In Kevin McKenzie's updated and re-imagined production of Giselle for the spring Met season, Giselle is a classically-impoverished equinerina and Albrecht makes gay porn.
Some of the worst crap-casting ever makes ABT's 2014 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House look like a slew of stew nights at the diner where the customers end up spitting their chew into napkins.
Boylston dancing the title role in Giselle instead of Abrera, Kajiya, Lane or Murphy? It can't get any more offensive than that. No matter how much make-up is caked on the face, it won't hide the awkwardness, absence of musicality, and lack of grace. Add the gothic and unappealing Whiteside into the cast as Albrecht, and you've got one horror show.
McKenzie sure is hell-bent on making ABT the laughing-stock of classical ballet and denying meaningful careers to the company's best classical dancers.
Just as Haglund predicted when he observed three castings of Part and Gomes in this year's Nutcracker, they have no – zip zilch – performances at all together in the spring because Vishneva and Kent monopolize Marcelo. Julie Kent certainly has not followed the wisdom of leaving while they're still wanting more. No, she's continuing to grab new roles while the classical ballerinas who are starving for principal opportunities sit on the bench. Kent as Ashton's Cinderella? Seriously? What about the steps? As much as Haglund loves this ballet, presently there is not one ABT cast who will do it justice or make it worth seeing. None of the pairings is worth seeing. Not. Worth. Seeing.
And all of those TBAs for Cinderella and Manon? Does ABT think that its core audience has a collective IQ of -2? Those used to be Cojocaru's signature roles as is The Dream. It is sickening to see her name cluttering up the schedule again when she bailed out of 100% of her performances last year — performances that should have gone to Sarah Lane in the first place, and certainly should have gone to Sarah when Cojocaru bailed. But when McKenzie is in a fix, his knee jerk reaction is to hire a guest dancer. When he's contemplating years in advance, his knee jerk reaction is to hire a guest dancer. And then give himself a big raise for all his work. No one should be surprised when all of those TBAs are awarded to guest dancers.
It's only a matter of time. ABT will meet the same fate as New York City Opera. Artistic bankruptcy today; financial bankruptcy tomorrow. Gosh, what will happen to the poor guest artists?
44 responses to “ABT declares artistic bankruptcy”
How much you wanna bet those Cinderella and Manon will be taken by Kochetkova and Cojocaru? Or I would not be surprised if McKenzie brings Bolshoi’s Olga Smirnova on as another permanent guest artist, she is being overly promoted in order to secure an international career. Smirnova has been outed as being recently married to a wealthy banker whose mother just happens to be Filin’s assistant at the Bolshoi. She is also the woman whom Tsiskaridze and others rightly held disdain for, since she has big say in casting choices at the Bolshoi even though her professional background is in finance and not dance. Rumour is that the influential powers surrounding Smirnova are looking at international companies where she could be an established guest. ABT is a company always in lookout for Russian ballerinas. McKenzie would likely try to find ABT’s next Vishneva, so it could very well happen. I hope not, because while a talent with potential, I find Olga Smirnova to be lacking in many attributes. For one, she has serious deficiencies in technique at this point in her career, to have her at ABT as principal above Stella Abrera is ridiculous. Second, Smirnova would stick out like sore thumb at ABT, she is already developing awful mannerisms as recent youtube videos show. It’s like she has believed her own hype about lyrical upper body, so now she goes extra length to show almost insect-like bending contortions with her mannered use of arms and shoulders especially.
Vishneva I heard is curtailing on performances this season. So Kevin is already panicking for where next Russian superstar is coming from. If not Smirnova, I have also heard rumours of someone from the Mariinsky.
How much you wanna bet those Cinderella and Manon will be taken by Kochetkova and Cojocaru? Or I would not be surprised if McKenzie brings Bolshoi’s Olga Smirnova on as another permanent guest artist, she is being overly promoted in order to secure an international career. Smirnova has been outed as being recently married to a wealthy banker whose mother just happens to be Filin’s assistant at the Bolshoi. She is also the woman whom Tsiskaridze and others rightly held disdain for, since she has big say in casting choices at the Bolshoi even though her professional background is in finance and not dance. Rumour is that the influential powers surrounding Smirnova are looking at international companies where she could be an established guest. ABT is a company always in lookout for Russian ballerinas. McKenzie would likely try to find ABT’s next Vishneva, so it could very well happen. I hope not, because while a talent with potential, I find Olga Smirnova to be lacking in many attributes. For one, she has serious deficiencies in technique at this point in her career, to have her at ABT as principal above Stella Abrera is ridiculous. Second, Smirnova would stick out like sore thumb at ABT, she is already developing awful mannerisms as recent youtube videos show. It’s like she has believed her own hype about lyrical upper body, so now she goes extra length to show almost insect-like bending contortions with her mannered use of arms and shoulders especially.
