Mariinsky London Performances

[Barbara]

Very curious if any of our London posters attended the Mariinsky performances. Especially would like to know about David Hallberg's Swan Lakes with Shirinkina, Tereshkina and Kondaurova. Thanks!

[alexaa1a]

Barbara

Last year David Hallberg performed Sleeping Beauty with Alina Somova at the 2010 International Mariinsky Festival. This year, he performed Swan Lake with Ekaterina Kondaurova at this year's International Mariinsky Festival. This month, he performed Scotch Symphony with Maria Shirinkina and unless there have been changes that I am not aware of, he is scheduled to dance Swan Lake tomorrow with Viktoria Tereshkina.

To my knowledge, I believe this is his full extent of roles danced with the Mariinsky, but plans exist for him to do much more dancing with the Mariinsky next season. I do not know details.

[Bradan]

I saw the Homage to Fokine programme on the 29th July: Chopiniana, the Firebird (with Ekaterina Kondaurova) and Scheherazade (with Diana Vishneva and Igor Zelensky).

I had never seen the Mariinsky before so it was something of a revelation to me. I had never seen ballet before where the corps was as interesting, if not more interesting, to watch than the principals. In Les Sylphides, there was a taut quality to their stillness - like the tension on top of water - and a crispness to their movement, wholly synchronised but without looking facile like a chorus line, that lit the stage. It was pure and intricate at the same time.

It looked white and timeless and in a way set the other two up to be multi-coloured period pieces, but they were great fun as well. What I remember best is the impression of sheer opulence created by more and more dancers pouring onto the stage in each piece - and the skittering, pulsing movements of the creatures in the garden of the Firebird, which reminded me a bit of the corps in the Prodigal Son.

Kondaurova was full of sweep and authority, and even took her bows in birdlike character. Vishneva didn't have that much to do as Zobeide, and I was unfortunately distracted early on by how thin she looked in the slave costume, which made it hard for me to see the illusion of voluptuousness in her movement. And Zelensky was big and impressively precise (even when a member of the corps unfortunately ran into his outstretched leg in a grande pirouette) but got more interesting for me when I remembered the dance was made on Nijinsky and started trying to see him in it.

I was only sorry I couldn't stay in London longer to see more - would be very interested to hear other people's impressions.

[Marcmomus]

I saw Homage to Fokine on Monday August 1st and Don Quixote the next evening. Anastasia Petushkova was the Firebird. She was excellent but I regret not seeing Kondaurova in the role as I think she's the best Firebird of all those available on DVD. Scheherazade is mainly a piece of cultural history, and knowing its original context is everything, as it's pretty ludicrous otherwise. Victoria Teseshkina was Zobeide and the slave Vladimir Shklyarov, and both were good. I appreciated the atmosphere of Chopiniana.

Kitri was Anastasia Matvienko and Basil her husband Denis. Both were highly competent even if Anastasia didn't have quite enough brio for Kitri. Kondaurova was the Street Dancer. It's remarkable that they give such a small part to someone of her standing, but I was grateful to see her. She's also the Street Dancer on the recent Mariinsky DVD of Don Quixote with Novikova/Sarafanov.

The impresario Victor Hochauser originally brought the Mariinsky for their first visit to London in 1961, and he also arranged this season 50 years later. Quite a record. I regret not being able to stay for more.

[abatt]

Victoria Teseshkina was Zobeide and the slave Vladimir Shklyarov, and both were good.

When the Kirov visited New York a few years ago, Vishneva and Lopatkina alternated the role of Zobeide. Did Lopatkina do the role during the London visit? I have a hard time picturing Tereshkina in that role.

The Kirov is bringing this same all Fokine program to Washington, D.C. in Jan. 2012. I hope Ekaterina Kondaurova does Firebird during that engagement. She must be a fantastic Firebird.

[ksk04]

Kondaurova was the Street Dancer. It's remarkable that they give such a small part to someone of her standing, but I was grateful to see her. She's also the Street Dancer on the recent Mariinsky DVD of Don Quixote with Novikova/Sarafanov.

Her husband often dances the Toreador, so that may factor into why she still dances it.

Daria Pavlenko also still does the Street Dancer at home, but that seems to be another issue entirely.

Thanks for the report!

[Cygnet]

abbatt wrote:

When the Kirov visited New York a few years ago, Vishneva and Lopatkina alternated the role of Zobeide. Did Lopatkina do the role during the London visit? I have a hard time picturing Tereshkina in that role.

Lopatkina wasn't cast as Zobeide; this time Diana and Uliana are tag teaming "Anna Karenina." Tereshkina is actually an excellent Zobeide; (as is Dasha Pavlenko 'ksk40' ).