38 replies to this topic

[doug]

Any clarification of dates? There seem to be two sets of dates through the La Scala site.

[Natalia]

Updates here: http://www.teatroall...1/raymonda.html

As Chiapuris had noted, the dates have shifted yet again, now back to an Oct 11 premiere. (Doug, I could not find the earlier dates cited in the current La Scala site.) Also, I see that int'l star Friedemann Vogel is now listed to dance Jean de Brienne in the first casts (along with Novikova as Raymonda and Murru as Abderakhman).  Tickets still go on sale in a little over a month from now - July 27 at 9am, Milan time.    Like Chiapuris, I'm planning to go to the first 2 performances.

My biggest wish & prayer is that La Scala not play "bait-and-switch" with Novikova, i.e., at the last minute, replacing the classical & musical Novikova with 'a certain Mariinsky principal'    who seems to be getting a lot of guest gigs at La Scala of late. As they say in the newspaper business, "Watch this space!"

[Azulynn]

The dates didn't shift - the series of performances starting on October 3 is in 2012, not 2011.

[Natalia]

I just saw that, Azulynn!

October 2012 schedule (again Novikova!): http://www.teatroall...Raymonda.html   Those tix go on sale July 30, 2012.

And the current 2010/11 season version: http://www.teatroall...1/raymonda.html

Don't Italian theaters consider December to be the beginning of the opera & ballet season? So this year's opening Raymondas must be at the tail-end of the 2010-2011 season.  

[doug]

Thank you so much for clarifying!

[chiapuris]

I just purchased tickets from La Scala on their website for Raymonda Oct 11 and Oct 14!
Hooray!

[chiapuris]

FYI

For those interested in the 1898 Petipa reconstructed (Vikharev) Raymonda, I received by post the tickets I had ordered on the 27th july on the La Scala website.
it took exactIly one week. I opted for the premiere , the 11th of Oct and the 14th

[Natalia]

Here's a small vid of the ongoing rehearsals for the big premiere of the Raymonda-1898 reconstruction by Vikharev & co.:
http://www.teatroall..._cnt_18451.html

The magnificent 1898 sets and the 300+ costumes have been faithfully reproduced. The regular LaScala troupe is being augmented by dozens of extras and the La Scala Ballet academy. (The bad economy must not have hit Milano...or perhaps the ghost of Ludovico Sforza is underwriting it.) It's a real shame that Mother Russia isn't mounting this but, hey, Russia's loss is Italy's gain. Novikova/Vogel lead the premiere on October 11.  

[Natalia]

It's just three short weeks before the premiere on 11 October. The La Scala website has uploaded some lovely photos of the preparations. The scenery looks incredibly deluxe:

http://www.teatroall..._cnt_18915.html

They've also uploaded historical photos and sketches of the original 1898 production at the Imperial Mariinsky Theater, which Vikharev is staging (recreating on the La Scala dancers and guest soloists):

http://www.teatroall..._cnt_18716.html

In each gallery, click on the thumbnail pics to see the full photo.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Lovely pics, Natasha! Now, THAT'S a production I would have loved to see.  Aggrh...what a frustration I don't get vacations yet..!!  

[nysusan]

This is wonderful Natalia, thanks for bringing it to our attention. I wish I could go to Milan this year but unfortunately its not in the cards.  Can't wait to hear your impressions!

[Natalia]

nysusan, on 17 September 2011 - 10:51 AM, said:

This is wonderful Natalia, thanks for bringing it to our attention. I wish I could go to Milan this year but unfortunately its not in the cards.  Can't wait to hear your impressions!

Thanks. If my flight gets in on time (early morn), I should even be able to make it to the preview-lecture on the evening of October 6. Fingers crossed! Luckily, my hotel is just a couple of blocks from La Scala.

Still no word on who'll be the alternate Raymondas, although we can detect La Scala prima Marta Romagna and 'unidentified Jean de Brienne' rehearsing behind first-cast Novikova/Vogel in a couple of the photos. Romagna is La Scala's strongest Petipa classicist from among the permanent principals (not counting guests like Zakharova). I'd love to know who'll dance the other meaty solos, such as the friends quartet (Henriette-Clemence-Bernard-Beranger).