Vishneva I heard is curtailing on performances this season. So Kevin is already panicking for where next Russian superstar is coming from. If not Smirnova, I have also heard rumours of someone from the Mariinsky.
Wow, the ABT Spring Season has been cast in Dante’s circles of Hell. I remember the days when I would go to multiple performances of many ballets because there were so many casts I wanted to see. Now it’s one, two, maybe three performances total if you count the Lane/Cornejo T&V and the Part/Abrera/TBA Bayadere, for both of which, alas, I’ll be out of the country. It is so sad to see Abrera cast as Myrtha to Kent’s Giselle–to anyone else’s Giselle for that matter, as Abrera is more deserving of that role right now than anyone else at ABT. Perhaps I’ll go to the Kajiya/Gorak Coppelia at the end of the run to leave a sweet taste in my mouth after a bitter season.
Wow, the ABT Spring Season has been cast in Dante’s circles of Hell. I remember the days when I would go to multiple performances of many ballets because there were so many casts I wanted to see. Now it’s one, two, maybe three performances total if you count the Lane/Cornejo T&V and the Part/Abrera/TBA Bayadere, for both of which, alas, I’ll be out of the country. It is so sad to see Abrera cast as Myrtha to Kent’s Giselle–to anyone else’s Giselle for that matter, as Abrera is more deserving of that role right now than anyone else at ABT. Perhaps I’ll go to the Kajiya/Gorak Coppelia at the end of the run to leave a sweet taste in my mouth after a bitter season.
Genna, very interesting information about Smirnova. My brief infatuation with her began with a video of her debut in Balanchine’s Diamonds which was brilliant. A subsequent video performance in the same role a few weeks later illustrated exactly what you have described with regard to her use of the upper body. Her port de bras in her Swan Lake debut (again from video clips) wasn’t very impressive either.
It’s hard not to believe that Smirnova would be a much more beautiful dancer if she had gone the Mariinsky route instead of to the Bolshoi. She might have suffered a decade in the corps but she’d be a better dancer.
When all of those videos of the Bolshoi’s Onegin were initially uploaded, it was a great chance to compare some of the Bolshoi ballerinas. While I really liked Smirnova’s final act in Onegin, I thought that she was out-danced in the rest of the ballet by all the others, especially Obraztsova.
I suspect that it’s more likely that McKenzie will go after Obraztsova who can perform in works more in line with ABT’s rep. But one never knows. It is such a foul crime to turn ABT into a presenter of other Artistic Directors’ work instead of requiring the company’s own AD to succeed in the job.
I agree with your comment relative to Stella Abrera. It is shameful how McKenzie disrespects her talent and accomplishments. Shameful.
Genna, very interesting information about Smirnova. My brief infatuation with her began with a video of her debut in Balanchine’s Diamonds which was brilliant. A subsequent video performance in the same role a few weeks later illustrated exactly what you have described with regard to her use of the upper body. Her port de bras in her Swan Lake debut (again from video clips) wasn’t very impressive either.
It’s hard not to believe that Smirnova would be a much more beautiful dancer if she had gone the Mariinsky route instead of to the Bolshoi. She might have suffered a decade in the corps but she’d be a better dancer.
When all of those videos of the Bolshoi’s Onegin were initially uploaded, it was a great chance to compare some of the Bolshoi ballerinas. While I really liked Smirnova’s final act in Onegin, I thought that she was out-danced in the rest of the ballet by all the others, especially Obraztsova.
I suspect that it’s more likely that McKenzie will go after Obraztsova who can perform in works more in line with ABT’s rep. But one never knows. It is such a foul crime to turn ABT into a presenter of other Artistic Directors’ work instead of requiring the company’s own AD to succeed in the job.
I agree with your comment relative to Stella Abrera. It is shameful how McKenzie disrespects her talent and accomplishments. Shameful.
