31 replies to this topic

[Azulynn]

It's all in the title - Emilie Cozette was named an Etoile after tonight's performance of Cinderella, at the Palais Garnier. Congratulations are in order, I guess.

It seems to me though we're in for a world of boredom in Paris...

[ViolinConcerto]

Azulynn, on May 5 2007, 05:44 PM, said:

It's all in the title - Emilie Cozette was named an Etoile after tonight's performance of Cinderella, at the Palais Garnier. Congratulations are in order, I guess.

It seems to me though we're in for a world of boredom in Paris...

And here I thought I was going to get a scoop.....Azulynn beat me to it (congratulations to Azulynn as well as Ms. Cozette).  Well, we stopped off for a bite to eat and had a long ride on the Metro.

It was very exciting to see Brigitte Lefevre come on stage and make the announcement, especially after waiting in line for nearly two hours, and  being able to get only partial view seats (so I only saw about 1/2 of Cendrillon).  I was very happy to see the Company for the first time in about 14 years, and though Noureev's (as they spell it here) choreography was not much to write home* about, the dancing was up to the POB standard, and that pleased me a great deal.
(*home is New York City Ballet.)

[richard53dog]

Azulynn, on May 5 2007, 09:44 PM, said:

- Emilie Cozette was named an Etoile after tonight's performance of Cinderella, at the Palais Garnier. Congratulations are in order, I guess.

It seems to me though we're in for a world of boredom in Paris...

Azulynn,

You sound somewhat less than thrilled!

Richard

[cygneblanc]

Well, I'm less than trilled, too..Anyway, congrats to Miss Cozette.

[bart]

Some of hese Paris promotions seem to be quite controversial recently, as other threads have revealed.  Many of us willl not be familiar with Emilie Cozette.  What are some of the reasons, azulynn and cygneblanc, that make you skeptical?

[CarolinaM]

I've seen her only once in Cendrillon but she danced when it was not foreseen she had to -in a substitution of Mrs. Aurélie Dupond-. To be honest she looked rather tired and her performance did not convince but I do not know enough about her to be able to say if from my point of view she deserves this honour or not.

In any case: Congratulations to Mrs. Emilie Cozette too!

[Helene]

Emilie Cozette and Isabelle Ciaravola were the two demisoloists in Diamonds in the POB "Jewels" DVD.  There isn't a photo of Cozette on the POB site, but from the photo of Ciaravola, I would guess she's the taller, lighter-haired of the two.

[sophia]

Caroline, the performance you're talking about was a dress rehearsal, she was not supposed to dance it, and I think we can't judge her on that performance. Personally, I attended her two other performances that were scheduled on May 3rd and 5th.

As far as I am concerned, I can't say I'm a big fan of her, though I really enjoyed her as Odette/Odile and Cinderella. Not minor roles in any way... That certainly means something about her abilities.

To tell it in a nutshell, I would say that her dancing is not particularly exciting. Except the roles I mentioned before, each time I saw her on stage, I couln't help feeling boredom and she didn't convince me. For instance, she recently performed roles such as Myrtha, Gamzatti, Queen of the Dryads or La Cigarette in Lifar "Suite en blanc", I found her rather disappointing and I especially did not appreciate her lack of lyricism. To be fair, we must admit she has a true elegance on stage and is really a good technician (in POB, that means a proper leg and foot work), two qualities that make her far superior to Eleonora Abbagnato, another première danseuse longing for a title.

