XIX Mariinsky International Ballet Festival 2020

[Buddy]

XIX Mariinsky International Ballet Festival 2020

March 11-22, 2020

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivals/fest2019_2020/new8

The probable highlights so far may be Olga Smirnova “Giselle” and Diana Vishneva “Anna Karenina.”

Also Oxana Skorik “Swan Lake” and Alina Somova “La Bayadere.”

Edited December 28, 2019 by Buddy
I changed the closing date from March 23 to March 22, which is a Sunday, the usual day to end a Festival.

[Buddy]

The rest of the Festival program has been posted today. This is the entire program.

Newly announced, opening night and the second to last evening will be devoted to works by Alexei Ratmansky. The two evenings will be slightly different. Both will include PIERROT LUNAIRE and CONCERTO DSCH. The second evening will be a premier, SEVEN SONATAS (Music by Domenico Scarlatti), replacing three previously created duets.

The probable highlights remain Olga Smirnova “Giselle,” Diana Vishneva “Anna Karenina,” Oxana Skorik “Swan Lake” and Alina Somova “La Bayadere” with the addition of Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov the closing evening and Diana Vishneva and Vladislav Lantratov in Alexei Ratmansky’s Duet from the ballet LOST ILLUSIONS the first evening.

The Young Choreographers evening (works and casting posted only in Russian for the moment), which was quite good last year, will once again include two new works by a favorite of mine, Maxim Petrov. Viktoria Brilyova, who was the delightful lead in two of his earlier, more lengthy and successful works, will be returning for one of these. Much loved soloist, Alexander Sergeev, will present a new work. His first last year was a very pleasant Jerome Robbins’ sort of creation.

 

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivals/fest2019_2020/new8

 

XIX INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL MARIINSK 11–22 March 2020

 

** 11 March **

** An Evening of Ballets by Alexei Ratmansky **

Pierrot Lunaire, Concerto DSCH, duets from the ballets Cinderella, The Little Humpbacked Horse, Lost Illusions

Featuring Diana Vishneva, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Vladislav Lantratov

 

PIERROT LUNAIRE

Music by Arnold Shönberg

Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky

Assistant of choreographer: Elvira Tarasova

Set design and costumes by Tatyana Chernova

Performed by Renata Shakirova, Alexander Sergeev, Konstantin Zverev, Maxim Zyuzin

 

Duet from the ballet CINDERELLA

Music by Sergei Prokofiev

Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky (2002)

Costume Design by Elena Markovskaya

Performed by Nadezhda Batoeva, Philipp Stepin

 

Duet from the ballet THE LITTLE HUMPBACKED HORSE

Music by Rodion Shchedrin

Сhoreography by Alexei Ratmansky (2009)

Costume Design by Maxim Isaev

Performed by Alina Somova, Alexei Timofeyev

 

Duet from the ballet LOST ILLUSIONS

Music by Leonid Desyatnikov

Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky

Performed by Diana Vishneva, Vladislav Lantratov

 

CONCERTO DSCH

Music by Dmitry Shostakovich Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky

Assistant Choreographer: Tatiana Ratmanskaya

Lighting Designer: Mark Stanley

Costume Designer: Holly Hynes

Performed by Ekaterina Kondaurova, Andrei Yermakov and ballet dancers

 

** 12 March **

** La Bayadère **

ballet in three acts

Nikia: Alina Somova

Gamzatti: Anastasia Matvienko

Solor: Timur Askerov

The Golden Idol: Victor Caixeta

Trio of Shades: Vlada Borodulina, Alexandra Khiteeva, May Nagahisa

 

** 13 March **

** An Evening with Vladimir Shklyarov  **

Palimpsest (premiere -- Choreography: Yuri Smekalov)

Vladimir Shklyarov 

Le Jeune homme et la mort

Ekaterina Kondaurova and Vladimir Shklyarov 

Diamonds

Viktoria Tereshkina and Vladimir Shklyarov

 

** 14 March **

** Daphnis et Chloé **

one-act ballet

 

** The Sleeping Beauty **

ballet-féerie in three acts with a prologue and an apotheosis

Princess Aurora: Lauren Cuthbertson

Prince Désiré: Xander Parish

The Lilac Fairy: Anastasia Kolegova

The Diamond Fairy: Anastasia Nuikina

Carabosse the Wicked Fairy: Islom Baimuradov

Princess Florine: May Nagahisa

Bluebird: Alexei Timofeyev

 

