This comes from the Department of It's-best-to-come-up-with-one's-own-original-artistry-instead-of-messing-with-another-genius's-respected-work-and-trying-to-call-it-your-own.
The Director of Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet has been fired as the result of his re-working of Wagner's opera 'Tannhauser' which was offensive to a lot of people. According to the Siberian Times, "The dismissal came as several thousand protesters rallied against the opera, waving patriotic flags and banners. One said: 'Orthodox Christianity is the foundation of the great Russian culture.'"
The Russian Culture Minister, Vladimir Medinsky, fired Boris Mezdrich and replaced him with –
(wait for the trumpet roll, please)
– Vladimir Kekhman, who will now wear two hats as the head of the Mikhailovsky and the Novosibirsk.
At the end of last year, the ballet artistic director of the State Primorsky Opera and Ballet in Vladivostok, Russia (where our very own Joseph Phillips is the highest ranking Principal Dancer) was ousted following the company administration's dissatisfaction with the manner in which Tchaikovsky's beloved music was manipulated in Swan Lake and other ballets. It seems particularly disturbing was the treatment of a waltz in connection with Von Rothbart. That character has made a career out of getting stagers in trouble.
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Down in Washington DC at ABT's Kennedy Center gig, Julie Kent withdrew from both of her performances on extremely short notice due to injury. Many were saddened when the DC casting originally revealed that Stella Abrera would not have an opportunity to dance a warm-up Cinderella before the Met Season because Julie needed to ride one last tiara into the sunset.
Injuries are always a shame. Being so grabby with roles at the end of a career is shameful. Not being prepared to dance them and then not acknowledging it in time to give others a chance is shameless diva behavior.
Due to Julie's uncertain physical condition, she should be withdrawn from all but her final Met Season date to insure that she has plenty of time to prepare to give her last performance of Romeo and Juliet her very best. The Giselle belongs to Stella Abrera who will in April perform it with the Australian Ballet and will receive coaching from world-respected classicists for her company debut. Unlike Julie, Stella will be in top performance condition with a fine-tuned Giselle when the Met Season begins.
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The Monterrey International Ballet Gala has announced its lineup for performances on September 5th and 6th:
5 y 6 DE SEPTIEMBRE, AUDITORIO LUIS ELIZONDO
Elenco 2015:
Marianela Núñez - The Royal Ballet
Thiago Soares - The Royal Ballet
Greta Hodgkinson - The National Ballet of Canada
Marcelo Gomes - American Ballet Theatre
Victoria Ananyan - Dutch National Ballet
Daniil Simkin - American Ballet Theatre
Victoria Jaiani - The Joffrey Ballet
Fabrice Calmels - The Joffrey Ballet
Antonio Douthit-Boyd - Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
Kirven - Douthit-Boyd - Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
Katia Carranza - Ballet de Monterrey
Much more information is available at the organization's Facebook Page.
Thanks for the update, Haglund. Your blog is the best news source.
Posted by: Dreamer | March 31, 2015 at 12:56 AM