NO7
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Jeannie. I have put the link for you in Ballet.co.uk.
http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/news/1657.html
But....I think it wasn't a good idea to do so. Sorry!
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Whenever Tsiskaridze appears on stage, he always steals the show. It's interesting that even Vishneva was overshadowed by him. (I saw them danced in the 3rd movement of Balanchine's Symphony in C). And he made an ultra-supple Golden Slave with Nioradze. His dancing was stunning and seductive. Errrr...probably
even more than Zobiede's! :eek:
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Dear Katharine,
I really like what you called "Ruzimatovisms"!
Looking at Kolb's repertoires in the past two years, I guess Kirov may want him to be Ruzimatov's successor! And perhaps Fadeyev will be Zelensky's!?!
(Actually, Kolb has danced Bayadere in October not December in Paris.)
And yes, Jeannie and vrsfanatic, Kuznetsov is still a first soloist. No promotion, unfortunately:(
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I'm curious, Jeannie. It seems to me that there are so many 'Artist of Russia' award types. Recently, if my mem. serves, Nioradze received one of them too.
And have fun throughout the 3rd Mariinsky Ballet Festival!
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I just admire Vishneva so much. That's why I can't help putting this link: http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_03/fe...ew_vishneva.htm
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I've just received the updated programme of the White Nights Festival from the Mariinsky's marketing manager. Surely, it's subject to change. Tickets are not on sale until May.
11th International Festival “Stars of the White Nights”
dedicated to the 300TH Anniversary of St Petersburg
May 5 – August 5, 2003
Artistic Director: Valery Gergiev
Monday, May 5 & Tuesday, May 6
Prokofiev
WAR AND PEACE
With Anna Netrebko, Gegam Grigorian and Vladimir Moroz
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Wednesday, May 7 at 20:00
ORCHESTRA OF THE MARIINSKY THEATRE
Rimsky Korsakov Sheherezade
Glazunov Violin Concerto
Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2
Soloist: Vadim Repin
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Thursday, May 8
WORLD ORCHESTRA FOR PEACE
Mendelssohn Overture and Scherzo - Midsummer Night’s Dream
Strauss Don Juan
Prokofiev Ode to the End of War, Op. 105
Stravinsky Petrushka (1911)
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Friday, May 9
BALLETS BY SHOSTAKOVICH *
The Young Girl and the Hooligan
Klop (The Bedbug)
Leningrad Symphony
Saturday, May 10
Petipa/Tchaikovsky
13:00 & 19:00 SWAN LAKE *
Sunday, May 11
Tchaikovsky
12:00 EUGENE ONEGIN **
20:00: FOKINE TRIPLE BILL
Chopiniana, Sheherezade, Firebird
Tuesday, May 13
Rimsky Korsakov
LEGEND OF THE INVISIBLE CITY OF KITEZH**
Wednesday, May 14
BALLET GALA *
Honoring Olga Moiseeva
SMALL HALL PHILHARMONIC
SINFONIETTA CRACOVIA
Penderecki Sinfonietta for Strings
Mozart Piano Concerto in A, KV 488
Beethoven Symphony No. 3
Soloist: Christoph Eschenbach
Conducted by John Axelrod
Thursday, May 15
Petipa/Tchaikovsky
SWAN LAKE
Friday, May 16
Petit/Bizet, Balanchine/Stravinsky, Balanchine/Prokofiev
CARMEN, APOLLO, PRODIGAL SON *
Sunday, May 18 at 15:00
Monday, May 19 at 19:00
CENTRAL BALLET OF CHINA
RAISE THE RED LANTERN
Director: Zhang Yimou
21:00 ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mahler Symphony No. 3
Soloist: Zlata Bulycheva
Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre
Tuesday, May 20
Petipa/Prokofiev
LA BAYADÈRE *
Wednesday, May 21
Ratmansky/Prokofiev
CINDERELLA *
SMOLNY CLOISTER
ORCHESTRE DES CHAMPS-ELYSÉES
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe
Thursday, May 22
Petipa/Adam
LE CORSAIRE
SMOLNY CLOISTER
ZAGREB PHILHARMONIC
Parać: Symphony
Šulek: Concerto for Cello
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
Soloist: Monika Leskovar
Conductor: Dmitri Liss
Friday, May 23
Musorgsky
18.00 KHOVANSHCHINA **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Saturday, May 24
Verdi
