millamant Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hi - I've purchased tickets for the Kirov Spectacular on Jan 22. The Kennedy Center website states that Lopatkina will be performing the 'Dying Swan' - and I'm just wondering if anyone has any more information about the performers for this engagement. I know the Kirov cast schedule can be pretty volatile, but I'm just hoping that Lopatkina is scheduled for this final (of 3) performance. If she is scheduled to come, I assume she'd dance on opening night, but I'm also hoping she'll dance this last performance as well. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Casting hasn't been released yet; we'll post it when it is released. But, as you note, casting can be volatile (what a great way to describe it!) I don't think it's wise to count on any specific dancer dancing any specific performance. It's a sure way to be disappointed. (I'm hoping to see Lopatkina too; fingers crossed!) Link to comment
Natalia Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Balanchine's 'La Valse' (from last spring's new Balanchine Triple Bill at the Mariinsky) is also scheduled to be danced in the Kirov Spectacular programs, according to the Kennedy Center magazine. Lopatkina was in the original cast of 'Valse' so, I assume, you might be seeing her in that, too. Link to comment
Dale Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 The Kennedy Center website says this: Members from all three companies present an exhilarating dance, opera, and music event created exclusively for Kennedy Center audiences. Maestro Gergiev conducts this dazzling showcase of ballet selections—including Ulayana Lopatkina in Fokine's The Dying Swan and Daria Pavlenko in Balanchine's La Valse—along with opera selections by Rimsky-Korsakov, culminating in the mesmerizing Merchant Scene from Sadko. Link to comment
Natalia Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Thanks, Dale. That must be new, as I had not seen the bit naming Pavlenko. Great news! Now...all we need is for the Kennedy Center to do a 'casting flip' on us, i.e., on the second 'Spectacular' night, Pavlenko does 'Dying Swan' and Lopatkina does 'La Valse'! Anything is possible...and, if that's the case, there goes my savings account, further! ) Link to comment
nysusan Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hmmm.. I decided not to go to DC for the Kirov's Cinderella but Lopatkina in The Dying Swan and Pavlenko in La Valse, I don't know how I missed noticing that. I think I have to go to Washington in January after all! Link to comment
Natalia Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 The details of the 'Spectacular' were just announced with the publication of the Jan/Feb issue of the KennCen magazine (plus website update). I agree; were I not living in DC, I would not bother to suffer....er, I mean -- to SEE...yet another rendition of the Ratmansky 'Cinderella.' But any second of Lopatkina & Pavlenko on the stage is worth a drive across a continent! Link to comment
nysusan Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 I just looked at the calendar on Pavlenko's website, and it indicates that she will be appearing at the Mariinsky Theater in Diamonds on Jan 21st, which would make it unlikely that she would dance in DC on 1/22. On the other hand, who knows how up to date that calendar is, it doesn't list the DC engagement at all. BTW, what is going on in Washington in January? Last year I stayed at the Watergate during the Kirov's Swan Lake run for about $120 a night. I just checked and they want $900 a nite for 1/18 or 1/22!!!!! Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Presidential Inauguration? Link to comment
Cygnet Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Presidential Inauguration? Yes! I forgot about that factoid. It will be difficult to book a hotel room that week, not to mention the crowds and the protocol. But, to miss Dasha in 'The Dying Swan'? NO WAY!! On the hand, someone mentioned that she'll be dancing "Diamonds" in Petersburg. We know how they change casting, but if she can do it, that will be cutting it real close. Link to comment
nysusan Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 I decided not to take a chance on the Saturday matinee & got a ticket for Tuesday night. Figured the best chance to catch Lopatkina & Pavlenko was opening night. We'll see how it works out! Link to comment
Natalia Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Smart move, nysusan! Leigh - Indeed, the Presidential Inauguration will be on Thursday, January 20, 2005. I won't predict who'll be Premier Danseur of THAT! Link to comment
millamant Posted October 17, 2004 Author Share Posted October 17, 2004 Hi- just couldn't deal with being in DC Jan 20, which is why I opted for the final performance on Jan 22, although I knew I'd be taking a big chance on the cast for that date. I'm just hoping that Lopatkina dances that final matinee, since it was just seeing her name listed that made me decide to fly out. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing the Kirov Spec and I'm staying for the Boris Godunov opera as well (seems rather appropriate) - one can never have too much of the Kirov in my opinion... I also noticed that hotel rates are ridiculously inflated during the week, but they actually come down that weekend (they're still higher than normal, but they're much lower - well, except for the Watergate, which has those egregiously inflated rates). But better to book now - it's probably going to get worse the closer it gets! Link to comment
