Podcasts about mariinsky ballet

Karen LeFrak is a celebrated Composer, Pianist and Children's Book Author. She has composed a number of moving music scores, including “Sleepover At The Museum, which have been presented around the world by the NY Philharmonic, National Symphony, American Ballet Theater and the Mariinsky Ballet. Her newest work is called “Miami Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra” and features World Class guitarist Sharon Isbin. As an author Karen has written several acclaimed children's books including “Jake the Philharmonic Dog” and “Best In Show”.My featured song is called “Cousins” from the album Trippin by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Ranked in the Top 1% of all podcasts with listeners worldwide on every continent in 200 countries!Click here for All EpisodesClick here to SubscribeClick here to receive our podcast emailsClick here to rate and review the podcast—----------------------------------------Connect with Karen:www.karenlefrak.com—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single. It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called "Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!"CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, choreographer and author, Vladimir Angelov. In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Vladimir Angelov, a renowned choreographer, and author. Together, they discuss his journey from Bulgaria to the United States and his passion for choreography. He shares his own journey as a choreographer and the satisfaction of contributing to the dance community.  Mr. Angelov is also the founder of the International Choreography Organization and Networking Services (ICONS) that provides resources and opportunities for choreographers worldwide and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting choreographers in the dance industry. His recently published book, 'You, the Choreographer: Creating and Crafting Dance' , does just that. It is a valuable guide for choreographers of all genres in their creative process.  This engaging conversation explores the history and process of choreography, and also delves into the creative process of choreography, discussing the role of personal experiences, storytelling, and the exploration of norms and boundaries.  Mr. Angelov is considered by many of his colleagues a key international expert in choreography, especially in philosophy and theory of choreography, as well as traditional and experimental approaches to creative practices.  Vladimir Angelov (choreographer, author, lecturer, and executive director) graduated from the National School for Dance Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. He studied philosophy at the University of Sofia and completed his master's degree in dance and choreography at American University in Washington, D.C. Mr. Angelov served as a choreographer at the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., under the artistic direction of Placido Domingo. He also has choreographed for diverse musical, theater, film, and television productions. Mr. Angelov has created original contemporary ballets for companies such as Arizona Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet, Richmond Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Washington Ballet in the United States, as well as Alberta Ballet in Canada, National Ballet of Finland, Ballet, National Ballet of Mexico, Ballet Manila in the Philippines, Tokyo City Ballet in Japan, Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, among others. Mr. Angelov has been regular guest lecturer at the George Washington University and the American University in Washington DC, USA, and has taught at numerous universities and seminars at dance companies in Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and Russia. He is the Founding and Executive Director of the International Consortium for Advancement in Choreography – Dance ICONS, Inc., the International Choreographers' Organization and Networking Services – a global association for choreographers based in Washington, DC, USA.  For Information on Dance ICONS visit ⁠https://www.danceicons.org/pages/index.php?p=151221143635  You can purchase the book here https://www.routledge.com/You-the-Choreographer-Creating-and-Crafting-Dance/Angelov/p/book/9780367444464  Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share.  Please leave us review about our podcast!  “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey  "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Step into the grandeur of Soviet-era ballet and the stirring symphonies of its greatest composers in this enlightening episode. From the elegant performances of the Mariinsky Ballet to the revolutionary sounds of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, discover how these art forms shaped and were shaped by the Soviet experience!

