I'm curious to know how Bolshoi followers view Maria Alexandrova. She's very popular in America, and one of the most frequently asked questions about the current company is "why is Alexandrova not a principal?" I think we like her straightforward style and her technical power. I'm quite a fan of hers. I've seen both a Gamzatti and a Kitri that I liked very much -- beautiful turns, but more than that, she can build a role and change its dynamics. Her coldness worked very well as Gamzatti.

I'm curious to know how this dancer is regarded in Russia? And for personal opinions, too, of course.

Alexandrova has been highly regarded here as a dancer of great promise since her graduation...1997, I believe? (Sorry - working from memory.) She received a Golden Mask as 'ballerina of the year' for her performance in the year 2000 as Aspicia's Slave -- not the lead role of Aspicia! -- in the Bolshoi's 'Pharaoh's Daughter.' The award was bestowed the following year -- in April 2001 -- after the regime-changes at the Bolshoi (and in Russia ). Curiously, since then, she has remained in the second-echelon of soloist dancers. I don't know why; she remains a wonderful dancer, lovely Myrta, in addition to the roles cited by Alexandra. One of the very few lead roles I've seen her dance at the Bolshoi is that of Catherine the Great at the premiere of Eifman's 'Russian Hamlet', where she was able to show her dramatic capabilities to the fullest; she debuted the role.

I have my theory (non-political ) as to why she is not-quite-prima-ballerina. It is the old issue of 'emploi' and pure looks. Perhaps Alexandrova is lacking a certain 'angelic face look' that seems to be favored in the Russian aesthetic, for the classical female leads? Alexandrova has a very powerful, 'strong woman' face...more Sandra Bullock than Kate Winslet. This is totally my theory & you can take it as 'bunk'! Perhaps Ina or other Muskovite lurkers can enlighten me/us?

I think your Sandra Bullock theory may have merit, Jeannie. Often, I think, people like the dancers who look the most like what they're used to seeing. Alexandrova is more like American dancers than others in that company, in face, body and approach. The flip side of that is that Russians may well be looking for something else.

Maria Alexandrova graduated in 1996 from the Moscow Choreographic Academy (pupil of Sofia Golovkina) and won a Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow the following year. However, as far as I know she was only nominated for the Golden Mask for her role of Ramze - the ballet was taken out of out of competition before the Golden Masks were awarded. She did receive the "Soul of Dance" award in the category "Rising stars" from the dance magazine "Balet" in 1999, though.

Interesting point you make, Jeannie, about the looks - it could well be that Maria Alexandrova was born a few decades too late, however it is also clear that the Bolshoi isn't making much of an issue on matters of emploi, as Alexandrova danced "La Sylphide" as well as Aegina in "Spartacus" last year. It think it is a rather simple problem so to speak: she may have been adored by the previous management and given a lot of opportunities by Alexei Fadeyechev, yet the current one doesn't like her and now it's a daily fight to get a role.

Marc, I read about the prize in 'Balet' magazine & I'm pretty sure it's not the same as 'Duxa Tanza' (Soul of Dance); I remember that she won that, too. I am 100% sure that Alexandrova won some top prize specifically for the slave...and that all of us were bowled over that a secondary role would be so honored (they don't have prizes for 'Best Supporting Actress' a-la Oscars in ballet world . I'll go through my back-issues of 'Balet' to see exactly which prize it was...maybe Benois de la Danse?

Maria Alexandrova is very popular with the Moscow balletlovers, she apparently is the most popular ballerina of the young generation.
As far as I know “Masha”, as her fans call her, is principal soloist since 2000 but she dance just a few leading parts. Her repertoire include The Empress in Eifman’s Russian Hamlet, 3d movement in Symphony C (both ballets is not danced by the Bolshoi any more), Kitri in Don Quixotte, Aegina in Spartacus, main part in La Sylphide, but she rarely perform the roles. In Bolshoi she usually dance second roles like Myrta, Gamzatti, Swan Lake pas de trois and so on.
Last season society of the Friends Of The Bolshoi Ballet organized a fan meeting with Boris Akimov, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. On the meeting Mr Akimov was asked about Masha and said that he “dont see” her in the leading roles. Some people think that Alexandrova cannot dance leading parts in Petipa ballets because of her appearance – she is not as slender and long-legged as most part of the Bolshoi ballerinas. It supposed that in long skirt like that of Myrta, Kitry or Syphide her body looks better than in tutu. I cannot agree with it because spectators usually dont go into the theatre with a ruler to measure a dancer’s legs, and Alexandrova have a lot of qualities that make her real star.
I am also a fan of Alexandrova. I like her magnetic stage presence and strong personality. Till the last times she was considered rather as heroic ballerina than as lyrical one but last autumn she made her debut in the main part in La Sylphide and showed that she can master romantic style as well. It’s really sad that she waste her talent.

Jeannie, I sure that Alexandrova never received Golden Mask for Ramze because the ballet was out of the repertoire. For 2000 the Golden Mask was given to Diana Vishneva.