Hi Angelica. You nailed it – “cast in Dante’s circle of Hell.” Too many crimes to keep track of. Sticking the company’s reigning classical Odette in a Wednesday matinee Swan Lake with Stearns while parading Seo to a Saturday night audience with Bolle is just another felony in a long crime spree.
That Kent/Bolle/Abrera Giselle had better be Julie’s send-off. I haven’t been able to bear watching her Act 1 in many years. The acting is so awful and the technique so crumbling. It breaks my heart to see Stella have to stand in the shadow of that.
Hi Angelica. You nailed it – “cast in Dante’s circle of Hell.” Too many crimes to keep track of. Sticking the company’s reigning classical Odette in a Wednesday matinee Swan Lake with Stearns while parading Seo to a Saturday night audience with Bolle is just another felony in a long crime spree.
That Kent/Bolle/Abrera Giselle had better be Julie’s send-off. I haven’t been able to bear watching her Act 1 in many years. The acting is so awful and the technique so crumbling. It breaks my heart to see Stella have to stand in the shadow of that.
Julie Kent should have hung it up before last season, and even that was a season or two too late. This is a case of a responsible AD stepping in and telling the company’s aging and not very capable anymore prima, to perhaps think about coaching the company’s younger principal-material talents. In a couple of years Kent would be more aptly cast as Bathilde, let’s get real here. Abrera’s command of academic technique combined with an unforced expressiveness would make a fine Giselle. But unfortunately for ABT fans we will never see it, instead just count us lucky she is cast as Myrtha at all.
Julie Kent should have hung it up before last season, and even that was a season or two too late. This is a case of a responsible AD stepping in and telling the company’s aging and not very capable anymore prima, to perhaps think about coaching the company’s younger principal-material talents. In a couple of years Kent would be more aptly cast as Bathilde, let’s get real here. Abrera’s command of academic technique combined with an unforced expressiveness would make a fine Giselle. But unfortunately for ABT fans we will never see it, instead just count us lucky she is cast as Myrtha at all.
Sad, but true, Genna. Maybe someday we’ll all learn the backstory of why McKenzie denied Abrera the opportunities she deserved more than anyone else and denied us the opportunities to experience her beautiful artistry in roles she was destined to dance.
Sad, but true, Genna. Maybe someday we’ll all learn the backstory of why McKenzie denied Abrera the opportunities she deserved more than anyone else and denied us the opportunities to experience her beautiful artistry in roles she was destined to dance.
Thanks, Haglund, for the commentary. For me, the biggest crime is Ms. Abrera’s not dancing in and our not getting to see this gorgeous ballerina dancing the major roles.
Thanks, Haglund, for the commentary. For me, the biggest crime is Ms. Abrera’s not dancing in and our not getting to see this gorgeous ballerina dancing the major roles.
J, I could not agree with you more.
J, I could not agree with you more.
Something I enjoy about reading Haglund’s Heel the blog, is that regardless of the opinions expressed, sources are always provided via quotes and links and logical (even when very strong) conclusions are drawn. A person can say she or he dislikes what has been written however a person would be hard pressed to argue with the listed facts. Frequently Haglund fact checks statements that commentators have made and even goes as far as to provide links that verify claims.
Today I was dispirited to read the claims of the commentator Genna regarding Olga Smirnova. What Genna has written about Olga Smirnova smacks of petty gossip and seems to be a smear campaign against an undeniably talented artist. Perhaps Smirnova has become mannered in the light of her acclaim. Perhaps not. This is something that is open to opinion. However can one responsibly state (as Genna has) that ‘she is being overly promoted in order to secure an international career.’? It sounds like a ballet conspiracy theory and seems to imply that the many people involved in making the decisions are puppets to people Genna dislikes.
Would the Bolshoi actually promote Smirnova just because they want her to have an international career? Wouldn’t doing such a thing risk losing someone in whom they have heavily invested as happened with Natalia Osipova? How would this possibly help the Bolshoi (which already has a number of problems on hand from injury scandals, to succession scandals, to insubordination scandals, to building scandals, etc. – I would offer links to these statements if they were not already heavily reported upon). Genna’ claim regarding Olga Smirnova is irresponsible. It lacks proper sourcing and is at best riddled with none sense when we consider that it would hurt the Bolshoi. Whether or not Smirnova is married to a person with inappropriate influence into casting is equally irrelevant. Whatever this person’s connections, outside of her being Putin I doubt she could influence the powers that be in such a manner. It is insulting to imply and insulting to read without (again) the appropriate sourcing.
