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Next season in Paris


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What I could pick out of that article is:

A Major Choreographer's Season

New work by Wayne McGregor (L'anatomie de la sensation) and POB premiere by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Rain)

Roland Petit evening

Swan Lake (Nureyev)

Romeo and Juliet (Nureyev)

Paquita (Lacotte)

Caligula (La Roche)

Les Enfants du paradis (Martinez)

Coppelia (Bart)

La Maison de Bernarda" and "Une sorte de..." (Ek) or a work by Ek who also choreographed those pieces?

Rite of Spring (Bausch), started before her death?, in a program with works by Balanchine and Trisha Brown.

Hamburg Ballet and Bolshoi will be visiting companies.

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Thanks for the link, cygneblanc !

What do you think of the next season ?

The "Major Choreographer's Season" name sounds a bit odd to me... Could you imagine a season called

"A Minor Choreographer's Season" ? :)

The POB web site doesn't seem to have been updated yet, but announces that some videos about the next season will be put online tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to knowing the content of the "Roland Petit" program, and also which Balanchine work will be performed (the pairing with Brown and Bausch sounds a bit odd, to say the least. It reminds me of a program including "Liebeslieder Walzer", Brown's "Glacial Decoy" and two recent works by Kelemenis and Preljocaj: there seemed to be no logic at all in that program, and unfortunately "Liebeslieder Walzer" was received quite tepidly by much of the audience, who had come mostly to see modern dance works...)

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Well, I'm happy to finally see Flammes of Paris, but otherwise, I will be saving money for sure !!!

Except for the Bolshoi, nothing is exciting.

And two coppelias during the same season ! By the way, the one performed the school is so much better than the one of the main compagny.

And of course, tickets will be more expensive! I wonder where we're going....

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cygneblanc, I find that season disappointing too :)

Well, anyway I didn't expect much from Ms Lefèvre's programming, anyway...

Only one Balanchine, and it's "Apollo" which has been performed a lot already (I wonder if the main idea of that mixed bill is just to have pieces who don't need a large corps de ballet...)

Edited to add: I've just checked, it was performed during the following seasons since 1990: 1994-95, 1996-97, 1998-99 (in two programs), 2000-2001, 2006-2007. What a pity to think that for example, "Theme and variations" has been performed only in 1992-93 and 1996-97, and "Allegro Brillante" hasn't been performed again since its company premiere in 1996-97 (and some works like "Western Symphony,", "La Sombambule", "Divertimento n. 15" or "Le tombeau de Couperin" have been performed only by the school, never by the company).

Besides the Bolshoi, one of the only programs I'd like to see is the Roland Petit mixed bill, as I have never seen "Le Loup", and only video excerpts of "Le rendez-vous". But for schedule reasons, I'm very unlikely to be able to attend it... :(

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Besides the Bolshoi, one of the only programs I'd like to see is the Roland Petit mixed bill, as I have never seen "Le Loup", and only video excerpts of "Le rendez-vous".

I saw Le Loup with POB well over ten years ago with Kader Balarbi in the title role, it is a very beautiful atmospheric piece, a real master work in my view. I would like to see it in the repertoires of other companies and I belive the Bolshoi are scheduled to dance it in the near future.

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Well I don’t really fancy the next season as well but this is due to my own taste. I must admit that the contemporary choreographers are really very good: Pina Bausch, Trisha Brown, Mats Ek, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Wayne McGregor… they are top ones ! But, except for McGregor as it's a World Premiere, I just don’t really like the works chosen. As for the other ballets, it’s the POB repertoire, you can’t help with that. The classics, Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet are not really exciting but that's the role of a big company to dance them... Paquita and Coppelia, well they have been dance recently and are not that much excellent ballets.... But honestly, Coppelia in any versions is just a bore.

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Well I don’t really fancy the next season as well but this is due to my own taste. I must admit that the contemporary choreographers are really very good: Pina Bausch, Trisha Brown, Mats Ek, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Wayne McGregor… they are top ones !

But I'm not sure that it's worth going to the Paris Opera to see so many modern works which are often already shown in other theaters (e.g. the Théâtre de la Ville... and with lower seat prices :wink: and sometimes with dancers better suited to their styles that ballet dancers...)

But, except for McGregor as it's a World Premiere, I just don’t really like the works chosen. As for the other ballets, it’s the POB repertoire, you can’t help with that. The classics, Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet are not really exciting but that's the role of a big company to dance them... Paquita and Coppelia, well they have been dance recently and are not that much excellent ballets.... But honestly, Coppelia in any versions is just a bore.

I respectfully disagree about "Coppelia".

What is a bit boring, in my opinion, is that some of those works have been performed a lot in recent seasons (e.g. Le Riche's Caligula in 2005-2006 and 2007-2008, "Paquita" in 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2007-2008...)

And there are only 2 new works (a world premiere by McGregor and a company premiere by De Keersmaker).