20.00 MACBETH **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
SMOLNY CLOISTER
COLLEGIUM VOCALE GENT
15.00 Bach: Mass in b minor
Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe
Sunday, May 25
16:00 ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS OF THE MARIINSKY
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Anna Netrebko (soprano), Olga Borodina (mezzo soprano)
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Petipa/Tchaikovsky
20:00 SWAN LAKE
Monday, May 26
From the Archives of the Mariinsky:
HISTORIC BALLETS
KALININGRAD (Koenigsberg)
Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky
Tchaikovsky 1812
Orchestra and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Tuesday, May 27
Tchaikovsky
THE QUEEN OF SPADES **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Wednesday, May 28
Palace Square
TRIBUTE TO ST. PETERSBURG
Petipa “Shadows” from La Bayadere
Fokine Polovtsian Act
Balanchine Symphony in C
Ballet, Chorus, Orchestra and Soloists of the Mariinsky
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Thursday, May 29
GREAT PHILHARMONIC HALL
MET ORCHESTRA
Mahler Symphony No.1
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Conducted by James Levine
Friday, May 30
‘300 YEARS of ST PETERSBURG’ GALA
with Olga Borodina, Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Uliana Lopatkina, Anna Netrebko, Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova, Farukh Ruzimatov, Igor Zelensky and others
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Saturday, May 31
14:00 MET ORCHESTRA
Wagner Meistersinger overture
Brahms Double Concerto in A minor for Violin and Cello
Berlioz La mort de Cleopatre
Ravel Bolero
Soloists: Olga Borodina (mezzo soprano)
David Chan (violin), Rafael Figueroa (cello)
Conducted by James Levine
Sunday, June 1
Lavrovsky/Prokofiev
12:30 ROMEO AND JULIET *
20:00 ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS OF THE MARIINSKY
Tchaikovsky Fantasy Overture Romeo and Juliet
Berlioz Excerpts from Romeo and Julia
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Monday, June 2
11:30 VAGANOVA ACADEMY
Graduation Concert
Verdi
TRAVIATA **
Anna Netrebko, Oleg Balashov, Vasily Gereello
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Tuesday, June 3
Petipa/Adam
GISELLE *
Wednesday, June 4
Rubinstein
THE DEMON **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Thursday, June 5
Petipa/Minkus
DON QUIXOTE *
Friday, June 6
Rimsky Korsakov
THE GOLDEN COCKEROL **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Saturday, June 7
12:30 JEWELS *
20:00 ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Berlioz Requiem
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Sunday, June 8
13:00 ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mahler Symphony No. 6
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
18:00 PARSIFAL
Conducted by Christoph Eschenbach
Monday, June 9
13:00 VAGANOVA ACADEMY
Graduation Concert
20:00 TRIBUTE TO STRAVINSKY
Oedipus Rex, Les Noces, Rite of Spring
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Tuesday, June 10
Petipa/Adam
18:00 GISELLE *
21:00 LAHTI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Sibelius Pohola’s Daughter
Aho Symphony No. 9
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Soloist: Christian Lindberg
Conductor: Osmo Vänskä
VYBORG CASTLE
Verdi
AIDA
Conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
Wednesday, June 11
VYBORG CASTLE
SWEDISH RADIO ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
LAHTI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
Verdi Requiem
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
MARIINSKY THEATRE
11:30 VAGANOVA ACADEMY
Graduation Concert
19:00 JEWELS *
Thursday, June 12
SWEDISH RADIO ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
Brahms Requiem
Conducted by Manfred Honeck
COMMEDIA
Rimsky Korsakov
GOLDEN COCKEROL **
June 13, 14, 16 & 18
Wagner
DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (new production)
Cast includes: Vladimir Vaneev, Viktor Chernomortsev, Olga Sergeeva, Gary Rideout
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Friday, June 13
22:00 SMOLNY CLOISTER
SWEDISH RADIO CHORUS
