Stuttgart, Mariinsky, to dazzle ballet fans

Companies’ Korean stars to dance lead roles

By Do Je-hae

Some of the world’s leading ballet companies will be in Korea this year, featuring their star Korean dancers in lead roles.

A number of female dancers are currently ranked soloist or principal at prestigious ballet troupes in Europe and in North America. The most experienced among them is Kang Sue-jin, long-time principal with the Stuttgart Ballet in Germany. Her return to the local stage this summer is arousing much anticipation.

Housed at the Opera House in Stuttgart, the Stuttgart Ballet has been at the forefront of international dance for more than 50 years. Kang is now one of eight female principals at the major European company, particularly renowned for the legacy of the late choreographer John Cranko (1927-1973).

Stuttgart Ballet

Kang Sue-jin will be performing in “The Lady of Camellias” from June 15 to 17 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul.

“As one of the world’s most respected dancers of dramatic ballets, Kang has been known for her unique interpretation of the tragic Marguerite in ‘The Lady of Camellias,’” said Yoon Hye-jin, a PR official with Credia. “It is her first performance in the role of Marguerite here in 10 years and the last to be staged in Korea.”

The ballet version of Verdi’s opera “La Traviata” is choreographed by John Neumeier to music by Frederic Chopin. It was originally created for Marcia Haydee, former prima ballerina of the Stuttgart Ballet, and Neumeier’s version premiered at the Staatstheater Stuttgart in 1978.

The work has played a crucial part in the development of Kang’s 25-year-long career at the company, particularly after she became principal dancer in 1999. Kang is one of the most respected prima ballerina assolutas of her generation along with names such as Alessandra Ferri and Julie Kent.

She danced the role with such leading male dancers as British ballerino Robert Tewsley, with whom Kang formed a legendary partnership for several years starting in 2000. The Lady of Camellias was a signature work of the couple.

“Lady of Camellias has always been something special for us; it was our piece that we learned together,” recalled Tewsley in “Dancing Beyond Borders,” a recent biography of the British dancer.

Kang has marked many firsts. She became the first Asian laureate at the Prix de Lausanne and the youngest ever dancer to enter the Stuttgart Ballet at the age of 17. Among her many honors and achievements she was named “Kammertanzerin” or chamber dancer, the highest recognition the German government bestows on an artist. She was the first in 13 years to receive the title as well as the first Asian to do so.

Before coming to Korea, Kang will serve as a juror for the 40th Prix de Lausanne taking place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4 in Rosanne, Switzerland.

Mariinsky Ballet

Russia’s iconic Mariinsky Ballet will stage a production of “Swan Lake” at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on Nov. 11-13. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the St. Petersburg-based Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world’s leading ballet companies.

It is the parent company of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, a leading international ballet school, where some renowned Korean dancers have trained.

What is special about this ballet performance is that it will be accompanied by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra led by artistic director Valery Gergiev.

Founded in 1783, the orchestra is one of the oldest musical institutions in Russia and has emerged as the top symphony orchestra in Russia under the leadership of maestro Gergiev.

The company is strict about admitting foreign nationals, but a few Korean dancers have been part of the company. Korean ballerina Ryu Ji-yeon spent 15 years there and retired as a principal character artist in 2010.

Kim Ki-min, 18, a student at Korea National University of Arts (KNUA), was accepted by the Mariinsky Ballet in 2011 for the first time as a male Asian dancer. Kim is the winner of the 2010 International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria.

American Ballet Theater (ABT)

Seo Hee, a budding soloist with the American Ballet Theater (ABT), will dance in a production of “Giselle” on July 18-22 at Seoul Arts Center.

She made a highly acclaimed debut in the title role of Giselle at the New York Metropolitan Opera House in June 2011. After joining the company as an apprentice in 2005 and in the corps de ballet in March 2006, the 26-year-old has enjoyed a brisk rise in rank after dancing Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” in 2009.

Based in New York City, the ABT has been considered one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century since its founding in 1939.