Not only is Isabella Boylston my best friend and frequent dance partner, she is an international ballet star. She was born Hildur Isabella Boylston, but now goes simply by Bella. She has been a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre since 2014 and has danced nearly all the leading roles in the company's classical repertoire. Bella has been a guest star with the Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, The Mariinsky Ballet, and more. She has hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok and partners with Nike, Bobbi Brown, Olay, Clarins, Chanel, and more on sponsored content as an influencer. Bella is a bonafide hustler, let's find out how she does it all!In this candid convo with Bella, we talk about what's in a name, about the pressures and pitfalls of social media, and about her favorite moments from her career as a professional ballerina.Host: James Whiteside @jamesbwhitesideGuest: Isabella Boylston @isabellaboylstonProduced by: RedCircle @getredcircleEdited by: Nate Gwatney @nateleegArt by: Javier Rivets @rivets_artTheme: "A-Flat" by Black Violin @blackviolinAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today we welcome the remarkable Elena Kunikova! Having trained at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, the school of Mariinsky Ballet to then going on to dance professionally at Mikhailovsky Theatre Ballet, it is clear that she has made quite a career for herself. Not only did she leave her mark in Russia, but in the United States as well! If you ever get the chance to take an in-person or virtual class from her we highly recommend doing so. To learn more, visit Elena's website, https://ballet-atelier.com, you will not regret it!  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Born in Providence, Rhode Island and trained at Festival Ballet of Rhode Island and Canada's National Ballet School, Greta Hodgkinson joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1990, where she has been a Principal Dancer since 1996. Greta retired as a Principal Dancer at the end of the 2019/20 season and assumed the position of Artist-in-Residence for the 2020/21 season, teaching and coaching the National Ballet's next generation of dancers.An artist acclaimed for her dazzling technical virtuosity, dramatic intensity and articulate characterization, she is the complete ballerina, par excellence. Greta has performed every leading role in the classical repertoire and her talents extend to the contemporary repertoire as well. She has had numerous roles created for her by world renowned choreographers and has worked closely with such icons as William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Glen Tetley, John Neumeier, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, James Kudelka and Crystal Pite.  As a guest artist, Greta has appeared with The Mariinsky Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, The Royal Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Munich Ballet, Teatro Comunale di Firenze, Gala des Étoiles, Stars of the 21st Century and International Ballet Galas in the US, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada. Greta was invited to tour Japan dancing Swan Lake with K-Ballet, partnered by Tetsuya Kumakawa. She also performed at The World Ballet Festival in Tokyo, with frequent partner Roberto Bolle.Greta has graced the covers of Dance Magazine and Dance International Magazine and has been featured in various fashion publications including Vanity Fair, Lucky, W, GQ Italia, ELLE, NUVO, Flare and FASHION among others.Greta's film credits include a collaboration with director Moze Mossanen in the title role in the film Roxana, based on the novel by Daniel Defoe, the role of Margot Fonteyn in the Bravo! TV docudrama, Nureyev, CBC's Romeos and Juliets and The Rings of Saturn. She also appeared in the title role in The Firebird, The Four Seasons (starring in Summer), A Dancer's Story-50 Years of The National Ballet of Canada (dancing The Sleeping Beauty pas de deux) and as a guest star on the premiere of the Canadian comedy television series Baxter. In 2013, Gretaperformed Giselle in Emerging Pictures' film, Ballet's Greatest Hits, a ballet gala filmed and presented in over 200 cinemas throughout North America.Greta has received two Citations from the State of Rhode Island. One of the highest honours given by the state, the Citations are in recognition of her extraordinary talents, accomplishments and outstanding contribution to arts and culture in the US. Greta was also appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2017.

Xander Parish tells a story of snatching triumph from the jaws of frustration. After a great start – winning a silver medal in the RAD's Genée International Ballet Competition (now named The Fonteyn) and joining The Royal Ballet – his career seemed to be going nowhere. Then a coach from St Petersburg visited London, saw Xander's passion to prove himself, and snapped him up for the Mariinsky Ballet. Xander is now a Principal at one of the world's great companies, dancing the princes he was born to play. Listen to his rollercoaster ride, described with unfailing honesty and good humour.About Xander ParishXander was born in East Yorkshire, England. He trained at the Royal Ballet School in London and in 2005 joined The Royal Ballet Company with his sister Demelza. In 2009, he was invited to join the Mariinsky Ballet by its director Yuri Fateyev, becoming the company's first and only British dancer. Now a Principal, his roles include Albrecht in Giselle, Siegfried in Swan Lake, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and the title role in Apollo, for which he won Best Male Performance (Classical) at the UK's Critics Circle National Dance Awards. In 2019, he was awarded an OBE. In 2004, Xander won a silver medal in the RAD's then-named Genée International Ballet Competition.Find out more about the RAD's flagship event, The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition: https://bit.ly/2RV9Qb7Follow the RAD on social mediaInstagram- @royalacademyofdanceFacebook- @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter- @RADheadquartersYouTube- royalacademyofdanceDavid Jays - @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list: https://bit.ly/3frWPh9RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign: https://bit.ly/3fnxEwm or make a donation: https://bit.ly/3bxA6z5Xander is launching balletclass.com this summer: leading dancers from the UK and Russia are recording classes which students and fans can follow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

