Category: Bolshoi Ballet

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Invincible

“The Flames of Paris”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre (New Stage)
Moscow, Russia
June 04, 2023 (matinee)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2023 by Ilona Landgraf

1. E.Kokoreva (Jeanne), V.Lantratov (Philippe), and ensemble; “The Flames of Paris” by V.Vainonen, Bolshoi Ballet 2023 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova “A highly unlikely work” – commented the late Clement Crisp in his Financial Times review about “The Flames of Paris”, which the Bolshoi Ballet performed at the Royal Opera House as part of their 2016 London tour. He argued that the dramatic scheme was papery and the chief roles were predictable.
I checked myself, watching the 85th performance of the latest production at the Bolshoi Ballet’s home base in Moscow.

“The Flames of Paris”, first staged in 1932 at the Kirov Theater in Leningrad (today’s Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg) is about how French revolutionaries turned politics and society upside down. Its rousing score by Boris Asafiev draws on music by Lully and Rameau, including the Marseillaise, and climaxes in the powerful revolutionary song “Ça ira”. In 2008, the Bolshoi Ballet’s then artistic director Alexey Ratmansky restored and revised Vasily Vainonen’s original choreography. Nikolai Volkov’s and Vladimir Dmitriev’s libretto, initially spanning four acts, was condensed to two acts. It tells the story of the revolutionaries’ march to Paris and their storming of the Bastille in July 1789. Oblivious to the people’s fury, the monarchy and its representatives continue to debauch in festivities (including a court ballet) at Versailles, but eventually apprehend the looming danger. Puppets of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette are already mangled by the crowd, soon to seize the palace. Continue reading “Invincible”

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Well kept

“Raymonda”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
April 6, 2023

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2023 by Ilona Landgraf

1. D.Rodkin (Jean de Brienne) and A.Kovalyova (Raymonda), “Raymonda” by Y.Grigorovich after M.Petipa and A.Gorsky, Bolshoi Ballet 2023 © Bolshoi Theatre / M.Logvinov “Raymonda” is a foundation of Russian ballet repertoire, but is rarely performed in Europe. After his flight to the west, Nureyev staged several versions of the work for western companies, staying faithful to Petipa’s 1898 original. The few European choreographers who’ve tackled the piece – among them Pontus Lidberg for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 2014 and Rachel Beaujean for the Dutch National Ballet in 2022 – adjusted Lydia Pashkova’s libretto to match western tastes. The only Petipa/Pashkova-based Russian production I saw was Konstantin Sergeyev’s from 1948, presented by the Maryinsky Ballet on their 2014 tour to Baden-Baden. That production felt alien in Baden-Baden’s modern Festspielhaus, reinforcing the reputation of “Raymonda” as dusty and outdated. In last year’s review of Tamara Rojo’s “Raymonda” for the English National Ballet, London critic Jenny Gilbert went so far as to call Raymonda an “ineffectual heroine” (implying that the numerous renowned ballerinas who’ve taken on that leading role in the last 125 years were foolish in doing so) and the plot “offensively silly.” She also claimed that Russian “ballet culture has a higher tolerance of such [silly] things.” After watching the Bolshoi Ballet’s “Raymonda”, I’m inclined to think that the western perspective misses what “Raymonda” is actually about. Continue reading “Well kept”

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Hot!

“Don Quixote”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
April 5, 2023

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2023 by Ilona Landgraf

1. A.Putintsev (Basilio), E.Kokoreva (Kitri), and ensemble, “Don Quixote” by A.Fadeechev after M.Petipa, Bolshoi Ballet 2023 © Bolshoi Theatre / D.Yusupov “The Bolshoi Ballet” is synonymous with excellence – and if anyone can pull off “Don Quixote”, it’s them. This past Wednesday, though, the company left me flabbergasted. Pavel Klinichev wasted no time at the conductor’s podium, unleashing Ludwig Minkus’s score the instant he turned to face the orchestra. The effervescent pacing of the first few bars made clear that this “Don Quixote” would be a spicy one.
From the first moment that the goateed Don Quixote (Alexey Loparevich) and his loyal, oft-gluttonous squire Sancho Panza (Georgy Gusev) set off on their chivalrous journey, Valeriy Levental’s set transported us to the sizzling cauldron of the jam-packed port of Barcelona. Everything is perfect: the turquoise Mediterranean Sea glints under the bright summer sun; fresh fruit is piled sky-high; and the local youth remain in the merriest of moods. The happiest of all, Kitri (Elizaveta Kokoreva) and Basilio (Alexey Putintsev), quickly bring the scene to a boil. Kokoreva’s Kitri sweeps onstage like a torpedo, her fleet-footed legs and teasing fan leaving a trail of sparks. Klinichev’s brisk conducting seemed to spur rather than challenge her. I especially admired Kokoreva’s rock-solid balances – from which she descended only to hurl herself into a battery of snappy pirouettes. Continue reading “Hot!”

