#mariinsky

[tikitania]

RIP Vladimir Shklyarov….

I woke up to the news that beloved Mariinsky Premier, Volodya, has died. I know nothing about the circumstances. I am absolutely gutted. Clearly, something tragic occurred….He was just 39. Shock and disbelief for now. Updates to follow….

Update: As someone who works in the media, I think it’s important to report the reliable facts of the case, versus what is speculated. At the end of the day, I do believe that this was just a terrible (and utterly avoidable) tragic accident.

Graham Watts, a dance writer and critic sums it up best on his IG post at @gwdancewriter

[anjelalala]

"When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night"

Fly High, My Prince........ 🕊

Rest in Peace, Vladimir Shklyarov

My favourite, you are a bright star above, dancing amongst angels. Im in absolute shock and despair. Talented, Charismatic, I have no words.

[balletomaneblog]

The Top Female Vaganova Graduates of the Past Ten Years: Then and Now (Part I)

2015 - Renata Shakirova (Mariinsky Principal)

This was actually a tough one since 2015 was such an amazing year for graduates, especially considering that both the ninth year and eighth years graduated together. But in the end, Shakirova just seemed to me the most professional and technically strong in 2015! A star then and now!

Role I'd love to see her début: The Sylph

Special Mentions: Anastasia Lukina, Nika Tsvikhtaria, Elena Solomyanko

2015 (Laurencia at Graduation):

2024 (Dulcinea Variation in Don Quixote) :

2016 - Alyona Kovalyova (Bolshoi Principal)

This one was a no-brainer. While Maria Ilyushkina is a rising star now, her technique and strength in her Vaganova days were still developing while Kovalyova was the clear featured star graduate. After being rejected from Mariinsky for being too tall, she was offered a contract with the Bolshoi and quickly rose through the ranks, including spending only one year in the corps de ballet!

Role I'd love to see her début: Anna Karenina

Special Mentions: Maria Ilyushkina, Laura Fernandez-Gromova

2016 (Raymonda in Grand Pas shortly after graduating):

2024 (Nikiya in La Bayadère):

2017 - Eleonora Sevenard (Bolshoi Principal):

Another obvious choice, Sevenard was the clear stand-out. She was accepted into both the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi, before choosing the Bolshoi! She spent two years in the corps but was given soloist and principal opportunities right off the bat, including debuting as Masha in the Nutcracker in her first season. She was promoted to principal in 2023!

Role I'd love to see her début: Aurora

Special Mentions: Vlada Borodulina

2017 (Fairy Doll during graduate year):

2024 (Kitri in Don Quixote):

2018 - Maria Khoreva (Mariinsky First Soloist)

2018 was another year like 2015 with tons of amazing graduates. However, the graduate who garnered the most attention before and after graduation and who finished at the top of the class is Maria Khoreva. At only eighteen her technique was shockingly close to flawless and only two months into her first season she was promoted to first soloist! Khoreva has not be dancing for most of the past two seasons due to injury, but she is finally returning to the Mariinsky stage at the start of this season!

Role I'd love to see her début: Parasha (Bronze Horseman)

Special mentions: Maria Bulanova, Anastasia Nuikina, Daria Ionova, Anastasia Petushkova, Biborka Lendvai, Anita Voroshilova

2018 (Paquita shortly after her graduation):

2023 (Odile in Swan Lake last year):

2019 - Alexandra Khiteyeva (Mariinsky First Soloist)

Alexandra Khiteyeva was by far the strongest graduate of 2019. She had been featured in Vaganova graduation performances since her sixth year. After joining the Mariinsky, her initial progress was slowed due to COVID, but after four years in the Corps she was promoted, first to Second Soloist and just recently to First Soloist!

Role I'd love to see her début: Juliet

Special mentions: Svetlana Savelieva, Yulia Spiridonova

2019 (Paquita at graduation):

2023 (Cristina in Paquita):

[vaganova-blog]

Maria Khoreva rehearsing Swan Lake 🦢

[mariaspir]

I'd like to draw attention to how Yevgeny Konovalov's month is going

The man is carrying the entire theatre, dancing in 2 different productions, and 4 different partners, the company hero.

Even though my number 1 pick would be Stepin, please give Yevgeny a promotion.

[elegantballetalk]

Today’s watch:

Marie/sugar plum variation, Mariinsky.

[papaija]

Olga Smirnova and Victor Caixeta in Maillot's Nutcracker pas de deux, Prix de Lausanne 2023 gala

[ele-bee]

Maria Khoreva and Evgeny Konovalov, Mariinsky Theater, via her IG, Dec. 20214.