(Originally aired in April 2021) Francesco Ventriglia is a dancer, choreographer and artistic director. Making his premiere at La Scala, he's performed with the Bolshoi Theatre, the Mariinsky Ballet, Grand Theatre du Geneve, the Venice Biennale. He became Europe's youngest artistic director in 2010 when he was appointed by the Florence Opera House, and was the artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet during the middle of the last decade. He's now in Sydney as the co-founder and artistic director of the Sydney Choreographic Centre, which was launched in March, and has its premier performance this month at the Parramatta Riverside Theatres.

Today's guest is Yorkshire-born ballet dancer Xander Parish, who made history as the first British dancer to join the illustrious Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg back in 2010.He is now a principal dancer at one of the most famous ballet companies in the world and was awarded an OBE for his services, both to dance and British-Russian cultural relations.Xander's life in Russia has a storybook quality and not just because St. Petersburg is a city of jewel box coloured palaces – his repertoire includes romantic roles such as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty's Prince Désiré and our favourite star-crossed lover, Romeo.Xander's insights into St. Petersburg offer a treasure trove of cultural delights. Beyond Russia, he has performed gravity-defying leaps in some of the most magical places around the globe. XANDER PARISH'S CULTURE GUIDESwan Lake (ballet) choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, and music by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyNutcracker (ballet) choreography by Marius Petipa, and music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky DESTINATION INSPIRATIONThe Algarve, PortugalYorkshire, EnglandSt. PetersburgThe Mariinksy TheatreYusupov Palace The HermitageFabergé MuseumSadko Restaurant, St. PetersburgShapki, RussiaHavana, CubaGran Teatro de la HabanaThe Odeon of Herodes Atticus, AthensPositanoLi Galli Islands (the ‘dance island'), ItalyIf you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate and review so others can discover this podcast as well. If you're looking for some more travel inspiration, you can find me on Instagram @escape.artist.podcast or visit www.escapeartistpodcast.comSee you next week for another episode of The Escape Artist!Xx Edwina(Music by the talented Giselle Rosselli) Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links referenced in/relevant to this episode:-Dance Studies Association's call-to-anti-racist-action: https://dancestudiesassociation.org/news/2020/departmental-call-to-anti-racist-action-Jennifer Garner's duet with Tiler Peck: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEKTlfNDiF_/-A look at the uncertainties around this year's Tony Awards: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/nine-burning-questions-about-the-2020-tony-awards-082520-Inside the Mariinsky Ballet's COVID muddle: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/arts/dance/mariinsky-ballet-coronavirus-outbreak.html-High Country News' interview with Dancing Earth founder Rulan Tangen: https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-interview-finding-indigenous-futurism-through-dance-Dancing Earth's events and online offerings: https://dancingearth.org/events?view=calendar&month=09-2020-The Dance Institute of Washington's site: https://www.danceinstituteofwashington.org/-Op-ed by DIW's William Keiser, "Widening the Frame": https://www.danceinstituteofwashington.org/op-ed-widening-the-frame-DIW's short film, "Feeling Good": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATPD9CAJ-Zs&t=9s

