Since I have a feeling this stop in NYC will bring a bit of discussion, I thought to start a separate thread including programming (and later, casting). Of note is the choice to exclude any single full-length ballets, all programs are mixed.

Kirov Ballet program 2008, City Center Theater, New York City.


Apr 01, 2008 - 7:30 PM
Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 02, 7:30 PM
Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 03, 7:30 PM
Act One Raymonda (Act 3)
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Two Paquita (Grand Pas)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa
----------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 04, 8:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
------------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause-------------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-------------------------------
Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine


Apr 05, 2:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
------------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause-------------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-------------------------------
Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine


Apr 05, 8:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
------------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause-------------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-------------------------------
Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Apr 06, 3:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
------------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause-------------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-------------------------------
Act Three Scheherazade
Music: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Apr 08, 7:30 PM
Act One The Awakening of Flora
Music: Riccardo Drigo
Choreography: Marius Petipa
--------------------------------
Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova

Pause---------------------------

Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
---------------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 09, 7:30 PM
Act One The Awakening of Flora
Music: Riccardo Drigo
Choreography: Marius Petipa
--------------------------------
Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova

Pause---------------------------

Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
---------------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 10, 7:30 PM
Act One The Awakening of Flora
Music: Riccardo Drigo
Choreography: Marius Petipa
--------------------------------
Act Two Diana and Acteon (Pas de Deux)
Music: Cesare Pugni
Choreography: Agrippina Vaganova

Pause---------------------------

Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
---------------------------------
Act Three La Bayadere (The Kingdom of Shadows)
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Marius Petipa


Apr 11, 8:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
---------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause ---------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
---------------------------
Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander


Apr 12, 2:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
----------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause ----------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-----------------------------
Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander


Apr 12, 8:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
----------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause ----------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-----------------------------
Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander

Apr 13, 3:00 PM
Act One Chopiniana
Music: Frederic Chopin
Choreography: Michel Fokine
----------------------------
Act Two Le Spectre de la Rose
Music: Carl Maria von Weber
Choreography: Michel Fokine

Pause ----------------------

The Dying Swan
Music: Camille Saint-Saens
Choreography: Michel Fokine
-----------------------------
Act Three Etudes
Music: Karl Czerny
Choreography: Harald Lander


Apr 15, 7:30 PM
Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe


Apr 16, 7:30 PM
Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe


Apr 17, 7:30 PM
Act One Steptext
Music: J.S. Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Two Approximate Sonata
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe
------------------------------
Act Three In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated
Music: Thom Willems
Choreography: William Forsythe


Apr 18, 8:00 PM
Act One Jewels (Rubies)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Two Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine


Apr 19, 2:00 PM
Act One Jewels (Rubies)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Two Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine


Apr 19, 8:00 PM
Act One Jewels (Rubies)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Two Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine


Apr 20, 3:00 PM
Act One Jewels (Rubies)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Two Serenade
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
-------------------------------
Act Three Ballet Imperial
Music: Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine

Catherine -- Any inside information as to why they're not doing any full-lengths? City Center isn't the Met, but full length classics have been done there before (e.g., by ABT). Maybe they're doing the excerpts without sets to save transportation costs. Whatever the reason, I'm sure the Kirov will sell out, but I never liked seeing parts of full-length ballets out of context. Hopefully, with the rep programs, we in NY will at least have the opportunity to see more Kirov dancers in a variety of roles, instead of simply recycling the same fixed number of principles.

hi balletomaniac,

Sets, as you mention, could be a big reason. I know the AD in the past has said they won't take certain full length ballets on tour bc moving the sets is just not realistic. The stage limitations are also an issue. I know that wing space counts for a lot and, from what I"m told, wing space at City Center is minimal. So I can hazard a guess, but it's only a guess. They've already toured "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" the past two years, and "Giselle" and "Romeo" recently as well. Maybe they feel they've run out of full-lengthers? I have no idea.

