Star crossed Lovers with Xander Parish

STAR CROSSED LOVERS BY ZOE JAMES-WILLIAMS

XANDER PARIS AND VICTORIA TERESHKINA

Ava Maya Russian Icons Gala 2016

Delighted to be attending the dress rehearsal for the Ava Maya Ballet Gala in memory of Maya Plisetskaya. An amazing line up of some of the worlds leading ballet dancers. A real treat and so inspiring. Can't wait to start painting. It was great to relax and enjoy the actual performance as well especially seeing the fireworks from the male dancers. Amazing.

The programme, accompanied by the orchestra of the English National Ballet Philharmonic, will be performed by Maria Alexandrova (Bolshoi Theatre), Sergio Bernal (National Ballet of Spain), Claudio Coviello (La Scala), Marlon Dino (Bavarian State Ballet), Aurelie Dupont (previously of the Paris Opera Ballet), Matthew Golding (The Royal Ballet), Isaak Hernandes, (English National Ballet), Kimin Kim (Mariinsky Theatre), Daria Klimentová, Maria Kochetkova (San Francisco Ballet), Liudmila Konovalova (Vienna State Ballet), Kristina Kretova (Bolshoi Theatre), Ekaterina Krysanova (Bolshoi Theatre), Lucia Lacarra (Bavarian State Ballet), Sarah Lamb (The Royal Ballet), Vladislav Lantratov (Bolshoi Theatre), Viktor Lebedev (Mikhailovsky Ballet), Andrei Merkuriev (Bolshoi Theatre), Herve Moreau (Paris Opera Ballet), Vadim Muntagirov (The Royal Ballet), Marianela Nuñez (The Royal Ballet), Yekaterina Osmolkina (Mariinsky Theatre), Xander Parish (Mariinsky Theatre), Tamara Rojo (English National Ballet), Farukh Ruzimatov (Mikhailovsky Ballet), Polina Semionova (American Ballet Theatre), Kristina Shapran (Mariinsky Theatre), Daniil Simkin (American Ballet Theatre), Thiago Soares (The Royal Ballet), Ivan Vasiliev (American Ballet Theatre),

Painted Lovers Series by Zoe James-Williams featuring Romeo and Juliet

Celebrating #PaintedLovers with The National Gallery in the run up to Valentines Day

I am posting one of my paintings featuring lovers from the world  of ballet

Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina of The Mariinsky Ballet dancing Romeo and Juliet

Watercolour

Watercolour of Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina, Mariinsky

New watercolour of Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina, Mariinsky Ballet, while performing Romeo and Juliet at The Royal Opera House. From the Star Crossed Lovers Series

Watercolour Portrait of Mariinksy Ballet Dancer Xander Parish

Watercolour Portrait of Xander Parish, This is from when I attended dress rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet at The Royal Opera House. I wanted to paint a traditional portrait with a twist. For Xander's cloak I used vintage pages of William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet to symbolise how he superbly encapsulated the role. Xander Parish just received a Britain's National Dance Award for"Outstanding Male Performance". Congratulation Xander smile emoticon
www.zoejameswilliams.com

Happy New Year!

Wishing Everyone a Magical 2015! 

Love Zoe xx

Xander Parish, Starlit Lovers Series 1

 Xander Parish performing in Romeo and Juliet in The Royal Opera House
This is first of a series and I wanted to capture Xander and Viktoria's beautiful chemisty as they first fall in love as Romeo and Juliet. I used a limited palette to create the twilight effect with a blush for the skin tones.

#Starcrossedlovers series no.1 #romeoandjuliet #ballet #xanderparish #ViktoriaTereshkina #Mariinsky #Watercolor #pastels #charcoal #drawing #thebigdraw
Copyright Zoe James-Williams
Check out Xander Parish Website for up to date information on his dancing schedule. Also you can read a great interview in The Telegraph  Xander gave about becoming the the first British Dancer to be invited to enjoy The Mariinsky Ballet Company in St Petersburg.  
You can also follow him on twitter @xanderparish

Painting in progress, The Dying Swan

Painting in progress of Alina Somova, Prima Ballerina with The Mariinsky Ballet Company while performing The Dying Swan. I have used pastel, watercolour, acrylic and washi paper on blue ingres pastel paper. It is far from finished which is why I am just showing a section of it. But you can see the texture of the washi paper on her headdress and tutu. The skin tones have to be worked on but am happier with the hair. The hands also need more detail. 

Sketches from the rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet with Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina

Some of my quick preparatory sketches from Monday at The Mariinsky rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet with Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina at The Royal Opera House

At The Mariinsky's Romeo and Juliet Rehearsal with Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina at The Royal Opera House

I was very privileged to be allowed into the Mariinsky Rehearsal at The Royal Opera House for Romeo and Juliet with Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina. Huge thanks to Xander Parish for organising it so that I may paint him in the role. It is a spellbinding performance. Tender, moving and heartbreakingly romantic. There won't be a dry eye in the House tonight. Xander is the first and only British dancer in The Mariinsky, an enormous and well deserved achievement and I am really looking forward to painting and drawing him. 

Going to Stage Door at The Royal Opera House to collect my pass into the Mariinsky Rehearsal

My official pass

Beginning to sketch the rehearsal

My first selfie!! in the auditorium of The Royal Opera House

Raven Girl Ballet Costumes in the foyer. Really Beautiful

couldn't resist this fan. It was so pretty.

Great portrait of Simon Weston at The National Portrait Gallery

BP Portrait Award Exhibition. One of the best in recent years. 

Not sure I liked it but the technique was really amazing. Very striking indeed.

The lace on the skirt for this was beautiful even though you can't really see it here.

Some dainty choux buns from Paul's,  I thought they would make it back in the heat!

Some more interesting links about Xander Parish

BBC interview with Xander Parish

www.xanderparish.com

 Official photos from Romeo and Juliet, The Mariinsky with Xander Parish and Viktoria Tereshkina

Don Quixote performed by The Mariinsky at The Royal Opera House, London

The Mariinsky Ballet ,formerly known as the Kirov came to the Royal Opera House to celebrate their 50th Anniversary marking their first performance in Covent Garden. We went to see Don Quixote with the sublime Denis and Anastasia Matvienko. Very excited we were all in the mood for this wonderful treat after a lovely meal on the terrace and a glass of champagne in the champagne bar. Taking our seats we were treated to breathtaking dancing in a wonderfully entertaining and amusing ballet. I can truthfully say I have never seen spins the like of Matvienko's. A sublime evening was had by all and it was a fitting end to be able to congratulate Denis Matvienko and his wife on their electryfing perfromance. BRAVO!!!