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So do I! Thanks everyone who attended the Bolshoi's season for your wonderful and descriptive reports!

Dirac wrote, What's the saying? "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Obviously, it's a matter of personal preference; and what we're looking at is Jenning's personal and subjective opinion. IMO, if you're going to make "greatest" lists, I say choose specific dancers in specific ballets, choreographies, categories, genres, eras, and emploi then narrow it down.*(What Mashinka said too).

CarolinaM wrote It happens. For example, Wayne MacGregor is Resident Choreographer for the Royal Ballet.

Vipa wrote: Vipa, I agree with you. Her make-up reminds me of Bourne's "Swan Lake." I enjoy Portman's work. She's one of the few young actresses of substance out there right now. However, I hope the screenplay doesn't flow erratically like "Goya's Ghosts:" Natalie did excellent work in that film in spite of the plot. If "Black Swan" is as good as "The Company," great. If it's like "Center Stage" or "The Hills" meets "The Turning Point," not great.

Mashinka wrote: I have seen her face, but I've never seen her dance. Nowadays there's really no way to tell what the Russian ADs are looking for, or why they make the choices they make. Sometimes it's crystal clear; other times it's a mystery. It's basically a matter of personal preference - especially in the House of Blues. Will "lightening strike twice in the same place?" In nature it doesn't happen. In ballet if it happens it's rare: The Feijoo sisters are an example. It's also rare when ballet siblings both rise to the top in the same company: One usually overshadows the other. The late Natalia Bessmertnova & Tatiana Bessmertnova, and Gelsey & Johnna Kirkland are other examples. The elder Somova doesn't compare with the Bessmertnovas, Feijoos or Kirklands. Mashinka, I won't say 'don't worry,' as it's not yet confirmed whether she placed, had a showcase piece, how she fared, and whether she got any offers. In order for the Mariinsky, or the Mikhailovsky, Eifman etc. to hire her on the spot, she would need to be featured in a pdd or a showcase piece. She would also have to nail it. Well, that isn't necessarily true: In 2003, Alina was given the lead in "Paquita," but I digress. There's no news of anything like that having happened for Alexandra. Suffice it to say there aren't any official commencement videos (rehearsals or performance), like there were last year on the Theatre website. So, until they update the roster, or post a video link, or name names in the news icon, we won't know whether Sasha made the cut or not. If she did, we'll know. The Somovi look exactly alike, only Sasha is (still) a brunette.

Welcome to Ballet Talk GNicholls! Enjoy!

The Mariinsky Theatre website has posted the June 25 rehearsals, with a short interview with Tereshkina. Click on the 'Spartacus' pic on the left with "6/25/10" on the bottom caption to view it. http://media.mariinsky.ru/Play/#/en/cat1

That's my only concern....the phoneyness of contrived photo ops. This seems to be the order of the day and it has been pointed out of late, in other sectors of life. Hey, it's great that it's Vishneva, if anybody. No complaints there. I just hate anything phoney and contrived. I agree; I don't think that any offense should be taken, or that this view in anyway "diminishes" the "motives" of Diana's personal appearance at this event. It's a great honor for the students because they're getting the triple crown: The FLOTUS, the Russian FL and a world reknowned Prima Ballerina. However, when I think of the Ellington School, I think of great classical and jazz instrumentalists, singers, and modern dancers affiliated with that Georgetown-located school...not classical ballet. IMO it might've made more sense to have Wynton Marsalis or the great lady of modern dance such as Judith Jamison, someone, whom I daresay, most of the students are familiar with and identify with. *Now if the fortunate chosen few students are also fans of classical ballet in general and Russian ballet in particular, then this will be a major day for them that they'll always remember. *(Respect to the FLs). On the other hand, if classical ballet were the main topic, and Diana was the featured speaker, then a classical ballet school, like Vinogradov's Academy or Farrell's students at Kennedy might've been a better choice. MO.

