http://www.teatroverdi-trieste.com/verd ... ittico.asp

Of note, Xander Parish is debuting in Apollo, as is Keenan Kampa. The full length version of Emil Faksi's Salome is being presented for the very first time.

Also of note, Alina Somova's sister Alexandra is now listed as a corps member. (right side, lower half of page, under "Corpo di Ballo")

Thanks, Catherine for this information. I even checked the map to see how far away Trieste is. It's an eight hour train ride. I don't think that I'll be able to make it.

Great to see 'Xander' cast as Apollo as well as 'Keenan' as Polimnia. In the 'lead' as Tersicore, I thought that Maria Shirinkina (cast for three performances) was absolutely lovely in the part at this year's Mariinsky Fesival. Ekaterina Osmolkina (cast for two performances) should be extremely lovely as well.

Thanks for this, Catherine. Very interesting that this short tour isn't mentioned on the Mariinsky's official website, making me wonder if this might be a freelancer/pick-up company? Three of the listed corps in Salome are not on the official Mariinsky corps de ballet (not just 'sister Somova' - also Natalia Sonova and Vladislav Smakov).

http://www.mariinsky.ru/company/ballet/kopdeballet/ (I even checked the Reserve and Extras departments)

Maybe they're part of the "90 new corps members" that will be added in Fall 2013 (result of the recently-announced audition)?

A few color photos of this tour can be seen at the bottom of the following Italian interview with Faski, the choreographer of Salome (which, I think, premiered at the Young Choreographers' Workshop at the MT in March):

http://www.danzaedanzaweb.com/articolo/212/ (posting because of the photos; not the article, which is not in English, I realize)

The last photo of a couple in flowing white outfits appear to be Brileva and Ermakov as Salome and John the Baptist. Schlyarov is seen as Apollo, etc....

Yes Natalia, the pas de deux from Salome premiered at the Young Choreographer's Workshop -- I mention it in my Festival review for Dance Europe Magazine (March or April issue I believe). This was the first that the full length ballet was presented. IN the pictures on the link you provided, Brileva is (uncostumed) in black leotard/tights with Ermakov -- that is a shot from the Workshop performance. The white tunic costumes are from the full length.

I heard that as of a month ago only 1 of the supposed 60 new hires had been found. I dont know if there are updates to that. (I was told 60 not 90).

Thanks for this update & clarification, Catherine. Even 60 is a startlingly-high number of new hires in one season, for a ballet company! It seems as if every unemployed ballet dancer on the planet should high-tail it to St. Petersburg for the auditions. A few of the new hires will undoubtedly come from the soon-to-graduate Vaganova Class of 2013, with Ksenia Zhiganshina leading the way, if she is indeed graduating this year; I've heard yes & no from various sources. (So Fateev has, so far, liked only ONE auditioner? It may take a while to find all 60 new dancers...ahum.)

Agree, 60 is high (I would argue perhaps too high?)

For the first round of auditions (and I don't know if there have been more, but I presume so), yes, he found/chose/liked only 1 winning contestant. I agree-- the reality is that there are simply not 60 dancers graduating in Russia in a given year (much less THIS year) that are Mariinsky corps level quality, or higher. The pool of candidates just plain doesn't exist even if you take all the graduating classes (Perm, Moscow, St P, Ekaterinburg and wherever else) and add them together. At best there are approx 10 per school but that's not 10 *hireable* each year... so there still won't be 60. Which means: other troupes, other countries...

Ksenia Z danced in the Vaganova pre-graduation (as in, not final year) performance last month\... meaning she won't graduate this year...

What did Ksenia dance at the pre-grad performance last month?

By the way, the 'preview version' of Faski's Salome is on YouTube, professionally filmed by the Mariinsky web:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYzozPia6nE

Both Brileva and Yermakov are so passionate and fluid in this!

She danced the Babochka pas de deux. Unfortunately programs were not available so I don't have the name of her partner.

Catherine, I just purchased the hard-copy May 2013 issue of the magazine. (It's usually in Barnes & Noble in the USA one month after publication in Europe.) Your review of the entire Festival, including the workshop, is in it. Fascinating reading. Great job!

May issue - right

Thanks Natalia, that is kind of you to say ))