sasark

Has Fateev ever made any public comments on the topic of promotions and his methodology? And has he ever said anything about hiring from other schools -- for example, has he ever said he's trying to diversify the company? I'm not suggesting that that would be a good reason for talented dancers being overlooked. On the contrary, I'm sympathetic to the points made in Zozulina's piece. I'm just wondering if he's ever even tried to offer an explanation.

I caught the final performance of these works in Paris last month. With "Palais," I thought the corps costumes were stunning. For that reason, I would overall give the costumes high marks. However, to me, the solists' costumes were much less beautiful, particularly in the first three movements, where the solists all wore lighter and brighter colors than those of the corps (who were in gorgeously dark shades). To my eye, the brighter colors were less elegant and beautiful. Also, I thought the soloists' costumes looked cluttered, with odd embellishments on the bodices. With the Millepied piece, I thought the geometric background visuals worked when seen live. I also liked these costumes; I thought they were sophisticated and worked well with the piece. I hadn't been sure what to expect with this work, not knowing much about Millepied. Overall I enjoyed it -- for me, the high point was the choreography for the men's solos, which I found fresh and interesting. To me, the problem with the work is the plot: Chloe is kidnapped by pirates and rescued. Nothing about that is relevant or interesting. By contrast, there's a hint of actual dramatic tension early in the piece, when Daphnis is unfaithful to Chloe. But that plot twist is completely ignored in the second half of the work, which I found a little boring, except for an invigorating solo by Fabien Revillion, who portrayed one of the pirates.

I already wanted to see her in this role, and now I am dying to!

That certainly rings true to me. : ) Thanks for yet another insightful review. Getting to read these thoughtful first-hand accounts is the next-best thing to being there!! safe travels, Sasha

Thanks for the news, Amour and Helene. I'm sad. I was hoping to see him with the Stanislavsky in a few months. Of course, it was always uncertain.... Maybe I'll get lucky and catch him guest-starring.

Bart and Mathilde, Thanks so much for the reviews! I am just getting caught up on the forum and was excited this morning to stumble across all of your updates from the festival. Great info and analysis! Bart, I am so sorry about your ribs! I hope they're feeling better soon. Sasha

thanks Lidewij!

I was hoping to find a review today of Maillot's "Taming of the Shrew," which premiered July 4 in Moscow. I did not find one, but I did find this article and dress-rehearsal clip. I love the bits they show! There's also some footage of Sergey Filin at the beginning. http://en.itar-tass.com/non-political/739018 Can anyone identify the ballerina who first appears in the green robe, the one with the red hair? I'm guessing from the article text that it's Ekaterina Krysanova or Maria Alexandrova, but judging from their profiles on the Bolshoi web site, I can't tell. Maybe the hair is confusing it. thanks, Sasha

Thank you Drew! I have now purchased my Bolshoi tickets and, yes, I will definitely report back. Now I am going to describe my ticket-buying experience, just in case it's helpful for anyone else, particularly in regard to figuring out the timing. The pre-sale date for the performances I wanted to see was July 5 (today). I didn't understand what the "pre-sale" entailed, but I decided to be optimistic and see if I could participate. At midnight Moscow time July 5 (10 p.m. July 4 my time), I began checking the web site. I tried several times over the course of a few hours, but the tickets were never available. Then I gave up and went to bed. I checked again this morning around 11:30 my time (1:30 p.m. Moscow time). Then I forgot about it for a while. I think I assumed I'd have to wait until evening. When I tried again at 4 p.m. my time, I was shocked to see the pretty blue "Buy ticket" button next to "my" performances! I leapt into action. I bought tickets for three performances, two in the new theater (both ballets) and one in the historic theater (opera). Selecting a seat for the opera was pretty easy. However, I'm quite choosy about where I sit for ballets, and a good chunk of seats were gone already. It wasn't a terrible situation, but I had a little trouble deciding, partly because I have never been to the theater, and partly because my "first choice" areas where I would normally sit (in any theater) weren't free. I used the following photos to help me choose, and I am excited about the seats I ended up picking. http://2011.rostropovichfestival.ru/wp-content/gallery/bolshoi-theatre/br3.jpg http://2011.rostropovichfestival.ru/wp-content/gallery/bolshoi-theatre/bt2.jpg http://see-you-in-moscow.com/blog/the_new_stage_of_bolshoi_theatre_pictures/2010-06-14-109 So it was a good experience. I found the Bolshoi's web site easy to use, and I got near-immediate email confirmation of my purchases. Sasha

