The three week season of the Kirov at the Royal Opera House will take place from 21 July to 9 August, 2003. The programme is (at this stage!):

Le Corsaire 21, 22, 23 July
Swan Lake 24,25, 26 July
Chopiniana/Les Noces/Scheherazade 28, 29, 30 July
La Bayadere 31 July, 1, 2 August
Serenade/Rite of Spring/Etudes 4,5 August
Swan Lake 6, 7, 8 August
Le Corsaire 9 August

<small>[ 18 July 2003, 03:37 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

BOOKING OPENS FOR KIROV BALLET AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

Public booking opens on Tuesday, May 20 for the Kirov Ballet’s greatly
anticipated three-week summer season at the Royal Opera House, presented by
Victor Hochhauser (July 21 – August 9, 2003)

The season includes five programmes including a sumptuous 4 Act version of La
Bayadere, based on the 1900 Mariinsky version, and a reconstruction of
Nijinsky’s ‘lost’ ballet The Rite of Spring. The swashbuckling Le Corsaire
opens the season; Swan Lake offers audiences the opportunity to see some of
the Kirov’s leading soloists and its matchless corps de ballet at the top of
their form. Two triple bills complete the programme: Homage to Diaghilev:
Chopiniana, Les Noces (new production) and Schéhérazade and Contrasts:
Serenade, Rite of Spring (new production) and Etudes (new production).

Soloists include Svetlana Zacharova, Daria Pavlenko, Igor Zelensky and Ilya
Kuznetsov.

Ticket prices: £8.50 - £80
Box Office: 020 7304 4000
Online Booking: www.royaloperahouse.org

********************************

For interviews with Igor Zelensky, Ilya Kuznetsov, Irma Nioradze and Yulia Makhalina, go to our
Ballet Stars of St Petersburg at Royal Albert Hall.

Just a reminder to everyone that booking opens tomorrow 20th May at 10am for the Kirov at the Royal Opera House.

Here is the link to the website of the company organising the event:

http://www.victorhochhauser.co.uk/

and to our topic on the "Ballet Stars of St Petersburg" with interviews, reviews and comments about several of the best known Kirov dancers:

http://forum.criticaldance.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000554

I queued up today for tickets and got what I wanted or close enough, but in each case further round than I expected. I suspect that demand for the cheaper seats has been very high through the Friends' organisations.

The message is get in quick!

Casting information for the Kirov at the Royal Opera House 2003

Please note: The Hochhauser site seems to be the best source now for casting information and we will not keep the list below up-to-date.

Here is the direct link:

http://www.victorhochhauser.co.uk/casting.htm

**************************

PLEASE NOTE:
ALL CASTING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE (you can say that again!)

# cast change

* additional casting information

Le Corsaire

21 July 7.30pm
Svetlana Zakharova
Ilya Kuznetsov
(Slave) Leonid Sarafanov

22 July 7.30pm
#Diana Vishneva
Vladimir Shishov
(Slave) Igor Zelensky

23 July 2.30pm
Ekaterina Kondaurova
Ilya Kuznetsov
(Slave) Anton Korsakov

23 July 7.30pm
Sofia Gumerova
Vladimir Shishov
(Slave) Igor Kolb

9 August 2.30pm
#Viktoria Tereshkina
Ilya Kuznetsov
#(Slave) Faroukh Ruzimatov

9 August 7.30pm
Svetlana Zakharova
Vladimir Shishov
#(Slave) Leonid Saraf

Swan Lake

Supported by The Daily Telegraph

Approx. running time: 2 hours 55 mins

24 July 7.30pm
Svetlana Zakharova
Igor Zelensky

25 July 7.30pm
Daria Pavlenko
Daniil Korsuntsev

26 July 2.30pm
#Natalia Sologub
Andrian Fadeyev

26 July 7.30pm
Sofia Gumerova
Igor Zelensky

6 Aug 2.30pm
Sofia Gumerova
Igor Kolb

6 Aug 7.30pm
Svetlana Zakharova
Daniil Korsuntsev

7 Aug 7.30pm
Natalia Sologub
Andrian Fadeyev

8 Aug 7.30pm
Daria Pavlenko
Igor Kolb

Homage to Diaghilev

Supported by The Daily Telegraph

Approx. running time: 2 hours 33 mins

Chopiniana and Schéhérazade are sponsored by
Metromedia International Telecommunications Inc

Schéhérazade is reconstructed by
Isabelle Fokine and Andris Liepa

28 July 7.30pm
CHOPINIANA
Xenia Ostreikovskaya
Daniil Korsuntsev
*Ekaterina Osmolkina
*Daria Pavlenko

LES NOCES
#Alexandra Yosifidi
Ivan Popov

SCHÉHÉRAZADE
Svetlana Zakharova
Faroukh Ruzimatov

29 July 7.30pm
CHOPINIANA
Daria Sukhorukova
Igor Kolb
*Irina Zhelonkina
*Xenia Ostreikovskaya

LES NOCES
Alexandra Yosifidi
Ivan Popov

SCHÉHÉRAZADE
#Svetlana Zakharova
Faroukh Ruzimatov

30 July 2.30pm
CHOPINIANA
Irina Zhelonkina
Igor Kolb
*Ekatarina Osmolkina
*Xenia Ostreikovskaya

LES NOCES
Alexandra Yosifidi
Ivan Popov

SCHÉHÉRAZADE
#Tatiana Tkachenko
Igor Zelensky

30 July 7.30pm
CHOPINIANA
Xenia Ostreikovskaya
Daniil Korsuntsev
*Irina Zhelonkina
*Daria Sukhorukova

LES NOCES
Alexandra Yosifidi
Ivan Popov

SCHÉHÉRAZADE
#Tatiana Tkachenko
Faroukh Ruzimatov


La Bayadere

Supported by The Daily Telegraph

NEW PRODUCTION

Approx. running time: 3 hours 47 minutes

31 July 7pm
#Daria Pavlenko
Andrian Fadeyev

1 Aug 7pm
#Svetlana Zakharova
Leonid Sarafanov

2 Aug 1pm
Sofia Gumerova
Igor Kolb

2 Aug 7pm
#Daria Pavlenko
Andrian Fadeyev

Contrasts

Supported by The Daily Telegraph

Approx. running time: 2 hours 42 mins

Serenade is presented by arrangement with
The George Balanchine Trust
The Rite of Spring and Etudes are sponsered by
The Mariinsky Theatre Trust (U.K.)

