Buddy

So as not to keep you in suspense another moment…. Another Wonderful Evening ! Nadezhda Batoeva Absolutely Lovely ! Xander Very Fine ! I promise to try to follow up on this as soon as possible.

Thanks, MadameP. I've seen other Mariinsky Soloists listed at the Hermitage over the years. I assumed that It was a day off sort of thing. I've also seen at least one of the Hermitage's own as Odette/Odile (three years ago(?), I don't recall her name) and she was lovely. Added: I've got a bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne sitting here and I don't drink, so anyone interested, drop on over. Otherwise, I may trade-in for another box of super chocolates. And what did I do today. Well, I went to all the best toy stores, of course. Wound up getting great stuff for my grandchildren, but no room left in the suitcase for myself. So I'll have to do it all over again next year.

Thanks so much, Gnossie. Yes the hotel is the Astoria, one of the nicest and most historic in the city. It also has had ties with the Mariinsky for years. And yes, "the staff couldn't possibly be more lovely." It's also priced at maybe a third of what you'd pay in New York or London in this winter off season. I suppose it's okay to say that Odette/Odile was Tatiana Tkachenko.

I hope to be there, Gnossie, my last night in St. Petersburg this year, and I'll do my best. I have heard from the ballet gods and goddesses that she's planning to do everything possible to be brilliant for you. I’ll mention quickly that I slipped over to the much smaller but very charming Hermitage Theater tonight to see their Swan Lake. As can happen I got to see a Mariinsky Second Soloist as Odette/Odile, not something she has done at the Mariinsky. Perhaps most charming was the scaled down Corps de Ballet of White Swans. They were very fine in their artistry and had an embraceable youthfulness. One of the most magical sights in St. Petersburg is the huge Hermitage Palace Art Museum lit up at night. This evening in a freshly falling snow it was spellbinding. The hotel I stay at is a rather big one. One very nice thing is that they check your passport to see when your birthday is. If it’s during your stay they send all sorts of things to your room. As I was getting on the elevator this evening two men of many who work the front door came over and wished me a very happy birthday. Another one of the lovely things that brings me back year after year.

I haven't really followed this topic very closely, but I believe that I somewhat get the gist of it. I always liked Marcelo Gomes, both on stage (Very Much!) and the few times that I had a chance to briefly talk to him at receptions. Having seen him give a very fine performance at the Mariinsky last night I think about how this all seems so sad. I hope that his 'situation' is resolved as fairly, justly and compassionately as possible.

Having just seen them (her and Vladislav Lantratov) perform at the Mariinsky, I was thinking something very similar at the time. I thought that if they ever wanted they would do very well in such things as Broadway musicals. They were charismatic, especially in Act I (Don Quixote). Definitely intended as a compliment.

Giselle Yekaterina Osmolkina — Just Wonderful (As Usual) ! Her’s may have been one of the top two or three overall performances of the series and there’ve been some excellent ones. Tomorrow will be my seventy-fifth birthday (three-quarters of a century) and I couldn’t have expected a nicer present. Marcelo Gomes — As an artist he remains as fine as I’ve seen him. She seemed very appreciative of his partnering. I mentioned several days ago that I was hoping someday to see Renata Shakirova as Giselle. Well that wish was partly granted as she appeared in the Act I duet. She was lovely. I think that she’ll make a very fine Giselle. There were exceptional performances everywhere. I’ll try to write more at another time. The evening got at least as many curtain calls as I’ve seen this year.

So here it is, Mnacenani, in rushed format. Don Quixote Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov They have more personality in one fingertip than a thousand normal mortals in their entirety. She charms, nuances and excites. He is powered by prowess. And they’re Loveable. Their Act I, like Yekaterina Kondaurova’s in Swan Lake, was State of the Art. The audience Adored them !

Well….ur, hum, um, hurumph….let me wipe a tear from my eye. In the fourteen years that I’ve been visiting Russia to see the Festival today might have been the Most Charming Even The Most Charming Ever ! The Fairy Doll (Die Puppenfee) Performed by Dancers of The Vaganova Ballet Academy Possibly more charming than the dancers was the audience — half, little children. They were everywhere and they were Precious ! Nothing more can be said, except that it had to be seen. The dancers were also ‘children,’ some much older than others. They were Precious as well. And are they talented ! I felt like I was watching the real Mariinsky. The program was only an hour long — perfectly child size. It’s set in a toy store. At night the toys come to life and dance. The owners return in the early morning and find the toys scattered all over. They are very upset with the little boy who stays overnight to watch over the shop. And then — the toys once again come to life and dance. The owners are left spellbound. It’s all performed as a sequence of dances. Probably most entertaining for little children was the more animated dancing — peasant boys and clowns sailing through the air and one child ballerina cutting loose with a round of fouettés not to be upstaged by any mere boys. There was lots of lovely artistry as well. It all built up to a colorful and exciting finale. Costumes beautiful. Sets, originally designed by Leon Bakst, beautiful. It has quite a history that includes Anna Pavlova, Mathilde Kschessinska. Vera Trefilova, Agrippina Vaganova, Olga Preobrazhenskaya, Pavel Gerdt and Michel Fokine. This version was put together for children by Konstantin Sergeyev. Today it charmed and it dazzled. It all went by in an Enchanting instant. The Festival and the Real Russia ? Well today was certainly part of the Real Russia — one of its finest parts — one of the finest parts of anywhere. So tonight the adults have to rise to the occasion with one of ballets most smiling and entertaining classics — Don Quixote. Let’s see how well the ‘adult child’ can get it on.

