millamant

attn kbarber: Robbie F isn't scheduled to perform AAIP in London on Mondays or Wed mat. Now that might change next week since he's missing today's Tuesday performance, but you might want to check with the theatre boxoffice first... good luck!

Hi - I notice that Lopatkina is now listed as dancing both Dying Swan *and* Scheherazade (with Ivanchenko) on April 5 matinee (she's already slated for Scheherazade with Kozlov in the evening). This appears to be one of the recent cast changes, since Kondaurova was originally listed for the matinee. I'm a little surprised that they'd have Lopatkina dancing 2 Scheherazade's on the same day. Could this be a typo?

Don't know if this is appropriate place to post, but anyone interested in getting tickets to Kirov in LA, might consider joining www.goldstarevents.com. There is no charge for joining. They're now offering half-price tickets to the Wed/Thurs (10/5-6) performances. It's very likely that they will open up other dates as well. I've gotten tickets thru the site in the past (SF Opera, Music Center performances) and have never had a problem (so far they only serve LA and SF area). They identify the section, but you won't know the actual seat until you pick them up at boxoffice. I got my tickets for the opening night in Berkeley a while back, but if goldstar offers something for one of the later Berkeley perfs, I might pick up another ticket.

Must say I agree with Thalictum re Sarafanov. He looked like someone's baby brother partnering Vishneva at last year's Bayadere in LA, and hardly a credible Solor. It made for a very different experience from the Bayadere Vishneva danced with Fadeyev 2-3 years before in NY. Sarafanov was quite impressive in his solo dancing, but he seemed somewhat lacking in confidence as a partner. Not exactly reassuring. Maybe it's just his youth, but I must admit, I prefer male dancers who generate a bit more heat. Looking forward to the Spectacular (and Lopatkina), and Boris G. --M

Don't know how accurate this is, but found preliminary schedule at Ardani Artists posted for Fall 2005 Kirov tour, performing Sleeping Beauty (LA, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicag) and Corsaire (Berkeley), as well as a 2-week long Mariinsky Festival to take place Oct 2006 in Costa Mesa (Orange County)! This last is really ambitious - including Gergiev conducting the entire Ring cycle, some symphonic concerts, Romeo & Juliet, and Raymonda. I'd read that Corsaire was going to DC next year, but it's not listed on the Ardani site (perhaps this is because Kennedy Center has a different contract with Kirov?) Anyway, if this is all true, I'll be able to see everything without having to leave the state! Woo-hoo! Check out http://www.ardani.com/clients.htm. Start saving your pennies.

Hi- just couldn't deal with being in DC Jan 20, which is why I opted for the final performance on Jan 22, although I knew I'd be taking a big chance on the cast for that date. I'm just hoping that Lopatkina dances that final matinee, since it was just seeing her name listed that made me decide to fly out. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing the Kirov Spec and I'm staying for the Boris Godunov opera as well (seems rather appropriate) - one can never have too much of the Kirov in my opinion... I also noticed that hotel rates are ridiculously inflated during the week, but they actually come down that weekend (they're still higher than normal, but they're much lower - well, except for the Watergate, which has those egregiously inflated rates). But better to book now - it's probably going to get worse the closer it gets!

Hi - I've purchased tickets for the Kirov Spectacular on Jan 22. The Kennedy Center website states that Lopatkina will be performing the 'Dying Swan' - and I'm just wondering if anyone has any more information about the performers for this engagement. I know the Kirov cast schedule can be pretty volatile, but I'm just hoping that Lopatkina is scheduled for this final (of 3) performance. If she is scheduled to come, I assume she'd dance on opening night, but I'm also hoping she'll dance this last performance as well.

Hi Wanderer1: If by the first row of the upper tier, you mean row AA, then you are off on the side, so will have a slightly obstructed view. However, it is infinitely better than last row of the orchestra, in my opinion. There is very little rake in the orchestra, which means you are subject to tall folk, pointy heads, and large hair - this can be a problem even closer up in the orchestra. I wouldn't exactly put Zellerbach on the small size, unless a 2000-seat hall is considered small, but the AA tier seats are nearly level with the stage, so it provides a very interesting perspective, even if you do miss some of the peripheral action. I've got tickets for Raymonda - have been debating whether I should get R&J ticket as welll, it being my favorite ballet score. Sounds like it could be interesting. Last time I saw the Bolshoi in LA a few years ago, it really seemed they had come out of their long slump. Here's hoping...

You can listen to a 10 minute backstage interview on Kirov preparations for the Boston performances at public radio station WBUR.

I think Zobeide was Lopatkina - the same pairing as that in Berkeley's opening night. And, *wow* is a succinct way to describe the Kirov Sheherazade.