Thank you, Inga, for this clarification

I agree that for a ballerina of her age she has quite an amazing stage presence and artistic maturity.

Thanks, all. But, darn it, I wish I could quote what I read...she won something for that little role. Where's my library when I need it most?

By the way, Aegina would qualify as a 'dark lady' role, in keeping with her emploi. However, I cant for a moment imagine her as the Sylph!

It's true that Masha Alexandrova was only nominated for the Golden Mask and never got it since the administration of the Bolshoi was not willing to show the ballet at the Golden Mask Festival (which is obligatory to participate in the competition). As a result both "Pharaoh's Daughter" and Masha were stroke off the list of the nominees. Now Alexandrova is preparing the leading part (Aspiccia) in the same ballet. Her debut is scheduled for twenty something of March. Since Aspiccia has a lot of rather difficult and diverse dancing in this old-new ballet, it is a great chance for a young ballerina to make a show-off of her abilities. Somehow I am sure Alexandrova will be able to take advantage of this. The sad point of the situation is that her partner is not announced yet. The premiers of the Bolshoi are not enthusiastic to spend their precious time and efforts for a tiresome ballet which is performed not more than a couple of times in a season and seems to be unfit ( from the administration's point of view!) for foreign tours.

As Alexandra said, Alexandrova has a lot of American fans, including me. I'm thankful for the comments about her. I saw her only in three things - Sym. in C, 3rd movement; one of the soloists surrounding the Don Q pas de deux; and as Myrta - but she had tremendous impact. I had never seen a big dancer do the third movement in the Bizet and now, having seen her, I long to see another grand dancer soar through those jumps. I can understand the comments several of you made about her looks, but she seems just fine and pretty enough in the pictures on Marc's site. And her legs look quite long. In addition, I found her musical and tasteful.

Is Agon still a part of the Bolshoi's rep.? Because she'd be fabulous in either the 2nd pas de trois or the pas de deux. It's a shame she's not popular with the current administration.

"Agon" as well as "Symphony in C" and "Mozartiana", which formed Balanachine tripple-bill in the Bolshoi, was exiled from the repertory after the change of the administration in the autumn 2000. Eifman's "Russian Hamlet" had the same fate. So two really succesful major roles, performed by Alexandrova, are stored now.

Jeannie, I saw Masha Alexandrova in La Sylphide two times and was really impressed. Her stage presence always magnetic and her technique very strong – that’s important in every role. On the debut performance she was more eagle than sylph, she called James to be free, to do what he always wanted but never dare, to realize his wild dreams. She looked rather like big beautiful woman than like air maiden but it was not important, she was just great! On her second performance several weeks later she changed her interpretation. Her movements became more soft and light and she looked like playful innocent child that dont understand how dangerous it is to interfere in human matters. That child became adult but too late… To my opinion Masha in La Sylphide is better than in Don Quixotte but I saw her Kitry last time in September 2001 (with guest star Jose Manuel Carreno), she is more matured now.

Greetings to the forum.

The main feature I want to point out in Maria Alexandrova is her devotion to ballet, her eagerness to dance. Watching her on stage one immediately notes that she really enjoys to perform, moreover that she must be impatient in having a new role, just like a kid unwrapping a birthday present. At the same time she is intelligent enough to learn not only the steps but also any materials concerning the ballet she is preparing to dance in. That’s why each of her roles is richly decorated with nuances. Ramze in “La Fille du Pharaon” was already mentioned here, and this is really a good example. Two variations, each lasting not more than one minute, a bit of dancing with Aspicia in the first act and only mime scenes later on. But Masha was so brilliant that was nominated for the prestigious Golden Mask.

Alexandra is completely right saying that Masha `can build a role and change its dynamics’.
I will add that each of them have her personal unique stamp. The role may fit her more or less but you are guaranteed that you will never be bored with Alexandrova on stage. Thus, her determination to dance “La Sylphide” seemed too challenging. And she wasn’t conventional Sylph, but 100% convincing. Inga mentioned the eagle – for me Masha created a parallel with a swallow when she crossed the huge stage of the Bolshoi in three lightest jumps. I was a bit anxious that she may excessively use her jumping abilities in the 2nd act. But she was OK, never flying but fluttering in the Sylph forest. Somebody remarked after the premiere: “Well, sylphs are daughters of the air but Mr. Air has many daughters and who told that all of them should be similar?”

She danced Aegina in “Spartacus” last spring. In a provocative red wig, which shocked even her fans, Masha danced a woman who can look at men with such a challenge that they put their eyes down in confusion. Her brave and impudent courtesan captured the audience, inspired Marc Crass (who wasn’t the best match for her in this performance) and saved ancient Rome. Two Moscow newspapers mentioned her debut among the most interesting ballet events of the season (ballet critics in Russia are not aimed at routine debuts, paying attention mostly to premieres).

