mnacenani

I personally am still hoping it will get the axe when the date approaches. I would like to see state-funded Balshoy preserve and carry on the classics to the next generation, not put on "contemporary" rubbish loads of which are available in London and Paris. I don't hear Strapless being talked about in Moscow and hope Nureyev will go the same way. No problem if "brilliant ideas" like Nureyev are staged in experimental or avant-garde theatre !

If you mean in the West, then you're probably right . No such issues is Russia ..... I love it there !

I do respect your view but we will probably agree to disagree for ever . After all, isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder ?? Anyway I have to see more of Stipanova to be able to have a firm opinion.

Yesterday at the second interval of the livecast Corsaire Novikova was speaking with (I presume) Zaytseva (decor&costume) and she spoke at length about how carefully they researched for costume design and to create the bazaar scene in the first act as truthfully as possible not only designed on ethnic lines ie Greek, Turkish, Albanian etc but also tried to reproduce the different dress styles of the different Greek islands - I was quite impresssed. Re Corsaire : also not my favourite ballet, but want to see it once more at Mariinsky this season, to refresh my memory of their presentation of the Jardin Animé which is different from Ratmansky's. And imho the version with Ali works for this ballet, although normally I am dead against classics being tampered with. I think this role enhances and rounds off the "story".

Last year on one day at the Balshoy I saw Krysanova at the matinee and Zaharova in the evening as Kitri. Although normally I can't get enough of Zaharova for this role I had to give the decision to Katyusha.

Seems we have quite different perceptions about dancers - I saw both Stipanova and Krysanova live at the Bolshoy last week and have no doubts about who was the better and more confident dancer : http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/43049-two-casts-of-karsar-aka-corsaire-at-the-balshoy/ Stipanova has a lot of fans on this forum and I respect their views, it's just that I have to see more of her and be convinced, if !

Tsvirko may not have the allure of say Chudin or Rodkin but he seems to be a "jack and master of all roles". One thing I like at the Balshoy is how a principal or leading soloist dances the lead one night and a bit part the next. Tsvirko is my default "Fool" in Swan Lake, stellar artistic and athletic performer of this role. Agree that Hahlova may not grab in the first act but boy imho she really shines in the third act - I promoted her to my joint default Gulnare, joining Tixomirova.

The three main cameras are placed at the center and sides of the first row, which is below stage level when seated so you a miss lot of the footwork. On my very first visit I was seated just next to the camera on the right side and right behind the huge bass drum and cymbals ...... at Swan Lake !

Yes, the "Pas des Eventailles (fans)" in the third act. What he said was that this was originally in the place of the famous Pdd in the second scene but the choreo was lost so this part is totally new choreo by Ratmansky. Don't you think he made an excellent job and it looks like original Petipa ??

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/198/roles/#20171022180000 Curious regarding whether members are able to receive it in the US and UK. Today I was able to stream it in HD quality for the first time for 95 % of the time. Cast was the same cast I saw live past Thursday - Krysanova excellent once again as Medora and Hahlova also excellent as Gulnare. Laparevich as the Pasha and Yanin as Lanquedem : I am won- dering whether this level of characterisation can be "learned" ...... these artists must surely have something innate !

Saw her Odette/Odile debut last month, turned out Laura Cappelle was also at the performance and later tweeted likening Alyona to Bambi ..... both descriptions are somewhat befitting I think. Will be tracking Alyona this season and if she does well will be patting myself on the back

Thank you for the tips, will certainly follow up asap. Would like to see Bright Stream live if Alexandrova were to dance the Ballerina - Masha is my "lyubimaya artistka" and I have been told this is one of her signature roles.

She is Russkaya - Moscow ballet writer and lecturer. However, there might be more than one acceptable way of pronouncing Russian words or names, as there is no accent shown in writing. I am certain the Russian presenter said "Hahlava" on tv although I feel it should be "Hah-lova". Especially confounding is the letter "yo" (e with two dots on top for anyone not familiar) which are 99 % of the time not shown in print and one is supposed to know. If you remember the extended discussion on whether it is Kovaleva or Kavalyova when I introduced Alena/Alyona on this forum earlier this year.

PS : I forgot to mention the "Special FX" put on as coda, with the ship spectacularly breaking in half accompanied by thunder and lightning and the full symphonic might of the Balshoy orchestra. Does anyone know whose composition this theme is, from among the half dozen contributors ?? Could I have a point, or could I be totally mistaken, in thinking Ratmansky has something in common with Wheeldon, namely style and FX over substance ? I greatly enjoyed American in Paris with Cope-Fairchild but could not stand Alice in Wonderland, and hated Little Humpback Horse too. Am due to see Ratty's R&J at the Balshoy premiere next month and have an uneasy feeling about it.

