Amour

I'm a subscriber and I already received my Wendy farewell tickets in the mail.

Where are you seated? I have a "create your own" subscription and only the 4the ring (at $100 a ticket!) was available. Luckily, I got seated in row B.

I have to say I have been having tremendous problems with my NYCB subscription this year. I placed the subscription 2 months ago and never got a confirmation. I kept being told " it's in the mail". I also never received my letter about Wendy's farewell! It's only because I demanded to speak to a supervisor (who was very responsive) that I got tickets to the farewell. I anticipate having problems getting my subscription tickets. I don't know what's up with them this season.

I also had really good glasses and a view from the stalls circle. Anyway, if the Mariinsky said it was Kamil then the photo of him on the Mariinsky website can't be right for sure that wasn't the guy doing those jumps.....

You're right. The photo in the programme and on the website absolutely does not look like the photo I took. But who am I to argue with the Mariinsky.

annamk, I also had really good opera glasses with me on the trip. I made sure to look at the jumping dancer (same both nights) so I would know whose photo to take. I'm sure it was Kamil. It's incredible, though, that a dancer that good would be only a coryphee. In ABT or NYCB he would certainly be a soloist. Just goes to show the depth of talent in the Mariinsky.

BTW, I don't think it was Kamil who did those endless split jumps .... In this photo Kamil is the guy on the right (as you look at the photo) of the trio in orange isn't he and it was the guy on the left who did the endless jumps.https://www.flickr.com/photos/dancetabs/14707277240/in/set-72157646371546861/

No, Kamil is the dancer all the way on the left. I took a photo of him during the curtain call, tweeted it (along with a description of his jumps) to the Mariinsky .They immediately responded that it was Kamil Yangeruzov.

Firebird/Marguerite and Armand/Concerto DSCH 12th August I wondered how many in the audience realized that Renata Shakirova is only an undergraduate student of Vaganova Academy, since it was not mentioned on the cast list. Actually, she was very good, bright and fast, but how could she compare with Nadia Batoeva or Nastia Nikitina, if they had been given the chance to dance this?

Someone had told me that Renata was a student so I realized that. Tiara , the night before Batoeva danced that role, so don't worry , she wasn't passed over. The unfortunate thing last night was that Sergeyev and Tchacheno did not come ANYWHERE near the thrill and excitement of Kim and Stepin the first night. That was really a performance of Concerto DSCH for the ages!

I wonder if RBV came to London. If there was ever a ballet I'd like to see on YT, it's the first night of Concerto DSCH, with everyone, especially Kim, doing such a spectacular role.

Lopatkina danced Marguerite the first night. Tereshkina danced it the next (July 8&9). Lopatkina lived the role. Tereshkina was decent but not as incisive.

Did Diana dance it, too?

Btw, is Kamil a corps member or higher? He danced the same role last night and tonight. I was really impressed by him.

He is a coryphee, and also incidently the husband of Yulia Stepanova. Here's hoping they both rise in the ranks!

Thank you artsong. Yes, they both really deserve it!

I couldn't see the faces too well either but since Batoeva was the girl in the trio last night, would they move her into an "unnamed" dancer role the next night?

Btw, is Kamil a corps member or higher? He danced the same role last night and tonight. I was really impressed by him.

Just came back from tonight's (the 12th) triple bill. The Firebird w/Stepanova a big improvement over yesterday's with Matvienko. I'm just sorry that today we sat in the Amphitheatre, where it is much harder to see nuances in dancing. I also preferred Lopatkina to Vishneva in Marguerite and Armand (though not a fan of Askerov, who fell out of 2 pirouettes, at least). I liked that Lopatkina kept her face quiet (unlike Diana, whose facial expressions were a bit too much) and let her dancing speak for her.

Too bad that Concerto DSCH was nowhere near as thrilling tonight as last night. I like Sergeyev very much but he just can't touch Kimin Kim in this role (lead male in the trio). I would also like to say how terrific the unnamed male dancer was who jumped in place FOREVER and with tremendous elevation. I tweeted his picture to the Mariinsky, who identified him as Kamil Yangurazov. This guy is wonderful and I'm hoping will be a future star (I have no idea what his rank is). I'm sorry this was my last night in London, seeing the Mariinsky but I have come away SO impressed by the company. Can't wait for them to come to NYC.

