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Cygnet

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    The Bolshoi under Vaziev

    in Bolshoi Ballet

    Posted

    On 10/4/2016 at 9:37 PM, Helene said:

    Taking out one company at a time.

     

    Unfortunately for the Bolshoi, taking out one A.D. at a time, is also true.  I agree with volcanohunter's observations.

    What I saw wasn't very encouraging; however, Vaziev is trying to reset, re-adjust and get his bearings.  The Bolshoi

    is an entirely different animal than the Mariinsky or La Scala.

     

    Evgenia Obraztsova

    in Dancers

    Posted · Edited by Cygnet

    Obraztsova recently delivered twins!  Congratulations to Genya and her husband, sculptor Andrei Korobtsev!

     

    *Edited to add:  She had girls. 

     

    Skorik

    in Dancers

    Posted

    ".... the only one with that power is Maestro Gergiev....or is Fateev doing whatever he wants while the Maestro is abroad?

    It isn't 'either/or;' it's 'yes' and 'yes.' Gnossie also posted, "

    "You just can't put on a tutu, be a favorite of the AD and be promoted to Principal when you have NO attributes to be a Principal.

    Friendly point of clarification: Fateyev is not an "AD;" he was appointed by Gergiev 9 years ago as 'Acting Ballet Director'

    when former Ballet Director, Makhar Vaziev left for La Scala. Fateyev is now 'Deputy Director of the Ballet Company; Ballet Master.' After 12 years of successfully doing the work of an AD, Vaziev requested that title from the Maestro and the Maestro denied him the position. La Scala (and now the Bolshoi), did not. As to your second point about promotions to Principal, in the Kirov/Mariinsky of the past - no - such things were diligently avoided. In the Mariinsky of the last decade - yes - it has happened and continues to happen. Unfortunately, there will be no change in the status quo of the Mariinsky Ballet, until there is a change at the top of the Mariinsky Theatre org. chart. That means that either Gergiev retires or is dismissed. Neither scenario is likely to happen anytime soon. The reasons why are many. However, the main reason is that Gergiev is a successful brand for Russia. He is their ambassador of music, the "Face" of their nation's cultural elite, and has very close ties to the most powerful. The second reason is that Fateyev has the Maestro's ear and confidence. He is a "yes" man who doesn't make waves. This frees the Maestro, who doesn't care about the Ballet to jet set with his baton. Therefore, the Ballet is in the hands of Fateyev who has carte blanche to run it unchecked.

    Royal Ballet's Frankenstein

    in Ballet Videos, Films, Broadcast Performances, Photos, and Interviews

    Posted

    I co-sign Mashinka & Natalia's posts. Here's the list of sponsors who funded this: http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/frankenstein-by-liam-scarlett. I'd love to know if they believe they've gotten their money's worth. I can understand the management's wish to give young choreographers their chance at creating full-length ballets. However, the fact remains that there are just some subjects that do not translate well to the ballet stage. The time to figure this out is before mounting a brand new full-length work and underwriting the expenses that go with it.

    Yulia Stepanova

    in Dancers

    Posted

    "...Weren't there any similar interviews of Obraztsova or Zakharova about why the came to the Bolshoi?"

    Yes. I recall that both were very diplomatic and didn't say anything derogatory against the Mariinsky. In Zakharova's case, she was already established Mariinsky star and explained that she wanted to grow as an artist. Vaziev was Ballet Director at the Mariinsky when she left. By the time she joined the Bolshoi, she already had a standing invitation to join from Vladimir Vasiliev when he was A.D. After 7 years at the Mariinsky she finally decided to make the move, long after Vasiliev was ousted. As the Mariinsky's Ballet Director, Vaziev gave Obraztsova her first opportunities. After Vaziev left to become La Scala's A.D. (a title Gergiev refused to give him at the Mariinsky), Fateyev became acting ballet director and he curtailed her progress. She compesnated by outsourcing her services while the Mariinsky was her home base. She guested at the Stanislavsky while Sergei Filin was A.D. there. When Filin became A.D. of the Bolshoi, he invited her to join as a Principal. Now, Vaziev is their boss again. It's déjà vu.

    2016-17 Bolshoi cinema season

    in Ballet Videos, Films, Broadcast Performances, Photos, and Interviews

    Posted

    So far there has been very little indication that Grigorovich is interested in Obraztsova. For example she has never danced Legend of Love at the Bolshoi, even though it was a ballet she had danced at the Mariinsky. Nikulina is the likelier candidate. She has danced Lyuska in the past, but more recently she has also performed the Rita-Boris duets.

    I honestly don't think the Bolshoi could improve on the film of The Bright Stream it made in 2012. Sadly, Lunkina is now gone, and time and injury have cost Alexandrova quite a bit of her elevation, so her lezginka wouldn't be what it was a few years ago.

    As it happens, the Bolshoi's Sleeping Beauty in January will get competition from the Royal Ballet's production in February. That's already over-saturation. At least with the competing Giselles this season the performances took place about six months apart.

    Frankly, I am astonished at the re-broadcast of Swan Lake, which is already available on DVD.

    I'm ITA with you. I'd rather see the Royal's "Beauty," than Grigorovich's 1973, mach speed, two act, glam-glitz edit. As for Obraztsova, I too would love to see her Aurora again. However, it seems to me that some virtual oil of vitriol has splashed on her career there.

    2016 Benois de la Danse Nominations

    in Ballet Presentations, Lectures/Symposia, Exhibits & Awards

    Posted

    Here are the 2016 Benois de la Danse nominees. The awards will be presented at the Bolshoi Theatre next month.

