More Information About Carmen and Bolero

Website

http://www.russianmasterpieceballet.com/

Description

A rare treat awaits the West Coast ballet afficionado: two one-act masterpieces, never before seen here, based on the beloved classical music of Bizet's "Carmen" and Ravel's "Bolero", choreographed by Russian masters, and danced by a brilliant generation of new Moscow stars.

"Bolero" was choreographed by Bronislava Nijinsky and premiered in the Paris Opera in 1928, starring Ida Rubinstein as the lead and the composer himself as the conductor. Other choreographers inspired by the music include Fokin, Bejar, et al. The current version represents the work of Alexander Petukhov, a Bolshoi dancer and talented choreographer, whose interpretation celebrates the 75th anniversary of the original show, yet reflects a contemporary sensibility for the music that has never aged. Petukhov's work follows the composer's original vision for the piece, written for ballet rather than orchestral performance.

"Carmen" was created by Alberto Alonso in 1964 for the Bolshoi's legendary Maya Plisetskaya, with Bizet's music arranged for the ballet by her husband, world-renowned composer R. Shchedrin. It was an unprecedented triumph. Now, 40 years later, Anatoly Emelianov, a bright new star of Russian choreography, has authored a new version of "Carmen" for the new century.

Emelianov, born in Siberia and dancing since the age of 4, burst onto the Moscow scene as a rare phenomenon and was dubbed "Siberian Gold." He started his career performing at the Bolshoi, then tried his hand at choreography staging a rock-ballet "Juno and Perchance," a continuing hit that made him the toast of the town. He followed this success with a ballet based on Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, "The Gypsy Fantasia," and original versions of classics such as "Swan Lake" and the "Nutcracker."

"Emelianov is an exceptional talent," says Vladimir Kirillov, former principal dancer for the Stanislavsky Ballet and now artistic director of the Russian Masterpiece Ballet, an "all-star" troupe reflecting a brilliant new generation of the booming Moscow ballet scene. Kirillov commissioned Emelianov for the new version of "Carmen" because "the only fluctuation in his work is between excellent and brilliant." On the American tour, Emelianov will also dance in his "Carmen" as one of the two male leads.

"For the choreography of the new 'Carmen,' I used the classical dance vocabulary," says Emilianov. "But the expressiveness of the dance is infused with modern spirit. What's most important, I have my own Carmen. It's the remarkable Olga Pavlova who combines a rare technique with a truly Carmenesque temperament and, at the same time, a winning lyricism."

Pavlova, known for her fierce independence, embraced the role. "Whoever will dance in the version created for Plisetskaya, will inevitably be compared to her," Pavlova shares. "We all worship her, and yet I welcome a chance to find my own ways of expressing the character I feel so close to."

Winner of a gold medal at the "Maya" ballet competition, Pavlova became Plisetskaya's friend and protege and an instant sensation in Russia. She danced "Giselle" at the Bolshoi with Alexei Ratmansky, now the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. Julio Lopez, the famous Argentine choreographer, saw Pavlova perform and stayed in Moscow for an extra fortnight to choreograph just for her a tango concert piece to Astor Piazzola's music. Now, following in the footsteps of her mentor Plisetskaya, Pavlova has "Carmen" choreographed especially for her.

Sergei Teplov, a lead in "Carmen," received gold medals in several competitions, including the 2002 Diaghilev International, for technical perfection and artistry. At 19, a tender age for male dancers, Teplov was offered the lead as Ivan the Terrible in the Kremlin ballet by the great Grigorovich himself, as well as the central role of Basil in the Bolshoi's "Don Quixote" by then general director, Vladimir Maximov. (As a dancer, Maximov was the Bolshoi's counterpart to the Kirov's Baryshnikov and Nureyev.)

Natalia Ledovskaya has danced a multitude of leads -- from Odette to Kitri -- as prima ballerina at the Stanislavsky ballet. In 2003, Russia's influential "Ballet" magazine awarded Ledovskaya the Soul of Dance prize in the Ballet Star category, praising her combination of "a dazzling technique with an irresistible charisma and an ability to create unforgettable characters."