32 replies to this topic

[Manhattnik]

I never saw Danilova, but Van Hamel will always own Myrtha, as far as I'm concerned.

The first time I saw Irina Dvorovenko she was dancing Myrtha, a couple of years ago, and I thought she was tremendous -- the epitome of the short, jumpy, angry Myrtha as opposed to the tall, queenly and angry Myrtha of Van Hamel.

[Andrei]

Marc, I'm backing you on Terehova. Probably, she is the best Mirtha I ever saw. Perfection, which doesn't know the word mercy, humanity dried out by the wish of revenge.

[glebb]

I worked with Terekhova and Berejnoi at Boston Ballet last summer.  They were very good for the dancers and I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn from their coaching.

I know her Kitri is captured on video.  Is her Myrtha available on video?

[Leigh Witchel]

Part of this is just the "baby duckling" syndrome (she was my first Myrtha, I think. . .) but a young girl named Moira Dorsey who was a fellow student with Gabriella Darvash in around 1986 will always stay with me as the most aerial of Myrthas.  Her type and look was very similar to Ashley Bouder in NYCB today, and like Bouder, she literally came out flying - over the heads of the shortest corps girls in the final entrance in the main wilis dance.  It was just amazing.  Jennifer Dunning wrote about her performance twice in the NY Times, once at the time, and again in her recap of the best performances of the season, so it's not all a figment of my imagination.  Dorsey always had to fight her body as a student, but she went on to Ohio Ballet and then to Cincinatti Ballet and happily seemed to have a satisfying career.  I'm not meaning to compare Moira to Danilova or any of the other mature ballerinas who have imprinted the role, but it is a very fond recollection of my student days.

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Leigh Witchel -  dae@panix.com
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[Mme. Hermine]

she did do it, yvonne, and i thought she was very good....strong, imperious, regal.

[Mme. Hermine]

in the video of giselle with lynn seymour and rudolph nureyev, monica mason is myrtha.

[ February 24, 2002: Message edited by: pmeja ]

[felursus]

Hey, Cargill, I loved Bergsma too - the thing I remember the most were her entry bourees - it looked as though there was a layer of air between her and the floor.  And I agree with you about her Lilac Fairy, too.  I also have extremely fond memories of a Bolshoi dancer, Maya Samokhvalova, as Myrtha.  She had the most amazing jump ever. She just seemed to sit in the air.

BTW, and somewhat off topic, for those of you in NYC, besides whatever she may be dance-wise these days Martine Van Hamel has taken up choral singing.  She's a member of the New York Choral Society.  They have a concert coming up in May in Carnegie Hall.  (NOT promoting my own thing, Alexandra - although I'll confess that my husband is in the choir.)  

[Yvonne]

Just finished (again), watching my well-worn copy of ABT's Giselle and, of course, Martine van Hamel was wonderful as Myrtha.  At some point last night, I started thinking about the recent thread on Cynthia Gregory, where there were a few interesting comments about her performances as Giselle.  What I would like to know is; did Gregory ever dance the role of Myrtha?  If so, did she come across better as Myrtha than she did as Giselle?

Robert LaFosse once described Gregory as the most chilling Siren he ever danced with in Prodigal, so I think I could picture her as Myrtha as well.

van Hamel is often praised (and rightly so), for her strong performances as Myrtha - who else do YOU feel was, or is now, effective in that role (or is van Hamel pretty much the "ultimate"?)

Who was dancing Myrtha the last time that ABT was performing Giselle?

[Yvonne]

Such great posts, thanks everyone!  The role of Myrtha has always been my favorite in Giselle and I'm sorry to hear that many companies have "downgraded" the role to that of a soloist (not that there's anything wrong with being a soloist) - it's always just seemed like a very "meaty" ballerina role to me.

Alexandra, I never really thought about Myrtha's vulnerability underneath all that ice - but you are SO right!  Once upon a time Myrtha must have had her heart broken very badly to come back with such a vengence - you know what they say about a woman scorned!

[Yvonne]

Now REALLY......I wonder what kind of a Myrtha Gelsey Kirkland would have made???  

She could have taken all her anger and frustrations with the opposite sex and poured it into that role.  Not to mention the way that she always "got into character" and the endless effort she put forth on the roles she danced....I wonder what she could have done with that role.

I'm sure that her Myrtha would definately NOT have been one-sided and she wouldn't have needed any of that extra black mascara!

[Yvonne]

I must admit the thought NEVER entered my mind until I started reading these posts about "small", but effective, Myrthas!

One more question....  In the movie "Dancers" Leslie Browne dances the role of Myrtha.  Was this a role she only danced in the movie, or was it part of her rep at ABT?

[liebs]

Gregory did dance Myrthe but I remember an interview with her which quoted her as saying that she did not enjoy the part because she did not like to jump.

I saw a tape of an ABT Giselle with Fracci and Bruhn.  Toni Lander danced Myrthe and was terrific.

I understand that Monica Mason of the Royal Ballet was also a distinguished Myrthe.

[Drew]

I saw a Fracci-Bruhn Giselle in which Gregory danced Myrthe, but what fragmented memories I have of that performance do not include Gregory.  (I do remember that I liked her in the role, but -- though opinionated -- I was a child.) At ABT two seasons ago, I saw Gillian Murphy in the role and thought she was excellent -- not (yet) Van Hamel/ballerina quality -- but a fine performance.

[This message has been edited by Drew (edited March 13, 2001).]

[Drew]

Well, somebody's loss is going to be somebody's gain -- very nice to hear about Terekhova.  I never saw her Myrtha -- unfortunately -- but did see her in a very few performances with the Kirov in the early eighties.  She was fabulous! In her Paquita variation she managed to seem at once elegantly meticulous and utterly spontaneous. And yes, the jump!  Watching her I occasionally felt as if I could better understand the historical connection between Maryinsky/Kirov and Balanchine. As it happens, I did, a couple of years later, see her dance a very engaging Scotch Symphony.

Off topic, I know...let's just say I don't doubt she made a GREAT Myrtha.

[Alina]

Tatiana Terekhova and Sergei Berejnoi are currently still in Boston. I believe they were never officially "let go" and their future is yet to be determined by their choice as well as by Boston Ballet. They were to go to the Bolshoi this past year and return for select times to coach the classics. However when everything fell apart at the Bolshoi they stayed in the states and at Boston Ballet. They are very well respected by the dancers. They both still take class. The last time I saw Terekhova, about six months ago she was still jumping like a teenager! They are also caring and delightful to be around!