Saturday, June 14
14:00 ORCHESTRA OF THE NATIONS
Conducted by Justus Frantz
Sunday, June 15
19:00 MARIINSKY YOUNG PHILHARMONIC
Mahler Symphony No. 5
Conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
23:00 MIDNIGHT CONCERT IN THE MARIINSKY
ORCHESTRA OF THE NATIONS
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
15:00 SMOLNY CLOISTER
Gubaidulina Easter Oratorium and St. John’s Passion
Semi staged
Co-production with the Rotterdam Philharmonic – Gergiev Festival
Tuesday, June 17
Glinka
LIFE FOR THE TSAR (in concert)
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Thursday, June 19
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY
Kancheli Fingerprints
Mahler Symphony No. 4
Soloist: Anna Netrebko
Friday, June 20
Musorgsky
BORIS GODUNOV **
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Smolny Cloister
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Lentz Guyuhmgan
Strauss Tod und Verklärung
Conductor: Markus Stenz
Saturday, June 21
17:00 ORCHESTRA OF THE MARIINSKY THEATRE
Salonen Sleepless (Russian Premiere)
Shostakovitch Piano Concerto No. 1
Stravinsky Rite of Springs
Soloist: Alexander Toradze
Conducted by Esa Pekka Salonen
Petipa/Tchaikovsky
20:00 SWAN LAKE *
Sunday, June 22
14.00 BAMBERGER SYMPHONIKER
Ligeti Horn concerto
Mahler Symphony No. 5
Soloist: Marie Luise Neunecker
Conducted by Jonathan Nott
Petipa/Tchaikovsky*
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Monday, June 23
ORCHESTRA OF THE MARIINSKY THEATRE
Wagner Siegfried Idyll
Pfitzner Violin Concerto
Mahler Symphony No. 9
Soloist: Rainer Kuechel
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Tuesday, June 24
IVANGOROD FORTRESS
13:00: A CAPELLA CONCERT
Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre
Russian Church Music
18:00: CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA OF THE MARIINSKY THEATRE, CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA OF THE ESTONIAN STATE OPERA,
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
22:00: PRINCE IGOR (staged performance)
MARIINSKY THEATRE
BALLET GALA
STARS OF THE PARIS OPERA BALLET
Wednesday, June 25
NARVI
13:00: A CAPELLA CONCERT
Chorus of the Estonian State Opera
21:00: OPERA GALA
MARIINSKY THEATRE
Simonov/Slonimsky
Libretto and design by Mikhail Chemiakin
18:00 PRINCESS PIRLIPAT (Worthiness Punished)*
Simonov/ Tchaikovsky
Design by Mikhail Chemiakin
22:00 THE NUTCRACKER
Thursday, June 26
ORCHESTRA and CHORUS OF THE MARIINSKY
Berlioz La Damnation de Faust
Conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
Friday, June 27
TRIBUTE TO STRAVINSKY
Oedipus Rex, Les Noces, Rite of Spring
Opera and Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Saturday, June 28
VIENNA PHILHARMONIC (matinee)
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
MARIINSKY ‘WHITE NIGHTS’ BALL
Sunday, June 29
15:00: Small Philharmonic Hall
VIENNA STREICHSOLISTEN
Bach Double Concerto for 2 violins and strngs, and basso continuo
Staar Metamorphosis of a Labyrinth (world premiere)
Mozart
J. Strauss
Soloists: Manfred Honeck, Sergei Levitin (Bach)
Renee Staar (Staar)
WHITE NIGHTS’ PREMIERE
Tchaikovsky
THE ENCHANTRESS
Vaneev, Sergeeva, Savova, Chernomortsev
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Monday, June 30
16:00 ORCHESTRA OF THE MARIINSKY
Kancheli “Uarzon” (Beloved) Russian Premiere
Raskatov “Path”, Concerto for Viola – Russian Premiere
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Soloists: Yuri Bashmet (viola), Dmitri Kavakos (violin)
Puccini/Le Moli
20:00 IL TRITTICO
TABARRO, SUOR ANGELICA, GIANNI SCHICCHI
Conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
Tuesday, July 1
BILBAO ORKESTRA SINFONIKOA
Arriaga Overture "Los esclavos felices"
Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez
Ravel Excerpts from Suite No. 1 & 2 "Daphnis et Chloé"
Soloist : Pepe Romero
Conductor: Juanjo Mena
Wednesday, July 2
MOSCOW SOLOISTS
Conducted by Yuri Bashmet
July 8 – 13
HAMBURG BALLET
July 18 – 28
THE ROYAL BALLET, Covent Garden
Thursday, July 18
Friday, July 19
Ashton Scenes de Ballet
McMillan Marguerite and Arnaud
McMillan Song of the Earth
Sunday, July 20 (14:00 & 19:00)
Sunday, July 27
Monday, July 28