Smirnova is a talented young woman who happens to have benefited from luck, being in the correct place at the correct time, being the fresh new face, catching Merrill Ashley’s and Paul Boos’ eye, catching Reid Anderson’s eye (or the eyes of his assistant), and also being able to benefit from Svetlana Zakharova’s withdrawal of Onegin, and the injury of Zakharova’s partner’s injury during their tour to London (specifically for Diamonds as she and Semyon Chudin were the replacements). Was all of this orchestrated by the supposed mother of Smirnova’s husband? I thought it.
I repeat: the claims made by the commentator, Genna without appropriate sourcing lowers the quality of discourse on this blog. I appreciate the civility that Haglund displays when responding to comments AND I wish that Haglund would challenge comments such as these when they lack the appropriate sources. Should I be challenged I very happily provide appropriate sourcing and quotes.
Thank you as always for your wonderful writing Haglund.
-Juan Michael Porter II
Something I enjoy about reading Haglund’s Heel the blog, is that regardless of the opinions expressed, sources are always provided via quotes and links and logical (even when very strong) conclusions are drawn. A person can say she or he dislikes what has been written however a person would be hard pressed to argue with the listed facts. Frequently Haglund fact checks statements that commentators have made and even goes as far as to provide links that verify claims.
Today I was dispirited to read the claims of the commentator Genna regarding Olga Smirnova. What Genna has written about Olga Smirnova smacks of petty gossip and seems to be a smear campaign against an undeniably talented artist. Perhaps Smirnova has become mannered in the light of her acclaim. Perhaps not. This is something that is open to opinion. However can one responsibly state (as Genna has) that ‘she is being overly promoted in order to secure an international career.’? It sounds like a ballet conspiracy theory and seems to imply that the many people involved in making the decisions are puppets to people Genna dislikes.
Would the Bolshoi actually promote Smirnova just because they want her to have an international career? Wouldn’t doing such a thing risk losing someone in whom they have heavily invested as happened with Natalia Osipova? How would this possibly help the Bolshoi (which already has a number of problems on hand from injury scandals, to succession scandals, to insubordination scandals, to building scandals, etc. – I would offer links to these statements if they were not already heavily reported upon). Genna’ claim regarding Olga Smirnova is irresponsible. It lacks proper sourcing and is at best riddled with none sense when we consider that it would hurt the Bolshoi. Whether or not Smirnova is married to a person with inappropriate influence into casting is equally irrelevant. Whatever this person’s connections, outside of her being Putin I doubt she could influence the powers that be in such a manner. It is insulting to imply and insulting to read without (again) the appropriate sourcing.
Smirnova is a talented young woman who happens to have benefited from luck, being in the correct place at the correct time, being the fresh new face, catching Merrill Ashley’s and Paul Boos’ eye, catching Reid Anderson’s eye (or the eyes of his assistant), and also being able to benefit from Svetlana Zakharova’s withdrawal of Onegin, and the injury of Zakharova’s partner’s injury during their tour to London (specifically for Diamonds as she and Semyon Chudin were the replacements). Was all of this orchestrated by the supposed mother of Smirnova’s husband? I thought it.
I repeat: the claims made by the commentator, Genna without appropriate sourcing lowers the quality of discourse on this blog. I appreciate the civility that Haglund displays when responding to comments AND I wish that Haglund would challenge comments such as these when they lack the appropriate sources. Should I be challenged I very happily provide appropriate sourcing and quotes.
Thank you as always for your wonderful writing Haglund.
-Juan Michael Porter II
I must confess my heart stuttered a little when I saw the title of this post because my eyes went straight from “ABT” to “bankruptcy”. And then I comprehended “artistic”. Well, what’s new with McKenzie?
Why oh why can’t Julie Kent let go? Is she that full of herself that she doesn’t realize that it’s best to step back already? Is there no no-nonsense friend who would say “Girl, these are not your roles anymore”?
I’ve seen the Bolshoi video of Smirnova in Diamonds. I, too, thought she was brilliant in it. But when I later watched the Farrell/Martins video floating somewhere on Youtube, I could very well see how much more “mannered” Smirnova was. I think it’s a combination of being promoted too early and, as Haglund says, believing her own press.
