"using Swan Lake loosely"

[Alexandra]

I'm copying over something Ari posted on Links for discussion. Ismene Brown covers several things we talk about here in this review -- and I have to say I'm glad to see this in print!

Ismene Brown reviews Northern Ballet Theatre's new Swan Lake.

It is important for any ballet company to perform a version of Swan Lake, declares Northern Ballet Theatre's David Nixon, in justifying his new version, premiered at the Grand, Leeds. Well, yes, up to a point — owing to the way ballet companies are kept apart by funding strategies, so that the North is rarely treated to major manifestations of ballet's greatest treasure.

However, it means Nixon can use the title Swan Lake loosely and be assured of a public that is becoming less and less aware of what good ballet is. It's an ominous sign that his programme dissertation shows such contempt for the great classical versions: "Stiff and posed soulless showcases for technique".

Let us leave aside the question of whether NBT has much capacity for any ballet technique, with or without soul. Nixon proposes, like a conjuror, to pull a more "plausible" story out of his hat.

What is/will be the effect of "a public that is becoming less and less aware of what good ballet is?

Is it good for audiences, ballets and/or dancers to have an artistic director of a ballet company say that the traditional classics are "stiff and posed soulless showcases for technique"?

[dido]

Oh dear, even I who "only know that I'm ignorant" am worried about a quote like that.

Has the man not even seen any videos? I've got 5 or 6 Swan Lake's kicking around here somewhere (most of them at least "after" Petipa and Ivanov) and while some are better than others and I don't yet know how FAR after PandI they are, they certainly aren't, uh, stiff and posed soulless showcases for technique."

Historically speaking I guess zillions have artists have trashed their predecessors, but it always horrifies me to see such disrespect; Hecataeus of Miletus (one of the earliest extant Greek prose writer c. 500 BCE) claimed to be writing his history to set the record straight because "The stories of the greeks are myriad and moronic."

I feel like I belong to that part of the public that "doesn't know what a good ballet is." I can't honestly say I have a clear understanding of the relative merits of Concerto Barocco and Cranko's Onegin, say. Possibly this is because I never get to SEE any ballets, much less see them multiple times.

[Alexandra]

Dido, I think the reference to "public that is becoming less and less aware of what good ballet is" is much more a criticism of what's being served to us than that somehow we should know better and don't. The more we see fourth and fifth rate productions or even second rate ones badly cast and poorly coached and staged, the more that becomes the norm. Not saying that we still don't have great dancers, but like fine paintings, they look their best in a good frame.

I think your "go to the video" is a wise thought. There ARE solid productions and stellar performances available. It's not the same as being there; you can't FEEL them. But you can see it working.

[Mel Johnson]

And I have to go back to one of my own favorite Modest Proposals, that the most Radical thing a 21st-century company could do is to mount a four-act, Petipa/Ivanov, 1895-version Swan Lake. Never mind the audiences, I'm becoming concerned that the Artistic Directors are becoming so estranged from the classics that they can't tell good from bad any more!

[Hans]

Aren't there plans to do that at the Kirov in the near future?

[dido]

Oh, yeah. I totally blame the Guys in Charge for my ignorance , for example Boston Ballet is doing Swan Lake this spring; it will be my first live Swan Lake and all I know about it is that "The New York Times" (not even the name of the critic) said (when? who knows?) that it was "the best in the country."

Which if you think about it, doesn't tell me anything. Now I'll probably be able to compare it down the Dowell/Makarova and the Nuryev/Fonteyn and that newish Royal Swedish Ballet Swan Lake, but even with the program notes it's going to be hard to tell how faithful it is 1) to the 1895 2) to whatever production the NY Times was talking about.

Sigh. 4 or 5 productions a year is not enough. (Not saying that BB should be putting on more, but that more people should come through Boston. With cheap student rush tickets.)

[Alexandra]

Dido, I think it's great that you care what production you're seeing! And most unusual. Generally people think (understandably) that if it's called "Swan Lake" they're getting "Swan Lake." Of all the big, 19th century ballets, this one is probably the most changed, but there still are some bits that are (nearly) "standard" -- first act pas de trois, second act, "black swan" pas de deux -- that you'll recognize if you've watched a few videos.

[Mme. Hermine]

hi dido!

the advertising for boston ballet's may presentation of swan lake is a little vague, but to be completely correct, although they are using the costumes and sets from the 1990 production, this swan lake is going to be set by mikko nissinen and is not the same as the 1990 "glasnost" swan lake which is the one referred to by the New York Times' critic.

[sandik]

It's always such a gamble when a company revives an "After Petipa." We got a newly refurbished SL here in Seattle this autumn, and while most of it is blessedly accurate (in style if not actual steps) we've all seen versions that probably make Petipa and Ivanov rotate in their graves.

