The Collectible Doll

Ballet Series

A meeting with the Bolshoi Ballet

I have so many who have read my articles may gather am a huge opera fan but in all honesty I can not claim an equal lover of the ballet to be, this should not be construed that I take no joy. Maybe it's because my tastes lean more to the passion of the singers and the drama in the opera rather than the grace of the ballet dancer. What ever the reason I need to claim a bigger fan than ballet opera fan but in all truth I am a lover of the ballet but I do not become one until I have been in Santiago, Chile met the members of the Bolshoi Ballet. This was a time I will never forget and it made me see that all the grace of But ballet before meeting with the Bolshoi I saw them perform in Moscow and perhaps this is where I was introduced to the ballet. My decision to visit the Soviet Union came in late 1988. It was the time of perestroika, Mikhail Gorbachev and glasnost, the new leader of the Soviet Union, many Americans had a preference when a certain honesty in to see him. I myself can not claim that my desire to visit the Soviet Union were in any way influenced by Gorbachev as the real reason for my trip was based on my desire to travel the world, looking for all these cities and places I had read about in my extensive readings of history. Of course this was also a time in my life when I entertaining dreams of becoming a professional photographer and had in mind to take pictures of Leningrad (formerly Petrograd, now St. Petersburg) and Moscow. These cities seemed ideal for this purpose, both in architecture as diverse in New York and a sense of history would be enormous. After all these two cities had almost in the center of the Second World War and the Russian revolutions of 1917. Whose first overthrew Nicholas II, while the second in October (although the Russian Orthodox calendar marks the day that in November) the Bolsheviks to power. I had even wanted to visit the Soviet Union, but the case was not as easy as I had hoped. First of all because the Soviet Union was a closed society had I have a visa, not that this is an inconvenience as I have many other communist countries such as Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, visited the GDR, and Yugoslavia. These countries also to me as an American to a visa. I can even add how there was a time in 1987 when I as an American was needed to order a visa to enter France as opposed until one is automatic when entering as was the case with most European countries. The Soviet Union was different even from other communist countries that only requires me to their embassy or consulate to see with my passport, two photographs and the money to pay for the visa. The Soviet Union not only did I have already mentioned, but a prepaid hotel I would stay, which actually meant I would either have to find a hotel in the cities I wanted to make a reservation before you leave New York or what is commonly referred to as a "Guided Tour". I am not so much by my own choice took the second option to go on the tour, even if in all truth I would prefer to go alone. The was with the intention of the Christmas and New Year days in the Soviet Union, beginning in November I booked myself on a tour to Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad, would include in that order. It was during visiting these cities in the Soviet Union, many things that I, some even stranger or at least to me were a communist country (I have seen several visits) for example observed in the Soviet Union, there were stores that accept only hard currency (this meaning any currency which can be translated outside their country of origin) and means were limits to Soviet citizens. Yes, passports were checked upon entering the stores. It was not that if stores did not exist in Poland and other communist countries I visited, but unlike the Soviet Union in all those countries could buy what they want as long as they had the right kind of currency in the Soviet Union was a case of the Soviets were not even allowed to enter the stores, let alone make purchases of any kind. Of course just as there were shops where only foreigners like me could come, there were shops where foreigners were expelled from that only Soviets could come back and passports or documents were checked. I even recall how on one occasion, I met someone who asked me to buy him something in store for foreigners alone. The Soviet Union had other factors that made it different from any of the communist countries I had visited again only for guests of such hotels could give as a control imposed by the entrance where they were obliged to show your card from the hotel. This is not so much a problem for me nor for many Russians (I refer to them as such I can not honestly claim to have known who was Russian or one of the many republics that were part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) who managed in the hotel, despite not being a guest of the hotel. Where the map is required to enter the hotel was not a problem that I was required to pay everything in hard currency was more than a bit annoying as it made the prices higher than they would have been had I been allowed to drink or other such subtleties in Rubbles that I could much more to get on the black market to buy. This was not to be like hotels wanted hard currency, not only for the cost of the room, but also for what they bought into them, this is in contrast