nysusan Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 The Kennedy Center now has casting up on their website for the "Spectacular". The bad news: no Pavlenko The good news: Lopatkina in La Valse AND Dying Swan for all 3 performances. Vishneva & Sarafanov in Rubies for the first 2 performances and Golub & Korsakov on the 22nd. There are several other wonderful dancers scheduled to perform including Natalya Sologub & Sofia Gumerova as well as many others that I have not seen before. I've copied the full casting here(including Opera casting): CASTING THE KIROV SPECTACULAR TSAR’S BRIDE: Gryaznoi: Evgeny Nikitin (1/19 & 20), Victor Chernomortsev (1/22); Marfa: Olga Trifonova; Lyubasha: Olga Savova; Sobakin: Sergei Alexashkin; Domna: Nadezhda Vasilieva; Dunyasha: Liubov Sokolova; Maliuta: Alexei Tanovitsky. QUEEN OF SPADES: Eletsky: Vasily Gerello; Lisa: TBD. SADKO: Sadko: Alexei Steblianko (1/19 & 20), Oleg Balashov (1/22); Volkhova: Irma Gigolashvili; Viking Merchant: Sergei Alexashkin; Venetian Merchant: Vladimir Moroz (1/19), Alexander Gergalo (1/20 & 22); Indian Merchant: Dmitry Voropaev; Liubava: Olga Savova; Nezhata: Liubov Sokolova; Duda: Vadim Kravets; Sopel: Viktor Vikhrov; 1st Elder: Vladimir Zhivopistsev; 2nd Elder: Alexei Tannovitsky. LA VALSE : Soloists: Uliana Lopatkina, Shishov Vladimir; Death: Soslan Kulaev; Three dancers: Alexandra Iosifidi, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Daria Suhokurova; First Pas de Deux: Natalya Sologub, Andrey Merkuriev; Second Pas de Deux: Yulia Kasenkova, Vasily Scherbakov; Third Pas de Deux: Sofya Gumerova, Maksim Zuzin. LE CORSAIRE PAS DE DEUX: Alina Somova, Leonid Sarafanov. RUBIES: Soloists: Diana Vishneva (1/18 & 19), Leonid Sarafanov (1/18 & 19), Sofya Gumerova, Irina Golub (1/22), Anton Korsakov (1/22); Four Dancers: Maksim Khrebtov, Vasily Scherbakov, Anton Lukovkin, Alexey Negviga. THE DYING SWAN: Uliana Lopatkina. BORIS GODUNOV Boris: Vladimir Vaneev (1/21), Evgeny Nikitin (1/22), Vladimir Vaneev (1/23); Shuisky: Alexei Steblianko (1/21), Nikolai Gassiev (1/22 & 23); Pimen: Mikhail Kit (1/21 & 23), Gennady Bezzubenkov (1/22); Dmitry the Pretender: Oleg Balashov (1/21 & 23), Alexei Steblianko (1/22); Shelkalov: Vasily Gerello (1/21 & 23), Vladimir Moroz (1/22); The Fool: Leonid Zakhozhaev; Fedor: Mikhail Gavrilov; Xenia: Tatiana Borodina; Nanya: Nadezhda Vasilieva; Varlaam: Gennady Bezzubenkov (1/21 & 23), Alexei Tannovitsky (1/22); Misail: Viktor Vikhrov; Hostess of the Inn: Olga Savova (1/21 & 23), Liubov Sokolova (1/22); Nikitich/Constable: Alexei Tannovitsky (1/21 & 23), Vadim Kravets (1/22); Boyar: Yuri Laptev; Mityukha: Edem Umerov; Men: Viktor Vikhrov, Vladimir Zhivopistsev Link to comment
Natalia Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 Thanks for this, nysusan! Great news about Alina Somova -- who graduated only 1.5 years ago & who danced her first Odette/Odile this summer -- being on the tour, dancing Corsaire with Sarafanov. You're in for a big treat! Golub should be dancing one or two of the Cinderellas, as she recently debuted in the role, at the Mariinsky. I suspect Vishnyova and Sologub will have 1st & 2nd casts. I wonder if Cinderella casting is out? Too bad that we'll see 'Rubies' -- already seen 2 or 3 yrs ago on a Kirov tour -- instead of 'Ballet Imperial,' which was Vishnyova's great triumph (with Zelensky) during the past season. Once again, our programming friends at the Kennedy Center are behind the ball. Ugh.... Link to comment
Thalictum Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 It's not our programming friends at the Kennedy Center who are to blame, it's our programming friends at the Kirov. But Samova is much too tall for Sarafanov and I repeat, even in the old days of Kolpakova we wouldn't have seen someone dancing two out of four pieces on two of the three programs -- the Kirov has generously allowed Sarafanov to appear only once on the third program. Link to comment
Natalia Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 It's not our programming friends at the Kennedy Center who are to blame, it's our programming friends at the Kirov. But Samova is much too tall for Sarafanov and I repeat, even in the old days of Kolpakova we wouldn't have seen someone dancing two out of four pieces on two of the three programs -- the Kirov has generously allowed Sarafanov to appear only once on the third program. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> She's not all that tall, t. Have you seen her live? She has long-legs in relation to the rest but she's not unusually tall. Anyhow, it's still too soon to etch any Kirov-DC casting into stone. I'm still hoping for that 'Ballet Imperial' in place of 'Rubies'! Link to comment
