16 May 2014, Friday
"Giselle" goes to Washington, D.C.The Bolshoi Ballet traditionally presents its guest performances at the Opera House of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Bolshoi Ballet performs in the capital of the USA almost on a regular basis (2007 - "Cinderella" and "Don Quixote", 2009 - "Le Corsaire", 2010 - "Spartacus" and "Don Quixote", 2012 - "Coppélia"); the audience shows no signs of getting bored with the company and the large Opera House of the capital's main cultural center - the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - is packed. As a rule, the audience gives the performances a very warm welcome. Critics are more difficult to please, but even they find plenty of compliments for the Bolshoi artists. "This production, which opens Tuesday and runs through Sunday afternoon, fairly bursts with dazzling ingredients. But most exciting of all, for its entire three (!) hours it runs on a current of extraordinary energy. It's rare even at the upper reaches of the field to find an entire ballet company that can transfer such unmuzzled electricity to its audience, but that is the Bolshoi's distinction. We've seen the same deeply held investment in what it's been doing on earlier tours here". This is a fragment of a review by Sara Kaufman, the recipient of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism and the Washington Post's leading dance critic. As she admitted, this time she and her colleagues are even more curious about the coming Bolshoi season. This will be the first time that the Bolshoi Ballet has come to the USA after the commotion it has recently gone through. It will also be the first time that the American audience will see the ABT premier David Hallberg perform as the Bolshoi Ballet premier. Finally, "Giselle" is an exceptionally romantic ballet; it is interesting to see the company perform a piece that demands more than just bravura technique… That is to say, the Bolshoi Ballet is about to embark on a very responsible mission - as usual! "Giselle" (choreographed by Y. Grigorovich). The cast: Giselle - Svetlana Zakharova (May 20th, 7.30 p.m.; May 22nd, 7.30 p.m.), Anna Nikulina (May 21st, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 1.30 p.m.; May 25th, 1.30 p.m.); Ekaterina Krysanova (May 23rd, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 7.30 p.m.). Duke Albrecht - David Hallberg (May 20th, 7.30 p.m.; May 22nd, 7.30 p.m.), Artem Ovcharenko (May 21st, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 1.30 p.m.; May 25th, 1.30 p.m.), Ruslan Skvortsov (May 23rd, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 7.30 p.m.). Mirtha - Ekaterina Shipulina (May 20th, 7.30 p.m.; May 22nd, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 1.30 p.m.; May 25th, 1.30 p.m.), Maria Allash (May 21st, 7.30 p.m.; May 23rd, 7.30 p.m.; May 24th, 7.30 p.m.).
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