'Bolshoi - The occidental tourists. The Bolshoi Ballet has been in trouble since its politically motivated upheavals last year. Now the company is coming to London - but, asks Nadine Meisner, will a ramshackle show of odds and ends only damage its reputation further?'<P>The Bolshoi programme in London really is a 'greatest hits' programme and I'm unsure whether I will go. Meisner also updates the position at the Bolshoi from the perspective of the new ballet boss. <P><BR><A HREF="http://www.independent.co.uk/enjoyment/Theatre/Dance/2001-01/ballet230101.shtml" TARGET=_blank><B> </B>Nadine Meisner's preview</A>

It's a very informative article. Stuart, I think you should still attend one performance, if only to see the talent of the young Bolshoi ballerina Svetlana Lunkina. But I am slightly dubious if this season will sell out for 4 weeks.

<P>Svetlana Lunkina<P><BR>You make a good point Kevin. Here is the link to the Bolshoi site with details of Lunkina:<P> <A HREF="http://www.bolshoi.ru/english/truppa_balet_1_8.phtml" TARGET=_blank>http://www.bolshoi.ru/english/truppa_balet_1_8.phtml</A> <P><BR>Nearer the date I might get your advice about other Bolshoi dancers.

Clement Crisp previews the Kirov and Bolshoi visits to London:<P>'London is set for a feast of Russian ballet this summer, but the troupes are struggling financially,' says Clement Crisp in The Financial Times.<P><A HREF="http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/articles.html?id=010416000587&query=ballet" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A><BR>

Two more previews about the Bolshoi season.<P>Nadine Meisner in The Independent<BR> <A HREF="http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/dance/story.jsp?story=67005" TARGET=_blank>http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/theatre/dance/story.jsp?story=67005</A> <P>And Ismene Brown talks to Boris Akimov about the Bolshoi in The Daily Telegraph:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=004794832033543&rtmo=wefKiiAb&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/01/4/17/btbol17.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=004794832033543<BR>&rtmo=wefKiiAb&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/01/4/17/btbol17.html</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 17, 2001).]

<P>Contestants for the Adeleine Genee awards on the front page of The Sunday Times<P><BR>An unrelated story also from the Sunday Times:<P><B>Ballet rivals duel over double Russian booking</B> <P>Richard Brooks, Arts Editor of the Sunday Times<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>TWO leading music impresarios have fallen out after putting on rival productions by Russia's greatest ballet companies. <P>Victor Hochhauser is bringing the Kirov Ballet to the Royal Opera House, charging up to £170 for a seat. However, 50 yards away in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Raymond Gubbay is opening this week with the Bolshoi from Moscow, at less than half the price for the best seats. <P>"It's junk at the Theatre Royal - dancers doing bits and pieces," said Hochhauser, whose performers start rehearsing next month for their six week run. "This trip of Gubbay's belongs in the provinces. How can he call it the 'triumphant return' of the Bolshoi?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR>I get the impression that the Bolshoi season is not selling so well. The Gala format has not pleased everyone and i think that they would have been on safer ground with full length classics. As they are doing the 'white acts' from the majors they do have the dancers in London.<P><BR><A HREF="http://www.sunday-times.co.uk:80/news/pages/sti/2001/04/22/stinwenws02010.html?" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 22, 2001).]

Why are the Genée competitors on the front page of The Sunday Times, and what does it say about them and the competition?<BR>When I was teaching RAD the Genèe awards were held just after Assembly, at Christmas. Am I very out of date these days!?

I think In May. If all Goes well, I shall have classes 2wice a week for 5 weeks from a former Dancer with them! Who is Now Director of their traveling stars! I think thats the School/Company<P> Joseph

Joseph - I sure would like to hear about that when you take those classes. I hope you will come to The Studio Forum and share it will all of us.<P>What a wonderful experience...

<B>Battle of the ballet bruisers</B><P>'Seconds out. It's the Bolshoi versus the Kirov in a bout for the wallets of the London audience.'<BR>BY DEBRA CRAINE<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Ladies and gentlemen, step this way. You are about to witness a battle of the ballet heavyweights. In one corner, wearing the red of Moscow, we have the Bolshoi, who arrive in London this week for a month-long season in the West End. In the other corner, wearing the blue of St Petersburg, we have the Kirov, who launch their conquest of London in June. <BR>This isn’t the first time that Russia’s two dancing behemoths have descended on us in the same year, it happened in 1993, but with their 2001 seasons only three weeks apart, it has galvanised Russophile balletomanes here into taking sides in a way they have never done before.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR> <A HREF="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,62-118344,00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,62-118344,00.html</A> <P>Stuart adds: I was at the Royal Opera House this morning to buy a day seat for Rojo/Kobborg in 'Giselle' and it was the first day of the sale of seats for the Hochhauser Summer season. I was surprised that there was an average of about 50% availability (probably the more expensive seats) for most things, although there is much less availability for the opera.<BR>

From the Independent:<P><B>Bolshoi sticks to its guns with season of favourites</B><BR>By Mike Collett-White<BR>26 April 2001<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>This summer's clash of the Russian ballet titans began last night with the start of a four-week season by Moscow's Bolshoi company.<P>The troupe is opening with its highly criticised four-week season of ballet highlights from favourites like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Giselle at the Theatre Royal in London.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR><A HREF="http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=68880" TARGET=_blank><B>MORE...</B></A><BR>

From the Independent:<P><B>The Bolshoi Ballet delivers the goods<BR>Bolshoi Ballet | Drury Lane Theatre, London</B><BR>By John Percival<BR>26 April 2001<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Some have written off the Bolshoi Ballet's London season, even before it opened, as too populist compared with the Kirov's season set to follow soon after. But real dance lovers will welcome the chance to enjoy Russia's two leading companies within weeks of each other. The Bolshoi has one big advantage: the Theatre Royal is a better place for watching ballet than Covent Garden, with a good stage and sightlines. And on stage there is no lack of brilliance.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR><A HREF="http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=68886" TARGET=_blank><B>MORE...</B></A><BR>

Stuart --<BR>It's hard to see such a small picture, but is the girl in the blue leotard on the left side of the picture the girl who won the gold medal at the Genee? She looks beautiful!

Sorry Terry, I can't help with this one. I think one of our readers did go, so perhaps they can help.

A range of views on the Bolshoi at Drury Lane. Most dislike the bits and pieces format and the scratchy playing of the orchestra, bu Crisp mentions that it may be the poor acoustics of the theatre which is causing the problems.<P>Anyhow, most find something to enjoy in the 'pick and mix' buffet:<P><BR>'Slim pickings at the Bolshoi's budget buffet Ismene Brown reviews Swan Lake mixed bill by the Bolshoi Ballet at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane,' in the Daily Telegraph <P><BR><A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=000148269364269&rtmo=LxLl7ttd&atmo=99999999&pg=/et/01/4/27/btbolsh2.html" TARGET=_blank><B>Ismene Brown review</B></A> <P>'Jewels poorly set,' by CLEMENT CRISP in the Financial Times<P><A HREF="http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/articles.html?id=010427001257&query=ballet" TARGET=_blank><B>Clement Crisp review</B></A> <P><BR>'Flashy Don Q can't save the Bolshoi's pick'n'mix Stars of the Bolshoi Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London **(out of 5),' by Judith Mackrell in The Guardian <P><BR><A HREF="Http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4176491,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>Judith Mackrell review</B></A> <P><BR>'Out of step BY DEBRA CRAINE in The Times - The Bolshoi return but our correspondent leaves disappointed.'<P><BR><A HREF="Http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,62-120962,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>Debra Craine review</B></A> <P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 27, 2001).]