`Why is Alexandrova not a principal’? Well, Masha has the second position from above – she is leading soloist - as well as Maria Allash, Svetlana Lunkina, Elena Andrienko, Nina Kaptsova. But the problem is not in the position she holds and certainly not the fees. The problem is that she has incredibly few main roles for a ballerina of her rank and qualities. Why? I can only answer “Because”. She is one of the most favorite dancers of Moscow public. She always has perfect press on tours. Nevertheless I can readily count her performances: Kitri (twice) and Aegina (once) the last season, the Sylph (twice) the current season. Of course, she dances second and even coryphée roles: Myrtha, Hamzatti, Spanish fiancée and Siegfried’s friend, Street Dancer and the interpolated variation in the 2nd act of DQ. So she often appears in the ballet performances. But this February, for instance, Masha was engaged only in two performances - “Giselle” (Myrtha) and “Dreams on Japan” (1 act ballet by Ratmansky). Esmeralda in Petit’s “Notre-Dame” was to my wonder also considered not a role for Alexandrova.

Sorry for the long post. But Masha Alexandrova is worth a novel:).

Greetings to you, Mikhail, and welcome! More novels, please ;)

Seriously, I read your comments with interest, and I'm sure others will as well. It's so frustrating to see a dancer who interests you when a company is on tour, and then have them disappear back home, and you don't know what they're dancing, or how they're viewed in their own country. So it's been very interesting to read how Alexandrova dances in a wide variety of roles.

I hope you'll post often about what you're seeing at the Bolshoi, and please feel free to join in our general discussions as well. We also have a Recent Performances forum, if you see a visiting company, or another ballet company that isn't the Bolshoi.

Thank you Mikhail for your impressions. Is Alexandrova not considered Odette-Odile material in Russia? Since learning about how she is viewed in Russia by her public and by her bosses, I was thinking of roles that she could do and came up with Swan Lake. I don't know what is considered usual in Moscow, but I've seen many taller, more robust ballerinas dance the lead and found them to be wonderful, such as Martine van Hamel and Monique Meunier. Or is it a matter of finding a partner? That has been a problem for many a tall dancer, yet I saw many tall men when the Bolshoi last came to New York.

Thank you for posting, Mikhail. Keep those "long posts" coming!

It's not a problem of partners, besides Alexandrova is not that exceptional or extravagant when it comes to physique. As far as I understand (provided a case like this can be understood), the current Bolshoi management just doesn't want to give her the proper chances. They will have their reasons, I'm sure. But if you grant Volochkova opening nights of "Swan Lake" and continue to ignore somebody like Alexandrova, something is really wrong.

Perhaps Mikhail, or anybody else, could say something more about that.

Dale,
Surprisingly you are completely right in your conclusions. Alexandrova herself dreams about Odette/Odille, as far as I know. This is her weak point:). She was preparing the role - at least the part of Odille was ready a long ago. She was even nominated in some document to the third cast at the premiere of the Grigorovitch's version two years ago (Anastasia Volochkova was in the first cast, Galina Stepanenko - in the second) but never appeared on stage, neither at the Bolshoi nor in tours. Although during that time we watched at least four debuts (Antonicheva, Shipulina, Andrienko and recently Lunkina) and none of these beautiful ladies danced better than Nina Ananiashvili or Nadezhda Gracheva (my personal point of view, of course). Why not to try Masha? I really don't know. All this is one of the great mysteries of life, as was formulated here.

Some people cannot imagine Alexandrova as a classical romantic ballerina. So what? Let her try and prove, please! To my taste, I would prefer Masha's stormy temperament to any cold fishlike dancer even having perfect lines. The problem is to convince Mr. Akimov, and Masha will try to convince the audience:). I see no difficulties with a partner. Masha is not a miniature girl, but she is not so tall and heavy as some ballerinas of the Kirov-Mariinsky, for instance, or Ms. Volochkova, the "main" Swan of the Bolshoi. Masha danced already with all male-dancers of the Bolshoi (Tsiskaridze, Uvarov, Filin, Belogolovcev, Gudanov, etc.) including those who are not so tall or extremely strong. She danced Kitri with Carreno who is not tall as well.

I guess Alexandrova's debut in SL becomes just a fantasy. At least it seems to be impossible now at the Bolshoi - only somewhere in the West or in another Russian company. May be, the following statistics will be of interest at the forum. The last season there were 15 performances of SL at the Bolshoi, and the distribution of ballerinas was as follows: Volochkova - 6, Stepanenko - 3, Antonicheva - 2, Ananiashvili, Gracheva, Shipulina and Andrienko - 1.

More probable are Masha's debuts this season in La Fille du Pharaon (the performances will be in a month but the administration still did not tell her the name of a partner so she cannot rehearse duets) and in Legend of Love in June (the role of Mekhmene Banu was ready a few years ago but at that time the ballet was excluded from the Bolshoi's repertory). May be she will be chosen to dance in a new ballet by Alexei Ratmansky - The Limpid Stream on music by Shostakovitch. We will see soon - the premiere is supposed to be in April. I am dreaming about her Raimonda but this is also just a fantasy. Alas!

