MadameP

Margarita Shrayner was certainly a wonderful Sylphide - mercurial and vivacious, with light, high jumps and so very expressive.   She has lovely stage presence.  It is strange that, with so many solo and principal roles now, she is not at least at soloist level.  

16 hours ago, mnacenani said:

The movement/steps I am referring to is at time 7:52 on this video - what is the proper term pleeease :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsjk4e2yz2E

Sissonne fermee

Duet from Tristan and Isolde - I LOVED it... great artistry.

On 5/25/2018 at 10:01 AM, Gnossie said:

Nagahisa and Caixeta (who did not study at Vaganova) to "represent" the Mariinsky at Bolshoi Ballet (tv show).

 

 

No comments.  

 

DISGRACEFUL!!!   Mariinsky represented by non Vaganova dancers?  Ridiculous.  

On 5/28/2018 at 11:42 PM, mussel said:

Who danced the 2 solo variations in act 1 dream sequence?

Shamala Guseinova the first variation, then Vlada Borodulina.

2 hours ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

If that working legal didn't whip to every single count of music all the way to a perfect 32 in total synchronization, then I must be living in another dimension.😎

Really?  They look completely out on my screen - unless the sound out of synch.    

On 4/30/2018 at 7:51 AM, Laurent said:

I don't think this video is an illustration of your thesis, I don't see a correlation between the constant speed of the fouettés and the pattern of the orchestral tempi. If anything, this is an illustration of a muscular, inelegant execution of this element. There is much more to the proper execution of the fouettés besides executing 32 of them without much travel.

Completely agree.  These fouettes might be executed at a "constant speed" but look laborious and they are not in time with the music.

52 minutes ago, Buddy said:

I guess my only response to that, Mnacenani, is this brief excerpt from the work that you saw at the Mariinsky ‘Festival’ in March. It’s the only ‘official’ release of a George Balanchine duet that I can find on the internet.

Tiler Peck & Jared Angle in A Midsummer Night's Dream (excerpt) Divertissement pas de deux

 

Added: 

I also had a video that included George Balanchine coaching Mikhail Baryshnikov in the Prodigal Son. The emotion that he tried to convey was about as soulful as you can get.

 

Buddy, your post made me smile!  Petipa ballets are closest to my heart, but Balanchine's ballets cannot be dismissed as being without soul.   I am not a Tiler Peck fan, so I will not comment on her, but the duet from A Midsummer Night's Dream from which you posted this extract really IS a true jewel.  It's the best of that ballet for me and truly beautiful, eloquent,  magical., and yes -  I do find it very spiritual.   I love it.   I have seen many Mariinsky dancers perform this exquisite pas de deux, and among the best were Ekaterina Osmolkina with FIlipp Stepin.   Nadezha Batoeva and Maria Shirinkina were also wonderful  in the pd2!  So beautiful! 

13 hours ago, Quinten said:

 

Dreaminess may be one of the attributes of a Mariinsky ballerina, but it is not sufficient in and of itself.  Krysanova for all her virtues lacks the Vaganova epaulement that characterizes traditional Mariinsky dancers.  Many admire other Mariinsky dancers who also lack Vaganova epaulement (and there are more of them all the time), so it's not surprising there is some confusion about what a true Mariinsky dancer looks like.  

Krysanova is FAR from being a Mariinsky or Vaganova trained ballerina.  She's Bolshoi through and through... 

I have to say I saw both Legend and Romeo and Juliet, and I dislike extremely having different casting for each act.  The whole development of the characters throughout the course of the ballet is lost.  Yes, I understand it is an opportunity for many dancers to appear, but quite honestly, many would be better not appearing at all.  They would have been better off "paying their respects" by not dancing.  Askerov as Ferkhad?   Wooden in the extreme and cannot act.  Much as I like Evseeva, I think she is miscast as Shyrin.  The ballet itself would have been better served having Novikova and Tereshkina throughout.  As for Romeo and Juliet, Ivanchenko as Romeo  ... REALLY???  He should have retired long ago...   And Tereshkina is too knowing to be an tomboyish young Juliet.   Batoeva is a wonderful Juliet - but she wasn't chosen.  Of course,  Abdiev and Selyutsky were being honoured in these broadcasts, explaining some of the choices, but I think it made for dismal viewing...

1 hour ago, Jayne said:

You’re not Apollo, I assure you Le Parc leaves many viewers cold. 

I have to agree. I had seen it on video and  decided I would see it "live" once to give it a chance, on the basis that maybe video just did not do it justice.  WRONG.  I saw Batoeva "live" in this at Mariinsky and honestly, much as I love Nadia, I could not wait for it to be finished.  At least the Mozart is wonderful though...

Nureyev did love his ronde de jambes!  

24 minutes ago, Gnossie said:

I don't know why would I have to excuse you, I hate Makarova's version which is really an invention of her own...and not a good one! 

Yuri Nikolaevich's staging of Bayaderka is the least offensive of his "after petipa" stagings, although if you want drama to be "spoiled" talk about his modification of the fight scene........jeté here jeté there...oh just STOP IT! But otherwise is a decent production. 