Mashinka, it's interesting to know that "Le Loup" will be performed by other companies.

I wish I could find a time-travelling machine just to see its premiere with Violette Verdy (well, any opportunity to see Violette Verdy on stage would be worth having such a machine ! :wub: )

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Well I don’t really fancy the next season as well but this is due to my own taste. I must admit that the contemporary choreographers are really very good: Pina Bausch, Trisha Brown, Mats Ek, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Wayne McGregor… they are top ones !

But I'm not sure that it's worth going to the Paris Opera to see so many modern works which are often already shown in other theaters (e.g. the Théâtre de la Ville... and with lower seat prices :wink: and sometimes with dancers better suited to their styles that ballet dancers...)

I'm standing exactly the opposite. Ballet dancers are really giving new insights in the contemporary repertoire. Most of these works danced by average dancers, you never know what to think of it.

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:D Well I have just seen the 2010/2011 programme, and do not feel very interested. When one considers the costs involved to come over from the UK, it makes it quite an expensive venture. I had even considered getting a subscirtion, but do not think it is worth it now. I missed the dates for the 2009/10, and now regret it. I have been considering whether to go and see Siddartha, but could not make up my mind, it is so short at 142 minutes, and the trip could cost me nearly £300,00 for just one nights visit. I would also like to see Tribute to Robbins, and Petite Dancers de Degas.

this year. Returning to 2010/11 I wondered about Les Enfants de Paradis. It seems such a long wait for the latter. I am now in a VERY BIG QUANDRE !!!!

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I share your pain Nanarina :( The exchange rate between the pound and the Euro makes ballet trips at least 20% more expensive than they were(don't even mention the Danish Kroner!) I can't see things changing in the near future either so ballet fans are going to have to dig deep to get to Paris and other European venues for a long time to come.

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:wink: Well I have just seen the 2010/2011 programme, and do not feel very interested. When one considers the costs involved to come over from the UK, it makes it quite an expensive venture. I had even considered getting a subscirtion, but do not think it is worth it now. I missed the dates for the 2009/10, and now regret it. I have been considering whether to go and see Siddartha, but could not make up my mind, it is so short at 142 minutes, and the trip could cost me nearly £300,00 for just one nights visit. I would also like to see Tribute to Robbins, and Petite Dancers de Degas.

this year. Returning to 2010/11 I wondered about Les Enfants de Paradis. It seems such a long wait for the latter. I am now in a VERY BIG QUANDRE !!!!

well it doesn't really matter how long is the ballet if it's good :wub: but of course, we don't know as it is a world premiere!!! Tribute to Robbins has more works so you can probably find your taste. La Petite Danseuse de Degas will be filmed for a DVD release, but of course, it's different from a live show. However, I must tell that the Robbins bill has been fillmed too last year and though have been broadcasted on TV, is not out in DVD :( so you can't really rely on that too.

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Guest academic

Hi,

I happened to see the conversation that alluded to La Petite Danseuse being filmed this year as a DVD. Is there any chance you could tell me anything you know that might help me get ahold of this? I’m trying to write about it (I’m an academic) and of course the fare from here is astronomical. I had no idea there was a dvd or going to be one. I’d be very grateful for any information you have about how to find it (nor or in the future). Apologies if this message already went through in an earlier form. I’m new to the list and not sure I’m using the technology correctly.

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Reading about the repertory for the 2010-11 season (in conjunction with watching the repertory presented in Fred Wiseman's documentary and with "reading" the books of Nicolas Le Riche and Gerard Uferas), I can't help but think that Madam Lefevre has pulled off a pretty incredible feat -- she's transformed the mighty Paris Opera Ballet into the Brigitte Lefevre Modern Dance Company!

Poor Elisabeth Platel -- presiding over a classical island in a modern sea . . .

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:clapping: Too funny indeed!

Here we're used to say that our "mamy Brigitte" (mamy=granny: she's old enough to have grandchildren) is turning POB into another "Theatre de la Ville" (that's a theater in Paris very famous for the contemporary works that are featured there).

As for Elisabeth Platel, I'm really worried by the current overall level of POB's school. It's worse each year. Claude Bessy was criticized a lot but the level was so much better during her long tenure.

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:clapping: Too funny indeed!

Here we're used to say that our "mamy Brigitte" (mamy=granny: she's old enough to have grandchildren) is turning POB into another "Theatre de la Ville" (that's a theater in Paris very famous for the contemporary works that are featured there).

And yet completely irrelevant. If you were a contemporary dance fan, you would notice the distance.

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As for Elisabeth Platel, I'm really worried by the current overall level of POB's school. It's worse each year. Claude Bessy was criticized a lot but the level was so much better during her long tenure.

Interesting. Jean-Guillaume Bart gave a series of despairing interviews several years ago about the woebegone state of classical dance in France in which he described the POB -- company and school -- as an oasis in the desert. (I'm parapharasing here.) I didn't realize some think the malaise has spread to the school.