Sorry, Marc,
I did not see your post sending mine. Besides of probable prejudices there exists a problem of the repertory policy at the Bolshoi. Many young ballerinas are in the same position as Alexandrova and Masha understands this quite well - she mentioned the problem in her interview by TV. In short. I think the Bolshoi keeps too many ballets for the two-three soloists (say, La Fille Mal Garde, ballets by Roland Petit and all that). I am not going to say that they are bad or not interesting for the audience. But such a great company as the Bolshoi should have more Grand Ballets of the past. Here is again the statistics of the last season, the number of performances: Giselle - 18, SL - 15, Nutcracker - 10, DQ - 10, La Bayadere - 8, Sleeping Beauty - 5, La Sylphide - 5. In total - 71 performances of the classical ballets, that is 52%. Everybody can count how many pdd, pdt and solo variations are in these ballets besides of the main roles. May be this explains something.

The distribution of ballerinas in the mentioned ballets. The numbers are not official, they are taken from the data at the official Bolshoi's site but not all sudden changes in the casts were taken into account there. Nevertheless: Volochkova - 16, Ryzhkina - 8, Gracheva - 7, Antonicheva - 6, Goryacheva - 6, Lunkina - 6, Stepanenko - 6, Ananiashvili - 5, Petrova - 3,
Andrienko - 3, Alexandrova - 2, Kaptsova - 2, Shipulina - 1.

Thank you for those interesting comments. It is always a relief to read that people in Russia are still so concerned about the "apparently irrelevant" matters of art.

Thank you, Mikhail for your explanations and for the statistics. Just a question on the side of this topic - what is it that makes Anastasia Volochkova so popular at the Bolshoi?

Marc,
everybody knows that Ms. Volochkova is the most beautiful woman at the Bolshoi company and... what to add? Well, she is beautiful, isn't it enough for so many of us? Some crazy people as ballet critics and balletgoers are not satisfied with the quality of her dance last 5 years, but nobody cares. Should one consider seriously the opinion of such a minor part of the society? To be popular nowadays means to appear often at TV screens and on covers of glamor journals. So she IS popular.

I'd like to echo Katharine's remark, and explain it a bit for those reading this forum who perhaps aren't used to American and English ballet criticism (in print or on message boards). Often, reviews are very concentrated on technique (in America) or on acting, as if the ballet were a play (in Europe) -- yes, I'm generalizing! -- and it's nice to read another approach, which gives one an idea of the qualities of the dancer, both technical and emotional, and also gets to the soul of a performance, what really matters. So thank you both!

Mikhail, it might interest you to hear that when the Bolshoi was last in Washington, Volochkova had an effect on the audience, especially, it seemed, the men, that I haven't observed before, and I've been attending performances at the Kennedy Center for nearly 30 years. She did "Swan Lake" and "Bayadere" (Nikiya) and both were rather cold performances, yet people were excited. There had been no advance publicity; they didn't know a thing about her. The man sitting in front of me appeared to be one of those American husbands who's there only to please his wife, and he woke up at Volochkova's entrance. At intermission, he said, "She's nice. Is she dancing next week?" And I heard similar remarks. It was a most unusual reaction.

Alexandra, thank you. Your remark becomes even more interesting because I had a similar experience at the Bolshoi during the performance of "La Bayadere". A gentleman was sleeping in a chair nearby emitting a smell of a good cognac. He revealed no evident interest when Anastasia wore a long dress but waked up when she appeared in a tutu in The Kingdom of Shades. It is difficult to describe our conversation and his further reaction, I could only imagine the sea of his boiling hormones. Probably, there are men and men. I do not understand these guys and find Ms. Volochkova being cold, mincing, not inspiring and the same in different roles. May be I am wrong.

Will we change the title of this thread:)?

I agree with you on the boiling hormones -- excellent phrase! I found her cold as well, which made the reaction -- which one could actually feel -- very strange to me. We often have demonstrative audiences, but usually, these days, they are cheering for male technicians.

I didn't mean to divert the thread -- back to Alexandrova! (But if anyone wants to start a thread on Volochkova, please feel free.)

Taking it back to Masha Alexandrova, here is a link to her biography in The Small Ballet Encyclopedia: http://www.ballet.classical.ru/b_ealexandrova.html

This is the most detailed and complete biography I ever came across.

News about the supposed debut of Ms. Alexandrova as Aspicia in "The Pharaoh's Daughter" - a fight in four rounds. The red corner - Ms. Alexandrova, the Ballerina. The blue corner - Mr. Akimov, the Bolshoi Ballet art director.

Round 1. Ms. Alexandrova was promised the role and started the rehearsals in January. A partner was not given to her, and the decision was postponed and postponed. To her natural questions during two months Ms. Alexandrova was replied "you should wait", what worried both the ballerina and her fans.