McMillan Romeo and Juliet
Tuesday, July 22
Wednesday, July 23
Saturday, July 26 (14:00 & 19:00)
Anthony Dowell Swan Lake
Thursday, July 24
Friday, July 25
Weldon Tryst
Ashton Month in the Country
McMillan Gloria
July 30 – August 5
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
Wednesday, July 30 ALL BALANCHINE
Serenade, Symphony in Three Movements, Symphony in C
Conducted by Valery Gergiev
Friday, August 1 ALL ROBBINS
Interplay, Dances at a Gathering, Glass Pieces
Saturday, August 2
12:00 ALL BALANCHINE
19:00 ALL ROOBINS
Sunday, August 3 ALL BALANCHINE
Monday, August 4 MIXED PROGRAM
Tuesday, August 5 MIXED PROGRAM
Balanchine Agon
Balanchine Concerto Barocco
Martins Hallelujah Junction
Balanchine Western Symphony
* = Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre (Kirov Ballet)
** = Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre (Kirov Opera)
Unless otherwise stated, all performances start at 19:00 in the Mariinsky Theatre
Programme correct at time of printing but may be subject to change
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It seems Zakharova enjoys guesting in Japan indeed. After La muse de Ballet, she will dance La Bayadere with Igor Zelensky and the New National Ballet Theatre in Feb 21 and 23. here is the link: http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/index3_s.html
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Before the 3rd mariinsky Ballet Festival kicks off next month in St Petersburg, some Kirov principals will be guesting in Tokyo from 1st-16th Feb. at Orchard Hall.
1,2,12 Feb Le Corsaire--Farouk Ruzimatov with various dancing partners such as Irina Perren, Oskana Shestakova
14-16 Feb Raymonda--Yulia Makhalina (&Mark Peretokin)
Le Corsaire--Svetlana Zakharova/Andrian Fadeyev
Don Quixote--Denis Matvienko (& Elena Filipjeva)
La Sylphide--Ilya Kuznetsov(&Natalia Ledovskaya)
Tchaikovsky pdd--Diana Vishneva/Igor Kolb
Giselle--Farouk Ruzimatov (&Evelyn Hart)
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Having seen only a few performances in this year. But I'm so sure I picked the right ones!
It definitely must be the Kirov's new production of La Bayadere, with the interpretations of Vishneva, Zakharova, Fadeyev and Kolb. Also the performance by Acosta and Nunez in Don Quixote. It's a great fun!
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Too bad, I couldn't be in Hong Kong to see Kirov's Giselle. Thanks a lot for keeping me updated, Kevin.
And I look forward to seeing the performance of Sarafanov in the near future. Hope to see him in Kirov's north UK tour next year.
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I was told that the Kirov will visit Mexico City next summer with Manon and Romeo & Juliet. And Los Angeles, USA is also in their tour plan.
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Jeannie, 'the girls in yellow saris' did appear on stage last month at Theatre du Chatelet. They were in the Procession, but didn't dance at all. Considering their costumes, it seems they were an eleventh-century relief of heavenly angels at the Angkor Wat in Cambodia coming to life! Not Thai or Balinese, I think.
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A good few critics claimed that Kirov men are not as outstanding as the women. I wonder if they are also considered weaker than the male in other companies.
Strange that Igor Zelensky was once claimed 'probably best of the world'.
Currently the young male principals, like Kolb, Fadeyev, Korsuntsev, are in the forefront. I think they're good, they're elegant, they have wonderful techniques, etc. But if I compare them with more mature dancers, like Hilaire, Cope, Merru, Bolle, it must be something that the Kirov young principals have less.
Could this be because of their age?
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Giselle chooses to kill herself, while Nikiya chooses to kill her rival.
Of course, the Ghost of a nice submissive girl and the Ghost of (sort of) an aggressive girl act differently.;)
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Apologise for my late response, Alexandra. I couldn't write anything that I hadn't seen it.
