27 replies to this topic

[Birdsall]

diane, on 10 June 2012 - 04:04 AM, said:

Re: whistling at the ballet (because Bart Birdsall asked a few posts up) - where I am (Germany) whistles from the audience are used to show appreciation, whether in opera, ballet or acting-theatre. The performers are not supposed to whistle backstage, though, due to superstitions. ;)

-d-

Diane,
     I've heard about that superstition before. Where did that get started? What is the story behind that? Do you know? I would love to know why it is bad to whistle backstage.
    I have to admit that if I am walking down the street and someone whistles I get so annoyed. For some reason I can't stand the sound of a whistle. But that is just a pet peeve of mine.
     I don't think I've ever heard anyone whistle at an opera. I have heard people stomping feet and even stomping a cane.
    I guess it would depend on the tone of the whistle. I suppose a whistle during applause that is a happy whistle makes sense. I think what came to my mind was mocking or sarcastic whistles like catcalls. That would be negative, I would think. But I am sure performers like any type of happy sounds.
     I am astounded at the various types of claps. Some people clap so loudly that it is like an atomic clap. I look at their hands and try to figure out how they are making so much sound out of their hands, b/c my hands can't do that. I can clap loudly but a normal loud, but there are always one or two people nearby who somehow create an atomic clap. I am sure it is some technique cupping their hands or shape of hands or something.
     Bart

[diane]

Bart, I have heard several reasons for not whistling in the theatre. One of them was that in former times - before electronic means of communications backstage between stage hands and stage manager, etc., there were special "whistles" used to convey information about cues and set changes, etc. So, if a "different whistle" is heard, it could confuse things no end. There are surely other theories, too.

About the loud clapping: my husband is one who can clap extremely loudly; so much so, that I have to cover my ears when I am sitting next to him - it really hurts me!
Myself, I cannot clap very vgorously anymore, as I have already developed arthritis in my fingers, and vigorous applause is - sadly - rather painful to do.

The stomping is also done here a lot, especially if the floor is hollow enough to make it really satifying.

Hmmm, I guess we should get back on topic, before we are told to go somewhere else. ;)
It is a good thing we watched these video clips before most of them were removed due to whatever it is that causes youtube to remove them. :/ (most are not able to be viewed anymore, but some still are!)

-d-

[Birdsall]

I missed some of the videos unfortunately. I saw some but some were already removed by the time I viewed them.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Lorna was the one ballerina whom I really enjoyed at full in every role, and she really knew had to be a crowd pleaser.  Of course, now that she's pushing 40 I can't expect for her to deliver with the same level as 15 years ago, but I know she still will be wonderful.  Watching her dancing with Sarabita again will be like jumping in a time machine...
And about the whistling, well...going to a ballet night in Havana could made some unfamiliar members to think they are in a football game instead
Oh, how do I miss that too...

[Birdsall]

cubanmiamiboy, on 10 June 2012 - 09:00 AM, said:

Lorna was the one ballerina whom I really enjoyed at full in every role, and she really knew had to be a crowd pleaser.  Of course, now that she's pushing 40 I can't expect for her to deliver with the same level as 15 years ago, but I know she still will be wonderful.  Watching her dancing with Sarabita again will be like jumping in a time machine...
And about the whistling, well...going to a ballet night in Havana could made some unfamiliar members to think they are in a football game instead
Oh, how do I miss that too...

You are so lucky to have seen her in all her roles, Cristian!

It must be exciting to be in an audience who treats ballet like a football game. I think the Italians do that for opera also at La Scala. They consider it almost like a blood sport! LOL

[Paul Parish]

Yes, Helene, those are Lambarena dresses -- designed by Sandra Woodall. Lorena's wearing hte ballerina's  costume. They are all beautiful.

THank you Christian, for the topic and hte clips. I DO wish you could post  her variation from Tchai pas -- or the whole thing, which she danced with Damian Woetzel and which makes fugitive appearances on Youtube -- since it is , after Kyra Nichols's and Violette Verdy's and Elizabeth Loscavio's, the most musical and most satisfying and most "spontaneously" musical performance of that role that I've ever encountered.

She came to Berkeley with  the Cuban Ballet in Giselle and I was out of my mind from her first pas de basques. Lorna Feijoo is a very great dancer.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Paul Parish, on 10 June 2012 - 09:06 PM, said:

Yes, Helene, those are Lambarena dresses -- designed by Sandra Woodall. Lorena's wearing hte ballerina's  costume. They are all beautiful.

