2 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

Carla Fracci's troupe in Rome is famous for its resurrections of long-forgotten ballets, such as Romantic-era gems (Gitana, Figlia del Danubio, Catarina) or rare Balanchines (Le Bal and La Chatte...the latter headed to NYC this fall). They are preparing another major revival -- the 1st well-known Soviet ballet 'hit' on the 1920s, Gliere's 3-act Red Poppy. The Rome Opera's web promises that the new staging will be based on and include surviving segments of well-known Russian versions, such as those by Lavrovsky, Tikhomirov, etc. Nikolai Androsov is the modern-day choreographer pulling it all together, working very much as did Alexei Ratmansky with the 2008 staging of another great Soviet ballet, Flames of Paris -- that is, mixing new choreography with well-known chunks of the original version. Luckily, films of the most important dances remain, e.g., Sailor's Dance, Dream of Tao Hoa, Boston Waltz, etc.

http://operaroma.it/..._papavero_rosso

Sounds like a potential winner.

[leonid]

Natalia, on Jul 14 2009, 07:34 AM, said:

They are preparing another major revival -- the 1st well-known Soviet ballet 'hit' on the 1920s, Gliere's 3-act Red Poppy
Luckily, films of the most important dances remain, e.g., Sailor's Dance, Dream of Tao Hoa, Boston Waltz

Really? How extraordinary!

[Natalia]

Leonid, I first saw the  ca-1949 filmed 'Dream of Tao Hoa' at one of the annual tributes to Ulanova at the Bolshoi, on the anniversary of her death...maybe 5 years ago. It is a full-fledged classical pas with multiple classical corps girls, a la Bayadere Shades. I was astonished! The gala-tribute was shown on Kultura-TV so this Dream of Tao Hoa may actually be on YouTube somewhere.

I don't know about the 1920s version but the 1940s Bolshoi reworking was definitely filmed, starring Ulanova (from which the 'Dream' scene comes).

I've also seen silent clips of the 1930s Kirov Act I (scene of the ship in the Chinese port), starring Elena Lukom.

In other words, 'stuff' exists.