4 Aug 7.30pm
SERENADE
Xenia Ostreikovskaya
Daniil Korsuntsev

THE RITE OF SPRING
#Daria Pavlenko

ETUDES
Svetlana Zakharova
Andrian Fadeyev
Leonid Sarafanov

5 Aug 7.30pm
SERENADE
Natalia Sologub
Daniil Korsuntsev

THE RITE OF SPRING
#Daria Pavlenko

ETUDES
#Svetlana Zakharova
Andrian Fadeyev
Leonid Sarafanov

<small>[ 07 July 2003, 05:53 PM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

From what I can see on the ROH online booking system, there are still tickets available for all performances. However, it seems that some areas are already sold out and now that casting details have been published, the pace of ticket buying may quicken.

Here is the link to the online booking area on the ROH website

Le Corsaire here I come! I just got a couple of champagne superseats for July 22, Tuesday - I am hoping that that means that I am sitting around drinking champagne saying "super"!
( I am a little concerned becausee this means that i am doing two nights of back to back ballets in London, and I don't want to hurt myself - ).
By the way - what is the appropriate dress for the ROH on a Tuesday?

"I am hoping that that means that I am sitting around drinking champagne saying "super"!"

Matthew, you're clearly going to fit in with the UK haute bourgeosie, no problem.

I estimate that 90% of the guys in your seat block will be wearing lounge suits. But as you're from the Colonies, some leniancy on the dress code will be permitted. Seriously, you can wear anything, but, wimp that I am, I tend to feel more comfortable in a suit at the ROH, especially in the posh seats.

Colin Southgate, the previous Chair of the ROH, was once asked about attire and he grumbled that he wouldn't want to sit next to someone in t-shirt and trainers. One reporter pointed out that the last time he had seen an opera at the ROH, he had sat next to someone in t-shirt and trainers - it was the opera's composer, Sir Michael Tippett.

The highlights for me will "Les Noces" and "The Rite of Spring". I'm in the North of England for the performance of the latter, but will return specially to see it....even though it means I will have to endure "Etudes", probably my least favourite 20th C ballet.

<small>[ 22 June 2003, 03:16 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

I hope you will have your lounge suit in your bag then Stuart. As I am going on week nights, I will probably be in suits in any event. When are you arriving in London Matthew - we will arrange to meet some of the CD people

How late do you guys think I could wait to buy student-budget friendly tickets to this engagement? I'll be studying for the summer in England and will likely try to see one of the earlier performances of "Le Corsaire."

How are seats in the upper levels of the Royal Opera House? Is there some sort of last minute standing room/rush type program - or will the Kirov be too popular for this and I should spring for nicer tickets? What do you guys think?

--art

I would move as fast as you can art076. My impression is that it is the cheap seats that are selling fast.

Whereas the normal RB season has day seats set aside for the day, this is not the case for the Kirov season.

Although I usually sit lower down, the Amphitheatre (top level) has excellent sight lines and to see large scale choreography, it is a good place to sit, despite the height and distance from the stage in this 2,200 seater horseshoe-shaped theatre.

<small>[ 23 June 2003, 02:19 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

The bios of the Kirov principals and soloists have been updated several months ago in the Kirov website.

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

thanks for that, Kevin - wonderful photos of each of Vishneva and Ruzimatov

I'm pleased that London will have the chance to see plenty of Daria Pavlenko, who made a big impression on me in "The Prodigal Son" and Zakharova is also very welcome of course. While it is disappointing that some of the leading ballerinas are not coming, I suspect that as in the past, we will be blown away by some of the newcomers.

With Ruzimatov, Kolb, Kutnetzov, Zelensky, Korsuntsev, Fadeyev and others, there are plenty of very strong, experienced male dancers in the party for the ROH visit. Did you pick the dancers, Emma?

What do others think about the casting?

<small>[ 23 June 2003, 03:46 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

In the immortal words (well almost) of Rhett Butler, frankly Stuart my dear I don't give damn about the casting...I for one will be too busy luxurating in the sheer excellence in depth that is the Mariinsky to hyper-ventilate about the principal level casting. OK, I admit it. I would if I could, but since I have a choice of two evenings I just have to take what I get. The fact that that includes a smigeon of Makhalina and dollops of Fadeyev but less than one performance by Gumerova is OK by me.
Seriously, too busy surviving in ballet desert land in this particular bit of the Continent to be anything other than grateful whoever fronts for the Company. However, I will admit to a pang that no Ilya "Mad Dog" Kuznetsov this time round.
And picking up on the earlier correspondence about what one wears to Covent Garden, I am horribly conscious that I seem condemned either to sprint to the Opera House after work (hence boring work like black suit and stern but frazzled expression to match) or to arrive while on holiday (whence zen like chilled out attitude with sneakers and matching non-brushed hair accessory). At least now I know I blend in with Michael Tippett...