YID

+1 only want to add the PRAISE to Sergey Filin. it was the duet of him and Nina that made me travel from NYC to see them. Totally enjoyed each and both of their dancing. He's a great dancer and caring partner ( ;-)) and I'd seen him before many times, he was as great as always).... I was almost tempted to travel again on Saturday ;-))

Look at THAT... Nina's SWAN LAKE is SOLD OUT - 27days in advance of the event... only family circle is still available.... (And it's only HER performance that is so solidly sold out!!! WOW.... i will sure then go get a standing ticket - to see her swan arms/wings ;-)) http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/sea....aspx?perf=9121

Hello, i came across that site not long ago, and have been enjoying viewing the pictures she posted. The most recent posts of hers are of the Mariinsky Festival. Enjoy (sorry that the site is in Russian, but it seems there are russian readers here too). http://photofile.ru/users/poduchka/?page=1

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/ind...ent&event=BIBSD what a year 2008 is going to be!!! just found out about it...

Wow, great news!!! tempted to go and get tickets to EVERY performance ;-)) (will go bankrupt then). Is it common that tickets go on sale so long in advance? a year? ... anyway, praying that I can stay in the USA next year... and if it happens - contact me if you need "the camp out" solutions ;-)) NY is such an expensive place for even camping out ;-))

My two cents, since I went to both (yet) the openning gala and Sunday's Red Giselle. Hated the Kassandra - totally hated, and didn't get it, even after reading the sinopsis before and after the performance (sorry, two more cents extra, we "joked" with my best friend, former ballerina, who also works for the company that is going through the $1B cost-cutting, why the choreographer made dancers wear $80 point-shoes, there's been no pirouttes, no demi-points, not to say a point position, just swift arm swings ;-(( they could have save money on the point-shoes). ..was imressed by the second half (but to my personal taste - too much of pair acrobatics - though it's Eifman's style... but his dancers bodies and their capabilities are stunning!!!) we were lucky to be invited to the after-show performance, and saw the dancers (it looked that his dancers are all over 6ft, and so young....) ... i was hesitant about other performances, but liked Red Giselle (despite it's acrobatics ;-)) Added after seeing two Seagulls with two different casts: Loved the duet of Nina Zmievets & Yuriy Smekalov (Arkadina & Trigorin - prima and classic choreographer). Liked the other two, Fisher & Abashova, UNTIL saw the second cast and TOTALLY loved Oleg Gabyshev (as a new choreographer Treplev) and Ms. Sitnikova as Nina (younger dancer). Gabyshev & Sitnikova danced with such abandonment, with such passion, so convincing and so moving that I ended up loving the ballet. Sitnikova had great "vaganova" hands, artistry and some poetry about her, when she was swinging her hands about her lover's face it reminded me the way Obrazstova danced her Juliet with Fadeyev "kissing with the hands" (hope I will not be banned from the forum). (to my taste) Sitnikova had classical training traits in her dancing, Gabyshev - extremely passionate, moving and convincing (much physically stronger than Fisher). Markov is prescine and precise, but doesn't have the same extensions as Smekalov, who was a total "seducer", when Markov looked like a "teacher". I don't even want to compare Zmievets with Povorozniuk, may be it was not the latter's day. Zmievets, was a total PRIMA ballerina, had a full stage control, their acrobatic with Smekalov looked so efortless and light. The latter (to my taste) didn't have the stage presence at all, required for a Prima, doesn't have a proper turn-out, can't do a good arabesk, and almost failed a couple of lifts (so it was disappointing to see her after Zmievets). Though may be Eifman was smart and split the perfect cast in half, so that each performance had two of the best 4. PS: just found out that Seagull is a new ballet, it's been premiered in Jan '07.

What is a must see of them? (I have seen Anna Karenina)... please do reply and share.... responses appreciated in advance.

I have an extra ticket to the rehearsal of Cinderella today by Bolshoi at Kennedy Center in DC.

Whoops, Hellen thank you for letting me know the policies. I have just checked the Bolshoi's site & they announce another cast change - back to previuosly announced Cinderellas with FILIN (earlier their site said that he would not tour due to (either injury or sickness)... No changes to Don Quixotte... http://www.bolshoi.ru/ru/season/press-serv...ex.php?id26=591 sorry, i couldn't find the English version of the same announcement. PS: The Kennedy site reflects the change - great cooperation between the two....

I had seen Olesia Novikova - Leonid Sarafanov's Gizelle last June in DC - they were wonderful. THey had great chemistry and great care&tenderness for each other. And I personally adore Fadeyev (I haven't seen Ekaterina Osmolkina in Gizelle, however Fadeyev is a GREAT PARTNER (and a great soloist). Saw him in Gizelle too. Wish I could go again. Best greatest performances to you.

Thank you for the note about Suzanne Farell ballet. I am going on Friday (as well as Wednesday rehearsal & performace, and Sunday's matanee). Ironically, Zaharova+Merkuriev=former Kirov's dancers with the Bolshoi's troupe ;-)) Sad that Filin is not coming (it's the second time he's not brought over here - same happened in summer 2005 in NYC)

Hello, I want to echo Natalia's post. I just LOVED it (I travelled from NYC to see them both). it was my first performance of Yevgenia, and I had seen Andrian several times. THEY were so LOVABLE and great. I can compare it (my personal opinion only) with the ABT's version with Diana Vishneva. and I prefer the KIROV's version. More teatrical, more gesture, more difficult (to my view) dancing... in my mind, it will also be an Arabesk ballet... I am astounded by how many and how well Yevgenia performed them all (so naturally, so easily... trying to do amateur ballet classes, I know - how difficult they are!!!). The only nuance (comparing to ABT Romeo & Juliet) it was a bit easier to distinguish who's Capulet and who's Montague in ABT (they just used two collors in the costumes)... but it's the only nuance (not a criticism). Thank you Natalia, I thought there were noticible glitches (but then thought, who am I to judge... however, since it's not only me.... Another interesting thing about the orchestra, a girl from the audience pointed out that the scores the orchestra used, were signed in Russian on the cover - interesting... sorry it's off-topic. I loved it (and coming again on Friday and Saturday morning) PS: I tried to reach Kennedy to figure out the discrepancy between their web-site and the brochure, and they confirmed that the latter is most accurate - well, I will miss Novikova but will see Ostrovskaya again ;-))