Cygnet

Thanks Natalia for your wonderful report! Brava Novikova & La Scala!

She is indeed a unique Juliet . In addition to her guest "Don Q" with the Bolshoi October 16, she will be dancing "Ondine" at the Mariinsky this Friday evening. Pierre Lacotte chose her for this role when he produced it for the Mariinsky, and it was this role that earned her the Golden Mask Award. On October 30 she will be dancing Columbine in "Carnaval" at the Mariinsky Concert Hall, and she ends the year on December 29 and 30 at

the Megaron in Athens as Odette/Odile to Igor Kolb's Siegfried as a guest of Moscow's Kremlin Ballet.

Congratulations to David Hallberg !

Natalia wrote:

Interesting news. I sincerely hope that Hallberg's integration will be a smooth and happy one. The Russian companies are perhaps the "hardest nuts to crack" insofar as foreigners (dancers from countries outside the old "Soviet orbit") being truly welcomed are concerned. The top Russian troops are among the LEAST globalized ballet companies on earth.

This is very true Natalia. For example, Xander (dubbed by the Russians 'Alexander') Parish left the Royal Ballet for the Mariinsky Ballet; and although his rank, accomplishments and international stature aren't comparable to Mr. Hallberg's, Parish seems to be marking time since his move to Petersburg. And this, even though Yuri Fateev personally invited him to join the Mariinsky.

Alexander Vetrov is a Grigorovich acolyte & a very 'political' figure in the theater, which should help Hallberg's cause. If you're new at the Bolshoi, you want the "Grigorovichi" on your side.

Alexander Vetrov has survived many storms, ADs and General Directors at the Bolshoi. He made his career during Grigorovich's tenure, so it's excellent for Hallberg that he will be working with him.

Congratulations Catherine Pawlick!

Congratulations to the new hires ! Vladislav Makarov and Yarolsav Ryzhov were accepted. It's interesting that both Smirnova and Shapran the two strongest females, and the strongest male, Sergei Strelkov, opted out. We'll soon see where Strelkov and Shapran end up.

abbatt wrote:

When the Kirov visited New York a few years ago, Vishneva and Lopatkina alternated the role of Zobeide. Did Lopatkina do the role during the London visit? I have a hard time picturing Tereshkina in that role.

Lopatkina wasn't cast as Zobeide; this time Diana and Uliana are tag teaming "Anna Karenina." Tereshkina is actually an excellent Zobeide; (as is Dasha Pavlenko 'ksk40' ).

Novosti, the Russian International News Agency has compiled a commemorative montage of Sergei Berezhnoi.

http://ria.ru/photolents/20110805/412280971.html

This is very sad news. Seriozha Berezhnoi was a gentleman, a danseur noble's danseur noble: Graceful, quiet, humble and unassuming.

He was also an astute and effective teacher. May he rest in perfect peace. My condolensces and deepest sympathy to his wife

Tatiana Terekhova.

Ms Somova reminds me of a young athlete who "goes pro" far too soon, and then doesn't live up to the hype, and then the arm chair quarter backs make fun of the athlete for disappointing them. No one talks about all the adults around the young person who pushed him/her into going pro so soon. There is just echo chamber back biting.

This has been raised and discussed many times on various threads. Regardless of why a dancer is featured, the performance he or she puts on stage is the valid subject for criticism, just as it is when any professional athlete performs before the paying public.

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I hope that the way Somova has been cast this year under a newish administration is based on sanity having been restored, for her sake and ours; however, I'm sure we can all recall numerous times and circumstances when a great dancer has been shelved for reasons that seem inexplicable.

For the sake of brevity, what "Simon G," "Mashinka," "Jayne" and Helene have said with this addendum: I would like to point out again, (and I've done this on a few occaisions) that Somova was put in this position by the Vazievs and Fateev. The latter made the situation worse by promoting her to Principal in Fall 2008. Is this Somova’s fault? No. Her problem has always been the fact that she hasn't been able to deliver what Makhar, Olga his wife, and Yuri thought she could deliver. When the truth manifested itself in their faces over, and over and over again, they refused to listen nor adjust their position. I don't feel sorry for Somova because even the likes of Farrell, Maximova and Fonteyn (for example), great Primas who were given everything at an early age like Somova – rose to the challenge and fulfilled their promise. Why? Because they already had what they needed in their "kits" from jump; Alina did not. This is why Somova is in the untenable position she finds herself today.

This was filmed live on New Year's Eve 2006. Daria Pavlenko is credited as Florine, but she didn't dance that night. Yulia Bolshakova

danced Florine that night, but is no longer in the company.

Thanks Natalia! Yes; now it is official. Olga Smirnova goes to the Bolshoi Ballet instead of the Mariinsky .