Polish was the hotels were only required to pay for the room in hard currency. It was in Moscow, I stayed in a hotel called "Cosmos" which I might add is the most exclusive at the moment, but in all truth, his standards were lower than those I had known in the West. I arrived at the hotel on December 24 and on my second day of release Moscow after the first two of sightseeing, I had what might be called my first experience in the Soviet Union. Two young men who must be about my age on the moment (I will be 21) knocked on the hotel room I shared with one of the members of my traveling companions. It was in the company of another member of my tour that these two young men came asking if I gave my roommate and barter trade. At first neither my roommate nor I knew what these two men had in mind, and that in a country we did not democracy; my American roommate, whose name I completely loose and I were somewhat worried. It was one of those two young men who asked us if we had a blue jeans or something we cared to trade, such as the U.S. cigarette or anything else. For my part I felt I had nothing that would be worth their while as all I had was my camera (which I was not ready to trade it for something else), a few packets of cigarettes (I am a smoker at the time), the clothes I had with me (which included a pair of gray jeans that fair , I was even slightly embarrassed to even show, given the condition they were) and I recorded some of pop music cassettes. It did not take long with these two men and everyone from my tour group who had come to a bargain, because the room I shared with a history teacher from Phoenix to be a national or international black market. Blue jeans were exchanged for Russian fur hats, caviar (this is a French word like the Russian word is "ikra") and other Russian goodies. It was inspired by the way these two Russians or so I think they were apparently willing to take just about any and everything we had that I decided to show them the old gray pants that I had bought more than one year ago London. To my great shock in the neighborhood, they accepted to take them to a black fur hat, but since they were old they ask me to throw in something extra that I was in the form of a pack of Marlboro that they have accepted, however, but with guilt about my old jeans feel obliged to add a tape by the British band known as "Led Zeppelin". During these operations, I noticed two people from different countries and ways of life could trade and commerce, and although the English spoken by these two men was not really perfect was understandable, making me wonder how even in a communist system was always possible for entrepreneurs to find. I even remember one of the members of my group wanted something in exchange for a Jimmy Hendrix tape only to find that neither of these two men (who had brought so much stuff with them to make one believe they had a whole shop them) have the slightest idea who he was. Of course we explained that Jimmy Hendrix was a guitarist and they take the tape but I can not remember what they gave for. Course, clearly that these young men were not given these things for themselves but to sell to others. One thing that strike my roommate at the time as being curious about what prompted him ask if they stayed in the hotel where he was told by one of these two young men that they were not. It was then that I asked how she managed to get into the hotel, have told me that only guests who showed a map of the hotel were allowed in. It was then that they told us that because their English was not bad and in fact was not dressed like them and they could Westerns gain and of course they had. Later I would be two other young men in the hotel who are also trying to do what ever things they could and it was one of them I really learned a lot about how people in the Soviet Union felt toward not only Americans, but many things. It may seem strange to some how I do not even remember the names of these two young men, or even what they looked like, but I remember almost everything that was found between the three of us. First I went with them on Red Square, instead of going with my group, because if I had to associate with other Americans, one can imagine where I would have stayed. Many things I had seen through my travels in many countries, the Colosseum in Rome (now one of the seven world wonders new) to the Eiffel Tower, but neither of these two sites or any others I had seen for that matter would surpass the greatness of "Red Square". The place as I kept frozen at that day in the month of December seemed so overwhelming that I honestly was at a loss for words. It was not one of the Kremlin or the buildings around it, even as the is praised as the world's largest toy or Saint Basel Cathedral were that great, but the composition created by all that was in Red Square was such a strong first impression on me that I will never forget. It was fascinating to this place and all its functions to see that for a moment gave me the impression of a city above the clouds. The ornaments on the buildings so is that they seemed almost unreal. I'm obviously after a slight recovery from my near shock grabbed my trusty Minolta to photograph this place and do everything included, even in honestly looked like a small city instead of a large monument. It was in the process of photographing this place that I started with an angle, to capture it all in one time and then moved