Mashinka

I love to go abroad to see performances and have travelled extensively throughout Europe to see favourite dancers, new productions etc. My favourite destination is also Paris, it’s the city I love best and there is always so much to do and see there Every summer there are a number of arts festivals held in some outstanding locations. I particularly recommend Athens, where the performances take place in an ancient amphitheatre built into the slopes of the Acropolis. I have seen the Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet there and it was an unforgettable experience.. Russia is a problematic destination for a number of reasons, but once you get there you will have a wonderful time. Basically you have two travel options. Either you go on an all-inclusive tour, which will be expensive and possibly regimented, or you can go as an independent traveller. The latter option is fraught with problems as all your travel arrangements must be in place before you can start to apply for a visa and the cost of your visa will depend on the length of time remaining before departure. Travel agents specializing in Eastern Europe can help but will try to put you into an up market hotel and their flights are rarely the cheapest. Be sure to read the Time Out Guide or the Lonely Planet guide when choosing a hotel. I haven’t been to St P. for many years but am reliably told by ballet fans that the cheapest tourist hotels are a considerable distance from the city. Be prepared for unusual sights at your hotel such as heavily armed security men and lobbies full of call girls. I often travel to Moscow and imagine that ticket arrangements in St P. are the same as those in Moscow. You buy your tickets on the street outside the theatre. The ticket touts are actually more knowledgeable than the box office staff and they will all speak English to you. However always be prepared for sudden cast and programme changes. If you know any Russian dancers ask them for information about the dance scene in the city, they will tell you all the latest news about performances that you would otherwise miss. Finally, the best advice I can give is to learn some Russian before you go. Without a basic knowledge of the language and the alphabet, Russia will seem a very bewildering place.

Seeing how Rozhdestvensky started his career at the Bolshoi as a ballet conductor, his attitude to Daughter of the Pharaoh is hard to understand. The Pugni music for that ballet is tuneful and charming. A delightful example of 19th century ballet music. Last year I attended the first two performances of this ballet in Moscow. I loved it and it seemed to please the Moscow audience too. However one of the dancers told me that the dancers did not like it because they felt Lacottes choregraphy wasn't sufficiently "authentic". That may be so but it was highly enjoyable and I suspect that the real reason for their dislike was that the choregraphy made technical demands that they weren't used to. I do hope that this production isn't simply cast away as I feel it has too much to offer to be thrown back into oblivion