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Ballet lovers

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  1. For more informations about the Vinogradov 's version, you can read our review of this ballet in the " Other European companies".
  2. Thank you so much Natalia for your reports! They are really very nice and interesting. We like also very much Thomas Lund. He is a really great "master" of the Bournonville style!
  3. On the 22 of May, in the Maly ( Mussorgsky ) Theatre of Opera and Ballet in St. Petersburg, was represented a really pleasant reconstruction of " La Fille Mal Gardee ". This version by Oleg Vinogradov, was created in 1971 for this theatre and was a really big success ( first brillant main interpreters : Galina Pokrishkina and Nikita Dolgushin). The very difficult and acrobatic Vinogradov's choreography, was really impressive especially for the audience of that time. Even now, it is very difficult to imagine any artist to dance this so difficult version. This ballet was mantained in the Maly Theatre's repertory till about 1983-84 and was always a huge proof for many "Principals". We remember, at this purpose, very strong couples like Alla Malisheva - Piotr Rusanov or Ludmilla Filina - Alexader Evdokimov. Really amazing and funny was also Nikolai Boyartcikov ( now artistic director of the Maly's Ballet ) as " Lisa's mother " and Gherman Zhamuel as the stupid " Alain". In 1994 Vinogradov staged his " Fille" for the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre and he chose a really wonderful cast of "Principals" for different performances : Margarita Kullik - Vladimir Kim and Irina Badaeva - Fethon Miozzi. These two pairs were really unfogettables ! Each one in different manner. All the other Mariinsky's artists who danced this version later ( Larissa Lezhnina, Irina Shapciz, Serghei Vikharev, Stanislav Belaevsky etc. ), couldn't give the same sensations. Kullik - Kim, were, as usual, brillant and light with a very brillant actor's play. Badaeva - Miozzi were more shiny, joyful and " in love ". We remember that even many people of the audience were divided in " Kulikov" and " Badaiviki" to underline the different fans of these two pairs. This event recalled Taglioni's and Essler's time ! Obviously, after the " Vinogradov's fall " in the Mariinsky Theatre, this ballet, one of the most beloved by the audience, was sweeped away to give place to a multitude of useless and boring ballets that sometimes are even a huge shame, like the last " Magic Nut ". ACT ONE: Very original and nice the scenes of this act who recall the ceramics " GZHEL". Unfortunately the costumes of "Lisa" and " Colin" were not on the same tones so they were not "in theme" and quite irritating ( red costumes, blue scenes !!!). The corps de ballet was quite clean even if with some insecurity on the scene of the "hayloft". Not really convincing M. Padosionov as " Lisa's mother". His actor play is too formal and often incomprehensible. Maybe it is difficult for us to accept this kind of artists after brillant interpreters of this role like Boyartcikov or Ghennadi Babanin at the Mariinsky. Very good the "Alain" of D.Tolmaciov. He was enough "stupid" and funny as this role has to be. Oksana Kutceruk and Roman Mikhalev in the main roles were not bad but not very convincing in their pantomime. It seemed they didn't feel really at ease on the Vinogradov's choreography. The most of their variations or duet, were not very accurated. ACT TWO: Not really successful the rose scenes and quite all the rose costumes of this act.Sometimes was even difficult to distinguish some soloists from the corps. The corps de ballet was accurated except of the children of the Vaganova Ballet Academy who seemed to be not very ready. This was really strange ! Very good in this act " Alain" ( Tolmaciov) and "Lisa's mother"( Podosionov) in their variations. Absolutely wonderful I.Filimonov, D.Salimbaev, A.Kuzhnetzov and N. Arhiaev in the beautiful acrobatic-dance of "sabot" ! Kutceruk and Mikhalev were good in their last "pas-de-deux" and they brought this act to the end with big dignity. Big success at the end of the performance ! The audience has missed "new" good ballet performances. It seems is much more interesting to attend more often the Maly Theatre than the new stupid ballet productions of the Mariinsky.
  4. Hi Natalia ! It seems the music and some of the costumes were the same of "Princess Pirlipat".Obviously the choreography is different but...no good results ! Another useless production for the Mariinsky Ballet ! Very sad situation.