Thanks everyone for your enthusiastic reports; they've been a joy to read! I wish I were there! I'm very glad to hear that both Diana and Veronika are excelling in this "Lake" production, which is so very different from the Mariinsky production. I don't mean to be a budinsky () but on point of clarification, Aurora wrote re Part: 1000 pardons - slightly veering : Veronika's career "flatlined" because of the death of her teacher and coach Inna Zubhovskaya, and the management's preferences. Zubhovskaya was her main lobbyist. Back to topic: I'm extremely ecstatic that Part has come into her own with ABT .

Kolpakova is coaching her ! Osipova's in the best hands !

Re St. Pete and Moscow: Natalia, you're telling the truth. I'm so thankful that Osipova is okay. I hope NYPD gets the perps as soon as possible. Mashinka wrote: That thought had crossed my mind too . As an L.A. native I totally agree with you Papeetapatrick: The "noire" factor you mentioned is very real. The mad dash to get out of Downtown L.A. at 5 pm is a sight to behold. As far as ballet, opera and the orchestra are concerned, the exodus is even faster after evening performances at Disney Concert Hall and the Music Center. After the Lakers won the NBA Finals last night, there was the obligatory riot. I can only imagine what would've happened if the Celtics had won - and they almost did. Increasingly, major companies are re-routing their engagements to Orange County Center for the Performing Arts approximately 57 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The after-hours safety issue may be just one of the reasons for this, in addition to the superior facilities at the Center and the adjacent hotels in that complex. In Downtown L.A. the best hotels are several blocks away from the Music Center. It's also true that L.A.'s pedestrians and drivers are subjected to DUI entertainers. The best way to avoid our cultural elite and the papparazi who chase them, is to stay away from their haunts.

OMG this is awful! Thank God she's okay!

It's very hard to choose. My favorites waltzes are: Prokofiev: "Cinderella" - the Grand Waltz from Act 2 and Slow Waltz from Act 3; "The Stone Flower," the Mistress Waltz from Act 1 and the Precious Stones Waltz from Act 3." Minkus: "La Bayadere" - the Act 2 wedding waltz, and Act 3 Shades' opening Waltz, 2nd Shade variation, and Shades' Waltz Coda. Chopin: "Chopiniana/Les Sylphides," waltz. Ravel: "La Valse" : Tchaikovsky: "Yevgeny Onegin" Waltz, Valse Mélancolique from Suite No. 3., Valse from Symphony No. 5, and the first movement from Symphony No. 4; (it's in 9/8 time 'moderata con anima,' but it's still a discernable waltz). Back to topic: Waltz of the Snowflakes, Valse Bluette and Farewell pdd from Act 3 of the '95 "Swan Lake," (the Farewell pdd "Un poco di Chopin," is actually a mazurka, but it could pass for a waltz). "The Sleeping Beauty," the Lilac Fairy prologue variation, Act 1 Garland Waltz, Act 3 Gold Fairy and Cinderella variations. Glazunov: "Raymonda" - Act 1 opening Waltz and Dream Waltz. Delibes: "Coppelia" - Swanilda's Act 1 variation and Act 3 Hours Waltz Delibes: "Sylvia" Waltz Adam: "Giselle" Grand pas des Wilis Act 2 Pugni/Delibes/Adam et.al. "Le Corsaire" Le jardin animé waltz Act 2

Tempi, engineering and conductor's interpretation are a matter personal taste. For a Western conductor's take on the complete '77, I've always loved Lanchberry. For the Soviet take on the '77 - Rozhdestvensky and Svetlanov. For the '95 performance edition, for me it's Fedotov all the way. Fedotov makes the '95 dance out of your speakers & headphones. The engineering, the clarity, the musicianship, the drama, the love for this score by the late conductor and the Mariinsky musicians -all comes together perfectly in this recording. Fedotov's is a real performance that you can "see" as well as hear. There are two "Lakes" to avoid. Gergiev recently recorded the '95. It was the soundtrack for the Mariinsky's recent "Swan Lake" dvd, a live performance with Lopatkina & Korsuntsev. The entire CD is a phoned in affair. The overture is devoid of drama and sets the tone for the rest of the score. The overall tempi is erratic, the sound is muffled and the engineering is below par. If you blink (or doze off), you'll miss Act 1. Act 2 (Act 3 at the Mariinsky), lacks excitement, the Czardas is taken at snail's pace, and the Swan Suite and last Act are played with Nascar speed. The other "Lake" to avoid is Pletnev's '77 CD on Ondine with the Russian National Orchestra (2009). Pletnev's approach is like Gergiev's, but it's the whole enchilada.