And yet (warning, devil's advocate section ahead)

Like Lamb's "Tales from Shakespear," these new versions of old works do say something about what people think ballet should be at certain times and places in our history. The revised Soviet SL, with its mandated, socially-acceptable "happy ending," is a fascinating example of that aesthetic. I'm not suggesting a wholesale substitution (as a dance historian that idea makes me queasy), but when someone claims to have "fixed a problem ballet" I'm always curious to see what they've done.

[Alexandra]

Well, said, Sandi, Devil's Advocate section and all. I'd have much less of an objection to Weird Swan Lakes if there were one benchmark production floating around somewhere.

And I also have a nervous feeling that Ivanov, particularly after a few snorts of vodka, might just love the Grigorovich version, or whatever, and wonder aloud, "Why didn't I think of that?" Petipa, I'm certain, would be grave-spinning We should have a contest, some day, to see who we think has done the most posthumous recumbant pirouettes of the Old Dead Masters!

[Hans]

Alexandra, I sense a poll....

I know what you mean, though. I've never liked Act II of Swan Lake as much as Act III of La Bayadère. Petipa seems to have had surer taste...or maybe just tastes more like mine

[Alexandra]

Some day, I promise, I'll put up George Jackson's "Did Ivanov REALLY choreograph Act 2?" article (I have to OCR it, and it's not an easy process; it's from an old DanceView).

I was very much struck, when the Kirov was here, how closely SLAct2 resembles BAct4 (Shades). There's a lot to indicate that Petipa did choreograph it.

That's not a good subject for a poll -- but if you sense a poll coming on, Hans, by all means, go for it!

[Hans]

Actually, I get your point about the poll--it would have to list just about every choreographer starting with Gorsky. Unwieldy. But I would love to see that article because I've been wondering about that very idea for a long time.

[Alexandra]

The short version of the article is that neithier Ivanov nor Petipa claim Swan Lake in their diaries. (!!!; and George reads German, so has read Petipa's diaries). Petipa's name is on some of the early posters -- that could be first balletmaster's right, or it could be truth. Petipa was ill; did he begin the preparations and Ivanov carried out instructions? But it's looking at the actual structure of the act, especially going back to the Stepanov (and early Royal) versions: It was a very formal structure -- the huntsmen took part in the dances. There's be a pas d'action, the swans are a grand pas classique, etc. The entre is very similar to Bayadere, as are some of the formations. Ivanov being derivative? Or Petipa varying his own formula?

[carbro]

Twisting this a little, if you use the Tchaikovsky score and have Swans in the ballet, how can you call it anything other than "Swan Lake?" No matter how slightly it glances the original [insert choreographer's name here].

[Clara 76]

[stiff and posed soulless showcases for technique"] Sorry but I still don't have the 'quote ' thing down

Bias Warning: I know David quite well and I am speaking from that direction when I say that I have been interviewed by the press and had my words printed out of context, and I am wondering if that may be the case here. David did a wonderfully classic Swan Lake for our company that included all of the expected classical elements. Most of the ballets David did for us were classical. I've never heard him use the terms stiff etc. in that particular manner.

[What is/will be the effect of "a public that is becoming less and less aware of what good ballet is?]

I don't know if that is necessarily the case, or if the people who have more connection to excellent dancing and ballets, are "growing up" (that's nice for greying ). In other words, growing up when the world was less global, entertainment took the forms of higher culture. Dance was more a part of public schools, not extensively but certainly more than today. Today's children are more likely to know who Britney Spears is than George Balanchine or NYCB :rolleyes: . That is where we, as keepers-of-the-flame can improve.

If dance were as much a requirement as sports, we would find our audiences growing, appreciating great dance, and paying more per ticket prices. They would buy ballet subscriptions along with their sporting ones. :yes:

I don't know, it's just a thought...!

Tell me what you think

Clara

Edited March 6, 2004 by Clara 76

[Alexandra]

It's hard for me to imagine a broader context for that remark; the production under discussion sounds beyond the traditional.

A quote from Judith Mackrell's review in The Guardian:

Every time Swan Lake is subjected to a new interpretation, its hero, Siegfried, seems to acquire another affliction - depression, a drug habit, repressed homosexuality, an Oedipus complex. In David Nixon's new version for the Northern Ballet Theatre, he has become a complete emotional train wreck.

Renamed Anthony and relocated to affluent New England circa 1910, he is guardedly in love with his best friend, Simon, but trying to do the acceptable thing by marrying his neighbour, Odilia. Unfortunately for this doomed love triangle, Anthony has been obsessed from childhood by a fantastical Swan Woman (Odette), a fixation triggered by his encounter with a dead swan.

