Buddy, I am totally with you on Alina Cojocaru, whose Aurora in the new-old Sleeping Beauty at a past Mariinsky Festival (2006 or 2007?) will remain in my memory for a long time. She is crystalline, pure, musical, natually charming.

Even though we don't agree on Alina Somova, I very much admire her beautifully tapered hands and fingers, especially effective in "white acts" (such as A2 of Giselle).

This is a beautiful description of Alina Cojocaru. Thank you. There are so many wonderful qualities that she has.

I'm glad that we also agree about Alina Somova's hands. I do think that they are extremely beautiful and used beautifully.

There are so many wonderful performing artists to chose from, that the ones that touch us personally, that give us each a personal and treasured experience, well they are the ones that we are very fortunate to have in our lives, to appreciate and enjoy. Hopefully the artists that you really like do that for you and the artists that others really like do that for them.

You are correct, Buddy.

Incidentally, I did not mean to ignore Islom Baimuradov, who you had mentioned earlier. Count me in an another admirer of this amazing Principal Character Artist, who also happens to be the husband of Ekaterina Kondaurova. I have admired this artist for a long time, especially in character and 'national' (folk-derived) dances in the Petipa rep, such as the matador Espada in Don Q or Indian Drum Dance in Baya. Here's a dancer who 'milks' every measure of music for all it's worth and whose non-traditional (yet striking) good looks really set him apart on the stage.

He is also wonderful in contemporary roles, such as the comic Gentleman of the Bedchamber (assistant of the tsar) in Ratmansky's Little Humpbacked Horse, where, to me, he is even better than Yuri Smekalov. He also plays Kerenin in Anna Karenina...a role that I hope to see him perform in NYC (where he'll also dance the gentleman-of-chamber in LHH).

I'm not familiar with some of these portrayals, Natalia, but I do know that Islom Baimuradov has quite a range. He also played the amazing tailor in Noah Gelber's “The Overcoat.”

One of his qualities, that I like very much, is his wonderful subtlety and sensitivity as shown in his performance of the Pierrot (clown) in Michel Fokine’s "La Carnaval." I was very touched by this. This is closer to Vladimir Ponomarev's multi-layered Don Quixote interpretations, which fascinate me every time that I see them.

Islom Baimuradov has quite a list of portrayals.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ball ... aimuradov/

And finally *some* of the casting for the Festival has been posted:

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/fes ... _fest_228/

Of note:

Le Parc (3 performances total) which will include Vishneva at some point.

Roberta Marquez (Royal Ballet) and Vladimir Shklyarov with Anastasia Matvienko, in Bayadère
Kondaurova and Hallberg in Swan Lake
Ashley Bouder and Denis Matvienko in Don Q
Chopiniana. In the Night. Without (no casting given yet)
also
Sleeping Beauty
Romeo & Juliet
Giselle (casting for each TBD)

For the gala finale, fyi, Viengsay Valdes is slated to dance in Carmen Suite, although this is not listed on the site yet.

Catherine, as you kindly pointed out in another forum, most of the casting is now up...including LOPATKINA DEBUT as Juliet in R&J. Now this is a big (but nice) surprise!

Yes - an interesting addition! Its quite a full and mixed bag of goods, which is nice, something for everyone this year. I'm very excited about the mixed bill, the R&J, and the Gala in particular. Curious too which cast of Le Parc will take the cake ...

The world moves in mysterious ways. While searching through the video listings for Ashley Bouder I found this. It's at You Tube, but it seems to be an official video release from the Mariinsky (so I guess that it's ok to post here), that I haven't seen elsewhere. It gives some primary casting information and a lot of secondary casting information that I haven't seen before. Here is some of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWdI6Q1SpKY

Le Parc

"It's rehearsed by three couples:"

Diana Vishneva and Konstantin Zverev
Viktoria Tereshkina and Alexander Sergeyev
Yekaterina Kondaurova and Yuri Smekalov



La Bayadere

Anastasia Matvienko -- Gamzatti


Chopiniana -- Yekaterina Osmolkina, Yana Selina, Xenia Ostreikovskaya and Alexander Parish

In The Night -- Ulyana Lopatkina, Alina Somova, Maria Shirinkina....