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Transcendent

“The Nutcracker”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
December 29, 2022 (matinee and evening performance)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2023 by Ilona Landgraf

1. V.Bessonova (Columbine), “The Nutcracker” by Y.Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet 2022 © Bolshoi Ballet / M.LogvinovAfter meeting him at a guest performance with Les Ballets de Monte Carlo six years ago, the Bolshoi’s Semyon Chudin suggested that I see their “Nutcracker” in Moscow. Year after year, one thing or another has prevented me from getting to the Bolshoi at Christmastime. Finally, this year, it happened: on the edge of New Year’s Eve, I watched a matinee and an evening performance.

The Bolshoi’s “Nutcracker” dates back to 1966 – qualifying it neither as trendy nor hip by today’s standards. Perhaps Makhar Vaziev, the company’s artistic director, has kept it in the repertoire for a number of reasons: out of respect for tradition; out of respect for the ballet’s choreographer – Yuri Grigorovich – one of the company’s formative figures; and out of respect for the crowd-pleasing nature of the piece that leads to sold out performances now as ever. Continue reading “Transcendent”

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Leader(s) and Followers

“Five Years and Three Days With Makhar Vaziev”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
February 26, 2021 (documentary)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2021 by Ilona Landgraf

1. I.Tsvirko and M.Vaziev after a performance of “Ivan the Terrible”, “Ivan the Terrible” by Y. Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet 2019 © Bolshoi Ballet / G.Uféras This year marks the fifth season with Makhar Vaziev as head of the Bolshoi Ballet. Upon this occasion, the Bolshoi Theatre released the TV documentary “Five Years and Three Days with Makhar Vaziev”, which is also available on YouTube (and includes English subtitles). For three days at the end of January, a film crew followed Vaziev from meeting to rehearsal to performance and back again, conducting several interviews along the way. Despite COVID-19, everyday work has continued at the Bolshoi. We witness the company’s preparations for two revivals: a performance of “Nureyev”, supervised by its stage director and set designer Kirill Serebrennikov, and a re-run of Sergei Vikharev’s version of “Coppélia”

 

Continue reading “Leader(s) and Followers”

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Weighty

“The Winter’s Tale”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
April 06, 2019 (matinee and evening performance)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2019 by Ilona Landgraf

1. E. Svolkin, L. Timoshenko, O. Smirnova, and D. Savin, “The Winter's Tale” by C. Wheeldon, Bolshoi Ballet 2019 © Bolshoi Ballet / D. YusupovThe Bolshoi Ballet recently added Christopher Wheeldon’s “The Winter’s Tale” to their repertoire—and what a fortunate choice that was! It is a co-production of the Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, and premiered in London in 2014. It’s strange that such a strong piece of work is only now being performed by a third company.

The ballet is based on Shakespeare’s play of the same name—one of his intricately-plotted later works, which is classified as a comedy despite its Continue reading “Weighty”

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Growing With the Legacy

“Coppélia”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
March 23, 2019 (matinee)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2019 by Ilona Landgraf

1. A. Loparevich, “Coppélia” by M. Petipa and E. Cecchetti, revival and new choreographic version by S. Vikharev, Bolshoi Ballet 2019 © Bolshoi Ballet / E. FetisovaWhat would Sergei Vikharev have thought of his “Coppélia” if he had watched the matinee on March 23? For one thing, he wouldn’t appreciate my calling the work “his”, as it is Petipa’s and his assistant Cecchetti’s 1884 choreography that Vikharev, together with ballet scholar Pavel Gershenzon, meticulously revived from Nicholas Sergeiev’s notation. Vikharev’s reconstruction premiered in 2009 with the Bolshoi Ballet with an updated revival planned for 2018/19. However, fate struck in the summer of 2017 when Vikharev, only fifty-five years old, died from an adverse reaction to anesthetic during a dental treatment. As a result, the company re-staged the 2009 version. Continue reading “Growing With the Legacy”

