The Paris casting (provisional) for Chemiakin's production of The Nutcracker is as follows, thanks to Yapi on Ballet.co.uk.

22 octobre 20h : Diana Vishneva, Leonid Sarafanov
23 octobre 20h : Natalya Sologub, Andrian Fadeyev
24 octobre 20h : Irina Golub, Andrey Merkuriev
25 octobre 20h : Natalya Sologub, Adrian Fadeyev
26 octobre 15h : Diana Vishneva, Leonid Sarafanov

I've only seen the second cast myself at this year's Mariinsky Festival.

<small>[ 09-25-2002, 07:31: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

A preview of the Kirov's tours by Kevin Ng:

<A HREF="http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/807/features/a_7472.htm" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A>

Kirov Ballet to stun Beijing's audiences
from the China Daily News

Renowned Kirov Ballet of Mariinsky Theatre returns to Beijing from October 1-3 with "Swan Lake" and "Jewels." The ballet will perform at Beizhan Theatre.

The Kirov Ballet of St Petersburg and the Kirov Academy of Ballet date back to 1738, when the
original St Petersburg School was founded by ballet master Jean Baptiste Lande.

Several decades later, Empress Catherine the Great established a ballet company, which subsequently became known as "The Mariinsky," and later "The Kirov Ballet."

Throughout the 19th century, a succession of influential ballet masters guided the company -
including the most influential of all, Marius Petipa, and later Agrippina Vaganova.

These masters developed dancers and techniques, and staged a wealth of precedent-breaking
productions.

click for more

The second leg of the Kirov's tour to China will begin in Hong Kong in late Nov.

Giselle - 28, 29, 30 Nov.
Jewels - 1 Dec. mat. and evening

After Hong Kong, the Kirov will give 2 performances in Macau. Details will be announced shortly.

<small>[ 11-02-2002, 21:06: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

And here's an article by Kevin:

<a href=http://totallyhk.scmp.com/thkarts/ZZZGC1Q7R8D.html target=_blank>More</a>

Thanks Azlan. The link is however only for the newspaper's subscribers. But there are some quotes in the front page of the Features section.

http://totallyhk.scmp.com/thkarts/arts/index.html

<small>[ 11-29-2002, 19:21: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

The Kirov Ballet has completed its one week of sold-out performances in Hong Kong of "Giselle" and "Jewels". Half the touring group left for Macau yesterday for two more gala performances this week.

Some of the great performances seen in Hong Kong included Diana Vishneva and Andrian Fadeyev who were sublime in the opening night's cast of "Giselle". Fadeyev was also a dazzling "Rubies" soloist, full of charisma. Sofia Gumerova danced expressively as the second woman in "Emeralds", and was also superb as the "Diamonds" ballerina strongly partnered by Danila Korsuntsev, who made his debut as Albrecht in Hong Kong dancing with Zhanna Ayupova.

Another notable debut as Albrecht came from a new 20-year-old recruit to the Kirov, Leonid Sarafanov, who only joined from Kiev earlier this year. This tall dancer has a nice long line, a high elevation, and plenty of potential. This is a budding star to watch out for in future.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/ballet/soloist/sarafanov

The cast list for the two galas in Macau this week is as follows.

5 Dec.
Rubies - Tarasova, Fadeyev, Dumchenko.
Swan Lake pdd Act 2- Gumerova, Korsuntsev
Chopiniana 7th Waltz - Dumchenko, Baranov
Fairy of Dolls - Sheshina, Khrebtov, Scherbakov
Sleeping Beauty pdd - Ayupova, Korsakov
Romeo and Juliet pdd- Dumchenko, Baranov
Dying Swan - Gumerova
Le Corsaire pdd - Tarasova, Batalov

6 Dec.
Almost the same programme, except that Ayupova and Korsakov will dance Tchaikovsky pdd instead. Don Q pdd replaces Le Corsaire pdd, with Tarasova and Batalov. Noteworthy is that Anton Korsakov will dance "Tchaikovsky pas de deux" for the first time.

The Kirov will tour Baden-Baden, Germany, from 25 Dec. for a week with Swan Lake, Fokine programme, La Bayadere, and a gala. The casting was posted on Ballet.co.

http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/happening/3264.html

And my review of the Kirov's tour to Hong Kong is in Ballet.co Magazine.

http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_02/dec02/kn_rev_kirov_1202.htm

<small>[ 31 December 2002, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

The audience in Athens will have an opportunity to see 8 performances of "Giselle" in the next few days: four of them will be danced by Zakharova & Zelensky (back after a long absence) and four - by Vishneva & Malakhov.

Coda. your information explains why Vishenva and Zakharova don't seem to be on the Kirov's tour to Baden-Baden. I remember this company in Athens. Igor Zelensky did his production of The Sleeping Beauty for them last summer, and as he was then injured Thomas Edur danced instead.

Kirov soloists Veronika Part (dancing this year with the ABT) and Irina Golub are in the "25 to Watch" section of Dance Magazine - Jan. 2003 issue.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/news/ballet

Many thanks to Coda and Kevin for keeping us to date with what is happening at the Kirov/Mariinsky.

Any further news about touring to the UK in 2003?

"St.Petersburg - 300" celebration programme is announced on http://www.ensembleproductions.co.uk/future.html
which features two ballet gala concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, on 7 and 8 May. Soloists: Nioradze, Makhalina, Pavlenko, Tarasova, Batalov, Zelensky, Ruzimatov, Tsiskaridze, Kuznetsov.

<small>[ 04 January 2003, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: coda ]</small>

Mariinsky Theater to perform world premier of prologue to Nutcracker
From Pravda

In February, the Mariinsky Theatre will premiere the ballet Princess Pirlipat or Worthiness Punished. It will be staged on February 27 in the framework of the Third International Mariinsky Ballet Festival. According to the Mariinsky Theatre press-service, the author of the libretto, decorations, and costumes is the renowned artist Mikhail Chemiakin. At his request, composer Sergei Slonimsky wrote music for the ballet. Kirill Simonov is the ballet's choreographer. The one-act ballet will be an original prologue to The Nutcracker. The story of Drosselmeier's nephew's transformation into the Nutcracker (Drosselmeier enchants Princess Pirlipat) serves as the basis for the ballet's libretto.

click for more

Agnès Letestu, Jean-Guillaume Bart, Manuel Legris and José Martinez from POB will participate to the Festival.

Agnès and Jean-Guillaume will dance in Jewels I presume it's Diamonds they will dance. Agnès and José will dance in International stars gala, they must perform in Raymonda, Grand pas, and Manuel Legris will dance Solor in the opening night of Bayadere.