MadameP

I have seen Evseeva in many roles at Mariinsky Theatre - among them Masha, Syuimbike, Gamzatti, Kitri and the Sylph, and I am so pleased for her! She is a fine actress, an excellent technician with speed, vivacity and flair, and if there are some roles that some people feel she may not be quite as suited for as others, well, all I can say is it is a very rare ballerina who can dance every ballerina role in the repertoire equally effectively, and there are SEVERAL principals who certainly are not suitable for some of the roles they dance! Good for Evseeva!

My pleasure.

Let's move to the performance of Anna Karenina, which I also saw at Mariinsky II. Leads were Koundarova, with Konstantin Zverev as Vronsly and Islom Baimuradov as Karenin. Even with Big Red as the heroine, this product couldn't really arouse my interest. This is another dramballet in the best Soviet tradition....one long-(and most of the times boring)- succession of adagios that can't really convey the allure of Tolstoy's rich masterpiece. The ballet has an ample use of video projections-(the work of Wendall Harrington)- as backdrops, and the costume designs, by Mikael Melbye are nice but that's about it. Anna Karenina is a very complex story that goes beyond the mere Anna/Vronsky/Karenin triangle. It has been years since I read the novel, but I seem to remember a more complex array of characters and sub stories. Trying to make a distillation here in order to present some dancing is a faux pas, although it has its innovative moments, like the segment taking place at the racecourse, in which the all male corps mimic the group of animals. Shchedrin's score is the best example of "anti musique-dansante".

After dozing up a bit, I woke up for the suicide scene, and that was it.

I don't think I would try to go see it again.

Honestly, I think sleeping through it was your best option. This ballet is DIRE - and I love Anna Karenina as a novel, but this ballet is a total waste of ballet scheduling space. And as for the "music" - DREADFUL... I think you were extremely kind in your review!

Madame, I was talking exclusively about Skorik, I won't see HER because I won't downgrade my taste, I was talking exclusively about infamous Skorik not about true Vaganova/Mariinsky ballerinas, they are the reason why I go to the theater, Lopatkina is my Idol, Novikova is probably my second favorite ballerina, I love Pavlenko (the two times a year she gets cast) and Osmolkina, Batoeva,Marchuk etc but most of them are never cast or miscast and there's so much talent in the corps but if they spend their entire careers in there or soloist wasteland (Dumchenko, anyone? ) then it's impossible for me to be optimistic about the future of the company.

And this is the last time I post in here, I won't talk about Oxana Skorik ever again.

Ah ... OK! I understand, and I love many of the same dancers as you - but not all, LOL!

I do not think my taste is downgraded when I am watching Lopatkina, Somova, Novikova, Osmolkina, for example, and MANY others from the higher soloist ranks, dancing. THEY are still dancing at Mariinsky and are true Mariinsky ballerinas. There are many great ballerinas within the company still at corps level. That is what is so frustrating. I used to think the best course of action for those of us who dislike Skorik is simply to avoid her performances. That is what I try to do myself. It's not always possible though, especially when one has travelled to St Petersburg and has limited time there. Often I have said to myself, OK, I will just have to make the best of it, and maybe it will be OK. It never was. I sat very close to the stage for her second Raymonda, and could CLEARLY see the frozen smile and deer in headlights expression spoken about above. Anyone watching can see the careful coaching she has been given, and the general air she has of always thinking of the steps. She is not an artiste, and no, she should not be a Mariinsky soloist, no matter how beautiful her lines in isolated poses might be. However, Skorik cannot dance every night of the week, and although the number of first nights abroad and especially, number of Odette-Odiles, is disgraceful, it IS still possible to see and enjoy this great company. We keep going to watch them because Skorik alone is not the Mariinsky and there are all the other dancers who do deserve our attention and support. I know for myself that what I find most frustrating is the sheer number of chances Skorik got in different roles when she was clearly unready for them. The infamous Skorik movie that was on YouTube that documented these mistakes in merciless detail, was in fact correct, and despite all her mishaps on stage, Skorik continued to get new roles and to be given chances in the roles she was so bad in. Of course, no-one expects a debutante in a role to be perfect, and there will be some technical inaccuracies, but never in Mariinsky history was there a dancer such as Skorik who displayed so many and STILL KEPT getting cast. Any other dancer would just not have been given another chance. Of course, many will say .... yes, company politics, and every company in the world has directors who have their favourites, but that does not make it right, and we do not all just have to sit and say nothing. Apart from anything else, ALL those performances were evenings when the audience was denied seeing Mariinsky tradition, and ALSO DENIED the chance to see other ballerinas, Vaganova graduates, who are STILL sitting in the corps waiting for their chances to dance these roles. So, for anyone wondering WHY the controversy about Skorik continues ... this is just part of the reason.

