observations 1/28

According to Sputnik news source, this week the Mariinsky Ballet will discuss with the Kennedy Center the programing plans for its 2016 visit which Yury Fateev said would occur around the same time next year. He said that there is the possibility that the length of the engagement will be increased.

Haglund's vote would be to bring La Sylphide, Raymonda, and Giselle but his old bones have the feeling that The Great Gatsby might get thrown into the mix for 2016.

Fateev also stressed that the Rite of Spring was requested by the Kennedy Center for this year's program.

The Brookyln engagement was so successful; why wouldn't they want to come back again next year?

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Simone Messmer will perform with Tom Gold Dance on March 2 and March 3. We're not sure yet, but we think this might take place at the Kaye Playhouse. Details forthcoming.

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A little update to today's observations:

Tonight as the Mariinsky Ballet performs in Washington DC to music played by the Kennedy Center Orchestra, its own orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall in a program of Shchedrin, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev which will be broadcast/streamed live by medici tv. Here's the link for the 8PM performance tonight. Gergiev conducts. Denis Matsuev is the pianist.

 

Comments

[Genna]

Personally I wouldn't want to see the Marinsky dance La Sylphide, because they do not have the ballerinas to do it justice both in lead role of Sylph and the solos for the trio of sylphs. The current style for the arms among their soloist ladies is almost linear neoclassical, complete with hands that remind more of wristy 1970s NYCB hands than the Romantic softness required for La Sylphide. Not to mention at the Mariinsky the level of footwork has suffered in recent years, we see muddier, sloppier footwork than in the past. Their La Sylphide is more Petipa than Romantic Bournonville, that's another way of describing it I guess.

I would love ABT to stage La Sylphide again if only for Cornejo's James. Just don't bring back Osipova to dance it with him as she did in 2009. Cornejo shouldn't have to dance James only at galas as he did few years ago in Russia with Obraztsova, this role suits him so well and stands him apart from his male colleagues at ABT.

[Haglund]

Hi, Genna.

Coming up in February, Anastasia Kolegova and Elena Yevseyeva are slotted for Sylph duty. Each has danced it before. I'm not familiar with Elena but I don't see why Kolegova wouldn't be able to do a fine job (maybe not like a Dane, but who else does - not Osipova, certainly). I would be interested in seeing Novikova as the Sylph.

[Haglund]

That was quite a concert that was livestreamed via medici.tv from Carnegie Hall last night. Gergiev concluded with an encore performance of the grand pdd from The Nutcracker. The concert can be viewed for the next month at medici.tv for free.

[Genna]

Novikova did not start dancing Sylph again until this year, previously she danced it rarely but she did dance it very early in her career. She was not great in the role because styling all wrong in the way the La Sylphide demands, that's why she rarely danced it when Mariinsky had other options. I know her youtube claque goes on and on about her Giselle as best ever in history, she is good in Giselle but as Sylph that's another story. Kolegova has the requisite fluidity but lacks aerial lightness and even at this point in her career has not gotten rid of her bad habit from school, her tendency for bland interpretations and downward gaze in everything she dances. Too bad because aside from her occasional bad taste 180 extensions she is Mariinsky's all around best technician among ballerinas there, a lovely dancer. Their best Sylphide right now hasn't danced it recently either, Yana Selina danced Sylph regularly until before her maternity leave, but odd that she has 't danced it since coming back a while ago.

[Haglund]

Hi Genna. Yana Selina is getting a big workout during the Mariinsky's tour this time. Maybe that is a good sign.