Today I came across an announcement that Bolshoi's Raymonda will be broadcasted via internet on October 15th, 19.00 (GMT +3).

The provisional cast is

Mariya Allash - Raymonda
Sergey Filin - Jean de Brienne
Rinat Arifulin - Abderakhman
Mariya Alexandrova - Clemence
Ekaterina Shipulina - Henriette
Nelli Kobakhidze - First variation (and in the "big classical dance")
...

full cast - only in russian characters - on http://www.bolshoi.ru/ru/season/ballet/rep...dynid26=574#dyn

I have no idea what the quality will be like - but it might be worth trying it!

Have a look at http://www.cultu.ru/english/pautina/2005/raymonda/

Don't forget this, it's 11 a.m. Eastern time!

Verrrrrry interesting. It said the link would be live at 10 a.m. eastern, and it is, we're seeing stagehands on stage and hearing members of the orchestra tune instruments, just fascinating!

oops, now it's color bars. (don't worry i won't do play-by-play!)

I wish you would. It's hilarious.

Quiet!
They are about to begin, and I was lucky to get a very comfy seat.

I'm trying to find this broadcast - I clicked on the broadcast link, but all I get is a small .smil which my Windows Media Player cannot open. What else can I do to try and view this broadcast?

Use Real Player to open.

Alas, I'm not having any success, either, even using Real Player. What a shame (for me)--it sounds like a fantastic opportunity. Enjoy!

Bravo!
Bravo! (Clapping for Mariya Allash )

I have it full screen, but both picture and sound break up periodically especially when there is rapid movement. Raymonda and Jean are dressed in what appears to be white, shot against a very dark background, so that the slightly smudgey images of the dancers stand out. During the Act One pas de deux, with corps and two soloists, the impression is of white (or very pale color possibly) dancers almost in silhouette against blackness, which enhances the impression of plastique and real presence (eg, lights and shadow on the white-tighted legs). The stage empties when there is solo work going on to reduce distraction. Is this in the current Bolshoi production or a revision for the internet broadcast?

Act One ends. Lights come up in the house and there are shots of the auditorium and audience members leaving. Then video clips of Swan Lake. No commentary. I have to leave, but this has been fascinating. Not quite up to the level of the first telecast to the moon, but quite similar in emotional effect to the fuzzy black and white imagery of Hopalong Cassidy galloping on a white horse against a arroyo seco background, the very first image that showed up when we got our first television (huge box, miniscule screen) many many years ago.

Thanks, dachnitsa, for the link.

Once the technology is better, won't this be a wonderful way to connect the world of ballet audiences, not to mention other cultural events.

(I get better quality with half screen, but even there are some break-ups. Nonetheless it's a great thing!)

Unfortunately we have (non-ballet-goer) evening guests who will arrive in a few minutes ... hope you are going to enjoy the rest of the performance!

Greetings from Moscow to all of you!

dachnitsa

This is torture! I get one or two exquisite movements, then it all breaks up! I think the problem is that the "pautina.smil" file has a speed of only 50kbps, which is far too slow for my computer! Are these programs always broadcast via this type of file?

Don't give up hope. During the Act 2 PdD they were up to 400Kbps and it looked pretty good. Right after it was at 50 again. So they ARE able to do it well, probably just first time glitches. THANKS BOLSHOI!

Who played the part of the sultan? My connection was never good enough for me to be able to recognise his face, but what I could see of his dancing looked superb! And that Odette in the short clip they showed during the interval - I would love to know who she was.

Was anyone able to see the whole broadcast without interruption? I would be interested to know.

Are there any movie clips of the Bolshoi available online?

@ Ostrich

Just a short reply, since I should go and see after our guests:

Rinat Arifulin (soloist) is dancing Abderakhman

concerning Odette, I think it must be Svetlana Zakharova ( I will have a closer look at the trailer next Saturday, when I am in the Bolshoi again)

Clips of Mariya Alexandrova can be found at
http://m-alex-video.narod.ru/index.html

Yes, with a refresh rate of 1 image per second, very painterly--like Manet or Gerhardt Richter.

The last act variations came over very nicely, and so very familiar since I know them as Pas de Dix of Balanchine from the Eglevsky-Maria Tallchief video. Does anyone know if any parts of Balanchine's version have made their way back into the Bolshoi version, or is it that
Balanchine is fairly faithful to the original?