The Sleeping Beauty

Anastasia Kolegova -- Lilac Fairy
Valeria Martynuk -- Diamond Fairy
Oxana Skorik and Alexei Timofeyev -- Bluebird pas de deux


Romeo and Juliet

Ilya Kuznetsov -- Tybalt
Filipp Stepin -- Mercutio


Closing Gala

Viengsay Valdes --Carmen

"Divertissement"

Ashley Bouder
Alina Cojocaru
Ulyana Lopatkina
Olesya Novikova
David Hallberg
Igor Kolb
Johan Kobborg
Denis Matvienko
Friedemann Vogel
Maxim Zyuzin

Diamonds

Alina Somova
Andrian Fadeyev


Bravi !


[some spelling corrections made]

I guess that this is humanly possible. It 'Is' Ashley Bouder, after all.

A day in the life from her "Twitter" site.

Finally done packing. Class, Square Dance rehearsal, then off to St. Petersburg [Russia] for the Dance Open Gala!
(March 31)

Just arrived in DC [from Saint Petersburg, Russia]. Supposed to be in rehearsal in less than 2 hrs. I don't think that's happening
(Today, April 6)

Upcoming performances with the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg, Russia: April 18: Don Quixote with Denis Matvienko...[and "April 24: Tarantella with Denis Matvienko."]

http://twitter.com/ashleybouder

Disappointing news just in for Lopatkina's fans: She & Korsuntsev will no longer be dancing the Festival R&J on the 21st, having been replaced by Novikova/Ivanchenko.

Ironically, April 21 is the one festival evening to have "sold out" thus far. I'm sure that there will be many disappointed fans, although Novikova's Juliet is quite lovely (as I recall from the 2005 London tour).

Lopatkina is still listed as one of 3 ballerinas in Robbins' In the Night, during the Chopin Triple Bill and she should still be participating in the gala Diverts.

Thanks, Natalia, for the news about Ulyana Lopatkina. As a slight clarification of what you wrote, Andrei Yermakov, a "Second Soloist," was to have partnered Ulyana Lopatkina in "Romeo and Juliet."

According to Diana Vishneva's site, she will be dancing the debut evening of "Le Parc," April 24. (I was directed to her site by a reference at the Mariinky forum.)

http://www.vishneva.ru/eng/perform.php

"Le Parc"

Beautiful !

Meticulous Construction of an Abstracted Enchantment

Mozart, Love and Life....
"Thru the Slipstreams of my Mind." (Van Morrison)

Music <--> Mozart
Dance <--> Mariinsky

Viktoria Tereshkina -- Sublimely Beautiful !

Alexander Sergeyev -- Everybody Else -- At Least Excellent !


I just got into Saint Petersburg late last night and this is the first performance that I have seen. I have limited computer access as usual.

I will try to at least let you know if something particularly *Wonderful* happens.

Tonight It Did !

Ekaterina Kondaurova

"Swan Lake"


** A Star Is Born ! **


Another Page Written In "Swan Lake" History !

Greek Goddess Positioning !

Sublime Expression !


Odette

Possibly The Most * Magnificent * Act I "Swan Lake" Duet That I Have Ever Seen !

After this I could hardly focus on anyone else. It all just became some sort of beautifully amazing flow.


Odile

If I were a prince, I would have followed her off the end of anywhere, anytime !



David Hallburg sailed around the stage spectacularly, all evening, as is his fashion.

Yana Selina was everywhere wonderfully, all evening, as is her fashion.

Corps de Ballet !!!!

The depth of talent at the Mariinsky is Mind Boggling !

There is so much more that I could write about just these few days. Hopefully when I get home.



