Starting this thread for the Kennedy Center performances in January.

Preliminary Casting accdg to the Kennedy Center website:

CASTING (Don Quixote)

Tue., Jan. 13 & Sat., Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Diana Vishneva
Bazil: Evgeny Ivanchenko

Wed., Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Olesya Novikova
Bazil: Leonid Sarafanov

Thu., Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Viktoria Tereshkina
Bazil: Andrian Fadeyev

Fri., Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Alina Somova
Bazil: Anton Korsakov

Sat., Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m.
Kitri: Evgenya Obraztsova
Bazil: Vladimir Shklyarov

Sun., Jan. 18 at 1:30 p.m.
Kitri: Viktoria Tereshkina
Bazil: Leonid Sarafanov

Olesya Novikova is now off the tour, with Alina Somova dancing the Jan 14th performance, opposite Shklyarov. I hope that Olesya is OK. It's a shame that DC will not enjoy one of the Mariinsky's strongest Kitris. Also out is Leonid Sarafanov, one of the most superb of Basils. Shame.

CASTING
Tue., Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Diana Vishneva
Bazil: Evgeny Ivanchenko

Wed., Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Alina Somova (casting updated on 1/8
Bazil: Vladimir Shklyarov (casting updated on 1/8

Thu., Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Viktoria Tereshkina
Bazil: Andrian Fadeyev

Fri., Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Diana Vishneva
Bazil: Evgeny Ivanchenko

Sat., Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m.
Kitri: Evgenya Obraztsova
Bazil: Vladimir Shklyarov

Sat. Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Kitri: Alina Somova
Bazil: Evgeny Ivanchenko (casting updated on 1/8

Sun., Jan. 18 at 1:30 p.m.
Kitri: Viktoria Tereshkina
Bazil: Andrian Fadeyev

That is a shame about Olesya and I too hope she is OK (haven't heard anything about her).

I wonder about Ivanchenko as Basil though. I can't say I recall seeing him in the role, and he strikes me much as the cookie cutter Siegfried. So I'm curious to hear how he fares.

Catherine, I saw Ivanchenko dance Basil to Yulia Makhalina's Kitri ca 1995. Both were quite awful -- she is definitely NOT a Kitri type & he was positiely wooden. That was 14 yrs ago so he may have improved a lot. He must be a lot better now, as he was recently promoted to Principal! I know that he has slimmed down considerably since the time when he was hoisting Ms Volochkova and nearly crippled himself. ouch...

By the way, I find it very interesting that a dancer would be promoted to Principal at age 34, after being a soloist for 14-15 years. I don't believe that I've ever seen that happen before at the Kirov. It's done with Character Principals but never before with Classical Principals. So there MAY be hope that Maya Dumchenko might make Principal Ballerina in the coming years? She is 3 years younger than Ivanchenko.

I'll still see the show on the 17th with Obraztsova and Shklyarov if I was there, though.

[quote="Sacto7654.....I'll still see the show on the 17th with Obraztsova and Shklyarov if I was there, though. [/quote]

Yes, thank goodness for small blessings. Something will be salvaged.

For the record, Ivanchenko is STILL hoisting Volochkova in her one-woman revue shows. I think I reviewed one of them on CD a while back. Both he and Korsuntsev guested to partner her in a variety of pieces. Actually in that program Danila danced a role with more drama than I'd ever seen -- I cannot recall what the excerpt was from, it was a ballet I'd never seen before (!) where the woman is wrapping up her jewels and the man is dying (revealing the blood spreading on his white shirt only at the very end when he removes the jacket to his tuxedo). It was stunning.

But back to Volochkova briefly, she hasn't lost weight... if anything has gained it. He (Ivanchenko) is quite slim though. If he was ever chunkier in the past or more muscular, you wouldn't know it looking at him. I've only seen him since 2004 so I can't comment on the '90s.

I too can't imagine Makhalina as Kitri but then odder casting choices have been made...

Oh - and being promoted at 34 -- does that even happen in the West?? I can't think of a time I've seen it happen.

Alastair Macaulay reviews the Tuesday, January 13, 2009 performance of "Don Quixote" in the New York Times:

NY Times

Sarah Kaufman in the Washington Post:

Washington Post

Jean Battey Lewis in the Washington Times:

Washington Times

POB did so a couple of years ago but I don't recall the name of the dancer. A lady who had been a Premiere Danseuse for many years. She's well into her 30s.

It was Delphine Moussin. Wilfried Romoli among the men was also promoted around the age of 38 - it was somewhat honorary, as he had had a long and distinguished career. He has now retired.

The Royal Danish Ballet has occasionally promoted dancers at a later age - I think Peter Bo Bendixen was 30 when he finally was made principal. It's not as surprising since dancers often stay many years since they get pensions at 40 (used to be later than that). Thus careers are longer, on average, than in most US companies.

Over at NYCB, I believe James Fayette was at least 30, if not older when he was promoted to principal. Joaquin DeLuz was certainly in his late 20s by the time he was made principal at NYCB - he'd been stuck as a soloist at ABT for years.

Interesting... Sounds like most of those are men though, which makes sense I suppose. I don't think promotions for women come much after 30 though. There's a big difference in my mind between 30 and 35 for a dancer (female at least). But good to know it's that widespread in any case.

Andrian Fadeev fell badly from a jump in the coda of the pdd, at today's closing performance of DON Q. He got up but could not continue dancing, so he walked slowly to the closest wing. Tereshkina/Kitri had to complete the pdd and the ballet without her Basil.

No word yet on the details and extent of the injury.

A wonderful tour ended on a sad note.

I saw Delphine Moussin (age 41) Debut(!) in "Giselle" Thursday (Geneva) and I thought she was Excellent !!

[PS--I'm very glad that you enjoyed the DC performances so much, Natalia. I also wish Andrian Fadeev all the best and the quickest of recoveries.]

Buddy, I believe Delphine Moussin is actually 39. She was 15 when she entered the corps de ballet, in 1984.