If ABT must be saddled with another guest artist, then McKenzie must get the superior article. There’s no excuse for getting sub-par dancers. So in this case, I’d rather it be Obraztsova (who has more than proven herself in classical and romantic ballets) than Smirnova.
I must confess my heart stuttered a little when I saw the title of this post because my eyes went straight from “ABT” to “bankruptcy”. And then I comprehended “artistic”. Well, what’s new with McKenzie?
Why oh why can’t Julie Kent let go? Is she that full of herself that she doesn’t realize that it’s best to step back already? Is there no no-nonsense friend who would say “Girl, these are not your roles anymore”?
I’ve seen the Bolshoi video of Smirnova in Diamonds. I, too, thought she was brilliant in it. But when I later watched the Farrell/Martins video floating somewhere on Youtube, I could very well see how much more “mannered” Smirnova was. I think it’s a combination of being promoted too early and, as Haglund says, believing her own press.
If ABT must be saddled with another guest artist, then McKenzie must get the superior article. There’s no excuse for getting sub-par dancers. So in this case, I’d rather it be Obraztsova (who has more than proven herself in classical and romantic ballets) than Smirnova.
Olga Smirnova recently wed a guy who works in the Bolshoi administrative offices, not a wealthy banker. Not remotely wealthy. No mother who assists Filin. Stop spreading this crock.
Olga Smirnova recently wed a guy who works in the Bolshoi administrative offices, not a wealthy banker. Not remotely wealthy. No mother who assists Filin. Stop spreading this crock.
Hi, Natalie and Juan. I’m a little slow in loading the comments this morning.
It seems that it might be Tsisky who is responsible for the stories about Smirnova’s hubby and mother-in-law, not Genna who commented. Why do people always try to make the mother-in-law out to be a troublemaker? Oh wait, erase that question.
But, hey Genna, where did you read the info about the mother-in-law, so we can all go check it out — newspaper, forum, FB, blog?
Sorry for my lapse of source-insistence.
Hi, Natalie and Juan. I’m a little slow in loading the comments this morning.
It seems that it might be Tsisky who is responsible for the stories about Smirnova’s hubby and mother-in-law, not Genna who commented. Why do people always try to make the mother-in-law out to be a troublemaker? Oh wait, erase that question.
But, hey Genna, where did you read the info about the mother-in-law, so we can all go check it out — newspaper, forum, FB, blog?
Sorry for my lapse of source-insistence.
Because I just came across this piece via Twitter after reading about the MET casting, I thought it was just so bad that I’d even rather see something like this at the MET than what is actually being presented. 😉
http://twitpic.com/dgg0ue
Blurry, but is there a short appearance of Max + Irina as well? Just to lighten up a little. 😉
Because I just came across this piece via Twitter after reading about the MET casting, I thought it was just so bad that I’d even rather see something like this at the MET than what is actually being presented. 😉
http://twitpic.com/dgg0ue
Blurry, but is there a short appearance of Max + Irina as well? Just to lighten up a little. 😉
How funny. That’s Murphy & Gomes with their parody of Dirty Dancing’s famous sequence. Agree – I’d rather watch this than the porn dude and equinerina gooping their way through Giselle.
How funny. That’s Murphy & Gomes with their parody of Dirty Dancing’s famous sequence. Agree – I’d rather watch this than the porn dude and equinerina gooping their way through Giselle.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=618753868176864&set=a.123225497729706.22723.1000012
He’s the son of Dilyara Timergazina, Filin’s adviser/assistant. Scroll down to the page to see her profile. Yes she is the person Tsiskaridze referred to in interviews as having undue influence in casting.
http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/persons/ballet/#
Olga announced on facebook she got married to someone named Dmitri Kostov. Some Russian ballet fans did a google search and found a Dmitri Kostov with Goldman Sachs based in Moscow. He does look like the guy in wedding photo Smirnova posted in the link above.
Yes I did get the news/ inside scoop from fans sympathetic to Tsiskaridze’s efforts to expose mismanagement and favoritism at the Bolshoi.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=618753868176864&set=a.123225497729706.22723.1000012
He’s the son of Dilyara Timergazina, Filin’s adviser/assistant. Scroll down to the page to see her profile. Yes she is the person Tsiskaridze referred to in interviews as having undue influence in casting.
http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/persons/ballet/#
Olga announced on facebook she got married to someone named Dmitri Kostov. Some Russian ballet fans did a google search and found a Dmitri Kostov with Goldman Sachs based in Moscow. He does look like the guy in wedding photo Smirnova posted in the link above.