The problem is that the Bolshoi has only three Tahors and two of them (Tsiskaridze and Filin) planned to be absent at the time of the performances on March 18 and 19. The first performance was given to Ms. Gracheva and the second one was supposed for Alexandrova's debut. The cast for the third performance on March 23 was fixed a long ago - Ananiashvili and Filin.

Advantage to Mr. Akimov in this round.

Round 2. The beginning of March. The administration accepted Alexandrova's work on the role but decided to give both performances to Ms. Gracheva and Mr. Belogolovtsev. Our third Tahor did not dance with Gracheva in this ballet as well. The motivation for the decision was that it would be difficult for him to rehearse the duets with two ballerinas simultaneously. No new Tahor was chosen for Ms. Alexandrova.

A knock-down to Masha.

Round 3. Unfortunately Ms. Gracheva was injured at the performance of "Giselle" on March 13 and it became clear immediately that she could not dance in "The Pharaoh's Daughter". One more Aspicia, Ms. Lunkina, was allowed earlier to go to Belgrade for some gala just in these days. Ms. Ananiashvili had her performance already being fixed in her contract. What to do then? The administration could allow Mr. Belogolovtsev and Ms. Alexandrova to rehearse urgently their duets in these four days and to dance both performances. Helas! They gave no chance to Masha and preferred another solution: Ms. Ananiashvili kindly agreed to help the theater, to rehearse and to dance with Mr. Belogolovtsev (this couple was formed also for the first time) BUT only one performance on March 19 (what was her 40th birthday). The performance of "The Daughter" on March 18 was cancelled, the public was suggested to be paid back which was completely unusual.

The second knock-down to Masha.

Round 4. The administration could replace "The Daughter" on March 18 by "DQ", for instance, to compensate Ms. Alexandrova the lost of Aspicia by Kitry at least. Again No! Instead "La Bayadere" was announced with Ms. Volochkova and her permanent partner - Mr. Ivanchenko from Mariinsky.

Finally Ms. Alexandrova danced The Third Shade on March 18, The River Congo variation on March 19 and will dance Ramze on March 23. Besides she will dance the second (jump) variation in DQ's Grand Pas (with Ms. Volochkova as Kitry) on March 25 - this is her schedule for the whole month. There will be no "Daughters" at the Bolshoi until the end of the season. I guess Alexandrova's debut is postponed now forever.

Knock-out and our "Bravi" to the victorious Bolshoi's administration. The end of the match.

P.S. Two days ago the casting was announced for "Raymonda" which will be restored at the Bolshoi in May, after 2.5 years of absence - Nadezhda Gracheva & Andrei Uvarov, Maria Allash & Alexander Volchkov, Anastasia Volochkova & Eugene Ivanchenko. No perspectives again for Ms. Alexandrova. Can somebody tell if Ms. Alexandrova can join a corps de ballet of some Western company and to start her carrier from the very beginning? It seems the Bolshoi does not need a ballerina of her qualities.

Mikhail, thank you for this lively but rather sad account, which seems to confirm once more that Masha Alexandrova is not wanted at the Bolshoi, at least not as a principal ballerina. Please keep us informed how this develops.

ABT has always had a welcome mat out for dancers unappreciated in their homelands

Thank you for that knock out of a post, Mikhail! Perhaps Ms. Alexandrova's fans will have to start picketing the theater.

It is announced at the official site of the Bolshoi, that Maria Alexandrova will make her debut as Esmeralda in “Notre Dame de Paris” on May 1st, 2003. Quasimodo – Tsiskaridze, Foebus – Neporozhny, Frollo – Godovsky. Probably the sudden decision to give this role to Masha is connected with her great success in the role of the Ballerina in “The Limpid Stream” by Ratmansky. I will try to present some info on her dance in the “Stream” later on.

The success of “The Limpid Stream” by Ratmansky was extraordinary. I found about ten articles in different newspapers. Alexandrova, Filin and Yanin are mentioned almost everywhere. In what follows please find some quotations concerning Masha.

Anna Gordeeva, “Vremya novostei”
“And of course Maria Alexandrova - Ballerina. Sticking completely to modern style of dancing, a bit pushing aside and mocking, she managed to hint to the pre-WW2 manners. But not in the way to generate a smell of archaic and dangerous naphthalene, but to revive the glorious Moscow legend about reckless and victorious dance which forces the audience to click the tongues in admiration. Alexandrova throws herself into her partner’s arms as Lepeshinskaya used to do.”

Olga Gerdt, “Gazeta”
“The duet of Classical Dancers (Maria Alexandrova and Sergei Filin) with “fish” jumps was a tribute to the high art. Perhaps, Alexandrova created one of her best roles.”

[I don’t know the English terminology. A “fish” jump in the Russian ballet slang is a jump when a ballerina flies almost horizontally and makes a half turn in midair around the longitudinal axis before to be caught by a partner - like in the Tavern scene in DQ – M.]

