Buddy

Muhteşem — Magnifique ! If I was 50 years younger.... 😊

Here's where a review is noted and can be discussed. http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/43711-miami-city-ballet-program-iv-and-simone-messmer/

Any review that delves into the ‘Sea’ of Simone Messmer is a friend of mine. “In MCBs Program III, Messmer showed during Robbins’ “Other Dances” a knack for treating pianist Francisco Rennó as a co-equal performer, and she did that during “Concerto DSCH” as well. Rennó was astonishing - prestissimo doesn’t capture the velocity of his playing in the first and third movements.” “For instance, during the adagio second movement, Messmer animated a simple arabesque in very different ways depending on the piano’s dynamics.” http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2018/04/miami-city-ballet-ends-season-with-ratmanskys-concerto-dsch.html (thanks to BalletcoForum)

I would say that the ‘Greatest’ -- in the world today would simply have to do with being so exceptional at what ever she’s good at that she stands alone overall. She simply commands the stage like no other, has an impact like no other. Anna Pavlova was not considered a ‘complete’ ballerina. Olga Smirnova, for me, could be that person. Her overall package and its effect, in my opinion are unequaled, perhaps since Anna Pavlova. Her presence is both sympathetic and hugely compelling. Her Vaganova based technique/style is probably as finely constructed as it gets. She has excitement and interest. She experiments, takes chances and she’s always growing. And I could probably go on and on, and have. There’s a large number of ballerinas that I really love and admire, but, for me, she does stands alone. Added: Having said this, I might say that being the ‘Greatest’ does not necessarily mean the Favorite. We all have our personal criteria and love.

Anyone who can do the best job that they're able and who'll feature Myriam Ould-Braham as much as possible. I feel about her as I do about Svetlana Zakharova/Olga Smirnova/Alyona Kovalyova at the Bolshoi and did about Ulyana Lopatkina at the Mariinsky. They are one of a kind gems. And I'd love to see a lot more of her. If there are serious issues to be redressed at the POB then I wouldn't know whom to suggest, but I would hope that it would be the most capable and sympathetic person possible. Since there is in fact a Director, Aurelie Dupont, then maybe she deserves all the support possible, unless things really seem needing of another person.

And now a brief return to Topic since you've pointed us in this direction, Mnacenani. Alyona *Swan* will be doing another coveted debut, “La Bayadere”, May 2, and I know that you’re planning to be there. Hope that it’s a great one for you. In the company of Svetlana Zakharova and Olga Smirnova (and Ekaterina Krysanova and Yulia Stepanova) no less. Wow ! Alyona *Swan* ? Well I’ve just been watching video clips of Galina Ulanova and Ulyana Lopatkina in Fokine’s Swan and Alyona Kovalyova in her second Swan Lake, White Swan duet. These two works run together for me. Swans, I guess, have become something magically beautiful in ballet. I think that she’s on her way to being the most purely beautiful ballerina in the world, in the company of Oxana Skorik. She may be there already. And she has a wonderful youthfulness that contrasts to Oxana Skorik’s remarkable maturity. In addition, she may also be on her way to being one of the most beautiful Mariinsky ballerinas ever, except that she’s doing it at the Bolshoi. Alyona *Swan*. Yes, I do believe so.

Thanks, Vs1. I assume "m" is Myriam Ould-Braham. I'll add since I'm thinking about it that tickets for the 'classics' seem to sell out immediately.

I just watched a few minutes of the Bolshoi facade projections, Mnacenani, but it looks great. I'll try to watch the rest and also see the real thing someday.

I don’t really understand what this means, Vs1, after partially quoting my post. Maybe you could elaborate. Thanks. When I wrote that Aurélie Dupont “seemed to like (?) Myriam Ould-Braham, whom I consider to be one of the most underused jewels of the ballet world” her liking was only based on my very sketchy feelings, nothing more and not intended to be a statement of certainty. Aurélie Dupont was listed as the ‘coach’ for a La Bayadere that featured Myriam Ould-Braham. Whether she had special involvement with her I don’t know, but she was at least overseeing what turned out to be a wonderful performance by Myriam Ould-Braham, in my opinion. Also last December Myriam Ould-Braham was given three or four appearances in the long Swan Lake series, but so, admittedly, were a couple other ballerinas. But this was the most that I’d ever seen Myriam Ould-Braham given. I’ll add that I would have gladly taken the six hour train ride to Paris to see her, as I did for her La Bayadere, but tickets at a reasonable price were not available, at least from the POB site.

