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Home , Aleksey Yermolayev, Alina Somova, Alla Sizova, Diana Vishneva, Don Quixote (ballet), Fyodor Lopukhov

Cal Performances Presents

Tuesday, October 14–Sunday, October 19, 2008 Zellerbach Hall

Kirov & Orchestra of the (St. Petersburg, )

Valery Gergiev, Artistic & General Director

The Company

Diana Vishneva, , Viktoria Tereshkina , Yulia Kasenkova, Tatiana Tkachenko

Andrian Fadeev, , Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Anton Korsakov

Elena Bazhenova, Olga Akmatova, Daria Vasnetsova, Evgenia Berdichevskaya, Vera Garbuz, Tatiana Gorunova, Grigorieva Daria, Natalia Dzevulskaya, Nadezhda Demakova, Evgenia Emelianova, Darina Zarubskaya, Lidia Karpukhina, Anastassia Kiru, Maria Lebedeva, Valeria Martynyuk, Mariana Pavlova, Daria Pavlova, Irina Prokofieva, Oksana Skoryk, Yulia Smirnova, Diana Smirnova, Yana Selina, Alisa Sokolova, Ksenia Tagunova, Yana Tikhonova, Lira Khuslamova, Elena Chmil, Maria Chugay, Elizaveta Cheprasova, Maria Shirinkina, Elena Yushkovskaya

Vladimir Ponomarev, Mikhail Berdichevsky, Stanislav Burov, Andrey Ermakov, Boris Zhurilov, Konstantin Zverev, Karen Ioanessian, Alexander Klimov, Sergey Kononenko, Valery Konkov, Soslan Kulaev, Maxim Lynda, Anatoly Marchenko, Nikolay Naumov, Alexander Neff, Sergey Popov, Dmitry Pykhachev, Sergey Salikov, Egor Safin, Andrey Solovyov, Philip Stepin, Denis Firsov, Maxim Khrebtov, Dmitry Sharapov, Vasily Sherbakov, Alexey Timofeev, Kamil Yangurazov

Kirov Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre U.S. Management: Ardani Artists Management, Inc. Sergei Danilian, President & CEO

Made possible, in part, by The Bernard Osher Foundation, in honor of Robert Cole; Patron Sponsor Carmel and Howard Friesen, in honor of Robert Cole; and Opening Night Patron Sponsors Wendy and Mason Willrich.

Cal Performances’ 2008–2009 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank.

CAL PERFORMANCES 5 Program A Program A

Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 8pm Mazurka Elena Bazhenova, Konstantin Zverev Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 8pm Hungarian Dance Yulia Slivkina, Boris Zhurilov Zellerbach Hall Yana Selina Grand Pas Maria Shirinkina, Valeria Martynyuk, ACT I Elizaveta Cheprasova, Elena Yushkovskaya; Egor Safin, Philip Stepin, Maxim Khrebtov, Vasily Scherbakov; Yulia Bolshakova, Daria Vasnetsova, Marianna Pavlova; (Act 3) Sergey Popov, Andrey Solovyov, Denis Firsov

c a s t — w e d n e s d a y

Raymonda Irma Nioradze Jean de Brienne Yevgeny Ivanchenko Rene de Brienne Vladimir Ponomarev

Mazurka Elena Bazhenova, Konstantin Zverev Hungarian Dance Alisa Sokolova, Karen Ioanessian Variation Yana Selina Grand Pas Maria Shirinkina, Valeria Martynyuk, Elizaveta Cheprasova, Elena Yushkovskaya; Egor Safin, Philip Stepin, Maxim Khrebtov, Vasily Scherbakov; Yulia Bolshakova, Daria Vasnetsova, Marianna Pavlova; Sergey Popov, Andrey Solovyov, Denis Firsov

World Premiere January 7, 1898, Mariinsky Theatre Premiere of ’s Version April 30, 1948, Kirov Theatre, Leningrad Mariinsky Theatre in Raymonda

