Danila Korsuntsev Igor Kolb Korsuntsev Reviews Kolb Reviews Kirov Reviews

On 19 August 2000, the last day of the Kirov's second summer season at Covent Garden, I had an appointment to meet two of the company's young male stars inside the Royal Opera House. As it was a sunny afternoon, I spoke to both of them on the spacious terrace which overlooks the piazza.

Danila Korsuntsev, aged 26, is a principal; while Igor Kolb, 23, is a first soloist. Kolb was seen in London already in the last Kirov season at the London Coliseum in 1997. I remember his clean stylishness in Konstantin Sergeyev's production of "Sleeping Beauty" partnering Diana Vishneva. Korsuntsev, who was on the cover of the August issue of "Dance Europe" magazine, only joined the Kirov in 1998. On the final night of the Kirov's June season, Korsuntsev and the young star Svetlana Zakharova led the company in a glorious performance of "Diamonds", the last part of "Jewels", which brought the earlier season to a rousing finish.

Both Korsuntsev and Kolb are similar in some ways. They were not graduates of the Vaganova Academy, but did their schooling outside the Kirov's school. Kolb, a Byelorussian, graduated from the Byelorussian State Ballet School in 1996 and joined the Kirov in the same year. Korsuntsev was born in Uzbekistan and was a graduate of the Uzbekistan Ballet School. He was a soloist of the Moscow Classical Ballet where he danced from 1992 to 1998, prior to joining the Kirov. In the Kirov they have the same coach - Gennady Selutsky. In the August season, both of them were cast in nearly the same ballets - "Swan Lake" and "Chopiniana". They are also good friends.

Kolb has a nice long line and dances with a pure classical style. Korsuntsev, slightly taller, is more solidly built, and is an impressive virtuoso dancer.

DANILA KORSUNTSEV

Danila Korsuntsev relaxing on the RB studio terrace
Photograph by Kevin Ng

Tired? Actually yes and no. This month in London, I didn't have that many performances - only two performances each of "Swan Lake" and "Chopiniana", and I had to wait a long time before I got to dance. I would have preferred to dance more frequently, maybe even every two days. I like it when I have many performances. When for instance I have only two performances in a month, then it's very difficult for me, the waiting and waiting.

The new studios at Covent Garden are good for dancing, and for class. At the Maryinsky, we have two stages - a big one and a small one - as well as four studios.

Roles
My favourite roles are the romantic roles. I like "Chopiniana", "Swan Lake", and "Giselle". I haven't danced "Sleeping Beauty" yet, but I will learn the role next season, as well as "Giselle" and maybe "La Bayadere". I've danced "Giselle" and "Don Quixote" with the Moscow Classical Ballet, but not yet at the Maryinsky Theatre.

Balanchine? I like Balanchine very much. I like "Diamonds", it's very good for me, and it's different. Not classical, but clean classical. This is different for my physique - for my back. I've also done "Serenade", it's brilliant. And next season I may do "Symphony in C".

I haven't danced "Manon" yet. I like it, and I think it's good for the Kirov. It's different. Ten years ago, Kirov Ballet only had classical ballets. Now Kirov Ballet has Balanchine, "Manon" and other new classical ballets. This is good for the Kirov and for the dancers; whereas the Bolshoi Theatre doesn't have as much variety, and they have less Balanchine.

In the Bolshoi, I know Nikolai Tsiskaridze. Also Dmitri Belogolovtsev, he is a good man and a good dancer.

Partners
My favourite partner? Uliana Lopatkina, I think. She is a very good dancer. I dance "Swan Lake" with her. I sometimes dance with Svetlana Zakharova. Yes, she is good to partner and she is tall. Also Sofia Gumerova, she is good.

Guesting
When I was still with the Moscow Classical Ballet, I was invited to dance with a school in Japan, and I also went to Brazil for four months and danced with a school there. I also did a gala concert in 1996 in Paris for Ilsa Liepa's company. But right now I don't have much time for guesting abroad.

Other dancers
At the Kirov, Faroukh Ruzimatov is my favourite, I have a video of him. When I was at the Moscow Classical Ballet, I liked Alexander Gorbasevitch. In class he's perfect, it's good for me to look at him. When I first joined Moscow Classical Ballet in 1992, I saw Vladimir Malakhov. When we toured Japan, he came to dance with us, and also in Italy and France. He danced in many countries with us.

I saw Baryshnikov on video. I like Nureyev as well. Nureyev and Baryshnikov are completely different dancers. Nureyev had so much more emotion. Really I don't like dance to become too much like sports. Nowadays many people dance like sportsmen, and only do "double cabrioles", "double tours". They don't have emotion on stage. It's not good for the Kirov Ballet. There are dancers who have no emotion at all when they dance in "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote" - only technique. I don't like this.

The past
I lived in Uzbekistan. My teacher in school was Zagarov. In Moscow he learnt from Piotr Pestov who was the teacher of Malakhov and Nikolai Tsiskaridze, before he returned to my country and started teaching. And after finishing my school, I went to Moscow in 1992 and joined the Moscow Classical Ballet.

IGOR KOLB

Igor Kolb ‘off duty’ in an RB studio
Photograph by Kevin Ng

I like London very much. I've visited the National Gallery and St. Paul's Cathedral. The canteen here in Covent Garden is very good, by the way. This month in London I danced "Le Spectre de la Rose" for the first time ever, with Zhanna Ayupova. "Spectre" is one of my favourite ballets, as well as "Giselle" and "Swan Lake". As for modern roles, I dance Balanchine's "Scotch Symphony", and the first movement of "Symphony in C" with Zakharova. I hope to dance in William Forsythe's ballets, I've seen one of his works on video.

Besides Zakharova and Ayupova, I also dance with Diana Vishneva. Since you ask me if I prefer this 1890 version of "Sleeping Beauty" or the old Konstantin Sergeyev version, I must say I prefer the Sergeyev version, because his choreography is better. (Actually the Kirov did this Sergeyev production once in St. Petersburg this year. So it hasn't been dropped from the repertory.)

Igor Kolb at the ROH stage door
Photograph by NO7

Among the older Kirov dancers, I admire Marat Daukayev, and Konstantin Zaklinsky.

Next season at the Maryinsky, the new roles that I may dance are "Don Quixote", and a new production of "Nutcracker" by Alexei Ratmansky next January.