Buddy

I Loved It !

I was able to see almost all of the Mariinsky Festival. (I arrived too late to see Diana Vishneva, but I would imagine that she was excellent.) I do have a few summary thoughts. Ekaterina Kondaurova in "Swan Lake" and "Le Parc" and Alina Somova in "Diamonds" still linger in my mind like a Wonderful Vision. They are both such statuesque beauties who take to the stage like breathes of life giving essence. In the same manner some of the younger dancers, Daria Vasnetsova, Oksana Skorik and Maria Shirinkina were just lovely and brilliant. Among the young men I would also mention Alexei Timofeyev. Alina Cojocaru may have been the hit of the Festival. No surprise. She has performed four different full length Mariinsky classics at the Festival before. This year for her second Festival appearance as Giselle she was just mind boggling ! Her theatrical and dancing prowess merged magnificently. Do not miss her in NYC this year. Johan Kobborg was excellent as her constantly supportive and highly reliable partner, who has plenty of ability and character of his own. Ulyana Lopatkina did not do a full length lead, but she was her usual state of the art self in "In The Night" and in a very interesting and beautiful Spanish theme work, "The Fragments From One Biography" by the legendary Vladimir Vasiliev. (I believe that this is the same Vasiliev, but there is at least one other that I've heard of.) Viktoria Tereshkina was exceptional, as usual in "Sleeping Beauty," Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux" and "Le Parc." "Le Parc" by Agelin Preljocaj I thought was a Masterpiece of dance juxtapositioning, changing of realities and dream state transcendence in response to the magnificent music of Mozart, as interpreted with wonderful sophistication by the Mariinsky dancers. Yana Selina was everywhere, doing everything, almost every (maybe every) evening. She has to be one of the gems of the Mariinsky. Anastasia Kolegova, who I have never seen before, was a beautiful surprise as the Lilac Fairy in "Sleeping Beauty." Ashley Bouder (NYCB) has to be highly commended for what she was able to do in her debut of "Don Quixote," coming from the quite different dance world of George Balanchine. In Balanchine's "Tarantella" at the Gala, she showed exactly why New York so loves her. David Hallberg (ABT) was charisma personified and he sailed through the air like a welcome springtime breeze. Vladimir Ponomarev was his theatrically astounding self as Don Quixote and Capulet. Anastasia Petushkova, who Natalia loves so much, was more animated and Wow inspiring than I've ever seen her as the Indian dancer in "La Bayadere." An amazing ball of high art fireworks ! The Corps de Ballet dancers were as good as I've ever seen them. They were like an omnipresent 'guardian angel' that kept the entire Festival afloat at all times. And there was so much more. All in all this was one of the best Mariinsky Festival that I've attended. A Festival of Heart Liftingly Beautiful Dreams Brought to Life.

Well written, Paul. The truth is the truth, after all. I just got back from the Mariinsky Festival and I have the exact same feelings -- Big Time ! Maybe, it's Spring. Cheers.

"Questions With Bart" From "Tendus Under A Palm Tree," Rebecca King's (Miami City Ballet) very pleasant and informative site.... "I have recently received a well thought out list of questions from a great lover of ballet....He has a wonderful appreciation for what we do, and has a great understanding of the ballets we perform. "Because his questions are so wonderful, I have decided to create a new series called, "Questions With Bart." The first installment starts now!" http://tendusunderapalmtree.blogspot.com/

I'll miss you both very much in Saint Petersburg for the Festival. It's never the same without you. Next year and no excuses ! ( Big Warm Smile Intended ! ) Buddy

I was also there for Saturday and Sunday's performances, and I have to say that I enjoyed them very much.

chiapuris, I join leonid in thanking you for the fine review. I am very glad that you enjoyed the performance as much as you did. I also saw a similar performance of "Sleeping Beauty' by the Kiev Ballet and had many of the same feelings. I appreciate very much the extent of your knowledge, your constant search for more knowledge, your interest in detail and above all your love of the art which motivates this. Your feeing for the beauty and the 'soul' of the art and the performances as well as the craft is a very fine quality.

I just saw the Suzanne Farrell Ballet in Santa Barbara and I will be glad to become prolix for you. It was Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful !

carbro, in her "Swan Lake" last June, which I believe you also saw, I would go as far as to say she was actually 'Creating The Ballet', not just performing it or making me believe that she was making it up. I know that statements like this can involve matters of degree and precise definitions, but there was something that she did that for me made the ballet 'Her Creation'. She may have performed all the steps exactly as choreographed and she may have acted the role exactly as expected, but the 'Essence of the Ballet' was somehow still Hers. Whether it was simply 'nuancing' or actually becoming Odette-Odile, she somehow accomplished this. I have seen her do it before. If she achieves a certain comfort level, she seems to be able to take over the complete reality. I totally agree with you about the "revelation" that can be found in this brilliant and magnificent lady's performances. [spelling correction made]