The obits are starting to come in. Here's a tribute from Voice of Russia: http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/09/9471737.html

Good-bye Marina Semyonova; rest in eternal peace.

The results have been posted. John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet dominated this year’s “Oscars of Ballet.” http://benois.theatre.ru/english/history/2010/ The 2010 Benois de la Danse recipients are: Helene Bouchet, Hamburg Ballet, "Best Ballerina" for Euridike in "Orpheus," music by Stravinsky, choreography by J. Neumeier. Thiago Bordin, Hamburg Ballet, "Best Danseur" for Arman Duval in "Lady of the Camellias," music by Chopin, choreography by J. Neumeier. Congratulations to the winners and to all the nominees and participants !

Congratulations to Osipova and Vasiliev, the Bolshoi's newest Principals !!

Please see below the details on this year's Benois de la Danse. http://benois.theatre.ru/english/massmedia/news/ Schedule: International Ballet Festival Benois de la Danse 18 May 2008 will be the Charity Gala of the Nominees to Benois de la Danse-2010 and the award Ceremony. 19 May 2010 — the Charity Gala “STARS OF BENOIS DE LA DANSE”. Stars from the following companies will participate in the programmes: Australian Ballet; Ballet Argentino, Buenos Aires; Berlin State Ballet; Bolshoi Theatre of Russia; English National Ballet; Hamburg Ballet; Karlsruhe Ballet; Mariinsky Theatre; Munich Ballet; Netherlands National Ballet; New York City Ballet; Paris Opera Ballet; Stuttgart Ballet; Susanna Leinonen Company (Finland). NOMINEES OF BENOIS DE LA DANSE-2010 CHOREOGRAPHERS: DAVID DAWSON — FAUN(E), C. Debussy, English National Ballet. TERENCE KOHLER — 11:11, L. Auerbach, Royal Ballet of Flanders. SUSANNA LEINONEN — AND THE LINE BEGINS TO BLUR, K. Laine, Susanna Leinonen Company (Finland). ALEXEY RATMANSKY — WALTZ-FANTAZY, M. Glinka, for Mikhail Baryshnikov's Three Solos and Duet. BENJAMIN MILLEPIED — ANIMA, J. -S. Bach, J. Taride, Benjamin Millepied Danses Concertantes, Dance Festival in Cannes (France). CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON — SWAN LAKE (New version), P. Tchaikovsky, Karlsruhe Ballet (Germany). BALLERINAS: МARIA ALEXANDROVA — Nikia in La Bayadère, L. Minkus/M. Petipa, (Y. Grigorovitch production); Title role in Esmeralda, C. Pugni/M. Petipa, (staging and new choreographic version by Y. Burlaka and V. Medvedev), Bolshoi Ballet. HÉLÈNE BOUCHET — Euridike in Orpheus, I. Stravinsky/J. Neumeier, Hamburg Ballet. ISABELLA BOYLSTON — Everything Doesn't Happen At Once, D. Lang/B. Millepied, American Ballet Theatre. ISABELLE CIARAVOLA — The title role in Giselle, A. Adam/J. Coralli, J. Perrot (staged by P. Bart, E. Poliakov) Paris Opera Ballet. YEVGENYA OBRAZTSOVA — Suimbike in Shurale, F. Yarullin/L. Yakobson, Mariinsky Theatre. ANU VIHERIÄRANTA — Duet in Tryst, J. McMillan/Ch. Wheeldon, Het National Ballet. DANCERS: ESTEBAN BERLANGA — Faun(e), C. Debussy/D. Dawson, English National Ballet. THIAGO BORDIN — Arman Duval in Lady of the Camellias, F. Chopin/J/Neumeier, Hamburg Ballet. STEPHANE BULLION — Albrecht in Giselle, A. Adam/J. Coralli, J. Perrot (staged by P. Bart, E. Poliakov), Paris Opera Ballet. DAVID HALLBERG — Count Albrecht in Giselle, A. Adam/J. Coralli, J. Perrot (staged by K. McKenzie) American Ballet Theatre. MICHAIL LOBUKHIN — Ali-Batyr in Shurale, F. Yarullin/L. Yakobson, Mariinsky Theatre. FRIEDEMANN VÖGEL — Solor in La Bayadere, L. Minkus/N. Makarova after M. Petipa, Finnish National Ballet. MARIAN WALTER — Prince Desiré in The Sleeping Beauty, P. Tchaikovski/V. Malakhov after M. Petipa, Berlin State Ballet. Jury 2010 consists of : Yuri Grigorovich- Chairman of the Jury Kenneth Greve- Artistic director of the Finnish National Ballet Michaël Denard- Leading professeur of the Paris Opera Ballet Wayne Igling- Artistic director of the English National Ballet Birgit Keil- Director of Manheim Dance Academy, Artistic director of Carlsruhe Ballet ( Germany) Uliana Lopatkina- Prima-ballerina of the Mariinski Theatre (St. Petersburg) Linda Shelton- the Executive director of Joyce & Joyce So-Ho theatre (New-York) Heinz Spoerli — Artistic director of the Zurich Ballet Tickets and booking information: • Bolshoi theatre, tel. 250-73-17, http://www.bolshoi.ru; • http://www.parter.ru, tel. 258-00-00; • http://www.kontramarka.ru, tel. 933-32-00; • Rossiysky Molodyojny Theatre (Teatralnaya pl., 2), tel. 692-65-72;à • Centre BENOIS, tel.916 — 106 0414 ; • The theatre box-offices throughout Moscow.

