24 replies to this topic

[Alexandra]

Washington Ballet did it in the 1980s sometime -- I remember, at the time, wondering why this long-unperformed ballet suddenly popped up, and imagined some grand, underground fair of old ballets that only those in charge of companies knew about.

It looked very dated to me. That's really all I remember about it.  Without star personalities, and dancers in minor roles who can wring every ounce of character out of them, this type of ballet often looks negligible -- but I'd love to see someone try it again. Keep 'em around long enough, and one day they'll meet the right cast.

(lots of horsey movements, bart: pawing the ground, pawing the air, pattering about in pas de cheval. I know there's much more to it than that, and I don't mean to be disrespectful to the ballet or the dancers I saw.)

[leonid]

dirac, on Jan 25 2008, 10:36 PM, said:

It became a signature piece for Melissa Hayden.  I can't recall any recent performances, but am I totally off base in thinking that Dance Theatre of Harlem did it back in the seventies?

Melissa Hayden appeared in London in Le Combat The Duel with both the NYCB and Ballet Theatre. I have been talking this morning to a friend who saw both performances said she was extraordinary with both companies.

Sadly I only saw her in Sylvia and La Fille mal Gardee with Fleming Flindt. Ashton loved her I think because of her background in Russian training which showed.

[rg]

at a gathering to celebrate Hayden after her death in the NYSTheater, Jacques d'Amboise made specific reference to Hayden's success in LE COMBAT w/ NYCB in London.
re: SYLVIA - by this i trust Balachine's SYLVIA PAS DE DEUX? is indicated?
the F.Flindt connection is curious. did Hayden dance SYLVIA PdD w/ some co. other than NYCB? i'm unaware of Flindt's ever appearing w/ NYCB.
did both Hayden and Flindt dance w/ the Royal Ballet as guests in LA FILLE MAL GARDEE?

[leonid]

rg, on Jul 18 2009, 10:27 AM, said:

at a gathering to celebrate Hayden after her death in the NYSTheater, Jacques d'Amboise made specific reference to Hayden's success in LE COMBAT w/ NYCB in London.
re: SYLVIA - by this i trust Balachine's SYLVIA PAS DE DEUX? is indicated?
the F.Flindt connection is curious. did Hayden dance SYLVIA PdD w/ some co. other than NYCB? i'm unaware of Flindt's ever appearing w/ NYCB.
did both Hayden and Flindt dance w/ the Royal Ballet as guests in LA FILLE MAL GARDEE?

Miss Hayden and Mr Flindt guested with the RB Touring Company at Covent Garden in the full length productions of "Ashton's " Sylvia" and "La Fill mal Gardee" .

[bart]

leonid, on Jul 18 2009, 10:03 AM, said:

Ashton loved [Mellissa Hayden] I think because of her background in Russian training which showed.

This is wonderful to know.   Thanks, leonid.

[atm711]

I saw Le Combat performed by Les Ballets de Paris in 1949 in NYC with Colette Marchand and Milorad Miskovitch.  Marchand was one of those long-legged  beauties that are so prevalent today, but rare back then.  She later appeared in Hollywood movies.  Their PDD with that pulsating music was gripping, to say the least.  I did see it later at NYCB but it did not have the same effect on me.

[Richka]

vipa, on Jul 14 2009, 07:50 PM, said:

richard53dog, on Jul 14 2009, 08:46 AM, said:

I seem to remember seeing this with ABT ca 1970 with Lupe Serrano not long before she retired. My memories are pretty dim though .

ABT ll did it probably in the mid to late 70's and it was popular in regional companies for a while around that time.

Does anyone know WHO does the stagings of this ballet? William Dollar has long since passed away. I would assume people who have danced it in the past. Kansas City Ballet does not list who staged it. I only know Paul Sutherland staged in for NYTB but does he do them all?

[Brioche]

Richka-
I sent emails to a number of company's that have staged this ballet asking who staged it for them, as a friend of mine would like to acquire it for his company. I received nothing back, nothing!

[lwindreich]

I don't believe it has been shown since the early 1950s, which is a shame, as it was a striking ballet and a coveted role for a ballerina.  Roland Petit did the first version, with Colette Marchand, and later William Dollar did a new version, which ABT took on.  It was shown on their first Russian tour with Lupe Serrano in the part, and the locals praised it to the skies, whereas
other western ballets were scorned or misunderstood.

NYCB took on Dollar's version, with Melissa Hayden dancing the role of Clorinda.  U.S. critics were never kind to it, comparing the style to European kitsch.  You can get the score on EMI cd  restored with 1 other American ballets recorded in the 1950s.

Another writer on this topic suggestss that Dance Theate of Harlem had  production a bit later in time.   But nothng for the next 50 years.   Pity.  I t would be an excellent addition to current rep  and requires only 5 dancers (4 M, 1 F)

LW

[carbro]

Actually, New York Theatre Ballet performed Dollar's Le Combat as recently as last year (see here), and Dance Theater of Harlem, where I also saw it, is just commemorating (without a main company ) only the 40th anniversary of its founding.

Dennis Wayne had a small company called Dancers in the 1970s, and I saw them perform it, too.

And that's just New York City!  I wonder if it's been staged elsewhere.

Welcome to BalletTalk, lwindreich!