nysusan Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 Golub should be dancing one or two of the Cinderellas, as she recently debuted in the role, at the Mariinsky. I suspect Vishnyova and Sologub will have 1st & 2nd casts. I wonder if Cinderella casting is out?Too bad that we'll see 'Rubies' -- already seen 2 or 3 yrs ago on a Kirov tour -- instead of 'Ballet Imperial,' which was Vishnyova's great triumph (with Zelensky) during the past season. Once again, our programming friends at the Kennedy Center are behind the ball. Ugh.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The Cinderella casting hasn't been posted yet. I missed Rubies the last time they were here and Vishneva & Sarafanov sound perfect for those roles so I'm looking forward to it. I was really impressed with him in SL at the Kennedy Center last season. Vishneva is supposed to guest with ABT this summer at the Met and is scheduled to dance in Ballet Imperial with Malakhov. I will definitely catch them in NY!!! :3dnod: Link to comment
Thalictum Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 I think Vishneva and Sarafanov are a total mismatch. In Bayadere they were like a goddess with a gauche young kid. Every time she came on I thought thank goodness the grownups are back. His partnering is not good either; no wonder Vishneva and the other ballerinas are up in arms. Yes he can do some tricks beautifully and he has a lot of enthusiasm. Anyway, even if Sarafanov were Baryshnikov redux, which he is not, he does not deserve to hog the spotlight like that. I have seen Samova live -- I may have misjudged her overall height. I don't think they will substitute Ballet Imperial for Rubies because frankly, despite Vishneva getting her own "evening" in January, the Kirov is much more concerned with making Sarafanov a superstar. This despite the fact that I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decamped as did Zakharova. I'd heard that Dumchenko might do Cinderella -- any news, Natalia? Link to comment
Natalia Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 Gee, thal, what did poor Sarafanov ever do to tick you off so??? Just kidding; everyone's entitled to his opinion! Sarafanov IS small-boned for a guy...but so is Fadeev &, in time, he 'bulked up' on muscle. I see Sarafanov going that route, although he's not quite Charles Atlas yet. Maybe in time the Kirov will pair him with Novikova, who is smallish...actually he IS dancing the restored Soviet Beauty with Novikova (at least that's what's being advertised). re. Dumchenko - I have not heard this. Lots of Juliets and Bakh Fontans. Unless she debuts the Cinderella role in DC, she won't, as the last showing of Cinderella prior to the DC tour took place last night, with Golub debuting in the role...to give her a chance to do it prior to DC. The (measly) sets and costumes are now on their way to DC. Link to comment
Thalictum Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 It's not Sarafanov's body so much as his manner which is too green and gauche for my taste, especially next to a great ballerina like Vishneva. Natalia, when you first wrote about him in Flower Festival two years ago you mentioned that he and Obratsova were a bit too "competition" in deportment. I agree, and it was painful to see his partnering problems with Vishneva. Novikova is a much better partner for Sarafanov. Fadeyev and Vishneva danced together beautifully when I last saw them paired last year. But I still think she has not found her ideal partner. Oddly enough I keep thinking she should dance Bayadere with Dmitri Pykhachev, who has never danced Solor. But he is tall, sexy and elegant both. A bit more mojo than Fadeyev. Link to comment
Juliet Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Ooooooh, this is interestiing! Keep going! I agree about Ballet Imperial, though--I'd prefer to see that....Much as I love Vishnyova in that, I am not particularly enamoured by the rest of the kirov presentation of this. It is still a piece and style that is not worn comfortably--I don't go to the Kirov to see Balanchine. There is so much more in their repertory which I would prefer to see them performing. Link to comment
millamant Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 Must say I agree with Thalictum re Sarafanov. He looked like someone's baby brother partnering Vishneva at last year's Bayadere in LA, and hardly a credible Solor. It made for a very different experience from the Bayadere Vishneva danced with Fadeyev 2-3 years before in NY. Sarafanov was quite impressive in his solo dancing, but he seemed somewhat lacking in confidence as a partner. Not exactly reassuring. Maybe it's just his youth, but I must admit, I prefer male dancers who generate a bit more heat. Looking forward to the Spectacular (and Lopatkina), and Boris G. --M Link to comment
Ari Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 This just in, from the Kennedy Center's dance programming department: Cinderella casting January 11, 14 Sologub, Merkuriev January 12, 15 matinee Golub, Merkuriev January 13, 15 evening Vishneva, Kolb They have no information on the casting for the matinee of the 16th for some reason. Link to comment
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