Former first soloist Maria Iliushkina, who has charmed audiences with her emotional sensitivity, legato grace, innate lyricism and poetic interpretations of key roles, was promoted to prima ballerina at the Mariinsky on September 19th, just prior to performing in “Swan Lake”. Artistic Director Andrian Fadeev made the announcement prior to curtain backstage. To read about …
Prokofiev’s heart-wrenching score for “Romeo and Juliet”, with its deep musical symbolism and imminent emotion, is timeless, especially when paired with world class dancing. In the Mariinsky version with choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky, the libretto highlights the main parts of Shakespeare’s poetic tale with a rhythm of its own. On June 8th, two rising Mariinsky …
Despite the conglomerate of French and Hungarian influences in a slightly confusing libretto, the ballet “Raymonda”, set in a Middle age castle, is a decidedly Russian work of art. Vaganova Today first witnessed this balletic masterpiece in 2007 when prima ballerina Uliana Lopatkina reprised the leading role twice in the three-night block. Nearly 20 years …