"Jewels" DVD and PBS Great Performances broadcast

[Herman Stevens]

The tall girl in Rubies was Marie Agnes Gillot.

Thanks for that information. After seeing her as Diana (in the DVD of the Neumeier Sylvia) -- and enjoying her intelligent comments during the interviews on that disc -- I'm hooked.

Isn't she Lilac in POB's Beauty, reemerging in the Act III Precious Stones threesome as well?

[Azulynn]

You're right Herman, she's indeed the 6th Fairy in Beauty (the Lilac Fairy is a non-dancing role in Nureyev's version, and an unnamed "6th fairy" gets the dancing in the Prologue). She also does the "Diamond" in Act III.

[art076]

And what's with the crazed open-mouth smiles?

I can't figure out why I missed this while watching the DVD. Pujol's mouth was indeed frozen into an oddly demented expression. Caught in the headlights?

I noticed these, too. But were these unfortunately captured moments were Pujol was just trying to breath, while appearing calm to the rest of the theatre? She does the first movement and her variation straight in a row, where Osta and the others have the opportunity to completely compose herself before entering for her variation.

I began to notice dancers' strange seeming mouth movements on video when I saw Viviana Durante do strange open mouth-closed mouth facial expressions in 'Sleeping Beauty' - then realized she was just dying for air, while otherwise looking composed.

[bart]

RE our poll -- right now, 55% of respondants have voted for Emeralds as their favorite part of the POB Jewels. If you haven't voted, please click the Link and do so.

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=23182

[Hans]

Dancers have a name for what Durante does on that Sleeping Beauty tape: air-biting.

[Dale]

I just watched the program on PBS. It's interesting - they've made some new edits, correcting mistakes, from the DVD. I wonder if those changes were made to the US video or just to the broadcast.

[gatto97]

This performance was my first viewing of Jewels as a whole, including my first viewing of Rubies. I briefly commented in the other Jewels thread that I felt Rubies was the most complete performance of the three, although I felt they were doing an imitation of the Balanchine Stravinsky style rather than understanding it in their bones.

Emeralds on the whole dragged. I lost my NYCB DIA tape years ago, but recall that I wasn't fond of Emeralds then either. Having seen clips of Verdy in other roles, I can imagine the nuance of her performance as "the bracelet girl". I know, horrible name. I do feel that the POB port de bras is superior to any I've seen at NYCB, and that Balanchine's choreography reflected Verdy's superb port, which was an unusual quality at NYCB. The dancer in POB performance had wonderfully fluid arms, and I did enjoy her performance far more than my recollection of Merrill Ashley. The walking section seemed a bit off, as if the dancer was walking heel toe instead of stepping on demi - it made it seem heavy as opposed to floating amongst the clouds. Members who have seen multiple performances of Emeralds may be able to shed some light.

Rubies. I liked it. The 20 plus minutes flew by as opposed to Emeralds. Again, I was imagining how Villela looked in the role, using clips from his Tchaik Pas de Duex that I have seen. The "gang running" section seemed off - I was expecting something different from pictures and descriptions I have read. I can't comment on interpretation of Rubies as I have nothing to compare it to, however I believe the success of this section of Jewels is less dependant upon the original cast. The choreography is so strong that at the least, the first time viewer can get an impression of the Balanchine-Stravinsky style.

Diamonds. Loved the corps. Very crisp and neat. The weakness for me was in the pas. This role was just too tailored for Farrell. As I replied in the other Jewels thread, I feel it was a role Balanchine created for Farrell to grow into, therefor it is almost impossible for a dancer to pull off after a few performances. As others have stated in this thread, Farrell was not very successful in this role in her early 20's. She was still a princess, not yet a queen. The Queen arrived in 1975, and is evident in the DIA performance. The dancer in the POB was wrong...well, I guess anyone who isn't Farrell is wrong. I thought her gaze was too romantic and almost weak. Those, "I am so in love with you" glances at her partner were out of character for the dance. Also, some of the steps looked off, most notably at the end of the pas those walking forward while leaning backward (reminds me a bit of that part in Tzigane). The POB dancer didn't take huge steps and was relying too much on her partner for balance. Her leg should have been straighter as she stepped onto pointe and the steps larger. Farrell, by contrast could probably have performed that part unsupported, which was part of her genius. And also, the theme of the pas. This is a strong woman - the ideal woman, with strength and balance and stamina that trumps all other dancers in the ballet (all three sections). The dancer last night didn't understand. Lastly, ditto the drop to the knee - it was too fast and the kiss on the hand too ardent.