Music ACT II Libretto Lidia Pashkova and , based on a medieval Choreography Marius Petipa La Bayadère Revised Version Konstantin Sergeev (“The Kingdom of Shades”) Choreographic Fragments , Pyotr Gusev, Lidia Tiuntina, Georgy Konishchev Music (1876) Set and Costume Design Simon Virsaladze Choreography Marius Petipa Conductor Pavel Bubelnikov Costume Design Yevgeny Ponomarev Conductor Pavel Bubelnikov

c a s t — t u e s d a y

Raymonda Irma Nioradze Jean de Brienne Yevgeny Ivanchenko Rene de Brienne Vladimir Ponomarev

6 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 7 Program A Program A

ACT III (Grand Pas)

Music Ludwig Minkus Choreography Marius Petipa (1881) Revival Consultants Pyotr Gusev, Lidia Tiuntina, Georgy Konishchev Set Design Gennady Sotnikov Costume Design Irina Press Conductor Pavel Bubelnikov

c a s t — t u e s d a y

Viktoria Tereshkina, Andrian Fadeev Yana Selina, Daria Vasnetsova, Valeria Martynyuk, Maria Shirinkina Alina Somova, Viktoria Tereshkina Mariinsky Theatre Alina Somova in La Bayadère c a s t — w e d n e s d a y

Alina Somova, Anton Korsakov c a s t — t u e s d a y Yana Selina, Daria Vasnetsova, Valeria Martynyuk, Maria Shirinkina Viktoria Tereshkina, Alina Somova Nikiya Alina Somova Solor Leonid Sarafanov World Premiere (Act 3 from Paquita) , 1881, Mariinsky Theatre Shades Yulia Kasenkova, Tatiana Tkachenko, Premiere of the Revival June 29, 1978, Kirov Theatre, Leningrad Daria Vasnetsova

c a s t — w e d n e s d a y

Nikiya Solor Yevgeny Ivanchenko Shades Yulia Kasenkova, Tatiana Tkachenko, Daria Vasnetsova

INTERMISSION

8 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 9 Program Notes Program B

Raymonda celebrated compositions, with the entrée, known as Friday, October 17, 2008, 8pm the Entrée de l’ombres (“Entrance of the Shades”), Saturday, October 18, 2008, 2pm & 8pm Raymonda is the jewel in the crown of Marius Peti- perhaps his most celebrated of all. The Entrée de Sunday, October 19, 2008, 3pm pa’s long, creative career. It is also this classical cho- l’ombres was inspired by Doré’s illustrations for Zellerbach Hall reographer’s most modernistic work. The subject is Dante’s “Paradiso” from The Divine Comedy, with mentioned en passant, giving way to pure dance each dancer in the corps de ballet clad in white tu- ensembles, foretelling the triumph of the plotless tus and veils stretched about their arms. Each of of the 20th century. Pure classical dancing the dancers made her entrance, one by one, down Grand ballet in three acts (six scenes) with a prologue is bravely mixed with Hungarian folk dancing: in a long, winding ramp from upstage right, with a Based on the novel by the final Grand Pas, the ballerina dances en pointe, simple Arabesque cambré, followed by an arching but her arms are flung wide open in the Hungar- of the torso with arm in fifth position, followed ian style, now flying up behind her head, now rest- by two steps forward. With the last two steps, she ing by her sides. Even the series of purely classical made room for her sister shade, and the combina- point work—now on this leg, now on that—is tion would continue thus in a serpentine pattern reminiscent of elements from boisterous Magyar until the entire corps had filled the stage. Simple folk dance. Here, we see Countess Raymonda dis- movements en adage continued to the end, where dainfully rejecting the ardent Saracen, staying true the dancers split into two rows and lined opposite to her betrothed knight, away on a crusade, before sides of the stage in preparation for the dances to ultimately celebrating her wedding. Here, we see follow. In 1903, “The Kingdom of the Shades” was the prima ballerina observing the rules of classical performed independently for the first time, in a dance amidst the energy of Eastern dances so she gala performance at Peterhof. can then demonstrate her bravado nature through pseudo-Hungarian movements. Everything that fascinates in Konstantin Paquita Sergeyev’s version of Raymonda was created not by Sergeyev but by Petipa. Sergeyev did not improve In the dim and distant past, Paquita was a grand the ballet by reworking it, though he did respond ballet with gypsies, smugglers, a bottle of poison, to the mood of the age. According to critics of the a hiding place in the fireplace, a kidnapped noble- time, the return of the pompous Raymonda after man, a cherished locket, Spanish cloaks, daggers, the war meant as much for Leningrad residents weddings, diamonds and dances. The new sensa- as the famous statue of Samson from the Great tion of came to the St. Petersburg stage in Cascade at Petergoff being carried along Nevsky 1847. In 1881, Petipa added an extra act to the bal- Prospect—it meant that peace had returned. let, consisting of one dramatic Grand pas from be- Valentin Baranovsky Valentin ginning to the end. After the Imperial Mariinsky Alina Somova in Don Quixote Theatre become Soviet, and Paquita itself disap- La Bayadère peared from the repertoire, the Grand pas appeared Music Ludwig Minkus on theatre posters in capital letters and took on a Libretto Marius Petipa The most celebrated and enduring passage of La life its own. There remain, however, even today, Choreography Alexander Gorsky (1902) after Marius Petipa Bayadère (“The Temple Maiden”) is “The Kingdom hints of former Imperial times. The entrée of the Costume Design of the Shades,” in which Solor, the warrior-suitor dancers reflects the official hierarchy of the compa- Conductor Pavel Bubelnikov of temple maiden Nikiya, smokes opium and envi- ny: corps de ballet, coryphée, soloists, then the prima sions Nikiya’s shade in a state of nirvana among ballerina. This hierarchy in turn mirrors the pomp World Premiere December 14, 1869, , the starlit mountain peaks of the Himalayas. Here, of the Imperial Court. The brilliance of the danc- (choreography by Petipa) the lovers reconcile among the opulence and or- ers’ entrechats rivaled that of the diamonds worn Premiere of Alexander Gorsky’s Version December 6, 1900, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow der of the shades of other bayadères. Petipa staged by ladies in the boxes. Balletomanes, just as they St. Petersburg Premiere of Gorsky’s Version January 20, 1902, Mariinsky Theatre this scene as a strict Grand pas classique, entirely did over a hundred years ago, fervently observe the devoid of any dramatic action. His simple and aca- competitive sequence of the soloists, each, one after Performance running time: two hours 55 minutes with two intermissions. demic choreography has become one of his most another, dancing a specially selected variation.

