141 replies to this topic

[cinnamonswirl]

Giselle:
- Dupont/Ganio - personally I like this pairing (they are on the Sylphide DVD together if you want a preview). They are not the company's best actors, but they are both very effective actors, IMO, and of course they have glorious technique.
- Gilbert/Hoffalt - the young etoiles, very well suited. This should be a good cast, assuming Gilbert is well enough to tour (she is injured at the moment)
- Letestu/Bullion - I have not seen Letestu in Giselle, but I know she fought hard for this role (against her emploi) and she was well received. She and Bullion are well suited, and he is quite the heartbreaker on stage.
- Osta/Pech - This would be my top choice, as Osta is retiring this year and this is a good role for her.
- Ciaravola/Paquette - Ciaravola is a great actress, but I'm not sure about pairing her with Paquette ... he's a very reliable partner, but not a match for her acting-wise. Odd pairing.
- Pujol/Le Riche - this would be my couple to avoid. Le Riche is a good Albrecht, but Pujol is not strong enough for the second act, IMO, and she isn't a good enough actress to make you forget the wobbles. (You can watch the DVD to see if you agree with me)
- Myrtha - Gillot is a very imperious Myrtha. Cozette is one of the least popular étoiles, but she makes a good Myrtha, as does Pagliero.
- Peasant pd2s - Heloise Bourdon & Florimond Lorieux are the hot young sujets to watch right now. Bourdon just made a very strong debut as Nikiya in La Bayadere last week), and of course Ludmila Pagliero was just promoted to etoile (which makes me wonder if she will still be dancing the Peasant Pd2 this summer). Amandine Albisson is also very talented.

Boléro - Gillot and Le Riche are both well-regarded in this. Dupont is making her debut. It's not a role I would have expected her in, but she's a very committed dance.

L'Arlésienne - Both casts are good, although I personally prefer Ciaravola/Bullion.

Suite en blanc - See Letestu in La Cigarette! She owns that variation. No one else, even Gillot and Dupont, can quite match her.

I will let someone else (maybe silvermash?) comment on Orphée et Eurydice. Any casting comments I will have are overpowered by my dislike of the ballet!

I hope this helps. Just looking over the casting quickly, it doesn't look like there are any nights that are complete duds, casting-wise. The company doesn't really have any Somovas, and even the weaker dancers are in roles that suit them.

[emilienne]

I saw Dupont in Bolero during the celebration of the Sino-Franco Cultural year in late November or October 2005, so it's not a debut. I believe she had just come back from maternity leave then. The POB also presented Suite en Blanc and L'Arlesienne on that same program.

Between the lackluster (jetlagged?) dancing and the Central Orchestra whose soloists couldn't count time to save their lives (the bassoon player forgot to come in, so there was silence for 16 measures), it was a really forgettable performance.

[cinnamonswirl]

Thanks for the correction. I guess stick to Gillot or Le Riche then. And hope the orchestra is better!

[Waelsung]

Thanks a lot, cinnamonswirl - I've just made my selections based on your recommendations!

[silvermash]

Thanks for the casting it's the same than has been withdrawn on the French forum so I wonder why... Anyway :

Well I'm more or less on the same lines than cinnamonswirl for Giselle except for Dupont. She's not humble enough for the first act and not emotional enough for the second. I think in fact she should dance Myrtha... And I would give a chance to Laëtitia Pujol who can be really good in the role if she's in top form (she's not a weak technician) but she has been injured a lot recently. ( the DVD was an error, she was coming back from maternity leave).
Also, I would like to see Osta/Le Riche instead of Pech. And it will be Clairemarie's farewell the 19th of July.

The Bolero is entirely Nicolas Le Riche...

Arlésienne, yes Ciaravola-Bullion for sure

Really you dislike Orphée et Eurydice?  it's for me a masterwork... Do we know who is singing, it's important as well?

Dancing wise, both casts are excellent but in fact, I would like to see Bullion with Renavand... but they aren't dancing together...
Bullion is stunning... He's spectral and powerfully frightening in his internal sufferering, Paul is more expressionist and lively.
Gillot is killing the psychological side of the role, she's just too excessive she doesn't show any emotion. Renavand is really living the story and her despair with a lot of subtlety

[cinnamonswirl]

silvermash, Orphée et Eurydice is so bleak! Perhaps I'll give it another try with a different cast (I do like Renavand) the next time it's performed in Paris, since I'm not going to NYC. Dansomanie is listing the singers as Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble & Chor. I want to see Bourdon/Florieux in the peasant pd2, so perhaps I will give Pujol/Le Riche another chance. I agree Dupont would make a good Myrtha, same as she is probably better suited to Gamzatti than Nikiya. But I guess she likes the lead roles.