I’d like to write a few quick words about last night’s Swan Lake. I’ll be quite busy for the next two days, but I’ll try to post as much as I can when I have a chance. Oxana Skorik — Swan Lake For pure beauty of dance, Ulyana Lopatkina’s Swan Lake at the 2006 Festival was probably the finest overall ballet performance that I’ve ever seen. Oxana Skorik’s last night would be the second. Each time that I see her something new is evident as she grows in beauty with each performance. Last night there was a phasing in her motion throughout her body, being new and lovely, that I might try to describe at another time. She often had a loveliness of facial expression that was the finest that I’ve seen her present. At the very end of the evening she did some of the most dramatically exciting dancing that I’ve seen in the lifts, use of arms, etc. As far as fouettés are concerned, she started with about six single double combinations, the rest singles with a final double. As far as I could tell she did them all and they were fine. At a previous Festival I saw her include several series of triples. She performed flawlessly with perfected beauty. It was the finest overall performance that I’ve seen her give and one the finest that I’ve ever seen.

Swan Lake Oxana Skorik Absolutely Wonderful !

Yes, and as I’ve written, I also had a chance to say a few words to her at a reception and she’s the same off stage as on — Lovely ! In fact, in my experience, they all are, except she’s perhaps slightly, vibrantly, more so. And on stage she’s a technically prowessed dynamo, powered by huge amounts of solar energy — her own. In addition, I think that she and Kimin Kim are capable of subtlety, refinement and high drama. I’d look forward to seeing her as Giselle as soon as possible. Until then, Bundles and more Bundles of Sunshine will do just fine. For me, there was a noticeable healthiness to last night’s performance. Tamara Gimadieva, as Amour for one, was vibrantly wholesome as was Alina Krasovskaya in the ‘Arabic’ dance. I missed some of the old faces, but the new ones seemed just fine. Anastasia Lukina did very well as the Dryad Queen as did Konstantin Zverev as Espada, who’s deservedly been given much more to do in the last several years. I would certainly love to see the return of Vladimir Ponomarev as Don Quixote, perhaps his most brilliant role. And there was lots more deserving much praise. So tonight it’s Oxana as Odette/Odile (Swan Lake). This is the performance that I’ve probably most looked forward to, along with Alina Somova’s Cinderella excerpt. They both did beautifully at the Gala, perhaps the highlights, for me, so far.

Don Quixote Renata Shakirova — An Absolutely Precious Bundle of Sunshine Sweetheart ! Kimin Kim — Why can’t I do that, or even dream about doing that ? (By the way, he replaced Filipp Stepin) My only problem with their performance was that she moved so fast at times I couldn’t see her and he kept bumping his head on the stars. Real fun evening. Lots of fine stuff. Hope to say some more.

Swan Lake Yekaterina Kondaurova Some of The Best Ballet Performing that I’ve Ever Seen ! Her Act I Odette was possibly the finest theatrical presentation that I’ve seen on a ballet stage. It was a dramatic achievement of the highest order — An Absolute Masterpiece ! She might have been the ‘Garbo’ of ballet tonight. This carried through to and was reflected in all her dancing which was excellent. Her Act III Odette was almost its equal. The only other performance that I’ve seen that could compare was Olga Smirnova’s Odette/Odile, which was perhaps the finest overall Expressionist performance that I’ve experienced.