[bart]

Thanak you, gatto97, for your comments, especially some of the details you noticed. I'm planning on revisiting my DVD this weekend, and will do so with your comments -- and those of others on this thread -- in mind. You all help me to see things more clearly and accurately.

I am very grateful to have this Parisian record of the ballet; it's a work (including Diamonds, IMO) that can support a variety of style differences. And, it's stunning. I guess I don't have detailed memories of the original costumes, but Lacroix's worked looked lovely and suited the dancers' bodies. All three "sets" were like classy and simple jeweller's mountings against which the dancers were able to stand out dramatically and without background distraction.

Memories of Verdy, McBride, and Farrell, are fading. Detailed and acute ballet writing can sometimes revive memories in an astonishing way.

This is a strong woman - the ideal woman, with strength and balance and stamina that trumps all other dancers in the ballet (all three sections). The dancer last night didn't understand. Lastly, ditto the drop to the knee - it was too fast and the kiss on the hand too ardent.

That short description, especially of the drop to the knee, worked very effectively for me to bring back impressions of Farrell's distinct onstage aura.

I THINK I can see Verdy in Emeralds in my memory, but it is possible that this is because, as gatto97 says, her port de bras was so unusual at NYCB. Indeed, her stage presence was unique and stood out among virtually all of her fellow dancers.

I just watched the program on PBS. It's interesting - they've made some new edits, correcting mistakes, from the DVD. I wonder if those changes were made to the US video or just to the broadcast.

Dale, can you point us to one or two of the corrections? It would help when re-viewing the DVD. Thanks.

[dirac]

I wish Great Performances had made more of an event of it. The narration was sparce, and when it was over, it was over ... and quickly. Nothing was made of the individual dancers. (While of course much time was devoted to listing every donor and production and technical person.)

My impression was that, as a television "event," it was a question of: "Let's just stick the DVD in the damn player and get it over with."

I think if an American troupe was involved, and it was a live performance, there might have been a bit more fuss, but I'm sorry to hear it was treated so routinely. Of course, there are so many dance specials on PBS these days, I guess they take them for granted.

The broadcast will be aired locally (California Bay Area) tonight on KQED Channel 9 at a decent hour, 8:00 a.m. Pacific. I don’t have the DVD yet so I’m looking forward to this.

[Herman Stevens]

The dancer in the POB was wrong...well, I guess anyone who isn't Farrell is wrong. I thought her gaze was too romantic and almost weak. Those, "I am so in love with you" glances at her partner were out of character for the dance. Also, some of the steps looked off, most notably at the end of the pas those walking forward while leaning backward (reminds me a bit of that part in Tzigane). The POB dancer didn't take huge steps and was relying too much on her partner for balance.

With all due respect I think it would be helpful to wonder, when you've watched a video of a ballet and making these rather snap comments, whether one or two viewings of that video gives you a better judgment of the ballet than the dancer who has worked weeks non-stop on the ballet.

It's perfectly OK to say you like A better than B, but are you sure you invested sufficient time in thinking about this piece to say you know better than the dancer who does the actual dancing what's part of the dance and what not?

This doesn't mean you can't say "I don't like it". I'm just a little baffled how you can be so sure that you know better than people who make their living dancing these steps.

And let me add that I vastly prefer Farrell (DIA) to Letetstu, too. But I would probably say the same thing about Carlotta Brianza's Aurora, too.

I've never seen Rubies before and am not familiar with the dancing style of the original cast members, which helped in my perception of POB Rubies.

another big question mark.

[Helene]

With all due respect I think it would be helpful to wonder, when you've watched a video of a ballet and making these rather snap comments, whether one or two viewings of that video gives you a better judgment of the ballet than the dancer who has worked weeks non-stop on the ballet.

It's perfectly OK to say you like A better than B, but are you sure you invested sufficient time in thinking about this piece to say you know better than the dancer who does the actual dancing what's part of the dance and what not?

We are a discussion board from the point of view of the audience, and it is well within Ballet Talk policy to criticize performances, which, by definition, are performed by dancers who have spent weeks and often years working on specific ballets.