10 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 11 Program B Program B

o r c h e s t r a l s o l o i s t s c a s t — s a t u r d a y e v e n i n g Violin Lyudmila Chaikovskaya Don Quixote Vladimir Ponomarev Cello Alexander Ponomarev Stanislav Burov Harp Odarka Voshak Lorenzo Nikolay Naumov Kitri Viktoria Tereshkina Basilio Leonid Sarafanov c a s t — f r i d a y Gamashe Soslan Kulaev Espada Konstantin Zverev Don Quixote Vladimir Ponomarev Street Dancer Daria Vasnetsova Sancho Panza Stanislav Burov Flower-seller Yulia Kasenkova, Yana Selina Lorenzo Nikolay Naumov Lady Dryad Tatiana Tkachenko Kitri Alina Somova Amur Elena Yushkovskaya Basilio Andrian Fadeev Mersedes Alisa Sokolova Gamashe Soslan Kulaev Gypsy Dance Lira Khuslamova, Mikhail Berdichevsky Espada Konstantin Zverev Oriental Dance Elena Bazhenova Street Dancer Daria Vasnetsova Fandango Yulia Slivkina, Karen Ioanessian Flower-seller Yulia Kasenkova, Yana Selina Variation Alina Somova Lady Dryad Tatiana Tkachenko Amur Valeria Martynuk Mersedes Elena Bazhenova c a s t — s u n d a y Gypsy Dance Alisa Sokolova, Mikhail Berdichevsky Oriental Dance Yulia Slivkina Don Quixote Vladimir Ponomarev Fandango Lira Khuslamova, Karen Ioanessian Sancho Panza Stanislav Burov Variation Tatiana Tkachenko Lorenzo Nikolay Naumov Kitri Diana Vishneva Basilio Yevgeny Ivanchenko c a s t — s a t u r d a y m a t i n é e Gamashe Soslan Kulaev Espada Karen Ioanessian Don Quixote Vladimir Ponomarev Street Dancer Daria Vasnetsova Sancho Panza Stanislav Burov Flower-seller Yulia Kasenkova, Maria Chugay Lorenzo Nikolay Naumov Lady Dryad Tatiana Tkachenko Kitri Irma Nioradze Amur Elena Yushkovskaya Basilio Anton Korsakov Mersedes Elena Bazhenova Gamashe Soslan Kulaev Gypsy Dance Lira Khuslamova, Mikhail Berdichevsky Espada Karen Ioanessian Oriental Dance Yulia Slivkina Street Dancer Daria Vasnetsova Fandango Lira Khuslamova, Karen Ioanessian Flower-seller Yulia Kasenkova, Maria Chugay Variation Alina Somova Lady Dryad Tatiana Tkachenko Amur Elizaveta Cheprasova Mersedes Yulia Slivkina Gypsy Dance Lira Khuslamova, Mikhail Berdichevsky Oriental Dance Elena Bazhenova Fandango Lira Khuslamova, Karen Ioanessian Variation Yana Selina