** 15 March **

** Swan Lake **

fantasy ballet in three acts (four scenes)

Odette-Odile: Nadezhda Batoeva

Siegfried: Philipp Stepin

von Rothbart: Roman Belyakov

The Prince’s Friends: Vlada Borodulina, Anastasia Nuikina, Victor Caixeta

The Jester: Yaroslav Baibordin

 

** Swan Lake **

fantasy ballet in three acts (four scenes)

Odette-Odile: Oxana Skorik

Siegfried: Germain Louvet

von Rothbart: Andrei Yermakov

The Prince’s Friends: Alexandra Khiteeva, May Nagahisa, Alexei Timofeyev

The Jester: Vladislav Shumakov

 

** 17 March **

** A Creative Workshop of Young Choreographers **

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2020/3/17/2_1930

 

 ** 18 March **

** Giselle **

fantasy ballet in two acts

Giselle: Olga Smirnova

Count Albrecht: Andrei Yermakov

Hans: Yuri Smekalov

Myrtha: Yekaterina Chebykina

Classical duet: Valeria Martynyuk, Vasily Tkachenko

 

** 19 March **

** Honouring great dancers of the 20th century. Vaslav Nijinsky **

Schéhérazade. Le Sacre du printemps

one act ballets

Featuring Viktoria Tereshkina, Kimin Kim, Tatiana Tkachenko

 

** 20 March **

** Anna Karenina **

ballet in two acts after the novel by Lev Tolstoy

Featuring Diana Vishneva, Konstantin Zverev

 

** 21 March **

** An Evening of Ballets by Alexei Ratmansky **

Pierrot Lunaire. Seven sonatas (premiere). Concerto DSCH

Featuring Viktoria Tereshkina, Kimin Kim, Xander Parish

 

PIERROT LUNAIRE

Music by Arnold Shönberg

Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky

Assistant of choreographer: Elvira Tarasova

Set design and costumes by Tatyana Chernova

Performed by Viktoria Tereshkina, Alexander Sergeev, Konstantin Zverev, Maxim Zyuzin

 

SEVEN SONATAS (premiere)

Music by Domenico Scarlatti

Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky

Piano: Alexandra Zhilina

Full cast to be announced at a later date

 

CONCERTO DSCH

Music by Dmitry Shostakovich Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky

Assistant Choreographer: Tatiana Ratmanskaya

Lighting Designer: Mark Stanley

Costume Designer: Holly Hynes

Performed by May Nagahisa, Xander Parish, Nadezhda Batoeva, Kimin Kim, Vasily Tkachenko

 

** 22 March **

** Close of the XIX International Ballet Festival MARIINSKY **

 

Divertissement

Elena Yevseyeva and David Zaleyev

Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov

Maria Khoreva and Vladimir Shklyarov

Ekaterina Kondaurova and Roman Belyakov

Léonore Baulac and Germain Louvet

Viktoria Tereshkina and Alexander Sergeev

 

 Le Jeune homme et la mort

Kimin Kim and Eleonora Abbagnato

 

Symphony in C

Yekaterina Osmolkina

Alina Somova

Renata Shakirova

David Zaleyev

Maxim Zyuzin

Philipp Stepin

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Buddy
Updates

[Buddy]

I've added some more casting above to the closing evening of  the Festival, March 22.

It would appear that Alina Somova will be dancing the beautiful duet from George Balanchine's Symphony in C. This could certainly be another Festival highlight.

Also Yekaterina Osmolkina and Renata Shakirova should be excellent. 

[Buddy]

Most of the casting has now been completed. To get completions or updates go here and then click on the particular work. I’ll try to make changes and additions to the list above.

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivals/fest2019_2020/new8

 

Andrei Yermakov will be partnering Olga Smirnova in Giselle.

Ekaterina Kondaurova and Viktoria Tereshkina will be featured in An Evening with Vladimir Shklyarov.

 

The program and casting for A Creative Workshop of Young Choreographers is here.

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2020/3/17/2_1930

 

[Buddy]

I’ll be starting my travels back to Europe tomorrow. I won’t be able to be at the Festival until March 15 for the two Swan Lakes with Oxana Skorik and Nadezhda Batoeva. This is something that I really want to see and will also be able to stay on and see two more, once again with Oxana Skorik and the other with Alina Somova, March 31 and April 1.

