35 replies to this topic

[Batsuchan]

[Moderator Beanie On] I merged two threads to create this one. Please post your own comments, reviews, etc., here. Thanks. Bart [Moderator Beanie Off].

I don't think this has been posted already, but apologies if it has.

On July 12 they'll be showing "Giselle" in 3D at various movie theaters across the US.
http://www.fathomeve...nt/giselle.aspx

It appears to be a performance at the Mariinsky, with Natalia Osipova and Leonid Sarafanov as the leads.

[puppytreats]

I don't think this has been posted already, but apologies if it has.

On July 12 they'll be showing "Giselle" in 3D at various movie theaters across the US.
http://www.fathomeve...nt/giselle.aspx

It appears to be a performance at the Mariinsky, with Natalia Osipova and Leonid Sarafanov as the leads.

Thanks, Bat.

[bart]

Thanks, Batsuchan. I was surprised to see how many theaters in my area are actually showing this -- 3 large multiplexes within 30 miles of semi-urban, semi-suburban sprawl. There are two showings, at noon and 7:30 p.m.

I wonder: Does this reflect the appeal of "Giselle," or "Real 3D," or both?

Has anyone seen a full-length performance of ballet in 3D? I admit to feeling trepidation about the 3D effect, especially for this very familiar work, which seems to demand nuance and subtlety. Can 3D convey that?.

I'll be sure to sit as far back as I can.

[sandik]

Ok, I'm going to the local showing of the new Maryinsky Giselle, advertised to be in 3D, this coming Tuesday. Anyone else going?

In the Seattle area, it's showing at a suburban theater. When the Met first started their HD broadcasts, we had a similar situation -- the first few showings were out in suburban mall theaters, and then they finally made it into the city. But somehow, the suburban setting seems right in line with the promise of 3D ballet...

[Amy Reusch]

I'm going, here in Connecticut with as many students as I can talk into going... So many of my students have never seen a major company perform... I hope this works for them!

[Balanchinomane]

I'm going to see it at the AMC on 42nd St. near Times Square. Stadium seating for ballet -
maybe a wave of the future. I hope many people support it.

[atm711]

I'll be seeing it at the noon showing at the Clearview Chelsea on 23 Street in Manhattan on July 12

[sandik]

I wonder: Does this reflect the appeal of "Giselle," or "Real 3D," or both?

Has anyone seen a full-length performance of ballet in 3D? I admit to feeling trepidation about the 3D effect, especially for this very familiar work, which seems to demand nuance and subtlety. Can 3D convey that?.

I'll be sure to sit as far back as I can.

Not sure if this is more about the ballet or about the technology.

I did see the recent Werner Herzog film about prehistoric cave paintings in France, which was shown in 3D, and was pleasantly surprised at how un-gimmicky it felt. It took awhile to get used to the 3D-ness of it, but there was a point where I just felt like I was looking at the interior of a cave.

I can say this -- activity that moves toward and away from the viewer is more vivid than lateral action (which makes big sense), and the faster something moves, the more disorienting it might be.

[Amy Reusch]

I had such hopes for this... And the dancing was good... The mother did a superb job of the pantomime... But... I'd like to hear from the others who frame dance on this forum... Is it possible? Could they have a near perfect score of missing the shot at almost every opportunity? Well... I don't understand; Giselle is like a series of storyboards,,, it's basically a live graphic novel... It's over a hundred years old and there are many other director's choices to study. The Het Nationale does the framing beautifully. All I can say for this production is that the mystery of how Giselle's hair gets loose has now been carefully revealed. The framing was wide when it should have been close, close when it should have been wide and mostly the medium shots revealed what was behind the character's back instead of what s/he was looking at. Either there is a back story of feuding video crew communication or the director never bothered to reed the libretto. Perhaps they followed opera models.


Bring your fellow balletomanes, but leave the newbies home. Like the Director, they just won't "get" it. There are moments, however that are well beyond worth the $12. Save the novice for the real thing unfiltered by poor camera direction.

It was nice to be in the orchestra pit for the overture, and the music was nicely recorded, though at moments during the first act I wasn't sure if it was happening on the same day as the dancing..

