Mariinsky's La Bayadère in Ottawa

No, there is no end to my obsession with this company. In fact, in February, I fell in love with them all over again. I'm so sorry that this news is so overdue but...

I performed as a super with the company in their Ottawa run of La Bayadère. It was an amazing, amazing experience. I cried on my way home from the theatre after the last peformance. I'll go into more detail about being backstage with the Mariinsky in a later post. For now, here are a couple of photographs from the week!

Ulyana Lopatkina signing autographs! She is so tall and stately and elegant. I utterly adored her, although Diana Vishneva was my favourite Nikiya by far. Diana was really, really nice, perhaps because she spoke more English than the rest of the dancers in the company (I did learn some basic Russian phrases in a vague attempt to be polite and respectful!!). I got a photograph with her and she signed me a massive autograph! I cried like an infant after meeting her: the whole thing was just so surreal.

I chatted for a bit with English-born dancer Xander Parish, formerly of the Royal Ballet, who came on tour more for his language capabilities than anything else, as he is currently suffering from bad tendonitis in both his knees (we bonded over our dreadful joints). He is an extremely accomplished dancer, and the first ever British hire to the Mariinsky Theatre. He mentioned to me that Alina Somova, still a relative debutante but one of my favourite dancers in the world right now, wasn't able to make it to North America because she dislocated her shoulder performing an en dedans turn in Swan Lake back in St. Petersburg. 

So, to Alina (not that she would ever read my blog): I was so thrilled thinking I would have the chance to see you perform Swan Lake (Alina, at only 18, was one of the youngest dancers to ever tackle the roles of Odette/Odile in the history of the Mariinsky) here in Canada, and was absolutely devastated to learn of your injury. I wish you all the best, and hope you have a fast recovery.

Mariinsky Ballet in Canada

PROBLEM SOLVED. The Mariinsky is performing in Ottawa BEFORE they are performing in Toronto, and they are performing La Bayadère, which I have never seen in my life. So, I will be seeing them on opening night in Ottawa, and will exchange my Toronto Swan Lake ticket for one that's on the weekend so that I'll be able to make it. I am so thrilled. I talked to a friend who remembers when the Kirov came to Ottawa in 1989. Apparently, they're like an army trudging the streets with their massive orchestra, backstage crew and touring company. Many updates will ensue, I promise.

PANIC ATTACK

I have been offered a very exciting job in a city quite far from Toronto that starts in January 2011. I have already accepted the offer, since it's going to be a really fantastic opportunity for me. As excited as I am, taking this job has caused a MAJOR DILEMMA.

Obviously, I am seeing the Mariinksy's performance of Swan Lake in Toronto on opening night. There really is no other option in my books. However, opening night is on a Tuesday, and there is no way I'll be able to make it without missing work. The ticket is not refundable or exchangeable. The way I see it, I have two options: sell my ticket to someone who'd like to go and buy a weekend ticket instead, or... impress people at my new job lots so they like me and allow me to take that Tuesday off.

The thought of the first option kills me. I was super excited to go on opening night. Somehow, the other performances seem inferior to that one. I know it's stupid, but I am a balletomane to the core. Thus, the first option will be my back-up plan!

Ballerina: A Documentary by Bertrand Normand

I recently bought this extremely well-made and fascinating documentary that follows five Kirov ballerinas over the course of about two years. Featured in the film are Alina Somova, Yevgenia Obraztsova, Svetlana Zakharova, Diana Vishneva and Ulyana Lopatkina. 


These dancers are all unbelievably beautiful and talented. Their bodies are perfect: very long limbs, perfect feet, gracefully held necks, and they are all super, super skinny. 

 

I have always admired Svetlana Zackharova, who is now prima ballerina at the Bolshoi, because of her beautiful figure. 

At the time of filming, Alina Somova, pictured above in Swan Lake, was just graduating from the Vaganova Ballet Academy. She is now a principal with the Mariinsky Ballet (at age 25) and a new favourite of mine. She is extremely pretty and her legs are insanely hyperextended!

If you ever wanted to learn about self-discipline, watch this film. The physical rigour that these tiny dancers put themselves through is mind-boggling.

Mariinsky Swan Lake Pictures!

Just because I'm having difficulty containing my excitement!!

This picture annoys me because her foot is turned out 90 degrees, but only from the knee. Though I totally cheat all the time while I'm dancing, if I lunged like this my knee cap would dislocate (I will post about my creepy knee caps some other time).

Mariinsky Ballet

Ok, so the closest I've ever come to a Russian ballet company is being given a box of chocolates a family friend bought at intermission while seeing the Bolshoi perform in Moscow. I think I was about 12 or 13 at the time, and I treasured the chocolates for a year or two before I realized they were going to expire and I had to eat them then or not at all. I think I still have the empty package stowed away with my old exam waist bands (remember those?). Needless to say, I valued these silly Bolshoi chocolates like I would a famous dancer's old pair of pointe shoes.

Anyway, for the first time since 1989, the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly known as the Kirov) are coming to Toronto in March 2011. Yes, I have already purchased my opening night ticket. They are performing Swan Lake, which is so exciting because it is a ballet particularly famed for the virtuosity required to dance it. It is also exciting because it is a ballet whose interpretations are particularly varied (see my review of James Kudelka's version below). I have yet to research the version of Swan Lake that the Mariinsky performs, but I imagine it's after the Lev Ivanov/Marius Petipa choreography.

For any readers in the Toronto vicinity, you can purchase tickets here. In April, my apartment will be filled with expired intermission food (just kidding... maybe....).