The synopsis for act IV goes like this:
"During the ceremony, the Ghost of Nikiya followsSolor, ceaselessly reminding him of his vow. A basket of flowers is offered to gamzetti, who, horrified, remembers the murder of her rival, whose Ghost now appears before her. Frightened, Gamzetti takes refuge in the arms of her father, who orders the ceremony to be carried out faster. But a terrible storm and an earthquake swallow up the guests beneath the temple, thus making the Bayadere's curse come true. The Ghost of Nikiya then appears above the ruins of the temple, reaffirming her ethernal love for Solor"
I was particularly intrigued by the word 'the Bayadere's curse'.
This sounds like the curse was made by Nikiya(?). If this hypothesis is correct, Nikiya is not definitely just a haplessly sweet girl.
Throughout Act III and IV, Nikiya behaved herself as if a psychopathic ex-lover. I didn't feel any sympathy for her.
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Perhaps this is not good news for you, Naoko. I heard that Lopatkina has no plan to return to dance in near future. She still enjoys raising her baby girl and it's not likely that she will join the Kirov tour to UK next spring.
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Yes, Viviane, the orchestra was powerful indeed. it's the only thing we agree upon!;)
I was there to see the third cast as well. Pavlenko made passionate Nikiya but lacked a magnetic personality as an actress. Speaking of her dancing, although displaying a pure classical style, I wish she could have had softer arm movements.
I was a bit disappointed with Samodurov, a sombre Solor. He lost his sense of orientation for a while during executing his big circle in Grand Pas act III. And he landed just an inch away from one of the Shade's tutu. But overall he displayed incredible techniques that neither Kolb nor Fadeyev did.
After seeing the three cast, I think all interpretations are just valid. But still one question arises. What should the true character of Nikiya be? To my understanding, Nikiya is sort of a girl 'stay away from my man, or die'. That's why I like Vishneva's interpretation in particular, despite admiring Zakharova much better. Vishneva's Nikiya wasn't just an innocent girl but dignified and calamitious.
Overall, I enjoyed three performances every minute except the 'danse des fleurs de lotus' in act IV. Would it be a bit out of context of La Bayadre? It's like I was haunted by the Sleeping Beauty and Le Corsaire endlessly.
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One reason that I like to watch different cast is to see different interpretations. Vishneva in the first night was more convincing as Nikiya than Zakharova. Her dancing had both pride and remorse. Zakharova on the other hand created pitiful Nikiya that reminded me of Odette in Swan Lake. But the audience went nuts for her.
Fadeyev has gained some weights and this sometime affected his movement onstage. He made elegant Solor and showed more technical brilliance than Kolb who danced in the second night.
Kolb displayed extraordinary leaps and smooth rapport with Zakharova. The pair made me feel as if they were real lovers. This hardly happened in Vishneva and Fadeyev's duets. Different from Fadeyev's, Kolb's Solor was rather cool and heroic.
Paris has seen two wonderful Gamzatti from Kirov. Although the overall character of Tarassova was too sweet for the role, her acting was second to none. Ekatarina Osmolkina in the second night was ..woww..a wicked beauty with brilliant technique. Truly a new born star!
I felt strange with some set design. It's that Buddha image in act I. Religiously, the Buddha has nothing to do with Hindu temples where the celebration of fire takes place.. This will be like placing the Holy Jesus in the mosque, I think.
Each interval took ages. I even thought of walking back to my hotel and take a nap. Thanks heaven that in the second performance time was shortened from 3 hrs 55minutes to 3hrs 30min. But it's still long.
Not sure if adding act IV is worthwhile. The climax of the story (definitely not the collapsing of the palace's columns) has passed and act IV is only to lenghten the plot. But if we won't take it seriously, this new LaBayadere is a beautiful production. Three stars!
I also noticed that there were some Kirov fans from London. At least a gentleman whoworks at the Royal Opera House's boxoffice was there.
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I wonder when Estelle will kindly post her comments on Fokine programme;) While waiting, I find myself in Paris and was so happy to see the performance of La Bayadere last night at theatre du Chatelet. Vishneva stole the hearts of the audience. She's absolutely fantaaaastic, just as her Solor, Andrian Fadeyev.