No, it was Darya they were talking about on "Balshoy Ballet" or similar program. However, I just asked my friend Vita in Moscow to voice message me the three names above, and she said "Hah-lova", "Stipanova" and "Sivinard" so it's almost a full match vs your suggestion - thanks for the tip.

You are welcome, I am not a know-all. I heard Darya's surname pronounced as "Hahlava" on Russian TV, but my friend Vita says "Hahlova" which may be the correct pronounciation. Will take you tip re the other two.

Joy Womack was due to dance Aurora with the Istanbul State Ballet this past Wednesday. Kuznetsova posted a review on the Kremlin Festival last week with the sarcastic observation that "Sarah Lane becoming a principal shows what a wonderful land of opportunity the US is" ! I regret very much I could not see Adiarys Almeida (my Zaharova Cubana) dance Kitri on 28th September - I was in Moscow but booked for something else. Kuznetsova wrote somewhat nice things about her I was told.

Even after the second night of Corsaire at the Balshoy don't really have much to write about which would be of much interest for our members. Can't seem to make fish or fowl out of Corsaire - am on the flight back to Istanbul (where I am hoping to catch the last per- formance of Sleeping Beauty by Istanbul State Ballet) and called up my spreadsheet to look up how many Corsaires I have seen live since Jan. 2015 : one at Mariinsky (Gusev staging), three in Istanbul (A-M Holmes), and four at Balshoy (Ratm-Burl). I have also seen the ENB Holmes staging and the quite interesting if un- conventional Belarbi Bordeaux staging couple of times on video. I will have to do some more viewing of Corsaire before I can call up the particulars of the various versions from memory. Last night was Katyusha's turn as Medora, with Hahlava as Gulnare and Tsvirko as Conrad. Don't have to say anything re Katyusha - her excellent execution, poise, presence are well known. Tsvirko is also a well known asset. Hahlava was quite good as Gulnare, and imho was maybe just one tick off the incredible characterisation by Tixo- mirova at the London tour last year. I am not a big fan of this Ratty staging - the characters are not instantly identifable (should be in my view) and I like the Jardin Animé presentation of the Mariinsky staging better. That said, the Balshoy CdB is a feast for one's eyes, believe it or not this scene makes the huge Balshoy stage seem too small for the CdB ! Stashkevich was excellent in the pas des esclaves, she really shone, I retract the countervailing view I posted after seeing her in Flames of Paris couple of weeks ago. And once again may be allowed to say that the character roles, ie the Pasha, Lanquedem and Zulmea are so well executed and add so much to the spectacle - there simply is no match in the West. Now the first night, ie Stepanova & Co : Yulya imho is a very good dancer, quite attractive, but no Zaharova re technique. Re characterisation I found her a bit "hesitant", acting the character as opposed to being the character. To my eye Krysanova looked so confident, so sure she is doing it right. But as I wrote above maybe I am seeing what I want to see, it's quite possible. Jiganshina as Gulnare I found so-so, not very memorable. On both nights there were familiar faces in the PdS of the Jardin Animé : Sevenard and Shrainer. Overall I seem to have enjoyed the second night a bit more, will have to see more of Stepanova to make my mind up. Did she merit being fast-tracked to principal ?? Can't tell, will have to see more of her this sea- son, will be looking up what she is cast for.

Casting info for the Wed 18 October performance : http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/198/roles/#20171018190000 Have decided to post my report after the second performance tonight : http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/198/roles/#20171019190000 I somehow did not click with the first performance, this was the first time I saw Stepanova live in a full Petipa classic. Good physique, fouetté was fine this time ..... I do not want to draw the ire and fire of Yulya's admirers before saying out loud what I thought - want to see Krysanova first to pick my brain a bit. In general I did not connect with last night's performance. Just want to say this now : in law, criminology, it is a well-established fact that witnesses to a traumatic event like a murder or accident often give quite different accounts of what they witnessed - we are all affected by our subconscious.

Thanks for the tip. So sorry that I could not go see Lucia in a full classic ballet when she was in Munich, only saw her in a couple of galas. Too late now.

Yes, he has been listed as guest artist. Imho he has a fine physique. I saw him only twice live at the ROH when he partnered Tsgankova (replacing Osipova !) in Don Kixot and when he partnered Sarah Lamb (replacing Osipova !!) in Giselle. Going into Giselle I was a bit doubtful regarding Matthew's dramatic characterisation capability but he pleasantly surprised me and was quite believable as Albrecht.