If you have a lifetime, you may want to give this a try. I would start at about the middle with the descriptions of 'Veronika' herself. It is several years old, but I just discovered it in its entirety and so far I am fascinated. Whoever manages her site (her fiance?) was able to put all the article here. Click on Assoluta by Laura Jacobs below picture. http://www.officialveronikapart.com/ A typical quote with reasons and descriptions (and opinions) to be found throughout the rest of the text. "Part is bucking every trend in ballet. She uses her strength to touch the precarious, to go where others can’t or won’t. And she shows us everything, making herself vulnerable...." (Laura Jacobs).

bart, of possible interest, when the Mariinsky performed "Swan Lake" in Chicago several years ago, there was one matinee set aside only for students. I was able to also get in at the last moment. It was privately funded by a local benefactor. I would say that most of the students were high school and college level. Their response to the performance with Daria Pavlenko, Igor Kolb and a brilliant day for the corps de ballet Swans grew from appreciative to resounding approval as the performance progressed.

Simon G, I do agree with much of your general sentiment and truly hope that you are right in your optimistic predictions for the future of what Jack has described as "the beauty and wonder" of ballet (and, I would add, other related art forms) that will come from Veronika Part's lovely interview. I read the Tony Mendez article. Thanks rg. Although I come from a world quite different than his, I find him to be a very sympathetic human being who has had the good fortune of sharing the pleasant company of many outstanding artists and entertainers. I also thank him very much for helping make Veronika Part's appearance possible. Marga wrote of Veronika Part: "She was gorgeous. She was statuesque. She was anything but standoffish or haughty, as some may picture Russian ballerinas to be (although mostly none of them are)." Having been to five Mariinsky Festivals and four gala parties afterward I definitely agree with this. I have found in dance, anyway, that so many of the artists carry their immense beauty (or handsomeness) and talent with such selflessness and modesty. I commend this highly.

Well, I just had the distinct pleasure of watching the first several minutes (all I could get) on low speed internet, two seconds at a time (ten seconds in between). This is devotion! I haven't had a chance to read the latest comments here, but to me, she is coming across so far as being Absolutely Charming and Glamorous. Her responses are minimal, but seem very much aware. The initial video clip, a picture and David Letterman, who is doing most of the talking, have already given several very good reasons, beyond what you seen on the show, to explain exactly what a special person Veronika Part is. It doesn't really seem necessary at all for her to say much more. She seems very likable (I would say 'Lovable'), alive and believable. I think that she is doing beautifully and look forward to seeing the rest within a few day when my high speed is supposed to be connected.

I was there also and I agree completely.

This 'Lit Up My Day', which was already beautifully special !

Nanarina, I have not followed this discussion, but I have found that tickets to the Paris Opera Ballet can be tricky to get for popular performances like "Raymonda", etc. I wound up in the forth balcony. 1) Try their internet site. 2) Try calling them direct 033 1 72 29 35 35 (?) 3) I've read (here?) that FNAC has internet tickets available at a slightly increased price. Ilya, "Dansomanie" might work.

The only seats left for Nina's 'Last' ("Swan Lake", June 27, Evening) are in the highest section, the Family Circle ($30) and they seem to be going fast. I guess you should grab one 'Now' if you are at all interested.

Doesn't surprise me a bit. Thanks, Cristian.

PS--If he possibly means, what I have felt is, a more pronounced and very fine element of 'refinement' in the MCB dancing style, then I can understand this wording. In any case--Congratulations and 'Rock On' !--Miami City Ballet !

Jack, thanks for your fine reviews. bart, thanks so much for citing these two articles. I particularly like Tom Phillips very interesting and complimentary review. Since you are a very committed MCB observer, I would like to ask you a question. He makes one statement that I would like to get your or anybody's opinion on. He says that the company, "....is clearly taking Balanchine in a new direction, Russian neo-classicism with a Latin flair." I can kind of understand the "Latin Flair", but "New Direction"...."Russian Neo-Classicism" I don't visualize at the moment.

Based on what I have seen in the last two years.... starting Wednesday, January 21st Be There Or Be Square !! ( Big Smile Intended !! )

Veronika Part doing anything.

I just got back from a week in New York City and have to post this. Veronika Part - One Of The Most Poetically Beautifully Moving Human Beings That I Have Ever Seen! In "Sleeping Beauty" (June 4, 2007). One Of The Best Performances That I Have Ever Seen! And Possibly The Most Beautiful!

Also worth remembering is that the Kirov next April in NYC will be performing Serenade, Rubies and Ballet Imperial for three days.

Maybe I should clarify or elaborate or something. By "principals" I meant dancers who do 'leads' and solos and not the 'Principals', although I have seen 'Principals' on the road doing 'back up' dancing. I also recall comments on various K-M forums stating that 'Was that really so and so that I saw doing corps dancing last night !'. Also I have read (or heard (DVD)) that when Rudolf Nureyev was director of the Paris Opera Ballet, he rehearsed all the dancers together and not in select isolated groups.