12 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 13 Synopsis Synopsis

Don Quixote becomes sport for the men, who toss him in the air. Sancho screams for help. Don Quixote comes to his rescue, armed with a huge toasting-fork and Prologue a plate for a shield. The knight sees Kitri and is struck by her beau- A room in Don Quixote’s house. Having read ty. He drops to one knee and asks her to dance a some tales of chivalry, Don Quixote decides to minuet with him. To annoy Basilio, Kitri gracious- set out in search of adventures, defend virtue and ly accepts the invitation, flirtatiously imitating the punish those who violate the code of honor. It oc- manners of a fine lady. While no one is looking, curs to him to make his servant, Sancho Panza, his Sancho steals a fried fish from the kitchen, and the armor-bearer. scullions catch the thief. Amidst the general confusion, Kitri and Basilio slip away unobserved. Act I

Scene 1. In front of Lorenzo’s inn in Barcelona, a Act II holiday crowd has gathered. Also there are Kitri, the flirtatious daughter of the innkeeper, and her Scene 2. Fleeing from Lorenzo and Gamache, the lover, Basilio, the barber, who has come to tease two lovers, Kitri and Basilio, wander into a gypsy her. Basilio is over-attentive to Kitri’s friends. camp. The gypsies dance for their guests. A girl in- Lorenzo catches his daughter kissing Basilio forms them of the approach of a strange-looking and forbids them ever to meet again—he won’t horseman—it is Don Quixote. Basilio and Kitri have any penniless suitors. In vain, Kitri tells her greet him like old friends. Baranovsky Valentin Don Quixote father how much she loves Basilio, but Lorenzo is The gypsies invite Don Quixote to attend a implacable and turns the barber out of the house. play they are about to perform. He takes what is Gamache, a rich and pompous nobleman, happening on stage to be reality, and rushes, sword walks in, resplendent in his brocaded clothes. The in hand, to rescue the unhappy heroine. The im- crowd jeers at him. He has come to ask for the hand provised theatre is destroyed, and frightened actors Scene 4. Morning breaks. Kitri and Basilio wake at once that he is pretending, but slyly begs Don of the beautiful Kitri. Lorenzo would be delighted and spectators scatter in all directions. up only just in time, for Lorenzo and Gamache are Quixote to go to Lorenzo and persuade him to to have so highborn a gentleman for a son-in-law, The turning sails of a windmill then catch Don close upon them. The lovers flee. Don Quixote, grant Basilio’s dying wish—to give their love his but to Kitri the idea of marrying him is detestable. Quixote’s eye. They are the arms of giants! their protector, sends Lorenzo and Gamache on a blessing. Basilio is sure to die. Why not ease his The innkeeper is shocked at his daughter’s imperti- Don Quixote attacks the windmill. His clothes false trail, but Sancho Panza corrects his master’s last moments? nent manner towards Gamache. get caught on a sail and he is first swung up into “mistake.” The chase goes on. Gamache protests, but is driven out uncer- A street dancer enters, cheered heartily by the the air, then hurled to the ground. Kitri and Basilio emoniously. At Don Quixote’s earnest entreaty, crowd. The girl is eagerly awaiting the arrival of attend to his injuries. They spend the rest of the Lorenzo blesses the lovers. The very next moment, Espada, the famous toreador. Espada appears, night resting by the gypsies’ caravan. Act III Basilio jumps to his feet and kisses the astounded accompanied by other toreadors. They dance, Lorenzo. The merrymaking at the inn continues flourishing their cloaks, enacting scenes from Scene 3. Don Quixote is tormented by a night- Scene 5. People are gathering for a fiesta at an late into the night. a bullfight. mare. In his sleep, he sees a huge spider crawl out of inn. Kitri and Basilio, having given Lorenzo and At the appearance of an extraordinary looking a dark, dense forest. He boldly attacks the monster Gamache the slip, have also come here to take part Scene 6. Lorenzo, assisted by the scullions, the horseman, the people struck again with astonish- and overpowers it. At the same instant, the for- in the merrymaking. The innkeeper warns Kitri of maidservants and Kitri’s friends, is putting the ment. Sancho Panza blows a horn to announce the est is transformed into beautiful Kingdom of the her father’s approach; Kitri tries to escape, but her final touches to the wedding feast. Don Quixote arrival of the knight-errant of La Mancha. Lorenzo Dryads. Among them is Kitri, who has assumed father overtakes her and drags her to Gamache to is the guest of honor. The happy lovers dance for welcomes the traveler courteously and invites him the form of Dulchinea, the queen of his heart. give them his parental blessing at their betrothal. him. Wishing the newlyweds every happiness, the to partake of some refreshment. The girls seize the Cupid presents Don Quixote to the Queen of Gamache kneels before Kitri. knight-errant departs in search of new adventures. opportunity to have a bit of fun by playing tricks the Dryads. The nymphs are grateful to him for Basilio, seeing this, stabs himself and falls on the fat armor-bearer. They start a game of blind- rescuing them from the monster, and dance for to the ground. Kitri rushes to him. She guesses man’s bluff. Afterwards, the poor, harried Sancho their deliverer.