Helene, thank you for the tips and clip! It looks like Oxana Shilova will be performing on all the nights that I can go, so she will be the one I see. Drew and Birdsall, I will indeed be seeing "La Sylphide" in the historic theater! I just bought the ticket yesterday and am pretty excited. Now I just have to wait three months.... Sasha

Thanks to all of you for the great information. Thank you especially, Birdsall, for the compelling synopsis of "Traviata." I'm quite excited to see it now! The issue of where to see it may be resolving itself. I realized that, while I am in St. Petersburg, the Mariinsky will be performing it in the new theater. (I mis-read the schedule before.) However, when I am in Moscow, the Bolshoi will be performing "Traviata" in their historic theater. Since I was also having problems figuring out how to see a performance at the historic Bolshoi theater, it seems like maybe "Traviata" in Moscow is the right option. (Does anyone have an opinion on the Bolshoi's opera company?) Separately, I'm still struggling with whether or not I should go to "extreme measures" to see the Mariinsky while I am in Moscow. I'm actually thinking about taking the fast train back to St. Petersburg, seeing the Mariinsky's season opener ("La Sylphide") in the historic theater, then returning to Moscow on the night train. Of course, that would be expensive and possibly exhausting, and to be honest, "Sylphide" is not my favorite work (with the disclaimer being that I have only seen it once, and it's possible I just didn't like what that company did with it -- I'm guessing it would be better at the Mariinsky). The Mariinsky will also be doing the "The Little Humpbacked Horse" during that same week, so, as an alternative, I could make an extreme side trip to see that performance, thought it would be in the new theater. But at least I would get to see the company perform before leaving Russia. I have to admit, it has also crossed my mind to push the whole trip forward two weeks in time so I can see more of the Mariinsky. But I had separate reasons for wanting to be in St. Petersburg in September, and I'm also now kind of curious to see the Mikhailovsky performances slated for when I'm there. And I notice it's easier to get front-row seats at the Mikhailovksy. Thanks again, everyone, for the helpful input. I love this forum! Sasha

hi Birdsall, Thanks again for the info. I had actually been toying with the idea of going to see La Traviata at the Mariinsky Theatre -- I am not really an opera person, but I figure I should give it a try, and this may be the perfect time! I definitely want to go back for a ballet there. I'm applying for a three-year visa, and I live relatively close (the Czech Republic), so hopefully another trip will work out. thanks again, Sasha

Thank you!!

hi Birdsall, Thanks a lot for the info. I think you are right -- upon closer inspection, I see that the details on the page for my show are very sparse, with no "Cast" link and other elements missing. So I think the tickets must not have gone on sale yet. I really hope so, because I'm still recovering from the heartbreak of realizing I planned my trip in such a way that I will not get to see the Mariinsky at all. I've consoled myself with Mikhailovsky tickets, but a Bolshoi ticket would certainly help speed the recovery process! Sasha

I realize that the answer to this question will vary depending on the particular theater and work -- but I am wondering what people's general preferences are when buying ballet tickets. My habit is that I tend to be a "front row center" person, even though it's more expensive. My reasoning is that I like to see as much detail as possible in what the lead dancers are doing. However, recently I accidentally ended up in a center balcony seat for a "Swan Lake" production, and I had a whole new appreciation for the corps. I haven't seen a lot of Balanchine, but I expect the more-distant seats might be great there, too. So now I am always torn, though for most works I still tend to favor front-row seats. My least favorite are any box seats off to the side, both because I don't like being way off center, and because to me it can feel a little awkward being in a box with strangers. Sometimes it's OK, but it seems like a crap shoot. I'm wondering if other people have strong preferences, and what your reasoning is. What for you is the safest best? Or do you like to mix it up? thanks! Sasha

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but does anyone know whether the autumn 2014 performances have already sold out, or are they not on sale yet? To explain the question -- I logged into the web site (http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/), and navigated to the list of September and October performances. In the column at the right for every performance are the words "no tickets." I tried clicking on the name of one of the performances ("The Taming of the Shrew" - October 5), and was rewarded with another page that has a "Tickets" link. But when I click that link, the site then takes me to a seating plan for the show's premiere on July 4. I know there are alternatives to buying tickets from http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/, but I just want to understand it -- if they'll have tickets here later, I will keep an eye on it and try to buy them this way. thanks a lot for any insights! Sasha

Oh wow -- thanks for the great info!