    Choreographers:

    • Mauro Bigonzetti - "Cinderella," (Sergei Prokofiev), La Scala Ballet
    • Alexander Ekman - "A Midsummer Night's Dream," (Mikael Karlsson), Royal Swedish Ballet.
    • Johan Inger - "Carmen," (George Bizet/Rodion Schedrin), Compania Nacional de Danza; "One on One," (Franz Shubert), Netherlands Dans Theatre.
    • Benjamin Millepied - "Clear, Loud, Bright, Forward," (Nico Muhli), Paris Opera Ballet.
    • Justin Peck - "Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes," (Aaron Copeland), New York City Ballet.
    • Maxim Petrov - "Divertissement of the King," (Jean-Phillipe Rameau), Mariinsky Ballet.
    • Yuri Possukhov - "Hero of Our Time," (Ilya Demutsky), Bolshoi Ballet.
    • Zhang Yunfeng - "Emperor Yu Li," (Eleni Karaindrou, Wei Dou, Baoshuo Tan, Suola Liu), Beijing Dance Academy.

    Ballerinas:

    • Alicia Amatriain - Blance DuBois, "A Streetcar named Desire," (S. Prokofiev, A. Schnittke), J. Neumeier,"The Devil," "The Soldier's Tale," (I. Stravinsky), D. Volpi, Stuttgart Ballet.
    • Rebecca Bianchi - title role "Giselle," (A. Adam), P. Rouanne, Rome Opera Ballet.
    • Sara Mearns - Leading part, "Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes," (Aaron Copeland), New York City Ballet.
    • Hannah O'Neill - title role, "Paquita," (E. Deldevez, L. Minkus), Pierre Lacotte, Paris Opera Ballet
    • Oxana Skorik - title role "Sylvia," (L. Delibes), Sir Frederick Ashton, Mariinsky Ballet.
    • Gina Tse - Odette/Odile, "Swan Lake," (P. Tchaikovsky), M. Ek, Royal Swedish Ballet.

    Dancers:

    • Joshua Hoffalt - Prince Siegfried, "Swan Lake," (P. Tchaikovsky), R. Nureyev vesion; "Theme & Variations," (P. Tchaikovsky), George Balanchine; Lucien d'Herville, "Paquita," (E. Deldevez, L. Minkus), Pierre Lacotte, Paris Opera Ballet.
    • Kim Kimin - Solor, "La Bayadere," (L. Minkus), R. Nureyev's version, Paris Opera Ballet.
    • Hugo Marchand - Solor, "La Bayadere," (L. Minkus), R. Nureyev's version, Paris Opera Ballet.
    • Amar Ramazar - "Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes," (Aaron Copeland), New York City Ballet.
    • Alessandro Riga - Frederi L'Arlesienne, (G. Bizet), Roland Petit, Festival dei Due Mondi, Spoleto.
    • Dmitri Zagrebin - Basil, "Don Quixote," (L. Minkus), R. Nureyev's version, Royal Swedish Ballet.

    Scenographers:

    • Jean-Marc Puissant - "Concerto Concordia," costumes, (F. Poulenc), choreographer, C. Wheeldon, Dutch National Ballet; "Other Stories," set and costumes for W. Whelan, E. Watson's recital at Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, London.
    • Ren Dongsheng - "Emperor Yu Li," set and costumes, Eleni Karaindrou, Wei Dou, Baoshuro Tan, Suola Liu, Zhang Yungfeng, Beijing Dance Academy.

    2016 Golden Mask Nominations

    in Ballet Presentations, Lectures/Symposia, Exhibits & Awards

    Posted

    The 2016 Golden Mask nominees have been announced. The nominations cover the 2014-2015 theatre season.

    This is the annual award that the Theatre Union of the Russian Federation bestows on excellence in the performing arts.

    The categories cover everything in live theatre, from music to puppetry. So far, only best production nominees are listed in

    each category. The individuals in the Best Director categories for live theatre and puppetry are named, but not for ballet,

    conducting or opera.

    The nominees are:

    • BALLET/ BEST PRODUCTION
    • STEP LIGHTLY, Opera and Ballet Theatre, Yekaterinburg
    • UP&DOWN, Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre, St. Petersburg
    • ZEITGEIST, Sergey Danilyan Project, Russia-USA
    • A HERO OF OUR TIME, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
    • THE CURTAIN, Opera and Ballet Theatre, Yekaterinburg
    • WHEN IT WAS SNOWING, Opera and Ballet Theatre, Perm
    • MINOS, Ballet Moskva (Moscow), Moscow
    • MOZART AND SALIERI, Sergei Danilyan Project, Russia-USA
    • ORANGO/ HYPOTHETICALLY MURDERED, Opera and Ballet Theatre, Perm
    • THE STEEL STEP, Opera and Ballet Theatre, Saratov
    • LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE,Opera and Ballet Theatre, Yekaterinburg
    • TATIANA, Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre, Moscow

    Here is the complete list of nominees in all categories: http://eng.goldenmask.ru/gm.php?id=126

    The winners will be announced on April 16 at Moscow's Stanislavsky Theatre.

    Name 5 ballets.

    in Ballets and Choreographers

    Posted

    • "The Sleeping Beauty" with Lesley Collier (Aurora), Anthony Dowell (Prince Florimund), Monica Mason (Carabosse), Marguerite Porter (Lilac Fairy), Jennifer Penny & Wayne Eagling (the Bluebirds)

    • Giselle" with Carla Fracci, Laetitia Pujol, Evgenia Obraztsova, Olesya Novikova & Ekaterina Osmolkina

    • "Ballo della Regina" with Merrill Ashley

    • "La Bayadere" with Altynai Asylmuratova, Daria Pavlenko, Victoria Tereshkina & Uliana Lopatkina

    • "Swan Lake" with Olga Tchyentchikova-Vazieva & Konstantin Zaklinsky, Daria Pavlenko & Uliana Lopatkina

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