The new soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre ballet company, American David Hallberg, has started rehearsals in Russia. His début on the Bolshoi stage will be in Giselle on November 4. Sergei Filin, the head of the Bolshoi Ballet, who invited the 29-year-old American to Moscow, said in an interview for The Voice of Russia: I’d like to underline his strong wish to fit in with the … [Read more...] about David Hallberg and Sergei Filin speak from Moscow
Mikhailovsky
Grand Gala at the Kremlin with stars from Hamburg, Stuttgart, Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky and Béjart companies
Stars from the Hamburg Ballet are heading to Moscow for a Kremlin Gala show on September 17 and 18. Soloists will perform various pieces by John Neumeier, the artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet, who will be the special guest at the gala . Two leading soloists of the German troupe, Héléne Bouchet and Thiago Bordin, will dance the “Adagietto” from Gustav Mahler’s Fifth … [Read more...] about Grand Gala at the Kremlin with stars from Hamburg, Stuttgart, Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Mikhailovsky and Béjart companies
Ballet Twitter pics
Smartphone photos linked onto a tweet are a great way to let Twitter followers get a glimpse of where you are and what you're up to. Everyone's at it from Hollywood stars to football louts. Ballet dancers, creative by nature, are often clicking away and sometimes the results are shared. Now boys love toys, so most of the tweet-pics are from male dancers. In fact most ballet … [Read more...] about Ballet Twitter pics
Nacho Duato, tradition and revolution at the Mikhailovsky Ballet
Ever since Duato breezed into the “dusty and creaky” Mikhailovsky, he has been tearing the place up. “No need for the classical movements here,” Duato tells a dancer in rehearsal. “Forget the port des bras! Forget that your arms are your arms—just drop them, as though they are something heavy.” Demonstrating, Duato drops his limbs as though he’s carrying buckets. When he’s not … [Read more...] about Nacho Duato, tradition and revolution at the Mikhailovsky Ballet
Fabio Luisi chasing James Levine’s job leaves an opening for the young Daniele Rustioni
Last night Daniele Rustioni conducted Aida at Covent Garden. At 28 he is certainly young, but as assistant to the house musical director Antonio Pappano he was an obvious and pleasing choise to replace the escaping Fabio Luisi. Luisi, who's eyeing James Levine's job at the Met, dashed off to replace him, breaking his Royal Opera House contract in doing so. As The Arts Desk … [Read more...] about Fabio Luisi chasing James Levine’s job leaves an opening for the young Daniele Rustioni