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LazerCanary

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Everything posted by LazerCanary

  1. to Kirov for dancing! O my gosh. After 4 months of no live ballet, I was dying for my fix. It does make an evening at the ballet that much more treasured, remembered, and special. I did attend the July 5 performance. Then had to run up NYC and only just recovered. O The Dancing! The rest of you who attended July 5 covered the evening well. That small slip in the beginning actually *sounded* much worse that a small slip, pointe shoe lost contact and ballerina fell flat on her side. Having done this before in skating, I spent the next five minutes amazed that she could pick right up. Bones of steel...and ice doesn't give. The men completely outshined. Konrad could go right on strolling magnificently around the stage looking handsome for two more hours, and that would not have bothered me I agree, fountains didn't quite have the effect. It was the background "white noise" of the fountains that I found detracting. That and at two points during the performance when major set changes occurred without intermission, the audience was left hanging on a very awkward pause. Certainly, most was forgotten the moment a gloriously glamorous scene was revealed. Yes, go for the dancing in Le Corsaire and not the story. It's really bad. I wanted to take my boyfriend to this one as it is his first time to see a ballet. It would have been perfect for him had his schedule not turned over like a turtle. Lots of action. Great dancing by a wonderful company. We can worry about the story line when he graduates to Ballet 201 :rolleyes: Is it my imagination or does the Kirov have a stronger corp these days than Bolshoi? I haven't crazy about the Bolshoi corp in a couple of years. Kirov just looks stronger. And my gosh those MEN I loved the Kevin MacKenzie story. Hysterical. Poor guy.
  2. Wait a minute here! Must, must, must put in 50 votes for Manuel Legris! My sister and I saw him fly around the Paris Opera in Coppelia. Ahhhhhh! Stunning! Such a nice bonus that my boyfriend looks quite much like Manuel!! http://www.manuel-legris.com/index2.html
  3. Sooo...HOW was it? I'm dying to know, because it looks like I'll get my first chance to see PA Ballet at the Sunday matinee. Line-up for the matinee is Julie Diana, James Ady, and Alexei Borovik. I vaguely recognize Julie Diana's name. Does anyone here have unique insight on these dancers? It's either PA Ballet or the Dali Special exhibition down the street... ~Lazer Canary
  4. Quiggin - awesome post. Can scarely believe that it was only last week that I saw Fejoo dance *another* marvelous "Giselle". She was superb. Made up for a very bad "Giselle" that I saw in the Fall at Kennedy Center. I loved driving around all over those insane SF hills, seeing light pole flags on virtually every street corner proudly advertising the SF Ballet's season with the unbelieveably sensual and amazing Lorena Fejoo as the poster child. IMHO, thought the Princess Bathilde did the best job I've seen in years of being highborn and snooty. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the performance wearing my grandmother's mink coat O SF Ballet! Still so wonderful!!!! ~Lazer Canary
  5. Wow. I just read everyone's comments. Very insightful. I attended the performance on Jan. 19. Had a seat in the Orchestra far back. Really hadn't intended to splurge on this, but chalk it up to an insufferably bad day in the office. IMHO, audience was more of an opera audience. I chose this over Cinderella, because I had always wanted to see bits of Russian opera that are rarely played over here. I suspect that is also why other patrons were in attendance. I also wanted to see the Russians dance Balanchine. What a funny turn of the coin, to shun him then welcome him. Of course, many of you sound as if you have kept pace with these events in the ballet world, and already enjoyed such performances. I am a confessed, late blooming snail. Sometimes sitting all the way back has its merits. Since I have left my binoculars at home, I settled in to enjoy the shapes in the choreography and the carriage and lines of the dancers. Someone earlier in this group expressed displeasure with Maxim Ziuzin. Having not ever read the story for La Valse, I read out of the performance what was laid before me. I really enjoyed Ziuzin; well, it is true that I am extremely partial to the dark-haired male leads , but I found his bearing correct with this character of pure evil. Perhaps he felt that smiling (which I could not see) added an edge to the evilness? I also liked the transition for the White Girl, so everyone here calls her. She gave a look of horror into the mirror on first donning the necklace, but then willing sought the mirror again and then the gloves and covering. Those steps seemed a little awkward, but it seemed to me that the dancers bodies matched the perceived theme. Without having read the story, I had assumed that this was a statement about material desires and the evil that offers it. Sort of a metaphysical twist on the traditionally more human emotions of love and revenge that fill the traditional classic ballets. As a member of the audience, I leapt from attending only the classics to a 15 year absence from passionate following of dance, and was suddenly met with Balanchine and all that. In the last four years, my education has been fast, but in a sense I can identify with someone who's sensibilities were bounded. Sometimes, I think that being true to someone else's story is impossible, because we all have different interpretations of the same scene. Maybe it is better that way. It keeps the dance fresh, a living thing. I can't imagine being 16 years old and dancing Odette/Odile. I haven't lived that long. How could I have already endured such sorrow, become acquainted with such evil? Well, getting back on track, La Valse was really lovely. I enjoyed the precision of the Kirov in dancing Balanchine. Having seen NYCB last year, they seem a bit rushed. Black Swan Pas de Deux struck me as a bit stiff. Jewels drew a round swell of "oh" at the sight of the lovely costumes. It was after all an opera audience, and glamour is part of opera, IMHO. It was really quite cool to see the Kirov men dancing Balanchine. I don't know why. It was just really quite marvelous. Le Corsaire, hmmm. Yes, I think Sarafanov danced excellently...by himself. It will be interesting to watch him as he develops his partnering skills and potential. Come to think of it, it would be rather interesting to see him partner Anastasia Volochkova. She is not one of my favorites, but the lady does command the stage when she's on it, a pity at the expense of the choreography. Dying Swan with Uliana Lopatkina was truly fabulous. Quite the highlight. But really my favorite performance was La Valse, because it gave a chance for all the dancers to dance and show off their dancing. That's the nice thing about Balanchine. Well, I realize that most of you are ballet fans and not opera fans, but the lyrics to Merchant of Sadko were fabulous. Wonderful poetry. And I felt complete, having had the opportunity to hear fine singing. After all, the Russians are famous for the "basso". I wonder if these Spectaculars are taken seriously by the Kirov in that mixed bills, I usually consider to be teasers to get people who ordinarily do not see ballet or opera, to try it out. Either ways, thank you to the Kirov for helping me end my day in infinitely better spirits. Thank heavens for dancers. Lazer Canary Silver Spring, MD
  6. I chanced by a magazine shop carrying the common and the rare. Of course anything with dancers on the cover always catches my eye. If you have not seen the Nov/Dec 2004 issue of "Russian Life", it features Svetlana Zakharova and Sergei Filin beautifully in mid-jump, lovely legs extended straight down through the toe points. What a fabulously lovely pairing. She is dress in the costume for the Pharoah's Daughter. I made a photocopy for my office wall to show people what beauty and lines really means! The article is about "Behind the Bolshoi: Backstage at the great ballet company". Not a bad piece. You should be able to acquire copies of the magazine on www.russianlife.net. If anything, just for this oh so wonderful photo. ~Lazer Canary
  7. <earnest question> Could the Jason Hartley fans explain what it is about Jason Hartley's dancing that they like so much? I have seen him dance on a number of occasions, and the dancing has never left an impression on me. I just feel dead neutral. So, you see, I was quite surprised to see this thread.