[sz]

Well, I've danced many parts, over many years, in Jewels, and I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands, of performances of the ballet. All I kept thinking last night was why, oh why, didn't they film the Kirov instead during their last Met visit dancing Jewels. POB's was a huge disappointment both in production and interpretation. I did however very much enjoy watching that tall, muscular, lots of hair, fine-looking, male lead in Emeralds... When will Peter Martins hire somebody like him??!!!!

[Herman Stevens]

We are a discussion board from the point of view of the audience, and it is well within Ballet Talk policy to criticize performances, which, by definition, are performed by dancers who have spent weeks and often years working on specific ballets.

I'm sure you're well aware I wasn't saying it was not allowed to criticize performances. I just happen to think one's criticism gets more interesting when one realizes that dancers usually have spent a hell of a lot more time on the piece than we did.

[Helene]

We are a discussion board from the point of view of the audience, and it is well within Ballet Talk policy to criticize performances, which, by definition, are performed by dancers who have spent weeks and often years working on specific ballets.

I'm sure you're well aware I wasn't saying it was not allowed to criticize performances. I just happen to think one's criticism gets more interesting when one realizes that dancers usually have spent a hell of a lot more time on the piece than we did.

I don't think that criticism gets deeper automatically by taking this into extra consideration; except for dancers who've been thrown into new roles as last-minute replacements, it's the underlying assumption for all other performances. That a dancer has spent a long time thinking and working through a role physically does not guarantee a successful or appropriate outcome. A dancer can be completely convinced of his/her approach or interpretation and be off the mark, which an informed audience member can identify immediately in many cases, particularly when a dancer takes on an iconic role that is specific to the style of another performer or company.

[gatto97]

We are a discussion board from the point of view of the audience, and it is well within Ballet Talk policy to criticize performances, which, by definition, are performed by dancers who have spent weeks and often years working on specific ballets.

I'm sure you're well aware I wasn't saying it was not allowed to criticize performances. I just happen to think one's criticism gets more interesting when one realizes that dancers usually have spent a hell of a lot more time on the piece than we did.

Fair enough. I have studied dance, but not at the professional level. I'm a classically trained clarinetist, so I know something about artists spending "a hell of a lot more time on a piece" than the average listener, if we can cross relate my experience to the art of ballet. Let us take a piece composed for a specific musician, perhaps even a collaboration between composer and musician. There will be inflections within the work that reflect the relationship and character of the musician. Behind the scenes interactions may work their way into the score and are a part of the life of the work. Once the music is sent to press, each subsequent musician will have their own interpretation without knowledge of the history behind the composition. Although we may have a recording, a true musician wont copy but try to bring their own perspective into the work. So, I suppose saying something is wrong is like declaring black and white with no grey. However, I believe we lose a bit of authenticity along the way as memories fade and a composition travels through generations. New styles and techniques evolve, along with different interpretations. Of course, add to that ones approach to music - german, french or americanized styles. It's quite complicated.

As a musician, I don't find that movement of Tchaik traditionally romantic. I'd classify it more as stately and somber. Almost like a cloudy summer day with a peak or two of sunshine. The bassoon is very grounding in those triplet figures, but Letetstu was ... over emoting is the best I can do to describe it. And to clarify my previous post, as a viewer I felt her approach to the role was wrong. She didn't live up to my idea of the music. (Your idea of the music may differ. ) This does not mean I have any poor feelings about her technique, but I do believe that it would take any dancer years to grow into the role in Diamonds. From several posts about the original reviews on Diamonds, it appears it took Farrell years to grow into the role herself. Does that make Farrell a horrible dancer? Hardly. I believe it means that Diamonds pas has many layers that take years to explore, and perhaps Letetstu's future performances will explore different facets of the choreography and musical interpretation. Not that she isn't capable, but that it takes more than a few weeks or even months to live and breath this role. Some may even say the fault lies not in the dancer, but in the choreography of this pas. To each his own opinion.

As the viewer, I did not buy her performance. Some might, but I can only speak for myself.

ETA: I do plan on watching the re-air this weekend. My post was based on my first impressions.

[Anthony_NYC]

I have the DVD and I love it. No, they don't look like NYCB--but we already have NYCB, I don't want every company to look the same. The big thing for me is, the dancers of POB dance as if they *love* what they're dancing, are eager to give themselves over to it completely (and they didn't stint on producction values, either). Unlike, say, ABT, who often look like they're just dutifully paying their respects to that guy from across the plaza before going on to something more interesting.