  5. It is really more and more painful to see how the credibility and the professionalism of the Mariinsky ballet is falling down after every performance. Obviously the fault is not of the artists because they are all professionals of high-level but only of a shameless direction who has the proud to stage this kind of performances on this stage. A clear exemple of the no competence and impudence of the ballet direction, is this " world premiere" of the "Magic Nut". Of course the Mariinsky Theatre, as every top company, wants to be very unique and original in comparison with the other world top-companies , staging everytime new works to attract more attention of the audience but it seems that this " gold rush " has maked them lose any rule of judgement. We think that, in absence of good works, it will be better for the theatre to perform his traditional repertory and avoid this shame ! ACT FIRST: The only very interesting sight of this staging, were, without any doubt, the costumes and scenes of Mikhail Chemiakin. So, if in the most of the whole act the choreography of Donvena Pandoursky was so stupid, irritating or practically non-existent, we could admire other things, unfortunately so far from ballet. Absolutely beautiful and full of power the interpretation of Anton Adasinsky from the theatre "Derevo" as "Herr Drosselmeyer". His plasticity and rough figure as a dredful marionette, had gave the right definition of this role. Andrey Merkuriev and Maya Dumchenko in the main roles, were good , even if it is quite difficult to judge them from their rare commonplaces dance pieces. Very nice was also Irma Nioradze as "Temptress" ( except her bad "fouettes"). It seems she can dance better this kind of roles, with a more "free" tecnique and interpretation, than the pure repertory where she is often very rude and not accurated. The most terrible scene of this act, was the " Sea Kingdom" were it was so sad to see top ballet artists compelled to perform sea wiches, sea demons,,jellyfish, seaweed, seahorses etc. with an awful choreography and music, as in the last amateur dance company in a village. Especially, was so awful to see a so good dancer like Ekaterina Osmolkina as an irritating , excited frog who tried to violate everytime Aidasinsky and the poor Merkuriev. ACT SECOND: The corps de ballet was absolutely terrible and not accurated as also in the first act. Maybe not so much rehearsals, or maybe not so much will of the artists to dance this stupidities. We can understand them ! In any case, this act was a little more interesting as choreography. At least some ballet "pas", variations and corps de ballet's scenes to name this performance " ballet". Very good Evghenia Obraztsova and Alexei Nedviga as " The rat Jester" and " The Royal Jester". In the last " divertissement", maybe the only really interesting part of the whole ballet, all the ballet pieces were wonderfully performed by all the artists. We have distinguished especially Maxim Khrebtov, Vasily Sherbakov, Mikhail Lobukhin, Dmitry Pikhachov as "Turkish Suitors", and Maxim Ziuzin, Alexander Sergheev as " Hungarian Suitors". Very amazing also the pupils of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in different roles. A huge " bravo" to their teachers ! Big success on the end of the performance ! For all the children in the audience it was a really wonderful sight. Without any doubt, they can have now more fun in the Mariinsky Theatre than in Disneyland !
  6. We don't think that Serghey Popov has danced main roles before. We have seen him only in the corps and sometimes in second roles and in "coriphees" roles. Unfortunately we didn't attend this performance of " Bakhcisarai" but it is difficult for us to imagine S. Popov in main roles. We think he is not quite ready for them yet. He has a very nice face but he is still technically faible with a too skinny legs without muscles. Besides his actor play is not still convincing. Maybe is still early for him. Let's wait .