I’ve been following Oxana Skorik on video and most recently in the Grand pas from Paquita she appears somewhat more relaxed. She seems to have taken a more ‘expressionist’  and dramatic direction since the birth of her baby daughter. It’s always been her flowing, gently perfected beauty that has most attracted me. At this she might be the finest, so I hope that it’s kept as primary as possible. Sculpturally she’s magnificent and her hands remain perhaps the finest that I’ve ever seen.

As far as flowing, gentle beauty is concerned, the young Maria Iliushkina, whom I’ve not yet seen mentioned for the Festival, is becoming another Mariinsky ’standard bearer.’ I hope we’ll be seeing much more of her.

And speaking of ‘expressionism’ and drama, Olga Smirnova may well be the Festival highlight with her Giselle. In her recent Swan Lake, seen in movie theatres, she has taken expressionism/drama to some of its furthest limits. And it’ll be interesting to see which approach she takes having  just performed Alexei Ratmansky’s more dramatic interpretation of Giselle. She’s probably the most exciting and brilliant ballerina today. How she currently develops in this ethereal art form will hopefully be fascinatingly beautiful and magnificent. She’s certainly capable of doing this.

There’s much more worth mentioning, but as I’ve discovered, the Festival doesn’t necessarily play out exactly as expected. Some of the real highlights have been delightful surprises. The Festival is something that I look forward to year after year and it’s always been a wonderful experience.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Buddy
gramar correction

[Buddy]

Video report in Russian.

https://tvkultura.ru/article/show/article_id/358062/

And two quick intros.

 https://youtu.be/oLqySjI09cc 
https://youtu.be/A42cYcow0m4
 

(thanks to ElenaK at Dansomanie)

Edited March 12, 2020 by Buddy

[Drew]

10 hours ago, Buddy said:

Video report in Russian.

https://tvkultura.ru/article/show/article_id/358062/

And two quick intros.

 https://youtu.be/oLqySjI09cc 
https://youtu.be/A42cYcow0m4
 

(thanks to ElenaK at Dansomanie)

Buddy-- do you know if there will be another live broadcast of the new choreography evening?

[Buddy]

5 hours ago, Drew said:

Buddy-- do you know if there will be another live broadcast of the new choreography evening?

Drew, if it’s broadcast it should be here.

https://mariinsky.tv/e

If “An Evening with Vladimir Shklyarov” is broadcast tonight it should be here.

https://mariinsky.tv/e

 

 

Added:

Here's what seems to be an interview with Vladimir Shklyarov in Russian. 

https://rg.ru/2020/03/11/reg-szfo/vladimir-shkliarov-rasskazal-o-sekretah-levitacii-i-griadushchem-tvorcheskom-vechere.html

(thanks to Olga K at Mariinka forum)

(Try Google translation)

https://translate.google.com/#view=home&op=translate&sl=ru&tl=en&text=Чудеса левитации Владимир Шкляров отметит 35-летие на фестивале "Мариинский"

 

[Drew]

4 hours ago, Buddy said:

Drew, if it’s broadcast it should be here.

https://mariinsky.tv/e

If “An Evening with Vladimir Shklyarov” is broadcast tonight it should be here.

https://mariinsky.tv/e

 

 

 

Thank you—

[Buddy]

8 hours ago, Drew said:

Thank you—

You’re welcome, Drew. The Mariinsky site confirms the online broadcast of  tonight’s Shklyarov performance but not one for the “A Creative Workshop of Young Choreographers.”

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill?type=ballet

[Buddy]

Today — Swan Lakes I & II

Already these Swan Lakes, from my first day of attendance, have made the trip worthwhile.

😊 Oxana Skorik — Odette/Odile

😊 Nadezhda Batoeva — Odette/Odile

😊 Maria Iliushkina — Prince’s Friend (Dance for Three) and a Big Swan

😊 Svetlana Ivanova — A Little Swan

😊 Germain Louvet (POB) — Siegfried

And much more.

I hope to be able to add to this.

St. Petersburg seems fine. At the larger Mariinsky II Theater the afternoon Swan Lake was almost full and the evening one was packed.

[Buddy]

Oxana Skorik — Odette/Odile — Swan Lake

Last night she was as theatrically committed as I’ve ever seen her.