14 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 15 Orchestra Roster About the Artists

Mariinsky Orchestra The Kirov Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre is 1922, when Fyodor Lopukhov, a daring innovator closely linked with the entire history of the de- and a brilliant connoisseur of the past, was put at Artistic & General Director Flute velopment of Russian choreographic art which the head of the company, its repertory was enriched Natalia Shlykova began some 250 years ago. Since 1783, the com- with new productions, in particular ballets dealing Vasily Viland Conductor Oleg Mikhailovsky pany performed at the stage of the St. Petersburg with contemporary life. It was during those years Pavel Bubelnikov Bolshoi (Stone) Theatre, and from 1885 onwards that , Alexei Yermolayev, Marina Oboe the ballet productions have been staged at the Semenova, Vakhtang Chibukiani, Alla Shelest and Violin I Andrey Yankovsky Mariinsky Theatre. many other future celebrities of the St. Petersburg Lyudmila Chaykovskaya Alexander Trushkov The leading role in the establishment and evo- ballet came to the company. Alexander Shirokov Alexander Sveshnikov lution of the belonged to foreign After the Communist revolution, the name Leonid Kirichenko masters. At the end of the 18th century, active of the Mariinsky Theatre was changed to the Clarinet Artur Dzhavadian in St. Petersburg were Franz Gilferding, Gasparo Academic Theatre or the Academic State Theatre. Ildar Gatov Yevgeny Kultygin Sergey Gavrikov Sergey Khristofis Angiolini, Giuseppe Canziani and Charles le Then, in 1935, the theatre was renamed the Kirov Vera Skripnik Mikhail Tolbukhin Picqué. But already in the 1790s, the first Russian Theatre, after the Mayor of Leningrad (communist Marina Serebro ballet teacher, Ivan Valberkh, became prominent. St. Petersburg), . (In recent years, the Elena Luferova Bassoon The main sphere of his activities was a small mime company has transitioned from the Kirov Ballet to Victor Zaytsev Arseny Makarov . He sought to make his produc- its original name, the .) Mikhail Zatin Konstantin Shevchuk tions rich in subject matter and to create recogniz- The 1960s saw the staging of and Kirill Murashko able, lifelike images. A special place in his work was Choreographic Miniatures by , Horn occupied by ballet divertissements which reflected the productions of The Stone Flower and The Violin II Igor Prokofiev Zhanna Abdulaeva Dmitry Chepkov his responses to the events of the War against Legend of Love by , as well as Alexander Vasiliev Viktor Mitroshin Napoleon. The history of the St. Petersburg bal- The Coast of Hope and The Leningrad Symphony by Svetlana Zhuravkova Andrey Antonov let in the 19th century was associated with the ac- —the ballets which revived the tradi- Lyubov Gavrikova tivities of Charles Didelot, and Arthur tions of symphonic dances. The success of these Erdan Ergaliev Trumpet Saint-Léon. In 1869, the position of the principal productions would obviously be impossible with- Mark Kogan Vasily Kan was entrusted to Marius Petipa who out superb performers. During the period of the Vladimir Kutepov Viacheslav Panasyuk markedly raised the professional standards of the 1950s–1970s among the dancers of the company Gennady Kuteev company. The peak accomplishment of this fa- were , , Alla Viola Igor Kravtsov Olga Maximova mous master became ballets staged in the period of Osipenko, Irina Gensler, , Rydolph Viktor Zakharov Trombone his collaboration with the composers Pyotr Il’yich Nureyev, , , Svetlana Kozlova Ilya Belyaev Tchaikovsky and Alexander Glazunov—The Yury Solovyev and Anatoly Sapogov. Elena Solovyova Victor Shirokov Sleeping Beauty, and Raymonda. The tal- Towards the end of the 1970s, in the repertory Khamit Aliev Nikolay Timofeev ents of many generations of ballerinas have been re- of the company appeared and Naples by Angelina Vayner vealed in them—from Yekaterina Vyazem, Marina Auguste Bournonville, fragments of ancient chore- Ekaterina Stupnikova Tuba Semenova and Galina Ulanova to younger dancers ography by Perrot, Saint-Léon and Coralli. Roland Nikolay Novikov who are just fledging on the Mariinsky stage. Petit and Maurice Béjart came to work for some Cello Dmitry Kirillov Percussion At the turn of the 20th century, the Mariinsky time with the company. The Tudor Foundation Boris Mezhvinsky Valery Zhavnerchik Ballet produced such great dancers as , gave rights for the ballets Lilac Garden and Leaves Sarkis Ginosian Mikhail Peskov , , Olga Are Fading. Jerome Robbins staged the ballet In the Georgy Tleubaev Valery Kniga Preobrazhenskaya, Olga Spesivtseva, Vaslav Night at the Mariinsky. Alexander Ponomarenko Nikolay Volkov Nijinsky, Nikolai and . Many of them It was in 1989 that the Mariinsky Theatre Nikolay Oginets Alexander Petrov glorified the Russian ballet during the legendary first staged ballets by outstanding choreographer Saisons Russes in Paris, which familiarized Europe , who had begun his career in Harp with pioneering works by Michele Fokine. The St. Petersburg. The next decade saw the theatre’s Vasily Rakitsky Odarka Voshak Alexander Belokon years after the revolution were a difficult period for repertoire enriched with productions of the lead- Victor Alexeev Carpenter the Mariinsky Theatre. Almost all its leading artists ing choreographers of the mid-20th century to the Vladimir Nefedov Andrey Romanov abandoned the company. Nevertheless during these early 21st century: Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon years the classical repertory was retained. And in and ’s Now and Then and Spring