Thanks so much for your post, Its the mom. Glad to hear that Rolando Sarabia is happy and doing well. I talked to him very briefly once when he was with Miami City Ballet and I told him that I thought that he might be one of the greatest. And to get back to Topic, thanks for your thoughts about Maria.

So the Sarabia saga continues. How was he, by the way? I'll say again that I thought that he could become one of the greatest and I guess he makes an ongoing interesting look at the freelance life. In regard to Maria, I do have to disagree, although our viewing experiences may have been quite different. As I posted earlier, I found one of her Swan Lakes with ABT to be one of the finest ballet performances that I've ever seen and I've seen some great ones as I'm sure you have as well being based in Moscow. The several other times that I've seen her I was also highly impressed.

When I think of freelancing Rolando Sarabia always come to mind. Being a superstar in Cuba and a potential one at the Miami City Ballet he apparently decided to leave and go the freelance route. I thought after Miami City Ballet he could be excellent at a place like ABT, perhaps becoming one of the greatest if he stayed put and focussed. Cristian suggested at the time that he probably preferred the idea of freelancing. He may now have settled at The Washington Ballet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolando_Sarabia His could be an interesting story as well about freelancing.

Thanks, Drew. I had quite a love affair with this city when I lived here. Well Simone is gone and now Maria is maybe on her way. That leaves Mathilde. Hope to see her some day and do the coastal sequoia forests as well. And don't forget Yosemite and its waterfalls, which are some of nature's most beautiful ballerinas.

In at least one of the two possible ABT Swan Lake series that she performed at, that I went to mainly to see Veronika Part, I thought that she gave one of the best performances that I've ever seen. Glad to be part of the young crowd.

She's one of my favorites, both as a great artist and from what I can tell from a distance, a lovely person. I hope that she'll be very happy wherever she is.

Thanks so much for this, Mnacenani. The only place that I can see for The Festival would be 17-27 March. I hope that this will happen.

I haven't read the article but I may give if a try if I can. I'm somewhat sorry to hear about discontent with Aurélie Dupont although I know very little about her. What I did like was that she seemed to like (?) Myriam Ould-Braham, whom I consider to be one of the most underused jewels of the ballet world, and her somewhat severe view of the 'not necessarily pleasant' ballet school, which has been voiced by others. I haven't had a chance to see much of the POB in my fifteen years or so of ballet watching, but for that entire period I've always hoped for much more of the classics. They've always been my favorites there. There's been discussion here recently about the interest of European companies in the classics, their value and worth. All I can really say is that the companies in Russia, quite possibly the best in the world, thrive with them.

"Le Parc (Preljocaj) I felt that the way that the Mariinsky interpreted this was magical."