Yes I did get the news/ inside scoop from fans sympathetic to Tsiskaridze’s efforts to expose mismanagement and favoritism at the Bolshoi.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=618753868176864&set=a.123225497729706.22723.100001267682271&type=1&theater
Sorry here is Olga Smirnova’s photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=618753868176864&set=a.123225497729706.22723.100001267682271&type=1&theater
Sorry here is Olga Smirnova’s photo
Genna, thank you. This is really interesting.
First off, I want to say what a an absolute beauty of a bride Olga is. Her dress is stunning. Here’s hoping that she finds much happiness with her new husband.
And yes, the groom looks quite like the Dmitri Kostov of Goldman Sachs who is on LinkedIn ( http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dmitri-kostov/0/182/837 ) and elsewhere (http://newsle.com/person/dmitrikostov/19157693 ). But how did you make the connection between Kostov and Timergazina? It would make sense that if Timergazina went to the NYU Stern Business School here in NYC as her FB page says, she might also have a son who works in finance. But I’m really curious about the connection.
Thanks Genna. It’s always okay to talk about this stuff so long as the research is offered along with it. By the way, Mr. Kostov of Goldman Sachs appears to be a Democrat since he donated $1000 to the Democratic Party five years ago when it appears that he was living in NY (http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/all_recipsdetail.php?id=D000000085&rid=C00216614&type=P&filter=D&nid= ) Let me tell you what a scandal it would be if he were donating to the Republicans.
Okay, Genna. Let’s get the connection between Kostov and Timergazina.
Genna, thank you. This is really interesting.
First off, I want to say what a an absolute beauty of a bride Olga is. Her dress is stunning. Here’s hoping that she finds much happiness with her new husband.
And yes, the groom looks quite like the Dmitri Kostov of Goldman Sachs who is on LinkedIn ( http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dmitri-kostov/0/182/837 ) and elsewhere (http://newsle.com/person/dmitrikostov/19157693 ). But how did you make the connection between Kostov and Timergazina? It would make sense that if Timergazina went to the NYU Stern Business School here in NYC as her FB page says, she might also have a son who works in finance. But I’m really curious about the connection.
Thanks Genna. It’s always okay to talk about this stuff so long as the research is offered along with it. By the way, Mr. Kostov of Goldman Sachs appears to be a Democrat since he donated $1000 to the Democratic Party five years ago when it appears that he was living in NY (http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/all_recipsdetail.php?id=D000000085&rid=C00216614&type=P&filter=D&nid= ) Let me tell you what a scandal it would be if he were donating to the Republicans.
Okay, Genna. Let’s get the connection between Kostov and Timergazina.
Haglund, I really want to thank you for the time and care that you put into responding to every commentator on your blog. I was rather unhappily affected by what I considered unfair reporting regarding Olga Smirnova in one of the comments in this issue. I believe that people are entitled to their opinions, however this was something that felt untrue to the writing I have experienced and enjoyed on your blog for over a year now. This is not to say that the comment is untrue (though I find it hard to believe), I simply have a hard time accepting this extreme statement at face value, especially considering the incredible sourcing you provide- a sourcing that was absent in the aforementioned comment. I recognise that you must be an incredibly busy person (again what with the incredible depth of detail you provide in your every entry- not to mention having your own life AND cats) and I want you to know that I find your reporting to be a highlight of my every other day.
Thank you as always,
-Juan Michael Porter II
Haglund, I really want to thank you for the time and care that you put into responding to every commentator on your blog. I was rather unhappily affected by what I considered unfair reporting regarding Olga Smirnova in one of the comments in this issue. I believe that people are entitled to their opinions, however this was something that felt untrue to the writing I have experienced and enjoyed on your blog for over a year now. This is not to say that the comment is untrue (though I find it hard to believe), I simply have a hard time accepting this extreme statement at face value, especially considering the incredible sourcing you provide- a sourcing that was absent in the aforementioned comment. I recognise that you must be an incredibly busy person (again what with the incredible depth of detail you provide in your every entry- not to mention having your own life AND cats) and I want you to know that I find your reporting to be a highlight of my every other day.
Thank you as always,
-Juan Michael Porter II
Thank you, Juan.
