I know that La Bayadere has been a staple of the Kirov-Maryinsky repertoire for a very long time. But after some research, I discovered that the Bolshoi apparently didn't stage the ballet until the 1990's under Grigorovich. Does anyone know why it took the Bolshoi so long to stage it? It seems a shame that there was no production in the 60's and 70's when Vasiliev would have probably been a superb Solor and Bessmertnova, perhaps, a fine Nikiya. Any opinions, thoughts, comments?

according to the RUSSIAN BALLET ENCYCLOPEDIA [in russian] the bolshoi staged BAYADERKA as early as 1/31/23 in a gorsky production w/ geltzer, tikhomirov and bank (tikomirov apparenently staged this version's 'shades' sc.); the next revision seems to have been in '40 w/ m. semyonova as nikiya; then again in '43 for s.golovkina; next in '77 as the 'shades' sc. again w/ timofeyeva; also in '88, a 'shades' scene staging for semenyaka.
the grigorovich staging is dated in this entry as '91, for gracheva and stepanenko as nikiya, vetrov as solor and bilova as gamzatti.

rg,

Thanks for all the interesting information. I'd forgotten that Semyonova had danced Nikiya, but knew nothing about the '43, '77 and '88 stagings.

I have a video of the Bolshoi dancing Bayadere. I was wondering, if anyone else has the video to see what Im commenting on, why are the dancers so SLOPPY!?! Vetrov is very clean, but the ballerinas are all so sloppy, particularly Bilova, anyone know why? I have a few tapes of the Bolshoi and many of the dancers have, well, a certain, 'unclean-ness' about there dancing. Something Ive always wondered about. what gives?


forgive me for being so blunt, but I have to know!

You have just discovered the phenomenon described by Alexandra Danilova as: "In Petersburg, we counted 'one, two, three, four", in Moscow, they counted "four, three, two, one."

You have just discovered the phenomenon described by Alexandra Danilova as: "In Petersburg, we counted 'one, two, three, four", in Moscow, they counted "four, three, two, one."

???????????????????????????????????????

Why are Bolshoi dancers, NOT ALL OF THEM MIND YOU. So sloppy????? I was wondering, I always have........

It's an age-old thing. The Maryinsky produced in the Apollonian tradition. Moscow, the "poor child" during the Tsarist era, in the Dionysiac tradition.

Mr Johnson: I believe you have described all too clearly the differences between Moscow and St Petersburg's style in ballet (ie. Dionisos vs Apollo)

I used the third solo variation from the shades scene (the one right before Nikia and Solor's duet with the veil, starting with the sisson developpé écarté en arrière and ending with pas couru and grand jeté) to compare the three versions I have: Kirov, Royal and... Bolshoi.

The Kirov dancer executes it well and the vocabulary is very clear. The Royal dancer executes is also well and in very clean manner, and the changes to the choreography (the last bourree step is replaced by temps lié and then retiré) are very esthetic. Then I watched the Bolshoi's and, well, I wondered what happened there. The arms during the first diagonale, the footwork in general and the changes in choreography (jeté at the end of pas couru replaced with piqué arabesque) left me disappointed. Is this how it is normally performed by the Bolshoi or was the choreography changed for this soloist?

There is a video clip out there with Timofeeva and Lavrovskiy in the last act of Bayadere.

I would LOVE to see it, if you would have more information on it...

Actually, a friend of mine gave a tape-full of video clips taken off of TV. I don't think most of them have been released commercially. Is there any way to upload videos onto the computer? (sorry it's a bit off topic)

[Moderator's beanie on]


That might violate copyright laws.

Please don't.




[Moderator's beanie off]

OK, I won't . (But it was a TV-show, not a broadcasting of commercially released tapes).

Thanks, monhurka. It doesn't matter. Broadcasts are copyrighted, and broadcasters pay royalties on copyrighted material they broadcast.

It sounds harsh, and I don't like the rule either, but if we don't adhere to it strictly, we run a risk of legal liability.

Everyone's cooperation is greatly appreciated.