  7. We don't know. We don't think so. In any case it seems that with Pavlenko everything is O.K.
  8. The same used to said of Vera Trefilova when she was stuck dancing cutesy roles like Manu & Fairy Canari, early on in her career. When she was finally given her chance to dance Aurora, she was seen as a true classical leading ballerina &, later, THE definitive Aurora of the Diaghilev ballet! Just because a dancer is shortish, cute of face & possessing a wide smile (when warranted) does not mean that she doesn't have the makings of a great ballerina in the great lyrical roles...and many feel that Evgenia Obratsova does. Unlike Sheshina & Kullik, Obratsova is proportionally long-limbed (as were Trefilova & Makarova). It's sometimes good to think outside the box. <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
  9. What a beautiful joy, after this continuous indigestion of Balanchine's , Forsythe's repertory, to watch the main classicals ! Only now we can appreciate these events, when the main repertory is not so frequent like in the past. What a sad situation !!! It is also a so big pleasure to see a huge audience after the quite empty hall during the "modern" repertory. Maybe this is mean that the main classicals are still the only to rise the true interest of the public in Russia ( and, we think, everywhere). We only hope that the today's ballet direction, will uderstand it ! ACT FIRST: Unfortunately, the main corps de ballet is now on tour in Cardiff so we have not seen the "cream" of them but ,in any case they danced well and precise all the first act. Good Marianna Yakovleva and Valeria Martiniuk ,among the "Giselle's friends". Very good and "ispired" also Pavel Moskvito on the role of Hans. Not really nice and convincing Sofia Gumerova in the main role. She is too tall ( and with a too short "ballet dress"), clumsy and with too faded features. Maybe she doesn't feel the role or maybe she simply needs of a good make up. Perhaps, no wonder if her dance-manner is " à la Balanchine" that have not really place here : too "nervouses" and agile mouvements of legs and arms without the right width. This is the new wrong tendency of the ballet direction. What to do if the theatre is losing his style dancing quite only a " stranger" repertory ? Her variation was not bad except of her insecure " tour-en-attitude". Her " mad scene" was also not convincing and even boring. Ilya Kusnetzov was also clumsy and technically faible in this act. His prince Albert was unpleasant, too cynic and sometimes absent. This is quite strange for him because, usually, he try to be very expressive everywhere ( sometimes too much till the parody). Fairly good the " peasants pas -de- deux " with Elena Sheshina and Vladimir Shklyarov even if with many technically mistakes in his variation and in her coda. SECOND ACT: The corps de ballet was very good and even during the whole act : good syncronism and precise lines as usual. Very nice and precise were also Ekaterina Kondaurova and Tatiana Tkacenko in "Monna" and "Zhiulma" . Gumerova seemed to feel more at ease in this act as Kusnetzov also. They danced well and with the right expressiveness ( even if his "cabrioles" in the variation, were quite poor). Victoria Tereshkina in the role of "Myrtha", was really superb. We think that it is really her best role at all .Her beautiful lines and amazing jump are really impressive here. Perhaps, to be ballerina of " second roles" is her holy place. Absolutely irritating and out of style, the last Kusnetzov's " jetes" to the Giselle's grave. They looked like funny gymnastic's exercises during the world competitions and they absolutely didn't give the impression of any pain or repentance as any mouvement has to , at this time. This is a further proof of a cheap taste of some dancers.
  10. In any case, we don't think that Dumchenko is among the " smalls". She is quite tall !
  11. You are true Thalictum, the "small" ballerinas have to be proportioned ,with nice long arms and legs, that is why we have mentioned nice and gracefull dancers like Efremova, Ayupova, Badaeva or Ivanova. You are true about Obrastzova but we think that is very pretty and nice to watch in any case. The main thing for her , is never to be overweight to seems everytime proportioned .
  12. Natalia, unfortunately we didn't attend the last " Sylphide " with E.Obrasztova but we have seen her before in this role and we liked her very much. She is very pretty and light like a real "Sylphide".Her "Juliet" was also very sweet and touching. It is very conforting that the Mariinsky theatre has finally understood that needs also small ballerinas for the repertory and not only that the height is the only main thing in the classical ballet. Today it is becoming really impossible to watch on the stage "Sylphides", " Auroras", "Mashas" or "Juliets" etc. taller sometimes, than their partners and, in many cases, absolutely clumsy. We think that Obrastzova, after S. Efremova, Z. Ayupova, I. Badaeva, V. Ivanova, is one of the most nice and "small" ballerinas who could make come back today the right aesthetics and the right conception of lightness, grace and expressiveness that has characterized the great ballerinas in the past in this roles.