[Azulynn]

sz, the Kirov has filmed Jewels in the spring (with Ayupova and Lopatkina among others), and hopefully it will eventually be released as well.

As a Parisian who regularly attends POB performances, I enjoyed very much the Jewels' run last year (I haven't seen the DVD). From an outsider point of view, I didn't think the dancers were inappropriate in Balanchine (except Dupont in Rubies), but then you can't blame them for not having it "in their blood" and not doing it the way Americans do it. We here don't know the ballet by heart as you guys do... Mind you, I don't think all the performances are great (I don't like Letestu either), but perhaps the POB dancers still bring something new to it which does no harm, even if they're not doing a movement the exact way the creator of the role did.

The Lacroix costumes looked stunning on stage, and I loved them - perhaps because I don't really know the Karinska ones, which look a little bit dated to me from all the pictures I've seen. But then that's probably because I've known Lacroix's first... ;)

[Herman Stevens]

Great post Gatto, raising two problems. How do ballets continue their lives once the original casts have retired? And in the case of Diamonds, indeed, it appears Farrell needed a long time to grow into the role. So should Balanchine have told her straight away she couldn't do it?

Swan Lake would not have made it to Petersburg (and the 20th century) this way, nor would it have had 32 fouettees. We wouldn't have had any Sleeping Beauty fishdives, and, of course, most Balanchine ballets were changed by Balanchine as new casts came along. So, was he wrong to do so?

A dancer can be completely convinced of his/her approach or interpretation and be off the mark, which an informed audience member can identify immediately in many cases, particularly when a dancer takes on an iconic role that is specific to the style of another performer or company.

To me this comes very close to saying "the audience is always right", for which I believe there is virtually no evidence, historically. I'm very suspicious of people who say they know more about art than the artists - and there are a lot of 'em.

[sandik]

I am very grateful to have this Parisian record of the ballet; it's a work (including Diamonds, IMO) that can support a variety of style differences.

I think this is an interesting observation since Jewels seems to be in the process of becoming a milestone ballet -- the kind of work that companies use to measure their own capabilities and that they produce, in part, to announce their status to the community. I've heard several comments over the last couple of years to that affect -- Jewels is, in some ways, a 21st century version of Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty.

[Helene]

Great post Gatto, raising two problems. How do ballets continue their lives once the original casts have retired? And in the case of Diamonds, indeed, it appears Farrell needed a long time to grow into the role. So should Balanchine have told her straight away she couldn't do it?

Balanchine did not record Farrell in Diamonds early in her career. He chose her when she was at the height of her interpretation of this ballet.

One of the issues with recordings is that they are set in stone and out of context, and that the performances recorded in them become iconic, when they may or may have anything to do with appropriate style.

A dancer can be completely convinced of his/her approach or interpretation and be off the mark, which an informed audience member can identify immediately in many cases, particularly when a dancer takes on an iconic role that is specific to the style of another performer or company.

To me this comes very close to saying "the audience is always right", for which I believe there is virtually no evidence, historically. I'm very suspicious of people who say they know more about art than the artists - and there are a lot of 'em.

It's your right to be suspicious of any opinion. However, it is the purpose of this board for the audience to express their opinions, and the bar is courteous, well-reasoned criticism. Everyone is welcome to express his or her opinion as long as this bar is met, and one of our principles is that we do not rate each other's opinions, but express our own, which can include disagreement.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

The Lacroix costumes looked stunning on stage, and I loved them - perhaps because I don't really know the Karinska ones, which look a little bit dated to me from all the pictures I've seen. But then that's probably because I've known Lacroix's first... ;)

One of my favorite Arlene Croce quotes ever was her observation that Karinska's costumes for Emeralds look like they've been "dipped in cement." I've never really been able to work up much enthusiasm for them myself. (I suppose this is heretical, but I can't work up much enthusiasm for Jewels, either, except for Emeralds, oddly enough, which adore ...)

[bart]

One of my favorite Arlene Croce quotes ever was her observation that Karinska's costumes for Emeralds look like they've been "dipped in cement."

I love that. There's a lot of truth in it.

Regarding the possible Kirov Jewels video, here's a Link posted by helene (much earlier in our POB discussion).

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...opic=22004&st=0

Another point: Azulynn wrote:

As a Parisian who regularly attends POB performances, I enjoyed very much the Jewels' run last year (I haven't seen the DVD). From an outsider point of view, I didn't think the dancers were inappropriate in Balanchine (except Dupont in Rubies), but then you can't blame them for not having it "in their blood" and not doing it the way Americans do it. We here don't know the ballet by heart as you guys do..