Tatiana Kuznetsova, “Kommersant”
“The overexcited Ballerina bursts into the male dancers circle with gigantic pas de chats to perform a traditional solo. She performs a bacchanalia on points, a mixture of the Dance with a Snake from “La Bayadere” and a folk dance of Caucasian Djigits.”

“Undoubtedly Maria Alexandrova was a top star of the premiers. The role of Ballerina was created with the account of her essential qualities – huge jump, light rotations, fine phrasing and the sense of style. And Alexandrova was generously repaid by the role of the boy-ballerina which became the best one in her repertory (not so rich for the moment, alas).”

[Also some comments are to the point. I am extremely glad to read this, because Ms. Kuznetsova is the highly professional ballet journalist. She was born in the ballet family, studied in Moscow Academy of Choreography, danced for 20 years with the Igor Moiseev’s company and only after finishing her dancing career turned to ballet critic – M.]

Elena Gubaidullina, “Izvestiya”
“The roles of the Ballerina and the Male Ballet Dancer were performed by Maria Alexandrova and Sergei Filion with an irony and a virtuosity.”

Vladimir Kotykhov, “MK”
“Maria Alexandrova (Ballerina) is a gunpowder, fire, rocket. Alexandorva demonstrates enchanting technique and rare scenic temperament. Her Ballerina pierced the stage by jumps sharp as a razor, screws into the floor by points hard as steel, flies into her partner’s arms in an acrobatic “fish” jump.”

Anna Galaida, “Vedomosti”
“Ballerina demonstrates her temperament by a virtuoso solo with the dancing male corps de ballet at the background as it was common in Kshesinskaya’s times and Maria Alexandrova succeeded to do this brilliantly.”

Violetta Mainietse, “Kultura”
“In the first cast the center of the performance is Maria Alexandrova in the role of Ballerina: her dance is confident, her acting is convincing and without pressure, her looks piquant in a male costume.

Raymond Stults, “Moscow Times” (the original is in English)
“Star among both casts was Friday night's Ballerina, Maria Alexandrova, currently the brightest light among the younger generation of Bolshoi dancers. Heretofore underused and confined to a narrow range of parts, Alexandrova now has a role that seems specially created to give scope to her formidable talents. Though Ratmansky makes little use of her astonishing leaps, her equally astonishing precision and winning stage presence are very much on display.”

Thanks, Mikhail. Let's hope somebody of the Bolshoi management reads the newspapers .

On May 1 Maria Alexandrova made her debut as Esmeralda in Roland Petit’s Notre Dame de Paris. She have the role at last!
In the first act she was assured and technically strong but rather bland. But her second act - it was a miracle!!! Masha showed her stage presence and was full of emotions! In the adagio with Quasimodo (superb danced by tender Nikolai Tsiskaridze) she was bright and playful, she was like splash of cold green sparks! When talked with Frollo (Yan Godovsky) she looked like tiger in the cage, craving for freedom! In the end, when she go out of The Cathedral before the execution, she radiated such a power and hate for Frollo that audience almost physically feel the hit! She go round the stage, staggering, so painfully beautiful!!!
If she danced the first act as beautifully as she danced the second, her performance would be a historical event! May be she began the performance so low because she was not ready - it was her second debut in last two weeks (she danced The Ballerina on the premiere of Ratmansky’s Bright Stream), or because she was not at ease with the new role. I hope Masha will dance it again and we will see her in her full star power.

Love Legend, September 14

Mekhmene Banu – Maria Alexandrova
Ferkhad – Alexander Volchkov
Shirin – Marianna Ryzhkina

Masha Alexandrova at last made her debut in the part! The role of the oriental Queen is good for Masha’s personality – she was strong leader, showing both charisma of prima ballerina and power of Impress. That queen hold tight her country and all the neighbourhood, and in her love for the court painter Ferkhad she want to forget her duties and be just a simple woman with simple man. In her dancing she showed more enthusiasm than drama (it’s rather sad story) but her stage presence and inner fire made that performance really memorable.

Thank you, Inga, for this report. Great news!

Masha Aleksandrova’s schedule in September:

4 (opening night) – the main role of Ballerina in “The Bright Stream”
5 – Prince’s friend in “SL”
7 – Hamzatti
9 – 2nd variation in the Shades
11 – Spanish Bride in “SL”
14 – the main role of Mekhmene-Banu in “Legend of Love”
17 – Raimonda’s friend
21 – Raimonda’s friend
23 – Street Dancer in “DQ”
26 – the main role of Esmeralda in “NDdP”

In total we have 18 ballet performances in September, Masha takes part in 10, three of which are the main roles. Not bad!

"18 balletperformances in September" ? Sigh ! What a wealth ! :rolleyes:
I still need to learn EVERYTHING about the Bolshoi !

Yesterday night, October 16, Maria Alexandrova made her sudden debut as Aspicia in `La Fille du Pharaon'. It was planned on October 19th, but because of some circumstances Nadezhda Gracheva and Dmitrii Belogolovtsev could not dance that night (the next performance on Oct. 19 will be danced as was planned, again by Alexandrova and Ruslan Skvortsov - also a debutant in the role of Tahor).