I was excited to see "Swan Lake" on the list. Does anyone know how typical it is for SL to show up on their calendar? Maybe it's not an answerable question with a new director coming in.... I'm just wondering whether, if I don't make it next spring, I'd have to wait years for them to do it again. Making it more complicated (for me), the Royal Danish Ballet is also doing a new SL around the same time, and I'm curious to see that. Oh, decisions.... thanks, Sasha

Thanks everyone, for all of the comments! I especially enjoyed those three video snippets -- I can't wait to see the group scene on stage. Sasha

Thanks California. Sorry for the omission -- I'll be seeing the Hungarian National Ballet. I guess they are doing the standard version; they credit the choreography to Maina Gielgud after August Bournonville.

Hi there. Next week, I am going to a performance of "La Sylphide." I have never seen it before. If you're a fan of this ballet, can you tell me, what do you look for when you go to see it? What are your favorite sequences? If you have a favorite production that lives in your memory, can you describe what made it special? And going in the other direction... what types of problems do you sometimes see with "La Sylphide"? If anyone has a favorite YouTube recording, I'd appreciate any links or search terms you have to share. thanks! Sasha

Thanks, all, for the comments! California, yes, I agree completely about the pricing. It means you don't have to feel guilty about getting good seats. sandik, thanks for your comment -- it's interesting that you have seen a similar sort of thing. (I don't really recall having noticed this approach before.) I wish I could describe it better. Anyway, It definitely will give me something to think about during future performances. Sasha

Several weeks ago I bought a ticket to the Czech National Theatre's "Swan Lake." I had been torn about whether to buy the ticket, because I'm not that close to Prague, but I really wanted to see the dancer scheduled to perform. Then a few days before the performance, there was a casting change (of course...). But as it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised. The replacement was Rebecca King, who I believe is the only American ballerina with the Prague company. I have actually been curious to see her for a while, and this performance was an impressive introduction. Her Odette was elegant and otherworldly; her Odile, regal and aloof. In both roles, she maintained beautiful lines. There were many moments where I thought "wow -- that looks great." Also, her movements almost always appeared to be perfectly controlled; I had the impression that almost everything she did was by design, down to the smallest detail. I wouldn't say she was better than the dancer I had intended to see (Alina Nanu, who I also loved last year in this role), but she was excellent. Another thing I noticed was that, of the Odettes I have recently seen, King probably did the best job of conveying the sense that she was as much bird as girl. It's hard to explain, but it had something to do with the movement of her arms and shoulders. Once for a split second, I thought, "That's unusual, what she's doing." Then I realized, "oh of course; she's a swan." I hope I'm not making it sound gimmicky, because it was subtle, and maybe someone else wouldn't even interpret it as I did. But to me, she definitely created the feeling of a girl trapped by an enchantment. As Odile, King was smoothly confident and a bit above-it-all. At one point, as she was leaving a position where her partner had been supporting her, she tossed his hand aside in what I took as a subtly dismissive gesture. To my eye, she was also strong technically. Her supported pirouettes were very fast. Once, she seemed to waver from being perfectly vertical, but that might be a little nitpicky. Her fouettes were also good. I think she ended the fouettes just a beat before the music, but a lot of Odiles do that. I also liked the position she took at the end of that sequence, when the prince kneels down in front of her, grasping one of her hands, while she holds the other behind her. Nothing was out of place, and you could easily believe that she was in complete control of him. Still, if I had to choose, I would say that her Odette was a little stronger than her Odile. I liked that she didn't play Odile as vampy or blatantly evil. But maybe just a little more coolness would have added to her portrayal. Also, she has a series of steps right after the fouettes where she is moving downstage left to the prince. This is right before her identity is revealed. Dramatically, I think that's a strong moment, but to my eye, I thought King could have looked a little lighter and sharper during that sequence. (Of course, I'm sure any normal would person would be too exhausted after all those fouettes!) As for the rest of the cast, I thought the jester, Gianvito Attimonelli, was very strong. The prince, Michal Štípa, was also fine. (I hope this isn't sexist, but I never pay as much attention to Siegfried as I do to O/O.) Of the national dances, I really liked the Russian dance. The last few Swan Lakes I saw did not include this dance, which in Prague featured a guy with flowing steel-colored hair doing backflips and that neat Russian dance where you crouch down and kick your legs out in front of you. So, all in all it was a nice show with pleasant surprises -- I am looking forward to seeing King again in some other roles.

