One can't help but notice that Ilya Kuznetsov, the tall blonde & handsome graduate of 1995 (along with Vishneva and so many other greats), is receiving more & more prominence lately...in his 'middle age of dance-life'! How nice -- in an environment in which many dancers in their mid- to late-20s are often sent back to demi-solo or corps work, Kuznetsov seems to be gaining prominence.

So I am titling this little homage: "Ilya Kuznetsov - Superstar!"

In the span of a couple of weeks, Ilya is debuting -- or returning to -- certain key roles:

ROMEO - dancing with Vishneva, the all-important 'Lavrovsky 100th Birthday' gala performance of R&J at the Mariinsky

ALBRECHT - partnering Pavlenko, next week

LA VALSE main romantic lead - partnering Lopatkina, last night

TROIS GNOSSIENES by Van Manen - again, partnering Lopatkina, at the Mariinsky Festival Gala

and soon to come, in London: leading roles in ballets of the Shostakovich Festival, at the Coliseum, including his already-celebrated lead in Igor Belsky's 'Leningrad Symphony.'

So here's to one of the finest, most versatile, male soloists of the Mariinsky...no longer 'just' Von Rothbart or the wild flame-haired Tybalt!

There is a BBC documentary on youtube (in 8 parts) following an English boy for a year at The Bolshoi and Ilya Kuznetsov is his teacher.

It was so interesting to also have some of the focus on Kuznetsov. Here is an interview with Kuznetsov which touches on his belief in the importance of communicating the dramatic side of a role.


Edited by innopac
Please see this post for correction.

What a nice little youtube series and what an extraordinary 15 year old!!

The Ilya Kuznetsov who is presently a First Soloist at the Mariinsky -- the subject of this thread -- is not the same person as the Ilya Kuznetsov who is a coach at the Bolshoi and used to dance for one of the smaller Moscow-based troupes (Russian State or Kremlin ballet). Yes, it confused me for awhile, too, until I saw a video and realized that the "Moscow Ilya" is a bit older than the "Petersburg Ilya." "Moscow Ilya" seems to have been a wonderful dancer, in his own right, judging from his ballon in variations from La Sylphide.

Aha, mystery explained! I wondered how he could be in two places at once...

Natalia do you know if Mr. Kuznetsov (Mariinsky Theatre) has been on the recent tours to the US?

Oops! Thank you Natalia.

Sorry, vrsfanatic, I do not know the answer to your question.