68 replies to this topic

[cubanmiamiboy]

Birdsall, on 21 October 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

aurora, on 21 October 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

Birdsall, on 21 October 2012 - 09:19 AM, said:

I agree with what you say. It has some nice moments, but some purposely "ugly" moments that are interesting the first time but get old real fast. I am thinking of the step sisters and step mother. Yes, it is funny and sort of fun. It is interesting to have actual ugly dancing moments to underscore how mean they are, but it is only interesting for a few seconds. Then, you are looking for more. Caricatures are not deep. Funny, but not deep or thrilling. After that it starts to be annoying.

What Cinderella has a Stepmother and stepsisters that are not caricatures?
Are those characters meant to be deep or thrilling? Are they deep characters as written? Or are they,  in fact, quite explicitly the opposite?

Well, I don't disagree with you. If any characters should be caricatures, I guess they should be. I guess for me personally I would have liked more subtlety in their choreography, but that is just a personal taste. They are supposed to provide comic relief, and at moments it is funny. I am just not a huge comedy fan, so that might be it too.

Which is one of the reasons I prefer Bolshoi's Zakharov version with the stepsisters as female dancers on pointe rather than the men in drag from Ashton's...

[Natalia]

Ashton's idea of the two-old-men-on-pointe worked best when two two old men were two famous old men: Ashton and Helpman. It still works somwhat, even with not-so-famous character dancers, if they are played as two very different characters -- one spiteful and the other gentle (Ashton's sister). Furthermore, Ashton did not choreograph a role for a Stepmother, did he? I only remember the 2 stepsisters.

The problem with Ratmansky's 3 Clowns (as I call them) is that they are all nasty and that their hystrionics go on and on and on, in every act, until you just want to SHOOT them off the stage. Especially the Viper Mom with the red wig. This was created in 2002 to give a showy role for soon-to-retire Mariinsky ballerinas, Makhalina and Nioradze (even though neither has retired...even 11 years after the premiere!), so they were given a LOT to do. It's time to do a deep slash-and-burn on big chunks of the 3 Clowns' roles.

[Natalia]

p.s. - Big 'thanks' to nysusan and others for their reports on the DC presentations!  Nysusan, thanks for confirming my husb's assessment that Pavlenko is down to fighting weight ("Odette Fit" as he terms it) again. Now it's time to get her cast in the Petipa tutu ballets once again, not to mention her own modern rep from a few years ago, such as the Forsythes that will be making a reappearance at the MT later this season. Also, I can picture Pavlenko and Sergeev as the 'lyrical pair' in Ratmansky's Concerto DSCH, entering Mariinsky rep this spring. (hint-hint)  However, if I were a Betting Girl, I'd guess that Fateev will give this role to a long, long, long ballerina, such as Skorik. Will I be right? (I'm taking about the role danced by Wendy Whelan at the NY premiere.)

[lmspear]

I just have a footnote to add to the discussion of the Sat. matinee with Pavlenko.  (First time I've seen her.  I'm impressed!!)  Anyway during the Summer fairy section, the hat of one of the entourage flew off and landed about 10-12 feet from where Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother were sitting on the floor.  Staying in character Bazhenova shuffled over and picked up the hat (a deep rose-colored turban with feathers), returned to her seat, modeled the hat, handed it over to Cinderella who held it over her head, but was too shy to put it on and returned it to the fairy who then placed the hat in one of the large bags she was carrying.  It was a lovely humorous little bit of business that was done subtly enough that it did not upstage the summer fairy and attendants, but was delightful to watch.

[cinnamonswirl]

I just heard that Osmolkina injured herself on stage during the first act of Friday's performance. She "crumpled to the floor" (in my friend's words), the curtain came down and the performance resumed with Shirinkina. Hopefully the injury is not serious!

[Natalia]

cinnamonswirl, on 23 October 2012 - 12:42 PM, said:

I just heard that Osmolkina injured herself on stage during the first act of Friday's performance. She "crumpled to the floor" (in my friend's words), the curtain came down and the performance resumed with Shirinkina. Hopefully the injury is not serious!

Really? I wonder if Osmolkina danced at the Sunday matinee, which was her 3rd and final scheduled performance?  I, too, hope that Osmolkina is OK. She is scheduled to return to several major roles at the MT in the months ahead.

[YID]

No (Osmolkika didn't dance on Sunday), it was debute hard-core for Maria Shirinkina, She danced openning, then from middle of act 1 on Friday (without a warm-up), then on Saturday and sunday (after a gala in NYC on Thursday). I saw her both on Sat & Sunday, and Kolb was a much more engaging and regal prince, and she danced more relaxed and confident and less tentative. I would say that Cinderella role suits her body and personality very well. promise to write more soon

[ksk04]

Poor Osmolkina....she just got those Swan Lakes too. How depressing. And what a trooper Shirinkina is.

[pherank]

cinnamonswirl, on 23 October 2012 - 12:42 PM, said:

I just heard that Osmolkina injured herself on stage during the first act of Friday's performance. She "crumpled to the floor" (in my friend's words), the curtain came down and the performance resumed with Shirinkina. Hopefully the injury is not serious!

ksk04, on 23 October 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Poor Osmolkina....she just got those Swan Lakes too. How depressing. And what a trooper Shirinkina is.

Anyone heard more on this subject? Apparently Osmolkina suffered a leg injury back in 2010, which caused her to follow the Lopatkina route, and dropped out of things to have a baby, then returned not long afterwards, apparently 'healed'. But it all depends on the actual type of injury. I wonder if it was the same problem reoccurring.