16 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 17 About the Artists About the Artists and Fall. Especially for the Mariinsky Theatre, meanwhile regarded as masterpieces of the 19th Hans von Bülow, Felix Mottl, Felix Weingartner, relationships with the world’s greatest hous- Neumeier staged Sounds of Empty Pages to music and 20th century. World premiere performances Alexander von Zemlinsky, Otto Nikisch, Willem es, among them the House, by Alfred Schnittke. include Glinka’s Life of a Tsar and Ruslan and Mengelberg, Otto Klemperer, Bruno Walter and London’s , the These years also saw intense work to re- Liudmila, Borodin’s , Musorgsky’s Boris Erich Kleiber. Opera, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and La store Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty and La Godunov and , Rimsky-Korsakov’s On two occasions, in 1847 and 1867, Hector Scala in , just to name a few. Besides exten- Bayadère, both highly acclaimed in the interna- Maid of Pskov, and Legend of the Berlioz conducted performances of his own works, sive touring of the opera and the ballet company, tional press. Invisible City of Kitezh, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of including The Damnation of , Romeo and the Kirov Orchestra has performed throughout St. Petersburg premieres also include Etudes Spades, , Swan Lake, and The Juliet, Symphony Fantastique and Harold in . world and has become one of the outstanding or- (choreography by Harald Lander), two ballets by Sleeping Beauty, Prokofiev’sThe Duenna, by Berlioz wrote in his memoirs “Such an orchestra! chestras. The success of the orchestra’s continual Stravinsky—’s Les Noces and Shostakovich and ballets by Khachaturian. Such precision! Such an ensemble!” And in a let- travelling has lead to the reputation of, what a jour- ’s Le Sacre du Printemps—and bal- Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky was closely as- ter dated December 1867, he stated: “I don’t think nalist called, “the world’s first global orchestra.” lets by William Forsythe. sociated with the Mariinsky Theatre, not only Beethoven ever had a better performance of his In 1998, the Orchestra made its debut tour The number of world premieres has grown too, conducting the orchestra but also premiering compositions!” In March and April 1863, Richard of China, an historic first, with a performance in with ’s staging of , The his Fifth Symphony there, as well as the fantasy Wagner visited St. Petersburg and led the Royal the Great Hall in Beijing, broadcast to 50 million Nutcracker and The Magic Nut (music by Sergei overture and the Sixth Symphony. Serge Imperial Theatre Orchestra in six programs of people, in the presence of President Jiang Zemin. Slonimsky, libretto, sets, costumes and production Rachmaninoff conducted the Orchestra on numer- Beethoven symphonies and his own compositions, It was the first time in 40 years that a Russian or- design by and choreography ous occasions, including the premieres of his Spring including the world’s first concert performance of chestra had been in China. by Donvena Pandoursky), the latter two together Cantata and the symphonic poem, The Bells. The Prelude und Liebestod. Gustav Mahler appeared Under the baton of Maestro Gergiev, the or- comprising “Chemiakin’s Hoffmann.” Orchestra also premiered the music of the young with the Orchestra in both 1902 and 1907, con- chestra has recorded exclusively for Philips Classics The Mariinsky’s current U.S. tour marks the , such as his Scherzo Fantastique and ducting five concerts, including a performance of since 1989. Releases include the complete operas theatre’s 225th anniversary year of 2008. No other the suite from ballet. his Fifth Symphony. In 1912, Arnold Schoenberg Khovanshchina, , , Prince Igor, Russian ballet company has toured so