  13. For many people, the Soviet Era was destroying for all the type of arts: many restrictions, many forced changes, many artistic souls " killed". Sometimes this is true. For example, the Soviet authorities have "destroied" many masterpieces of the great choreographer Leonid Yakobson, that was forcerd to change them everytime for stupid rules. In any case he was so talent that he could give us the most beautiful exemples of great and genious choreography. Unforgettable his versions of " Spartacus", " Shurale" and all his choreography miniatures. Even now we can't find anything genious on our choreographers ( and even in the West). When George Balanchine came to America ( where of course there was not any Soviet trend ??? ), the ballet art was absolutly not developed but his "genious mind" found the way to create immortal masterpieces. This is the real talent of any choreographer: to be genious indipendently of any political current or any sad artistical situation. Kostantin Sergheev did a splendid version of "Swan Lake". Maybe the most beautiful in the classical repertory, keeping to the Soviet rules ( the "happy end" of the story). Even now his version is the most beloved independently of his end. Not only from "the end" we can value the choreographer's talent !
  14. Hi dear Natalia, we know that Kunakova is working just only with Tereshkina in the Mariinsky theatre but it seems she is not a great teacher even if she was a very good ballerina. Besides it seems that now the Mariinsky ballet is more attentive to the "modern" repertory and is forgetting the main classicals. For exemple in "Raymonda" the corps de ballet seems sometimes not really in a good form, with faible legs and feet. In the past, ballets like " Sleeping Beauty"or "Swan Lake", were represented twice a week so the troupe was always in the best dazzling form. Now, when this ballets are represented twice a month, the most of the dancers seems to be frightened on the stage, not involved with the performance they are dancing. It seems they are not understanding what they dance , even if we are talking about very capable people ! " Raymonda" is one of the most difficult ballet for technique ( 6 variations for the ballerina) and for style so if the Mariinsky ballet dance it so rarely, is impossible to maintain this rules. Maybe it will be better less Forsythe , Balanchine etc. and more " Swan Lakes" or " Raymondas" to have the company in better form, isn' t it ? Julia Makhalina was really very nice and convincing in " Raymonda", in both of the versions of Sergeev and Grigorovich, that is why maybe she is not dancing any more this roles: why have a competition for the young, insecure today's ballerinas ? We think Makhalina could be a really big exemple for all the young generations but it seems the ballet direction doesn't understand it at all. We only hope she will be all right after her last injuries and to see her dance as soon as possible.
  15. Tereshkina is trained by Lubov Kunakova as far as we know. She is a very promising ballerina but maybe she needs to rehearse more or to work with another teacher. Her " Raymonda " was good but with many technical and style mistakes: no nice final poses, no really strong technique, no convincing manner. We' ll wait for her better performances.
  16. Thank you very much Natalia for your reports ! They were really very interesting !!!
  17. Thanks Marc for your opinions, we have really appreciated ! Sorry about Olga Chenchicova that you like so much but we think that, also in her generation , there were much more interesting and nice ballerinas with the same, large repertory of her : Lubov Kunakova, Galina Mesenzeva, Valentina Ganibalova or the youngnest Altinai Assylmuratova and Yulia Makhalina . But of course it depends of the own tastes. Chenchikova was a great ballerina with a large repertory but not really so nice and charming how the others we have mentioned maybe for her specific proportions. We remember for exemple when she danced Balanchine's " Theme and Variations " or Petit's " Notre-Dame de Paris" where she was absolutly difficult to accept. In any case she was amazing in technician roles like Kitri or Medora. This is just our opinion. It is really a big fate's present that the Vikharev's versions of the " Beauty" and " Bayadere" are not in the repertory now. We were so happy when we have known about it ! Perhaps the bad reactions of the audiences and the terrible reviews everywhere have contributed to remove them. Praise be to God !!!
  18. Hi Thalictum, you have the completely right disagree with us because anyone has the own taste and this is not debatable. In any case we trying everytime to be sincere as most as we can when we write our reviews. Scherbakov has proved many times that he is a good dancer. We remembered very good performances of him like "Scotch Symphony" or " La Sylphide" in the past for exemple. The last night he danced not bad but not really nice and amazing. Maybe because he was tired or because , how you have written, he was not in a good mood. This can happen with any dancer ! We would not think that the ballet direction has really destroied his equilibrium how they did with many other good dancers. In any case we are sure you know that the theatre's life is like in a jungle, it is very hard everywhere unfortunately, and only very psycological strong people can live and stand all the humiliations. So let's wish to Vassili Scherbakov don't fall in depression and to show himself in his most dazzling form everytime. The fact that the Kirov management or the single dancers have changed the opening of the man's variation, is absolutly inconceivable and unpardonable. We know that the first part of this variation is very difficult and not "confortable" but we never seen in the past nobody who has re-choreographed this variation to suit the own possibilities. Whole dancers generations have danced this variation without any problem or injury, why now they can't ? If somebody is not be able to dance the original choreography, is better don't dance at all !
