33 replies to this topic

[rg]

fyi: i have a photo on hand of LE PALAIS DE CRISTAL,  3e mouvement; it's seemingly a rehearsal moment w/ the original cast of leads posing on a stage casually occupied by other dancers in the ballet.
these are micheline bardin and michel renault.
i will post this on ballet history.

[Alexandra]

This is disappointing news to me, too.  One could take the dark view and say that perhaps no one involved thinks that anyone will know the difference!

Estelle, it's quite possible that this is a matter of rights.  To add to your list of other possibilities, the Balanchine Trust could have been involved too -- or a combination of all of them.

Please write those letters! Let them think they're losing tourist dollars because of this change!!

(And thanks for the photo, rg.)

[Estelle]

There is an announcement on the POB web site about an upcoming "passeport" on Sept 27
(generally a kind of open rehearsal). It mentioned "the new production of "Symphonie en Ut"- so it seems more and more obvious that it won't be "Palais de Cristal"... I wonder if it's just to be able to boast about something "new" (it would be perfectly stupid, but well... )
Also it mentions Patricia Neary (but it doesn't say which work she staged).

[Estelle]

The casts have been posted on the POB web site (of course, they still might change at the last minute):

http://www.opera-de-...581_distri.html

The casts for Oct 3 and Oct 10 are basically the same (the principals are in bold letters):

"Symphony in C": Pujol- Belarbi, Letestu-Bart, Gillot-Martinez, Hurel (Oct 3)/ Gilbert (Oct 10)-Pech

"Prodigal Son": Letestu-Le Riche

"The Four Temperaments":
(themes) Averty-Paquette, Abbagnato-Bélingard (Oct 3)/Wiart-Thibault (Oct 10) , Moussin-Bridard
(melancholic) Hilaire
(sanguinic) Dupont-Legris (Oct 3) Osta-Bart (Oct 10)
(phlegmatic) Le Riche
(choleric) Romberg

Also there are some small changes from what had been announced previously, for example Nolwenn Daniel isn't cast any longer in the 1st movement of "Symphony in C" (pity, she has been given so few roles since she was promoted to premiere danseuse),  on the other hand Dorothée Gilbert (who had been so lovely in "Tchaikovsky pas de deux" a few months ago, one of the most promising young dancers of the company in my opinion) is cast in the 3th movement, and Emmanuel Thibault in the 3rd and Mallory Gaudion in the 4th.

[Dale]

Estelle, Patricia Neary is one of the ballet masters John Taras employs to set Symphony in C.

[Estelle]

Thanks for the information, Dale. Does she also stage "Prodigal Son" and/or "The Four Temperaments" sometimes?

[Dale]

She's one of the top Balanchine Trust stagers, especially in Europe, where she ran the Zurich Ballet during the 70s and used to stage, when Balanchine was alive, his works.  I know she does Prodigal Son.  It wouldn't be inprobable for her to stage 4ts (she was a very good Choleric and Siren, too).

[Naoko S]

Hi guys - don't want to sound too stupid to ask this question, but.... I'm coming to Paris to catch the opening night of Balanchine pro. on October the 2nd.  Much has been talked about here on "Palais Crystal" and "Symphony in ut".  Is there any difference between the two?  I've always thought it's exactly the same ballet apart from the titles.  Some accounts on POB's website doesn't help very much in clarifying the matter.....

I've searched on this website for the related topic and found a thread discussed earlier this year, but mostly the point of discussion was on costumes/design.  Is choreography different?

[Dale]

Naoko S, we've been discussing the difference between the two ballets recently:

http://balletalert.i...showtopic=13474

[Naoko S]

Thanks Dale - Have enjoyed reading your views/comments in the 1st thread immensely.  So about 75% of choreography in Adagio is different, in your opinion.....  Interesting but with my very limited experiences for the ballet (have seen only 5-6 times with Kirov and RB), even though POB staged Palais...., I would certainly not be able to tell the difference.

I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing them in Symphony in ut though - can't wait!

[Françoise]

As difference you have also in the first movement no fouettés in Symphony against the ballerina makes it in French palais de Cristal.
Other difference is in the last movement. In palais de Cristal 4th mouvement leader girl and 1st movement leader girl makes the same thing, not in Symphony in C.

[Alexandra]

There are also little things that you wouldn't notice unless you'd seen the ballet a lot, I think -- there are some differences among American productions of "Symphony in C" -- some gestures and small steps have disappeared over time.  But there's a move to making all productions the same now.

I checked this and have been assured it's factually correct:  Balanchine did will the ballet to Betty Cage, but she gave the rights to John Taras. He is the usual stager.

[carbro]

Alexandra, on Sep 23 2003, 05:59 PM, said:

[T]here are some differences among American productions of "Symphony in C" -- some gestures and small steps have disappeared over time.  But there's a move to making all productions the same now.

While clearly standardizing will cut down on the arguments over "how it's done," I am dismayed to read this.  I like the individual "marks" that each company/era puts on the ballet.  I want to remember as many as I can.

[Estelle]

There have been quite a lot of changes in the casts (here's the link again:
http://www.opera-de-...581_distri.html )

For example, for the opening program, Manuel Legris, who was supposed to dance "Tchaikovsky pas de deux" with Aurélie Dupont, is replaced by Jean-Guillaume Bart- and also for all the other performances. Probably an injury   
Also Kader Belarbi isn't cast any longer in the first movement of "Palais de Cristal" (but still is listed for "The Four Temperaments" and "The Prodigal Son").

So, socalgal and rkoretzky, here are the updated  casts for Oct 3 and 10 (the changes are in italic letters):

"Symphony in C": Pujol- Moreau (Oct 3), Osta-Pech (Oct 10),  Letestu-Bart, Gillot-Martinez, Hurel (Oct 3) - Gaudion

"Prodigal Son": Letestu-Le Riche

"The Four Temperaments":
(themes) Averty-Paquette, Abbagnato-Bélingard (Oct 3)/Hurel-Isoart (Oct 10) , Moussin-Bridard
(melancholic) Hilaire (Oct 3)- Belarbi
(sanguinic) Dupont-Romoli (Oct 3) Osta-Bart (Oct 10)
(phlegmatic) Le Riche
(choleric) Romberg (Oct 3)- Gillot (Oct 10)

And of course it's possible that it will change again...

[Ann]

I've just come upon this thread and I'm deeply confused - isn't 'Symphony in C' exactly the same ballet as 'Palais de Cristal'?  That's what I was told some years ago by a Balanchine expert.