In this episode Alice is joined by world renowned principal ballet dancer Xander Parish. Xander is a principal dancer for the world famous Marinksky Ballet in St. Petersburg. He was the first ever British dancer to be asked to join their company and since then has been awarded an OBE for Dance and Russian and British Cultural Relations, when he was just 32 years old. In this episode we talked all about his journey of what it really took to get him to where he is now, how his faith and determination allowed him to never quit, the importance of just taking small steps, how vital it is to learn to compartmentalise and not let other people's judgement determine your fate and so much more...   Xander was born in East Yorkshire, England, and began dancing at the Skelton Hooper School of Dance in Hull at the age of 8. He joined the Royal Ballet Lower School, White Lodge in 1998 and continued his training at the Royal Ballet Upper School from 2002-2005. While at the Upper School, Xander won the Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award (2003), The Young British Dancer of the Year Award (2nd prize 2004) and a Silver Medal at the Genee International Ballet Competition (Athens, 2004).  Xander joined The Royal Ballet Company in August 2005 along with his sister Demelza. They were the first brother and sister to be members of The Royal Ballet together. In 2009, Xander was invited to join The Mariinsky Ballet by its ballet director Yuri Fateyev and joined the company in January 2010 aged 23 as its first and only British dancer. His repertoire includes: Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Count Albrecht (Giselle), Prince Desiré (The Sleeping Beauty), Romeo (Romeo & Juliet), The Nutcracker Prince (The Nutcracker ch. Vainonen), Vronsky (Anna Karenina ch. Ratmansky), Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Male Principal (Le Parc), Vaslav (The Fountain of Bakhchiserai), Andrés (Paquita), The Golden Slave (Scheherazade), The Poet (Chopiniana/Les Sylphides), John the Baptist (Salome ch. Faski), Ashton's Sylvia (Aminta) and Marguerite & Armand (Armand), Balanchine ballets including Apollo, Jewels (Emeralds & Diamonds), Serenade (Waltz, Elegy) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius), Hans Van Manen's 'Adagio Hammerklavier' & 'Variations For Two Couples', Millepied's 'Without' & 'La nuit s'achève' and McGregor's 'Infra'. His repertoire as a guest artist also includes Gauthier's 'Ballet 101', 'Le Spectre de la Rose', and Ashton's 'The Dream' (Oberon). Xander has toured with the Mariinsky Ballet to Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Oman, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the USA, and has been a guest artist with English National Ballet, The Kremlin Ballet, The Ballet Company of the Opera National Bucharest, The Stanislavsky Ballet and has also performed with 'Roberto Bolle and Friends'. Xander was the recipient of the Taglioni Award in the category “Best Young Male Dancer” (Berlin, 2014), the recipient of the Léonide Massine Prize in the category “Emerging Talent on the International Scene" (Positano, Italy, 2014) and won the UK Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 'Outstanding Male Performance (Classical)' category for 'Apollo' 2014. In May 2016 Xander made his debut with American Ballet Theatre at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York as an ABT Exchange Artist dancing the role of Aminta in Ashton's 'Sylvia' partnering ABT Principal Isabella Boylston. ​In January 2017 The University of Hull bestowed on Xander an Honorary Degree "Doctor of the University, honoris cause". In January 2019 Xander was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Years Honours list for Services to Dance and UK Russia Cultural Relations.   www.xanderparish.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/_xander/?hl=en

Ok guys I'm super excited to have my good friend Isabella Boylston on the show today! Bella is an absolute superstar athlete and artist performing all over the world as a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in NYC. She has danced lead roles in numerous ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and the list goes on… She was invited to guest star with the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg, Russia…the Royal Danish Ballet and once again the list goes on… Bella is the founding artistic director of ballet sun valley which is a festival where she provides free dance classes and brings world class ballet to her home town. She produced and stared in the film Early Sunday Morning which premiered at the TriBeCa film festival. She plays Jennifer Lawrence's dance double in the film Red Sparrow, in addition to appearing as herself as the principal dancer in the film's closing sequence. She has collaborated with a number of brands and been featured in countless publications. So basically, she is kind of a big deal but you would never know it because she is so humble and kind. Find Isabella here: Website https://www.isabellaboylston.com/about Instagram https://www.instagram.com/isabellaboylston/?hl=en Twitter https://twitter.com/isabellaabt?lang=en Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLdOTJmj_wG3I4GKfTwcjg Ballet sun valley https://balletsunvalley.org/ American Ballet Theatre https://www.abt.org/people/isabella-boylston/?type=performer&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9b_4BRCMARIsADMUIyqfOq7VgG6D9TTxqG9MR2PqhNtesLDw0IJk3EyGPWuwajBM2PZhYpAaArllEALw_wcB