  8. Well! I am very glad to see that Morgann Rose received note by the papers. I sent an enthusiastic email to WSB when I saw her dance in 7 x 7 as a studio member. She magnetically draws the eye. In fact, she reminded me very much of Katita Waldo of SFB. They have dramatically different lines, but there's something about that stage quality. Overall, I was so absolutely proud to see our very own in-town ballet company dancing a real classic for the first time. This comment will temper my next picky statements. The acting of the company overall was very good. The port de bras of the corp could do for extra work. At fast transitions, they lose their beautiful carriage. Of course, I've seen the Bolshoi blow it on occasion, so maybe it was just an off night. Speaking of off nights, I wonder if Jimenez was having problems with her feet on Preview Night. As for Urguelles and Jordan, hmm. As individual dancers they were very exciting and excellent to watch. Their timing in partnering bothered me. Either she's fast, or he's slow. It depends on how one interpeted the music. I promise to be a loyal supporter of WSB as long as I am in town. Anything for to have a live orchestra.
  9. I saw Rasta Thomas as Albrecht in "Giselle" with the WSB last Wednesday. Quite frankly, Mr. Thomas is superb. He deserves every inch of what he strives to achieve with his dance career. :rolleyes: Acting = 5 stars from coy to panic to grief and agony Solos = Flying high with an unbelieveably delivered Act II Partnering = excellent (as an ice dancer, I can't begin to say enough of how important good partnering means!) One of these days, maybe we'll get lucky to see Mr. Thomas partnering Morgann Rose. I am *so* glad that to see that she has been promoted to the Company. ~Lazer Canary
  10. Thank you, Alexandra. The former is unlikely , but the latter recommendation sounds vaguely familiar and may just be the very thing! ~Giselle
  11. Would you happen to know of this book? I bought Ballet in Moscow Today by Helene Bellew at a used bookstore earlier this year. It was published by the New York Graphic Society, but there is no information provided on the copyright date. Usually, one may pick up a clue when the author signs the Preface but not in this instance. I am curious about the date of publication, because I would like to know more about the context in which this author is writing. It is probably around the 1960's, and the Western author seems to write as if she spent a season watching the Company perform...in the USSR. Profiles of the prinicipal and character dancers are written about in minute detail. Ulanova, Lepechinskaya, Plisetskaya, Struchkova, Yermolaev, Preobrazhenski, Kondratov, Koren, Lapauri, Karelskaya, Chorokova, Cherkassova, Gotlieb, Sekh, Evdokimov, Andrianov, Zhdanov, Chistova, Bogolubskaya, Banke, Tikhorminova, Farmanyantz, Kouznetsov, Horlov, Gerber, Homutov, Radunsky, Kashani, Olenina, Golovkina, Iluchenko, Kapustina, Tuchina, Efremova, Makedonskaya Many thanks for assistance in the detective work! B) I am also looking for the title and publisher of another book about the Bolshoi. Unfortunately, the only clues I can provide here are that it was a coffee table book (large format) with many, many color photographs of the Bolshoi to match their repetoire. What fascinated is that through these photos was my first encounter with "The Fountains of Bakhchisarai", and an overhwelming joy at viewing photos of "Stone Flower" (more than just 1 and in color). There were other ballets that I had never seen, and guessed were deemed not popular enough outside of the former USSR? I am soooooo happy to hear that the Bolshoi will be bringing these ballets forth. I am not so worried about whether the story line was strong enough to withstand the test of time, as I am about viewing these dances to get a sense of what audiences viewed back then. If you are familiar with such a book, please share the title! I keep kicking myself for having not sprung for it at the famous Strand Books (eight miles of used books *gasp*). ~Giselle the Lazer Canary
  12. And mine, too! I had heard about Rasta Thomas. Wasn't sure if size of the ego and the quality of the dancing would pair up. Can't wait to see Washington Ballet dance "Giselle" now. Originally, I thought I would wait until ABT danced same said ballet in the Spring, mostly because I had never seen ABT live. I grew up spoiled with joy by ABT on television, and then opted to seen other companies who did not get the same kind of exposure. Thanks for starting the inquiry about Mr. Thomas!
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