  19. On the Tchaikovsky Festival, it can't lack the most famous and beautiful of his ballet. Besides, for many years " Swan Lake" was the "visit-card" of the Mariinsky Ballet and, fortunately, even now the ballet troupe seems to keep this fame and tradition. We only hope that any Serghei Vikharev or other insignificant and mediocre choreographers like him, will never massacre this beautiful version that has maked " holy" the russian ballet wordwide. ACT ONE: The corps de ballet was really very clean and precise. The male one also cause often is worse than female. We have distinguished especially Denis Firsov, Maksim Khrebtov and Mikhail Lobukhin for their good presenting and nice " actor-work". Elena Bazhenova like the "Queen" was nice and elegant. The Pas-de-trois ( Daria Sukharukova, Ekaterina Osmolkina and Vassili Scherbakov ) was danced good generally. Sukharukova danced for the first time and she was not very clean especially on the end of her variation. Scherbakov has changed the first part of the original choreography of the male variation, maybe because it is difficult for him now. In fact it seems he is not in a completely good form : he has often very stiff arms and neck and he is not very accurated. Besides, his hair-do like Antonio Banderas was irritating and not in the right style. Osmolkina danced good and strong her variation. Danil Korsuntzev seemed everytime to take a rest during this act : only nice poses almost omitting the dancing pieces. That is why maybe, in his "monologue" ,he was not clean and it seemed he had not enough " warm-up". Perhaps he is bored to dance this role everytime. Grigori Popov has improved his " Chout". He danced very well except of the final " grand-piroettes" where he almost fall down. Second scene ( Swan scene ) : This scene was absolutly beautiful ! The corps de ballet of the "swans" was perfect as if it was drawed by a great painter : beautiful legs and feet, wonderful lines and mouvements. Excellent the "little" and " big" swans. Only Alexandra Yosifidi, the biggest swan, was untiaesthetic. It seems everytime she could touch the sky with her head ! Alina Somova has good capability maybe for the future but she is categorically not ready to dance this kind of roles yet ! Her "Odette" is rude and immature and absolutly not touching. We can't understand why Somova dance main roles at all ! Maybe only because she is Olga Cencikova's pupil. Cencikova was a very technique ballerina but also very ugly, with square shoulders like a wardrobe, no neck and without feminility. It is really incredible how Somova looks like her ! ( even if Somova has at least a nice and capable body ) . ACT TWO: The corps was very nice and clean again. All the character dances were very good. We like very much the "spanish dance" ( G. Rakhmanova, Ti En Riu, I.Baimuradov, F. Lopukhov ) , A. Yakovlev and K. Dubrovina in the "hungary dance", E. Obrastzova and A. Kulikov in the " Napoletan dance". G. Popov was very good in this act. The "Odile" of Somova was terrible ! No technique, no sensuality , not any actor play. Her " fouettes" were awful and we thought she fall down soon but , fortunately, she was not. Korsuntzev danced well but with some uncertainty in his variation. ACT THREE: The corps de ballet was beautiful, Somova was poor and extinguished at all and the unlucky but brave Korsuntzev has seen her to the end of her calvary.
  20. One of the best current examples of a true ballerina who constantly surprises in different types of roles is the Bolshoi's Maria Alexandrova. I was so bowled over by her comedy in Ratmansky's Bright Stream, especially after seeing her in the classics & in modern sturm und drang like Eifman's Russian Hamlet or the Poklitaru Romeo & Juliet. Alexandrova is a dancer who defies categorization. We have seen the last time Maria Alexandrova on a very exciting Gala-programme in St.Petersburg we have reported on the "Recent Performances" not long time ago. She danced the " Faraon's daughter" and she was really amazing. You are true !