One thing that concerns me is the fact that they will be dancing Balanchine on NYCB's territory. I know it's not a first, it's not new -- but to do it on that same stage--- *that* is new. It's not a secret that the Kirov dances Balanchine differently, but to me that seems risque, to bring the same ballets to a stage where NYCB is master of their own domain so to speak. I can't imagine the home-town critics will be kind to them, and that's why I say risque. Be prepared for those ballets (Serenade, Ballet Imperial, Jewels) to look and feel differently than they do when NYCB dances them. The question is will the critics and public be accepting of that or not.

I don't see why the Kirov could not, for example, have done the full-length Raymonda instead of just Act III. (Or all of Bayadere for that matter -- but I believe that's one of the ballets with sets issues). That said, some of the short classical works like Spectre, Paquita and Chopiniana, I personally think are very good choices, and I challenge another company to perform them as well as the Kirov does. (my point: they define those ballets, among others, in style and standard)

If nothing else, by the time the reviews come in from the NY Times and other publications, we should have some very interesting points for discussion!

Hi Catherine,

I am hopeful that in the same way that the NYCB dancers were very well received by the audiences in Saint Petersburg this year, the Kirov-Mariinsky dancers will be highly appreciated in New York. Their choice of Balanchine selections, Serenade, Ballet Imperial and Jewels seem very well suited to their current interpretive style and certainly seem to have definite sentimental and structural links to the Kirov-Mariinsky. Put the appropriate Kirov-Mariinsky 'team' on stage and they can probably handle anything. (They might want to consider drafting Natalia Osipova from the Bolshoi occasionally for maximum 'impact'. ["Smile" Emoticon] )


[I edited this post about fifteen minutes later]

It would also seem that they don't always have to be the best at everything (and I'm not saying that they aren't) to still be loved.

Actually, City Center is not NYCB's current home and hasn't been for many decades. NYCB performs at the NY State Theatre over at Lincoln Center. City Center is, however, ABT's fall season home - and I would be more worried about overlap with ABT's rep, since a lot of what's listed below has been done recently or will be done by ABT in their fall or Met Seasons. (And, BTW, what exactly is Act 3 of 'Etudes'? If you are going to do Etudes, do the whole thing, otherwise it loses all its context as a balletic and musical progression from basic to the most complicated.)

Full length ballets of the type the Kirov performs would be near impossible on the City Center stage - it is not a large stage, nor, I believe, are the wings very large or deep. A few years back Angel Corella badly bruised a wrist when he slightly misjudged a grand jete into the wings and mid air slammed his arm into one of the wings and the considerably more solid lighting rig behind it. It may also be quite difficult to get huge tractor trailors used to haul big sets to the stage, given that I think the stage acess is from one of the regular, narrow NYC streets.

I certainly don't ever remember ABT doing full lengths at City Center, and if they did it was because they didn't have a choice and they certainly weren't of the Met calibre as far as sets and cast sizes. These days ABT picks pas de deuxs and smaller, often more contemporary, pieces for their City Center repertory. Raymonda would definately not work at the City Center unless your ballerina could dance in the orchestra pit, which itself probably also isn't large enough for a full ballet orchestra.

It's going to be a stretch just to get all the Shades on the stage - I am always amazed that ABT can do "Symphony in C" at City Center without losing dancers off the side of the stage. As it is, the formations are always slightly skewed to get everyone onstage in the finale.

Additionally, it's a smaller auditoroum and the sight lines & seat rake are quite bad for dance if you are off-center or not in the front of the balconies, which means that they can charge exorbitant prices for the limited number of good seats. So the tickets are likely to literally be worth their weight in gold!

Kate

Kate -- Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm reasonably sure I saw ABT do Giselle at City Center. I remember vividly dashing all the way down the stairs from the top of the house (at that time the balcony - the nosebleed balcony -was open) to catch curtain calls for what I recall being a full length. I'll see if I can confirm that.
But you're right about the wings being narrow, though. If they did a full length, which I still think they could do, they'd need to jettison at least some of what I suspect is their usual set. On the other hand, I suspect they're bringing at least something resembling a real (if not operatic) set. Scheherezade?
And a comment about a prior post. I think the Kirov has already done Jewels in NY -- to favorable reviews if I recall. But even though they've done it here before, I'd have preferred the whole thing again rather than just "Rubies." In any event, performing Balanchine in NY isn't something to be concerned about.

