Vishneva 2008

[drb]

On her site today, Diana Vishneva said that she'd dance with ABT at the Met (New York) in May & June, 2008. Regarding being in NYC, Ms. Vishneva remarked

New York begins for me native city more and more.

and also referred to performing there in February at City Center (presumably as part of her American Beauty in Motion Tour, already on sale). She said she would tour with La Scala Ballet as well, specifically in answering a question on when she might appear in Los Angeles.

http://www.vishneva.ru/eng/index.htm

[Natalia]

Very intersting drb...but the most interesting is what she does not mention, such as dancing at City Center in April 2008 with her home company, the Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet. Vishneva mentions February at City Center and May/June with ABT at the Met. So what's up in April?

[drb]

...but the most interesting is what she does not mention, such as dancing at City Center in April 2008 with her home company, the Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet. Vishneva mentions February at City Center and May/June with ABT at the Met. So what's up in April?

Since she was just responding to questions on her site, my guess is that she simply didn't give an encyclopedic list. Current information from City Center lists her (including their main publicity photo: dancing Ballet Imperial with the also listed Igor Zelensky) for the April 1-20, 2008 Mariinsky visit. They've also modified information for her February, 21-24, 2008 Beauty in Motion week: in addition to already announced premieres by choreographers Alexei Ratmansky and Moses Pendleton, there will be a third by Dwight Rhoden. Desmond Richardson has been added as guest artist. Artists from the Mariinsky's Opera (?!), Orchestra, and Ballet are also promised (although, based on what has been posted so far, only for the New York engagement). Given this cooperation from her home theater, one might doubt that she'd disappoint the Mariinsky in April...

Regarding the 2008 La Scala tour, the only mention of her that I've found so far is Romeo and Juliet on July 1, 2008 at the Los Angeles Music Center.

[drb]

The photographer Gene Schiavone has just posted a new gallery called "other Vishneva" (there already is a 16 photo set of Diana on his site). In the added set there are six photos of Ms. Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes in Act 4 of Swan Lake, from last summer at the Met. In addition there are 18 photos from the ABT production of Manon, but not from last summer, as her partner here is Volodya Malakhov. The bad guys are Saveliev and Barbee. Can anyone identify the woman who is shown coaching Diana in the final, swamp, scene?

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album28

Good news from Ms.Vishneva's site. In response to a query regarding Don Q, Diana says she will dance Kitri with ABT in May-June, 2008. In another response, she says she will dance with ABT from May-July in New York and Tokyo.

[FauxPas]

In addition there are 18 photos from the ABT production of Manon, but not from last summer, as her partner here is Volodya Malakhov. The bad guys are Saveliev and Barbee. Can anyone identify the woman who is shown coaching Diana in the final, swamp, scene?

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album28

In all likelihood it is Monica Parker who is the regisseur for "Manon" and other MacMillan ballets at ABT.

[Old Fashioned]

In addition there are 18 photos from the ABT production of Manon, but not from last summer, as her partner here is Volodya Malakhov.

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album28

In one photo (where she is in arabesque) she looks a lot like Leslie Caron in Gigi.

[drb]

Sadly, that Vishneva set seems no longer available on Mr. Schiavone's site. However, there is a "New ABT" set

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album08

that includes seven photos of last season's Manon, partnered by Marcelo Gomes. This was an incredibly real Manon, her death in the swamp almost too close for comfort (this performance marked her return to the stage from illness). Two other photos are also labelled Manon, but are of her Bayadere with Ethan Stiefel. There are a number of other new photos of her Bayadere as well. At the moment Mr. Schiavone leads off the new photo set with her Odette, again partnered by Gomes, and easily her greatest Swan Lake success in New York.

Although OT, this set now includes my favorite photo of last season, the close-up of Part-Gomes in Bayadere, hardly visible from the audience without good binocs plus the right timing, yet capturing extremely well the full dramatic power of these extraordinarily subtle dancers. Bravo, Mr. Schiavone!

[Dale]

Ardani is putting out a book to celebrate Vishneva's solo tour:

http://ardani.com/vishneva_book.php

[drb]

Ardani is putting out a book to celebrate Vishneva's solo tour...

Thanks for the link, Dale. While one might find the discounted price of $150 a bit much, the site kindly shows many of the often impressive photos. They've now also given details about the three ballets on the program. Not only will the Mariinsky supply dancers, but also musicians. And for the Ratmansky premiere, the Opera, too!

Pierrot Lunaire

Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky

Music: Arnold Schoenberg

Assistant Choreographer: Elvira Tarasova

Diana Vishneva and members of the Kirov Opera, Ballet and Orchestra

Flow

Choreography: Moses Pendleton

Assistant to Choreographer: Cynthia Quinn

Prop Designer: Michael Curry

Costume Designer: Phoeby Katz

Solo by Diana Vishneva

Three Point Turn

Choreography: Dwight Rhoden

Music: David Rozenblatt

Costume Designer: Isabel Rubio

Lighting Designer: Antonio Marques

Diana Vishneva, Desmond Richardson and members of the Kirov Ballet

Live Music (Percussion Quartet)