  21. "Ballet Lovers, I'm afraid that she's not a fiery Kitri type but...who knows? As for 'Beauty,' Lopatkina became the Lilac Fairy par excellence in the K. Sergeyev version before the new-old Vikharev reconstruction took over. I can't imagine a more perfect role for Lopatkina in 'Beauty' than Lilac: majestic, generous, all-knowing... As a naive 16-yr-old dainty Aurora? I don't think so but 'wild pigs can fly' on the Kirov stage, nowadays (alas)!!! I'd love to see Lopatkina in Neumeier's Kameliandame or its Ashton counterpart, Marguerite & Armand. Or how about Lopatkina returning to dance Raymonda some day? Now THERE's her natural-born role...a 'clapping variation' as I've never seen before or since!" Natalia reply to this post: We were not in time to post our reply on the thread of the "Lopatkina prize".It is closed now. So we post it here and maybe the assistent of this thread will move it there. Sorry. You are really true Natalia! Lopatkina can't be fiery and temperament woman. We have seen this for exemple in her interpretations of " Paquita", where there is about the same "spanish character" of Kitri. In " Giselle" she was not enough touching and convincing especially on the first act. In "Sheherazade", not enough expressive and sensual like, for exemple, Makhalina, Vishneva or Gronskaia. But...who knows? We think that sometimes the artists have to "challenge" their nature to prove their real talent. Zhanna Ayupova for exemple has showed her talent dancing with success almost all the Mariinsky's repertory even if maybe many roles were not so near her character, her personality. The same was for Galina Mesenzeva, Valentina Ganibalova or Gabriella Komleva in the past and now with Svetlana Zakharova ,Diana Vishneva, Nadezhda Graciova etc., just to quote some russian female ballet stars. Yulia Makhalina, on the contrary, has showed her wonderful qualities like" Odette-Odile", "Nikya" or " Makhmene Banu" but she was absolutly not "in role" in" Nutcracker","Sleeping Beauty" or "Giselle". Lopatkina is nice, majestic and generous in quite all the roles she dance, the Balanchine's repertory included, but sometimes she seems really cold and quite indifferent to her partner. So is a ballerina can be a " prima assoluta" and a world star if she can't or she refuse to dance capital masterpieces like " Nutcracker","Sleeping Beauty", "Don Quixote" or "La Sylphide" ? Is it a problem the fact that the today's generation ballerinas are too tall to dance everything and with everybody ? In any case it could be really very interesting to see Lopatkina in " Kameliendame" or " Marguerite & Armand". But is she really able to be touching and dramatic or " to melt herself into tears" ? We have some doubt.
  22. Zhanna Ayupova is pregnant now. We also hope she will come back soon to dance but nobody knows if she wants this !
  23. Inside of the "Tchaikovsky festival", it was really very interesting and curious to attend this "Sleeping Beauty" after the last not very successfully performance we have seen ( Novikova- Kolb) . The theatre was full again. It seems russian and foreigner people still loves very much this performance and, even if there are not sometimes so interesting casts, they want to see this beautiful Sergeev's version that, we think, is uncomparable with anyone we have seen. PROLOGUE: At this time , the corps de ballets was much more precise. Finally it seems they have rehearlsed with the new dancers also ! In any case the Fairies ( D.Smirnova, E.Chmil, E.Vassiukovich, Y.Selina, Y.Serebriakova) were not much better : In their pieces with the corps, they danced sometimes by themselves and not "in music". Yana Serebriakova was absolutly not clean in her " arabesques" in the "entree". Diana Smirnova, Elena Chmil and Elena Vassiukovich danced "dirty" and quite weak their variations. Olga Yesina like the " Lilac Fairy", on the contrary, was quite clean and large in her mouvements. We think she could be a very good interpreter of this role with some more rehearsals. Roman Skripkin was not so perfect like "Carabosse", but absolutly better than Islom Baimuradov on the last performance. Skripkin , at least, tried to give the right "ugly" character of this role and he was not so vulgar and "cheap" like Baimuradov. ACT ONE: It was really a big pleasure to see the full cast of the corps de ballets on the stage on the "waltz", the Vaganova's Ballet Academy pupils included and not the half of the miserables dancers we have seen the last time when the company was in tour. They danced very well and clean. Olesia Novikova has improved some technical mistakes from her first appearence but in any case it seems she doesn't understand the right "tender-style" of the role of Aurora: - rude and stiff mouvements - "heroics" final poses like in " Le corsaire" absolutly not in style and everytime with irritating "breaked" wrists. It is really very strange that her teacher, Olga Moisseeva, once one of the best ballet teachers on