According to the www.cultu.ru website, there will be repeats over 24 hours. they also do webcasts of other kinds of production.

Their notice is copied below. I've also re-copied dachnitsa's original link to the website, since I know this kind of thread might be more confusing than our ordinary threads.



QUOTE:
Wired Broadband Connection.
Starting at 10 a. m. Moscow Time (GMT +3), on we will be broadcasting each production continuously for 24 hours.

Showtime schedule will be posted on our website. Regardless of the time zone you live in you'll be able to choose the most suitable time for viewing the broadcast. Throughout the day we will also be posting updated list of mirror links for viewing the broadcasting. Most of the productions will be broadcasted with English subtitles.

In order to watch internet broadcasting you will need PC with fast internet connection (i. e. cable modem, DSL, ADSL, LAN.) In most cases dial-up connection with speed of 56K and less will be insufficient for proper reception. Even if you will be able to see the stream, the quality of the broadcast will be low, and is likely to disappoint rather than to please the viewer.

Please be considerate of your expenses. Viewing video stream is traffic-savvy. The actual traffic volume, i. e. the information your PC exchanges with your internet provider, is derivative of the speed of your internet connection and the duration of your viewing session. We recommend signing up for a flat monthly fee plan with no traffic and/or time restrictions. Many internet providers worldwide are offering such plans by now.

We will broadcast in Real Video and Windows Media formats. English subtitles will be available only in Real Video format.

This option is currently available to our audience in Russia (except Kamchatka and Chukotka), in Eastern and Central Europe, Middle East and Central Asia. These territories are covered by YAMAL-200 and EXPRESS AM22 satellites. In order to receive our broadcast via one of those satellites you will need a dish and DVB receiver. You'll also need to contact customer service of the satellite operator to help you direct and tune up your dish. The procedure itself is not very complicated, but the advantage you get with satellite connection is enormous, as you will be viewing our stream in nearly TV quality. Besides in many cities in Russia there are Internet Viewing Centers properly setup to receive our programming. Please remember that we broadcast our programs in internet format, not as a TV signal. Besides, our satellite broadcast, unlike wired internet, will be repeated only 2—3 times during the day for the most populated time zones in Russia.

Two satellite networks are offering their broadcasting services for our programming: ICFED with its ever expanding network of Distant Learning Centers in more than 40 regions of Russia is broadcasting in Real Video format; ComSat Kultura with Viewing Centers in regional libraries, museums and other cultural centers is broadcasting in Windows Media format.

THANKS! It is on now, and the picture quality is way up!

grrrrrr! I'm in the midst of a big dowload (via 56K dialup).

dachnitsa, thank you so much for sharing this link and source with us!



I was only able to see a small part of Act II, because the broadcast started 8am on the West Coast, but I did get to see Florence's, Henrietta's, and Raymonda's solos, before I had to drag myself away to go to a seminar. It was a real thrill to see them, and I hope to catch the entire ballet during one of the repeats.

Was the production broadcasted as bad as the Raymonda they released on DVD?

As I write this Act 2 is about to begin (I think there are about three more reruns to go before it is gone). It is really very well produced (I mean the video direction), no fast cutting, you really get to see the flow of the choreography. It is hard to think of a commercial video that is so balletomane oriented! The corps looks impressive, the male dancing is certainly a notch above what we saw this summer at the Met. The ballerinas are fine: how surprising that co-Prima Masha Alexandrova is in a soloist role! Not a "six o'clock" in sight. I think it is very favorable publicity for the Bolshoi.

Could anyone identify the woman (teacher, coach?) who was clearly much loved by Mariya Allash and the audience during the quite triumphant final curtain calls?
Also, a fine photo set of Allash (click Raymonda) in Raymonda, including rehearsal and receiving coaching from Grigorovich:
http://www.bolshoi.org/stars/allash/photo-eng.htm

I agree -- the camera work was spot on through at least the middle of Act II (when I had to leave to go to the opera). This would be an incredible DVD to have; the women -- Allash, Alexandrova, and Shipulina -- have been gorgeous so far, and the men are strong. (I haven't gotten to Act III and Nioridze yet. I'm not sure I can stay up that long ) Allash has been a pure delight so far.