Among the segments of Raymonda that I'm particularly looking forward to seeing for the first time, compared to 20th-Century versions in current rep around the globe:

1. Bernard & Beranger dancing to their 'male duo variation' music in the A2 Pas de Six . Most modern productions give this music to Jean de Brienne in either Act I/Scene i (where he should not appear at all!) or Act III.

2. Act III Children's Dance (a.k.a. 'La Rhapsodie') actually danced by children, as intended - again, this music is usually cut and/or repackaged as a solo for Jean de Brienne...or, in the POB/Nureyev version, I believe that this music goes to Bernard&Beranger (a funny duo in Act I). This music also appears as a duet for 2 demi-solo ladies in Balanchine's Raymonda Pas de Dix from the 1950s.

3. The full, uncut 'Cortege Hongrois' procession that is supposed to open the Act III Wedding - supposedly one of Petipa's grand 'parades' with 'cast of 100s' walking across the stage with props or on sedans...very similar to the 'parade' that opens the last act of the 1890 Sleeping Beauty or the 'parade' that opens Act II of Bayadere-1900 version. The Raymonda procession is supposed to pay homage to the Hungarian people and culture. [No - Nureyev dancing a new solo to this music, at the end of Act II of his POB version, does not count. ]

Then I wonder:  Will Jean de Brienne have ANY solo? He should not, if this is to be 100% faithful to Petipa's 1898 original. It will be interesting to see if Vikharev has been pressured into crafting something for Vogel and the other danseurs essaying Jean.

It's a huge shame that this is not occuring in Russia...but Russia doesn't seem to want the grand Petipa reconstructions nowadays. On the other hand, it is proper that this be occuring in Milan, Italy, given that the first Raymonda was Pierina Legnani and the first Countess Sybil was Giuseppina Cecchetti.

Cubanmiamiboy - Take heart. The Raymonda reconstruction has been announced for the next season (October 2012), once again starring Olesya Novikova. By then, we may even have Svetlana Zakharova fully back from maternity leave and dancing once again at La Scala as the Permanent Guest. Also, maybe - maybe there might be a live simulcast and/or DVD at that time, especially if it will involve 'superstars' like Zakharova with Bolle (who won't be dancing Jean this year)?    Who knows. It's a real shame that none of Vikharev's full productions have made it onto DVD yet.

[Natalia]

Detailed casting is now up!
http://www.teatroall...1/raymonda.html
(scroll down and click on the individual dates for each set of casts)

We now know that Mick Zeni will be first-cast Abderakhman, to Novikova's Raymonda and Vogel's Jean.

I guessed correctly about company Principal Marta Romagna getting 2nd-cast Raymonda.  Her Jean will be Eris Nezha, with Andrea Volpintesta as Abderakhman.

Third, Fourth and Fifth-cast Raymondas will be:

3rd- Mariafrancesca Garritano (also Henriette in 1st cast) - soloist
4th - Francesca Podini (also Clemence in 1st cast) - soloist
5th - Petra Conti (also an alternate Clemence) - "supplementary corps" (like an apprentice)

* Petra Conti isn't even yet in the corps de ballet, yet she will dance once of the most difficult roles in the classical rep? She must be extra-special for Vaziyev and Vikharev to place this trust in her!

Update on Petra Conti: She's a 2006 graduate of the ballet academy in Rome but spent a bit of time at the Vaganova Academy, studying with Kekisheva & Tarasova...so there's a Russian connection. http://www.arena.it/...ersonnel=10639. She appears to have recently joined the corps de ballet in Munich:http://www.bayerisch...ett_detail.html

[Natalia]

For chiapuris and others who may be also coming to Milano, here's a sneak-peak at the five ballerinas who'll essay the role of Raymonda in this historic production:

1. Olesya Novikova (guest artist, Mariinsky Ballet)

shown in clips of her only performance of Raymonda at the Mariinsky:


2. Marta Romagna (La Scala principal)

shown in Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty, La Scala:


3. Mariafrancesca Garritano (La Scala soloist)

shown as Gamzatti in Bayadere:


(the other two will follow...)

[Natalia]

4. Francesca Podini (La Scala soloist)

I only found this YouTube with Podini in an small ensemble:


5. Petra Conti (La Scala supplemental corps & regular 'guest artist' on the Euro galas circuit)

shown as Diana in 'Diana & Acteon pdd' with Eris Nezha, who'll be 2nd-cast Jean in Raymonda: