Liza

I'm no fan of Macaulay's, but I wonder if it's partly down to his background as a British journalist. I have British friends who are amazed at some of the reporting on live court cases that happens in the US: they have very strict rules which can land a journalist or editor in jail and cause the trial to collapse if they cross the line. (The reasoning is that the judge or jury should be protected at all costs from anything that could prejudice them against the defendant.) Also their libel laws are a lot stricter.

Having lived there I can assure you that racism well and truly exists in Russia, more so than in any other country I have comparable experience of. As I said above, it is tolerated and even normalised.

I must say I'm surprised at these arguments that blackface is just fine in Moscow. It's like saying that anti-Semitism is OK if you're not German.

I didn't think you were. (For the record, nor am I American.) "Political correctness", as has been pointed out by many on the right as well as the left, simply means courtesy and respect for those who are different than you. What is there to object to in that?

Let's not pretend it's only Americans who have a case to answer. Many European countries were also guilty and/or complicit. That slavery has existed in many cultures in no way excuses it in any of them. If Russia isn't implicated in this particular crime, there are plenty of others in its history which either its government or its people remain in denial about. Meanwhile racism is openly tolerated there, as I've seen and heard with my own eyes. I love (and I think have a reasonable understanding of) Russians and Russian culture, but this is one area in which they could do with catching up with other countries.

I know, right? I love it in so many ways.

Absolutely beautiful image of Precious Adams being used by ENB to promote their forthcoming Swan Lake: https://www.ballet.org.uk/production/swan-lake/ Image © Photography by ASH. Apologies, I now believe this is actually by Jason Bell (see https://twitter.com/ENBallet/status/1012682239229026304?s=19)

Oh? I hadn't realised that Margot Fonteyn was Russian. You learn something every day!

Sure, but weight and build/body type are different things.

And isn't that just getting back to another facet of the disquiet about Vaziev's leadership? That the present day Vaganova/Mariinsky (and incidentally, when you're talking physique, NYCB) ideal should prevail?

You may of course think that; Petipa himself might have begged to differ: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierina_Legnani#/media/File%3ACinderella_-title_role_-Pierina_Legnani_-1893.jpg

Ah, OK

I just looked at the dates on the website - are you sure that you have the dates straight? I read that she's cast on May 28th, with Marianela Nunez in the Student performance on May 21st.

It was substantially toned down after the first night as a result of the initial reaction.