Oh - And Act 3 Etudes is not Act 3 of Etudes. I think it refers to Act 3 of the performance, which will be Etudes. [Just like Act 2 Spectre is not Act 2 of Spectre, but the second Act of the performance.] I hope that's right -- if it isn't, it will indeed be a very strange performance.

Greetings
I think ABT did at one time - one assumes before they started performing at the Met - do full lengths at City Center. But I can't imagine it was a good setting nor were the sets as elaborate as the ones made for the Met stage. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it!

Thanks for the clarification on 'Etudes' - makes a lot more sense! It's definitely a ballet everyone should see at least once in their life - and if I may be a bit biased - one should see the Danes do it.

Kate

Kate - thanks for the stage clarification. I don't follow NYCB (as I have no means to see them perform unless one of their dancers comes to Russia) so I didn't know that City Center was no longer their venue. Regardless, your confirmation on the stage space (or lack thereof) is what I was pointing out as well. It should be interesting!!

The Kirov danced Jewels in SF (well, okay, Berkeley) in 2003 along with other stops on that tour, which included Boston (and Detroit or Chicago) as well as Southern California. They may have danced it subsequently in New York, although I do not recall one way or the other. In SF they got a less than favorable review from the SF Chronicle critic at the time, I do remember that. So while I hope they get the stunning reviews I feel they deserve (while in NYC), I won't be surprised if that isn't the case.

I agree with balletomaniac that billing only "Rubies" leaves something to be desired. There are typically only 3 ballerinas who dance that role at home here --Vishneva, Novikova, Nioradze -- and I'm sure that's partly why they chose it.

I've been watching the Paris Opera Ballet video of Rubies over and over. They seem to have made it their own--"The Streets of Paris". It's Absolutely Delightful !

If Paris can do it, there's no reason why Saint Petersburg can't do it.

Is George Balanchine at least distantly related (at times) to Robbin Williams ?

A 'ponderous' question is who at the Mariinksy to cast as Tzigane ? Any suggestions.

Or ! ---- Who at the Mariinsky might make a good Suzanne Farrell ?

Daria Pavlenko ? Viktoria Tereshkina ?

Maybe the Vaganova can nuture a 'hybrid'. (Intended with loving respect for the devoted individuals who teach and the wonderful individuals who study at the Vaganova.)

I've also been watching the second NYCB video of Choreography by Balanchine. The Tschaikovsky Pas De Deux is performed by Patricia McBride and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Forgetting his one in a universe technical abilities, his general motion seems more flowing and gentle than that of his female partner. I would think that this reflects his ingrained Vaganova training and seems to work quite well in this NYCB context. Another indication perhaps that the Kirov-Mariinsky can hold it's own quite well in the world of Balanchine. (Gravitationless Balanchine ?)

[last two words added later]

While not as elaborate as Sleeping Beauty, say, the sets for the evening of Fokine/Dhiaghilev ballets will no doubt use the gorgeous Bakst/benois sets, no?

I believe the act three of Raymonda they do (but could be wrong) with the Petipa choreography is different than the act 3 used in their current full Raymonda... (Raymonda is such an underated ballet, even if the plot is a mess, I've always hoped they'd reconstruct it the way they did Beauty)

E

In regard to the Kirov-Mariinsky performing the works of George Balanchine in NYC I found this interesting review by Anna Kisselgoff (New York Times--July 20, 2002).

"...its [Kirov] Balanchine repertory has expanded under Makharbek Vaziev, the troupe's current director. It includes ''Theme and Variations,'' ''Scotch Symphony,'' ''Apollo, ''Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, ''Serenade,'' ''Symphony in C'' and ''Prodigal Son,'' in addition to ''Jewels.''

"All these works have reference points, choreographically and musically, that would be familiar to a major Russian classical company. With a few exceptions, the composers are Russian (Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky) and the dance idiom alludes to 19th-century ballet or is rooted in Russian Constructivism (''Prodigal Son''). "

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... nted=print