This new appointment is probably disappointing to many, as there are certainly better (I mean more interesting artistically) "premières danseuses", especially the shiny Myriam Ould-Braham. Anyway, I really have nothing against her and if this appointment is not better (be aware I may be wrong!), it certainly is not worse than the ones that occured in recent years. People who were given the title are good soloists, even good first soloists (they reached the highest rank in hierarchy before becoming Etoile), nevertheless that does not mean they are true Etoiles in my view. Technic for instance is not enough, you also need a unique personality, and a special artistry to deserve the title (obviously in theory!). What is new with Emilie Cozette is that she is a solid dancer, very rarely injured, and that really sounds like an event among POB stars! :grinning-smiley-001:

[volcanohunter]

Helene, on May 6 2007, 01:01 PM, said:

Emilie Cozette and Isabelle Ciaravola were the two demisoloists in Diamonds in the POB "Jewels" DVD.  There isn't a photo of Cozette on the POB site, but from the photo of Ciaravola, I would guess she's the taller, lighter-haired of the two.

Personally, I thought Ciaravola was the more dazzling of the two. Cozette made no impression on me whatsoever.

I wonder if this nomination isn't an attempt to find a height-compatible, long-limbed partner for Mathieu Ganio. What's the opinion of those who saw them together in Cinderella? Does the partnership work?

[CarolinaM]

sophia, on May 6 2007, 12:05 PM, said:

Caroline, the performance you're talking about was a dress rehearsal, she was not supposed to dance it, and I think we can't judge her on that performance. Personally, I attended her two other performances that were scheduled on May 3rd and 5th.

This is what I said Sophia:

Quote

I've seen her only once in Cendrillon but she danced when it was not foreseen she had to -in a substitution of Mrs. Aurélie Dupond-. To be honest she looked rather tired and her performance did not convince but I do not know enough about her to be able to say if from my point of view she deserves this honour or not.

In any case: Congratulations to Mrs. Emilie Cozette too!

I'm not so familiar with the ONP but as I've seen her on stage I wanted to congratulate her but also leaving my impressions.

[cygneblanc]

Well, Volcano, if we want to try to be objective  about this promotion, I would say it may be an attempt to have a principal who can be injury-free during a full season.

[Grissi]

Well, I share volcanohunter's opinion and I think that, in Diamonds, the most dazzling of the two soloists was Ciaravola. Cozette is, of course, elegant (which french ballerina is not elegant?), and may be she is a technician but, for me, an étoile must have more than this: personality, aura, appeal.
I am totally disappointed, but this is my point of view. What is happening to POB? I was very happy to see Ganio among the étoiles although he is very young, but I cannot understand the decisions that followed this one. What happens with Emmanuel Thibaut and Myriam Ould-Braham? Why, in another thread someone said that Mme. Lefèvre and her entourage are not FOR Thibaut?

[sophia]

I completely share your opinion about Thibault and Ould-Braham (no possible comparison with Cozette in any way) who are true stars actually, most appreciated by the audience. But these two are first and foremost (not to say only) classical dancers. That's a reason why they are not the favorites of the management...
It's exactly as if they chose to promote "mediocrity" rather than personality and artistry... People who were promoted in recent years are honest soloists or first soloists, certainly not principals.

[Estelle]

Oh dear. I haven't heard about that promotion, and really I can't say I am thrilled. My feelings about Cozette's dancing are well expressed by Sophia's sentence "each time I saw her on stage, I couln't help feeling boredom and she didn't convince me", I generally find her somewhat cold, a bit stiff and not expressive.I already was somewhat disappointed by Bélingard's promotion, but for me this promotion is the most disappointing in years  

Well, I can't say I expect much good from Ms Lefèvre in general, but each time she manages to disappoing me even more, either in terms of promotions or of repertory...

[Grissi]

sophia, on May 8 2007, 10:39 AM, said:

I completely share your opinion about Thibault and Ould-Braham (no possible comparison with Cozette in any way) who are true stars actually, most appreciated by the audience. But these two are first and foremost (not to say only) classical dancers. That's a reason why they are not the favorites of the management...
It's exactly as if they chose to promote "mediocrity" rather than personality and artistry... People who were promoted in recent years are honest soloists or first soloists, certainly not principals.

Sarkozy held in his political program that he will be for MERIT. Let see if he fulfills his promises...
Sorry for mentioning politics, but some decissions are just not fair.