Just came back from Mariinsky triple bill of Firebird, Marguerite and Armand, and Concerto DSCH (I gor tickets for the 11th!). Firebird and Marguerite and Armand were both a bit of a snooze. I have Blu-rays of 2 different performances of Fokine's Firebird (1 with Vishneva, 1 with Kondaurova) and enjoyed them. Live, however, this ballet seemed dated and not terribly interesting. Anastasia Matvienko, the firebird, has a nice jump but not a whole lot of stage presence. Andrei Yermakov, as Ivan, was fine but doesn't have much interesting dancing. I did really like Xenia Durovina as the Princess, as she imbued her role with some personality.

Diana Vishneva and Konstantin Zverev were the principals in Marguerite and Armand. The Mariinsky just premiered this ballet 1 month ago and it showed. IMO, no one looked particularly comfortable in their roles. I kept waiting for the Vishneva magic to emerge but it didn't. I think she may not have the confidence in Zverev that she has with Marcelo Gomes that allows her to really go for it. I felt her dancing was a little careful. Zverev is solid and a good partner but, unlike others on this thread, I don't find him especially interesting. I also am new to this ballet and don't find it as interesting an Ashton work as some others. I will be interested to see how others who are familiar with Marguerite and Armand found this performance.

Ratmansky's Concerto DSCH was a whole other ball game, however. This ballet, alone was well worth the ticket price. I have seen NYCB perform it many times but I have never witnessed as virtuosic and thrilling performance as tonight, the kind of performance where you suddenly "see" a whole new ballet. Tereshkina and Yermakov were the primary couple and Filipp Stepin, Nadezhda Batoeva and Kimin Kim were the trio. Seeing this ballet tonight was like seeing an entirely new ballet, the level of technique and artistry was so high. But the performance of the evening belonged to Kim. He is definitely ballet's latest male superstar. His virtuosity and charisma is unparalleled right now. Not that Stepin or Yermakov are slouches (I think Stepin and Kim's roles are more virtuosic than Yermakov's), just that Kim came on stage and it belonged to him. I have never seen such lightening fast (and perfect) chainees, such angled 580's, jetees and other jumps I just can't remember (he did everything with such speed it was a bit blurred for me). Tereshkina was also lovely as the primary woman and was partnered securely and intimately with Yermakov. There was an unnamed male artist in a yellow unitard who jumped in second position for about 4 minutes, never losing his amazing elevation of about 2 feet (you generally only get that elevation on a trampoline. Mathilde, if you were at the performance on the 11th, maybe you can identify him? if Kim doesn't get promoted soon he should hire a PR firm and a manager. He could easily be a "Kings of the dance" or in galas. He's certainly better than Simkin or Vasiliev. Since Cornejo and Ulbricht are older, more matured dancers it's a bit harder to compare them.the Mariinsky needs to figure out a way to make him an international star. Maybe guest artists spots or galas are the way to start. I would love for the world to get to see him.

My bad. Titania's cavalier on Aug. 9 (Lopatkina) was Andrei Yermakov. He was very good.

I have now seen both the opening night (Aug. 8) and Aug. 9 evening performances of Midsummer. I very much enjoyed them both (there was some overlap in the casting). It was as follows:

Aug. 8. Aug 9

Titania: Viktoria Tereshkina. Uliana Lopatkina

Oberon: Timur Askerov. Filipp Stepin

Bottom: Dmitri Vedeneev. Same

Puck: Vasily Tkachenko Vladislav Shumakov

Hippolyta: Anastasia Matvienko Same

Hermia: Viktoria Krasnokutskaya Same

Lysander: Andrei Yermakov. Yuri Smekalov

Helena: Viktoria Brilyova. Same

Demetrius: Xander Parrish. Kamil Yangurazov

Butterfly: Oxana Marchuk. Same

Theseus: Vadim Belyaev. Same

Divert. PDD: Oxana Skorik, Konstantin Zverev. Same

While I loved the uniformity and loveliness of these dancers I found they had a somewhat lyrical quality to their dancing and, in general, not enough attack. This was particularly true of Lopatkina who seemed to flow through her movement instead of using attack to define a step or pose. In fact, I thought Tereshkina was a better dancer but not as good an actor while Lopatkina, with her very regal bearing, was every bit a Queen (and sometimes a pretty funny one). As an aside I really see NO diminution of Lopatkina's technique or flexibility and certainly not her artistry.

