23 replies to this topic

[cargill]

I remember years ago at Covent Garden, Monica Mason, as Myrtha, broke her foot in a jump, finished the scene (mainly by adlibing with her arms--she was brilliant), and a few seconds later Myrtha was Lesley Collier, who had danced the peasant pas de deux, and was obviously on her way home, because she had only had time to put on a white dress, and everytime she turned, the audience could see pink underwear.  Sadly Monica Mason was out for about a year after that.

[Jane Simpson]

>I remember years ago at Covent Garden, Monica Mason, as Myrtha,
                broke her foot in a jump, finished the scene (mainly by adlibing with
                her arms--she was brilliant)<

It was Makarova's company debut as Giselle, and I remember Mason saying 'Well, I couldn't just walk off and leave her there, could I?'

[Alexandra]

Laura, I always assume the dancers are all performing injured (but nobly).

When ABT first got Don Q, I don't think they ever got through a performancve where the starters finished the ballet. Once, in D.C., there was a different Kitri for every act. The ballerina was injured, and one girl knew Act I, one Act II, and one the Act III pas de deux. In New York, I forget which Basil was injured after the adagio of the Act III pas de deux, but I do remember being told that someone threw her tambourine at Peter Fonseca and yelled, "You're on."  Anthony Dowell cramped in the adagio of the Act III p/d with Kirkland at his company debut. Someone else did his solo (can't remember who) and she took her curtain call with the Don as her partner.

Re Swan Lake, I think it was common practice in the West in the 30s and 40s to cast different dancers as Odette and Odile, partly because the ballerina who could do fouettes often wasn't lyrical enough for the White Swan (something that certainly doesn't bother any company directors these days). I think Ilya's  explanation for the Ulanova/Dudinskaya pairing is quite logical. It's also worth remembering that, for the sake of the story, Odile is supposed to be a different person who has been transformed, through magic, to look like Odette. Somehow, this has been changed to the same person trying as hard as possible to look different, to show off her dramatic range.

[Leigh Witchel]

Re:  Boal's replacement of Hubbe -

My own notes say he was wearing socks (but I was in the fourth ring).  It happened on 2/1/96.

My essay on that performance - http://members.aol.c...witchel/4ts.htm

[sneds]

As I remember Damien Woetzel replaced Jock Soto when he tore a calf muscle during a performance a couple of years ago. I can't offhand remember which ballet it was, but I can look it up in my scrapbook this evening.
Kate

[Manhattnik]

It's not legend. It's what happened. It was opening night of the fall season in 77 or 78. Weiss was at the point in his big solo where he was doing a flurry of brise voles, stopped, looked like he was seriously considering leaping up and continuing, then limped into the wings.

It's not really a substition story, as nobody actually replaced Weiss. Instead, Ashley finished dancing alone, and managed to get through the bits where Weiss would have been supporting her with almost no alteration to the steps at all. It was fortunate, I guess, that Weiss hurt himself after he'd alreayd discharged his most substantial partnering duties.

This incident certainly added considerable luster to Ashley's burgeoning reputation at the time. I was also quite happy that Weiss managed to return from what is often a career-ending injury.

[Manhattnik]

It's not legend. It's what happened. It was opening night of the fall season in 77 or 78. Weiss was at the point in his big solo where he was doing a flurry of brise voles, stopped, looked like he was seriously considering leaping up and continuing, then limped into the wings.

It's not really a substition story, as nobody actually replaced Weiss. Instead, Ashley finished dancing alone, and managed to get through the bits where Weiss would have been supporting her with almost no alteration to the steps at all. It was fortunate, I guess, that Weiss hurt himself after he'd alreayd discharged his most substantial partnering duties.

This incident certainly added considerable luster to Ashley's burgeoning reputation at the time. I was also quite happy that Weiss managed to return from what is often a career-ending injury.

[NextStage]

In an earlier post, Giannina mentioned that Marianna Tcherkassky finished that performance of La Bayadere.

[NextStage]

In an earlier post, Giannina mentioned that Marianna Tcherkassky finished that performance of La Bayadere.