Internet broadcast of Raymonda on Oct 15th

[Helene]

As I write this Act 2 is about to begin (I think there are about three more reruns to go before it is gone).  It is really very well produced (I mean the video direction), no fast cutting, you really get to see the flow of the choreography.  It is hard to think of a commercial video that is so balletomane oriented!  The corps looks impressive, the male dancing is certainly a notch above what we saw this summer at the Met.  The ballerinas are fine: how surprising that co-Prima Masha Alexandrova is in a soloist role!  Not a "six o'clock" in sight.  I think it is very favorable publicity for the Bolshoi.

I agree -- the camera work was spot on through at least the middle of Act II (when I had to leave to go to the opera). This would be an incredible DVD to have; the women -- Allash, Alexandrova, and Shipulina -- have been gorgeous so far, and the men are strong. (I haven't gotten to Act III and Nioridze yet. I'm not sure I can stay up that long ) Allash has been a pure delight so far.

The download page lists Yuri Grigorovich and Nataliya Bessmertnova as the choreographers. Could it have been Bessmertnova who coached Allash?

[dachnitsa]

The website of the Bolshoi is stating that yesterdays perfomance has been dedicated to Tatina Golikova's end of career as balletmaster-rehearser.

(Tatiana Golikova has been working with both, Mariya Alexandrova and Mariya Allash.)

[Dr. Coppelius]

The download page lists Yuri Grigorovich and Nataliya Bessmertnova as the choreographers.  Could it have been Bessmertnova who coached Allash?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, and I think she did the same with Eleonora Abbagnato in the POB perfomance of Ivan the terrible, where she is listed as "assistant choreographer"

[drb]

The website of the Bolshoi is stating that yesterdays perfomance has been dedicated to Tatina Golikova's end of career as balletmaster-rehearser.

(Tatiana Golikova has been working with both, Mariya Alexandrova and Mariya Allash.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for info. Did not look like Bessmertnova. Beautiful woman, not unlike some old web photos of Golikova. Hopefully one of our Moscow posters will clarify the issue.

[ina]

Yesterday's "Raymonda" was dedicated to Golikova to celebrate her tripple(!) jubilee: 60th birthday on October 14, 40 years since joining the Bolshoi and 10 years of coaching at the Bolshoi. By no means it can be considered as the end of her carreer. She works now with Maria Alexandrova, Maria Allash, Anna Rebetskaya...

[Helene]

The website of the Bolshoi is stating that yesterdays perfomance has been dedicated to Tatina Golikova's end of career as balletmaster-rehearser.

(Tatiana Golikova has been working with both, Mariya Alexandrova and Mariya Allash.)

Thank you, dachnitsa! Golikova should be honored: what beautiful dancers Allash and Alexandrova are. Although the transfer rate of the third act wasn't very smooth, I was able to get the arc of Allash's interpretation. I'm in love with another dancer

[Giselle05]

I loved Allash as well. Was it just me or were there clips of Nina A. with Filin during the intermission, along with clips of Zakharova?

[Helene]

I loved Allash as well. Was it just me or were there clips of Nina A. with Filin during the intermission, along with clips of Zakharova?

Sadly, when the screen was small, I couldn't see the faces, and when I made it page size, they were distorted. I don't know enough about Alexandrova's and Shipulina's styles to tell the two of them apart in their solos. (I've only seen Alexandrova in the Donellen Romeo and Juliet, which told me nothing about her style in the classics, but much about how she'd bite someone )

dachnitsa or drb: did you notice who was in the clips at intermission?

[drb]

Other than Zakharova, not sure re intermission 'previews'. Maybe one might have been Shipulina?

More often than not Shipulina was on our left, Alexandrova (darker hair) on right.

Variation in resolution was a little strange. The last rerun was often around 250Kbps, while the night (here) reruns were typically 400Kbps. Made a big difference, which I think we can take as encouraging, since the rate at which digital tech advances would suggest that a year from now we could all be pretty happy!

It would be nice if the Mariinsky took this Bolshoi webcast as a challenge... President Putin's home town team should be second to none!

[drb]

Raymonda's back!!! The outstanding performance (and videography) is being rerun Wednesday. I think (but would not swear to it) that the following times are US Eastern:

"Raymonda" ballet, pre-recorded broadcast from Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

Wired Broadband Connection

October 26, 2005

2:00 am, 5:30 am, 9:00 am, 0:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 11:00 pm

The website is:

http://www.cultu.ru/english/pautina/2005/raymonda/

[drb]

The telecasts of Raymonda are appearing at the times posted for today. Mostly at 400Kbps, with infrequent slipping to 225.

Act 1 has finished with Act 2 about to begin. Re the matter of who's who, in Act 1 the first star out is the great danseur noble Filin. Then Alexandrova and partner arrive followed immediately by Shipulina and partner. Then Allash (Raymonda). Later, in the Lyre Pd4 Alexandrova is first to start; when it becomes a Pd5 with Allash (the Lyre player) in center, Alexandrova is to our left, Shipulina to our right.

This being Grigorovich, it is really a sequence of divertissements rather than being story-oriented like ABT's version. The Act therefore ends (beautifully) with a Dream Scene rather than a Vision Scene (at ABT it is a vision inspired by the "white lady", of course the Virgin Mary Statue, but for some reason ABT is shy about that--it is the era of the Jerusalem Crusades, after all). Raymonda dreams of her nobly robed Knight who has just given her his gift of silk, but Eros enters the dream in the form of Saracen Knight Rinat Arifulin, who then begins his very impressive performance.

http://www.cultu.ru/english/pautina/2005/raymonda/

[drb]

Those who enjoyed Maria Allash's portrayal of Raymonda in this beautifully produced telecast may be pleased to learn that Alexei Ratmansky promoted her to the rank of Principal on January 19, 2007, after her performance as Nikaya in a Bayadere which included the Solor of Vladimir Neporozhny, Gamzatti of Yekaterina Shipulina and Bronz Idol of Ivan Vasiliev.

The promotion is now confirmed on the dancers list on the company's website.