the Mariinsky Theatre who has "created" beautiful ballerinas like Assylmuratova, Mesentzeva , Makhalina and Zakharova, can't teach to Novikova the right style of this role and she doesn't give any attention to the cleanliness of the mouvements! Yesina is also Moiseeva's pupil now but we hope she will only improve herself with her. To be just capable , is not enough to become ballerina ! ACT TWO: The corps de ballet, especially the female one on the scene of the "vision", was absolutly wonderful with precise lines and very clean mouvements. A real pleasure for our eyes !! Vladimir Sklyarov danced the main role for the first time. He is very technical and capable ( we have seen him in " La Sylphide" and other roles also) and he has very good potential to be a good dancer at all. He has not a very charismatic face and presence but if he will work hard and on the right way he could go beyond this big fault. His variation was not very clean in this act. Besides he appeared with a big, large hat that has shortened him very much and maked him look like a" walking mushroom". He danced well with Novikova the famous and beautiful "Sergheev's adagio" on the "vision" but she was very rude and "dirty" in her variation again. The wonderful and impressive scene of the "panorama" ( when the prince is leadind by the Lilac Fairy to Aurora's castle and the scenes are moved as give the impression that they go boating ) was almost omitted at all. Too much and hard work for the stage-workers ? ACT THREE: In this act, we were interested to see some another first appearence. Grigory Popov on the role of the "blue bird" was one of them but we were disappointed of him. He has a very good jump and nice " batteries" but he was very frightened and not accurated. Besides his make-up was really terrible. He looks like Dracula and not like a bird ! His partner, Ksenia Ostreikovskaya was also not very clean and sure of herself. Maybe they were not helped also by the terrible and fast conduction of Boris Gruzhin that seems everytime to be in hurry to go home and doesn't help the dancers at all. His extremely fast music, on the other acts also, maked the dancers to be often not in time. Very well all the Fairies ( Y.Serebriakova, D.Sukharukova E. Sheshina ). Yana Selina like " gold fairy" for the first time also very well. Diana Smirnova, for the first time like the "white cat" was not bad but too tall for this role. The final pas-de-deux of Aurora and Desire, was danced well but without particular brilliance especially by Novikova. We can't understand why almost all the dancers of today's generation in the Mariinsky are dancing without large mouvements and nice "port-de-bras" that have characterized the Russian ballet style worldwide. The Mariinsky Ballet has a very large repertory now ( Balanchine, Neumeier, Petit, Forsythe etc.) that should help the dancers to " grow up" better but it seems it is happening the opposite. It seems they are more busy to rehearls the new works forgetting the right style of their main classical repertory. In the past the Kirov dancers were much more interesting and unmistakable than now even if today we have also many exemples of talent artists especially among the ballerinas. It is a very big pity because the "kirov style" is really unique and it will be a huge damage to lose it.
  24. Thank you very much Natalia for your information. It is a really big pity that the Mariinsky Theatre is going to close for a so long time. We knew about it but we hoped that somebody will stop this useless project to reconstruction of the Theatre and to built a second stage. Sometimes the audience hall is quite empty especially if there are not important performances or interesting casts. Why a second stage? At this purpose, there was a big "meeting" in St.Petersburg with many people against this project. Besides the new reconstruction is absolutly out of the style of this lovely city ! Many years ago, the Mariinsky Theatre was closed also for big repairs and all the company of Opera and Ballet worked for about three months in Kisheniov ( capital of Moldavia) where there was a new theatre, for that time, with a big stage. So all the Opera and Ballet performances were on the usual high level. Now, when the Theatre will be closed for two or three years (!!!!), it is really very interesting how the Ballet company, accustomed to dance technically and with nice ,large mouvements, could perform on the so small stage of the Alexandrovsky Theatre. We have seen some ballet performances there and the dancers seemed like sardins in tins! ( even if the Ballet troupe of Helsinki, has danced there for many years). Maybe the people who wants this reconstruction and thought to work on the stage of the Alexandrovsky Theatre didn't know that the dancers need space to move sometimes or maybe they didn't care so much about it. For somebody, the main thing in this world is only the Opera.
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