Also, anyone have any guesses as to why POB (or the Kennedy Center) have scheduled a 1:30pm matinée on a Friday? I know that Wednesday is the 4th of July, but do they really expect people to be taking Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday off, and therefore to be free to go to the ballet during Friday afternoon?

[puppytreats]

How many times should one permit herself to see "Giselle" in a single year before her mental and emotional health suffers?  I do so much want to see Aurelie....

[E Johnson]

cinnamonswirl, on 04 April 2012 - 06:41 AM, said:

Also, anyone have any guesses as to why POB (or the Kennedy Center) have scheduled a 1:30pm matinée on a Friday? I know that Wednesday is the 4th of July, but do they really expect people to be taking Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday off, and therefore to be free to go to the ballet during Friday afternoon?

tourists, is my guess. people do visit  DC for the fourth.

I have my tickets for the Giselle matinee in New York - despite my over 3 decades of ballet watching i have never seen Giiselle (that's what being an NYCB fan will do to you), so I am quite excited as is my seven  year old daughter.

[silvermash]

cinnamonswirl, on 04 April 2012 - 06:41 AM, said:

silvermash, Orphée et Eurydice is so bleak! Perhaps I'll give it another try with a different cast (I do like Renavand) the next time it's performed in Paris, since I'm not going to NYC. Dansomanie is listing the singers as Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble & Chor. I want to see Bourdon/Florieux in the peasant pd2, so perhaps I will give Pujol/Le Riche another chance. I agree Dupont would make a good Myrtha, same as she is probably better suited to Gamzatti than Nikiya. But I guess she likes the lead roles.

I fully agree with you, Dupont is a Gamzatti as well, but it's difficult to go from Giselle to Myrtha or Nikiya to Gamzatti... Marie-Agnès Gillot was to do it this year but she gave up.
For the peasant pas de deux, Giezendanner-Moreau or Révillion should be interesting as well.

[abatt]

Thanks for posting the casting, rg.

[rg]

f.y.i. i suppose it's self explanatory, but there is typo in the scanned handout with regard to dating the NYC performances.
July 12 is listed twice; the second time the date should be July 13, detailing the first NYC performance of GISELLE.

[Helene]

Many thanks, rg!

[SimonA]

Both the Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center websites show cast changes, with Pujol and Letestu now out of Giselle.

[aurora]

silvermash, on 03 April 2012 - 11:27 PM, said:

Also, I would like to see Osta/Le Riche instead of Pech. And it will be Clairemarie's farewell the 19th of July.

And with the casting changes, that is now the cast on the 14th and 19th....

[Helene]

Lincoln Center casting is now listed as:

Giselle Cast

July 13 at 8:00
Aurélie Dupont (Giselle), Mathieu Ganio (Albrecht), Émilie Cozette (Myrtha), Vincent Chaillet (Hilarion), Charline Giezendanner, Fabien Revillon (Pas de deux des paysans)

July 14 at 2:00
Isabelle Ciaravola (Giselle), Karl Paquette (Albrecht), Marie-Agnès Gillot (Myrtha), Audric Bezard (Hilarion), Héloïse Bourdon, Florimond Lorieux (Pas de deux des paysans)

July 14 at 8:00
Clairemarie Osta (Giselle), Nicolas Le Riche (Albrecht), Émilie Cozette (Myrtha), Christophe Duquenne (Hilarion), Amandine Albisson, Daniel Stokes (Pas de deux des paysans)

July 17 at 8:00
Aurélie Dupont (Giselle), Mathieu Ganio (Albrecht), Émilie Cozette (Myrtha), Christophe Duquenne (Hilarion), Charline Giezendanner, Fabien Revillon (Pas de deux des paysans)

July 18 at 8:00
Dorothée Gilbert (Giselle), Josua Hoffalt (Albrecht), Eve Grinsztajn (Myrtha), Yann Saïz (Hilarion), Héloïse Bourdon, Florimond Lorieux (Pas de deux des paysans)

July 19 at 8:00
Clairemarie Osta (Giselle), Nicolas Le Riche (Albrecht), Nolwenn Daniel (Myrtha), Yann Saïz (Hilarion), Charline Giezendanner, Fabien Revillon (Pas de deux des paysans)

Letestu is still in the cast as la Cigarette in "Suite en Blanc" on 11-12 July.