Alexandrova's dance yesterday was brilliant. Pierre Lacotte changed a bit the choreography (mostly in adagios), made it more complicated. The complexity of the ballet can be compared perhaps only with `Raymonda'. Maria overcame all technical difficulties - numerous small fast movements, ronds des jambs and small leaps, not saying about grand jetes and pas de chat. Nobody doubted she should be very good in bravura parts of the role, but the real surprise for me were her adagios, lyrical fragments. She was so beautiful and tender, her poses were so phrased and fixed, with excellent balance in arabesques and attitudes, her movements were so slow and clear, that I hardly could recognize the ballerina. Even the text of the role itself seemed almost not familiar for me although I watched this ballet 7-8 times before. Alexandrova was very good in all parts of the ballet, but I found that the best one was the scene `The Underwater Kingdom' where the action took place on the bottom of Nile. Masha's movements there were so smooth and slow as how she danced in the water indeed. It was very impressive, and completely unexpected (albeit one could guess that she was able to dance in this style after her Sylphide a year ago). I am not going to compare the newborn pharaoh's daughter with her elder sisters (Ananiahsvili, Gracheva and Lunkina) but Alexandrova joined the family with dignity.

This was Masha's 4th debut in a main role during the last six months (actually four, not counting two months of summer vacations) after `The Bright Stream' in April, `Notre Dame de Paris' in May and `Legend of Love' in September. But yesterday's performance was the most important for her, I guess. The first time she danced the huge classical 3 acts ballet in tutus (she appeared in seven different tutus during the performance) and she looked very beautiful with her long and strong legs, slender waist, graceful neck. I am happy she could overcome the prejudices of the administration about her `emploi' and her own traditions and habits. One of the leaders of the Bolshoi Ballet told me a few months ago that Alexandrova revealed her potential only by 50%. After `La Fille du Pharaon' this number increased may by to 60%, so Masha Alexandrova still have enough power to surprise us in future.

Thank you, Mikhail, for this wonderful news.
To continue in the optimistic vein, you don't think there is any chance that Masha Alexandrova will be selected for the filming of "La Fille du Pharaon"?

Thank you, Mikhail The debut was long overdue, and I am especially glad to hear that Alexandrova did so well in the adagios.

Marc,
La Fille du Pharaon wouldn’t have appeared and then returned to the stage of the Bolshoi if it wasn’t for Nina Ananiashvili. And I think that the moral right for the filming belongs to her, not to mention the fact what a wonderful Aspiccia she is. But this right was taken from her – even twice. The first time the filming was planned for the fall ‘2000, but the ballet was excluded from the repertory by Rozhdestvensky, who was brought to Bolshoi as General Artistic Director. The second time is now. In spring the plans were still to film Nina, and she was asked to keep October free from other obligations. That’s why she doesn’t take part in this ABT fall season. Only in August it became obvious that the plans were changed – actually the news came from Zakharova’s interview. I think the clumsy way the final decision with filming was made led Nina to the refusal to dance this ballet in future. So, alas, we will not see her anymore as Aspicia . And as far as I know she is not inclined to go to Paris with the Bolshoi Ballet in January.

I guess Alexandrova has no chances for filming: a good debut is not strong enough a motivation. The performances on October 27, 29 and 31 are fixed for Zakharova and Filin, so everything was settled beforehand in spite of the fact that Zakharova never danced this ballet. She is working now with Ludmila Semenyaka and let’s hope she’ll be ready for the mentioned dates.

Sounds like a very reasonable 'Bolshoi-style' explanation, Mikhail. A good debut is not strong enough a motivation, neither is a lifelong career at the top of the Bolshoi, but the arrival of a dancer from another company, who still has to learn the role, is. Oh well....

Speaking of Masha Alexandrova again, there are rumors that she will dance the new, bare-footed "Romeo and Juliet"? Do you something know about this, Mikhail? Anybody else?

Marc,
I'd rather skip the comments on Zakharova in "Pharaon" but it seems not entirely the Bolshoi's decision. Zakharova told in one of her numerous interviews that she was chosen by Pierre Lacotte. I heard that French TV suggested a contract with the exclusive rights for filming the "Pharaon", its distributing and broadcasting for 30 years, Bolshoi agrees for 10 years which is actually the same: 30 or 10 years means eternity for a ballet . So for many years Zakharova who did not dance yet this ballet will be the only Aspicia in public opinion. Everything is so strange that any reasonable comments are hardly possible.

