Despite the recent promotions of Philippe Stepin to principal and Maria Iliushkina (last month) to prima ballerina at the Mariinsky, the perpetual discussion in Petersburg ballet circles over the lack of principal male dancers is one that does not easily disappear. Mariinsky artistic director Andrian Fadeev has demonstrated his eagerness to recognize and promote talent …
As autumn sets in, and following three “Bayaderes” which opened the 243rd season at the Mariinsky Theatre, a short run of “Don Quixote” offered a more upbeat note for local audiences whetting their appetites for more ballet. On September 13th, prima ballerina Oksana Skorik reprised the role of Kitri alongside Timur Askerov’s Basil on the …
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 …
There are stars that are born and those that are made. Minchul Jeon, who trained in Korea, veers more to the latter group, given his long lines, easy jumps, perfect carriage and smooth turns. This newcomer to the Mariinsky drew much anticipation after colleague Kimin Kim recommended him to the troupe. Jeon brought not only …
After 11 years with the Mariinsky, Nail Enikeev finally received some well-deserved recognition. In the spring he was appointed a second soloist as he continues to perform solo character roles in numerous classical ballets. VaganovaToday discusses his artistic path and the recent changes in the theatre with him. Click here to read the Russian language …
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 …
Once a year, the Mariinsky presents Jakobson’s “Spartacus” which now holds extra weight since new director Andrian Fadeev ran the Jakobson troupe for more than a decade. While the Mariinsky repertoire doesn’t actively perform other Jakobson works –that’s left to the Jakobson troupe itself when they appear on the Mariinsky stage— this production is a …
Vyacheslav Samodurov’s “Tanz Tseni”, or “Dancing Scenes”, set to Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in C, is a 30-minute modern ballet void of a storyline that offers unique step combinations in clever combinations against a backdrop of trendy, neon strip lighting and flashy costumes. The last ballet of an all-Stravinsky contemporary bill, the work premiered on April …
One of the audience’s favorite Mariinsky ballerinas, Ekaterina Osmolkina is now in her 26th season with the company and not just performing but rehearsing other dancers as well. She offered VaganovaToday the rare chance to speak with her about her long career and her professional philosophy. Read on for more details and click here for …
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 …