Svetlana Ivanova - buried Mariinsky treasure

[MadameP]

Buried Mariinsky treasure...

Four videos have recently appeared on YouTube, showing a very young Svetlana Ivanova in what I believe was her only performance as Aurora.  What a lovely performance and at her very young age, too.  Ivanova is mostly seen these days as first shade or swan, little bayadere and other coryphee roles.   She is a wonderful example to all corps dancers, but it is so sad that she still is only a coryphee.  She has the most exquisite adagio and beautiful Vaganova technique.  These days she only dances a few roles - notably Juliet's companion, the Young Lady in Young Lady and the Hooligan, and Diana in The Awakening of Flora (where I honestly thought she was the best ballerina on the stage) but she has been woefully underused.   She rehearsed Giselle some years back, and danced the pd2, but injury prevented her from performing the full length role.  She should be dancing Aurora today.   I am so grateful to the uploader for at least this glimpse of her Aurora!

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by MadameP

[MadameP]

 

 

 

[annaewgn]

Wow! What a beauty! I've known of Ivanova for a while but you're right, she doesn't dance many soloist roles anymore (neither do many of the other coryphées anymore). Her repertoire page on the Mariinsky website says she joined the company in 1996, so I would guess she was about 18-20 years old here. Very impressive. 

[MadameP]

The same uploader also put up a concert performance of her pd2 from Act 2 of Giselle - beautiful arms and head.  

 

 

[Drew]

In video of the Mariinsky Romeo and Juliet, her ‘companion’ is an absolute stand out. It made me want to see her in a slew of other roles.

Ivanova danced Kitty in Ratmansky’s Anna Karenina when the Mariinsky brought it to NY. (She was lovely, but the role does not reveal much.)

[ECat]

Thank you for sharing all of these gems of Ivanova.  I especially enjoy her Princess Aurora.  Her epaulment, characterization, and supple back are sublime to watch.  I was fortunate enough to see the Mariinsky perform La Bayadère at the Kennedy Center a couple of years ago and she completely stood out from the corps in the shades section.  She was also one of the pas de quatre dancers in the grand pas.  It is a shame she doesn't get the opportunities for larger roles.

[MadameP]

8 hours ago, ECat said:

Thank you for sharing all of these gems of Ivanova.  I especially enjoy her Princess Aurora.  Her epaulment, characterization, and supple back are sublime to watch.  I was fortunate enough to see the Mariinsky perform La Bayadère at the Kennedy Center a couple of years ago and she completely stood out from the corps in the shades section.  She was also one of the pas de quatre dancers in the grand pas.  It is a shame she doesn't get the opportunities for larger roles.

Yes, those are roles she typically dances.  Ivanova does still dance Juliet's friend occasionally, and the Young Lady in Young Lady and the Hooligan, both of which I have been fortunate to see.  Her Young Lady is THE Young Lady of all for me - pure, refined, gentle and touching.  So moving!  I do not know when MT last performed this ballet outside Russia - certainly not recently - but it is a wonderful dramatic ballet with the most beautiful music.  

[Roberta]

When I saw this partial title ("Svetlana Ivanova Buried..."), my heart skipped a beat. Glad that she is alive and well!

The high level of the very large Mariinsky troupe means that, inevitably, it will be hard for many deserving artists to be promoted. In Ivanova's case, she lost her chief defender and lobbyist when Zubkovskaya died. Didn't Ivanova even move to Germany for a while, hoping for better luck? 

Veronika Part was another Zubkovskaya student who had to move (to the USA) to be promoted. There were others.

[ECat]

@MadameP you are so fortunate to have seen her in such roles!  How wonderful that must have been.  This fall I will see Mariinsky perform Jewels in Los Angeles and I hope that Ivanova will be on that tour.  I personally think she would be divine as a principal in Emeralds.

[Roberta]

Didn't Ivanova graduate in 1996, making her about 40/41 now? Not that dancers can't perform beautifully into their 40s, like Lopatkina or Julie Kent. Vishneva is still going strong in modern works, one year older than Ivanova. Zakharova also graduated in 1996, albeit younger than the usual 18, if memory serves.

[MadameP]

On 7/18/2019 at 6:58 PM, Roberta said:

Didn't Ivanova graduate in 1996, making her about 40/41 now? Not that dancers can't perform beautifully into their 40s, like Lopatkina or Julie Kent. Vishneva is still going strong in modern works, one year older than Ivanova. Zakharova also graduated in 1996, albeit younger than the usual 18, if memory serves.

Yes, she graduated in 1996.   As well as as being a coryphee at Mariinsky Theatre, she also teaches at Vaganova.