AG Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 I have received an email from Kennedy Center regarding my ballet subscription: We’re reaching out to inform you that National Ballet of China will no longer be able to travel to the Kennedy Center for their February 1–5, 2023 engagement of Chinese New Year (A Ballet in Two Acts), and have been replaced by the United Ukrainian Ballet performing Alexei Ratmansky’s Giselle. The KC website has been updated already: https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/ballet/2022-2023/united-ukrainian-ballet. Link to comment
California Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 Wow! I'll be there -- it's on my calendar. I saw this three times in London last month and am very happy to enthusiastically recommend it to everybody. I hope they can borrow better sets and costumes. And I'm guessing they'll have some guest artists, like Christine Shevchenko. But this is must-see for sure. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 Exciting news! I'm pretty sure Ratmansky can prevail upon ABT to lend sets and costumes. Link to comment
California Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 12 minutes ago, volcanohunter said: Exciting news! I'm pretty sure Ratmansky can prevail upon ABT to lend sets and costumes. Looking at ABT's touring schedule, they do Giselle in North Carolina in March, so that should work: https://www.abt.org/wp-content/themes/abt/uploads/OnPoint_Fall2022/#page=10 Link to comment
Helene Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 Wow, what an opportunity for East Coast folks! If you go, please let us know what you think. Thank you, @AG! Link to comment
Drew Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 Goodness...this is tempting.... Link to comment
abatt Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 On 10/13/2022 at 3:40 PM, California said: Wow! I'll be there -- it's on my calendar. I saw this three times in London last month and am very happy to enthusiastically recommend it to everybody. I hope they can borrow better sets and costumes. And I'm guessing they'll have some guest artists, like Christine Shevchenko. But this is must-see for sure. I would go in an instant to see both Shevcheko and Cojocaru. Just wondering who was the third cast in London? Link to comment
California Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, abatt said: I would go in an instant to see both Shevcheko and Cojocaru. Just wondering who was the third cast in London? I saw Elizaveta Gogidze (from National Opera of Ukraine) as Giselle at the Saturday matinee. I actually found her interpretation and technique very strong and would love to see her again! Katja Khaniukova (trained in Kyiv and now with ENB) was scheduled for two performances (Tuesday the 13th and Thursday the 15th) but was unable to perform (no explanation given). She was replaced by Shevchenko. The three Albrechts: Stanislav Olshanskyi and Alexis Tutunnique were both with the National Opera of Ukraine. Alexander Trusch was trained as a child in Ukraine and then Hamburg; now with Hamburg Ballet. EDITED TO ADD: According to today's Washington Post, Shevchenko is the only principal announced to date for the Kennedy Center engagement. https://www.washingtonpost.com/theater-dance/2022/10/13/ukraine-ballet-dancers-kennedy-center/ Edited October 16, 2022 by California Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 (edited) Perhaps Yuliia Moskalenko, who was rehearsing this Giselle, but then moved to Miami City Ballet, will finally get a chance to perform in the production. It appears her departure from the United Ukrainian Ballet was not acrimonious, since Ratmansky wrote a letter of endorsement for her U.S. visa application. Also Kateryna Chebykina, formerly of the Mariinsky, is now touring with the UUB in Singapore and Australia, and could potentially dance Myrtha. Edited October 17, 2022 by volcanohunter Link to comment
California Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 3 hours ago, volcanohunter said: Also Kateryna Chebykina, formerly of the Mariinsky, is now touring with the UUB in Singapore and Australia, and could potentially dance Myrtha. In London, Vladyslava Kovalenko was Myrtha at almost all performances and Moyna at the others. Christine Shevchenko was scheduled for two Myrthas, but I did not see her. Daria Manoilo was Zulma at every performance. Several people rotated through Peasant. Ratmansky said in interviews that the company was smaller than one might have hoped for Giselle, but it seemed they were all so glad to be performing that they triumphed. I would guess that many who have found work elsewhere would jump at the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center at what seems likely to be an historic engagement. Link to comment
abatt Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 I doubt that Alina Cojocaru will make the trip to the US for this engagement. However, I would be pleased to see Shevchenko in this. How far in advance did they announce the casting? Link to comment
California Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 1 hour ago, abatt said: However, I would be pleased to see Shevchenko in this. How far in advance did they announce the casting? My memory is that Cojocaru and Katja Khaniukova were in early announcements, and Shevchenko announced in the few weeks beforehand. They are juggling so many contingencies, I'm not counting on early announcements for specific performances. Link to comment
abatt Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 The United Ukrainian Ballet to make U.S. Debut | Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org) Here was the press release from the Kennedy Center. Shevchenko is confirmed as a guest artist, with others to be announced. Link to comment
California Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 29 minutes ago, abatt said: The United Ukrainian Ballet to make U.S. Debut | Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org) Here was the press release from the Kennedy Center. Shevchenko is confirmed as a guest artist, with others to be announced. Shevchenko has trained and worked in the US since she was young, so presumably she is either a US Citizen or has a green card. But visas will be needed for the others to come to the US to work. Presumably the Kennedy Center and State Department are expediting those. And the Ukrainian government has to give permission for the men to leave Ukraine, which I assume they will do. That's what I mean by a lot of contingencies. Frankly, I'll be happy with anybody they present. And for anybody who missed the Bolshoi theater stream of Ratmansky's reconstruction in January 2020, this is essentially what they are presenting. Ratmansky was in London for the entire 5-day run there and I would be shocked if he's not at the Kennedy Center engagement. It also seems likely that ambassadors from the many countries that have taken in Ukrainian refugees and provided arms will be in attendance. Should be a major event, not to be missed, for all kinds of reasons. http://christineshevchenko.com/ Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 7 hours ago, California said: In London, Vladyslava Kovalenko was Myrtha at almost all performances and Moyna at the others. Christine Shevchenko was scheduled for two Myrthas, but I did not see her. Because Shevchenko ended up performing Giselle three times, she didn't dance Myrtha at all. On the other hand, Gogidze wasn't scheduled to do any Myrthas in London, but when Shevchenko was switched from Myrtha to Giselle on opening night, Gogidze stepped in as Myrtha. Link to comment
abatt Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 37 minutes ago, California said: Shevchenko has trained and worked in the US since she was young, so presumably she is either a US Citizen or has a green card. But visas will be needed for the others to come to the US to work. Presumably the Kennedy Center and State Department are expediting those. And the Ukrainian government has to give permission for the men to leave Ukraine, which I assume they will do. That's what I mean by a lot of contingencies. Frankly, I'll be happy with anybody they present. And for anybody who missed the Bolshoi theater stream of Ratmansky's reconstruction in January 2020, this is essentially what they are presenting. Ratmansky was in London for the entire 5-day run there and I would be shocked if he's not at the Kennedy Center engagement. It also seems likely that ambassadors from the many countries that have taken in Ukrainian refugees and provided arms will be in attendance. Should be a major event, not to be missed, for all kinds of reasons. http://christineshevchenko.com/ I note that Smirnova was recently in the US to appear at the Fall For Dance Festival. I would be thrilled if she made an appearance, as she clearly knows the role. This is on my wish list. Link to comment
California Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 3 minutes ago, abatt said: I note that Smirnova was recently in the US to appear at the Fall For Dance Festival. I would be thrilled if she made an appearance, as she clearly knows the role. This is on my wish list. Indeed! For those who didn't see the Bolshoi stream in 2020, Smirnova was Giselle in that. Oh my -- what a treat that would be! And she apparently has friends in the Netherlands, which has provided refuge to the Ukrainian dancers. Link to comment
nysusan Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 12 hours ago, volcanohunter said: Perhaps Yuliia Moskalenko, who was rehearsing this Giselle, but then moved to Miami City Ballet, will finally get a chance to perform in the production. It appears her departure from the United Ukrainian Ballet was not acrimonious, since Ratmansky wrote a letter of endorsement for her U.S. visa application. Also Kateryna Chebykina, formerly of the Mariinsky, is now touring with the UUB in Singapore and Australia, and could potentially dance Myrtha. I've seen Chebykina several times with the Mariinsky and would be very happy to see her as Giselle. To me. she definitely seems like a more natural Giselle rather than Myrtha. Of course I'd love to see Cojocaru or Smirnova but regardless of casting I am planning to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale! Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 (edited) I don't think Chebykina has danced Giselle before, but neither had Gogidze, which didn't stop Ratmansky from seeing a Giselle in her. However Smirnova, unlike Cojocaru, has no professional connection to Ukraine, so I can't imagine her headlining this run. (In early February the Dutch National Ballet will be preparing for the premiere of Christian Spuck's staging of the Verdi Requiem the following week. Smirnova previously worked with Spuck on his Orlando.) Edited October 17, 2022 by volcanohunter Link to comment
abatt Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 What is Cojocaru's connection to Ukraine? Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 17, 2022 Share Posted October 17, 2022 Cojocaru also spent the first year of her professional career in Ukraine. Link to comment
maps Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 (edited) Since it's the 2022-23 season here's an oddity that seems to have escaped the attention of WaPo, NYT, etc. United Ukrainian Ballet to make U.S. debut at Kennedy Center in February - The Washington Post The Kennedy Center video banner for what's on-genre-ballet needs to be changed. Mariinsky Paquita. Ballet at the Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org) Edited January 8, 2023 by maps Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Another United Ukrainian Ballet alumnus, Stanislav Olshanskyi, has joined Miami City Ballet as a principal dancer. Tonight he already made his debut as the Sugarplum Fairy's Cavalier, which I don't think was the original casting, but I guess he jumped right in. This wouldn't necessarily preclude him from appearing as Albrecht at the Kennedy Center. Miami is a lot closer than The Hague. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02vmnAiEsJzxvy3pPCFBcJMNYGkqdpjRN6uiAwbpoTPNDqKaE2Vg6Xp5RGG646DZCzl&id=100044470864847&mibextid=Nif5oz Link to comment
abatt Posted December 20, 2022 Share Posted December 20, 2022 I've been looking for casting on this engagement, but so far nothing has been posted. If anyone comes across the casting info, please post. Thanks. Link to comment
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