Although belated - thought I'd pass along some impressions from opening night Fokine program in Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall. I saw 3 of the Kirov performances (1 Fokine; 2 Jewels); as well as Bayadere in LA. And this weekend will get another Jewels dose...after that I hock all my furniture. The opening night Fokine program was wonderful - the absolute highlight for me (as well as almost everyone else judging by the chorus of bravos ringing out in the hall) was the Sheherazade, so I'll mainly report my impressions of that particular piece. The opening Chopiniana like a calling card - sort of like introducting the members of the team (well, mostly female members, that is, except for the noble Danila Korsuntsev). The piece did feel at first a bit like a warm-up, but the dancers quickly settled in. Actually, I liked easing into the evening with this piece. I enjoyed the familiarity of the Chopin waltzes, and I appreciated the delicary of the piece. In particular, it was a pleasure to see the wonderful corps. But it was in the middle piece, Sheherazade, that the company, sprung fully to red-blooded life. Here was a performance in which everything came together - music, dance, drama, spectacle. It was showy, gaudy, lascivious and quite unembarrassed about being so - it was also breath-taking, superbly danced, and ultimately, moving. For some reason, critics in the west always feel the need to apologize for this piece - is it hokey, excessive? Perhaps, but so are at least half of the world's greatest operas (I love opera as well as dance). And, for me, what counts is what the performers bring to the piece; how much they invest in it and are able to carry us along with them for the ride. What a ride we got that first night with Uliana Lopatkina and Igor Zelensky! THe moment Zelensky burst onto the stage - like a tiger let out of his cage - he had us in thrall to him. Huge, beautifully placed leaps and spins, all done with supreme machismo and danger (on at least 3 occasions I thought he couldn't possibly stop before in landed in the musician's pit). Then there was Lopatkina. I have been waiting years to see her dance after reading about her performances in the late 90's in St. Pete's, London, etc. She seems less well-known in this country than some of the other Kirov ballerinas (such as Vishneva and Zakharova) - but I put this down to her having not performanced in the last 1-2 years; the SF Chronicle reviewer identified her as Tckachenko! (It was on this website that I learnt that she'd had a child, which explained the absence) She has that something special that marks her undeniably as a star. Glorious elongated body, sinuous moves, with arms fluttering like ribbons, beautiful extensions, wonderfully dramatic. She's got it all. I found her utterly mesmerizing to watch. She and Zelensky looked brilliant together, and were so sexily matched that it would have been unnatural if the two of them *weren't* carrying on together! Aiding and abetting them on opening night was Valery Gergiev, who created a more lyrical rendering than that on his recording, and coerced gorgeous sounds from the orchestra. (Too bad Zellerbach Hall's acoustics aren't more favorable to orchestras, though). What a treat to have a world-class orchestra in the pit. On opening night Mikhael Agrest conducted the Chopiniana; Gergiev the remainder of the program. This the best ballet orchestra I've ever heard, which isn't surprising since the regular (concert and opera) Kirov Orchestra is out of this world. Talk about an embarassment of riches. The Bakst-designed set with its Arabian Orientalism was gorgeous to look at, as were the costumes. The final piece, 'Firebird', was fantasy and spectacle, and an enjoyable way to end the evening, although it was hard to top the Sheherazade. Tatiana Amosova expertly danced the role of the Firebird, but I missed the extra edge that a Vishneva (who was originally scheduled to dance) would likely have brought to the role. Great corps, wonderful partnering. On Friday and Saturday - I saw Jewels; then most recently Bayadere (a superb Vishneva; with Sarafanov in virtuosic form, but his partnering made me anxious - and again those glorious Shades...) But I think this post is long enough (apologies for that), so won't go into detail here. But I will say that (again) the highlight for me in Jewels was seeing Lopatkina, wonderfully partnered by Korsuntsev in the Saturday Diamonds. That said, perhaps Emeralds will grow on me (after I see it yet again in Costa Mesa), but Diamonds is what sends me out the theatre floating.

I've heard report that for opening, Lopatkina and Ruzimatov will appear in Scheherezade; Vishneva in opening Rubies. Of course, with the Kirov, cast changes are not at all uncommon (ballet as well as opera). I have been waiting to see Lopatkina for years so would be very pleased if the above is true. On top of that, Gergiev is officially announced for the opening (which means he flies out immediately after the performance since he's scheduled to conduct Traviata at the Met the following evening!), so I take it their major dancers will be on hand.

Kirov Ballet and Orchestra will perform 2 programs (including complete Jewels) in Berkeley Zellerbach Hall in October 2003. This is part their North American tour this fall. Also, La Bayadere in LA. Don't have the complete schedule, but they are also scheduled for Wash DC. Saw the Bayadere in NY last year - the most glorious Kingdom of the Shades imaginable. If ever one wanted an example of what makes Petipa special, and what makes Russian dancers something else - this will do it...

Saw their Romeo and Juliet Thursday night in Berkeley. I hadn't seen this company for many years and had never seen this version of the ballet. The Prokofiev score is arguably the greatest ballet score ever written; even in a mediocre dance performance there is at least the music to relish. I had seen the Stuttgart in more contemporary pieces, and was amazed at how beautifully they performed this classical piece. The male dancers in the troupe are standouts. Filip Barankiewicz danced Romeo with a strengh and beauty that was blissful. He also showed charm and humor - something we don't always see in a Romeo. Sin Jue Kang was lovely, although a few times in the pas de deux, there was a stiffness to her that seemed surprising. That's really just a quibble, as the dancing was thoroughly first-rate all around. A stellar company. What I particularly liked about this production was the dramatic quality - even if we all know the story, in this production you get caught up in it again. And here you have dancers whose faces actually yielded expression. They took on individual personalities; again something you don't always see. Definitely try to catch this company if they're in your area. And if you haven't seen Prokofiev's R&J, do yourself a favor and see it!