33 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

The Bolshoi continues its wonderful reconstructions kick! Next season will bring the complete four-act 'Flames of Paris' (1933-Vainonen version for Bolshoi). The revival will premiere in July 2008 in Moscow. Just imagine Ivan Vasiliev in the Vachtang Chabukiani role...or Yuliana Malkhasiants as Therese, stomping her way through the famous march...or the corps singing the Marsaillese while lifting rifles & pitchforks. It's a balletomane-historian's dream come true!

See press announcements within the www.bolshoi.ru site.

[Mel Johnson]

And NYC probably still won't see it because ABT will be hogging the Met during Bolshoi and Royal touring season.  I wonder if anybody has thought of setting up Madison Square Garden with a stage at the end, the way Hurok used to?

[Hans]

Is this going to be the 1933 choreography or a Lacotte-like "reconstruction" with the same plot and completely different choreography?

[Drew]

Flames of Paris has a cherished place in my memory.  In the 1960's the Bolshoi brought a highlights tour to Constitution Hall that included a "Flames of Paris" pas de deux danced by Yuri Vladimirov and Nina Sorokina -- I was a tiny little girl and my memory (which, admittedly, is not perfect) tells me that my parents did not buy me a ticket because I was...well...a tiny little girl. But other family members had tickets and someone could not attend at the last minute. I was allowed to use the ticket, accompanied by a long lecture about sitting still in my seat and not talking during the performance (which was unnecessary since I was mesmerized by all ballet) and considered myself very lucky to attend. Without question the "Flames of Paris" pas de deux was my favorite -- I was absolutely convinced Vladimirov could fly.  About ten years later--when I was a slightly less tiny--I saw another highlights program of the Bolshoi at Wolftrap in which Vladimirov and Sorokina danced the same pas de deux (I'm guessing it was their 'set piece'), but at that time I thought it looked appallingly vulgar, and Vladimirov, in particular seemed heavy and effortful. Although my taste had undoubtedly changed over time, I am guessing the years had also taken their toll on Vladimirov's and Sorokina's technical brio.   But the bottom line is that now, much more than ten years later, I am thrilled the ballet is being revived in toto and very eager to see it.  I assume from Natalia's allusions to the Marseillaise that the "flames" of Paris at issue are those of the French Revolution not the 1871 Commune--that's something I always wondered about since I have never been able to find a libretto...(?)

[drb]

Hans, on Jul 4 2007, 02:55 PM, said:

Is this going to be the 1933 choreography or a Lacotte-like "reconstruction" with the same plot and completely different choreography?

Mr. Ratmansky, in contrasting the situation with that of Bright Stream, says he has available the original steps for Flames of Paris.  In an interview last August for Dansomanie:

Quote

...The Flames of Paris, we will look back into the original steps. Actually, this ballet stayed in the repertoire until the early 70’s, and many of its dancers are still with us, coaching for example. They are not very old! So it’s a real possibility.

[Natalia]

As drb states, this will be THE original Flames of Paris. I suspect that, as with the current revival of the Petipa Corsaire, Ratmansky may make an emendation or two for modern audiences - but surely not a wholesale dumbing-down of a full-length ballet, a-la ABTSleeping Beauty.

[Mashinka]

I can't help wondering if this is being revived to showcase the astonishing talents of Natalia Osipova.  She danced the famous pas de deux in Nottingham last year and was amazing.  I'd put money on her being the first cast in this revival.

[Natalia]

Mashinka, on Jul 5 2007, 12:04 PM, said:

I can't help wondering if this is being revived to showcase the astonishing talents of Natalia Osipova.  She danced the famous pas de deux in Nottingham last year and was amazing.  I'd put money on her being the first cast in this revival.

Absolutely, Mashinka, with Ivan Vasiliev in the Chabukiani role. I could also picture an Alexandrova/Tsiskaridze casting in those roles. And I seem to recall an interview a couple of years ago with the Bolshoi's top female character dancer, Yulianna Malkhasiants, stating that she wished that she could dance Anissimova's great role (Therese) before retiring.

[scherzo]

Just for interest, a synopsis and other snippets here at Wikipedia.

There is on video somewhere a film of the actors' pd2 with Marina Kondratieva. The music is rather lovely.

Edit: Why do I recognise the music for the female variation?

[Natalia]

scherzo, on Jul 9 2007, 06:35 AM, said:

....
There is on video somewhere a film of the actors' pd2 with Marina Kondratieva. The music is rather lovely.

Edit: Why do I recognise the music for the female variation?

Scherzo, the Versailles pdd danced by the actor-couple is part of the 2-CD compilation Stars of the Russian Ballet.  The female solo may be familiar because it is often staged in ballet academies that teach Vaganova technique, e.g., it is an 'oldie goldie' at Washington, DC's Kirov Academy of Ballet concerts.

[scherzo]

Aha! Yes, that's it, it's used in the film of Karsavina doing exercises. Thankyou!  

[anin]

What a stupid idea to revive this travesty of a ballet. It's vulgar and campy in the "best " tradition of Soviet ideological approach. It's true that the PDD was quite popular, but only thanks to some marvelous performers like Baryshnikov,who performed it in concerts shortly after graduating from ballet school, and which I was fortunate to see.Ballet itself ? !
Who at this time would want to sit through 4 acts of a very banal chreography and music that qiute matched it in its banality.
The Bolshoi should wake up.It's 21 st century for crying out loud.George Balanchine happened, and many others, Boris Eifman in Russia for that matter.It's insane since the Soviet Union does not exist animore.Do they have to go back to this,have they not learned anything?

[Mel Johnson]

Wait, whoa, hold it!  

We haven't even seen this ballet except in very limited selections, and stills from whole performances.  OK, it's agitprop, but what about "Les Miz"?  Do we invalidate, sight unseen, just because a work is about Revolution?  Judged that way 1776 is practically as politically and socially dangerous as the document it's about!

[zerbinetta]

anin, do you also object to Spartacus?

[anin]

zerbinetta, on Jul 10 2007, 02:20 PM, said:

anin, do you also object to Spartacus?