I think that this whole saga at the Bolshoi has been going on long enough so that most people know that whatever they hear should be taken with a grain of salt. Emotions are high, but I don’t think anyone who has commented here intended malice.
Olga is a special talent, obviously, and in my view, it’s a shame that when she graduated from the Vaganova School, the Mariinksy wasn’t an attractive enough option for her. Hopefully, she will return there at some point (sooner than later) so that her development can continue on its natural course. If she were to land a lengthy guest deal at ABT, I fear it would truncate or reverse whatever grace, grandeur and other important ballerina qualities she possesses. Putting her in the care of a tasteless, clueless Artistic Director is not what her talent needs at this point in time.
Thank you, Juan.
I think that this whole saga at the Bolshoi has been going on long enough so that most people know that whatever they hear should be taken with a grain of salt. Emotions are high, but I don’t think anyone who has commented here intended malice.
Olga is a special talent, obviously, and in my view, it’s a shame that when she graduated from the Vaganova School, the Mariinksy wasn’t an attractive enough option for her. Hopefully, she will return there at some point (sooner than later) so that her development can continue on its natural course. If she were to land a lengthy guest deal at ABT, I fear it would truncate or reverse whatever grace, grandeur and other important ballerina qualities she possesses. Putting her in the care of a tasteless, clueless Artistic Director is not what her talent needs at this point in time.
Hi Haglund, sorry this post took a turn for another– though somewhat related topic in the probability of more Russian guest dancers. I asked for the link to the discussion on the implications of Ms. Smirnova’s marriage and the connections she has with influential person at the ballet side of the Bolshoi. The person who originally linked it to me about a month ago, is a Brazilian friend with old connections at the Bolshoi but now teaches in Brazil and Latin America. This person also follows current state of Russian ballet via balletfriends.ru. That forum apparently has the insider stuff on all things Bolshoi, as I was told. Anyways in the reply email today, I was told the discussion thread linking Ms. Smirnova to mother-in-law Ms. Timergazina, no longer exists due to opposing sides insulting each other. Balletfriends covers all things Bolshoi and is a trustworthy inside source even before things become official. That forum gave a blow by blow eyewitness account of Zakharova being informed of her not being first night Tatiana, then storming out of rehearsal leaving a stunned David Hallberg. That was before Zakharova quitting Onegin was made public. The same inside sources said indeed Ms. Timergazina was Ms. Smirnova’s mother-in-law in the discussion. My Brazilian friend, more fluent in Russian than I am, said the thread took an ugly turn when some questioned why Bolshoi kept this relationship a secret since the real possibility of favoritism, as described by Tsiskaridze, then made sense. Tsiskaridze had called out Filin’s personal assistant as one with undue influence in casting and favoring certain new dancer(s). The opposing side, supporters of Ms. Smirnova, fought back saying any discussions on the possibility of favoritism was inflammatory and should not have been even be hinted at all, even with revelation of the relationship.
I did remember reading the comments in that discussion thread, and thinking to myself that those Russians take ballet, especially what’s going on at the Bolshoi way more seriously than politics here. Actually at the Bolshoi, politics, scheming, and ballet go hand in hand. They really take it to a different level there.
Off topic, yes at least Ms. Smirnova’s husband donated to the Dems. Though sometimes all is not what they seem. Case in point, when I resided in NYC on a full time basis, I was married to my ex-husband who worked as an analyst at Lehman Brothers. He and his colleagues were encouraged, well more like told, to give political contributions and to which party. Political preferences didn’t figure into which party to give financial support to. What was important was to have strategic contributions, sort of like having all bases covered. My ex-husband had to give to the Repubs one year, and I remember that depressed me to no end.
