19 replies to this topic

[Juliette]

After the performance of the ballet "Signes" by Carolyn Carlson, the POB dancer Marie-Agnès Gillot has at last been promoted to Etoile (principal). A promotion long overdue here.
Congratulations!

Edited by Juliette, 18 March 2004 - 02:35 PM.

[cygneblanc]

! A friend has just e-mailed me to tell me the same thing ! Congratulations to this wonderful dancer  

[Naoko S]

**Congratulations Marie-Agnès!**

You deserve it, and we all knew it!

[Estelle]

Wow! That's quite a surprise (especially as principals rarely get promoted just after a role in a modern work)!  

I'm not as much a total fan of Marie-Agnès Gillot as some (generally I tend to prefer her modern roles, or character ones, than in classical ones- however she was great in "Paquita", for example), but among the present premieres danseuses, that's the most logical promotion (I regret that Delphine Moussin never got promoted, but now she's a bit too old), she definitely has a great stage presence, and has danced a very large repertory. Congratulations to her!   :party:

[Françoise]

Congratulations to Marie-Agnès, she was Etoile in the heart of too many spectators since a long time !          

For me she is the complete dancer, as well in classical where she was a fabulous Kitri, a beautiful Nikya, or in modern where her tall size deserves completely this kind of dance !

[Naoko S]

Estelle, yes she was absolutely wonderful in Paquita some years ago, wasn't she?  Since then in my mind she was already *Etoile*!

Françoise, I'd love to see her as Kitri in Don Q run in May - do you think she will be casted for the role?

[Juliette]

From what I've heard (and from what Marie-Agnès would have told to a friend last night), she wouldn't do Kitri this year (and I would have liked because I couldn't see her two years ago). But she will dance the title role in Mats Ek's Giselle.
And Naoko, although I find Marie-Agnès very good in classical works too, I didn't like her Paquita; she is not a romantic dancer for me (and Paquita's first act is for a romantic ballerina according to me). But I think she is the most beautiful Myrtha and Queen of the Dryads I've ever seen. For me, one of her best role is Lescaut's mistress in Manon; she was wonderful!

[Lovebird]

Finally! Congatulations to Gillot. It was overdue, and she is such an exceptional artist and a huge personality.

[Naoko S]

Juliette, thanks for the info. - it's really a shame if the news turns a reality and she would not be casted as Kitri.....   Also thank you for your impressions on her Paquita.  Well I've personally found a great potential in her to blossom in romantic roles such as Giselle, not only in contemporary roles where she no doubts excels, especially after having seen her as Myrtha earlier this month.  Her Myrtha was full of authority yet very feminine, not a cold, blood-thirsty creature; her movements were very delicate and soft - I was particularly impressed by her exquisite port de bras..... I thought she had a deep understanding for the classical roles such as this and was able to give a character of her own without distorting the root/heart of classics, which seemed to me most admiring.

[Françoise]

Naoko, as Juliette said, Marie-Agnès will not be cast on Kitri this year. She is cast, in the same time, on the title part of Mats Ek' Giselle. It will the first time she will dance the leading part. Before she just dancing first mad spirit, and Bathilde/Myrtha  

When they make season, they don't think that Ek's Giselle and Don Quixote were scheduled exactly in same time, and too many etoile won't dance in the two ballets because of risk of injury  :shrug: .

For men, only Jean-Guillaume Bart should dance Basilio, Nicolas Le Riche, José Martinez, Manuel Legris are all three cast on Giselle. Roberto Bolle and Carlos Acosta will dance with Agnès Letestu and Aurélie Dupont.

Marie-Agnès was absolutely amazing as Kitri, I didn't think she was made for the part because she was tall, but she knows how play with her arms, and so on, and she became one of my favourite Kitri   !
Against I don't love her in Paquita, I prefer Clairemarie Osta in this part or Agnès Letestu   !

[Naoko S]

Françoise,  thanks for the info.  To be honest, personally I'm not that thrilled at the news Bolle and Acosta would guest-appear; I have more opportunities for seeing these dancers here in London!  More exciting prospects are that rising young dancers may be given opportunities to dance leading roles.  For instance, will Mathieu Ganio get to dance Espada, if not Basilio?

[Juliette]

As I've heard, Mathieu Ganio won't dance the part of Basilio, perhaps will he do Espada. Indeed it would very interesting to see young dancers in theses roles (but I've heard Dorothée Gilbert may dance the part of Kitri one time). But I'm very happy to see both Bolle and Acosta (although I don't find Acosta's dance fits Aurélie Dupont's) in Basilio; we don't have a lot of opportunities to see foreign principals in Paris (as there are so few classical companies tour); for this thing, you are lucky in London (and Royal Ballet's repertory is very interesting too!).

[Naoko S]

Juliette,

>>As I've heard, Mathieu Ganio won't dance the part of Basilio, perhaps will he do Espada.

>>but I've heard Dorothée Gilbert may dance the part of Kitri one time

Wow!  If only Mathieu and Dorothée were casted for the same performance and I could get to see them (and my preference for Queen of Dryads is Aurore Cordelier; for Basilio, Karl Paquette perhaps?)!  

On Aurélie & Acosta:  I saw them together in Diana & Actaeon PdD some years ago, and a combination wasn't so good.... no chemistry between the two; Acosta alone made audience go crazy with his unfailing bravula, etc.   But Aurélie is now a completely different dancer - blossomed as a true ballerina - so the match could generate something interesting!

>>and Royal Ballet's repertory is very interesting too!

If you are fond of "drama ballets" (or vice versa), Covent Garden is indeed a good place to visit.  But if not (like myself), you won't have great appetite.....

[Juliette]

Indeed I'm fond of Drama ballets!
I'd like to see Mathieu Ganio and Dorothée Gilbert together too, but perhaps there won't be, as I don't even know if he will do Espada. And I'd also like to see Aurore Cordellier as Queen of Dryads, but I don't know if she will be cast in the part (perhaps as an understudy, as she was an understudy for Myrtha and eventually did it). But, in dreams, Gilbert as Kitri, Ganio as Basilio and Cordellier as Queen of he Dryads would be such a wonderful and thrilling cast!
About the couple Dupont/Acosta, their style is so different, but let's see! (and it's true that when Aurélie is on stage, you see her, thus I don't think he will steal the audience from her).

[pherank]

I'm reviving this thread to mention that there's an article on Marie-Agnes Gillot in Dance Magazine that has some interesting facts about her life:
http://www.dancemaga...--the-beautiful

I had no idea that she had suffered from scoliosis as a child and wore a metal brace for years. It's also hard to believe that she is only 5'7" tall - I always thought she must be close to 6' with that Olympian physique!
Somewhere else in the Forums I posted some info on her upcoming choreographic debut at POB (this Fall, 2012).