on to get a zoom Saint Basil's Cathedral, the beauty of which I think is most underrated. Naturally, my camera captured all Red Square points of interest, but not fascinated me as much as Saint Basil's in my opinion, the typical Russian Cathedral. Naturally in Red Square that was all one can not ignore to the presence of the mausoleum dedicated to Lenin, who was visited by thousands of people who would bare the cold and heat just to the body of a dead man to see. As for myself Personally I had not the time or inclination to stand up to a line, even if it was a short one for foreigners (unlike the other Soviet citizens) only to a man to see in what I believe was an act of idolatry. Naturally, when the Soviet Union have long passed through a process of change had removed the remains of Joseph Stalin presence Lenin, not that it made any difference to me at the time or even now for that matter. After their performance as my personal guide, she took me to a small neighborhood restaurant in Moscow, as a bistro (the French word which has its roots in a Russian word for fast) where we had some sausages and tea. It was unlike the hotel I discovered how cheap it life could be in Moscow for someone who had U.S. dollars or any other form of Western currency, so much so that I wanted to treat my guides what they had just consumed to discover it was those who wished to do the same for me. At first I did not really know what to say and asked if I could pay at least for myself, but was told that the a good idea not to offend them by refusing their invitation. I look at this. It was during our time together that we discovered many things about each other's countries, for example, discovered New York that she was not as dangerous a place to live as they were lead to believe by the American television and their own media, while I was not excluded from the find find many interesting things. First of all the Russians, at least people were not so anti-American as I had thought they would be and what really surprised me was that despite its popularity in America, especially after his last trip, which took place a few weeks earlier, Gorbachev was not found in the Soviet Union by the average citizen, especially those who were not of the party. This at first glance hardly believe it when his last trip to America (which had occurred on December people were literally lined the streets the thousands, despite the cold just to get a glimpse of him, in scenes reminiscent of the "Beatlemania" at its peak. I even had my account went to where I knew his car would pass in hopes of getting a photo. Mine was made that desire more from a photographer than worship, within the framework dictated by the success I had the same year in London when the birthday of Queen Elizabeth on the 10th of June, I managed to get a great shot head shot them down as "The Mall "in her open carriage. Gorbachev was a different matter all together when he was riding in a limo closed, making it impossible for me to be any photos other than to get one of his cars. I even remember hearing the news, but how he actually operated by Broadway had received from his car (to my great regret for not there to catch this historic moment on film) on a day of extreme cold on the hands of some of the thousands lining the streets to shake to name just a glimpse of him. This naturally caused a lot of joy, while his guards to panic, as were those who were surprised when shaking hands with Gorbachev. It was a case that Gorbachev Security was not aware of what he would do in advance and because of this many of the safety car had driven in only to discover after a few seconds that Gorbachev Gorvachov car had stopped and that it was in the middle of a crowd shaking hands with all those who were running toward him. As expected, the security had to backtrack around him in the fear that something might happen which obviously did not, but what I fear might imagine they are going through at the moment. Among these people there were also protesters some of the Soviet republics such as Armenia, even claimed that she felt for the first time that there was a man who at least was willing to hear what she had to say. After hearing that Gorbachev for the most part was not like I asked what was it about him that most people do not and want to answer a question that I met that I do not really understand at the moment and that was that most people do not like Gorvachov simply because his personal life was a much higher standard of their own. It was not because of ideology or political reasons or anything Similar, but he had the luxury to go in. They told me how he flew around the world and they could not see how he had a fur coat, an American Express card (given to him adjust I usually like publicity), expensive clothes but they did not. At that time I saw nothing strange or unusual in this as in America, most Americans do not live as our president (Ronald Reagan at the time) and if some did not like him, it certainly was not for that reason. There would have been for other reasons such as the Iran-Contra scandal, but that was a different matter, but not because he has more money than they did this was and still is the case in most countries. However, this was a case of what most people had come to accept In most countries, it does not matter that their leaders were financially better off than they were as long as their own standard was acceptable to them. But