[kameliendame]

Who will play Masha in VBA's nutcracker this year? Any other indication regarding castings?

I’m so sorry, I don’t follow Russian ballet at all let alone the schools…. Maybe some of my followers reading this can give you an answer?

[patricedumonde]

Happy World Ballet Day!

Here’s Angelina dancing the peasant pas de deux variation from Giselle. Perfect until the last turn but she still did a marvelous job!

Def reminds me of Evgenia Obraztsova 💕 Looks and temperament!

[tikitania]

Zakharova basically retired?? She’s now going to be the headmistress of Bolshoi Ballet Academy.

I’m guessing this is a soft retirement. She’ll probably show up for a gala every now and then, dance Dying Swan or some other elder prima variation. I mean….Alessandra Ferri is “retired” but still performing.

I kind of wish she would take over Vaganova, and Tsikaridze the Moscow school. But it seems that job was always hers and his rectorship the consolation prize.

[anjelalala]

Bolshoi Theatre New Rising Star: Maria Koshkaryova

Photos by: Alisa Aslanova for Ballet Magazine Russia

MARIA KOSHKARYOVA brightly announced herself at the XIV International Ballet Competition in Moscow last summer, for the three rounds of which she prepared six numbers in a month. Being at that time a final year student at the Academy of Russian Ballet and an intern at the Mariinsky Theatre, Maria did not set herself any overarching goals and went to the competition with a modest “ not to surprise anyone ” attitude , but went home with first prize in the solo category. 

At the same time, she first appeared on the Historical Stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, which, according to her, she was immediately fascinated by.After graduating from the academy, Maria moved to Moscow, where she is about to begin her first full season as a soloist of the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe. The young ballerina told our publication about combining study and internship in the theater, the difficult choice that determines one’s fate, and whether the opinions of others are important.

CLICK THE LINK FOR FULL INTERVIEW:

[balletomaneblog]

Promotions at the Mariinsky!

Alisa Barinova, Svetlana Savelieva, and Evgenia Savkina have been promoted to Coryphées!!

So happy for these ladies, especially Savelieva who is so so talented and hopefully this will lead to more roles for her!!

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

Renata is debuting as Raymonda!!!!!

[mariaspir]

Is playing young Masha in vaganova’s nutcracker an indicator of who will be a graduating top student?

Not always. Sofia Valiulina danced it the same year as Anna Sharova, they were considered just as good as first years, but Sofya graduated top of her class, while Anna didn't even get a solo in the graduation. Now, in Anna's case, I personally think it's just because she didn't grow taller, not because she suddenly stopped being good, a lot of good dancers get lost in VBA (and MT and BT) because they don't have the ideal body, especially the height.

Another thing, VBA is unique in the fact there's 2 Mashas. Act 1 and half of act 2 are done by little Masha (typically a first or second grader, rarely a third grader) and after the battle the rest of act 2 and act 3 are done by old Masha/princess Masha (upperclassmen, grades 7-8 more often than grade 6). What goes on plot wise is that little Masha has been dreaming after the end of act 1, and after the battle she becomes a grown up in her dream, a princess (because being in love is a grown up thing in that society, it's a coming of age story after all).

The issue is that a grade 2 girl (11-13) and a grade 7 girl (16-18) have the possibility to be very close height wise. It's not uncommon for girls with tall parents to be tall already at 12 years old, and not grow a significant amount after 15. Of course that's not true for everyone, but it means that you can have a little Masha and a princess Masha with 5-10cm of height difference, which breaks the illusion of a little girl dreaming of being a grown up, she needs to visually GROW in size.

So in casting, the people assigning roles prefer short kids in younger classes, and taller kids in older classes. The littles have to look like kids, and the upperclassmen need to look like adults in comparison (if you've noticed Aziz is not in snowflakes like some of her classmates). This means that girls that are naturally short while preferred in the early years fall out of favour later on if they don't grow, unless they have an insane amount of technical ability (Aziz)(a soloist doesn't need to match the height of the corps). Similarly, tall girls might never get any role until grade 5, even though they're good, because they stand out too much (I don't think Savelieva ever danced in MT productions, or as a kid in VBA nutcracker).

The height preference is also a thing when kids participate in Mariinsky productions (Sleeping Beauty, Corsaire, Bayadere, Pharaoh's Daughter, Shurale, ...). The kids need to look small next to the professionals, so in parts where the two coexist (Jardin Animé) taller women and short girls are picked. Notably, the Mariinsky Nutcracker is all adults, no students take part, don't ask me why. The Somova/Shklyarov video is that way specifically because it would be filmed.