LE CORSAIRE

[rg]

I’m posting here some scans of historic programs from Petrograd’s Maryinsky Theater, to note what may or may not be the very first appearance in LE CORSAIRE of what would later in the 20th c. become known as the Corsaire Pas de Deux.

As reported earlier on this site (and any moderator who feels it best to move this to a previous post of mine about the original music for this number should feel free to do so – I can’t find it now myself) the ‘pas de deux a trois’ first appeared in something like the form we know nowadays from gala programs and competition appearances in choreography by Samuil Andrianov in a 1915 Petrograd CORSAIRE staging. (Maria Bababina, the musical advisor and dramaturg in Munich spelled out the particulars with regard to music used and Andrianov’s choreographic previously noted on BT.)

These scans of Maryinsky house program copy from 1915, specifically from Jan. 12th, show that the number, a ‘“pas d’action”,’ came sixth in the production’s breakup and included Karsavina’s Medora, Andrianov’s Conrad and [A.N.] Obukhov as an unnamed character – presumably the ‘Ali’ we find in today’s CORSAIRE stagings. (Earlier in this scheme, as a third number, a ‘Pas d’esclves,’ Obukhov danced opposite [E. M.] Lukom – also a character unnamed in the principal casting.

In addition to this look at the casting, I’ve also scanned one of the lovely Munich house program’s illustrations, this one showing the Jardin Anime, which Doug had a direct hand in staging for Act 3.

[Mel Johnson]

That would explain a lot of things, especially in light of Obukhov's sometime demi-character/grotesque emploi! Thank you, rg!!!

[Mme. Hermine]

i am getting a message that i don't have permission to access it or something?

[artist]

So am I. Hopefully it's only temporary and possibly due to the upgrade.

[rg]

i'm not sure what 'can't access' means: does the site not allow you to click on the thumbnails? i just did and i could but maybe it's different strokes for different folks????

sorry, wish i could help, but i'm a techno-dolt...

[artist]

When I click the link it tells me:

Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available.

[richard53dog]

When I click the link it tells me:

Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available.

I get the same error messages

[bart]

rg, would this be the earlier thread you refer to?

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...128&hl=1915

To the others, you may have to log in again after the upgrade. I had to do this earlier today. Helene has instructions on what to do if you've forgotten your password HERE.

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...mp;#entry203087

[Mel Johnson]

After the upgrade, I had to log back in, but the system won't remember my "Remember Me" check. I have to log on every time I come here!

[rg]

thanks bart and feel free to move this to that thread - i'm not adept enough to do it myself, alas.

[carbro]

rg, bart and Mel: you and I all have moderator permissions and have no problems viewing these photos. Richard, artist and Mme. Hermine have only member/senior member permissions and do have problems viewing.

I have a "New Member" screen name (for instances such as this), and when logged in under that name was unable to view the photos.

It may be just a while longer before the very last kinks are ironed out. Patience, please.

[rg]

thanks for the info, C.

i've just posted another scan on a diff. thread.

i'll refrain from any more such posts until things are smooth all around.

if you think any of this should come down, feel free to remove whatever or tell me to do so.

[Helene]

I tested using accounts with Member, New Member, and Senior Member permissions and I could click on the photos and get enlarged versions. I'm using Safari on a Mac. Firefox has been freezing, choking, and being otherwise difficult for everything on this computer for the last week or so, despite deleting it and reinstalling.

I don't see any bugs listed on the topic or a discussion in the help forums. This is odd.

[rg]

i wish i could answer/help here but i'm 'out of it' in these instances.

my offer stands, however, if you think it would be best/least-frustrating to not have these things posted i could take them down or, if easier, you should feel free to do so for the sake of the sanity of the site.

i'm easy, even as these snags are not easy to untangle.

[Helene]

I think you should continue to post them (please, please).

I've just tested New Member, Senior Member, and Member using IE (7.0): the photos are visible and by clicking on them, they enlarge.

People who are not logged in and in the Registration Completed group will see the photos displayed as a file name/link and will get the "Permissions denied" error message.

[carbro]

Thanks, Helene. My New Member alias was able to view on IE/Windows.

[artist]

I think you should continue to post them (please, please).

I've just tested New Member, Senior Member, and Member using IE (7.0): the photos are visible and by clicking on them, they enlarge.

People who are not logged in and in the Registration Completed group will see the photos displayed as a file name/link and will get the "Permissions denied" error message.

rg, don't ever think of not sharing these treasures with us!!

For me, the pics work now. It's exactly how you said; photos are visible and then enlarge by clicking. Before, I got the same file name link and error message but everything is fine now.

[rg]

here, by way of 'testing' the uploading and viewing facets of current BT programs is an exceprt from the munich house program noting the particulars of the now-famous but only recently carefully indentified CORSAIRE PAS DE DEUX.

in the CENDRILLON instance - and this is the variation that now figures in most performances of this number, not the anton simon one nureyev interpolated from the version of the pas de deux he danced for his graduation excercise (opposite sizova) - i wonder if the current 'outlines' of this as it's come down to use through soviet ballet and its CORSAIRE stagings might be close to what petipa arranged in the 1893 production (w/ additional choreography by cecchetti and ivanov) for legnani when she made her 'splash' as his cinderella.

in any case, here's how the munich house program identifies its version of the choreography.

[STorevna]

thank you RG for this. A freind of mine saw the revival of le corsaire in Munich and brought me a program - I translated a few passages with the help of babelfish and a few other online translation sites - its amazing how many different composers make up the score.

Does anyone know where the Ali character originated? Beaumont's complete book of ballets includes the scenario for le corsaire, but no character named Ali is mentioned. My ballet teacher told me the character was called the Rhab long ago in Russia, but didnt know anything else. I have yet to encounter a place in the program that explains this part of the history of teh ballet, but maybe I havnt seen it yet.

--Sasha Torevna

[Mel Johnson]

Conrad's lieutenant and constant retainer in the original poem was named Juan.

[rg]

as these slight pieces of evidence come into view, it now seems the third dancer in the pas de deux a trois was originally unnamed in the programs of the time. in the two i've seen from 1915, the proposed year of this dance's origin, the same dancer who danced this role alongside medora and conrad also frequently danced in a pas d'esclaves in the ballet's first act. 'rhab' is russian for slave; when vaganova staged what seems to be this dance as a pas de duex (that is with no 'third' dancer) he was called RHAB.

eventually, in 1955, when pytor gusev staged CORSAIRE for leningrad's maly theater he dubbed the 'slave' of the pas Ali.

so a nameless third character dancing as a nameless 'slave' ended up w/ a name.

this is would seem to be the 'story so far...'

[STorevna]

well thank you for that. that is very interesting!

--Sasha