Now, about this dead swan. Twice in the ballet Anthony lovingly hauls its feathered carcass from the reeds, and twice a discreet shudder ripples through the audience. Ballet is good at prettying up death, but nothing can stop us imagining the bloating, stink and slime that would realistically accompany such a moment. What Nixon thought when he hit on a bird's corpse for a romantic symbol is hard to imagine - but it is the first in a series of grim miscalculations.

The rest of the review is here

I think the growth of pop culture must have an effect on what we're seeing, and on how audiences perceive. If MTV is your context, then that will influence how you view what you see. But I think there are times -- 1960s London for one -- where pop culture and high culture lived together quite well. Whenever a movement begins to tank, there are stages. At first it's, "let's try and fix this." That lasts about a decade. Then a growing realization that it's not Something that's going wrong, but becoming Something Else. In this case, rather than a new movement (like romanticism replacing neoclassicism) it's the worry of many that lower standards are replacing, or have replaced, higher ones. I think that's the concern that Ismene Brown was referring to.

The keepers of the flame have some work to do

Carbro, why leave in the swans? Is the music enough? If you set High Noon or Hamlet or The Simpsons Episode 999 to Swan Lake, is it still Swan Lake? If you take the story of Swan Lake and set it to a new score, is that Swan Lake? All interesting questions!!!

[Clara 76]

Hello Alexandra,

I agree with you that the context is a rather broad one and I did read both of the reviews. It's just that David always had such high regard for the classics and romance, and his choreography seemed only to enhace and further clarify the stories.

You are so right about the MTV thing. I think that younger generations can sometimes have the focus of a 2 yr.old-and perhaps, choreographers feel pressure from boards/investors to produce something that might capture short attention spans?

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that lower standards (or none at all) were invading ballet as they are certainly present everywhere else.

I do believe that the arts are the way to increase the educational levels of peoples everywhere. It is a cause dear to my heart! I find it disturbing that 14% of Americans cannot read, balance a checkbook, or find an intersection on a map.

I better be careful as I am veering off topic but we do have some work ahead of us as keepers of the flame, don't we?

Clara

Edited March 6, 2004 by Clara 76

[Hans]

From the review, it sounds as if Nixon basically created his own ballet, using traditional material and music when he couldn't think of anything himself, then stood on the shoulders of Petipa/Ivanov and Tchaikovsky, as so many other AD's have done. One would think they'd realize they're doing a disservice to the art, but apparently not....

[sandik]

Petipa was ill; did he begin the preparations and Ivanov carried out instructions?  But it's looking at the actual structure of the act, especially going back to the Stepanov (and early Royal) versions:  It was a very formal structure -- the huntsmen took part in the dances.  There's be a pas d'action, the swans are a grand pas classique, etc.  The entre is very similar to Bayadere, as are some of the formations.  Ivanov being derivative? Or Petipa varying his own formula?

Hmmm, indeed. Teaching a dance history course several years ago, and discussing Petipa's use of the corps, I cited SL - act 2, and then a student said, "but I thought that was made by Ivanov...?"

[Alexandra]

Trust your instincts!

[Clara 76]

I am resurrecting this issue because there are some things that need clarifying.

David is in town right now readying Beauty and the Beast for the theatre. I asked him about his Swan Lake because I wanted to understand more about it.

He showed me the programme and there are beautiful pictures of his Swan Lake with absolutely gorgeous costuming that appears to be Art Deco yet still has the unmistakeable look of the ballet. His only intention was to bring the story forward into the realm of the believeable for our times.

He also showed me the quote that began this thread. It was DEFINITELY taken out of context. The following is the exact wording from the programme:

"Swan Lake is perhaps the most famous of all classical ballets. Visions of women in feathered tutus on pointe and men in tights have defined the public's idea of ballet for better or worse for the last century. My first Swan Lake to both see and perform the lead role in, was Eric Bruhn's version for the National Ballet of Canada. I loved it and being the last Siegfried to be totally prepared by Eric, it will probably always remain a priceless treasure. By today's terms this production was fairly traditional and and tame, but in its day controversial for expanding the role of the prince and transforming the character of Rothbart the sorcerer from a man to a woman. When we performed this version at Covent Garden the critics had a field day tearing the production apart in their famous fashion, but their words fell on deaf ears. We all loved our production and preferred it over other rather stiff and posed productions that appeared to be soulless showcases for technique rather than movement and emotion. The heart of the music being left behind and often forgotten or stretched to tempos where it all but disappears. "

It goes on with even more detailed explanation about his latest version. I only copied the pertinent paragraph.

Had any of us actually seen this production, I believe we would've had a very different perception of it than what the critics wrote. The dead swan that was mentioned so much in the reviews is actually a miniscule part of the whole.

The audiences who saw the production loved it, and I guess until one actually sees something with their own eyes, it can be dangerous to form concrete opinions without a factual base.

