Ostrich

I've never been able to get past the first 50 pages of the first LOTR book or past the first chapter of "The Hobbit."

'The Hobbit' is my all-time favourite fantasy classic - no contest! Just shows you...

Some more confessions:

I never finished

The Way of All Flesh

Canterbury Tales (eeew, boooring)

One thing that is never quite right in the musical is 'Show Me', simply because it doesn't equally apply to both Higgins and Freddy

I thought the idea was that it didn't need to apply to Freddy - Eliza is merely taking her frustration about Henry Higgins out on him because he's an easier target. At least in the "My Fair Lady' interpretation (as opposed to 'Pygmalion). But it's never been my favourite part.

The main flaw with the movie to me is too long a number for 'Get Me to the Church on Time'; that should have been cut in half.

Nah, I love the part, but otherwise I think that's a very accurate assessment.

OK, everyone seems to agree that we don't want to see Keira Knightley in the role, but if there has to be a remake, who'd be a good candidate?

A lot of people can’t get through Middlemarch, a favorite of mine. Go figure.

Mine too But I couldn't stand Silas Marner and, while I got to the end, it was due to a lot of cheating and skipping.

I tried and failed so often with Jude that I finally had someone bring me a copy of the Cliff Notes and I forced myself to read each chapter of the Notes and then of the text, and find every dreary point the Notes brought up.

sandik, I resorted to the same expedient with The Mayor of Casterbridge in high school. I never did get around to trying the book again and perhaps I should.

I haven't managed to read the book again -- I couldn't even sit through the PBS Masterpiece Theater program!

Funny thing is, it's one of my favourite books. I've read it several times and it ranks as my favourite Thomas Hardy novel. But I only got through Jude the Obscure because I insisted on having read every Hardy novel...

I know I had to read "Little Dorrit" in college and I know I must have, but I don't actually remember any of it. ANY OF IT.

'Little Dorrit' is the one and only Dickens that I couldn't finish - and I gave it my best. Funnily enough, I liked Dickens more when I was younger. I think the black-and-white characterisation didn't bother me as much then.

Thanks for the review, Marc - I was jumping up and down in my seat waiting to hear how that debut went.

It is often said that these Grigorovich characters are one-dimensional, but one really starts to doubt such statements when true personalities sink their teeth in them.

Are there PARTS of classic novels you've avoided?

Yes, definitely. Or, to rephrase, there are classics that I love, but only in part. The most striking example I can think of right now is Daniel Deronda. The first half - I can't stop reading; the second half - I really only forced myself through it because I liked the first part so much and thought the story would pick up again.

Nor did I finish the "Golden Bowl" but did read the easier "Ambassadors" and the incredible "Portrait of a Lady" (version 1).

I often wonder whether anyone ever enjoys some of Henry James's novels such as The Golden Bowl and The Wings of the Dove. I find them almost unreadable, and I tried hard because I really love many of his works(Portrait of a Lady, The Europeans, Washington Square), and I feel like I am missing out...

Yup, I also had problems with 'Vanity Fair'. And Tom Jones and Huckleberry Fin. Also (so far) Anna Karenina - I'm working on it. Also any Anthony Trollope.

Then there are books that I could only get through on my second (or more attempt). This includes Jane Eyre and Ivanhoe. I really enjoyed both, in the end.

One for turning, one for jumping, one for partnering and one for his lines.

Oh, I like that idea. Here's mine:

Angel Corella

Irek Mukhamedov

Cyril Pierre

Nikolai Tsiskaridze

Present:

Johann Kobborg

Andrei Uvarov

Friedemann Vogel

David Hallberg

Past:

Yuri Soloviev

Maris Liepa

Rudolf Nureyev

Fernando Bujones

And, how about a popculture version of "Diamonds," entitled "Rhinestones"?

Or Swarovski Crystals

Albrecht writes a story about his deception of and redemption by Giselle. The title is "Willi Or Won't He, Albrecht's story."

I haven't heard of Yegor Khromushin before. Does anyone have any info about this dancer?

Either way, I'll be interested in what you have to say about the performance!

An interesting question.

As far as I know, Vasiliev and Maximova partnered each other at school already and married just after their graduation. So that was one partnership with very early beginnings!

