21 replies to this topic

[Nanarina]

date='Dec 7 2008, 12:11 AM']Oh no, no, no! Gillot is all wrong for Raymonda. Why don't they tape Aurélie Dupont?

I suppose we should just be glad that it's finally being taped.[/quote]



I agree with you totally, why not film Aurelie Dupont, she is such a lyrical expressive dancer, with an amazing technique and looks exquisit in the few small video's of this production on YouTube. I am not being critical against Marie Agnes Gill., but there is no contest if Aurelie is on her normal form.
I noticed  she had been moved back in the Distribution list until later in December.  Maybe she has not got back her stamina quite enough for this mammoth work. Unless I am mistaken she has not danced a great deal since returning from the birth of her little son Jacques.   I actually tried to get a ticket to go and see Raymonda in December but it was sold out.  


It remains to be seen, what the DVD will be like,   I am not that keen on all of Ruddi's choreography, nor are some of the Paris Opera Dancers, as it is so hard, and exhausting. (I love the new Cinderella though and Don "Q").


I saw a Bolshoi productionof Raymonda  in London, a few years ago, with Nina Ashnavilli (spellingh?)and Gedimas Taranda)  which was really fantastic, so true to its traditions, with authentic character dances and roles. . I really loved this production, which was the same as the one that was available on Video cassette in the past but with Nat. Bess who sadly by then was way past her prime.


Now the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden has taken over,  Opus Arte productions, they have a list of new DVD's that they would like to release(Info from the ROH) but it is all subject to copyright and their obtaining the necessary rights to do so.  So possibly we may get some of the older  or even more recent ABT and NYCB, even S.F.B  works on DVD in the future, that is if Kultar have not got the rights for them.

[cygneblanc]

MAG was choosen, because AD is already featured on some dvds and each principal must unofficially of course be featured at least once on a dvd.

AD danced the main part, and was very good from what I have neard but I think it would have been a good idea to select Dorothée Gilbert as Raymonda for this dvd

[cinnamonswirl]

That seems fair. The only problem is that it seems like dancers sometimes are taped in roles that don't suit them. Gillot is much better in modern pieces, and Dupont in the traditional full lengths, IMO.

I agree about Gilbert. But she danced Henriette, so that's something. I suppose the powers that be figured they have lots of time to film her, as she is so young.

[Ilya]

I watched three casts: Gilbert/Duquenne/Paquette, Letestu/Bullion/Paquette and Gillot/Martinez/Le Riche (the latter on one of the dates that was filmed for the DVD).  While Gillot was definitely miscast, I am truly glad they did this, and glad that this performance will come out on a DVD.  What a remarkable ballerina!  She was able to take a role that does not naturally suit her and make it very interesting and exciting to watch.  I would not mind having the other two casts on DVD as well because I thoroughly enjoyed all three performances.  All three ballerinas had very different, individual interpretations.  I was also impressed with how meticulously small details were worked out: e.g., the interactions between Raymonda and Abderam in the second act were completely different in the three performances.  Paquette's boorish Abderam faced an uninterested Raymonda in Gilbert, and a curious and a bit flirtatious Raymonda in Letestu.  A more suave and refined Abderam of Le Riche interacted with a friendly and sympathetic Gillot's Raymonda.  Overall, the Gillot/Martinez/Le Riche cast was preferable to me because of the superior technique of the male leads and their larger-than-life personalities, especially Le Riche.  Of course, it was also quite impressive that Henriette and Constance were danced by Gilbert and Cozette, respectively, in that performance.

[Ilya]

Does anyone know what happened to this POB Raymonda filmed in late 2008?
It never came out on a DVD.  Has the decision been made not to release it?  And if so, why?

[Birdsall]

Ilya, on 02 April 2012 - 02:22 PM, said:

Does anyone know what happened to this POB Raymonda filmed in late 2008?
It never came out on a DVD.  Has the decision been made not to release it?  And if so, why?

Ilya,
Wikipedia's entry for Marie-Agnes Gillot lists her "Filmographie" and the Raymonda is listed with (a paraitre) at the end of it meaning it is "in preparation" and the fan site for Dorothee Gilbert has brought up the issue several times with things like, "Still no word about the Raymonda"....
  So these things make me think they are planning to release it commercially but some unknown issue is holding up its release. I wonder if Paris Opera Ballet is waiting for 2013 (the 20th anniversary of Nureyev's death) to release it along with some other stuff. Just a WILD guess.
  Or maybe they have shelved the idea of releasing it on dvd commercially. What is so weird is that there is a Dancer's Dream documentary on Nureyev's work on Paris Opera's Raymonda, yet there is no actual dvd of the ballet from them. All the other Dancer's Dream documentaries are of ballets where the actual videos of each ballet are available also. Raymonda is the only one that is not available as a performance. It certainly is very strange.

[silvermash]

I think nobody really knows what happened with the recording. It's sometimes broadcasted on French TV (usually late at night) but no one is mentioning a future DVD. It's not unusual, it happened for example for Wuthering Heights from Kader Belarbi or Nutcracker more recently. But the tribute to Robbins (2008) took long to be released (end of last year) so perhaps it's still in the pipeline.
It has been said the filming was difficult with technical problems and also the cast was a... miscast... However, it is said also that the costumes and settings were so old they have been destructed after the last show. This would mean this recording is the last testimony of the ballet, unless it's decided to re make everything. However they did it few years ago for La Bayadère, so it's not hopeless...