Diana Vishneva is now on Facebook . http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Vishneva/4166380532

Good discussion. I can say that in Los Angeles there's no literary "voice" for ballet; and there's no resident company. The dance going public makes do with the annual tours of the major companies. I long for the days when Martin Bernheimer was the sage of dance at the L.A. Times. Lewis Segal is Bernheimer Lite. I agree with Leonid on his point about the dearth of exemplary dance criticism in London. Now, the only critic I look forward to reading is Clement Crisp. In the Bay Area the SF Chronicle is the pom-pom squad for the SFB: They can do no wrong, and visiting troops are unfavorably measured by the SFB standard. In St. Petersburg Igor Stupnikov is an eloquent and vividly expressive wordsmith. The Anti-Stupnikov is Kevin Ng who contributes to the St. Petersburg Times. He usually publishes and posts his reviews days or weeks after the fact. When I've visited the Mariinsky I've often wondered whether Ng was really sitting in the audience, or outside in the Square.

Thank you Marc for the beautiful pics!

I agree . I've never felt the need to rent binoculars at Segerstrom. Of course, it depends on the seat you've booked. In other theaters and opera houses, binoculars are a must.

It's confirmed: God is a registered voter.

Thanks YID and cinnamonswirl for braving the snow and white-outs for your reports ! Natalia have fun in Vancouver! YID wrote: I'm so glad to hear that Katya danced beautifully. YID, that is a great compliment. Katya has the same grace and control that Lubov Kunakova had as Lilac and in the second variation in "Paquita." For example, in the "Paquita" clip from New Years' Eve, Katya's approach, presence, phrasing - all were identical to Kunakova. Slightly , Alexei Repnikov's title at the MT is "Conductor of the Off-stage Band." That means he would do things like cue the bells at the beginning of "Boris Godunov." He also conducts the Grand Brass Ensemble that plays in the MT's dress circle. It's very strange that they would send him to conduct the Mt. Everest of All Ballet Scores. It sounds like this was his ballet conducting debut - on opening night in a major venue, when ballet conducting really isn't his forte. But then again, it's not that strange: The Maryinsky has done this before with certain dancers. IMO I think it would be better for Repnikov to pay dues in the pit at home first.