It would be interesting to be able to compare productions/performances by various American companies. I suspect this would demonstrate that there is not only one "American" style of doing this. I know Miami and PNB do it, in addition to NYCB of course. Which which other American have it in their reps?

Can anyone compare how the POB does it with the way other "American" companies do it today?

[gatto97]

Great post Gatto, raising two problems. How do ballets continue their lives once the original casts have retired? And in the case of Diamonds, indeed, it appears Farrell needed a long time to grow into the role. So should Balanchine have told her straight away she couldn't do it?

My impression from studying Balanchine and his relationship with Farrell is that Diamonds was his staging of the Absolute ballerina. In 1967, I believe Farrell was only 20, still a young girl with little life experience off stage. For this reason, I love her performances from this era as I have seen on tape. Not only was she absolutely beautiful, but I loved the extension and energy in every movement. In her later performances that I have seen, they appear more calculated on her part. On one side you have a young girl experimenting and on the other, a fully formed woman who knows what her body can do. (An aside - For my 20th century music history class during undergrad, I composed a paper on the Balanchine-Stravinsky relationship and neo-classicism, therefore spent much time at NYPL viewing many NYCB videos in the archive. Being a Farrell-atic, I was most interested in footage with her dancing. Unfortunately, I did not watch any Jewels performances during those visits.)

Back to Farrell - Balanchine had a short history of molding Farrell. IIRC, in her book, she stated she had horrible Bourree, thus Balanchine made Dulcinea into a "Bourree Girl". After Don Q she had "beautiful bourree". He created choreography that would enhance a weakness in her technique, and on some level I now believe he created Diamonds not for the dancer Farrell was in 1967, but for the dancer she would become at the apex of her career. Of course, he never suspected Suzanne's life experience would involve marrying anyone but himself and leaving NYCB for 6 years.

Swan Lake would not have made it to Petersburg (and the 20th century) this way, nor would it have had 32 fouettees. We wouldn't have had any Sleeping Beauty fishdives, and, of course, most Balanchine ballets were changed by Balanchine as new casts came along. So, was he wrong to do so?

Any composer or choreographer can change their own works as they see fit. Copland edited the Clarinet Concerto after Benny Goodman's suggestions (it is rumor whether or not the original edition was too difficult for Goodman to pull of technically). Some have questioned Balanchine's choices over the years, (cutting Apollo birth scene for instance), but most of his choices were to tailor an old work for a new dancer. I understand he removed some jetes in Barocco 1st mvt. after Farrell started dancing the first violin role. Not sure if this is rumor or fact as I have not seen a full performance of the LeClercq/Adams performance.

But, I think there is a difference between Balanchine changing or tailoring his own work to better suit a new cast and the natural progression that comes with time, when people forget/die and memories fade. Once the original cast of a ballet is gone, a piece of the mystery has disappeared too. Obviously, I can't speak for Balanchine, but it is my feeling that if a movement within a ballet held great significance for him, he would not cut it out to fit a dancer. But the question is, what moves where significant and which moves weren't? Is it the pose or how you get to the pose - the movement in space from place to place. For me, Balanchine Ballets are the latter, the how you get there and that's what I believe he loved most in Farrell - she never wasted a moment, even while "posing" there was life.

I guess the above doesn't answer your last question, but I will say that within the classical style, very few choreographers have tailor made works for their dancers like Balanchine did. And that is why I feel staging some of his ballets is a more difficult task than staging a classic. Also, having a video record of many original casts illuminates how even within his own company, his choreography gets sloppy if not carefully monitored. It's not just the steps, its the life in the ballet.

[Edited to fix the quotes]

Edited September 1, 2006 by gatto97

[Dale]

Regarding the question of other companies who do Jewels: I know of NYCB, PNB, SFB, PA Ballet has done it, Pittsburgh under Patricia Wilde, MCB, NoBC, Mariinsky-Kirov, POB, and Cincinnati Ballet with Ballet Met. The Dutch National Ballet is planning its first production in September, and the Royal Ballet is planning to present it in 2007. Several companies have done one section, usually Rubies (under the title Capricio, the title of the music).

About the Karinska costumes - I love them.

[Farrell Fan]

Nice to read posts by another Farrell fan. Just to keep the record straight, she was 22 at the premiere of Jewels.