Roberta

Wonderful castings, overall. Especially looking forward to Tereshkina and Batoeva, among the Paquitas. Also, I believe that this is the first time that we'll see Renata Shakirova at the Kennedy Center.

With all due respect to Nureyev, I can think of so many great ballet stars of the Boom Era (60s/70s) who deserve to have his/her story told (Makarova, Baryshnikov, Kirkland, Bruhn, the Panovs, etc.). We have a couple of good docums about Fracci, one about Marcia Haydee and a couple two about Bujones, thanks to his sister's initiative. We also have one about Farrell. Think of all the greats of the 60s and 70s about whom there are no true documentaries.

No. "Baryshnikov on Broadway" does not count.

19 hours ago, Syzygy said:

I'm genuinely curious to see how this corps contract at BB suits Joy Womack in comparison to her previous positions. Polarizing personality aside, she's talented and I wish her all the best. But what I'd give to understand the reasoning... 

Hey, a job is a job. At least she joined as a full company member, rather than apprentice or in the junior company (BB II). She has other highly-decorated competition winners as fellow corps members.

Can someone please declare a moratorium on Nureyev-related films?  Do documentary makers feel that the only way that they can receive funding for a project (beside a GoFundMe page) is to make Nureyev the subject of the film?

White Crow is unique because it is a dramatization of RN's life. Except for a dancing clip or two, I found the Morris' documentary to be mostly useless.

2 hours ago, naomikage said:

Chisako Oga of Cincinnati Ballet will join as second soloist. Other interesting additions include Sangmin Lee a gold medalist at YAGP and Joy Womack.  

Pauina Waski joins as corps de ballet.

https://www.bostonballet.org/Home/The-Company/Dancers/FullCompany.aspx

Joy Womack of "Project Prima" lands in Boston! Wishing her and all other BB joiners well.

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:27 AM, volcanohunter said:

Generally, the Bolshoi doesn't take dancers on tour to appear in only one ballet. Jacopo Tissi is an exception, but he is one of Vaziev's Most Highly Favored, so different rules apply.

Londoners may feel differently, but in Moscow Obraztsova does not go over well in Don Quixote. She danced excerpts from the ballet at the Maximova gala in February, and when she made her entrance, the silence was deafening.

Obraztsova is extremely beloved in Russia but has had the bad luck of being politically out-of-favor during most of her career, except for the few months when she was favored by Filin at the Bolshoi. In my long experience attending live ballet in StP and Moscow, the reports of so-called "silence" towards Obraztsova seem to come especially from Zakharova fanatics. Two different aesthetics but both have their proponents.

34 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

...

ETA: Divertimento No. 15 is about the most civilized ballet there is....

It's on my top3 Balanchines, along with Square Dance and Bizet. Thanks for posting this! Also, @nanushka for the Boylston SB clip!

Didn't Ivanova graduate in 1996, making her about 40/41 now? Not that dancers can't perform beautifully into their 40s, like Lopatkina or Julie Kent. Vishneva is still going strong in modern works, one year older than Ivanova. Zakharova also graduated in 1996, albeit younger than the usual 18, if memory serves.

Clues to possible Paquita castings in DC. The recent lead pairings for this ballet at home, season 2018/2019, have included:

Terioshkina/Askerov

Khoreva/Zverev once, then Khoreva/Parish

Batoeva/Schklyarov

Kolegova/Parish

Kondaurova/Yermakov premiered the ballet during the March 2017 Mariinsky Festival and danced it once or twice thereafter but not in the past year.  Skorik/Parish danced it in summer 2018 but not since (maternity leave?).

Compared to the principals announced for the Bayaderes in Costa Mesa: 

Neither Somova nor Kim have danced this full version of Paquita, that I could tell. If they dance it in DC, it would be debuts for both.  Khoreva, Kondaurova and Batoeva have all been announced for Costa Mesa so perhaps they'll be our Paquitas in DC the previous week?  Schklyarov, Askerov and Yermakov have been announced as Solors in Costa Mesa, so perhaps they'll be in Paquita as Andres? I'm still holding hope that Terioshkina may be tapped for the DC leg of the tour; otherwise, Kondaurova may be the only female principal at the Kennedy Center.