As for Oberon, Filipp Stepin was miles ahead of Askerov in both dancing and acting. His beats were numerous and clean and his solo (though one could see him struggle a bit to keep up with the fast tempo) he did. He was rather comic in how he treated the little boy at the source of friction between Titania and himself. He also partnered Lopatkina very well and they had good chemistry.

As for Puck, neither man can hold a candle to the extreme virtuosity and comic timing that Danny Ulbricht and Herman Cornejo (in The Dream) bring to the role. The audience love Tkachenko but I preferred Shumakov because he really played up the comedy in the role.

Anastasia Matvienko was wonderful both nights. She is great jumper and has rock solid fouettes. My only complaint is that she holds a lot of tension in the front of her neck (you can see it through the opera glasses). Belyaev, a giant of a man was also solid both nights. As for the couples I think I preferred the Aug. 9 men better because the were better actors.

Finally, the divertissement with Oxana Skorik and Konstantin Zverev. After all I have read about how awful Skorik is, I found a rather lovely dancer who just need to strengthen both her core and feet abit. She is blessed with gifts: she is very tall (at least as tall as Lopatkina if not taller) with long arms, legs and neck. She has a lovely line, extreme flexibility of both legs and spine. She has a springy, stretchy jump and nice feet. She's also a good turner. And finally, she kept a radiant smile on her face throughout. All I can say is I wish ABT ballerinas were so "weak". As for Zverev, I know many here like him but he is not my fav. I find he can be a little sloppy about finishing positions, especially pirouettes (but he is a lefty turner which may make things harder.)

Last but not least is Oxana Marchuk. What a lovely dancer with such an infectious smile! Why she is still somewhere in the corps is beyond my comprehension.

To finish, this is a lovely Midsummer, perhaps a somewhat differently danced one, but still very special.

Tonight's Apollo with Alexander Sergeyev was fantastic! He is every bit as good as Robbie Fairchild or Chase Finlay. I much prefer him to last night with Shklyarov. And no, Canbelto, Kristina did not "smile her way through" Terpsichore. She was superb. The 3 muses together could use a bit more rehearsing (some uneven arabesque heights early on) but generally tonight was pretty much as good as we see at NYCB.

ABT also uses the version of Apollo with the staircase.

ABT has the staircase but not the birth of Apollo with the barefoot earth mother. Technically, what we saw was Apollo Musagete. I believe ABT's version is an intermediate version between this and NYCB's current version of Apollo.

I just came back from Mariinsky's Balanchinr. First they performed Apollo using a very early version that not only has a staircase but a barefoot earth mother writhing on top of it. I don't believe anyone in the US performs this version anymore and it is VERY different from what NYCB dances now. I only once saw this version in b&w on YT with Jacques D'Amboise as Apollo. Here, Shklylarov was Apollo, Shapran Terpsichore, Batoeva Polyhymnia, and Krasnokutskaya Calliope. I thought the best performance by far came from Shapran. Shklylarov was too boyish and playful to be a good Apollo IMO; Apollo should be strong, noble and a bit impassive. Shapran was lovely to look at, had the role's impassivity but also the technique (outstretched flex arms and hands). The other 2 muses need some work and extra rehearsal time. The Mariinsky dancers tended to put too much "personality" into it (especially Shklylarov.). I was left feeling I'd seen a curio piece not a living breathing piece of choreography.

The Mariinsky also much more successfully put on Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream but I will get to that later since it's very late now and time to sleep.

Thanks for the reports, I was on the fence, now I'll save my pennies for the upcoming Mariinsky NY season. However, the LA Times has a more generous review: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-osipova-vasiliev-in-solo-for-two-20140726-story.htmlSo the whole show finished in 75 minutes including intermission? How's the reaction from the audience?

I'm in London now and took a break from the Mariinsky to watch this drek. I should have known better. Back to the Mariinsky Sat. and Tues. ( and any other days I can get seats for) to get the image of Solo for Two out of my head.

I just saw Solo for Two (or rather a part of it because I walked out early) in London. I don't think I've ever seen such excruciating pieces as the Cherkaoui & Naharin. The latter was simply unwatchable IMO & my husband and I walked out and missed the Pita piece. What tremendous hubris on the part of Osipova that she thinks she can put on any old crap and people will come. And our orchestra seats were pricey: 79 pounds or about $160. Ardani must be laughing all the way to the bank. What an unfortunate experience.