I’ve seen glimpses of this over the years, but last night she went the distance and produced one of the finest theatrical ballet performances that I’ve ever seen. She’s been going in this direction for many months becoming more and more expressive in dance and facial expression. Her portrayal yesterday was as believable, sympathetic, committed and reaching out as I’ve seen from her. And it was goddess-like in intensity.

Her basic dance remains perhaps the finest in ballet. She has built on this to add a fine and exploratory level of expression, which perhaps reached a summit yesterday.

She also is secure and takes chances. Perhaps one of the most dramatically impressive moments was a finale in Act I when she stands of her partner’s knee. Something happened and I thought that she was falling, but instead she was making one dramatic flapping of her arms, which I don’t recall seeing before. It was extremely effective.

Along time ago there were comments about her technical prowess, in particular her fouettes. They seem quite secure now and I’m sure that I’ve seen her do sequences of triples in video clips. Also in the past she had problematic moments, but her remarkable feature, which I’ve witnessed, was to take breathtakingly successful chances in her continuation. Last night she seemed as secure as could be, and with a completely new partner. She looked commanding in the lifts and seemed to add moments of daring when appropriate.

I have thought that at times the use of dark tops for the men is meant to make them more invisible. If so, yesterday it worked remarkably well. I was watching her face, when suddenly she sailed into the air as if taking flight, which is how this particular lift appeared.

By the way, her guest partner, Germain Louvet, from the Paris Opera Ballet was extremely fine. Their performance was very well received by a highly enthusiastic audience.

[Buddy]

“Ooh, when I saw her standing there” -- (The Beatles)

She strikes again !     😊

So I’m watching May Nagahisa in the Prince’s Friends Dance (Swan Lake) which according to the printed program is featuring her, Alexandra Khiteyeva and Alexei Timofeyev. I’m thinking that she’s certainly a bundle of sunshiny personality tonight. Then I look more carefully. Could it be !? Yes, it could !

It’s Maria Iliushkina.

Through the two Swan Lakes she seemed to be constantly dancing around the edges stealing my attention like a burst of sunshine. In both performances she was one of the four Big Swans. In addition, here she was unlisted for the evening as one of the Prince’s Friends (a debut?). Five minutes later she was back on stage as one of the four Big Swans where she remained for the rest of the evening. Seems to be typical of her career and I love any minute that’s she’s there.

Tomorrow she’s now listed to appear in the Creative Workshop of Young Choreographers’ Morceaux de Fantaisie (Choreography by Dmitry Pimonov) featuring Andrei Yermakov Alina Somova, Elena Yevseyeva and herself.

So what's so exciting ?  She's just some sunshiny childlike apparition after all -- Until ! -- she makes some remarkable move or becomes some delightfully magical being.

As long as she’s on stage doing something I’m a very happy camper.

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Buddy

[Incandescence]

6 hours ago, Buddy said:

Along time ago there were comments about her technical prowess, in particular her fouettes. They seem quite secure now and I’m sure that I’ve seen her do sequences of triples in video clips. Also in the past she had problematic moments, but her remarkable feature, which I’ve witnessed, was to take breathtakingly successful chances in her continuation. Last night she seemed as secure as could be, and with a completely new partner. She looked commanding in the lifts and seemed to add moments of daring when appropriate.

I have thought that at times the use of dark tops for the men is meant to make them more invisible. If so, yesterday it worked remarkably well. I was watching her face, when suddenly she sailed into the air as if taking flight, which is how this particular lift appeared.

By the way, her guest partner, Germain Louvet, from the Paris Opera Ballet was extremely fine. Their performance was very well received by a highly enthusiastic audience.

That's nice to hear, Buddy -- judging from a few clips, it was a performance well done. Though I find Louvet a bit short for Skorik. Ballerinas grow a lot throughout their careers; at the middle of their careers they won't be as green as they once were.

I also hope that Iliushkina will dance Odette/Odile again; maybe even Giselle. She is the truest delight of the young generation in recent years. 

Stay safe and healthy! 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Incandescence

[Buddy]

Thanks, Incandescence. And the list continues.

Swan Lake is the place where I hope for ballet ‘Miracles.’ It’s the place to see the artists perform as never before and to accomplish heights never achieved before. The expectations are extremely high, especially at the Mariinsky Festival. Guest artists usually rise to the occasion and perform brilliantly as did Germain Louvet (POB) yesterday as Prince Siegfried. Nadezhda Batoeva as Odette/Odile in the afternoon was outstanding and Oxana Skorik as Odette/Odile in the evening was as fine as I’ve ever seen.