Of course, I'm depending on the veracity of the Mariinsky's archived playbills.

When I saw this partial title ("Svetlana Ivanova Buried..."), my heart skipped a beat. Glad that she is alive and well!

The high level of the very large Mariinsky troupe means that, inevitably, it will be hard for many deserving artists to be promoted. In Ivanova's case, she lost her chief defender and lobbyist when Zubkovskaya died. Didn't Ivanova even move to Germany for a while, hoping for better luck? 

Veronika Part was another Zubkovskaya student who had to move (to the USA) to be promoted. There were others.

Alas, I throw out the free casting sheets or playbills after I write a report or review in some forum. I keep only the glossy, larger souvenir programmes. I also keep production-specific booklets that some companies (Mariinsky, Bolshoi, Royal, Berlin, La Scala)  sell in their home theatres. The programmes/booklets are stored in two hand-painted footlockers, arranged according to company (ABT, Royal - easy to spot those by the red!, etc.) or event (ballet competitions or festivals). I go into the footlockers fairly often, especially to read the ballet-specific articles...the Royal Ballet's are particularly helpful. 

Fewer and fewer U.S. companies sell the larger souvenir programmes of the past. ABT used to have a new edition every 4-5 years but has had none since the 75th Anniv, that I'm aware. NYCB had them, too, into the '80s. I remember when wonderful full-color booklets about touring companies would be sold at the Met or Kennedy Center. The big Hochhauser tours of the Kirov or Bolshoi in London always sold beautiful book-quality programmes. Those were the days. Sigh.

On ‎7‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 9:08 AM, annaewgn said:

Really??? Nuikina gets two shows, and in a role she's never even done before? There are other dancers in the company, who have performed this role, that I'd much rather pay money to see. 

And from what I've seen, again, Khoreva is technically stunning, but boring artistically. Smiling isn't the only way to portray a character. 

I completely agree, annaewgn. The week prior to this, the company will be here in Washington, DC, with Paquita. Even though casting is not yet announced for the Kennedy Center run, I'll bet the farm that DC will be seeing the same principals as in Bayadere:  Somova, Khoreva (likely first night) and Kondaurova as Paquita;  Kim, Schklyarov, Askerov as Lucien. That said, I would not mind it a bit if DC/Paquita gets Terioshkina in place of Somova.

I've since looked at the Mariinsky web's archived playbills. Somova/Kim may be tapped for the Bayadere leg of the tour but neither has danced the full-length version of Paquita.

Tickets just went on sale to the general public (non-members of the KC):

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/BUBSG

Plenty of good seats left for all performances.

1 hour ago, sandik said:

And is he a redhead?

http://balletfactory.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Liam-Redhaead.jpg?vm=r

One of the original Billy Elliots. No wonder, so much stage charisma. This guy gobbles up the stage with his presence.

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 5:01 PM, Jane Simpson said:

Kaas is recovering from an injury and has not been on stage for some months.

Thanks. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery.

Among the newer male dancers on this tour, I've become smitten with  the charming and high-flying Liam Redhead of Canada. What a joy he is in the Lifeguards on Amager pas de trois! True star power for the future.

Tall blonde Jon Axel Fransson of Iceland was also impressive in the difficult Kermesse in Bruges pdd. His Eleonore, Stephanie Chen Gundorf, is a true gentle beauty, in the Mette Ida Kirk mold. If Bournonville were on the regular company rep, she would be their star...although I maintain total respect for Ida Praetorius, who was commendable in the reduced Sylphide Act II.