To look ahead for a moment. After a two day break the Festival begins again tonight. These Festivals are certainly one of the highpoints of my year. When I’m here I’m usually as immersed as possible. Often when I travel I like to see as much as I can, but when I’m here the Festival dominates almost everything. I sometimes say to myself that I’m not actually seeing the real Russia. Perhaps so, but I like to think that maybe I’m touching — The Russian Dream. And I am experiencing Russia in the sense that what I do and see and the Festival, usually at night, become part of the same thing. The beauty of all things runs together. The Festival, for me, is perhaps the finest event in ballet, and ballet is one of the finest statements of human artistic beauty. And what makes this Art Form really fascinating is that the Artists (the Dancers) are also the Works of Art. In addition, the Festival is a representation of love and warmth. And the real Russia ? Well, I’ve been treated as nicely here over the years as I have been anywhere — at times the nicest. So tonight is Yekaterina Kondaurova’s big night. She’ll dance Odette/Odile from Swan Lake, probably the most coveted role in all ballet. If I’m not mistaken she made her debut at the 2011 Festival. I saw her follow that up in August in London. I also believe that she was the first, in my fourteen years anyway, to do this twice at a Festival. Now, she’ll be the first ever to do it three times. Many agree that she’s the Mariinsky’s most versatile dancer. At the beginning she was featured for her ability to perform modern. She’s still the best, although such dancers as Yekaterina Chebykina, as she showed at the Gala’s The Seasons, and others like Renata Shakirova, may also become quite good. When I first saw her do Swan Lake I realized immediately that she was a fine ‘Classicist’ and felt that she could become a great Odette/Odile. Going back and forth between the best in modern and one of the best in classical the excellence can vary. I would have said two years ago that she shined brightest with the modern. A video clip of her dancing La Bayadere last year, showed once again that she’s an exceptionally beautiful classicist. And not to be forgotten, she’s such a statuesque beauty, that if she stood totally still all evening she’d probably be a sensation. And she can do absolutely outstanding portrayals. I wish her the best for tonight.

Not really. To each his own. The Gala -- I Loved It !

Thanks, NAOTMAA, for finding this. Your link didn't work for me but googling "financial times mariinsky sleeping beauty" did. I'd like to post one quote here because it's probably more fact than opinion and might help us better understand what The Sleeping Beauty reconstruction really is. Moderators, please remove if not appropriate. I would suggest that any discussion based on opinions be done at the "Writings On Ballet" topic. "This 1999 production, the first attempt to restore Petipa’s original vision from period choreographic notation, started ballet’s reconstruction movement. "The steps accuracy can be endlessly debated: the Mariinsky occasionally deviated from the notation, and for comparison's sake, we now have another reconstructed Beauty, by Alexei Ratmansky for American Ballet Theatre in 2015. Ratmansky went further, by asking dancers to replicate the physical restraint and speed of their 19th-century predecessors. While this idiosyncratic style and ABT's smaller cast emphasised the characters' humanity and warmth, Vikharev's tableaux paint the fairy tale on a grander, more symbolic scale."

Thanks Mnacenani for your thoughts. I can maybe get back to them later as I was just about to post the following. I guess I could please address one more thing, the question of how Valery Gergiev relates to the dancers during a performance. What Mnacenani said is probably correct. Does he even notice the dancers during a performance. He doesn’t seem to. Still there is something of interest. The quality of the orchestra under his direction is exceptional, at least to my untrained ear. Thus a challenge. Can the artistic value of the dancers rise to the occasion ? For me, in the first work, The Seasons, it was back and forth, based mostly on the quality of the choreography, which was still very good. But when it came to the critical high points of The Sleeping Beauty and The Midsummer Night’s Dream, for me, the duets, the dancers carried the performance. As great as the music is at a ballet, my attention and main appreciation are always carried by the dancers. During these two wonderful duets, the dancers commanded my total attention with their magical beauty and high artistry. Yet I have to wonder if Valery Gergiev was also somehow tuned into this, since it all went so beautifully well at the critical moments.

Could I please add a few more remarks about the Gala. The first work was The Seasons, choreographed by Konstantin Keichel. Thanks to CharlieH we got some insight as to why it might have been included. As it was presented I can see no direct connection to the classical theme of the series. It’s a modern, abstract work that I happened to like very much. A Balanchine connection has been proposed here, but it didn’t register with me except for the loveliness of the opening tableau, which is very typical of Balanchine but also of many of the classical dream scenes. What I liked so much was it’s flowing beauty that remained unbroken. The choreography is typical of many abstract works that I’ve seen at the Festivals, but this one had a very nice continuity and interest. All the flying arms, etc. had a harmony and a poetry. They expressed the four seasons. The main thing that it represented was a classical continuity into our modern age. It was modern and abstract, but it also had a classical lyricism and vocabulary. For this reason it fit very well into the program. The next two works have been mentioned here. The classical Sleeping Beauty being led into by the more modern Balanchine. The Sleeping Beauty has already been discussed quite thoroughly, but the thing that made this excerpt so special for me was the absolutely beautiful duet featuring Alina Somova with Xander Parish. It may in fact have been the loveliest of the Aurora duets performed this week. I would really like to have seen what she would have done with an entire performance. That would have also shown her theatrical prowess, which at it’s best is extraordinary. I was also very impressed by the quality of what she did considering that she doesn’t seem to perform that much. Not only is she holding her own, but she’s maturing beautifully both in artistry and pure dance loveliness. I personally liked the choice of the second half of Balanchine’s Midsummer Night’s Dream very much. It’s the most directly related to what we’re used to seeing at the Mariinsky. First of all, it contains the remarkably beautiful duet that featured Oxana Skorik, who danced it with great loveliness. It's one of Balanchine's several finest that also rank among the finest in all ballet. Then there is a more traditional, processional element, but done with Balanchine’s genius for construction and innovation. It also includes many magical elements that give it a dreamlike character and so resemble the Mariinsky at it’s finest.

