|
home
forum
magazine
features
reviews
interviews
events
links
gallery
whoweare
| |
 A
Feature on Irma Nioradze of the Mariinsky/Kirov Ballet
by Emma Pegler
London, 5 May 2003 -- It was
Irma Nioradze’s idea to bring together her colleagues from the Mariinsky/Kirov
ballet to perform as the “Ballet Stars of St. Petersburg” at the Royal
Albert Hall. Normally we see the stars – Nioradze, Igor Zelensky, Yulia
Makhalina, Ilya Kuznetsov, Nikolai Tiskaridze, Faroukh Ruzimatov, etc.
performing together as the Kirov (the touring name for the St. Petersburg
Mariinsky Theatre Ballet. Indeed, the Kirov has just completed a week
at The Lowry in Salford and is returning to the Royal Opera House, courtesy
of the Hochausers, over the summer. It is good news that the Mariisnky
is now permitting its company members to branch out on their own. Ms Nioradze
will not be drawn on the subject but there have been tales of plans for
non-Kirov galas thwarted in the past by a company bent on quality control.
There should be no concerns about quality control with the line-up for
the Royal Albert Hall. It has been a great feat for Ms Nioradze to co-ordinate
the schedules of her colleagues but, as one of the longest-standing ballerinas
of the Mariinsky (she became a principal in 1992) she commands respect
amongst her colleagues to the extent that they have done their best to
be in London for the two galas she has masterminded. She has plans for
further galas, thinking it important to bring the stars of the revered
company to Europe as often as possible and certainly beyond the fixed
tours of the Kirov.
Ms Nioradze is probably not known outside of Russia to the same extent
as some of the dancers she has invited to join her at the Royal Albert
Hall. She hasn’t danced outside of Russia in the same way as, say, Igor
Zelensky and Nikolai Tsiskaridze. She hasn’t appeared as a guest with
other companies and she has found the repertoire at the Mariinsky sufficiently
diverse to sustain a domestically focused career. The result of this is
that she is adored within Russia. The first time I went to St. Petersburg
I saw the audience go wild for her Kitri in Don Quixote. This is one of
her favourite roles because she feels Kitri could be Georgian – the same
strength of expression we associate with Spain, Nioradze associates with
her native Georgia. (You haven’t seen audiences truly enjoy themselves
until you have seen an audience in Russia supporting one of its stars.)
 Whilst
Irma has been completely faithful to the company and stayed within the
fold, she has been quite revolutionary in being a mother and having a
baby on the job. Iliko, her son, is the apple of her eye and she can’t
wait for him to grow up a little so that he can appreciate his mother’s
art. The Royal Ballet is beginning to count mothers amongst its ranks,
Darcey Bussell being the most famous of the working mothers, but it is
fairly unusual, still, for a ballerina to return to dance after giving
birth.
This makes Nioradze so perfect a protagonist for ‘Madame Lionelli.’ Simonov
(famous for his new production of ‘The Nutcracker’ for the Mariinsky)
has choreographed a new work on Nioradze about a woman of the 21st century
- business woman by day and devoted wife and mother by night. It is the
first work to be choreographed on the ballerina and it is a dream come
true. She danced his “About a Woman” (music by Morricone) at the St. Petersburg
New Year Gala at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in January and although that
was not made specifically for her, she liked Simonov's language. The idea
of ‘Madame Lionelli’ was developed equally between them and evolved over
time. Nioradze can identify perfectly with Madame Lionelli: during the
day she is totally focused and concentrated on her work, but when she
goes home she is a different woman and forgets her assertiveness and concentration
– she softens and slips into the role of a mother completely devoted to
her son. It will be interesting to see how this piece is received by UK
audiences who are used to seeing the classic works from the Kirov. “Madame
Lionelli” was well received in St. Petersburg earlier this year and represents
an important development in Nioradze’s career.
CriticalDance.com wishes Ms Nioradze and her colleagues “Good Luck” with
this venture.
Please join the discussion
in our forum.
| |
Archives
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
|