Of course she's not a Mariinsky ballerina, how could she when she's not a vaganova graduate, I feel insulted, this is THE Mariinsky Theater, "competence" is enough for a 4th grade vaganova student not for someone already dancing in the MT, this is THE Mariinsky theater and you must be a PERFORMER, you must create a story and move people to tears! how Skorik who does NOT have any of these attributes is dancing at the Mariinsky and even worst WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH has she been named Principal dancer is beyond me, meanwhile true vaganova/Mariinsky dancers like Novikova (a true Prima and a brilliant Aurora) and Osmolkina(another lovely Aurora!) were overlooked in order to promote Skorik, this is disgusting. You just can't put a tutu on, be a favorite of the AD and be promoted Principal when you have NO attributes to be a principal.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm an overly emotional teenage girl and I'm seriously worried because if the Mariinsky is going to allow people with poor technique, two facial

expressions (maniacal grin/scared deer) and NO artistry be a "Principal" instead of true performers capable of create magic like the Vaganova graduates are,then I don't know if I will keep going to the ballet when I'm older, judging by what I see, I will not, I'd just keep watching my Kurgapkina/Kolpakova/Komleva/Terekhova/Shapchits/Lopatkina videos and I'll keep crying and asking what happened to the Mariinsky and why no one stopped this madness

Can only say I agree completely with all you say, and as for WHY this has been allowed to happen. Two words only suffice: Yuri Fateyev.

I don't understand how to post a link to YT, I have tried many times with no success, so, if you put in the YT searcher: Д Родькин и Е Степанова you will get as a first option the video of Le Corsaire's PDD that Yulia and Denis Rodkin danced last week in Belarus. Enjoy!

THANK you so much for showing the way to this! I found the link as you said, and hope this will work!

One doesn't have to go to the Sahara to know it is hot in there. I have seen Skorik a few times in different roles-(most recently as O/O)-and although thinking that she has GREATLY improved since the last-(and first)-time I saw her years ago in a disastrous Black Swan, I have never felt that I was in the presence of a Mariinsky ballerina-(in the footsteps of the female legends that have graced such stage) . She looks to me as a capable soloist who can dance CERTAIN roles and with luck, without major anticipated mishaps. But that's about it.

Completely agree.

All I can really say, Madame P, is that my heart goes out to her. I can only wish her the best outcome possible.

That is very kind, Buddy. I feel the same, but I also am praying for her. You can pray for her too ... PLEASE pray for Karina.

When I think of the number of ballerinas at Mariinsky Theatre who could and should dance this role, this just makes me very sad. Oksana Skorik's Aurora debut was a long time coming, since she was scheduled to dance Aurora on at least two occasions before, and did not. Mariinsky Theatre gave her the highly experienced Ivanchenko as her partner, a dancer who, although he is in my opinion well past his technical prime, is probably the best partner in the company. She also had a wonderful Lilac Fairy in Kolegova. Technically, I think Skorik has improved a great deal - I have seen her on stage many times myself - but this great role is about more than technique. I never saw any femininity or flow of movement, or expression/artistry that would fit her for this role, which is, I believe, THE pinnacle of classicism for a ballerina. I think the audience might have seen technical COMPETENCE, up to a point, but did they see a true Mariinsky ballerina? Did they see artistry? I was not there, but I highly doubt it.

Buddy, I just heard that Karina is undergoing another round of very severe chemotherapy at the moment, and is very weak, because (excuse non technical terminology, but I am not a medical expert) this chemotherapy kills off "good" blood cells as well as the bad ones. All Her blood level readings are extremely low. She is in need of bone marrow transplant, but I do not know if she has a donor, or is able to get this operation. I HOPE SO.

Eleanora graduates next year.

Those are beautiful photos - thank you for showing them!

To the above review, I would like to add that Filipp Stepin and Renata Shakirova also gave lovely performances in this ballet. Shakirova is very young and also has a particularly sweet, expressive face and I think she was ideally cast as Parasha. I think her partnership with Filipp Stepin is promising and their interaction was very touching, especially in their act 2 pas de deux. I liked her very much and technically she is very able, with good turns, and soft jump. The principal male role in this ballet clearly can only be danced by an outstanding dancer of dramatic as well as technical ability - and certainly Filipp Stepin was well cast. He is a fine actor, greatly underrated internationally in my opinion since in Mariinsky company today, he is probably the cleanest academic dancer, with particularly beautiful lines and flow of movement. The first cast Shklyarov now is leaving the company, so I very much hope Stepin will be promoted to principal.

I am excited about her Diamonds debut since I feel she would excel in that ballet showing off her lyrical arms. She only danced Rubies at the Mariinsky due to Fateyev's bizarre casting. I would put her in the following order if trying to cast her in Jewels. This is my choices from first choice to last: Diamonds, 2nd girl in Emeralds, 1st girl in Emeralds, tall girl in Rubies, and short girl in Rubies.

Clearly Vaziev has more vision and ability to cast dancers than Fateyev does.

I forgot to reply to this...

In my opinion, those reviews were all by British critics and audiences who had been brainwashed by Fateyev's press conference before opening night where he called Yulia a relative inexperienced beginner, implying she is very unsure of herself with no confidence.

I saw her 2nd Swan Lake in person at the Mariinsky and she did not dance like a beginner. I thought she was very moving and even made the final act dramatic which few ballerinas seem to do.