Alternate ending Sleeping Beauty:

When Aurora finds some dude about 80 years younger than her (with the wierdest taste in clothes and hairstyle) kissing her awake, she goes straight to Carabosse and asks to be put back to sleep. This is emotionally so damaging for the 'wicked fairy' that she sees no more point in being bad and sets up as the Lilac's biggest rival in 'good magic'.

The prince is so shocked by the experience of a 116-year old 'statue' coming alive when he kisses it that he is assigned to a mental asylum for the remainder of his life.

Would that be Ivan Vassileiv's premier as Spartacus? That should be very interesting and I'd love to hear about your impressions.

Lobukhin (Mariinsky) with Osipova (Bolshoi) in all things Don Quixoty. I recently discovered Lobukhin and I am quite ga-ga. I keep wishing he'll go over to the Bolshoi so my fantasy can be fulfilled!

"QUOTE

Kogda-to's first meaning is 'Once upon a time' but could also be 'once' or 'formerly'.

Thanks for explaining the nuances of translation. In this case, it wouldn't make a difference though. I quoted 'once upon a time', but the same would apply if it had said 'formerly', for example. It is true for Ulanova and Semyenova, but Fadeyechev still coaches Tsiskaridze (in fact, has now replaced the other two teachers in coaching him for all his roles).

This critic seems a bit confused. First she says:

It's true, though, that on the Moscow stage today there is no one capable of being a sufficiently charismatic and brilliant leading man to contest Mr Tsiskaridze's announced precedence.

...and then goes on to criticise his dancing(and acting) as the very opposite of brilliant, but as mincing, affected and pretentious.

Also I think Ms Kyznetsova has some of her facts wrong.

Apparently new stage roles aren't so urgent for the 34-year-old artist as new roles in life

Tsiskaride frequently in interviews mentions his dissatisfaction with the fact that he does not get to dancing new roles.

Three roles in the Benefit -- Solor in Bayaderka, Narcissus in the eponymous miniature, and Herman in Pique Dame -- were dedicated to three legends of Russian ballet, Marina Semyonova, Galina Ulanova and Nikolai Fadeechev, who once upon a time prepared these roles with Nikolai Tsiskaridze.

'Once upon a time' is true for Semyonova and Ulanova, but Fadeechev still coaches him in all his roles, as far as I know.

Ms Kyznetsova seems to have a problem with Tsiskaridze’s popularity with a non ballet going public and the fact that he appears regularly on television.

I have noticed this attitude from critics before - lamenting his immense popularity as if that in itself detracted from his dancing.

Thanks for the translation, delibes!

So either I would be sitting next to a horn player or there would be no orchestra.

In that case you must have been glad there was no orchestra! ;)

I can't remember when last I saw a foreign company (or even a local one) performing to live orchestra. Even the Bolshoi brings 'canned music' when they visit here. It is a pity as it does affect the ambience of the whole thing dramatically.

It's not a BUTTON, but a key that the ballerina turns. Don't know about any strings

I don't know why, but that's very funny! Like a clockwork ballerina with a key in the front! I wonder how it remains hidden. It must be a really, really tiny key. I have noticed the strings, although I have no idea how it works.

Regarding the Sleeping Beauty, while I enjoy the dancing of Lezhnina and Ruzimatov very much, there are some costume choices that really hurt me, like the courtiers in the last act. And - can it be true - does Ruzimatov wear glitter on his hair for the wedding scene??? My only big complaint about Lezhnina: her "awakening" is so bland, compared to Ruzimatov's intensity, I want to slap her!

This brazen use of someone else’s name suggests unscrupulousness and a lack of respect towards one’s own company.

As far as I know, the 'Yakobson' company has never used the name "Constantin Tatchkin Theatre", but either St Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre or (as a contraction) St Petersburg Ballet Theatre, which, as previous posters have pointed out, was their name before the Tatchkin Company even existed. So I don't know about 'using someone else's name'.

Yes, and I believe 'Baryshnikov' means 'horse thief' and Tsikaridze's name is related to 'evening star' ('tsiskari'). And I once knew what Nureyev meant, but now I forgot. Something nice I think...

And what, to get back to some semblance of the original topic, does Vasiyev/Vasiev(whatever) mean?