Maria Alexandrova

[canbelto]

5 hours ago, Quinten said:

Imagine being MA's boss.  Nightmare. First Filin is all wrong, according to her on Bolshoi Babylon, and now Vaziev.  You get the feeling she thinks that only she (and Tsiskaridze?) have any idea of what's right for the Bolshoi Ballet.  However, the fact is, Urin chose a successor to Filin and it wasn't Tskiska or MA, it was Vaziev. Remember when she strutted into class on World Ballet Day wearing that purple shorts outfit, pushing others aside and taking the place of the highest ranking ballerina opposite Vlad? That was an FU to management if ever there was one.  Fans might have been delighted but I personally thought it brought an unpleasant element of tension to Boris Akimov's otherwise wonderful class.  Being a diva is a good thing, we all love it, but trying to impose your will and opinions on management is an entirely different matter.  Only one person can be in charge or it's chaos and as the past as shown, in Russia at least, people can get hurt.  It was inevitable that she would have to leave -- it was either her or Vaziev, and management, again, chose Vaziev.

Luckily WBD is preserved on YT and so you can watch Boris Akimov's entire class here:

At no point does Alexandrova ever push anyone. She looks to be at her usual place in the barre. Her purple outfit seems like the typical ballet class outfit -- they're not students at the academy anymore, and most of the dancers seem to be in some mismatched warmup clothes. The only thing that seems to denote her prima ballerina status is the fact that unlike the other ladies her hair is coiffed and very done-up as if she wanted to look her best on camera, while everyone else is wearing some variation of the sloppy bun.

[Drew]

32 minutes ago, canbelto said:

Luckily WBD is preserved on YT and so you can watch Boris Akimov's entire class here:

At no point does Alexandrova ever push anyone. She looks to be at her usual place in the barre. Her purple outfit seems like the typical ballet class outfit -- they're not students at the academy anymore, and most of the dancers seem to be in some mismatched warmup clothes. The only thing that seems to denote her prima ballerina status is the fact that unlike the other ladies her hair is coiffed and very done-up as if she wanted to look her best on camera, while everyone else is wearing some variation of the sloppy bun.

Thank you.

[maps]

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Edited July 13, 2019 by maps
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[Helene]

1 hour ago, Quinten said:

Probably, but I don't think it's any secret that she was angry because Vaziev wouldn't cast dancers the way she wanted him to.  Was he going to let her dictate who could dance Legend of Love with Vlad?  I think it's reasonable to infer he would not, and that she stomped off because of his refusal.  Only fan pressure brought her back, but on Vaziev's terms.  He puts her on the schedule, sometimes she shows up and sometimes she doesn't.  

High ranking perhaps but no longer a prima.  

Inferences are different than official news with sources.  They may be reasonable or not, and even if reasonable, that doesn't mean that there aren't other equally plausible interpretations,  like that at this point in her career she doesn't have to accept what she doesn't want to.  People can make level-headed trade-offs and say no -- and understand the consequences -- without stopping at all.

 

[mnacenani]

4 hours ago, canbelto said:

At no point does Alexandrova ever push anyone. She looks to be at her usual place in the barre. Her purple outfit seems like the typical ballet class outfit

Well documented by the video, imho. What a character ...... unmistakeable anywhere anytime. If I can find an effective "Elisir di Gioventu" I will go propose to her ! 

[Helene]

Everything beyond the actions and timing, all validated by official news, are interpretation.  Emotions not directly expressed, like Alexandrova's direct statements about her management, and  purported  reasons are suppositions.  They may be accurate, but there are other plausible interpretations.

 

[Mashinka]

Alexandrova and Lantratov appeared in this evenings Russian Icons Gala.  Firstly, to thunderous entrance applause, in the Don Q pdd  and in the second half they danced the Margot and Rudolf pdd from the controversial Nureyev ballet.  The latter I found deeply moving and hope the full ballet survives if all of it is of that quality.