Nadezhda Batoeva as Odette/Odile was also exceptional. She was totally committed and totally successful. She was immersed in her portrayal and her dancing was finely constructed to express this. The articulation of her moves, especially in the wrists and arms, was very noteworthy. In summation, she just did everything right, producing a very satisfying result. Her Odile was delightfully seductive. Her Swan Lake almost had a sense of joy. It was serious when necessary and always appropriate, but I had a feeling of inner joy throughout. I loved it !

Svetlana Ivanova as one of the Little Swans floated continually through the background. There was so much to take in that I rarely got the chance to focus on her, but when I did she was the epitome of refinement and elegance.

And back to Germain Louvet guesting from the Paris Opera Ballet as Prince Siegfried. He also was the epitome of elegance (male variety) and refinement. He must have been a very secure partner because Oxana Skorik appeared totally relaxed in the lifts and daring in other maneuvers. He moved as light as air and had fine lofty jumps. He also had fine personality. In my limited viewing of the company he’s the most interesting, charismatic and accomplished male dancer that it’s presented.

I personally find the Jesters to be great entertainment and very, very accomplished. Yesterday they were Yaroslav Baibordin and Vladislav Shumakov.

The Corps de Ballet was once again wonderful. Its swan tableau at the beginning of Act III was gorgeous.

As usual there’s so much more to describe and praise. One word came to mind in regard to the company, the art form and the performance once I settled in after many months away from a ballet theater and that was — Magnificence.

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Buddy
Second paragraph added

[Buddy]

My understanding is that the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi are closed. I'm in Moscow with a reservation to leave for LA tomorrow on Aeroflot.

Hope to be back as soon as possible.

[Drew]

Safe travels (and lots of hand washing) Buddy--

[Buddy]

Thanks, Drew, and I've always been one of the world's great hand washers.    😊

[Buddy]

I’ve received an email from a friend in St. Petersburg saying that all essentials in stores are fully available and there’s little concern about that. Folks are optimistic that things will get better as soon as possible.

This is an announcement posted by the Mariinsky.

20.03.2020

“Performances and concerts planned for the period from March 18 to April 10, 2020, have been postponed to later dates during the current season 2019/2020 and the upcoming 2020/2021. The theatre has already started working on the updated playbill. The schedule for the new dates of the performances will be posted on our website shortly. The tickets you already purchased will be valid for the rescheduled performances and concerts, so you do not need to return them.”

https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news1

If the Mariinsky were to reschedule these in a block I might consider returning having discovered the very convenient discounted (about $400 one way) Aeroflot flight from LA to Moscow. On the other hand, flying into LA, I haven’t seen the air this clean in ages and freeway traffic actually moved at 5pm. The peaceful calm in Palm Springs is very pleasant. Maybe there’s a message here about the world slowing things down a bit.

I would like to get back as soon as possible, but as I stated earlier, as I walked to the theater two Sundays ago, I said to myself that if I could only see these two Swan Lakes today the trip would be worthwhile. I was not disappointed.  😊

 

Added: I don't mean to discount the extreme sadness that I feel for all who have suffered from this and we've not seen the light at the end of the tunnel in this part of the world, but I am hopeful.

 

Edited March 23, 2020 by Buddy

[Buddy]

Perhaps the finest performance of this series was Oxana Skorik’s Swan Lake, parts of which can be seen at three different posting sites. It was one of the two performances that I way able to attend.

In all fairness to Oxana Skorik, I feel that none of these really capture the excellence of what she did, especially in facial expression.

I’ll quickly reiterate my feelings about videos. They are very fine to have, but I think that if you really like a video performance, the real one was probably even better. Maybe if you’ve ever tried to capture the actuality of what you saw from a photo that you’ve taken by editing it on a computer you might understand what I’m getting at.

Facially she was as outstanding as I’ve ever seen her. Looking carefully at the video clips this is sometimes blurred or not highlighted to maximum and realistic effect.

The reason that I’m saying all this is that she continues to grow impressively and is probably worth keeping a close eye on. There are no guarantees, but if you have the chance to see her at her best live you could be in for an exceptional experience. I was highly impressed by her latest Swan Lake.