I was surprised that the corps didn't pull off the arabesque voyage crossing in the 2nd act... The Mariinski Corps should be better than the Russian National Ballet in its one night stand tours... But here it wasn't. Why?

I'm still hoping for Wim Wenders' Pina in 3D...

[atm711]

It was worthwhile to see Kondaurova's Myrtha....The film was too stretched out...very often Sarafanov lost a portion of his head and when the principals were downstage their lower legs were obscured. Luckily Osipova's astonishing small jumps in Act 2 survived, but it was touch and go at some point. I wonder if this will be out on DVD---and if those problems will show up on DVD---or is it just on 3D?

I personally did not see any advantage of 3D.

[Amy Reusch]

Interestingly we did not seem to have any distortion issues... Though a couple of times we just lost the edge of a foot.

3D could have used so well in the corps dances... But there the director prefered to use an extreme wide shot.... We could have so easily understood Hilarion's dizzying drowning if we were immersed in 3d, but the obvious use for 3D was ignored... So strange.

[ksk04]

This was entirely bizarre. There was only one instance where I thought the 3D was powerful and it was when Myrtha turns her back on Hilarion, and her imposing figure really stands apart from the line of the Wilis in a super foreboding way--but I think Kondaurova's Myrtha would have managed that without the bridge of my nose suffering with those horrendously fitting glasses for 2 hrs. Plus the image quality was terrible due to the 3D blur, I felt like I was back to watching youtube videos.

The camera was not forgiving to Osipova's Giselle, imo. There were at least 4 times in the first act where I thought we were going to suddenly have a new mad scene...her face is just too histrionic for the close-ups. There was never a moment of peace or serenity in the act, it was always scrunching and furrowing...yet when the camera panned back you can see how this wouldn't be so noticeable to the theater audience. I thought she looked best in the first pas de deux in the second act; she really let herself be a spirit, and let the steps shine rather than trying to force the acting. Sarafanov looked good throughout, he tried to make some chemistry with Osipova, especially in the first act, but she seemed in her own world and often when he was clearly trying to make eye contact she was off doing something else. He was attentive, though.

Agree with atm711 that the highlight was Kondaurova's Myrtha...wow! Love her.

Oh and what was up with the shot of "Giselle" on high throwing the lilies down at Albrecht. They chose the wrong angle and it was painfully obvious it wasn't Osipova-she had on the Wili tutu and was blonde. Cutting to a shot from the other side of the stage would have hid all of that. What the heck? Did they even try?


There were about 15 people in my theater, which isn't that bad imo for a midweek matinee. I've been to other matinees for regular movies with less people.

[Amy Reusch]

We had no focus problem... I wonder, were we not in an IMAX but simple 3d? It wasn't a huge theater. The house was about the same, maybe 16 people, 9 of whom I brought....

Extreme close-ups kill large theater acting... Big mistake. I can't understand why any cinematographer would choose to shoot jumps from above the eye level of the dancer, that she flew at all is a credit to Osipova. I did like her mad scene though... Particularly her way of picking up frantic speed on her way to collapse...very effective.

I didn't see the attraction for Sarfaanov.. Overly clean line, too immature in the acting... Seemed better cast for Franz in Coppelia than Albrecht but not sure he can act the sense of humor necessary for a good Franz. Lovely feminine line arabesques if you like those in a man, and exaggerated feet in simple walking. I will say his enterchat six were worth paying admission for though....

[ksk04]

I didn't see the attraction for Sarfaanov.. Overly clean line, too immature in the acting... Seemed better cast for Franz in Coppelia than Albrecht but not sure he can act the sense of humor necessary for a good Franz. Lovely feminine line arabesques if you like those in a man, and exaggerated feet in simple walking. I will say his enterchat six were worth paying admission for though....

He's gotten better, partnering and acting wise so I'm grading him on that curve. He's still too boyish for my tastes; I don't need every male dancer to be a Mukhamedov or anything, but a little more weighted presence is preferable for me. I feel the same way about Simkin.


I wasn't in an IMAX theater either, so maybe someone was really bad at calibrating things at some places.

[Amy Reusch]

I figure in ten years he'll really be something... But just now he is a little vacant... Lovely line and technique, but not enough for a drama... And. This IS Giselle after all.