Season 2013/2014: New Programmes, Part 3
Last season saw no less than 10 astonishing ladies competing for the podium at the world championships, while everyone had a tough time trying to set them apart. This year, their choice of programmes is more exciting than ever as they're bound to bring out their best, and then some, to win the most prestigious medal of them all: the Olympic medal.
Alena Leonova - although she's become one of the underdogs, always trying to reach the top, always failing spectacularly, this Russian skater has probably the best interpretation skills we've seen. Her new long programme, Carmen by George Bizet, despite being the king of over-used programmes, is going to showcase her amazing abilities as an actress on ice.
Gracie Gold - with a predestined name and a brilliant debut, this petite American is a rising star already. For the Olympic season, she chose two powerful themes: Three Preludes by George Gershwin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgJXIJKT-xA) and Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty.
Ashley Wagner - she's been around for a while, always knocking on international podium doors, but it was this last season that propelled her forward. If she does good, 2013/2014 will get her even higher. She chose Shine on You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd for the short program and Romeo and Juliet for the long program. This last choice is the only theme that could compete with Carmen for the top of the list of "Themes We've Grown Tired to See", but at the end of the day, it's a theme that makes champions.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - this soon to be 17-year-old Russian came out of nowhere and threatened years and years of hard work put on by more mature skaters, showcasing a limitless amount of talent. It is too early in her career to even aspire at an Olympic gold medal, but since this season will one day be remembered as the first Olympic season of one of Russia's greatest champions, it would be a mistake to ignore her. Her short programme will feature the oh-so-famous Gopher Mambo. It is a welcome change from last year's rather gruesome, though brilliant two programmes.
Adelina Sotnikova - speaking of talented 17-year-old Russians, here's one that almost 'dethroned' Carolina Kostner as European champion last year. Although some say she doesn't have her compatriot's mind-blowing skills, she's got an attitude on ice that simply wins you over. Her new short program will be compared to Leonova's long program all throughout the season, as they both feature the same music. Oh Carmen, how we haven't missed you! The long program throws some novelty on ice in the form of Camille Saint-Saens's Capriccioso (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0ajM7aL-Vc), to which Sotnikova skated before while she was still a junior skater.
Mao Asada - the Japanese lost the Olympic gold medal once and she doesn't plan to do it again. Her music this season is entirely classical, aka "Olympic medal magnet". In the short program we'll hear Frederic Chopin's Nocturne No. 2 Op. 9-2 in E flat major (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZUw78FXpG4) and in the long program, Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no. 2.
Carolina Kostner - however good Asada might be with classical music, this Italian skater is the queen of classical interpretation and she's got us very excited about her new choices: the beautiful Humoresque by Antonin Dvorak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9msTsmpZs) and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, which has been skated on before, but never the way Kostner will.
Yuna Kim - she is the favourite for winning the Olympic gold medal, once more, and as far as her new programmes go, it looks like she couldn't miss it. The short program music, Send in the Clowns from the musical A Little Night Music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvZex3Qf7QQ) might not be as popular as Carmen or Romeo and Juliet, but it can be just as dramatic if interpreted properly, and that's one thing you can be sure Yuna Kim will do. The long program music stays in the same dramatic register: Adios Nonino by Astor Piazzola. Two regal choices for the Queen of Ice Skating.
Alena Leonova - although she's become one of the underdogs, always trying to reach the top, always failing spectacularly, this Russian skater has probably the best interpretation skills we've seen. Her new long programme, Carmen by George Bizet, despite being the king of over-used programmes, is going to showcase her amazing abilities as an actress on ice.
Gracie Gold - with a predestined name and a brilliant debut, this petite American is a rising star already. For the Olympic season, she chose two powerful themes: Three Preludes by George Gershwin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgJXIJKT-xA) and Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - this soon to be 17-year-old Russian came out of nowhere and threatened years and years of hard work put on by more mature skaters, showcasing a limitless amount of talent. It is too early in her career to even aspire at an Olympic gold medal, but since this season will one day be remembered as the first Olympic season of one of Russia's greatest champions, it would be a mistake to ignore her. Her short programme will feature the oh-so-famous Gopher Mambo. It is a welcome change from last year's rather gruesome, though brilliant two programmes.
Adelina Sotnikova - speaking of talented 17-year-old Russians, here's one that almost 'dethroned' Carolina Kostner as European champion last year. Although some say she doesn't have her compatriot's mind-blowing skills, she's got an attitude on ice that simply wins you over. Her new short program will be compared to Leonova's long program all throughout the season, as they both feature the same music. Oh Carmen, how we haven't missed you! The long program throws some novelty on ice in the form of Camille Saint-Saens's Capriccioso (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0ajM7aL-Vc), to which Sotnikova skated before while she was still a junior skater.
Mao Asada - the Japanese lost the Olympic gold medal once and she doesn't plan to do it again. Her music this season is entirely classical, aka "Olympic medal magnet". In the short program we'll hear Frederic Chopin's Nocturne No. 2 Op. 9-2 in E flat major (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZUw78FXpG4) and in the long program, Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no. 2.
Carolina Kostner - however good Asada might be with classical music, this Italian skater is the queen of classical interpretation and she's got us very excited about her new choices: the beautiful Humoresque by Antonin Dvorak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9msTsmpZs) and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, which has been skated on before, but never the way Kostner will.
Yuna Kim - she is the favourite for winning the Olympic gold medal, once more, and as far as her new programmes go, it looks like she couldn't miss it. The short program music, Send in the Clowns from the musical A Little Night Music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvZex3Qf7QQ) might not be as popular as Carmen or Romeo and Juliet, but it can be just as dramatic if interpreted properly, and that's one thing you can be sure Yuna Kim will do. The long program music stays in the same dramatic register: Adios Nonino by Astor Piazzola. Two regal choices for the Queen of Ice Skating.
Liza did not come out of nowhere, you know, she's been around for more than 4 years. It's not just talent that makes her a threat to other ladies, she also works hard and does have strong determination :-) I have everything cross for her :-) being on the podium maybe still a question, but being in top 5, she certainly could do it. Her spins got so much better, her footwork too, now all I want is a 3axel in the short XD
ReplyDeleteand Mao too, Yuna is having an injury, mayne Mao will get the chance to take the gold this time? Yuna is always the mighty queen, but Mao is not that much behind, with the 3axel and the triple flip-double loop-double
loop, with a strong sp as well.
Fans like us who have been watching every season thoroughly have known Liza for a while now, it's true, but given that it was her first European Championships some people outside Europe might not have heard of her before (same can be said about Adelina). As for Mao, fingers crossed! She does deserve that Olympic Gold. :)
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