here in the Soviet Union people do not wanted to know that their leaders had more than they did, even if it was the supreme leader. This perhaps explains why Soviet citizens were not allowed to certain shops, restaurants or hotels to perform as they would be exposed to what they could not afford it and maybe their system of financial equality was not all working that good. I do not comment on my own what I had heard rather not say since I had not really understood the mentality behind the words and rather than get in a fight with those I had dealt with this modest but pleasant lunch I asked what they thought of American films. This told me that she had seen a number but a number were banned, as is the case had been with "Red Heat" staring Arnold Schwarzenegger because of a scene in which the character played by Arnold (a Soviet policeman) treats the $ 10 to watch $ 1,000 for a watch with an American policeman, played by Jim Belushi. I was wondering how these two young men even knew about this scene, they not seen the film, but I did not ask this. It was after a nice meal (which was no worse than what I got at the hotel) in a friendly neighborhood place that I took a chance and went to the apartment one of these two young men to get what they had promised me was a Soviet military winter coat and a jersey of the national football team. I do not much of anything to trade offered them the U.S. dollar and they did not refuse but we would have to go back to my hotel because I did not get them on me. It was going back to the hotel to the metro I drove from Moscow for the first time and was amazed at how often the trains came and how deep it was, a factor that I did not know were unwanted during the Second World War, because of the bombing this city had been the German Air Force. Upon returning to the hotel I paid them the money I had promised them, plus a lot "Life Savers" in a gesture after those who were too pay for my sausage and tea. Once closed, the business of trade by barter with the hour is not far from a one night I decided to shower and get ready for a night in the ballet. The Bolshoi, it would be as if it could be any other being in Moscow, of course, the Bolshoi (this word means a lot in Russian) theater. With this in mind I on my suit, the only one I brought with me a beautiful Cardin (it still fashionable at the moment) on top of what is on my newly acquired military jacket courtesy of the Soviet Union, however, it was advised by our guide that I have chosen to one another to wear. Him telling me that we live in a country where foreigners were not citizens, especially the Soviet military clothes to wear, which means it would be wise if I use any other jacket I did. The Bolshoi, I must say that was something amazing, rather than the theater, which was granted large, but not really impressive or at least not as much as the performances by this wonderful group of dancers that both my father and grandfather always told me so much about. Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" was what those in my group and I were privileged enough to see that night and though I was already familiar with the wonderful music, I was not so much with the dancing that went with her and when I looked, it seemed to be the most glorious of all disciplines related to the visual aspect. After the ballet, it was back to Cosmos Hotel for a nightcap I took at the bar, accompanied by shots of vodka caviar, which was so expensive in America, but in the Soviet Union was literally cheaper than peanuts. The hotel had a number of bars and the was that women were any, I could think was there to exchange other than just souvenirs for your money, while others went in groups looking for a Westerner to buy them a drink. By "they" I mean them all as they came in groups but this did not interest me other than just to see that women in the Soviet Union, what I wore would be an excessive amount of make-up call, despite most of them are much more attractive than the average American woman. The next day came and off to Kiev was an airplane Aeroflot. It was something I will never forget being on the road and dozing in my seat during the long wait, which was necessary to take off, when suddenly I was awakened by the feeling my ears still blocked by the pressure. I remember being somewhat disturbed, thinking that we probably had all that time spent on the ground and then the plane was going off When the reality was that it was already going ashore. Such a smooth takeoff and the flight was that not only did not wake me, I had not noticed or it could be the fact that my cold was my very sleepy to do with my lack of sleep the night before. Kiev was an interesting city though perhaps not as much as in Moscow, but that specific Visit the only thing I recall was far from my hotel management, I always ask the person to the peace and setting a Soviet policeman if he could find me a cab to much my surprise he did. It is one that was taking a number of passengers, a sort of improvised transport as I had known in countries like Argentina and Peru. If The policeman, in broken English he told me how he was from Armenia, a place that had suffered the consequences of an earthquake the previous month, which made him tell me how I had actually won 20 USD for an aid organization. I do not know if this man really understood me when the departure of his gratitude for having found me this mode of transportation I