frequently Throughout its history, the Mariinsky Theatre conducted the premiere of his symphonic poem, The Queen of Spades, Ruslan and Lyudmila, Iolanta, and to such acclaim in the United States. has presented works by Europe’s leading opera Pelleas and Melisande. Fiery Angel (winner of the 1996 Gramophone The Mariinsky Ballet Company’s tours to the composers. In 1862, Verdi’s Renamed the Kirov Opera during the Soviet “Opera of the Year’ award), La Forza del Destino, United States are managed by Sergei Danilian and was given its world premiere at the theatre in the era, the orchestra continued to maintain its high (1869 and 1872 version), , Ardani Artists, which has collaborated closely with presence of the composer. Wagner was a favorite artistic standards under the leadership of Evgeny Betrothal in the Monastery, Love for Three Oranges the theatre in recent years. at the Mariinsky Theatre, where his operas were Mravinsky and Yuri Temirkanov. In 1988, Valery and . In addition the orchestra re- frequently performed from the 19th through the Gergiev was elected artistic director of the opera corded the complete ballets Romeo and Juliet, The The Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre beginning of the 20th century, including the first company and in 1996 the Russian Government Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. enjoys a long and distinguished history as one of Russian performances of the complete Ring cycle, appointed him as Artistic and General Director In July 2000, the Orchestra and Chorus of the oldest musical institutions in Russia. Founded Tristan und Isolde, Die Meistersinger and . of the Mariinsky Theatre. Soon after the city the Mariinsky Theatre recorded Verdi’s Requiem, in the 18th century during the reign of Peter the The Ring cycle was conducted by Hans Richter, of Leningrad was renamed St. Petersburg, the and their other releases of orchestral music include Great, it was known before the revolution as the who was the first to conduct the complete Ring in Kirov Theatre reverted to its original title of the Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8, Rachmaninoff’s Russian Imperial Opera Orchestra. Housed in Bayreuth and at Covent Garden. Mariinsky Theatre, home to the Kirov Opera, the Symphony No. 2, Stravinsky’s The Firebird and St. Petersburg’s famed Mariinsky Theatre (named The Mariinsky Orchestra also gave the first Kirov Ballet and the Kirov Orchestra. , Skriabin’s Poem of Ecstasy and after Maria, the wife of Czar Alexander II) since Russian performances of Richard Strauss’s Elektra, Under the leadership of Maestro Gergiev, Prometheus, and the complete piano concerti 1860, the Orchestra entered its true “golden age” Salome and Der Rosenkavalier, and Berg’s Wozzeck, the Mariinsky Theatre has forged important of Prokofiev. during the second half of the 19th century un- in a production that took place two years after its der the music direction of Eduard Napravnik world premiere in Berlin and 20 years before its (1839–1916). Napravnik single-handedly ruled premiere in Vienna. the Imperial Theatre for more than half a century By 1917, the orchestra’s name had changed (from 1863–1916) and under his leadership, the to the Royal Imperial Theatre Orchestra, and Mariinsky Orchestra was recognized as one of the was regarded as St. Petersburg’s leading sym- finest in Europe. He also trained a generation of phony orchestra. Its repertoire—operatic and outstanding conductors, developing what came to orchestral—has traditionally included not only be known as “the Russian school of conducting.” music of Russian composers, but also of European The Mariinsky Theatre was also the birth- composers. Numerous internationally famous place of numerous operas and ballets which are musicians conducted the Orchestra, among them

