Lopatkina, Obraztsova among Stars at London Gala

[Natalia]

Many stars of int'l ballet, including Lopatkina, Obraztsova and Zelensky of the Mariinsky + top stars from the Bolshoi, POB and RB will dance in a special Ulanova Gala in London, on May 15, 2011:

http://www.eno.org/see-whats-on/productions/production-page.php?itemid=1177

I see that OLGA SMIRNOVA -- who hasn't even yet graduated from the Vaganova Academy but whose progress has been charted by many of us for years -- will also dance in this gala. Amazing, considering that she won't be graduating until June.

Only three Mariinsky stars...but what a threesome: Lopatkina, Obraztsova and Zelensky!

Ballet Icon Vladimir Vassiliev organized/leads the gala. Lucky Londoners!

[Angelique]

I see that OLGA SMIRNOVA -- who hasn't even yet graduated from the Vaganova Academy but whose progress has been charted by many of us for years -- will also dance in this gala. Amazing, considering that she won't be graduating until June.

Wow! A new Mariinsky starlet? Natalia, did you see Olga Smirnova in action, so to speak? Also, who do you refer to when you say "by many of us"? And who exactly charted her progress?

The reason I ask so many queastions is because I never even heard the name, but would love to learn more about the young lady and powers behind her metioric rise. Many thanks.

[Mashinka]

Other big names include the following:

Alessio Carbone, Dorothée Gilbert, Dmitry Gudanov, Ekaterina Krysanova, Svetlana Lunkina, Vladimir Malakhov, Andrei Merkuriev and Vadim Muntagirov.

Vladimir Malakhov has very rarely appeared in London at all so this will be a rare opportunity to see him live.

[California]

Wow! A new Mariinsky starlet? Natalia, did you see Olga Smirnova in action, so to speak? Also, who do you refer to when you say "by many of us"? And who exactly charted her progress?

The reason I ask so many queastions is because I never even heard the name, but would love to learn more about the young lady and powers behind her metioric rise. Many thanks.

I hadn't heard the name either. Thanks for the heads up! If you put her name into "search" on YouTube, several things come up.

[Angelique]

I hadn't heard the name either. Thanks for the heads up! If you put her name into "search" on YouTube, several things come up.

I did just that. Young Olga has the most amazing pair of feet, supple and beautifully arched.

Dorothée Gilbert is a joy to watch.

[Natalia]

Smirnova won the Grand Prix at the last Vaganova Competition (held every 3 or 4 yrs), as well as Grand Prix at the Mikhailovsky Theater's own competition last fall. Smirnova (and fellow-graduate of the Class of 2011, Kristina Shapran) have been featured in most end-of-year Vaganova Academy Concerts since about 2005. Smirnova's usual partner in these concerts was Victor Lebedev, who graduated in 2010 and was to have been 'the next great male danseur' of the Mariinsky...but he was instantly nabbed by the Mikhailovsky, making many fans fear that Smirnova would also be nabbed by the Mikhailovsky or even a top ballet company outside Russia. We still don't know if she will enter the Mariinsky upon graduation. For now, she remains the Vaganova Academy's greatest treasure in years.

Notice the exquisite port de bras, turn out, noble proportions, neck, etc., in these pics:

http://lostnene.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/olga-smirnova-at-vaganova-ballet-academy/olga-smirnova0001/

It says a LOT that Vasiliev has singled her out (as well as the 3 Mariinsky stars) for this big London gala. Shades of Diana Vishneva, who was invited to participate in a short ballet at the 1994 Oscars, one year before her own graduation!