Judging from what I've just seen, it seems pure insanity for her to have been sacked/demoted/whatever.

 

[Guest]

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Edited January 24, 2019 by Guest

[volcanohunter]

I was confused by this "working under contract" business, because all Bolshoi dancers have contracts, so I asked a Bolshoi dancer exactly what it meant and was told that dancers under that designation lose their base salary, don't get paid for rehearsals and are paid only for actual performances, and it's not as though the Bolshoi is generous in providing them to its "ex-principals." These are essentially the conditions that dancers at most Japanese companies have, which is why so many of them look for work abroad.

If you look at the dancers on that list, Andrei Melanyin and Irina Zibrova are also stage managers. Anna Antropova, Yan Godovsky and Alexander Petukhov are also repetiteurs. Gennadi Yanin is not officially listed as a teacher or repetiteur, but there is plenty of evidence that he does exactly that kind of work. Denis Medvedev now has a "day job" at the Bolshoi School. Alexei Loparevich, Egor Simachev and Andrei Sitnikov are character artists who get quite a lot of stage time. (Andrei Merkuriev doesn't seem to get any stage time at all.) Maria Alexandrova, Maria Allash and Nina Kaptsova are lucky if they get two performances a month. Even when others are injured, the company is loath to give the assignment to these women. To my immense frustration, when Evgenia Obraztsova recently withdrew from her performance of Onegin, her slot was not given to Kaptsova. Kaptsova had one performance of The Nutcracker in January, and evidently Vaziev wasn't willing to give her anything else that month.

It's a raw deal, and I'm not surprised Dmitry Gudanov wouldn't take it.

At the end of the last season Anna Antonicheva lost both her dancing "contract" and her ballet mistress position. That Yuliana Malkhasyants is no longer on the coaching staff or the roster of character artists is a crying shame. 

[Helene]

It's like in "The Turning Point" where Emma talks about how she and Freddie are now being paid by performance and were no longer on salary.  

[Guest]

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Edited January 24, 2019 by Guest

[Mashinka]

The trouble is directors' whims don't always coincide with the audience's wishes.  The bottom line is that here in London we pay premium prices for Bolshoi seasons and expect not just a high standard but also appearances from those dancers that have become favourites, should Krysanova and Obraztsova also lose favour there would be no reason for me personally to watch the company anymore. 

[mnacenani]

3 hours ago, Mashinka said:

The trouble is directors' whims don't always coincide with the audience's wishes

Much as I love Masha Alexandrova I cannot help sympathising with Vaziev : he is taking on new talent and would want to nurture and develop them, as shown by what he has been casting Kovalyova in. After the shock resignation of Alexandrova at end of January last year Vaziev gave an interview to a Russian website (which I had reported at the time) and in a thinly veiled reference to Masha said "some dancers at the twilight of their careers still want to dance roles they danced 20 years ago" and "Baryshnikov was 33 when he danced his last Basilio" etc. Much as you or me would like to see our beloved dancers year after year Vaziev has to plot a course for the future of his company - I don't envy his job !

[mnacenani]

11 hours ago, Mashinka said:

Alexandrova and Lantratov appeared in this evenings Russian Icons Gala.

Hi Mashinka !  Am on the mailing list of the organiser and Coliseum but have never been able to come to this event - every year it coincides with something else I booked months before. Is there any info online anywhere re the complete program, and reviews etc ?  We should organise for someone to go and make a bootleg video of it next year !

[Mashinka]

1 hour ago, mnacenani said:

Much as I love Masha Alexandrova I cannot help sympathising with Vaziev : he is taking on new talent and would want to nurture and develop them, as shown by what he has been casting Kovalyova in. After the shock resignation of Alexandrova at end of January last year Vaziev gave an interview to a Russian website (which I had reported at the time) and in a thinly veiled reference to Masha said "some dancers at the twilight of their careers still want to dance roles they danced 20 years ago" and "Baryshnikov was 33 when he danced his last Basilio" etc. Much as you or me would like to see our beloved dancers year after year Vaziev has to plot a course for the future of his company - I don't envy his job !

