I would love to attend one of the Kirov's performances. If someone could please help me choose:


June 16 - Daria Pavlenko as Giselle, Igor Kolb as Albrecht, and Viktoria Tereshkina as Myrtha

June 17 matinee - Irina Golub, Andrian Fadeyev, and Alina Somova

June 17 evening - Olesya Novikova, Leonid Sarafanov, and Viktoria Tereshkina

June 18 - Daria Pavlenko, Igor Kolb, and Alina Somova


The only dancer that I have ever seen before was Andrian Fadeyev when he danced at the "Stars of the 21st Century" Gala last year with Diana Vishneva and this year with Sofiane Sylve. I am unfamiliar with all of the others. Any help would be appreciated!

I would pick the Pavlenko/Kolb/Tereshkina cast. All three are wonderful, mature artists. If you like hyper-extensions, you might want to go see Alina Somova, because hers are a wonder ; but artistically Tereshkina is much more powerful. Igor Kolb is a very fine noble dancer, IMO. All three Giselles are very interesting, but I think Daria Pavlenko may well be the most accomplished one. I'm not objective though, since I'm a huge fan of her... ;)

I would strongly support the 16th June performance too.

Me too on the Pavlenko/Kolb/Tereshkina cast. I always think of Pavlenko as one of my 2 or 3 favorite dancers but, in truth - I've only seen her dance once. I saw her O/O in DC a couple years ago and I was amazed. She has wonderful technque but it was her artistry that blew me away. She is the real deal and I can't wait for her Giselle!

Reading ballet.co.uk, I've noticed that Pavlenko is a huge favorite with the London audience, perhaps the favorite Kirov dancer. And she is often left out of tours, so this seems like a don't-miss.

I'm seeing the June 17 matinee to catch Fadeyev. Saw Pavlenko a few years ago in La Bayadere and was not impressed. I am looking forward to Osmolkina's Paysan pas de deux, though; she was a lovely Gulnare in Le Corsaire last year.