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Pipe Dreams

“La Fille du Pharaon”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
March 08, 2019 (matinee and evening performance)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2019 by Ilona Landgraf

1. E. Obraztsova, “La Fille du Pharaon” by P. Lacotte, Bolshoi Ballet 2019 © Bolshoi Ballet / D. Yusupov Aspicia, the heroine in Petipa’s “La Fille du Pharaon,” was a highly coveted role among ballerinas. Carolina Rosati, an Italian ballerina whose insistence propelled the ballet to creation, danced Aspicia at the world premiere in St. Petersburg in 1862. Mathilde Kschessinska, the unofficial queen of St. Petersburg’s Imperial Theatres, claimed the role as hers at the 1898 revival—meaning that it was like a revolution when the role was given to Anna Pavlova in 1906. “La Fille du Pharaon” was Petipa’s first significant choreographic success. Pierre Lacotte’s take on the ballet for the Bolshoi Ballet in 2000 was a tribute to Petipa and to the famous ballerinas who had shared their knowledge about Aspicia with Lacotte: Lyubov Egorova, Mathilde Kschessinska, and Olga Spesivtseva.

The ballet’s rambling narrative is loosely based on Théophile Gautier’s 1857 novel “The Romance of a Mummy”. Fueled by opium, an English explorer imagines a slew of adventures with Aspicia, the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh. Aspicia, a mummy, resurrected from her sarcophagus, goes hunting and is saved from a lion’s wrath by the heroic Egyptian Taor (the Englishman), with whom she naturally falls in love. The duo, contending with Aspicia’s forced marriage to the King of Nubia, elopes to an idyllic fishing village. There, they are met by further hazards: suicide attempts, a detour to the underwater realm of the God of the river Nile, and more. Finally, Aspicia and Taor are reunited and happily married—until at the height of the rejoicing, the Englishman awakes from his dream. Continue reading “Pipe Dreams”

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A Conversation With Guillaume Côté

Moscow, Russia
December 16, 2018

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2018 by Ilona Landgraf

1. G.Côté rehearsing “Frame by Frame” by R.Lepage and G.Côté, The National Ballet of Canada 2018 © The National Ballet of Canada / A.AntonijevicGuillaume Côté, principal dancer of the National Ballet of Canada, had just made his debut as a guest dancer with Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet the previous evening, dancing Romeo in Alexei Ratmansky’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” alongside Evgenia Obraztsova. The role was originally created on Côté in 2011. We met early in the morning—a couple of hours before Côté would return to Toronto—to talk about Romeo, love, his career, and Russia. The first topic we touched upon was dance critique.
Côté’s answers are in italics. Continue reading “A Conversation With Guillaume Côté”

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All That is Called Love

“Romeo and Juliet”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
December 15, 2018

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2018 by Ilona Landgraf

1. E.Obraztsova and G.Côté, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.FetisovaI saw the Bolshoi Ballet in Alexei Ratmansky’s “Romeo and Juliet” for the first time in November 2017, though the choreography premiered in Toronto at the National Ballet of Canada in 2011. The piece is intense, seething with emotions and laden with turmoil. If there is a moment of peace and tranquility it is swiftly swept away by the rush of events. The story feels like a river-boat ride: once you’ve boarded, there’s no stopping or changing course. Instead, the passengers quickly find themselves carried from placid waters to heavy currents and towards a torrential waterfall.

 

 

2. M.Kochan, G.Côté and A.Savichev, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova Of all the ballet productions of “Romeo and Juliet” that I’ve seen, Ratmansky’s rendering captures the essence of Shakespeare’s tragedy best. Ratmansky’s choreography is as complex as Shakespeare’s characters are multi-faceted. Every sequence is telling and meaningful. None of the movements are decorative embellishments. The same applies to Richard Hudson’s unadorned set—though Hudson’s costumes, in contrast, revel in colors, patterns, lavish brocade and velvet, recalling Early Renaissance fashion. It was customary in Verona for rich families to parade their outfits when they gathered; as such, this production is filled with brocade, velvet, bold patterns, fur-trimmed cuffs and headdresses that are daring by today’s standards. Lighting by Jennifer Tipton cleverly underscores the atmosphere.