Sometimes crazy costumes and props work. And sometimes it's better to just showcase great dancing. These are my thoughts after watching the Czech National Ballet's "The Sleeping Beauty," a version by Mexican choreographer Javier Torres. This production used several fanciful elements that I imagine are probably popular with children. However, while some of these elements worked, some took the show into gimmicky territory. Moreover, with a performance time of only about two hours, the ballet seemed short to me. And compared with other SB productions, it seemed to feature fewer solos for both major and secondary characters. I'll start by describing some of the things that appealed to me. In this version, Carabosse is a role shared by a male and female dancer, and the ballerina was on pointe. I liked that. The ballerina, Alina Nanu, is one I've seen before and enjoyed, and she was as solid as ever this time around. I also thought it was strange (in a good way) to have the fairy represented by two different dancers, sometimes within the same sequence. It added to the otherworldliness of the story. In general, this idea of fantasy was a key concern of the production. That is, I think the production was trying to create the magical feeling of a fairy tale. At the beginning, I thought these efforts worked. The show started with a black scrim, across which a few introductory words were shown being handwritten (in light) -- a nice touch. Another good moment: between the prologue and Act I, you can see Carabosse behind a scrim crafting a poison rose (no knitting needles in this version!) in a cauldron overflowing with smoke. I thought this mini-scene helped set the mood properly. However, the storybook elements got goofier as the show went on, and sometimes they were confusing. In the forest, the prince encounters dancing deer (complete with huge deer heads, except for a golden deer, which for some reason had a regular human head even though, according to the program, he is a full-blooded deer). In Act III, we see dancers covered in bulky brown-and-green costumes who perform with Little Red Riding Hood, then turn up again later with Florine (they were trees, maybe?). Someone else attends the wedding in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg, and I have no idea why. There had been a lot of playful pushing and shoving among the corps, so maybe some altercation took place that we were supposed to notice. To me, these sidebars were unnecessary and confusing. They distracted from the dancing. In fact, sometimes they took the place of dancing. Florine does not get a solo, but she does get to come out and present a giant prop -- a nest full of eggs. A little too cute for me, though not as bad as the White Cat with her kittens. So, as for the principals: The princess was performed by soloist Andrea Kramešová. I thought she was OK, but not great. She seemed to struggle during the Rose Adagio. I don't think she made mistakes, but I felt I could just see the stress emanating off of her, and she didn't get her hand into the air very much -- she basically just moved it from one prince to the other. Also, there were moments in the prologue where I could see her arm or her leg trembling. Her face was often a mask of intense concentration, which made it harder (for me) to enjoy her dancing. In the later acts, she seemed a little lighter and better. I can't name a specific one, but she had some nice moments. Another positive: she has a face with a lot of character. One of her eyebrows always seems to be raised a little higher than the other, and she has a quirky smile. She definitely has some charm. It would be nice to see her in a role where she's relaxed throughout and having more fun. As for the prince (Gabriel Barrengengoa), it's hard to say, because Act II felt rushed and cluttered to me. I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I'm pretty sure he had no solo there. I feel like I didn't get a chance to notice his dancing until Act III, where he basically seemed fine. His solo in Act III seemed less energetic to me than I was expecting -- there seemed to be fewer coupé jetés than I've seen in some YouTubes of this solo. It almost looked like, where I would expect the coupé jetés to start, he instead did some less-impressive turns, then launched into the jetés a little later. But I don't know if that was because of the dancer or because of the choreography he was given. I enjoyed the show, and I'm glad I went. But in general I preferred the Vienna Opera Ballet's recent production of the Peter Wright version (which I wrote about here: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/38376-vienna-state-operas-sleeping-beauty/?p=333310). Sasha

No worries, Karen! cubanmiamiboy -- To answer your question, in the version I saw there was no jester. Instead there was a "friend of the prince" who did what I suppose was originally some of the jester's role. Of the national dances, only the Neapolitan dance featured on pointe dancing -- I don't know whether that's typical or not. The big surprise I found on my second viewing was what a difference the seat choice makes. Last week I sat in the third or fourth row, which is what I typically choose. I like to be able to see the expressions on their faces. This time, the close seats were sold out and I ended up in the center balcony, which is the farthest I have ever sat from the stage. I was afraid it was going to be bad, but it was amazing being able to see the swans from that view! I have a whole new appreciation now for the corps. It was really great. On the other hand, I did miss seeing all those details you get when you're up close. So I don't know how I'll choose seats next time I go to Swan Lake....