Like you, I like how the Bolshoi is encouraging her and not tearing her down. It will bring a great ballerina to everyone's attention!

I do agree with you. I think it is wonderful that Vaziev is giving Yulia the roles and opportunities that were woefully lacking at the Mariinsky. The comments by the British press (and I am British myself) were quite frankly bewildering, and particularly since all the press posters displayed throughout London showed Yulia as the face of the Mariinsky in her Firebird costume. I was present at both Yulia's Odette/Odile in London (and Firebird) and her Odette/Odile debut at the Mariinsky in St Petersburg. I can confirm that she certainly was not hesitant, shy, giving the appearance of inexperience, or anything of the sort in either of those performances. She gave a beautiful performance both times, technically excellent as well as artistically superb, and she was extremely well received by the British audience. It is true, however, that many of the UK press were under the impression that she was inexperienced, because that is was Yuri Fateyev told them in a press conference, despite the fact that she had many principal and soloist performances "under her belt" already, although still only at coryphee level in the Mariinsky. I have to say that I saw many of Yulia's debuts myself on the Mariinsky stage, including Lilac Fairy, Sylvia, Gamzatti, Myrtha, Odette-Odile, and more recently her debuts at Bolshoi Theatre, as well as having seen her in class and rehearsal both at the Mariinsky and at the Bolshoi. I have never seen her look hesitant or shy onstage. She has no need to. She has a fabulous technique and extraordinary beautiful arms and flow of movement. Any natural nerves that any dancer will have certainly do NOT appear on stage, where she communicates well with both audience and other dancers on the stage and consistently dances to high technical and artistic standards.

Does Smirnova dance Giselle? I remember reading in a brief interview years ago that Giselle was the role Stepanova most wished to dance. I agree she is in the grand ballerina mould but so is Lopatkina and her Giselle is wonderful. I'd love to see Yulia essay that role one day.

No, Smirnova does not dance Giselle - Myrtha only. I agree Yulia would be a wonderful Giselle!

I suspect Olga is not always available to Bolshoi due to all the other galas, projects and other companies she's involved in. Same with Obraztsova. Bolshoi needs another beautiful classical grand ballerina to fill those roles when the others are unavailable. Who better than Yuliadance the leading role in Diamonds -

Both Smirnova and Krysanova are also cast as Diamonds in this mini run of Jewels. Obraztsova is pregnant so not available to dance in Diamonds at the moment, and Zakharova has not danced the role for several years. That left only Smirnova and Krysanova who have Diamonds in their repertoire regularly. I agree - who better than Yulia Stepanova to dance this role?!

Yes, I think Vaziev likes her and is grooming her to be one of the Bolshoi's stars. I don't know whether Diamonds holds way more weight among NYCB conoisseurs, but in Russia Diamonds is considered much more important than Rubies. I think it it is that way all over, but I could be wrong.

Yes, the lead in Diamonds is the role that most shows off a ballerina in the pure, classical style - a great role for Yulia Stepanova.

Do you know why I am interested in the Bolshoi more than in Mariinsky these days? I went to St. Petersburg in January for one week, and long before the trip I bought tickets for all the ballet performances in that week, which included Giselle, two Sylvias, Le Corsaire and Don Quixote not knowing the cast. I never knew that I would get a total messed up cast for 4 out of 5 performances. Also it was so sad to watch many outstanding dancers buried in the corps or some small roles constantly. However, I get the feeling that Bolshoi is different, especially after reading recent interviews of Vaziev and seeing how the company treats Yulia and other talented ones.

I want to see Vaganova grads dancing principal roles so bad. So you are not the only one. I totally understand.

Another wonderful news! Thank you.

Most of us want to see Vaganova grads dancing roles at Mariinsky and certainly it is bad that some of the best Vaganova graduates recently have gone elsewhere. However, not all have. There ARE some recent grads getting roles - Renata Shakirova has had several principal roles (whether or not these were as a result of sponsorship) - Masha, Juliet, Kitri etc, and Anastasia Lukina recently danced Florine and the title role in La Sylphide, a role which she was scheduled to dance at least on two occasions before, but had to withdraw due to injury. Also Vitaly Amelishko among the boys, has numerous principal roles now in his repertoire - Solor most recently. There ARE some recent Vaganova graduates getting roles, but I agree casting could be a lot better, and certain principals and soloists are greatly overused.

Yulia is a woman in her mid twenties, not a young girl, and I think she is capable of saying whatever she wishes, or does not wish to say, in an interview, regardless of the fears and hopes of various unspecified people "behind the scenes" who do not actually wish to give their names, or positions, on this forum.

Vaziev's first set of promotions should prove interesting.

One man's meat ...

PLEASE no more Ratmansky ANYWHERE. Just look at Mariinsky Theatre. Aren't Little Humpbacked Horse, Anna Karenina and Cinderella enough afflictions on Russian ballet??? Bolshoi does NOT need Ratmansky. NO-ONE needs Ratmansky ballets.

Obraztsova, Vinogradova and SHipulina are all pregnant.

I will be only too pleased if he takes Skorik!