From 16 october to 28, Kirov is touring at Paris in Theâtre du Châtelet. <P>First programm is constituted by Fokine/Nijinsky evening with Petrouchka, Sheherazade, Spectre de la Rose, Polovtsian dance, Firebird from 16 to 19 october.<P>October 16 is the opening evening conducted by Valery Gergiev. To note than Petrouchka will be not dance in the 19 matinee.<P>After we could see from 22 to 26 october, Nutcracker in the new production by Kiril Simonov. They add a scolar matinee october 22.<P>And to finish from 28 to 31 october, we could see the original production of Bayadere in four acts with famous temple destruction, hoping it was not so updated than their original Sleeping Beauty where costums and set up were really awful !<P>Taste change since creation, and if it's interesting to have the original choreography, perhaps must they keep more modern costum and set up, especially costum.<P>They don't create again it in St Petersburgh.<BR>Russian dance amators are worrying about Bayadere. They're afraid they suppress Solor's variation added by Chabukiani and Golden Idol by Zubkovski. <P>To note, They must record it for television and DVD.<P>Against we don't have nothing about dancer who will appear in the different cast.<P><BR><a href="http://www.chatelet-theatre.com/saison1/renseignements.htm"target="_blank"<B>How to reserve</B></a><P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Cathy (edited March 10, 2002).]

Thank you very much for this Cathy. This wll be of great interest to UK ballet fans as the top ticket prices at around £40 compares with the ROH Kirov season last year when top price tickets were £70 (maybe £80).<P>I take my hat off to the French authorities who give such great support to the Arts.<P>Can you tell us about the theatre:<BR>- whether the sight-lines are good?<BR>- relative advantages of the stalls and the first circle?<BR>- are some of the cheaper seats very poor for the money?<P>Yes, I was wondering what would happen to the 20th C additions for the men in La Bayadere. They won't have much to do if these are taken out.<P>I share your lack of enthusiasm for the 'recreation' of the 'Sleeping Beauty'. I was pleased to see it, but once was enough for me. A good film version will be a boon for future generations, but otherwise I will be happy for it to be put back in the cupboard. <P>If theatres performed Shakespeare as it was 100 years ago, it would be laughed off the stage; never mind considering productions from Elizabethan times. <P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited March 10, 2002).]

The problem in theater show room, you have too many columns and often you are behind a column. Parterre is naturly the best. Worst category are perhaps three and four, in the fifth category you are very high but often you see all the stage. You must have also a very cheap tarif for unvisibilty seats where you can see something. It's a very strange theater. It's sure that it's not really expensive but it's a private theater with Paris municipality subvention.<P>Against for the first performance, you have seats to 91 €, I don't know how many it's in £.

The general conversion for Euros to £ is to multiply by two and divide by three. Currently, the answer will slightly over estimate the cost in £.<P>So, Euros 91 = £60 (roughly).<P>Thanks for the other information. I take it that 'parterre' is 'stalls'. I'm interested that you say that they are 'naturally best'. In the UK, for many theatres the favoured seats by a lot of fans are in the first circle to see the geometry of the choreography. Is this a poor option in Theâtre du Châtelet?

Last night in the Maryinsky Theatre, I spoke to the Paris Opera Ballet etoile Aurelie Dupont who will dance Romeo and Juliet with the Kirov this Sat. with Andrian Fadeyev.<p>[This message has been edited by Kevin Ng (edited March 12, 2002).]

Spoke with Aurélie Dupont ! You were lucky !!!<BR>Does she speak English ?

Cathy, many thanks, very interesting. I feel a visit to Paris by Eurostar coming on! Please do let us know if/when you have casting information - je vous en prie, dites-nous quand vous avez plus d'information en matiere des artistes. C'est facile/difficile/impossible d'acheter des billets si vous n'avez pas un abonnement (ou carnet)?<BR>Kevin: so, what did Aurelie Dupont say to you? Come on, you can tell us!

Well, I spoke to Aurelie Dupont in French. She told me that she's been rehearsing Romeo and Juliet (Lavrovsky version) every day with her Kirov partner Andrian Fadeyev. She praised Andrian for being very attentive and considerate. After all, he speaks no French at all, and they rely on the interpreter.<P>Last night Aurelie was watching the Kirov's Nutcracker too. She was sitting several rows in front of me, but I didn't have a chance to speak to her this time.<P>Pity that Nicolas Le Riche won't dance in the Festival at all. Tomorrow Manuel Legris will dance Manon with Diana Vishneva. More later.

Enjoy the festival Kevin ! Manuel Legris is great, Aurélie Dupont too !