:clapping: Too funny indeed!

Here we're used to say that our "mamy Brigitte" (mamy=granny: she's old enough to have grandchildren) is turning POB into another "Theatre de la Ville" (that's a theater in Paris very famous for the contemporary works that are featured there).

And yet completely irrelevant. If you were a contemporary dance fan, you would notice the distance.

"Distance" in the sense that the POB dancers do not perform contemporary works with the correct style and technique?

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no, distance in programming :wink:

So, you would say that the contemporary works Madam Lefevre programs pale in comparison to those programmed at the Theatre de la Ville? Or, are you saying that the POB dancers in contemporary works pale in comparison to Theatre de la Ville dancers in contemporary works? Or both? (Sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult or willfully stupid.)

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No, I would say programming of le Théâtre de la ville is of another spirit and rhythm

I have to agree with Miliosr, what do you mean exactly? "spirit & rhythm" is rather vague, given that you've stated you believe that ballet dancers bring more to contemporary choreography than the "average" dancers of top contemporary companies such as Cunningham, Bausch, De Keersmaker who are all appearing at the Theatre de Ville.

My feeling of the Paris Opera rep is a lot of generic modern work, which will be danced in a generic modern way by ballet dancers, my feeling also is that why are Paris Opera and Lefevre so unconfident in classical ballet, their raison d'etre, after all, that she continually programmes these Frankenstein monster dance seasons. I've seen Paris Opera perform contemporary work and I have to say, all I'm seeing are ballet dancers doing modern generically to badly. A ballet dancer isn't a modern dancer, a top modern dancer isn't "average" but rather an artist with their own set of criteria, techniques and abilities which are quite different but equally valid and artistically worthy as a ballet dancer who more often than not approximates modern technique with no feeling for what the particular school and technique is actually about.

And having seen the bland generic reading POB gave Jewels, I would have to say that POB has enough on its plate getting to grips with the vast range and palatte of ballet technique.

Looking at the POB schedule I think "meh", especially with another egregious commission from Wayne Macgregor, who I find to be as interesting as lard flavoured porridge. But looking at the schedule of Theatre de ville and the range and excitement of the companies they're producing would actually inspire me take a trip to Paris.

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Spirit and rhythm is exactly what you felt in the last sentence of your post but as a matter of fact, given the some 25 bills that will be presented of in the Théâtre de la ville this season, this is not comparable with the some 12 ones only and of different types presented by the Paris Opera Ballet.

The spirit of theatre de la ville is anchored in the novelty, which doesn’t prevent to present classics such as De Kersmaeker or Bausch, the timeline is shorter in modern repertoire. During the season, it’s like rhythm is such as you look at the next one rather than the past one… but this is because it’s a place and not a company. It's a theatre programming just like Sadler's wells in London.

As you stated, perhaps the style of the company is more in the dancing style than in the company repertoire. That is the fixed variable. Perhaps you don’t like the way they danced Balanchine or some of other contemporary works but what would be the point of dancing it like just any other ballet company? The Mariinsky or Royal Ballet isn’t dancing it the same way either. As for me, I’m very eager to see the way they will dance De Kersmaeker Rain next year...

Anyway, coming back to the repertoire, it has always been very mixed and that’s why when Rudolf Noureev came in Paris, he could introduce the versions that they are still dancing…

This diversity in the repertoire is not coming from nowhere or from an unsecure AD that would have lost confidence in everything. Perhaps it seems very bureaucratic but POB is a State institution and it’s State funded. As such it has duties fixed in a legal provision of the French public administration rule. One of its duties is “to create and diffuse contemporary works and to develop the creativity of choreographic art”.

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I fully understand the working and function of the POB and its artistic remit. However, one thing I don't believe in at all is this notion that a ballet training gives a dancer a full training. An excellent ballet training is sufficient to make a ballet dancer, if that dancer also happens to have the potential to be a great artist, then it can lead to the development of a great dancer in the medium of classical ballet.

The biggest myth for me is that a ballet dancer receives a training that allows them to dance anything - and that once entering a ballet company they are equipped to dance any modern medium that comes their way.

It's also an error to believe that the POB was a great company before Nureyev came along, it wasn't, he put it on the map, not least because of the way he invigorated their classical rep and by the panopoly of world class classicists he developed.

My problem with the way POB danced Jewels is precisely that the entire three parts were pretty much the same, it's not true that you can dance Balanchine and dance it well by ignoring what Balanchine's style is about, ditto Ashton. I wonder if the reason for Lefevre's love of Neuemier is because his style is so undetermined and well... wafty.

What's wrong with ballet directors deciding that fulfilling a contemporary remit means commissioning new works by classical choreographers in the classical style? POB dancers are wonderful technicians (well, not as wonderful as they used to be) but they are classicists, the use of the back which is integral to contemporary techniques is the antithesis of what the rep they're supposedly trained to dance is actually all about.

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