3. A.Savichev, G.Côté and M.Kochan, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova Last year, I saw Anastasia Stashkevich and Vyacheslav Lopatin perform the titular couple. This time Evgenia Obraztsova danced Juliet, while Guillaume Côté, principal dancer of the National Ballet of Canada (guesting with the Bolshoi for the first time) was her Romeo. Ratmansky originally created the role on Côté in 2011.

Unlike Stashkevich and Lopatin’ Romeo & Juliet—whose love seemed fulfillment—Côté and Obraztsova’s lovers seemed doomed to fail from the start. It seemed as though heaven had chosen two young people as a paragon of ideal love so that those in their surroundings could be reminded of what love is. Apart from Yuri Ostrovsky’s Friar Laurence, a faithful and bold heavenly aide, everyone understood love differently.

4. G.Côté, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.FetisovaJuliet’s parents Lady and Lord Capulet (Kristina Karasyova and Nikita Elikarov) certainly wanted their daughter to be happy, but within the frame of social decency. Looming Lord Capulet, who by height alone overpowered the petite Juliet, hoped to curb her disobedience by using physical force. Did he ever realize that she might have her own desires? Lady Capulet, despite nearly relenting, decidedly pushed away any compassion and reverted to cold parental authority.

Juliet’s nurse (Anastasia Vinokur) couldn’t have been more kind-hearted, but she did not have the power (and presumably also lacked the courage) to act against social norms. For her, Juliet remained a child. How much it must have hurt her to be rejected by her foster-daughter! And yet the nurse stoically swallowed her grief, made the sign of the cross towards Juliet, and left. It was the strongest moment of Vinokur’s performance.

5. M.Kochan, G.Côté and A.Savichev, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova 6. A.Savichev, G.Côté and M.Kochan, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova Could we assume that Count Paris (Ivan Alexeyev) loved Juliet? Compliant and well-behaved as he was, he would have made a reputable groom-to-be. However, his intentions to marry were motivated by social considerations rather than by deep-running emotions. In reality, he hardly knew her. And Tybalt (Vitaly Biktimirov)? Can one even consider “love” when thinking about him? Who could possibly have been won over by this man whose communicative abilities were limited to ridiculous haughtiness and unprompted aggression? A man who would point his sword at any chest to make himself feel superior? Falling in love might have rescued Tybalt from his fate, but no female candidate, near or far, was interested.

7. E.Obraztsova, I.Alexeyev and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.FetisovaThe love affairs of Mercutio (Anton Savichev) and Benvolio (Mikhail Kochan), Romeo’s best buddies, revolved more around the body than the soul. Mercutio, in particular, pranced, hopped, and jumped with quick sassy energy—and plenty of that energy to spare. All three would have gone through hell and high water for the others, and so maybe their friendship was fueled by a sort of love—but if so, it was a love wrapped in nonstop tomfoolery.

Obraztsova’s Juliet was a source of pure positivity – beauty, charm, joie de vivre, lightness, inborn grace, naturalness—and was loved by everyone. Although she was struck by love as if by lightning, faced with existential decisions that forced her to grow up with little notice, this Juliet never lost her inner balance.
8. G.Côté, Y.Ostrovsky and E.Obraztsova, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova9. G.Côté, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.FetisovaShe always stayed true to herself. All the moments of off-balance that Ratmansky included only highlighted the resilience and determination of her soul. And besides, Obraztsova’s dancing can’t help but seem harmonious: she has ideal proportions and, most importantly, she gives herself fully to every moment. Obraztsova is all dance.

11. G.Côté and E.Obraztsova, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova 10. G.Côté and E.Obraztsova, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova Côté puts his Romeo through an emotional roller-coaster, wavering between confidence and moments of insecurity. For him, falling in love with Juliet is completely different than his infatuation with Rosaline—and it’s clear that Romeo finds the depth of this love a bit intimidating at first. However, you should have seen how he livened up after stealing a kiss and how blissfully and triumphantly he soared offstage after the balcony rendezvous. Côté credibly portrayed Romeo’s radical change. Twice he hesitated to fight against Tybalt. The third time his rage won over. It was a maturing fight for Romeo, done with clear, focused eyes against an opponent whose eyeballs bulged with blind fury. Côté was especially strong in the crypt scene when finding the supposedly dead Juliet. One felt wretched watching his infinite grief.

