#Zobeide's Slave

[balletthebestphotographs]

Kristina Kretova and Igor Tsvirko

Kristina Kretova Кристина Кретова as “Zobeide” and Igor Tsvirko Игорь Цвирко as “Zobeide’s Slave”, “Schéhérazade Шехеразада”, choreo by Mikhail Fokine (1910) recon by Isabelle Fokine and Andris Liepa Андрис Лиепа, music by Nikolay Rimsky Korsakov Николай Римский Корсаков. As part of the program “Classics of Russian Ballet”, Moscow State Variety Theatre Московский Государственный Tеатр Эстрады, Moscow, Russia (December 6th, 2024).

Kristina Kretova is leading soloist and Igor Tsvirko is principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow, Russia.

Source and more info at: Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on Threads Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on Facebook (new born photographer) Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on Facebook (theater and ballet photographer) Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on Instagram (new born photographer) Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on Instagram (theater and ballet photographer) Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on VKontakte Photographer Irina Abdullaeva on World Podium

Note I: This blog is open to receiving and considering any suggestions, contributions, and/or criticisms that may help correct mistakes or improve its content. Comments are available to any visitor.

Note II: Original quality of photographs might be affected by compression algorithm of the website where they are hosted.

[mote-historie]

George Barbier. Ida Rubinstein and Vaslav Nijinsky in Scheherazade, 1910.

This illustration by Georges Barbier shows Ida Rubinstein and Vaslav Nijinsky in Scheherazade, first performed by Sergei Dhiagilev's Ballet Russes in 1910 at the Opéra Garnier in Paris. One of the shah's many wives, Zobéide, danced by Rubinstein is seduced by a slave, danced by Nijinsky.

Barbier occasionally signed his early works with the pseudonym, Edward William Larry, or just Larry. (x)

[gorbigorbi]

Ilze Liepa as Zobeide and Nikolay Tsiskaridze  as Zobeide’s Slave, "Schéhérazade", choreography by Mikhail Fokine (1910) reconstruction by Isabelle Fokine and Andris Liepa (1994), music by Nikolay Rimsky Korsakov, set and costume design by Anna Nezhnaya, Anatoly Nezhny (original set by Léon Bakst), Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow, Russia.

Photographer was not credited by the source of this photograph.

[galina-ulanova]

Viktoria Brilyova as Zobeide, and Timur Askerov as Zobeide’s Slave, in Scheherazade (Mariinsky Ballet)

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Do you have a link to Roman Belyakov's slave please? I don't think I have seen it before. I think he and Bulanova could become a great partnership on stage but they had such an innocent sweetness in their other roles together (Tsarevich and Princess in Firebird, Conrad and Medora) that I am not sure I can handle them in Scheherazade right now... Could they please be Romeo and Juliet first before slave and Zobeide?

Recent performance with Viktoria Tereshkina (April 2019):

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaIU3pJLIqs

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87uhVkqhmTk

Part 3: https://youtu.be/mRNCgw0Tx3I

Performance with Anastasia Zaklinskaya in 2013:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLEjIWg3OiU

I really did love them in Le Corsaire, they did have a sweet innocence in that role and that was really different from any other Medora/Conrad I’ve seen.  I would be very curious to see them in Romeo and Juliet as well as his Ghirei and her Zarema in Fountain of Bakhchisarai.  Their Le Parc would also be very interesting to me.  Roman already is amazing in that role and I think that Bulanova could pull it off with the right partner.

[riotatttherite]

me: I’m fine

me: I’m rewatching the Sochi closing ceremony for the 50th time and I can’t deal with the commentators never mentioning Ballets Russes. When the ballet section comes in they (rightly) mention Bolshoi and Marinsky, and explain that those are the oldest and most renowned ballet schools in the world --- and that’s it. There is this Diaghilev figure dancer that is RIGHT THERE (I can’t figure out who the other one is supposed to be, Fokine maybe? Doesn’t look like Nijinsky) and then some of the most iconic Ballets Russes ‘characters’ (as in, Zobeide and the Golden Slave, the Spectre de la rose, the Firebird, etc) come in and dance. And nobody says anything. I mean, cross them saying that Bolshoi and Marinsky are ballet schools, they say companies. Then why wouldn’t you mention Ballets Russes too? In this essay I will-

[gramilano]

Symphony in C

An odd evening at La Scala saw Balanchine’s pure, sparkling choreography for Symphony in C sandwiched between two new contemporary creations on music which has already had phenomenally successful choreographies set to it: Ravel’s La Valse (Nijinska, Lifar, Balanchine, Ashton) and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (Fokine).

Matteo Gavazzi, Stefania Ballone and Marco Messina

Balanchine at la Scala in 1965, photo by Erio Piccagliani

Eugenio Scigliano, photo by Dario Lasagni

This new La Valse was choreographed by Stefania Ballone and Marco Messina, who are in La Scala’s corps de ballet, and Matteo Gavazzi from the Mario Bigonzetti stable (who was director of the company when he put forward this programme). Three choreographers? Bizarre, as La Valse is a single work of 12 or so minutes, not a symphony with distinct movements. Therefore, it is impossible to know who to blame for this ineffective and slightly irritating creation which was, thankfully, saved by the orchestra playing gloriously under the baton of Paavo Järvi.