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Elena Vostrotina, principal dancer at the Zurich Ballet. Since 2003, Elena has been internationally performing for some of the world’s most esteemed dance companies and choreographers. Having been formally trained at the famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Elena went on to achieve her dream of dancing at the Mariinsky Ballet, as well as the Semperoper Ballett Dresden and, currently, the Zurich Ballet. Elena knows that flexibility is key for international ballet — both of the mind and of the body. It goes without saying that physical flexibility is necessary for ballet, but when travelling internationally, mental and emotional flexibility are critical for adjusting to new cultures and accepting new ideas. On the podcast, Elena, who is no stranger to living outside her “comfort zone,” walks through her dance journey and shares advice on taking on new cultures, ideas, and even languages with poise and grace.   Moving Quotes: “If you decide to make a change, you have to keep your eyes wide open. Listen a lot. Be open to the change… Don’t build things the same way that you’re used to." “Many things can be challenging in our profession… Performing seems like moving a mountain, often… I think we have to work on those fears and just go out there and do it." “When you feel that you can’t do something, you have to master yourself. You must know how to deal with yourself to make things work the way you want them to.” “[When traveling,] take care of your body as much as you possibly can."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:41: Elena describes her current role as principal dancer for the Zurich Ballet and how she came to join the company. 7:27: Elena, who has performed across the globe, discusses the challenges of adjusting to different cultures. 10:34: Elena shares some tips for listeners who ever find themselves having to adapt to new cultures. 13:37: Vostrotina discusses some of her favorite pieces that she’s currently involved in, along with some of her favorite choreographers she’s worked with in the past. 17:08: Elena retells her history with ballet and how she ultimately became an international ballet dancer. 20:45: Vostrotina describes her days as a student at the famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in Saint Petersburg. 26:19: Vostrotina describes her experience dancing at the renown Mariinsky Theatre and how dancing for this company was a dream come true. 28:42: Elena, who has extensive experience travelling internationally, shares some tips on how to keep your body in peak shape when traveling across time zones. 31:08: Elena speaks on the necessity of “mastering yourself” and overcoming fear when in a performing arts career. 34:28: Elena describes “what’s next” for her and discusses her desire for the world to return to normal so that others can resume sharing their art.   Bullet List of Resources –  Elena Vostrotina Instagram LinkedIn

Welcome to Live From The Kennedy Center: Mariinsky Ballet Director Yuri Fateev and Dancer Timur Askerov.  A few weeks ago we were in Washington, DC to cover a busy weekend of ballet at the Kennedy Center.  While we were there, the Mariinsky Ballet was in town performing La Bayadère.  We had the pleasure of sitting […] The post (68) Live From The Kennedy Center: Mariinsky Ballet Director Yuri Fateev and Dancer Timur Askerov appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.

Welcome to Live From The Kennedy Center: Mariinsky Ballet Director Yuri Fateev and Dancer Timur Askerov.  A few weeks ago we were in Washington, DC to cover a busy weekend of ballet at the Kennedy Center.  While we were there, the Mariinsky Ballet was in town performing La Bayadère.  We had the pleasure of sitting […] The post (68) Live From The Kennedy Center: Mariinsky Ballet Director Yuri Fateev and Dancer Timur Askerov appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.

Art and politics have a long history of complex entanglement, but in the new millennium, the global artistic scene has exploded with political controversy. From the Mariinsky Ballet to Brett Bailey's Exhibit B, from Tania Bruguera to Charlie Hebdo, via El Sistema and other social experiments, artists and their work appear more and more entwined with surrounding political issues and volatility. In Part 1 of this talk, Graham Sheffield CBE, Global Director Arts for the British Council, offers reflections on the current situation, examining issues of conscience, freedom of expression, social action and identity in an international context. Participants Presenter: Graham Sheffield CBE Global Director Arts, British Council Moderator: Paul Smith Director of the British Council (USA) and Cultural Counsellor at the British Embassy Respondents: Afa S. Dworkin Executive Director, Sphinx Foundation Antonio Aiello Content Director and Web Editor, Pen American Center Part 2 of this talk features a debate on these topics with Afa S. Dworkin (Sphinx Organization), Antonio Aiello (PEN American Center) and Paul Smith (Director of the British Council in the USA and Cultural Counsellor at the British Embassy Washington DC)