Deleted.

International ballet stars will come to Paris May 31, 2011 to dance for Japan earthquake relief.

They will dance at Le Palais des Congrès de Paris.

http://www.lesetoilespourlejapon.com/en/

Gala participants are:

http://www.lesetoilespourlejapon.com/list/

Thank you and "Brava!" to all of them!

Just short off topic correction - it was Moiseyeva's gala. The dancer who did Odile on Kurgapkina's gala was her pupil Tatiana Tkachenko.

Thanks for that Bianca, it was Moiseyeva’s Gala, which took place January 26, 2009 . According to my souvenir program, Novikova and Ivanchenko danced the Odile pdd during Part 1's divertissement.

Thank you Marc, not only for your beautiful pics, but for your eyewitness account of Yevgenia's debut summed up in these two sentences:

One of the most remarkable ballerinas of the Mariinsky Ballet, so far Obraztsova has been denied the much coveted role of Odette-Odile by her home company. Seeing her perform at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre on 23 April 2011 made that refusal look utterly pointless.

Indeed. The Mariinsky management's stance is moot now.

However, re this role, things may change for Obraztsova. None other than Olesya Novikova will be making her debut as O/O at the Mariinsky Theatre on June 18, 2011.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2011/6/18/1_1900/

Novikova has danced the role in bits and pieces for appreciation galas before, (such as the Odile pdd for the late Kurgapkina's final gala at the Mariinsky), and recently, in full-length with Zelensky's Novosibirsk company last July in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Novikova is also "short" and essentially a soubrette (like Yevgenia), compared to the Blue House Swan Queen Aesthetic that's currently in favor. Oxana Skoryk (recently promoted coryphee) will be the next exponent of that aesthetic, with her debut coming up on May 14, with a "quick," (well, by the Mariinsky's standards), follow-up performance on June 26.

Novikova's coach is Olga Moiseyeva, who also trained Galina Mezentseva, Altynai Asylmuratova, Yulia Makhalina and at the very beginning of her career, Uliana Lopatkina. However, unlike Yevgenia, Olesya (and the ballerinas just listed) have danced "Raymonda" at the Mariinsky Theatre. Raymonda is also one of the roles which Yevgenia has had to outsource. With Olesya's imminent debut on the home stage, Yevgenia is still 0 for 2 at home for these two ballets. Olesya and Evgenia both graduated in the Class of 2002 in M. Vasilieva's class. Ekaterina Osmolkina and Diana Vishneva each waited a decade for the privilege of a Mariinsky O/O debut. Now, it will be very interesting to see how long they'll take to give Yevgenia Obrastzova permission for her's.

This is awful! I first encountered her brilliance when she portrayed Coco Chanel - one of the select few actresses who have done so on film. My deepest condolensces to her husband and family.

Congratulations to Katya and Leonid!

Uliana may lead "Diamonds" as compensation for the cancelled Juliet debut. I don't think she'd appear just once during the annual Festival. The situation is always fluid at The Blue House.

Mariinsky Ballet 1st Soloist Ekaterina Osmolkina has been awarded the title "Honored Artist of Russia."

Congratulations to her!

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news1/news1/29_228march/

Obrastzova's April 23 O/O debut is sold out.

http://www.stanmus.com/schedule.html?Month=2011-04

http://www.ticketland.ru/wg.dll/buildinfo?id=3619&view=1

This is the end of an era. Rest in peace Liz.

Links to these press releases from mainstream press or official company websites, please. Fan sites are not official sources.

With pleasure.

Генеральный директор Большого театра Анатолий Иксанов на прошлой неделе заявил, что из множества кандидатов на должность он отдает предпочтение Махару Вазиеву. И это было предсказуемо: его репутация балетного интенданта безусловна благодаря 13-летней успешной деятельности в Мариинском театре. Но нынешний контракт Вазиева с театром Ла Скала действует до второй половины 2012 года, и он решил его не прерывать.

http://www.rg.ru/2011/03/18/filin-site.html

... A very reputable publication, I might add. There are others, of course.

Now this:

His "leadership" was so outrageous, that MacMillan's widow, Lady Deborah MacMillan almost pulled it because of his ineptitude as well as his inability to deal with the theatre's unions.

Sorry to be so dense, but why on earth Deborah MacMillan who resides in GB if I am not mistaken cares about union situation in Italy?

Quite simply, the Bolshoi turned Vaziev's wish-list down. He wanted to bring himself, his wife and Somova with him, in addition to the not yet Vaganova graduated little sister (Alexandra Somova) as a coryphee by-passing the Bolshoi corps.