I would have to say that "Swan Lake" is waiting for Ekaterina Kondaurova to write her own place in "Swan Lake" history exactly as she choses.


To celebrate I went across the street from the Mariinsky to the Shamrock Bar. (Yep!)

(Russian Irish music band--I don't drink)

and Rocked !

"Don Quixote"

Ashley Bouder

I would say that she made a very fine impression at the Mariinsky tonight. The audience seemed to love her and gave her a very enthusiastic final ovation and series of curtain calls.

Her flying 'jump kick' combinations, one of the highlights of Don Quixote, were breathtaking ! Her huge balances were equally exciting. All this was done with complete control and very fine nuancing.

She appeared alongside some of the Mariinsky's finest talent and finest emerging talent and looked just great. For example, to try to wow an audience after Denis Matvienko, the company's super spaceman, had just completed a series of aerial wonders, is no easy job at all, but she did it with her very exciting series of single double turn fouettes.

She also had a very captivating personality and very endearing stage presence.

I have to add that I bumped into her after the performance and spoke to her very briefly. She seems like an absolutely lovely person.

All in all, Brava, Ashley !

There was so much other fine talent tonight that maybe someday I can begin to do it justice.


Vladimir Ponomarev

I will continue to shout to the heavens, that as Don Quixote, this man is a theatrical Genius !!!!


Of all the other exceptional talent seen tonight, I will mention just one name for the moment -- Oksana Skorik.

She appeared as the Queen of the Driads. This very young lady displayed marvelous linear gracefulness and breathtaking aerial prowess. To my eyes she is someone to watch very carefully -- very special indeed.


I would also like to mention just briefly Roberta Marquez (Royal Ballet), who appeared Saturday night in "La Bayadere." I thought that she was beautifully expressive with wonderful finishing highlight moves. In addition she was lovely as well as lovable.

Added comment:

Tonight was Ashley Bouder's Debut as Kitri. To come from the Balanchine world of the New City Ballet and find yourself debuting one of the Mariinsky's classic leads at the Mariinsky itself is nothing to be taken lightly.

Once again, Brava, Ashley !

Fred Astaire In Heaven !

This could have been the title for the first dance by Maria Shirinkina and Filipp Styopin in Jerome Robbin's "In The Night."

(Of possible interest. Apparently Fred Astaire was George Balanchine's favorite male dancer.)

Another Great Evening !

An All Chopin Evening.

"Chopiniana"/"Les Sylphides" (Michel Fokine)

"In The Night" (Jerome Robbins)

"Without" (Benjamin Millepied)


Could any dance be more beautiful than "In The Night."

Maria Shirinkina and Filipp Styopin
Alina Somova and Yevgeny Ivanchenko
Ulyana Lopatkina and Danila Korsuntsev

Ulyana Lopatkina -- Could anyone else in the world move the way that she does.

"Without"

Excellent !

Alina Somova, Anastasia Matvienko, Irina Golub....

Alina Somova -- She can probably write her own ticket in the world of dance. It would appear that the Mariinsky realized this a long, long time ago. I will try to give you a few more reasons why at another time.

Anastasia Matvienko -- Wonderful !

Margarita Frolova -- She was the lady in green and she was great. She so well adapted herself to this work. They all were great.

"Chopiniana"/"Les Sylphides"

Written On The Air -- Absolutely Beautiful As Usual !

Yekaterina Osmolkina, Xenia Ostreikovskaya, Yana Selina and Alexander Parish.


Added later:

"Still on a high from dancing Don Quixote last night! What an amazing experience:) Can't wait to dance it again sometime!"

Ashley Bouder at Twitter

http://twitter.com/ashleybouder


[Correction made above. Apparently it was Margarita Frolova, who was the dancer in green in "Without," instead of Irina Golub (in purple). I'm still very impressed, after seeing some pictures, by how different Irina Golub looks and how well she also adapted herself to this unfamiliar style.]