gave him a my cigarette packets; him give me a small pocket knife (not even open) in the form of a fish, he said the word "souvenir" and went off. With than in Kiev a smaller both Leningrad and Moscow, our stay was only planed a long night, after we left for Leningrad. I really can not tell what it was in me that night that I was to stay in Kiev, which made me do what I eventually did. This is to get what could be classified as extremely drunk. I have vodka and consume enough of, maybe to show that Italian-Americans like their Soviet counterparts could hold their liquor, but what ever it was I did sauced. In this I seem a Soviet elbow bend, which also doing the same as I did remember after we started a conversation in trying to solve more daft? I argue that the Americans (I refer to the people in my tour group) while the matter for the Russians, only to settle the issue by proclaiming a tie between Americans and Russians, who were the more Dippy. This night was coming down with a certain degree of perhaps more fun my Soviet friend and I also entertained ourselves by smashing our vodka glasses on the ground, which only managed to draw a some policemen pulling. The police were, however, Militia, when in the Soviet Union and two of them did approach us and when I could not understand what they were one of them saying, caught my off guard with a punch to the stomach. By all accounts have knocked the wind out of me. This probably would have been the effect in other circumstances, but on that day after half a bottle of vodka, I did not feel the blow which showed on my face if I did not even bend over in pain. This is my response that almost sent the policeman to shock was clearly on his face before I tried to hit him with my camera, after all he was much bigger than me, who only stands at 5'6 ". Fortunately nothing came of it the incident when the receptionist informed the policemen that I was a guest in the hotel and not a Jew (she thought), who came to U.S. dollar trade, which was of course illegally at the time. Leningrad and the last stop on our trip before our return to the United Soviet States. Leningrad I must say was more interesting at least from my point of view than Moscow. The city itself was different, after all this was the capital of the country during the revolution but that was the past, even if at that moment than the Winter Palace, the Hermitage. The Hermitage is one of the largest museums in the world I could not help but spend a whole afternoon there is the three that I had, though one would really need more time to fully appreciate the whole museum. In Leningrad, I was fortunate enough to be given a room which, unlike the one in Moscow and Kiev I did not have to share one of the members of my group. This factor would prove advantageous as I was going to two beautiful young ladies from Kiev to meet with the names of Victoria Ibanchenko and Svetlana. It was with these friends that I would spend three very lusty evening (two with Victoria, a Svetlana), thanks to which I'd inspiration for "Svetlana Ibanchenko. Svetlana Ibanchenko is a fictional Russian soprano in my book "New York's Opera Society". There was something so romantic so beautiful in these two that their dreams and ambitions took me as I was making this small, but important character in my first book. Drama would also fill my stay in Leningrad as it was there that I learned that a U.S. plane (Pan Am) was the victim of a bomb, along with all its passengers while flying over Scotland. At that time there was little for me to do, but grateful that I was not already on that flight and continue the good time I had been, that is exactly what I did. The last night I would spend in Leningrad when I was leaving the next evening I had one, which will forever stay with me. My group and I went to the Kirov Ballet and see what an experience it was. The Kirov was no less grand than the Bolshoi, although different. My father told me when I asked him the difference was that the Kirov was more artistic, while the Bolshoi was more dynamic and I could see this as I witnessed their performance of other Tchaikovsky piece, this time, "Swan Lake" and what a show it was. They seemed to float in the air, almost like they could fly and had an energy about them that lets them do whatever they want with their bodies with such grace that it was almost like watching angels. As for my last two nights were spent with these two Victoria and who knows what would have become of our relationship was not for the "Iron Curtain making it nearly impossible for her to come live in my America. Of course I tried to send her an invitation, but even this was difficult because of the closed system her country had at the time and although I have no problems with money when it came to invite Victoria to the States was still the case more complicated than I'd ever may have considered. It's hard for me to say what might have happened Victoria and I would have gone on to marry and have children, but then my life would have been another , but also interesting. For my part I wish Victoria Ibanchenko Kiev already the best in what they ever decided to do with her life. Upon my return to New York, I naturally devoted a Much of my time and money to try to bring Victoria to America, which in retrospect I can say that I had fallen in love with and although my attempts ended in failure prejudice, I can honestly say I did everything to make it with