Kevin O'Hare at the Royal ballet is in exactly the same position and although I never thought I would ever say this, he has brighter talents with the likes of Hayward and Naghdi and a couple of others beginning to emerge than the currently poor offerings in Moscow.  At the RB the dancers choose when they retire, Leanne Benjamin retired at the age of forty nine.  If Mr O'Hare can juggle youth and experience, I don't see why Vaziev can't.

[volcanohunter]

I am sick to death of Vaziev's "Baryshnikov danced his last Don Quixote at 33" argument, as though it were some sort of gospel standard for everyone. Sometimes chronic injury forces a dancer to abandon a particular role premauturely, as we saw recently with the case of Sara Mearns and the Dewdrop. She was forced to abandon it at about 30. That doesn't mean others can't continue to dance the role successfully a lot closer to 40. Vaziev's argument is bogus. 

[Mashinka]

1 hour ago, mnacenani said:

Hi Mashinka !  Am on the mailing list of the organiser and Coliseum but have never been able to come to this event - every year it coincides with something else I booked months before. Is there any info online anywhere re the complete program, and reviews etc ?  We should organise for someone to go and make a bootleg video of it next year !

These galas vary in quality in my opinion but this years was highly enjoyable as was last year's.  Massive numbers of Russians in the audience, some dolled up to the nines, but you need an oligarch's money for the price they charge.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was filmed, they were certainly filming the audience!

 

I would happily write out the programme for you but my companion put my programme in his bag and forgot to give it back.   The following Russians appeared:

Ekaterina Kondaurova and Roman Belyakov in the premiere of a new pdd, "A Flashback"

Polina Semionova in Duarte's Cello duet

Maria Alexandrova & Lantratov in Don Q pdd  and Nureyev pdd

Anna Tikhomirova and Artem Ovcharenko in La Sylphide pdd

Victoria Tereshkina in Black Swan pdd (with Parrish) & Legend of Love pdd (with Sklyarov)

Ekaterina Krysanov and Kimin Kim in Corsaire pdd.

 

 

 

[Helene]

Baryshnikov became Artistic Director of ABT at 32.  While he continued to dance, he also had a substantial day job, and he was serious about nurturing new talent.  

I would not be surprised if he dropped Basilio at 33 because he was bored with it, and he needed to use his time more carefully.

[mnacenani]

15 hours ago, Mashinka said:

The following Russians appeared:

Thank you very much !

16 hours ago, Mashinka said:

If Mr O'Hare can juggle youth and experience, I don't see why Vaziev can't.

The point I was trying to make was : with the number of dancers Bolshoy has, and the number of new talent Vaziev has taken on, giving the new talent more stage time to develop them will leave less time for the old-timers and some changes will have to be made. Much as I regret the "demotion" of Alexandrova and Kaptsova, I can understand Vaziev's strategy.

[Jane Simpson]

It's just been announced that Alexandrova will dance Aurora with English National Ballet in London in June - exact dates to be given soon.

[Helene]

That is excellent news!

[Drew]

Wow! I have tickets to see that production, and will be happy to see any of the company’s dancers....but I wouldn't exactly be disappointed if it turned out I had a ticket for Alexandrova!

Edited March 7, 2018 by Drew

[kylara7]

On 3/8/2018 at 8:58 AM, Gnossie said:

I was just about to post it, here's the link anyway. 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/entertainment/theatre/928605/English-National-Ballet-Sleeping-Beauty-Maria-Alexandrova-tickets-dates-booking-Bolshoi/amp

 

Her MANY London fans must be over the moon. 

Thank you...this is wonderful news. I am sending this info/link to friends and family in the UK I wish I could go too!

[Guest]

That must have been interesting.

[mnacenani]

GNOSSIE thank you so much !  Pls post the full GP if you can find it.