Agree about that terrible Grigorovich fight scene - definitely too many jetes across the stage and the drama of the fight itself is completely lost.  Also agree that Bayadere (I am another for whom it is my favourite ballet, although along with Shurale!) NEEDS that final act with the destruction of the temple etc, in order to have dramatic credibility. 

7 hours ago, Amy Reusch said:

Odile's fouettés are meant to be hypnotic, if you listen to Makarova...which I like to do.  The problem with gimmicky tricks is that they get old fast.  Fouettés are a pretty old trick.  32 is like playing one note over & over & over...

 

EXACTLY!  

Vorontsova is indeed a wonderful fouette turner, and turning with both hands on hips is extremely difficult.  Whether a dancer does singles, doubles or alternates them is often largely a matter of taste: fast, perfectly placed and centred singles are often the most dazzling. tasteful and effective.   Personally, I think that "party tricks" when executing fouettes, including changes of arm position, jumps between fouette turns etc, are more appropriate for some ballets than others.  

On 2/16/2018 at 11:21 AM, volcanohunter said:

Today, 16 February 2018, Anthony Dowell turns 75. So I just had to post this video of him performing the variation Frederick Ashton created for Peter Wright's production of The Sleeping Beauty in 1968. Half a century later, this performance still hasn't been bettered. Not even close.

(If I've missed a Dowell thread somewhere on this forum, my apologies for starting a new one.)

So beautiful ... his lines, musicality ... everything!  

GNOSSIE, those clips are wonderful!  How adorable, enchanting and joyful!  And yes, what a great tribute to the Great Vikharev!  If ONLY Mariinsky had this jewel in their repertoire right now - imagine Oksana Marchuk or Margarita Frolova as Lise!  Mariinsky has many dancers who would be perfect for Lise and Colas.  Tragic... but yes, what an achievement for Yekaterinburg!  

2 hours ago, mnacenani said:

Ibraimova is now officially "first soloist" at Bayerische Staatsballett, joining her joint 2013 Moscow Competition top prizewinner Ksenia Rijkova (principal) who Zelensky had brought with him from Stasik.  https://www.staatsoper.de/en/staatsballett/ensemble.html#c6061

Nice step up in ranking for her!

1 hour ago, Quinten said:

Marchenkova has danced Gamzatti a couple of times but the main reason I suspect for casting her with Kovalyova is her height, 5'8".  She is everything a Vaganova dancer is not, so these two are likely to look kind of awkward together.  I couldn't find any video of her in La Bayadere but here is a relatively low key performance as the third odalisque:

 

Marchenkova will still be shorter than the very tall Kovalyova, but I also think she was chosen as Gamzatti for this performance because she is nearer to Alyona in height.  However, personally I do not like her as a dancer, and in particular, I think she has awful arms and hands.

1 hour ago, Buddy said:

Olga Smirnova's La Bayadere at last year's Mariinsky Festival was one of the greatest performances by Anybody that I've ever seen. Check my posts from that Festival.

Agree Smirnova is fabulous Nikiya and certainly was so at last year's Festival.  

Deflope, I looked in my programme, and the following pieces are listed - music by Sergei Prokofiev (fragments from the film score for Ivan the Terrible, fragments from The Russian Overture, fragments from the cantata Alexander Nevsky, a fragment from the third symphony) musical version and additions by Mikhail Chulaki.  Do not know which of those is in the Oprichniki scene though, except I think not the cantata.

On 3/28/2018 at 1:43 AM, Gnossie said:

I meant that Stepanova is physically gorgeous. I dislike Rodkin, in every aspect, a LOT. 

Rodkin needs to star in a hairspray advert - perhaps that would get it all out of his system? !

I read the review, and assume it was aimed at a general audience, since there is no technical evaluation in it whatsoever, apart from saying that Osmokina has great Vaganova technique!  

43 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

Elvina Ibraimova, one of the corps members Vaziev was pushing into prominence, has abruptly resigned from the Bolshoi, apparently to join the Bavarian State Ballet. She was dancing many soloist roles and some leads (Gulnare, Possokhov's Undine, Jewels), and Vaziev publicly identified her as one of the company's future stars.

Starting with Don Quixote in London in 2016 I saw her dance a number of times, but I am sorry to say I never enjoyed any of her performances.

Too bad.  She wasn't one of my favourites either, although I know many did like her and will be sad at this abrupt departure.   With a company the size of Bolshoi, there will always be some who are not given the roles they deserve, or think they deserve, or are promised ... Good luck to Elvina in Bavaria.

2 minutes ago, Buddy said:

Thanks so much, Gnossie. Yes the hotel is the Astoria, one of the nicest and most historic in the city. It's also has had ties with the Mariinsky for years. And yes, "the staff couldn't possibly be more lovely." It's also priced at maybe a third of what you'd pay in New York or London in this winter off season. I suppose it's okay to say that Odette/Odile was Tatiana Tkachenko.

Buddy, the Astoria is wonderful - such a great location!   Very nice to hear they are honouring your birthday!   Happy Birthday to You!  And - Tkachenko .. I doubt she ever will perform Odette/Odile at Mariinsky now  so you were fortunate to see her!   She's wonderful in many roles, but definitely not one of the current management favourites, unfortunately!