me in America. Once in New York, I also have to be the inspiration of the Soviet Union still in me, went to the famous "Mosayeb" (Russian folk dance company) who happened to perform at "Radio City". This, too, such as the Bolshoi and the Kirov was a performance that left me spellbound when combined grace and music in a way that is also expressed as much, but maybe in a more modern way, which was no less impressive. If a strange chance I will add that on that night I arrived at the man who was our guide in the Soviet Union. In fact so much was my desire to come to America Victoria and interest in what I had seen in the Soviet Union, that I even started private lessons in Russian, who later would be very useful for many years come in 1992 in Chile. A country I never would have thought I would speak Russian. It was there that one day in Santiago after a photo of the newspapers I was in contact with a poster saw an upcoming performance by the Bolshoi. By that time I worked as a freelance photographer and was not really planning on seeing the Bolshoi, believing that it would be expensive but I was glad to see them in town. This is something to cheer and practically there was a time in Chile, not long before the reign of Pinochet with the Bolshoi and other things from the Soviet Union were banned. It was on the same day after seeing the poster that I ran into a shoe store which was a couple, a woman whose slim body gave away that she should a ballerina with a man who had been what I would classify as a athletic but not muscular. Quite frankly neither my attention until I heard them speak Russian and it was then that my mind two and two put together. The Bolshoi were in town, this woman is very slim, and spoke Russian so it was then that I decided to introduce myself, so what I did with the Russian I learned in Poland and my private lessons. I managed to get their names, it is Nina Semizorowa (which I would later find was one of the biggest stars of the Bolshoi and their attraction to that particular tour) and his being the one I'm forgetting all he was Nina's husband. Of course, my being a photographer at the time was that my camera I used to snapshot of the two to be had. I did not know about the ballet currently not realize that Nina was such a big star of the Bolshoi and it was not her humble personality, it gave away, either as her and her husband were among the most humble people I ever met. This is despite or perhaps because both of them were the stars of the Bolshoi, perhaps the best ballet company world, where only the best are allowed. Being the Bolshoi Ballet is to basketball what the NBA or the "Series A" is to play football, actually a collection of programs world's top talent. As a footnote I would add that an English actress named Joyce Frankenberg (Jane Seymour or later known as "Doctor Quinn" on the TV series of the same name) was once accepted into the Bolshoi from an injury which she was only able to benefit as a prima ballerina it. Having chatted Semizorowa Nina and her husband got a quick the picture developed and took it to the hotel where I knew they had continued and it was there where I meet other members of the Bolshoi, who had made the trip to Chile. There was something about them I must admit she made the most interesting people not only look to dance, but to talk and when I spoke to them one of their managers invited me to the next day to not only watch them practice, but to take photos too. It was after that day that I was a ballet fan, maybe it was that they know and they ask questions, along with seeing the commitment they discuss what they did that made me appreciate the ballet any more. I took many a photo that would end in a couple of Chilean newspapers but in all truth I can not remember where, but what usually stabbing in my head was the friendships I made with members of the Bolshoi Ballet, especially with a very young dancer of twenty years by the name of Anna Petrova. It was through one of the members of their surroundings that they asked if I gave her to shoot the picture and mail it to her that of course I agreed to do. Anna was a shy girl from Leningrad who spoke English well enough to at least one call is to keep what we did and what a pleasure it was because I not only took photos (using a whole roll of film on her) but to get to know her. She is someone who could not have exceeded 5 foot mark by much, and whose weight can not be that much more than £ 100 but in this body the power of those who could perform incredible grace and movements of ballet required held. As far as our conversations were involved, at least during our first meeting, they usually centered around ballet with her asking me many questions ranging from what she felt was the difference between the Bolshoi and the Kirov with her telling me that the was difficult to make up words but it was then that I wanted to try my father's theory that they admitted that there is some truth in. I have also asked Anna what she felt about the Mosayeb they claimed to be good, but not as good as it once was 20 years earlier. Many things were said between Anna and me that day in a conversation that I found most fascinating but one answer she gave me that stand out in my mind the most was when I asked her what she thought of American Ballet. It was my question, her response was, and I'll never forget when I quote: "American, French and British ballet are very strong and good, but