70 replies to this topic

[silvermash]

Perhaps also because they are quite a lot to be close to retirement age, they prefer to concentrate on short works instead of full length classical ballets…

I hadn't thought of that.

As to casting, there are a lot of retirements coming up, especially amongst the ladies -- Osta this season, and Ciaravola, Letestu and even Dupont in the next couple of years. It would behoove the company to start casting younger dancers now, rather than later, when they actually have to carry the company -- such as what is happening now with Héloïse Bourdon, who is debuting in La Bayadère next week.

Among the male Etoiles and Premiers danseurs also! Nicolas Le Riche has already a bit withdrawn from major full length for a few years. Yann Bridard is not dancing anymore and Christophe Duquenne will be the next...

[Nanarina]

Perhaps also because they are quite a lot to be close to retirement age, they prefer to concentrate on short works instead of full length classical ballets…

I hadn't thought of that.

As to casting, there are a lot of retirements coming up, especially amongst the ladies -- Osta this season, and Ciaravola, Letestu and even Dupont in the next couple of years. It would behoove the company to start casting younger dancers now, rather than later, when they actually have to carry the company -- such as what is happening now with Héloïse Bourdon, who is debuting in La Bayadère next week.

Presumably we'll see a lot of Don Q debuts. 26 performances is a very long run!

Talking about Aurelie Dupont in the new season, she is cast to dance Sasha Walsh's Romeo and Juliet in May, with her beau Jeremie Belingard in May. That should be very interesting, most certainly will have chemistry in it. It would be great if it was filmed for realise on DVD.

[cinnamonswirl]

Nanarina, are you sure Bélingard is dancing Romeo? My understanding is the lead cast will be Dupont/Hervé Moreau, and the run will serve as Moreau's farewell. The second cast is Mélanie Hurel/Vincent Chaillet.

It is being filmed, I think for live HD transmission, although that doesn't always translate into a DVD with POB.

[miliosr]

Looking at the repertory for 2012-13, I can't help but think that Madame Lefevre has managed a very clever thing. Under the guise of managing a traditional, classical company, she's gotten the French government to replicate her Theatre du Silence on a lavishly-funded, national scale.

[miliosr]

Casting is up for the all Balanchine program of Serenade, Agon and Prodigal Son:

http://www.operadepa...rge-Balanchine/

Poor Thibault! The wicked stepmother, Brigitte Lefevre, forces Cinderella to dance in two separate ballets and still the title of etoile eludes him!!

And I thought Herve Moreau retired last Spring due to repeated injuries? Did he unretire??

[Mashinka]

I've been watchiing the POB for forty years now and never in all that time have I seen a male dancer more deserving of the title of etoile than Emmanuel Thibault.

[silvermash]

Hervé Moreau didn't retire, He's only 35. He suffered a very bad injury and it took time to recover but he came back on stage last season for Romeo & Juliet by Sasha Waltz.

[miliosr]

Hervé Moreau didn't retire, He's only 35. He suffered a very bad injury and it took time to recover but he came back on stage last season for Romeo & Juliet by Sasha Waltz.

Thanks. A poster upthread wrote that he would be making his farewell in Romeo & Juliet this past Spring. That's why I was surprised to see him cast in Serenade.

[trieste]

They are really pushing Ludmila Pagliero in Balanchine works, hm. I Would like to be impressed by her, but I haven't been. It'll be interesting to read Dansomanie.

[miliosr]

I have a question for our French posters about the upcoming defile. I saw the defile order at Dansomanie and I noticed that several etoiles were missing from the list. What are the circumstances under which an etoile doesn't participate in the defile? Injury? Leave-of-absence?? Not telling Madame Lefevre she's "the fairest of them all" enough???

[trieste]

I saw that chart as well, but my French is nonexistent so I had no idea what it meant. What is a defile?

[Helene]

A defilé is a formal procession of ballet students and/or dancers, from the youngest grades through the ranks of the company. Here is a YouTube video of one of Paris Opera Ballet's:

[Jayne]

ooooh, what I would give to see Gillot as Le Courtesane in Le Fils Prodigue!

[silvermash]

I have a question for our French posters about the upcoming defile. I saw the defile order at Dansomanie and I noticed that several etoiles were missing from the list. What are the circumstances under which an etoile doesn't participate in the defile? Injury? Leave-of-absence?? Not telling Madame Lefevre she's "the fairest of them all" enough???

Rules are quite clear and are those you have stated. As for the Etoiles, Isabelle Ciaravola and Mathias Heymann are on sick leave, Dorothée Gilbert has a leave of absence.

[miliosr]

A defilé is a formal procession of ballet students and/or dancers, from the youngest grades through the ranks of the company. Here is a YouTube video of one of Paris Opera Ballet's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbFLjesXHg4

I can watch that video endlessly. (Kudos to the person(s) who filmed it.) Favorite moment: Nicolas Le Riche taking his bow and then the entire company flooding the stage.

I have a question for our French posters about the upcoming defile. I saw the defile order at Dansomanie and I noticed that several etoiles were missing from the list. What are the circumstances under which an etoile doesn't participate in the defile? Injury? Leave-of-absence?? Not telling Madame Lefevre she's "the fairest of them all" enough???

Rules are quite clear and are those you have stated. As for the Etoiles, Isabelle Ciaravola and Mathias Heymann are on sick leave, Dorothée Gilbert has a leave of absence.

Ah-ha! So there is a rule requiring etoiles to tell Madame Lefevre that she is "the fairest of them all"! ("Magic mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?")