18 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 19 About the Artists About the Artists

Mariinsky Theatre Administration and Staff Lighting Designer Alexander Naumov Electricians Andrey Ponizovsky, Ilya Kabanov Head of Props Department Boris Yanukian Yury Fateev, Interim Director of the Ballet Prop Master Marina Krushina Heads of Make-up Department Kipirina Elena, Natalia Borisova Assistants to Ballet Director Make-up Tatiana Mezentseva, Vladimir Mikhailov Zagrebina Irina Heads of Wardrobe Department Nina Galnbek, Lyudmila Sitnikova Sofya Yadchenko Wardrobe Yulia Belyaeva, Alla Luneva Sound Engineer Dmitry Shreyber Ballet Masters Ninel Kurgapkina Tatiana Berezhnaya Gabriela Komleva Staff of Ardani Artists Management, Inc. Lyubov Kunakova Anatoly Nisnevich President & CEO Sergei Danilian Gennady Selyutsky Vice-President & CFO Gaiane Danilian Redzhep Abdyev Company Manager Armen Danilian Technical Supervisor Michael Vool Ballet Teachers Production Stage Mananger Brian White Igor Petrov Lighting Designer Antonio Marques Natalia Spitsyna Master Carpenter Patrick Shea Nina Ukhova Electrician Gabriel Levine Flyman Donald Maxwell Stage Managers Prop Master Ronald Rebentisch Vladimir Lepeev Wardrobe Supervisor Isabel Rubio Vera Kirillova Stage Interpreters Nina Morozova, Ksenia Starchevskaya

Pianists Musical Instruments provided by Carroll Music Natalia Merkulova Lidia Zvereva Transportation provided by Clark Transfer, Inc. Olga Soboleva Overseas and Domestic travel provided by Atlas and Oasis Travel Agencies Masseurs Zoya Kharlanova Liability Insurance DeWitt Stern Group Fridlyansky Ilya Accounting Service APS

Technical Staff Technical Tour Director Yury Sheremet Ardani Artists Management, Inc. Head of Carpentry Department Sergey Shestakov 130 West 56th Street, Floor 5M Carpenters Sergey Kartashev, Sergey Gamayunov, New York, New York 10019 Mikhail Dmitriev, Robert Fadeev www.ardani.com

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