The download page lists Yuri Grigorovich and Nataliya Bessmertnova as the choreographers. Could it have been Bessmertnova who coached Allash?

The website of the Bolshoi is stating that yesterdays perfomance has been dedicated to Tatina Golikova's end of career as balletmaster-rehearser.
(Tatiana Golikova has been working with both, Mariya Alexandrova and Mariya Allash.)

Yes, and I think she did the same with Eleonora Abbagnato in the POB perfomance of Ivan the terrible, where she is listed as "assistant choreographer"

Thanks for info. Did not look like Bessmertnova. Beautiful woman, not unlike some old web photos of Golikova. Hopefully one of our Moscow posters will clarify the issue.

Yesterday's "Raymonda" was dedicated to Golikova to celebrate her tripple(!) jubilee: 60th birthday on October 14, 40 years since joining the Bolshoi and 10 years of coaching at the Bolshoi. By no means it can be considered as the end of her carreer. She works now with Maria Alexandrova, Maria Allash, Anna Rebetskaya...

Thank you, dachnitsa! Golikova should be honored: what beautiful dancers Allash and Alexandrova are. Although the transfer rate of the third act wasn't very smooth, I was able to get the arc of Allash's interpretation. I'm in love with another dancer

I loved Allash as well. Was it just me or were there clips of Nina A. with Filin during the intermission, along with clips of Zakharova?

Sadly, when the screen was small, I couldn't see the faces, and when I made it page size, they were distorted. I don't know enough about Alexandrova's and Shipulina's styles to tell the two of them apart in their solos. (I've only seen Alexandrova in the Donellen Romeo and Juliet, which told me nothing about her style in the classics, but much about how she'd bite someone )

dachnitsa or drb: did you notice who was in the clips at intermission?

Other than Zakharova, not sure re intermission 'previews'. Maybe one might have been Shipulina?
More often than not Shipulina was on our left, Alexandrova (darker hair) on right.
Variation in resolution was a little strange. The last rerun was often around 250Kbps, while the night (here) reruns were typically 400Kbps. Made a big difference, which I think we can take as encouraging, since the rate at which digital tech advances would suggest that a year from now we could all be pretty happy!
It would be nice if the Mariinsky took this Bolshoi webcast as a challenge... President Putin's home town team should be second to none!

Raymonda's back!!! The outstanding performance (and videography) is being rerun Wednesday. I think (but would not swear to it) that the following times are US Eastern:
"Raymonda" ballet, pre-recorded broadcast from Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
Wired Broadband Connection
October 26, 2005
2:00 am, 5:30 am, 9:00 am, 0:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 11:00 pm
The website is:
http://www.cultu.ru/english/pautina/2005/raymonda/

The telecasts of Raymonda are appearing at the times posted for today. Mostly at 400Kbps, with infrequent slipping to 225.
Act 1 has finished with Act 2 about to begin. Re the matter of who's who, in Act 1 the first star out is the great danseur noble Filin. Then Alexandrova and partner arrive followed immediately by Shipulina and partner. Then Allash (Raymonda). Later, in the Lyre Pd4 Alexandrova is first to start; when it becomes a Pd5 with Allash (the Lyre player) in center, Alexandrova is to our left, Shipulina to our right.
This being Grigorovich, it is really a sequence of divertissements rather than being story-oriented like ABT's version. The Act therefore ends (beautifully) with a Dream Scene rather than a Vision Scene (at ABT it is a vision inspired by the "white lady", of course the Virgin Mary Statue, but for some reason ABT is shy about that--it is the era of the Jerusalem Crusades, after all). Raymonda dreams of her nobly robed Knight who has just given her his gift of silk, but Eros enters the dream in the form of Saracen Knight Rinat Arifulin, who then begins his very impressive performance.
http://www.cultu.ru/english/pautina/2005/raymonda/

Those who enjoyed Maria Allash's portrayal of Raymonda in this beautifully produced telecast may be pleased to learn that Alexei Ratmansky promoted her to the rank of Principal on January 19, 2007, after her performance as Nikaya in a Bayadere which included the Solor of Vladimir Neporozhny, Gamzatti of Yekaterina Shipulina and Bronz Idol of Ivan Vasiliev.
The promotion is now confirmed on the dancers list on the company's website.