Above: a photo of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg that Edwaard Liang has sent me. Edwaard is at that famous home of ballet and opera creating a new work for the Kirov which premieres on April 24th as part of the Mariinsky Festival. (Dmitry tells me that the banner on the front of the building alludes to the Mariinsky's performances of the Shchedrin concert-opera The
Click on each image to enlarge.
Edwaard recently made a side trip to Novosibirsk where he is brushing up his ballet IMMORTAL BELOVED which is nominated for three Golden Mask awards: one for best new choreography, one for best new production and a third for its star: Igor Zelensky. Above: Edwaard with the ballerinas who appear in IMMORTAL BELOVED.
Above: The ballet boys of Novosibirsk who dance in Edwaard's IMMORTAL BELOVED. The Golden Mask competition will be held in Moscow March 27th - April 15th with the concluding awards ceremony on April 17th. Watch excerpts from IMMORTAL BELOVED here; the Philip Glass score is so haunting.
Back to St. Petersburg: Edwaard reports that his ballet is nearly finished. Above, his principal dancers Leonid Sarafanov and Olesya Novikova in rehearsal. Edwaard is using music of Marin Marais ('La Folia') and John Tavener ('Song for Athene'); in one of those odd coincidences, I was listening to the Tavener earlier this week. The source of inspiration for the new work is THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE.
Oleysa Novikova taking a break. Edwaard is thrilled with his principal dancers; in addition to Oleysa and Leonid, the works calls for a corps of four couples.
Above: the Tsar's box at the Mariinsky.
Here in New York City, we can see a new work by Edwaard Liang when ABT II play at the Joyce in April.
Aren't Sarafanov and Novikova married?
Posted by: Andrea | March 28, 2010 at 08:54 PM
Yes, and they recently had a baby.
Posted by: Philip | March 28, 2010 at 08:55 PM
Immortal Beloved looks exciting on that video. I still miss Igor Zelensky at the City Ballet.
Posted by: Marisa | March 28, 2010 at 08:58 PM