tour diary | The Stuttgart Ballet blog

November 4, 2019
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China / November 2019 (Day 10)

The day of our second performance has arrived. As sometimes happens on tour with a debut! Clemens Fröhlich danced the role of Prince Gremin for the first time. Naturally, this adds to the excitement of the Performance.

Photos: Roman Novitzky

Company class on the stage of the beautiful Tianqiao Theater

Artistic Director Tamas Detrich in the auditorium running the stage rehearsal for the third cast

Artistic Director Tamas Detrich

The performance begins: Jessica Fyfe as Olga with the ensemble in the first act

Jessica Fyfe as Olga and Martí Fernández Paixà as Lenski

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Jason Reilly as Onegin in the first pas de deux

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Jason Reilly as Onegin in the „mirror“ pas de deux

The ensemble at the opening of the third act in Jürgen Rose’s fabulous costumes and spectacular set

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Clemens Fröhlich making his debut as Prince Gremin

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Clemens Fröhlich as Prince Gremin

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Jason Reilly as Onegin at the beginning of the last pas de deux

John Cranko’s spirit on stage: Anna Osadcenko Jason Reilly in Onegin (Foto: Roman Novitzky)

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Jason Reilly as Onegin in the last pas de deux

Anna Osadcenko as Tatiana and Jason Reilly as Onegin in the passionate final moments of the last pas de deux

The company takes a bow before a very enthusiastic audience in the sold out Tianqiao Theater

November 3, 2019
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China / November 2019 (Day 9, Part 2)

Here is a second look back to our opening night in Beijing. There are more photos oft he following days to come after our return to Stuttgart!

Photos: Roman Novitzky

After the first performance, the company is congratulated by our host Madame Feng Ying, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of China. Here with Stuttgart Ballet Artistic Director Tamas Detrich and Qin Xi

The two absolutely charming „flower girls“ who presented flowers to Elisa Badenes and Jessica Fyfe onstage and who shared in the excitemment onstage after the curtain went down

Liu Jingwei, Friedemann Vogel, Madame Feng Ying, Tamas Detrich and Wang Quanxing pose for the official portrait

Friedemann Vogel signs autographs at the stage door

November 2, 2019
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China / November 2019 (Day 9)

Finally the day of the first performance has arrived! We give a big cheer and lots of appreciation and a huge thanks to our entire technical crew and their colleagues from the lighting department who performed miracles here in Beijing to ensure that the curtain went up on a picture perfect set.

Photos: Roman Novitzky

Make-up artist Lola Khurramova prepares Friedemann Vogel for his role as Onegin

The stage is set for the first act

The desk of the stage manager with the score for the ballet – all around the world, this desk looks very similar…

The technical crew makes a human chain to guide the dancers into the right wing for the high speed entrance and exit of the famous line of jetés in the first act. This ensures that the dancers enter from the correct wing

Character Artist Sonia Santiago surrounded by the dancers from the second act. They are wishing her a Happy Birthday!

Aiara Iturrioz Rico, Matteo Miccini, Alicia Garcia Torronteras and Timoor Afshar as party guests in the second act of Onegin

In the second act of Onegin, we see the genius of John Cranko at work: to portray the somewhat unsophisticated country society in which Tatiana lives, he created a set of old relatives to attend her birthday party. These relatives and friends of the family like to gossip about everything which is going on. These roles are an important part of this act and Cranko was one of the first choreographers to portray all ages on the stage. The Stuttgart Ballet dancers invest alot into these roles: here with Joana Romaneiro, Louis Stiens, Elisa Ghisalberti, Alessandro Giaquinto, Melinda Witham, Martino Semenzato, Sonia Santiago, Adrian Oldenburger, Martina Marin

Friedemann Vogel in all his glory as Onegin

Friedemann as Onegin enters the party and snubs the guests

Onegin dances with Tatiana: Elisa Badenes as Tatiana, Friedemann as Onegin

Onegin becomes annoyed with the old relatives… Elisa Badenes as Tatiana, Friedemann as Onegin

The final pas de deux: Elisa Badenes as Tatiana, Friedemann as Onegin

Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel take a bow after a successful performance

November 1, 2019
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China / November 2019 (Day 8)

It is our third day in China; in the evening is the dress rehearsal of Onegin. Today we want to extend a special thank you to our tour diary photographer Roman Novitzky who is taking the time to document our daily life here for all our fans at home and around the world, although he is dancing in two out of three performances here in Beijing: Prince Gremin on opening night and Onegin himself on Sunday night! Just as an example: during the general rehearsal he stood in the wings in costume and makeup whenever he wasn’t onstage himself to take these wonderful photos of his colleagues! So thank you so much, Roman!

Photos: Roman Novitzky

Happy Halloween! Ciro Ernesto Mansille dresses up for class in a „La Casa de Papel“ mask…

… which amuses his colleagues

Time for the dress rehearsal: Elisa Badenes as Tatiana preparing to write her love letter to Onegin

Tatiana dreams of Onegin: Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel in the famous „mirror“ pas de deux

Tatiana waits for Onegin’s response to her letter: Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel

Onegin asks if the letter is from her: Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel

Onegin is not amused about Tatiana’s letter: Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel

Onegin destroys Tatiana’s dreams by tearing up her letter: Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel

The beginning of the third act: the ball at Prince Gremin’s palace. With Alexander McGowan, Christopher Kunzelmann, Timoor Afshar, Adrian Oldenburger, Mizuki Amemiya, Alicia Torronteras, Daiana Ruiz, Joanna Romaneiro

The ball: Maria Andrés Betoret, Fabio Adorisio, Daniele Silingardi, Fernanda de Souza Lopes

Flemming Puthenpurayil, Diana Ionescu, Noan Alves, Elisa Ghisalberti, Daniele Silingardi, Fernanda de Souza Lopes, Fabio Adorisio, Maria Andrés Betoret

The final, dramatic pas de deux: Onegin has written Tatiana his own letter; he says he loves her and wants her back although she is married to Prince Gremin. Now Tatiana must decide what to do… Elisa Badenes and Friedemann Vogel perform this famous, heart-wrenching scene

October 31, 2019
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China / October 2019 (Day 7)

Dear Tour Diary Readers,

greetings from Beijing! After a long day of travel on Monday, and a much needed day of rest for the dancers on Tuesday – which many spent travelling to the Great Wall of China – class and rehearsals for John Cranko’s Onegin started in the Tianqiao Theatre, home of the National Ballet of China. The theatre was built in 1953 and was the first theatre built in Beijing after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In 1980, the Stuttgart Ballet performed in China for the first time in this very theatre – with John Cranko’s Onegin. For the celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the the National Ballet of China, we are returning with this ballet at the special request of our hosts.

Photos: Roman Novitzky and Martí Fernández Paixà

The Tianqiao Theatre

Company class in the studio of the theatre

Artistic Director Tamas Detrich runs the rehearsal of Onegin in the studio

Before leaving Taiwan, rehearsals for Onegin had already begun: here with Hyo-Jung Kang as Tatiana and Roman Novitzky as Onegin (Photo: Martí Fernández Paixà)