MadameP

You won't be disappointed with Stepanova in either Swan Lake or Bayadere, Drew - she is magnificent in both! I would think Kovalyova also must be a likely contender for both roles in London, and she is a lovely ballerina already at her young age! Personally I don't like the Grigorovich Swan Lake, or Taming of the Shrew, but I love Bayadere and Spartacus. Each to his/her own!

Yes, I have to agree that the sequence of national dances, with each potential "bride" leading a national dance, is effective and I very much like this section.

b Buddy, Vaganova’s Facebook page today confirmed that Petukhova has indeed gone to Tallin. I wish her a happy and healthy career there.

Lobukhin is THE Spartacus! That role requires great acting ability - it's not all muscles and lifts! Although he does not have Vasiliev's spectacular jumps his is the more affecting performance. Lobukhin is the greatest actor in all of the Bolshoi ballets I have seen - can't really say more than that! He is a true artist. In the roles he dances in Golden Age, Raymonda, Spartacus, Lady of the Camellias (Gaston Rieux) - I simply cannot imagine anyone better, He is great as Solor and Basilio also. He dances often with Zakharova on tour. He is a product of the Vaganova school, and has that beautiful schooling, but still he is is far better suited to the Bolshoi repertoire No wonder he was recently made Honoured Artist! Lobukin and Nikulina in Spartacus:

Yes, I agree it is Sergeyev version, allowing a little for personal artistic license and maybe the company allows this?! (Kolesnikova embellished the port de bras - as, for example, in Odile, when raising her arms to 5th -) As for the Bolshoi Grigorovich Swan Lake ... I greatly admire Grigorovich for Spartacus, Ivan the Terrible, Golden Age, Legend of Love ... MANY ballets .. but I do not like his Swan Lake. But just my opinion!

I consider Spartacus to be a great Grigorovich ballet and this is a wonderful opportunity for many who have never seen it live to see it, in the UK. Michael Lobukhin is a stupendous Spartacus, and for me the best male currently performing Grigorovich repertoire "warhorses" as was written above. No doubt Denis Rodkin will also be cast - a good role for him, too, but truthfully (and obviously this is my opinion) Lobukhin is far superior. Bright Stream is of great interest also - many in the UK will never have seen it. It was inevitable that Swan Lake would form part of the repertoire - it must be the biggest "seller-outer" in the world of ballet! As for Bayadere - well, those who have not seen Alyona Kovalyova will no doubt be able to form their own opinions, since no doubt she will be featured!

Here are Yulia Stepanova's fabulous Odile fouettes from her Swan Lake performance in London on 1st September, 2018, as posted on her instagram account today:

I hope you're having a great time, Birdsall! Bayadere and SHurale are my favourites! That series of ramps in the Bolshoi Bayadere is truly spectacular - the Bolshoi does spectacular well! Have fun in Italy!

Bolshoi does indeed have a natural Spartacus. In my opinion, Mikhail Lobukhin is the best Spartacus the Bolshoi Theatre has - he is an amazing Spartacus with all the physical and dancing attributes for the role. He totally commands the stage. His acting, theatricality, partnering, sheer quality in this role is outstanding.

My favourite part of that ballet also - just sublime, and I have seen many pairs of dancers in it but possibly my favourite was Osmolkina (with Stepin.). For theatrical beauty, the very last scene of the ballet is hard to beat with Puck on his swing and the magical fireflies flickering ! So lovely!

However Iliushkina got her Lilac Fairy, nevertheless it was an important debut and good news for her. I think she is a lovely, lyrical ballerina and hopefully she will dance the role with the main Mariinsky troupe soon.

Yes, Yuri Fateev is a law unto himself. And Makhalina does still dance on average once or twice a season- certainly not enough to justify her principal status.

Shakirova does not have either Odette/Odile or Nikiya in her repertoire. In my opinion, she is no Aurora, although she now has that role in her repertoire. She is no Raymonda. I don't think she is principal calibre although I like her very much, and I do not believe Chebykina is principal calibre either. For me, both are good soloists, but not principals. As for Nagahisa, I still defend all those Vaganova corps and coryphee girls who were overlooked in favour of her...

Makhalina still dances very occasionally - once a season. There was a special Lopatkina "evening" during her last season, but no official farewell performance. So sad. Chebykina and Shakirova are both second soloists: I think it is more likely that a first soloist would be promoted to principal, .