we are the best". A statement that would be difficult to dispute prompted for my comeback "as is the "dream team" in basketball. "My observation is made if that was the year that Jordan, Bird, Magic Johnson, Carl Malone and many others showed their incredible talent at the Barcelona Olympics as the now legendary "dream team". On that day in the auditorium which was designated to the Bolshoi, I also got to talk to other members of the Bolshoi, one of them a friend of Anna's, who told me he had received several offers from American Ballet companies with more money, but feared to make given the movement he had perhaps rightly or wrongly, many American ballet companies went bankrupt hear. He was given the offer to him by the Geoffrey Ballet, but was not sure yet. Other things that these young ballet dancer told me that he really did not include having to watch his diet as much as some of the female dancers and that he felt a number of dancers in the Bolshoi, who had not so much because of their dancing skills, but their connections in the party. Of course I can not comment on these remarks, I do not anything namely with respect, but I was surprised at his comments, rather than what he had said, but he at all if I could imagine that there was a time not that long before that they could be in deep trouble for saying less. The day was great, but the night would not be less if I had started seeing the Bolshoi Ballet performs in action scenes from many ballets included "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, along with others such as "Giselle" by Adams. I particularly remember the latter indicated that it was the one recommended by my new friend (who unfortunately I lost contact with) Anna Petrova in the lead role and what a performance gave them. In saying this but I must not yield to a connoisseur of the ballet I'm other things, like football or singing or acting, which makes it difficult for me to an impartial assessment of her performance that night, but in my eyes she was great in the role she played. She danced like a bubble bath, even bouncing on stage, but in the air when they are happy all the guests, one of them is the president of Chile at the time, Patricio Aylwin. For me not only Anna, but all members of the Bolshoi did not dance like they dance to the music who played for them, but if their dancing was creating the music, as was the coordination between music and the movements that they seemed one and the same. If they were a image was created by the music and how great it was that night when I go to something that will last see me until the end of my days and all not only due to the spectacle I witnessed, but the bond of friendship was born. The next day I went to the Holiday Inn to see the members of the Bolshoi and especially my girlfriend Anna Petrova I had agreed to meet at a certain hour only to discover that she and the rest of the members of the Bolshoi, did not return from a lengthy interview she gave to the Chilean press, which lasted more than two hours. I do not mind waiting as it was, as I did, I am a man from Chile who was one of the people who are responsible for compliance which the Bolshoi to Chile. We as one can expect that talked about the Bolshoi (in Spanish) and how they could have now come to Chile that Pinochet is no longer president. Freedom of speech, however, had not quite come as the government, under the influence of the Catholic Church had forbidden the British heavy metal band "Iron Maiden" of playing in Santiago on their 1992 tour of South America. Once my friend Anna back to the hotel to leave our time was limited because of their late arrival (who apologized for) and the fact that she and the rest of the Bolshoi had little time for their flight on time. Anna and I went for a walk around the hotel should have lasted approximately 15 minutes in which we are not talking about ballet, but our lives and our taste in music, her claim that Elvis Presley, except as Tchaikovsky and my claim to find Iron Maiden except opera and classical music. Unfortunately time was not on our side if I would like to take them to a nice place for lunch data, rather than due to my physical attraction to her, but my desire to enjoy her company, but this was not so we had to limit ourselves to exchange addresses so I could send her the photos I had taken of her. I myself bought her a flower of a street vendor as a sign of the friendly but short time we spent together. I would just send her the pictures in all honesty I'm not sure if they ever received them as I did not answer her, but this does not matter if I was really mesmerized by not only my encounter with the Bolshoi, but with Anna Petrova. About the Author

My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland where I wrote my first book “New York’s Opera Society” now Available on Amazon.

How do I know if my Picasso drawing is original? How to verify the authenticity of the drawing?

This is a series of 6 pen on paper sketch dancer 8X10 of dancers in rehearsal at a ballet bar and studio. There is not much detail in the drawings, mostly simple line drawings. I inherated it from a friend that would be collected between 1930 to 1960.

i doubt they are original, but you should go to a very fine art dealer or someone like Christies auction and they'll charge you a bit to tell you they arent real.

Anaheim Ballet: Series 1/4

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