BALLET2000 Prix dedicates Cannes gala to Maya Plisetskaya
When the prize was launched, in 2004, then known as Les Étoiles de BALLET2000, the first Lifetime Achievement Award went to Plisetskaya. The 79-year-old not only collected her prize, but danced too: the Ave Maya solo created for her by Maurice Béjart. Her husband, the Russian composer Rodion Schedrin, played the notes of Gounod’s Ave Maria on stage, with cellist Luis Felipe Serrano, while Plisetskaya, elegant, as always, in a costume designed for her by Pierre Cardin, danced simple steps adorned by her magnificent ports de bras as she waved two Japanese-like fans.
On the same stage – the Palais des Festivals in Cannes – on 31 July Rodion Schedrin will be guest of honour. Maya Plisetskaya died on 2 May 2015 and later that day Gramilano published a list of tributes from fellow dancers, distraught at her passing.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to choreographer Hans van Manen. The Times, referring to his “substantial contribution to — and influence on — the world of contemporary ballet”, said his immense oeuvre shows,
…the inimitable way that this Dutch dance-maker has always managed to contrast classical purity with the adventure of contemporary novelty.
There will be three special “MAYA Prizes” this year which will be awarded to Diana Vishneva (Mariinsky, ABT); Aurélie Dupont (Paris Opera Ballet) and Friedemann Vogel (Stuttgart Ballet). 31 July will be her last day as a freelance ballerina as on 1 August she takes up the reigns as Director of the Paris Opera Ballet.
Other prizes – awarded to those who have made an outstanding contribution to dance with major international companies are:
Óscar Chacón and Katryna Shalkina (Béjart Ballet Lausanne)
Viktoria Tereshkina and Vladimir Shklyarov (Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg)
Osiel Gouneo (English National Ballet, with his partner Jem Choi)
Virna Toppi and Jacopo Tissi (Teatro alla Scala, Milan)
Sergio Bernal (Ballet Nacional de España)
Davide Dato (Vienna Opera Ballet)
Maëva Cotton and Alessio Passaquindici (Ballet Nice Méditerranée, Opéra de Nice)
Anjara Ballesteros (Ballets de Monte-Carlo, with her partner Lucien Postlewaite).
A special award will be given to the all-male group of Armenian dancers known as Forceful Feelings. They are all principals with international companies but are committed to raising an awareness, around the world, of ballet in their country. They will be performing in Cannes with partners of various origins: Sarah-Jane Brodbeck, Arman Grigoryan, Vahe Martirosyan, Arsen Mehrabyan, Galina Mihaylova, Tigran Mikayelyan, Mia Rudic.
All the dancers will perform in a gala, organised by Mariinsky étoile Irma Nioradze, at the Palais des Festivals before the Award Ceremony.
Gala: Tribute to Maya Plisetskaya
Projection of the video, Plisetskaya at Cannes 2004
Introduction by Irma Nioradze
Anjara Ballesteros – Lucien Postlewaite
Lac
choreography – Jean-Christophe Maillot
music – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Davide Dato
Arépo
choreography – Maurice Béjart
music – Charles Gounod
Osiel Gouneo – Jem Choi
Le Corsaire pas de deux
choreography – (version) Anna-Marie Holmes,
music – Riccardo Drigo
Óscar Chacón – Kateryna Shalkina
Anima Blues
choreography – Gil Roman
music – Rahsaan Roland Kirk
“Forceful Feelings”
Sarah-Jane Brodbeck, Galina Mihaylova, Mia Rudic , Arman Grigoryan, Vahe Martirosyan , Arsen Mehrabyan, Tigran Mikayelyan
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
choreography – Heinz Spoerli
music – Philip Glass
Diana Vishneva – Friedemann Vogel
Vertigo
choreography – Mauro Bigonzetti
music – Dmitri Shostakovich
interval
Lifetime Achievement Award
Hans van Manen (with videos of extracts of his work)
“Forceful Feelings”
Serenity
choreography – Arsen Mehrabyan
Maëva Cotton – Alessio Passaquindici
Adagietto
choreography – Óscar Araiz
music – Gustav Mahler
Virna Toppi – Jacopo Tissi
Cinderella pas de deux
choreography – Mauro Bigonzetti
music – Sergei Prokofiev
Sergio Bernal
Farruca, de El Sombrero de tres picos
choreography – Antonio Ruíz Soler
music – Manuel De Falla
Aurélie Dupont
with Alessio Carbone
Together Alone
choreography – Benjamin Millepied
music – Philip Glass
Vladimir Sklyarov – Viktoria Tereshkina
Don Quixote pas de deux
choreography – Marius Petipa (Alexander Gorsky)
music – Ludwig Minkus
Award Ceremony
http://www.gramilano.com/2016/07/maya-plisetskaya/
