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Maria Alexandrova


Alexandra

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Having just seen them (her and Vladislav Lantratov) perform at the Mariinsky, I was thinking something very similar at the time. I thought that if they ever wanted they would do very well in such things as Broadway musicals. They were charismatic, especially in Act I (Don Quixote). Definitely intended as a compliment.

Edited by Buddy
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This thread has been quiet for a long time so I thought maybe I'd post some things Maria has been up to this week! She's periodically been appearing in a mime drama (or a 'drama without words' as it's described), called 'Caligula', playing Caligula's wife Caesonia, at the Moscow Provincial (Gubernskiy) Theatre. It seems like it's a mixture of theatre/mime and dance. More information and photos here: http://m-g-t.ru/performance/kaligula, and at the bottom some videos...Masha does fierce and strong women pretty well, as we know! They took it to St. Petersburg on Monday, pictures and a couple of videos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleksandrova_maria_bt/tagged/

At the weekend she was in Lisbon at the Mirpuri Foundation Gala, where she did the Don Q PdD with (I think) Lobukhin. Again, pictures on Instagram. 

Not sure what she's up to next.....

 

 

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So, on December 14th the lucky people of Perm get to see a new production of Bayadere with Alexandrova as Gamzatti facing off against Osipova as Nikiya! That is going to be some confrontation scene!! Lantratov is Solor. Then on 16th Alexandrova plays Nikiya, with Lantratov again as Solor, and Perm principal Albina Rangulova as Gamzatti. Hoping some rehearsal videos might find their way onto Instagram.... 

Full information here: https://permopera.ru/playbills/playbill/82994/

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There's a great interview in February's Dance Europe with Alexandrova, Osipova and Lantratov talking about interpreting the characters of Bayadere, in the context of their performances in Perm. All three are very eloquent and interesting. Copyright law prohibits me photographing it for you I guess, but I did particularly enjoy some of Alexandrova's insights. She's always fascinating and never dull! Some quotes:

Q: Is one of these roles closer to you?
MA: 'Neither one is close to me. They both combine some parts of me, but I can say 100% for certain that I would never have gone to a monastery, or been a temple dancer or a nun, I'm not a submissive person. As for Gamzatti, I would never destroy a man the way she does. So neither of them resembles me. But it's interesting to delve into these roles, to act out submission or the fires of jealousy, that's why I love the stage, to set tasks for yourself and become another character'. 

She speaks very warmly of Perm, which she describes as a theatre with it's own identity and 'sense of self'. 'Perm has wonderful coaches, you enter the troupe and when you're here long enough you absorb their excitement and enthusiasm'. In contrast, she's not exactly complimentary towards the current Bolshoi: 'The Bolshoi is sick right now and suffering through difficult internal relationships. There are only a handful of artists, really just single individuals, who feel at peace. The Perm stage is pleasant. As they say, the best things come in small packages'. She also has a lot to say about how Nikiya isn't a victim. 

Lantratov really doesn't hold back about the Bolshoi elsewhere in the piece, talking about how it's 'impossible' to see Bolshoi Academy graduates on the stage in Moscow these days 'as most of them leave Moscow'. He contends that the endless competition sometimes benefits the quality but not always, and is a distraction, and talks about how often casting changes, and not always due to injury. They both speak very favourably of the atmosphere and work ethic in Perm. 

 

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Thanks for these updates and links which I have enjoyed. By unexpected luck, I saw the first of Alexandrova's two Sleeping Beauty performances with ENB this past summer and she was in excellent form technically (or seemed so to me) though I felt she only really relaxed into the wonderfully flowing, musical ballerina I remember from a long ago Corsaire in isolated sections of that performance—especially in her Act III variation. (By all accounts that I read, she was more relaxed, a better Aurora, at the second performance she gave which I missed.)

I imagine it would be very interesting indeed to see Osipova and Alexandrova on stage together in Bayadere!

Edited by Drew
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Ah glad you managed to make it to Sleeping Beauty! I went to both of her first two and the second did seem more relaxed to me. She and Joseph Caley gelled beautifully, despite him being a little on the short side for her, and this was all the more admirable give that they apparently had very little time to prepare (Aaron Robison, who partnered her in the first one, was subsequently injured). I thought she really flowed with heavenly musicality in the vision scene, every inch the star, regal and transfigured. It was the first time I'd splashed out and sat near the front for one of her performances, which I can only afford once in a while, and the way she uses her eyes to draw in everyone both on the stage with her and in the audience is mesmerising; she was an Aurora who wanted the whole court to watch her and only her, and knew how to make sure they did. A real treat. I do hope Tamara brings her back for something else! 

There are a lot of pictures of the Perm Bayadere on Instagram, and there were a lot of videos on Instagram 'stories', which sadly aren't permanent so are lost. Their fight scene looked fabulous, sparks flying! Nikolai Krusser has some beautiful pictures both of backstage and the shows here, if you scroll back through: https://www.instagram.com/nikolaikrusser/, and there are some bits of video here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BrYymPKAzbM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 

Edited by Khoretskaya
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Really bad news from St Petersburg yesterday, where Alexandrova was to have danced the Legend of Love with Lantratov tomorrow in the Mariinsky Festival: she got injured in a rehearsal and has returned to Moscow in a cast. No further details, but that really does not sound good! She announced this on her Instagram as follows (auto translated from Russian): "Dear viewers! Dear Petersburgers! I was looking forward to meeting you, with the Mariinsky Theater stage this Saturday. I was waiting for the opportunity to perform in my dear play “The Legend of Love”. For several days I had been rehearsing with wonderful Mariinsky teachers and artists ... Unfortunately, I got injured today at the rehearsal. I am returning to Moscow in a cast, but with the hope that we will meet again. Take care of yourself!" (original here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvRuk5-A0yR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link). Lantratov now won't dance either, he announced on Instagram, due to lack of rehearsal time with a replacement: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvT_GgLFfEh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (Kondaurova and Yermakov stand in). Wishing Maria all the very very best for a swift recover; let's fervently hope it isn't serious!!

 

Edited by Khoretskaya
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