Clara

Edited March 6, 2004 by Clara 76

[Mel Johnson]

Given that as a context, it seems to refer to the Bruhn production.

I can't see what's that new about the swan carcass. I believe one was introduced at the end of Act I in both the original and Vaganova versions.

[Alexandra]

Thank you for the clarification, Clara, but I don't think think the quote Brown used is a distortion. (Mel, I think he's saying he preferred the Bruhn to the stiff and posed and soulless productions, not that the Bruhn was stiff and soulless.) I read the longer version you've posted that Nixon thinks the traditional productions he's seen are "stiff and posed productions that appeared to be soulless showcases for technique rather than movement and emotion" and he wants to fix them. Brown is taking issue with the notion that anything needs to be "fixed." (Or that, if something is dull, it can be "fixed" by good direction and great dancing, not by a complete overhaul). The point of the thread was to discuss the aesthetic point in her piece in general rather than further criticize Nixon's production, which, as you note, I doubt many people here, if any, have seen.

Another quote from Brown's review, that I put it up only to answer the point that the critics have distorted the production. The story has been described the same way in every review I've read. This isn't to question Nixon's intentions -- I understand he's a friend and close colleague and that you want to be sure that his intentions are understood -- but the story has been changed, and that was the point of Brown's review, and of my posting "using Swan Lake loosely" as a topic.

I don't quarrel with the relocation: a glowing Great Gatsby world, a lakeside and grand white house, stylishly designed by Dave Gillan and Nixon himself, with young men in whites and women in elegant double-skirted Poiret-style dresses. It's the concept I can't stand, the idea that a ballet's broke and needs fixing if its plot isn't a four-episode soap opera.

The gist of Nixon's rewrite is that Anthony is a pampered New England college boy who isn't sure whether he's gay or straight. This trails eagerly in the backwash of Matthew Bourne's striking '90s revision, but it has none of Bourne's sense of groping for something great and terrible beyond his reach. This is just so trite, so bereft of gravity.

Re the dead swan: Judith Mackrell in The Guardian: "Now, about this dead swan. Twice in the ballet Anthony lovingly hauls its feathered carcass from the reeds, and twice a discreet shudder ripples through the audience. Ballet is good at prettying up death, but nothing can stop us imagining the bloating, stink and slime that would realistically accompany such a moment. "

There are definitely several divides right now:

1. What is Swan Lake? A name you can rip off for marketing purposes and set any story you want to famous music? Or a ballet with choreography and a libretto, as well as a famous score, that, when properly produced and danced, still excites audiences?

2. When staging a classic, do you try to reproduce the original--as amended over the generations--or do you update it and turn it into a soap opera -- a tendency today in many productions of many ballets -- Sleeping Beauty is a valentine's day special all about love -- that unintentionally trivialize the 19th century repertory; and new ballets that are soap operas.

Perhaps we could steer the debate away from this one specific production and to the general points in the article? The divide I mention above and Brown's point, that she objects to the idea "that a ballet's broke and needs fixing if its plot isn't a four-episode soap opera". I see that as part of the high art/pop art divide that's still raging (and that the pop art side seems to be winning). Of course people like them. More people will tune in a soap opera than would go to an evening of classical drama. Those who love classical drama wouldn't want Medea or King Lear turned into a soap opera to attract more people -- that's another part of the divide.

[Clara 76]

Mel,

what David was referring to were other productions of Swan Lake that he and other NBC dancers observed during that time. David has little patience for just bravura steps without the emotion behind them.

Alexandra,

Fair enough. Let's get back to the more general conversation.

What is interesting to me is that there seems to be the exact same debate in the opera world. Should the "classics" be updated? There are arguments that get quite heated at times on this topic.

Also in theatre: Should Shakespeare be brought into here and now. It seems to be a matter of subjectivity. In other words, in the eyes of the beholder.

As for Swan Lake, I personally don't prefer Matthew Bourne's version, and it's not just the men in feather pants that I don't care for.

As for other ballets, what about Nutcracker? I danced Petipa's but have seen Mark Morris' Cracked Nut. Again, not my favorite piece by Mark. But I did love David's version. It was set in Victorian England which although not perfectly original, still conveys that sense of history. The story was told more cohesively-all the elements were interwoven so as to make more logical sense. For example: The Sugar Plum Fairy makes an appearance with her Cavalier in the party scene, wearing a romantic tutu the same color as her classical tutu in Act 2. Her character is a Russian Ballerina who visits the Stahlbaum's Christmas party and is invited to dance. There are others who make appearances in the first act that translate to the second and it does lend a certain credibility to Clara's dream.

So I guess the question still remains: should a ballet's story be reworked at all?

Interesting thread, Alexandra!! :yes:

Edited March 7, 2004 by Clara 76