12. K.Loseva, V.Biktimirov and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova13. G.Côté, A.Savichev and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.FetisovaOne might presume that minus the unhappy ending, this is kind of love that many of the Veronese folk (and the audience) might wish to experience. So why didn’t it work out for Romeo and Juliet? Is it because there’s always one meanie who doesn’t allow others their bliss? Or maybe because ideal love cannot survive daily routine? Would narrow-mindedness and social etiquette have stifled their love regardless? Besides, when considering the raw force with which the Lords of the Capulet and Montague families crossed their swords (Lord Montague was performed by Alexander Fadeyechev), did tender feelings really have a place in this society?
Moreover, wasn’t Friar Laurence’s plan with the potion unrealistic from the start? As we watched him explain the potion to Juliet, it was obvious that his idea wouldn’t work. When at a dead-end, one clings to the most absurd fantasies that everything will turn out well in the end.

15. E.Obraztsova, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova 14. Y.Ostrovsky and E.Obraztsova, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova One might presume that minus the unhappy ending, this is kind of love that many of the Veronese folk (and the audience) might wish to experience. So why didn’t it work out for Romeo and Juliet? Is it because there’s always one meanie who doesn’t allow others their bliss? Or maybe because ideal love cannot survive daily routine? Would narrow-mindedness and social etiquette have stifled their love regardless? Besides, when considering the raw force with which the Lords of the Capulet and Montague families crossed their swords (Lord Montague was performed by Alexander Fadeyechev), did tender feelings really have a place in this society?

Corps scenes were fresh and brimming with energy. The atmosphere of Verona’s town square flowed seamlessly between liveliness and compassion to aggression and hate. Four fools in black and white costumes featuring grotesque masks entertained the masses with several plain and slightly boring numbers. Their primitive capers seemed to mirror the scope of mind of the common folk.

The engine of the performance was Prokofiev’s thumping score—of which Pavel Klinichev and the Bolshoi Orchestra gave a skillful rendition.
16. E.Obraztsova and G.Côté, “Romeo and Juliet” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova

Links: Website of the Bolshoi Theatre
Website of the National Ballet of Canada
Photos: 1. Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet) and Guillaume Côté (Romeo), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
  2. Mikhail Kochan (Benvolio), Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Anton Savichev (Mercutio), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
  3. Anton Savichev (Mercutio), Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Mikhail Kochan (Benvolio), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
  4. Guillaume Côté (Romeo), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
5. Mikhail Kochan (Benvolio), Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Anton Savichev (Mercutio), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
6. Anton Savichev (Mercutio), Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Mikhail Kochan (Benvolio), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
7. Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), Ivan Alexeyev (Count Paris) and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
8. Guillaume Côté (Romeo), Yuri Ostrovsky (Friar Laurence) and Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
9. Guillaume Côté (Romeo), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
10. Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
11. Guillaume Côté (Romeo) and Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
12. Kristina Loseva (Prostitute), Vitaly Biktimirov (Tybalt) and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
13. Guillaume Côté (Romeo), Anton Savichev (Mercutio) and corps de ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
14. Yuri Ostrovsky (Friar Laurence) and Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
15. Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
16. Evgenia Obraztsova (Juliet) and Guillaume Côté (Romeo), “Romeo and Juliet” by Alexei Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2018
all photos © Bolshoi Ballet / Elena Fetisova
Editing: Jake Stepansky
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From “Ballet Falsity” to Long-Runner

“The Bright Stream”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
February 10 and 11, 2018

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2018 by Ilona Landgraf

1. Front Curtain, “The Bright Stream” by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet © Bolshoi Theatre / D.Yusupov“The Bright Stream” was Shostakovich’s third score for ballet. After his previous ballets, “The Golden Age” (1930) and “Bolt” (1931), were banned from the stage, Shostakovich attempted to create a new composition that would please everyone. Fyodor Lopukhov (1886–1973) was in charge of the choreography, the libretto was by Adrian Pyotrovsky and Lopukhov, and indeed, “The Bright Stream” was enthusiastically received at its premiere in Leningrad—today’s St. Petersburg – in 1935. Continue reading “From “Ballet Falsity” to Long-Runner”

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It’s Done

“Nureyev”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
December 09, 2017

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2017 by Ilona Landgraf

1. V.Lantratov, “Nureyev”, chor.: Y.Possokhov, dir.: K.Serebrennikov, Bolshoi Ballet 2017 © Bolshoi Ballet / M.LogvinovAfter the Bolshoi Ballet’s July premiere of “Nureyev” was canceled at the last minute, officials doubled down on security efforts for the rescheduled performance on December 9th. Although guards lined the theater’s entrances and the curtain rose behind schedule, the performance was a smooth ride from start to finish.
And yet only those who attended the dress rehearsal this summer can truly asses whether or not the initial version was tweaked to comply with requests from the authorities. One might have noticed, for instance, that Richard Avedon’s photo of the naked Nureyev was not used as a backdrop, but rather was only projected on a screen for a quick second. But given the fact that the work was finally seen by the public – do these minor changes matter?