Art and politics have a long history of complex entanglement, but in the new millennium, the global artistic scene has exploded with political controversy. From the Mariinsky Ballet to Brett Bailey's Exhibit B, from Tania Bruguera to Charlie Hebdo, via El Sistema and other social experiments, artists and their work appear more and more entwined with surrounding political issues and volatility. Part 2 of this talk features a debate on these topics and more with Afa S. Dworkin (Sphinx Organization), Antonio Aiello (PEN American Center) and Paul Smith (Director of the British Council in the USA and Cultural Counsellor at the British Embassy Washington DC) Participants Presenter: Graham Sheffield CBE Global Director Arts, British Council Moderator: Paul Smith Director of the British Council (USA) and Cultural Counsellor at the British Embassy Respondents: Afa S. Dworkin Executive Director, Sphinx Foundation Antonio Aiello Content Director and Web Editor, Pen American Center In Part 1, Graham Sheffield CBE, Global Director Arts for the British Council, offers reflections on the current situation, examining issues of conscience, freedom of expression, social action and identity in an international context.

Today's episode will be centered around Opera Works & Songs from our classical collection. We have 4 pieces for you today, and we will end with a piece from our featured release, "Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor." Nicolai Ghiaurov, Sesto Bruscantini, Alfredo Kraus, Gundula Janowitz, Sena Jurinac, Walter Monachesi, Dimitri Petkov, Olivera Miliakovic "Don Giovanni" (mp3) from "Mozart: Don Giovanni" (Opera d'Oro) Buy at Napster Buy at iTunes Music Store Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody Buy at Amazon MP3 More On This AlbumSteven Kimbrough, Wolfgang Schmid, Andreas Kreisel "Kommt wieder aus der finst'ren Gruft" (mp3) from "Geistliche Lieder - Sacred Songs of Bach (from the 1736 Songbook of Georg Schemelli)" (Arabesque Recordings) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumInessa Galante, Vladimir Choclov, Janis Bulvas "A idise mame" (mp3) from "Goldins: Jewish Folk Songs - Rachmaninov: Romantic Songs" (Campion) Buy at Napster Buy at iTunes Music Store Buy at Amazon MP3 More On This AlbumValery Gergiev, Natalie Dessay, Sergei Skorokhodov, Ilya Bannik, Vladislav Sulimsky, Mariinsky Chorus, Mariinsky Orchestra from "Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor" (Mariinsky) More On This AlbumThe Mariinsky label’s opera recordings have garnered acclaim and awards from around the world, most recently for Valery Gergiev’s recording of Parsifal released in 2010. For the label’s fifth opera, Gergiev conducts Donizetti’s masterpiece with a magnificent cast led by Natalie Dessay. Donizetti’s tragic opera in three acts depicts a family feud set in the Lammermuir hills of Scotland. The opera was premiered on 26 September 1835 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, with the coloratura soprano Fanny Tacchinardi Persiani, and a revised version in French followed suit in 1839. Inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor, the central character of Lucia Ashton (Dessay) is in love with Edgardo di Ravenswood, her brother Enrico’s sworn enemy. With his fortune waning, Lord Enrico plots to force Lucia to marry Lord Arturo Bucklaw, in order to guarantee his continued power. Torn between her family and true love, Lucia submits to her brother’s desires but in turn loses her mind. Lucia’s delicate disposition is tested and results in the famous ‘mad scene’ where Lucia kills her new bridegroom Arturo. Natalie Dessay is one of the world’s most sought-after sopranos and an admired interpreter of lyric heroines. She is particularly renowned for her interpretation of the role of Lucia, which she has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House and the Mariinsky Theatre. Future engagements include Verdi’s La Traviata with the LSO at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in July and at the Wiener Staatsoper in October. Piotr Beczala is rapidly establishing a reputation as one of today’s leading lyric tenors. He has recently sung Edgardo with the Metropolitan Opera in New York and on tour in Japan, and this summer will perform at the Bayerische Staatsoper and Salzburg Festival. Valery Gergiev recently won the Disc of the Year Award from BBC Music Magazine for his LSO Live recording of Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet. In July, Gergiev will conduct the Mariinsky Ballet at New York Metropolitan Opera and in August he conducts at the Edinburgh Festival and BBC Proms with the Mariinsky Orchestra before opening the LSO’s 2011-12 concert season. In October he embarks on a major tour of the USA and Canada with the Mariinsky Orchestra, including residencies at Carnegie Hall and Berkeley. Forthcoming releases include the final instalment in his Mahler cycle on LSO Live featuring Symphony No 9 and the Mariinsky label’s first DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs. Natalie Dessay appears courtesy of Virgin Classics.