Ravel’s large swathes of sound are decadent not perverse, yet most of the choreography was dark and unnerving. Certainly, dark currents lie beneath La Valse, which is why Stephen Sondheim stole from it ingeniously for his musical A Little Night Music, where the waltz underpins the extravagant lifestyle and sexual intrigues of the characters. In this new choreography, the grand sweeps of the orchestra were not echoed in movement, rather there were many small, urgent gestures which could have been set to some other music altogether. The poor cast were humiliated with unflattering costumes, wearing headdresses that lay somewhere between a bathing cap and a crash helmet… Irene Monti’s costume designs looked so good on paper.

One of those pretentious programme notes, that contemporary dance seems to excel in, states,

The music materializes through bodies that move and take on shapes of various emotive tensions and dynamics, either alone, in pairs or as a group.

This pointless phrase could be applied to most dance pieces ever created.

Mariafrancesca Garritano and Christian Fagetti gamely – and bravely – gave it everything they had, with psychological support from Giulia Schembri and Gioacchino Starace! [Note to management: Fagetti dances consistently well in the many roles he is assigned… shouldn’t he be a soloist by now?]

La Valse

Eugenio Scigliano’s Scheherazade, was something else altogether. He has a choreographic voice, even if he got unstuck during the long pas de deux – the piece ran out of steam and each time it appeared to get going again it would newly grind to a halt. However, the opening and ending were interesting both choreographically and with the sleek sets and dramatic lighting from Carlo Cerri. Kristopher Millar and Lois Swandale’s costumes were simple and effective.

Scheherazade costume design by Kristopher Millar and Lois Swandale

La Valse costume design by Irene Monti

Alessandra Vassallo was impressive and expressive in the very long and physically demanding role of Zobeide, and Nicola Del Freo was a strong presence as the Golden Slave. The love making between the two – so shockingly evident in Fokine’s version from over a century ago – was tame here, yet Zobeide’s violent treatment at the hands of the Sultan and his brother (Fagetti as the Sultan, Shahryar, with Walter Madau as his brother; both bad-temperedly macho) was quite extreme and drawn out. That’s the 21st century for you.

Scheherazade

The four couples leading each movement of Symphony in C were Nicoletta Manni and Nicola Del Freo, Maria Celeste Losa and Marco Agostino, Antonella Albano and Antonino Sutera, and Martina Arduino and Massimo Garon. Not every dancer can be a Balanchine dancer, and not everyone in this cast had the physique du role or right style for this piece, but as the filling in this triple-bill sandwich, it was certainly the richest and most satisfying part of what was on offer… if I were returning I would be tempted to lick out the filling and throw away the bread. Manni was sure and noble, Losa had some difficulty but is a delightful dancer to watch, Albano has a face that bristles with pleasure, and Arduino was secure and luminous. Their four partners were mostly clean and precise, as was the corps, especially in the heady, final frenetic moments.

Thank goodness for Balanchine.

All photos by Marco Brescia and Rudy Amisano – Teatro alla Scala (if not otherwise credited). Symphony in C, Choreography by George Balanchine © School of American Ballet

Balanchine saves the day – a triple bill at La Scala: La Valse, Symphony in C and Scheherazade An odd evening at La Scala saw Balanchine’s pure, sparkling choreography for Symphony in C sandwiched between two new contemporary creations on music which has already had phenomenally successful choreographies set to it: Ravel’s…

[wuayuthothio]

Viktoria Tereshkina as Zobeide and Danila Korsuntsev as Zobeides Slave in Scheherazade. Music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, choreography by Michel Fokine, revived by Isabelle Fokine and Andris Liepa. Shot on 19.3.2015, artistic evening of Victoria Tereshkina in Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia.

[galina-ulanova]

Alina Somova as Zobeide, and Andrei Yermakov as Zobeide’s Slave, in Scheherazade (Mariinsky Ballet)

[galina-ulanova]

Kimin Kim as Zobeide’s Slave in Scheherazade (Mariinsky Ballet)

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Bulanova has one Scheherazade during Mariinsky's China tour. She will be dancing Zobeide with Korsuntsev as the slave in Nanjing. I won't be able to go to this one but I will be seeing Tatiana Tkachenko as Zobeide in Beijing. I will however see Bulanova as the street dancer tomorrow, and Shakirova as Kitri (which I am dying to see!)

SHE’S DANCING IT WITH KORSUNTSEV?!?!?!?!  EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO VOMIT OH MY GOD.  A 40 year old man dancing Scheherazade with a 19 year old girl...holy fuck.

I am incredibly jealous of you see Shakirova!!