Hi Haglund, sorry this post took a turn for another– though somewhat related topic in the probability of more Russian guest dancers. I asked for the link to the discussion on the implications of Ms. Smirnova’s marriage and the connections she has with influential person at the ballet side of the Bolshoi. The person who originally linked it to me about a month ago, is a Brazilian friend with old connections at the Bolshoi but now teaches in Brazil and Latin America. This person also follows current state of Russian ballet via balletfriends.ru. That forum apparently has the insider stuff on all things Bolshoi, as I was told. Anyways in the reply email today, I was told the discussion thread linking Ms. Smirnova to mother-in-law Ms. Timergazina, no longer exists due to opposing sides insulting each other. Balletfriends covers all things Bolshoi and is a trustworthy inside source even before things become official. That forum gave a blow by blow eyewitness account of Zakharova being informed of her not being first night Tatiana, then storming out of rehearsal leaving a stunned David Hallberg. That was before Zakharova quitting Onegin was made public. The same inside sources said indeed Ms. Timergazina was Ms. Smirnova’s mother-in-law in the discussion. My Brazilian friend, more fluent in Russian than I am, said the thread took an ugly turn when some questioned why Bolshoi kept this relationship a secret since the real possibility of favoritism, as described by Tsiskaridze, then made sense. Tsiskaridze had called out Filin’s personal assistant as one with undue influence in casting and favoring certain new dancer(s). The opposing side, supporters of Ms. Smirnova, fought back saying any discussions on the possibility of favoritism was inflammatory and should not have been even be hinted at all, even with revelation of the relationship.
I did remember reading the comments in that discussion thread, and thinking to myself that those Russians take ballet, especially what’s going on at the Bolshoi way more seriously than politics here. Actually at the Bolshoi, politics, scheming, and ballet go hand in hand. They really take it to a different level there.
Off topic, yes at least Ms. Smirnova’s husband donated to the Dems. Though sometimes all is not what they seem. Case in point, when I resided in NYC on a full time basis, I was married to my ex-husband who worked as an analyst at Lehman Brothers. He and his colleagues were encouraged, well more like told, to give political contributions and to which party. Political preferences didn’t figure into which party to give financial support to. What was important was to have strategic contributions, sort of like having all bases covered. My ex-husband had to give to the Repubs one year, and I remember that depressed me to no end.
Thanks, Genna. Okay, so we still have to establish whether there is a connection between Kostov and Timergazina. It’s possible that they are merely acquaintances, but Tsiskaridze threw out the term “mother-in-law” to describe in a disparaging way a situation that he thought was not in keeping with his own brand of what’s-the-opposite-of-meritocracy. Then everyone who heard the word “mother-in-law” took it seriously. And, of course, there is still the chance that he was being literal.
To kind of steer all this back in the general direction of the original post, Olga could be a prime target for Kevin McKenzie’s thievery and ruin at any time. Let’s hope she doesn’t end up here although I am very much looking forward to seeing her when the Bolshoi comes through NYC next year. And again, I wish her much happiness with her new husband.
Thanks, Genna. Okay, so we still have to establish whether there is a connection between Kostov and Timergazina. It’s possible that they are merely acquaintances, but Tsiskaridze threw out the term “mother-in-law” to describe in a disparaging way a situation that he thought was not in keeping with his own brand of what’s-the-opposite-of-meritocracy. Then everyone who heard the word “mother-in-law” took it seriously. And, of course, there is still the chance that he was being literal.
To kind of steer all this back in the general direction of the original post, Olga could be a prime target for Kevin McKenzie’s thievery and ruin at any time. Let’s hope she doesn’t end up here although I am very much looking forward to seeing her when the Bolshoi comes through NYC next year. And again, I wish her much happiness with her new husband.
. . . and finally, here is the confirmation that Olga Smirnova’s mother-in-law is Filin’s assistant:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/nov/12/bolshoi-theatre-acid-attack-sergei-filin?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
“Filin’s assistant, Dilyara Timergazina, also gave evidence on Tuesday. She denied Dmitrichenko’s claims that Filin had had affairs with a number of ballerinas and handed out leading roles “through his bedsheets”. In particular, Dmitrichenko accused Filin of having an affair with Olga Smirnova, a star ballerina at the Bolshoi who accompanied him to a theatre performance on the night of the attack.
Timergazina said she was certain that Filin was not having an affair with Smirnova, who is also her daughter-in-law. ”
Thank you, Genna!
. . . and finally, here is the confirmation that Olga Smirnova’s mother-in-law is Filin’s assistant:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/nov/12/bolshoi-theatre-acid-attack-sergei-filin?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
“Filin’s assistant, Dilyara Timergazina, also gave evidence on Tuesday. She denied Dmitrichenko’s claims that Filin had had affairs with a number of ballerinas and handed out leading roles “through his bedsheets”. In particular, Dmitrichenko accused Filin of having an affair with Olga Smirnova, a star ballerina at the Bolshoi who accompanied him to a theatre performance on the night of the attack.
Timergazina said she was certain that Filin was not having an affair with Smirnova, who is also her daughter-in-law. ”
Thank you, Genna!