Indeed, there will be a premiere in December of a new version of "R&J" staged by Donnelan with choreography by Radu Poklitaru. Alexandrova is chosen as Juliet in the first cast, a young ballerina Anastasia Meskova (she graduated from the School two years ago) is supposed to dance in the second cast. But Alexandrova herself got to know about the choice of Poklitaru only recently, from an announcement on a wall with a schedule of rehearsals. As far as I know, she still could not attend the rehearsals because she was busy at the same time preparing for her debut as Aspicia. So for the moment Masha has no idea about the synopsis, the conception and the choreography of "R&J". I guess it is a bit premature to discuss this ballet and Alexandrova's participation.

Actually it is known not too much about that "R&J". Poklitaru mentioned `bare-feet' dancers in an interview, so this is not a rumor. But I cannot imagine Alexandrova dancing this way. I know also, that some Bolshoi's veterans from a team of coaches are invited to play Juliet in her old age. Does it mean Juliet will not kill herself or this will be just in Juliet's imagination before the death? I will try to keep you informed when there is more news.

“Sounds like a very reasonable 'Bolshoi-style' explanation, Mikhail. A good debut is not strong enough a motivation, neither is a lifelong career at the top of the Bolshoi, but the arrival of a dancer from another company, who still has to learn the role, is.”

It has become so fashionable now to talk about the ‘Bolshoi-style’ in a derogatory manner.
French TV will make this film and they have to market it. Zakharova is better known in France than any other ballerina currently with the Bolshoi. She successfully danced “La Bayadere” at the Opera de Paris two years ago, the audience and the company loved her; a year later she danced there again, in “Swan Lake”. She is also the choreographer’s choice. He obviously has no doubt about her ability to learn the role. Does anyone have doubts about it?
The other ballerina who made a good debut last week is so lovely in the role of Ramsea that she almost definitely will be filmed too.
If the choice was to be made on the basis of “a lifelong career”, then Marina Timofeyevna Semyonova should have had priority.

Well, if all this is the case, than I can only feel sorry that so many external factors and influences are deciding what's happening at the Bolshoi Ballet. Moreover, Zakharova has been dancing to great success all over the world - as a member of the Mariinsky, not of the Bolshoi. Nobody doubts she will learn the role. Yet some people are bound to have doubts as to what she will eventually do with it.

I take your sense of humor, Akimova, but I guess it was clear to everybody that only "active" (in the sense of "still dancing on stage") ballerinas were considered .

Akimov(-a), I must say, is a quite appropriate nickname.

Which "external factors and influences are deciding what's happening at the Bolshoi Ballet"? There is only ONE factor here: the French TV is making the film. So, it is not happening at the Bolshoi . The French TV and the choreographer will decide what is best for their fil m. If the Bolshoi made this film, they could decide what the film will be l ike. Even in this case the choreographer had to be consulted.

On October 19 I saw Pierre Lacotte’s La Fille du Pharaon with Maria Alexandrova and Ruslan Skvortsov. Both principals made their debuts in the roles just 3 days before. Maria Alexandrova was just superb. She was very strong technically in her variations and did complicated movement that no other ballerina did in the role. More that that, she was so majestic and beautiful, so skillfully show the beauty of the classical movements! She weared her glittering costumes with such a dignity as if it was made of real gold and diamonds. She was real miracle.
The only reason why the performance dont was really great was Ruslan Skvortsov. He cannot cope with the technique, and the adagios apparently gave to Alexandrova many unpleasant moments, he hited her and so on. We cannot talk about chemistry in that case. His own variations did not improve my opinion about him.
Anastasia Yatsenko was very good as Ramze – sweet naive soubrette. Anastasia Goriacheva was nice looked but absent-minded in the grand pas.

Concerning “R&J” by Donnelan / Poklitaru. Maria Alexandrova started the rehearsals the last week. Because of that she has but a few regular performances in November. The dancers will not be “bare-feet”, they will dance in leather shoes with light soles and small heels (it is called “jazzovki” in Russian ballet slang, I do not know the English equivalent). The ballerina refused to comment the conception and the choreography of the ballet – ‘you will see at the premiere” she told.

An article was published today in a newspaper “Novye Izvestiya” (here is the link for Russian speaking members of the forum: http://www.newizv.ru/news/?n_id=2537&curda...ate=2003-11-04). According to the author, Mr. Akimov was furious when attended the rehearsals of “R&J” and discovered that Romeo changed his sexual orientation and Juliet became a travesti. The directorate had to remind Akimov that anyway he will be retired in two months and the administration should not interfere the creative initiative of Mr. Donnelan, the famous Western producer. No comments were given from the press-service, only a statement appeared that “the production will be unusual”. The author states that the dancers are interested what will be the end of the famous story but the administration is afraid of eggs and tomatoes thrown to the stage at the premiere. The first performance will take place in the middle of December, still during Akimov’s term as the ARTISTIC director of the Bolshoi Ballet. What does the forum think about this, should I buy rotten tomatoes indeed to protect the great love story? :shrug:

It may all turn out to be brilliant, of course, but I think if audiences took more tomatoes to performances like these -- just in case, just in case -- the world would be a safer place.

I'm trying to find out who the famous Western producer Donnelan is, but am so far drawing a blank. So is Google.