Choreographer Yuri Possokhov, stage director and set designer Kirill Serebrennikov, and composer Ilya Demutsky are the artistic core team behind “Nureyev”. Interviews with the trio, who had previously collaborated on the Bolshoi’s ballet “A Hero of Our Time”, were printed in the program booklet, which also contains Serebrennikov’s libretto.

Continue reading “It’s Done”

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Universal Love

“Romeo and Juliet”
Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Theatre
Moscow, Russia
November 25, 2017

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2017 by Ilona Landgraf

1. V.Lopatin and A.Stashkevich, "Romeo and Juliet" by A.Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet 2017 © Bolshoi Ballet / E.Fetisova Last week the Bolshoi Ballet added a second version of “Romeo and Juliet” to its repertoire. By Alexei Ratmansky, it premiered at the National Ballet of Canada in 2011 and is being performed on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. As during recent years, Yuri Grigorovich’s adaption will be shown on the Bolshoi’s Historic Stage.
Ratmansky cast three leading couples: Ekaterina Krysanova & Vladislav Lantratov; Anastasia Stashkevich & Vyacheslav Lopatin; and Evgenia Obraztsova & Artemy Belyakov; however the pairings switched in the course of the first run. I saw the fourth performance after the premiere; Stashkevich was Juliet alongside Lopatin’s Romeo. Continue reading “Universal Love”

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Why Did the Bolshoi Cancel “Nureyev”?

Bolshoi Ballet
Moscow, Russia
July 10, 2017

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2017 by Ilona Landgraf

Bolshoi Theatre © Damir YusupovSaturday’s news that the Bolshoi canceled “Nureyev” three days before the ballet’s premiere on Tuesday, July 11th, and instead plans to perform its well-trodden “Don Quixote”, came as a severe blow. The ballet traces the life of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev, who had his early career with the Kirov Ballet (today’s Maryinsky), before defecting from the Soviet Union during a tour to Paris in 1961. Nureyev became an acclaimed superstar in the West. He died in 1993, due to the consequences of AIDS.

The artistic team for “Nureyev” consists of choreographer Yuri Possokhov (a former Bolshoi dancer now resident at San Francisco Ballet), stage director Kirill Serebrennikov, composer Ilya Demutsky, music director Anton Grishanin and costume designer Elena Zaytseva. Serebrennikov is also in charge of the set design. I write in present tense as the premiere hasn’t been entirely scrapped but was postponed to May 2018. Continue reading “Why Did the Bolshoi Cancel “Nureyev”?”

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Four Dancer Nominees for the Prix Benois 2017

Prix Benois de la Danse
Bolshoi Ballet / Korean National Ballet / National Ballet of Uruguay
Moscow / Seoul / Montevideo
April 28, 2017

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2017 by Ilona Landgraf

1. Statuette of the Prix Benois de la Danse, design by I.Ustinov © Y.PokrovskyOn May 30th and 31st the Bolshoi again hosts the ceremonies of the annual Prix Benois de la Danse Galas. Prizes will be given on the first evening, while the gala on the following day will look back on highlights from the twenty-five-year history of the Prix Benois. It is already known that Marcia Haydée will be awarded the Benois Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Aurelie Dupont the Russian-Italian Prize Miroir de la Danse.

This year’s nominees include seven choreographers, six ballerinas and seven male dancers. I asked four dancers – two female, two male – about the roles which earned them the nomination: they are, alphabetically, Nina Kaptsova (Bolshoi Ballet), Jae-Woo Lee (Korean National Ballet), Maria Riccetto (National Ballet of Uruguay), and Denis Rodkin (Bolshoi Ballet).
All four were asked the same questions:
“Why was performing this role special compared to other roles you danced? What challenged you? In what perspective did the role make you grow as an artist?”

Here is what they answered: Continue reading “Four Dancer Nominees for the Prix Benois 2017”