[galina-ulanova]

Alexandra Iosifidi as Zobeide, and Ilya Kuznetsov as the Golden Slave, in Scheherazade (Mariinsky Ballet)

[gorbigorbi]

Viktoria Tereshkina as Zobeide and Vladimir Shklyarov as Zobeide’s Slave, "Scheherazade", choreography by Mikhail Fokine (1910) reconstruction by Isabelle Fokine and Andris Liepa, Mariinky Ballet Photo © Sasha Gouliaev

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

I saw Bulanova's debut. Her Zobeide had a haughty arrogance. For her it's more about the satisfaction from taking and giving pleasure than sex itself. Korsuntsev's slave on the other hand was completely head over heels for her. It was an unexpected combination that made up for their lack of steaming chemistry. Bulanova was very successful in conveying the femme fatale allure but not 100% convincing yet in portraying erotic, visceral desire. I guess over time it could be a good role for her.

Oh this is good!  I was slightly concerned about her Zobeide because she is so young, but wasn’t as concerned as I was with other debuts because her Zarema from Fountain of Bakhchisarai is so good and they’re similar characters.  That’s interesting about their partnership and how Korsuntsev’s slave was portrayed.  I’ve only watched him with Tereshkina who is a sensual and sexy legendary Zobeide so it’s good to know his acting isn’t 100% reliant on his partner.  Thank you for letting me know your impressions and I’m glad you overall have a favorable view of her!

[gramilano]

Shéhérazade with Virna Toppi and Gabriele Corrado

The new triple bill which opens at La Scala this evening is unique indeed! It features a new version of Ravel’s La valse by three choreographers, all dancers with the company.

Stranger still is that Frederick Ashton’s choreography for La valse was created for La Scala in January of 1958, with Vera Colombo, Mario Pistoni, Carmen Puthod, Guilio Perugini, Elettra Morini and Walter Vendetti. A perverse choice, then, to not revive a masterpiece created within its walls – it hasn’t been at La Scala since 1971 – and entrust Stefania Ballone, Matteo Gavazzi and Marco Messina to come up with something valid; I hope they succeed. It was an idea that came from La Scala’s short-lived director of the Ballet Company, Mauro Bigonzetti. Emanuela Montanari (a woman) Antonino Sutera (a man) and Antonella Albano with Gabriele Corrado (a couple) appear tonight.

La valse (2)

La valse (3)Gabriele Corrado and Antonella Albano

La valse (6)

La valse (8) Emanuela Montanari

La valse (9)Antonino Sutera

La valse (1)

Another new creation on the programme is a version of Rimskij-Korsakov’s Shéhérazade. The choreographer is Eugenio Scigliano.

Scigliano was a dancer with the Tuscan Ballet, with timeout as a soloist with English National Ballet, after which Bigonzetti invited him to join Aterballetto, the company he headed at the time. Since 2004, Scigliano has dedicated his career to choreography and is guest choreographer at Aterballetto, which is now run by Bigonzetti’s mother-in-law, Cristina Bozzolini, who was a key figure in starting him out along the choreography path, back in the 1990s. His Shéhérazade will see Virna Toppi as Zobeide; Gabriele Corrado as the Golden Slave, Marco Agostino as Zahman, Gioacchino Starace as Shariar, and Beatrice Carbone and the Shadow of Shéhérazade.

Shéhérazade (6) Virna Toppi

Shéhérazade (8) Virna Toppi

Shéhérazade (17) Gabriele Corrado

Shéhérazade (16) Gabriele Corrado

Shéhérazade (14) Virna Toppi

Shéhérazade (12)Marco Agostino, Virna Toppi and Gioacchino Starace

Shéhérazade (3)Virna Toppi

Shéhérazade (19) Virna Toppi and Gabriele Corrado

Shéhérazade (20) Virna Toppi and Gabriele Corrado

Shéhérazade (4)Virna Toppi Gabriele Corrado

Shéhérazade (21)Marco Agostino, Virna Toppi and Gioacchino Starace

Shéhérazade (23) Virna Toppi and Gioacchino Starace

Shéhérazade with Virna Toppi and Gabriele Corrado

Balanchine’s Symphony in C is the tried and tested part of the evening. First night casting sees Martina Arduino and Timofej Andrijashenko (1st movement), Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle (2nd movement), Virna Toppi and Claudio Coviello (3rd movement), and Vittoria Valerio and Marco Agostino (4th movement).

Symphony in C (1)Martina Arduino and Timofej Andrijashenko

Symphony in C (3)

Symphony in C (1) Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle

Symphony in C (4) with Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle

Symphony in C (1) Virna Toppi and Claudio Coviello

Symphony in C (4) Virna Toppi and Claudio Coviello

Symphony in C (12) with Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle

Symphony in C (11) with Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle

Symphony in C (10) with Nicoletta Manni and Roberto Bolle

Symphony in C (4) Vittoria Valerio

Symphony in C (5)

Symphony in C (9)

Performances continue until 13 May.

All photos by Marco Brescia and Rudy Amisano – Teatro alla Scala. Symphony in C, Choreography by George Balanchine © School of American Ballet

First look at La valse – Symphony in C – Shéhérazade, opening tonight at La Scala The new triple bill which opens at La Scala this evening is unique indeed! It features a new version of Ravel’s…