta and article in Kommersant.

Svetlana Zakharova has danced the uptempo coda when it was required, eg. the Kirov/Mariinsky and the Paris Opera versions, numerous times. Nothing to do with body type, just a matter of following the choreography of the production she is in.

Many thanks for the report and for coming over to Gent, Helene. Great meeting you and Leigh! Hope you'll come back someday.

Lest we should forget, here is Osipova's website, with biography, plenty of photos etc. in English and in Russian. Natalia Osipova website.

Delighted to hear Osipova-Vasiliev did so well. Hopefully this entirely pointless appearance of 15 minutes in New York (sorry, nothing personal, but this whole thing was bad timing) will bear them some fruits.

Natalia Osipova was just awarded the Golden Mask (the highest theatrical award in Russia) for Best Female Dancer (for her role in "In the Upper Room"). Not bad for a 21-year old.