Sometimes there are memories that you want to hold on to as long as possible. At last year’s Festival Olga Smirnova was that with her La Bayadere performance. And later in the year she was again with a gala excerpt from Carmen Suite. Last night Oxana Skorik accomplished this with her beautiful duet from The Midsummer Night’s Dream. I just sat quietly in my seat afterwards hoping to maintain the images as long as possible. This was as much as I could hope for in one evening. Then Alina Somova appeared with Xander Parish performing the final act duet from The Sleeping Beauty and once again I was in the heavens. This memory I still strongly carry with me, being the most recent. Who did I like better ? Perhaps both equally. I’ve often written that I consider Oxana Skorik to be possibly the most basically beautiful ballerina in the world. I’ve recently added the very young, Vaganova trained (now at the Bolshoi) Alyona Kovalyova. One whom I tend to forget is Alina Somova. This is because she’s so multitalented that I overlook her basic beauty, which is outstanding. Also she doesn’t travel and she doesn’t appear as much, which I would guess is because she’s taking care of her two children. The last time that I saw her was when she performed an amazing Swan (by Fokine) at the Festival several years ago. Oxana Skorik has a more mature and developed beauty than the very young Alyona Kovalyova, who has a wonderful sweetness and youthfulness. Last night Oxana Skorik was Perfection and Beauty. She had such a refined and linearly captivating precision. She also had very fine nuancing. For instance, as she walked alongside her partner, their arms circling clocklike together, she introduced some ever so subtle extra ‘vibrations’ in her torso that made the moment even more special. Each time that I see her she’s more beautiful. Alina Somova was perhaps as linearly refined but with a slightly softer manner. She was absolutely and embraceably lovely. I hold on warmly to these memories. They were both Beautiful Dreams.

And for another point of view. [advertisement — voyage to the heavens] In the often gray skied of winter city of St. Petersburg the Sun is shining brightly today. The ballet gods and goddesses are smiling glowingly. The ballerina wonders (and their amazing partners) had cast their spell. I once again floated home as light as air. And as I looked into the balconies after the evening’s performance a little girl dressed as impressively as a ballerina princess was ecstaticly flirling up and down like a star kissed fliggahmahbopp. Not very ballerina-ish at all. Beauty comes in all manners, forms and sizes. Many lovely memories. I’ll try to write some more at another time.

Yes, indeed. And here it is. I Loved Every Minute !

The Gala ** A Perfect Evening ! ** Alina Somova/Oxana Skorik Oxana Skorik/Alina Somova Absolutely Beautiful ! Maria Shirinkina Absolutely Beautiful ! Xander Great ! Valery Gergiev and The Orchestra Great ! And On and On……

I could add a few quick thoughts. Thank you, everyone, for these glimpses of the different productions. My feeling about the two performances is that the company was attempting to do the best that it could under whatever circumstances existed. That the events were announced so late implies that something might not have been as usual. My overall sensation was that the first night had a slightly different slant than the second. The first night seemed to be an attempt at a real difference from the Mariinsky norm, while the second night seemed more relaxed. The first night appeared to be more of an effort to grasp the Vikharev intent and didn’t seem as comfortable, but I really appreciated the effort and the implications of what could be done. I have to ask what Vikharev based his choreographic choices on? I especially liked Yekaterina Kondaurova’s ‘interpretation’ as the Lilac Fairy. I think that it was certainly in part her own invention, but it seemed to establish an aura that I thought was very effective, colorful and appropriate. The Mariinsky often does things its own way, as with Balanchine, and, for me, it usually works very well. I’ll be curious as to what can be done and happens with this production. I see some very fine possibilities.

Gnossie, I noticed slight stylistic differences in the dancing from what I'm used to at the Mariinsky. In this restoration there seems to be a more traditional, court-like way of moving and the motions are sometimes more intricate and punctuated. Could you maybe suggest a source to view what you would consider an 'authentic' interpretation of Vikharev's intent or describe something yourself ?