RUSSIA: Russia's Bolshoi Ballet stages The Rite of Spring amidst the recent acid attack controversy

Record ID: 860430

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russia's Bolshoi Ballet stages The Rite of Spring amidst the recent acid attack controversy
  • Date: 27th March 2013
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 26, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BOLSHOI THEATRE
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2013 13:00
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  • Location: Russian Federation
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Business,Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA49833JP7CPO2XC3DB1997C00A
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  • Story Text: Russia's Bolshoi Theater on Tuesday (March 26) readied a ballet 'The Rite of Spring', opening its first new production since an acid attack on its artistic director Sergei Filin in January.
    The 'Rite of Spring', set to music by Igor Stravinsky, was staged by a choreographer from Ekaterinburg Tatiana Baganova who specializes in contemporary dance pieces.
    Dancers involved in the production said the dancing had been difficult, and that not everyone had been up to the challenge.

    "Physically it's a lot of pressure on the knees - you have to have healthy knees. Many of us artists have had operations on our knees. Some of the artists have their knees badly hurt and they refused (to dance in the production) due to health issues," Bolshoi Theatre artist Anna Okuneva said.

    "It's everything here - both health and stamina," Torgunakov said.

    "And misunderstanding of the new material," Okuneva said.

    "When you come and start to repeat these moves then you understand that you've never done this before. It's like in space, and you have to study yourself again and not everyone is ready for this," Torgunakov added.

    "The boys are dancing in jackets barefoot. There's a scene where we put on boots and run onto the stage with spades. And start to dig water that we can't find," Torgunakov said.
    For many of the Bolshoi's classically-trained dancers the contemporary dance moves were difficult to adjust to.

    "In classical ballet we are used to stretching out and pulling ourselves up over the ground to look taller and lighter. But here, quite on the contrary, you have to land (on stage)," Torgunakov said.

    "That's the term - 'landing'," Okuneva added.

    "You have to get energy from the floor," Torgunakov said.
    Many of the dancers, however saw the festival, which included another dance piece choreographed by Mats Ek, as a good opportunity to perform.

    "And for us it's a great event. And I would like once again to say big thank you to the management and to (Sergei) Filin for giving us such an opportunity to touch a hand of such a great master," Bolshoi Theater artist Maria Alexandrova said.
    The Bolshoi had originally invited British choreographer Wayne McGregor to choreograph a dance to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring score, which had originally premiered in Paris a century ago.
    After the acid attack, however, McGregor's involvement in the production was cancelled - a joint decision on the part of both McGregor and the Bolshoi, according to a statement issued by the Bolshoi.
    The Rite of Spring premieres in Moscow on Thursday (March 28).
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