THank you Christian, for the topic and hte clips. I DO wish you could post  her variation from Tchai pas -- or the whole thing, which she danced with Damian Woetzel and which makes fugitive appearances on Youtube -- since it is , after Kyra Nichols's and Violette Verdy's and Elizabeth Loscavio's, the most musical and most satisfying and most "spontaneously" musical performance of that role that I've ever encountered.

She came to Berkeley with  the Cuban Ballet in Giselle and I was out of my mind from her first pas de basques. Lorna Feijoo is a very great dancer.

Yes, Paul...she is wonderful.  What I find fascinating about her is not that a picture of a the super strong technician, but rather the special attention she gives to the music and the musical accents in her movements.  There are always little movements of head, neck and eyes that she places right at the very precise musical moments, hence giving momentum to the phrase.  Sometimes one can really tell when the dancer KNOWS musical counts and tempi or not...many times the magic of a moment is totally broken by trying to achieve that extra pirouette or a longer balance.  Lorna, on the contrary, was a digital clock with her choices of steps.  Sadly, I don't have that Tchai Pas you refer to with Woetzel.  and yes...she was indeed wonderful on it.  I can just imagine how would she had been in Theme and Variations would she had had the opportunity to dance it..

Here she is in the nowadays very neglected Grand Pas Classique with Sarabita.



Diane and Actaeon with Carlos Acosta.



Black Swan PDD with Sarabita



And a bit of a presentation

[jsmu]

Paul Parish, on 10 June 2012 - 09:06 PM, said:

THank you Christian, for the topic and hte clips. I DO wish you could post  her variation from Tchai pas -- or the whole thing, which she danced with Damian Woetzel and which makes fugitive appearances on Youtube -- since it is , after Kyra Nichols's and Violette Verdy's and Elizabeth Loscavio's, the most musical and most satisfying and most "spontaneously" musical performance of that role that I've ever encountered.

That Tchaik Pas variation is marvelous. and such an honor roll to be listed on!! Too young for Verdy, alas, but I saw Loscavio and Nichols do it often.
I am jealous--Ms Feijoo and Sarabia. *drool* two dancers whom one sees all too infrequently now.
Do you mean to tell me, cubanmiamiboy, that Boston Ballet never put on Theme and Variations for her?!?!??!??! Are they insane?

[cubanmiamiboy]

jsmu, on 11 June 2012 - 01:49 PM, said:

Do you mean to tell me, cubanmiamiboy, that Boston Ballet never put on Theme and Variations for her?!?!??!??! Are they insane?

Oh, no...I meant in Havana..! ...and yes, THEY were insane about it...

[cubanmiamiboy]

I was just mesmerized with this Odette a few minutes ago, and thought about sharing my experience.  Never have I seen such a detailed interpretation.

[PeggyR]

It's really hard to know where to start praising this:  the shy look at Siegfried when he raised her from the opening pose; the lovely flow in her dancing throughout, like a long sigh; her beautiful, undistorted extensions and lines; the subtlety of her arms (NO FLAPPING!!!) and upper body; the tenderness between her and Siegfried (Carreno needs to be given credit here for his fine partnering).  And to top it off, during the bow, I loved what she did with her arms, starting about 7:06.  

BTW, how tall is she?  She looks little, but even on a grainy video you can see the size of her dancing.

Cristian, thank you so much for this. It has a permanent place on my bookmarks bar.

[diane]

Very lovely! Thank you.   Very satisfying to watch.

What a nice end to an icy, wintery day.

-d-

[cubanmiamiboy]

PeggyR, on 12 January 2013 - 09:28 AM, said:

It's really hard to know where to start praising this:  the shy look at Siegfried when he raised her from the opening pose; the lovely flow in her dancing throughout, like a long sigh; her beautiful, undistorted extensions and lines; the subtlety of her arms (NO FLAPPING!!!) and upper body; the tenderness between her and Siegfried (Carreno needs to be given credit here for his fine partnering).  And to top it off, during the bow, I loved what she did with her arms, starting about 7:06.  

BTW, how tall is she?  She looks little, but even on a grainy video you can see the size of her dancing.

Cristian, thank you so much for this. It has a permanent place on my bookmarks bar.

My pleasure.  Lorna holds a special place in my Cuban ballet view years.  Even though I was still able to see the older golden generation ofCuban ballerinas, it was really during Lorna's era when I could really had a real understanding of what I was satching, and so her dancing lighted up the subject for me.  As per height, she's pretty average...not short, not uber tall.