Did you notice that Yulia Stepanova was one of the Four Big Swans? She was replacing Yalinich (the change was neither reflected in the cast sheet nor announced; yesterday her name was printed Speranova).

No, Mathilde I'm sorry I didn't notice Stepanova. I found it difficult in the Amphitheatre (where I was sitting that night) to make out the faces of the dancers or really the nuances of the dancing. When I got the tickets, I had never been to the ROH searing/sight lines would be so I got a variety to tickets (also even in early July a lot was sold out).

I assume I will my get my chance to really Stepanova on Tuesday night when she dances the Firebird (unfortunately we're in the Amphi again unless better sears open up). I'm really looking forward to it)

I'm going to see Lopatkina this evening.

This one is a must. If you can afford, watch as many «Swan Lakes» as you can, irrespective of the principals. Mariinsky's corps de ballet is beyond comparison and, today, is the real glory of the company.

I saw both Lopatkina and Somova in SL on Monday and Tuesday and I agree with Mathilde. I saw Lopatkina from the orchestra stalls (which are the only raked section in the back). I saw Somova from the lower amphitheater. I knew the corps was amazing seeing from the stalls but from the amphitheater you could see they were perfect! All their formations how they traveled on diagonals are straight lines: any type of possible deficiencies would be very apparent from high up. But there were none. They were a lovely, living and breathing unit. That is why one can tolerate a principal dancer one might not like, simply because the corps (which is absolutely the best in the world) is a star in its own right.

As for the performances, I thought Lopatkina was marvelous. Yes, she only did single fouettes, no triples, but she was so sexy and sedutctive it didn't matter. There may be a minute diminishment of her flexibility but it has not affected her artistry or ability to convey such extraordinary feeling. I'm so glad I got to see her live in SL (I saw live do Anna Karenina) she's 40 and getting close to when she might start giving up roles or retiring.

That night was pretty top casting all around ( in fact, it apparently was the only night the three stars took curtain calls in front of the closed curtain). Ivanchenko was kind of dull on the acting front but his technique and partnering were excellent. He and Yermalov lifted Lopatkina high overhead like she weighed nothing. I did like Yermakov as Rothbart; his dastardly (but spectacular jumps) and struggle at the end to stay alive were very moving.

As for the soloists, I was SO impressed with Kimin Kim in the PDT. The height and breadth and ease of his jumps were spectacular. He certainly had more life in him than poor Siegfried. He danced with Nikitina and Gonchar, both of whom I like a lot. And the London crowd (which is VERY reserved in its applause and bravos/hollering in contrast to NYC) went wild for Tkachenko (I was ready to holler for Kim but people would have thought I was crazy). All in all it was the most perfect SL I've ever seen live and I feel privileged I got to do do.

The next night I saw Somova, Zverev, and Smekalov in SL. I first saw Alina perform SL about 7 years ago and I thought shw was awful (and I'd never seen such ugly fouettes). Somova has clearly worked hard and come a long way but she is still developing. Her fouettes in Odile were quite wild and between her singles and triples there was no consistent pattern. They also travelled a lot and at one point I thought she might fall off pointe. I thought Zverev was a much better actor than Ivanchenko but he is also still developing; he lost his footing at least once and had a bit of a hard time with pirouettes (he's a lefty turner). Smekalov as Rothbart, though, couldn't hold a candle to Yermakov. In general, though I flung it hard gauge the dancing from the Amphi.e

The soloists the second night were very good but compared to the previous night, a letdown. Parish has nice long lines but he is not the jumper or the charismtic presence Kim is. He danced with Batoeva and Krasnokkutskaya who were lovely and he partnered them well. In general, though, this performance simply wasn't as good as the one the night before.

Finally, I would like to add some minor complaints. One is that the ROH stage is VERY noisy. I don't know if it is because the auditorium has no carpeting or the floor itself. Unfortunately, even when one dancer with soft landing jumps, there is a thud. When the corp borrees or jumps, it sounds like a herd of elephants. Second, the stage is very small, definitely smaller than the Koch, maybe the size of City Center. Thus, everything looks very cramped. Finally, the music conductor, Boris Gruzin, is conducting at a positively glacial pace. It was worse for Lopatkina than Somova. (They really slowed down the music in the lakeside scene, where Odtte brings her leg up to passé quickly, places behind then does the same thing with other leg about 8 times) I almost thought Gruzin was trying to mess up Lopatkina because she was clearly chomping at the bit. The next night that that music was played much faster for Somova. In any case having just seen the fast SL ever (the Bolshoi's Grigorovich version). I have now seen the slowest. Still these are amazing dancers in an amazing production. Brava to all.

I saw Lopatkina tonight and promise to review it a bit later. It's out first day here, I'm sleep deprived and need to sleep &. get myself coherent. Until tomorrow then.

I really mind the fact that the ugly, reworked Grigorovich versions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Nutcracker, Raymonda, etc. are still untouchable. Not to mention his atrocious R&J which meant the Bolshoi dropped the Lavrovsky version. Ugh.

Please pardon my ignorance, but does the Mariinsky Ballet have different (and better) versions of these classics?

Yeah, they're available on video ...

Just in the last few weeks, the Mariinsky performed Spartacus but they dance the Yacobsen version that preceded Grigorovich.

Well I thought I would hate it but I found it very enjoyable in a kitschy schlocky kind of way. It reminded me of those Cecil B. DeMille Biblical epics -- campy and over the top. I think the Sunday afternoon casting was amazing -- they really sold this ballet, and the partnering of Lobukhin was spectacular. Would I run to see it again? Probably not, but for one afternoon, it was a lot of fun.

Also a big hand to the Bolshoi Orchestra. It was such a delight to hear them play Minkus and Khatchuturian as if it were Mahler -- I'm not used to hearing such quality sounds from the pit when I go to the ballet.

Riding a Merry -Go- Round is fun. Like California above, I found it troubling that this work is still considered to be a "signature" ballet of this company. How very sad. I too will not go into the "politics" of it all, but to keep this ballet at the forefront of this company's rep. is astonishing. The many fine dancers of the Bolshoi surely deserve better than these lesser attempts of Grigorovich. And we, the audience, also deserve to see better examples of choreography and production. The World of Dance has m oved on, but it would seem the Russians are still caught in some time warp, unable or unwilling to step into this new World.

I do think the Russians (even the Bolshoi) are trying to move into the new world. The Bolshoi dances MacGregor and just had their premiere of Maillot's The Taming of the Shrew. When Filin was asked at a YAGP talk why he was bringing these war horse ballets, he insisted it was the choice of the LCFestival; the Bolshoi had no say. Similarly, the Mariinsky dance Forsythe and Ratmansky. Luckily, they are bringing a more varied rep to London. Often what we see on tours is what the impresarios insist the companies bring.

And also, as I see it, ballet is still definitely very much an "elitist" form of entertainment for the wealthy middle- and older-aged, as a 26-year-old young professional I could count on my fingers the number of people of my demographic who were in the audience in any of the performances I attended.

I really don't think ballet is elitist. Ballet is still attracting large numbers of young people (maybe more than ever) who want to be dancers. As for viewers, though I am not in your demographic, I know a number of devoted ballet goers (one even goes to virtually every performance of ABT) who are. What keeps younger people away are the high ticket prices. When NYCB has their $29 for every seat in the house programs, the theater is full of young people. The same goes for Fall for Dance. The Bolshoi ticket prices were exceedingly high. To get reasonable prices per ballet, you had to buy a package of 3 ballets, which cost hundreds of dollars. After that, dynamic pricing meant seats were in the $200 - $300 price range. That's very high for anyone, let alone a 20 something young person. Companies still haven't realized that they won't get many new young viewers until they bring pricing down.

I assume that by the next tour to NY (whenever that may be), both Vinogradova and Tikhamerova will have risen to new heights within the company. They are two standouts that I was not previously aware of before this tour./quote]

I was aware of Tikhomirova because she competed on the Russian ballet version of SYTYCD, called Big Ballet (Bolshoi Ballet). Artem Ovcharenko was her partner. Oga Smirnova also competed (and won!) and her partner was Lantratov. Sergei Polunin won on the men's side ans was partnered with Kristina Shapran. It was a really fun TV show to watch. I think it's probably still up on YT.