I'm sorry that this current tour does not include young RDB principal Andreas Kaas. He and Ida Praetorius' Flower Festival PDD was one of the highlights of the last tour to the Joyce, 3-4  years ago.  Kaas was also a member of the RDB group that performed at Jacob's Pillow last year. Also, if memory serves, he was both the on-stage and 'private life' partner of Ms Praetorius. I'm surprised that he's not here this time. I miss him. He's a fantastic stylist, with natural sparkle.

In NY all of this week, so will miss this, even though my home is close to DC. To be honest, I'm not that sad. Happy to be in NY instead, to catch the Royal Danish Ballet soloists at the Joyce.

What about the beautiful Evgenia Obraztsova? Her calendar appears to be clear between late July (after galas in China and Korea) and October (guest appearances in Melbourne and Rome as Aurora and Kitri).

http://evgeniaobraztsova.com/afisha.html

18 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Personally, I think Balanchine's works are great enough to withstand imperfect performances by an overall strong (if not at present top-tier or world-class) company of dancers and still give a lot of enjoyment. I'd much rather pay to see Balanchine done at 75% than a lot of other things done at 100%.

Give me any Balanchine by ABT, performed 100 times, than one Jane Eyre!

The last time that the RDB soloists were at the Joyce, they alternated the traditional and the then-new Hubbe version of Sylphide A2. In the Hubbe edition, Madge is a man.

Happy to read that Sorella Englund is back as Traditional Madge!

SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE is one of my secret Balanchine loves. A guilty pleasure, if you will. It epitomizes Balanchine's mantra to "see the music." Yes, it was crafted on students...but so was SERENADE. I love the simplicity and clarity. Same reason why I love SQUARE DANCE, DIVERT 15, BIZET/SYMPH in C. Argentine films exist of Mr. B's CONCIERTO DE MOZART. I'd love to see that performed by ABT or any other company, for that matter.

This opened last night. Any reports or thoughts? Favorite pieces performed? Dancers?

https://joyce.org/performances/bournonville-legacy

12 hours ago, Marta said:

 

I saw Hallberg in Apollo at ABT 6 or 7  years ago and was disappointed. I was really eager to see him too because I was thrilled by his Albrecht  to Osipova's Giselle.   I wish I could be more articulate but Apollo didn't seem to fit. Not danced badly, just not convincing. I felt I was watching him execute steps. Veronika Part was Terpsichore; I couldn't take my eyes off her so I don't remember who the others were.

...

I had the opposite feelings as you on the Hallberg/Part APOLLO. I loved Hallberg's lines and stoic rendition. I could not stand Part's every-smiley Terpsichore, typical of Mariinsky-trained dancers in Balanchine roles. Different strokes for different folks.

The financials may have something to do with it.

My trip to NYC on Friday was worth it for that extraordinary Act III solo by Herman Cornejo as Prince Desire. Oh my...I screamed my head off yelling "Bravo!" from the second that he took his final pose. The entire house erupted. It's a highlight of my ballet-going life that I won't forget any time soon. What a disservice is done against American ballet (not just ABT) if this isn't professionally filmed for PBS or cinemas or whatever.

Sarah Lane was exquisite - a perfectly adorable, petite Aurora, as Russia used to love them ca-1890. Her Rose Adagio, in particular, was much sharper than her unfortunate summer 2015 performance, when she had real problems. Her three soli were are brilliant as ever.

I was a bit disappointed with the announcement that Schevchenko was being replaced by Abrera as Lilac but, in the end, I cannot complain one bit. Abrera nailed her Prologue solo like never before.

I like the latest emendations by Ratmansky - the elegant and flirty little walks-on-pointe by the White Cat, in place of the vulgar rubbing of backs...as well as the changes in the Aurora-Desire adagio. Those cantilevered poses in place of the fish dives were "tah-dah!" musical.

Someone else mentioned that Paloma Herrera was in town. I'm wondering if perhaps she was checking up on the post-injury progress of Cornejo, who's set to star in the Colon's upcoming La Sylphide in August (with Misty Copeland announced to be his Sylph)?