I've got two more performances to see. Will write more.
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I just recieved the updated casting for La Bayedere in Paris.
28 Oct Zakharova/Fadeyev/Tarasova
29 Oct Vishneva/Kolb/Osmolkina
30 Oct Pavlenko/Samodurov/Tarasova
31 Oct Gumerova/Sarafanov/Golub
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Kevin, Maximova is now a chief ballet master of Kremlin Ballet Theatre.
And unfortunately I didn't get to see Napoleon Bonaparte.
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There are many threads about Cinderella in ‘Discovering Ballet’. Then I’m not sure if I put this in the right place because it was my first time seeing this ballet and first time seeing this company!
Anyway, here I am.
I was told that, among four ballets to perform in the Bangkok 4th International festival of Dance and Music, Cinderella by Kremlin Ballet Theatre is a must-see programme. So I went to prove it myself last Saturday and found that the performance gave me mixed feelings.
Under the directorship of Andrey Petrov, National Artist of Russia, Kremlin Ballet Theatre has staged Cinderella since 1991, to a score by Prokofiev. Choreographed by Vladimir Vasyliev, this comic ballet emphasises mime rather than virtuoso dance. It’s short, precise, and brimming with hilarious moments.
With a combination of pastel-coloured scenery and white lace, the dancers stood out for their brightly coloured yet elegant costumes designed by Gerard Pippard (Nina Ricci). Sets and costumes seemed right (not to mention a big slice of orange on Cinderella’s stepmother and sisters’ heads!), but it was the corp de ballet that disturbed me. They obviously lacked uniformity.
The female principal was not on a high that night. Natalia Balaknicheva (graduated from Perm) had no depth as Cinderella, although displayed a pure classical style. She smiled the same way in every situation. In her solo with a shawl (which was torn into two pieces by her sisters), Balaknicheva used her ‘magic’ to piece them together. I must say it was this trick that intrigued the audience much more than her dancing.
Outstanding soloists were surprisingly the male. Loudest applause went to Ilya Osynovsky as a witty stepmother. He could dance on pointe and absolutely stole the spotlight. Konstantin Matveev as the Prince looked as if he is Igor Zelensky’s identical twin. Tall, blond, and powerful. He projected his character in every onstage moment. When he was distressed by the absence of Cinderella, he looked anxious and upset. And when he saw the stepmother forced her feet into the slipper, he was standing faint!
There were some scene reminding me of La Bayedere, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote. How?
I’d never imagined before that I’d see the Prince in Cinderella took hookah! Was he Solor?
But there was a reason. The Prince took it to calm himself down when he was madly searching for Cinderella and this, as a result, brought him a vision of his beloved one in white dress, then followed by Spanish and Arabian Dances! And after the Prince and Cinderella re-joined at the end of Act 2, there was a one-handed lift. Sound familiar?
After a 20-minute interval passed, the curtain rose for Act 2, all the dancers were in the same position as they were in Act 1 before the curtain down. I think I’ve never seen any company has done that before.
Kremlin Ballet Theatre also performed Napoleon Bonaparte, set to the score by Tikhon Khrennikov, choreographed by Andrey Petrov. There are 20 scenes in total.
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Thanks for pointing this out, Kevin. As usual, Kirov never reveals the programme well in advance, unlike other companies.
And I thought I would see Lopatkina and Zelensky in the cast list this season. Hope they won't take leave for another year!
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I'd call it radical. It always matters to me if the new designs, instead of balancing the old and the new, destroy historic character of the city. Call me conservative. I'm usually (and strongly) against the idea of importing foreign architects to design urban architecture. They know very little about the spirit of place. I call those who can harmoniously integrate modern design into the old fabric of the city great architects.
Well, in this case, E.O.Moss is not the one to blame, I think. Perhaps the Kirov management could reconsider the design. Unless they only want to create a building that attracts million of tourists to come to see it (but not ballet and opera perhaps!).
Stars of the White Nights Festival 2003
in Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet
Posted
Unfortunately, the gala performance on May 30 is not opened to the public, unless you get the invitation from the president Putin!
Room rates during the celebration of 300 years in St Petersburg are outrageous. Bilbo, you may try www.lodgingspb.com for cheaper rate in mini hotels or apartments.