Manon Kenneth MacMillan Generous philanthropic support from Sarah and Lloyd Dorfman, John and Susan Burns, The Gerald Ronson Family Foundation, Lindsay and Sarah Tomlinson and the Friends of Covent Garden Thursday 29 March at 7.30pm Morera, Bonelli, Campbell, Calvert, Saunders (Manon, Des Grieux, Lescaut, His Mistress, Monsieur G.M.) Thursday 5 April at 7.30pm Osipova, Hallberg*, Sambé*, Naghdi*, Avis Wednesday 11 April at 7.30pm Nuñez, Bolle, Zucchetti, Stix-Brunell*, Saunders Friday 13 April at 7.30pm Osipova, Hallberg, Sambé, Naghdi, Avis Monday 16 April at 7.30pm# Nuñez, Bolle, Zucchetti, Stix-Brunell, Saunders Thursday 19 April at 1.30pm Hamilton, Kish, Zucchetti, Hinkis*, Gartside Thursday 19 April at 7.30pm Morera, Bonelli, Campbell, Calvert, Saunders Thursday 26 April at 7.30pm Lamb, Muntagirov, Hirano, Mendizabal, Avis Saturday 28 April at 7.30pm Takada*, McRae, Hay*, Choe, Whitehead Tuesday 1 May at 7.30pm Hayward, Watson, Campbell, Calvert, Whitehead Thursday 3 May at 7.30pm† Lamb, Muntagirov, Hirano, Mendizabal, Avis Saturday 5 May at 7pm Takada, McRae, Hay, Choe, Whitehead Monday 7 May at 1.30pm Cuthbertson, Clarke*, Hirano, Mendizabal, Gartside Monday 7 May at 7.30pm Hamilton, Kish, Zucchetti, Hinkis, Gartside Saturday 12 May at 12.30pm Hayward, Watson, Campbell, Calvert, Whitehead Wednesday 16 May at 7.30pm Cuthbertson, Clarke, Hirano, Mendizabal, Gartside *Role debut with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House #Student performance (Amphitheatre only) †Live cinema relay Obsidian Tear/Marguerite and Armand/Elite Syncopations Wayne McGregor/Frederick Ashton/Kenneth MacMillan Obsidian Tear – Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor is generously supported by Linda and Philip Harley Marguerite and Armand – Generous philanthropic support from Aud Jebsen Elite Syncopations – Generous philanthropic support from Lindsay and Sarah Tomlinson and Peter Lloyd Saturday 14 April at 7pm Obsidian Tear: Ball, Richardson Marguerite and Armand: Ferri, Bonelli Elite Syncopations: Lamb, Hirano Wednesday 18 April at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Ball, Richardson Marguerite and Armand: Ferri, Bonelli Elite Syncopations: Lamb, Hirano Wednesday 25 April at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Ella, Sissens* Marguerite and Armand: Cuthbertson*, Ball* Elite Syncopations: Takada, Kish* Monday 30 April at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Bracewell*, Brændsrød Marguerite and Armand: Nuñez*, Muntagirov* Elite Syncopations: Stix-Brunell*, Edmonds Wednesday 2 May at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Bracewell, Brændsrød Marguerite and Armand: Cuthbertson, Ball Elite Syncopations: Takada, Kish Friday 4 May at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Ella, Sissens Marguerite and Armand: Osipova, Shklyarov Elite Syncopations: Hamilton*, Clarke* Tuesday 8 May at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Ball, Richardson Marguerite and Armand: Nuñez, Muntagirov Elite Syncopations: Stix-Brunell, Edmonds Friday 11 May at 7.30pm Obsidian Tear: Ball, Richardson Marguerite and Armand: Osipova, Shklyarov Elite Syncopations: Hamilton, Clarke

Imho Robert Fairchild will hit big time in musical theatre. When I went to see American in Paris in London at first I did not bother to look at the cast sheet, thinking "it can't be anyone noteworthy for someone who follows Russian classical ballet". But, both the male and female leads could sing, act and dance extremely well, and the Pdd in the final scene was serious stuff ..... who can these be ?? Ergo : Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope !

Dear Peg forgive my ignorance - I don't follow American ballet but do know Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck. Saw RF with Leanne Cope in American in Paris in London earlier this year. Before that I had first seen RF on video with Tiler in the "Heaven's Ballet" scene of the one-off semi-staged performance of Carousel at Carnegie Hall (?) some years ago and was VERY impressed. My question is : why is Robert leaving the NYCB - is he going to pursue a career in musical theatre like Leanne Cope ? Many thanks !