Cygnet, will you kindly substantiate the above claims with relevant links, thus satisfying "no gossip" rule of the board? Will be very much obliged.

No it's my pleasure, Angelique. Lady MacMillan "cared" because Italy's union unrest last year greatly effected the new production of "R & J" she went down to Milan to oversee. Lady MacMillan oversees all redactions of her husband's ballets, wherever they're mounted. She owns the license and she can pull it at her discretion. Vaziev was "MIA" through the entire process, especially in addressing her concerns with La Scala's unions. This is just one

reputable source of that entire saga. The publications in Italy were alot more colorful.

http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1894:milan-romeo-and-juliet-la-scala&Itemid=29

On your last point, this is from today's Moscow Times which not only confirms (with finality as the city paper Filin's appointment), but also he speaks in his own words his concern about the Bolshoi's image, which I alluded to in my reply.

Iskanov may have desired Vaziev to take the job; but the last word comes from the Kremlin. With the Bolshoi it has

ever been thus. You brought up Vaziev's professional ethics; I clarified exactly what’ "Vaziev Ethics" means to certain Mariinsky principals and soloists whom I know personally. As far as Somova is concerned, Vaziev has always had an agenda. Over the last 7 seasons it's pretty obvious what that agenda is. On the other hand, the truth has no agenda. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/arts_n_ideas/article/bolshoi-theater-gets-new-artistic-director/433381.html

This effectively shuts out the Vazievs (and by extension their pupil). What a buzz-kill for them. Makhar Vaziev's La Scala contract expires in 2012.

Not sure where the above logic leads, but as it is, the position of Artistic Director of the Bolshoi had been offered to Makher Vaziev first and foremost, fact which is supported by numerous press releases of the day. Kudos to Mr. Vaziev for having put professional ethics first most and not breaking the contract with one of Europe's leading cultural institutions in the middle of the run.

Well let's see if this "scans" for you. There's was only one press release confirming Filin as the successor. The others namely Moscow Times and Kommersant et.al. were speculative as to who might be chosen. It is a fact that Vaziev's contract in Milan ends in 2012. La Scala isn't really chomping at the bit to keep him; not after December's Somova Lake Fest, or his mis-handling of the MacMillan production of "Romeo & Juliet" last year. His "leadership" was so outrageous, that MacMillan's widow, Lady Deborah MacMillan almost pulled it because of his ineptitude as well as his inability to deal with the theatre's unions. Vaziev is the kind of man who would save face publicly by saying (and this isn't sourgrapes), "I have the other commitment; ergo I didn't really want it in the first place." The Bolshoi didn't want pay for play, (pay for performance), a practice that was started by Vaziev and has been perpetuated by his successor Fateev. After the Volochkova Era, and this recent bro-ha-ha the Bolshoi didn't want to go down that road, because that's precisely what they would have gotten if they had chosen him.

*Edited by Cygnet to remove hearsay.

This is great news for Filin and the Bolshoi ! They didn't let the grass grow under their feet filling this post.

Natalia wrote:

Well, I don't think we'll have to worry now about the Moscow public throwing tomatoes at Somova or anyone else affiliated with Mr/Mrs Vaziyev.

This effectively shuts out the Vazievs (and by extension their pupil). What a buzz-kill for them. Makhar Vaziev's La Scala contract expires in 2012.

Mashinka wrote:

" . . . Check out the Russian forums and you’ll discover just how unsavoury the sentiments are and thoughts can sometimes turn into actions, ergo an unwanted director can expect a rough ride. . ."

Anything can happen in Russia re ballet management/administration.

Alina Somova would indeed become Prima Ballerina Assolutissima of the Boslhoi should Vasiyev/Chenchikova relocate to Moscow. I am now wondering if the Bolshoi developments may, in some way, be related to Somova being taken off recent Mariinsky North American engagements? Just a little thought.

I'm trying to see a bright side of this, like Somova leaving post haste for Moscow and not appearing with the Kirov in London this summer.

Seriously though, would the Moscow audience stand for that? They are a vociferous bunch and I know of principal dancers having brooms thrown at them on stage or having someone let off an alarm clock during a solo. If they do that to their own, what could Somova expect?

Thank G_d the Somovi aren't relocating to Moscow.

Mashinka wrote:

Seriously though, would the Moscow audience stand for that?

No.

They are a vociferous bunch and I know of principal dancers having brooms thrown at them on stage or having someone let off an alarm clock during a solo.

True. If Vaziev had gone to the Bolshoi and brought Alina with him, he would have to be her human shield because she would be the prime target of the Moscow audience and critics. They're still reeling from Somova's Golden Mask win as the Tsar Maiden in "Little Humpbacked Horse" over Osipova's monologue in "Russian Seasons" last year.