Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

Magali Messac


momiji

Recommended Posts

I am very curious to hear from people who remember Magali Messac, first from Hamburg State Opera Ballet, then Pennsylvania, ABT and lastly Pacific NW Ballet. I am struck by reviews that I've read - sometimes described as classic, sometimes as "exotic." She was there at ABT during that golden age in the 1980's, but didn't seem to quite get the notice of some of the other principals. And there seems to be almost no films of her dancing anywhere. Any help or information would be appreciated. Having seen only brief clips taken from the audience, I would love to hear from people who actually saw her dance.

Link to comment

Magali was a uniquely beautiful ballerina, long and liquid and extraordinarily musical. She was one of my favorites.

There were some back problems (she sent my husband to her back "fixer", which worked well) which limited her appearances from time to time.

I especially hold in memory her Swan and her Sylvia pas de deux with Patrick Bissell. Also her Lady Capulet with Ron Tice as Tybalt was the hottest ever in my experience.

She was not the sort of ballerina that drives crowds wild. She was one who took your breath away with her subtlety, beauty and eloquence. I remember Cynthia Gregory with a smile; I remember Magali with a sigh.

Link to comment

another vid on that frustrating list of telecasts YET to be put on the commercial market would be a 1984 telecast of ABT in Japan - on this bill that includes THE LEAVES ARE FADING, CORSAIRE & SYLIVA pas de deux, GREAT GALLOPING GOTTSCHALK, messac dances opposite cynthia harvey, partnered by ross stretton in SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE.

Link to comment
another vid on that frustrating list of telecasts YET to be put on the commercial market would be a 1984 telecast of ABT in Japan - on this bill that includes THE LEAVES ARE FADING, CORSAIRE & SYLIVA pas de deux, GREAT GALLOPING GOTTSCHALK, messac dances opposite cynthia harvey, partnered by ross stretton in SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE.

Here's hoping that the camera for that broadcast was better at capturing GREAT GALLOPING GOTTSCHALK than the one for the "ABT in SF" broadcast on PBS (now on dvd). But I would like to see LAF, and SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE with that ABT in Japan cast; I remember well their performces in L.A.. I remember Ms. Massac too--"long, liquid, musical" was a good description , and think I have a pair of her signed pointe shoes, though don't remember exactly when or how I got them.

Link to comment

re: the ABT casts in the japanese telecast - the GGGhis more or less the first cast i believe; TLAF has mckerrow & mckenzie in the main leads, w/ the talented john turjoman in one of the other pdd, not long before his premature departure from his career in ballet.

Link to comment

Messac did indeed continue her performance career here in Seattle, and I remember her as a very intense and stylish dancer with strong dramatic gifts. She was involved in bringing William Forsythe's work to the company -- I remember seeing her in the house when they first performed "In the Middle..."

Link to comment

somewhat off topic re:messac but back to that of the '84 ABT telecast from japanese tv w/ messac in SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE, the casting for THE LEAVES ARE FADING on the same bill is as follows, given in the order of the featured pas de deux:

as noted the leads are A. Mckerrow and K. Mckenzie, thus:

1] C. Kerimidas & J. Turjoman; 2] McKerrow & McKenzie; 3] C. Spizzo & M. Owen; 4] E. Kudo & R. Hill

Link to comment
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...