A Trip Down Memory Lane “Come with me To the sea To the sea The sea of love” Oxana Skorik — Her feather-light profile of dancing air was all that I could have asked for. Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act II Duet 2018 The Fairy Doll — The Half Little Children Audience — * Precious ! * 2018 Olga Smirnova — La Bayadere 2017 I believe that about half the comments that I posted from that Festival were about her. Ulyana Lopatkina Swan Lake 2006 — Probably the most purely beautiful dance performance that I’ve ever seen. Alina Cojocaru The Alinas. “Is That Really Her?” “Did She Really Do That?” Year after year. "Time after time". Svetlana Zakharova — Giselle 2013 — I wrote that this was ‘possibly the best performance of Anything!’ that I’ve ever seen. Alina Somova The Swan (Fokine) 2014 — Her finest hour ! Veronika Part 2014 “I don’t know where, but she sends me there!” She did some Gala Divertissement as only she can do. It was just great to finally see her on the Mariinsky stage and at the Festival no less. Yekaterina Osmolkina “Sail on Sailor” Giselle 2018, 2016 and on and on…. Yekaterina Kondaurova Swan Lake 2011 — The first time that I realized that she could do anything. Jewels 2013 —- And then she went and did it — all the leads in one evening. Diana Vishneva Cinderella (excerpt) (Ratmansky) 2006? I saw her do the whole thing in DC in 2004 — twice. It’s the first time I ever went “Wow!” at a ballet performance. Yulia Makhalina To see this incredibly beautiful legend on stage was a dream come true. Most of the time she looked as young as ever. 2013 Marguerite and Armand(?) (excerpt) Olga Esina Swan Lake 2013 I thought that this would be the beginning of an amazing career for her at the Mariinsky. I’d been watching and hoping since the first time that I saw her. That didn’t happen, but I believe that she’s still the Queen of Vienna. The Big Apple — The Land of Balanchine — Always had fun when these guys showed up and paid tribute to where it all started. As much as I love the Mariinsky’s interpretations, it’s great to see ‘The Real Thing.’ “You put your right foot in You put your right foot out… That’s what it’s all about” Maria Kowroski The evening before her performance they gave her the front box to sit in. They didn't need lighting that evening. With Damian Woetzel -- The Prodigal Son Year? Teresa Reichlen Prodigal Son 2012 What a delight she turned that work into. Ashley Bouder Doing 'The Villella' -- Tarantella 2011 I don't think that the Mariinsky ever saw anything like that before. Probably never will. And then there's the rest of NYC. Gillian Murphy 2008 The Year of the Swans (six Swan Lakes at one Festival) I've always maintained that the Festivals bring out the best in anyone. This was the second in a string of her Swan Lakes that I saw. She just grew and grew. I used to keep what was almost a score card comparing her's and Veronika Part's Swan Lakes. Hee Seo Giselle 2014 Sleeping Beauty 2016 I'd like to think that it didn't matter that she came from the States. She put her heart out there and she was pure poetry. Ballet Imperial 2008 "I did it my way." Probably the first time that I felt that the Mariinsky could excel at Balanchine. Le Parc (Preljocaj) I felt that the way that the Mariinsky interpreted this was magical. Year? Gala for Gennady Selyutsky 2112 I got out of bed after several hours of sleep to retype the entire program so that it could be seen on the internet. A memory that lingers -- A little girl walking down the streets of this frozen capital, her arms smilingly, flyingly danced through the air. One of the last evenings of one of the Festivals there was a near full moon and over the hotel music system came.... "Moon river, wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style some day Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way Two drifters, off to see the world There's such a lot of world to see We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me"

"must be Russian" doesn't hurt.

Glad that you enjoyed it as much as you did, Cristian. The season’s announcement shows Simone Messmer along with Renan Cerdeiro. Would love to have seen that. Someday I’ll be lucky enough to see her again. I’m sure that Tricia Albertson was just fine. https://www.miamicityballet.org/performances/program-four In the video that I watched of Balanchine’s La Valse, I really admired his usual flow of genius and beauty and was really hoping that the woman would dust the guy in black off at the end. That would have made it for me. Concerto DSCH is a lot of fun. Alexei Ratmansky has streaks of brilliance along with a fine sense of humor and plain enjoyment.

Thanks very much, Pherank. Being a Mariinsky (and Bolshoi) devoté I'm still fascinated by George Balanchine and do consider some of his work, such as the Midsummer Night's Dream Act II duet, to be of equal 'ethereal' beauty (which I prize above all else in ballet) to Swan Lake or anything else that the Mariinsky excels at. Also the Miami City Ballet, at least when Edward was there, (I haven't had a chance to see it much since, although any company that would make Simone Messmer a Principal is fine with me) was a great favorite of mine. Still, I've been looking for some easy to understand explanations of Balanchine 'technique' and 'style' for years. This seems very helpful.

This is a simple poetry, someone's presentation of the reality, that shows some great loveliness. https://www.rbth.com/arts/328011-backstage-stories-from-mariinsky-theater (Many thanks to Haydn at Dansomanie) "Extraordinary things happen behind the curtains. An ordinary ballerina (let’s call her Masha Ivanova) can be speaking with a friend, thinking about her problems and then, taking a step forward, she stops being Ivanova and becomes the Lilac Fairy or another unearthly character. This transformation can clearly be seen in the photographs. I think this is what inspires people to become dancers and artists, this is real magic." And for a quick smile. "Sometimes the ballerinas from the corps de ballet, in accordance with the plot of the ballet, must communicate on stage, and photographing them from behind the curtains, I hear how the heroines of Swan Lake, in historical costumes, are discussing their car loans." [Actually, I read once that all the background conversations are done without making sounds. Glad to know that serious business is being taken care of ]

Olga Smirnova's La Bayadere at last year's Mariinsky Festival was one of the greatest performances by Anybody that I've ever seen. Check my posts from that Festival.

Olga Smirnova's La Bayadere at last year's Mariinsky Festival was one of the greatest performances by Anybody that I've ever seen. Check my posts from that Festival.