New Ratmansky Swan Lake to premier at Zurich

[RUKen]

Natalia is absolutely correct. The company that performed in the Mariinsky Theatre that was named for the Czar's wife Maria, was known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, (or) the Imperial Ballet. This was the case until 1918 a year after the Revolution. After that, it was named the State Academic Ballet of Petrograd by the communists during the Russian Civil War years in the 1920s. Following the death of Lenin when the city was renamed Leningrad, Sergei Kirov was the Party leader of the city. After Sergei Kirov's hit was ordered by Stalin, (which began the purges of the 1930s), the Theatre was re-named, the Sergei Mironovich Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and the opera and ballet companies that performed in it were known by the name "Kirov." This name lasted until the early 2000s when the ballet company itself reverted back to it's original name. The Theatre reclaimed it's original name "Mariinsky" in the 1990s, when the city reclaimed it's original name, St. Petersburg. If Macaulay's verbs were past tense,

perhaps he should have waited to publish his review before posting the rough draft off his airline napkin.

Natalia is correct regarding the proper name for the company in 1895 and throughout the 20th Century; Macaulay, however, uses "Mariinsky" as the name for the company that performed Swan Lake in 1895 in St. Petersburg. There is no evidence that the writer is referring to the post-Soviet company when the review mentions the "first Mariinsky version" and the "vast resources" of the Mariinsky. The error is Macaulay's use of the name, not aurora's interpretation of his intent.

[Drew]

...the Theatre was re-named, the Sergei Mironovich Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and the opera and ballet companies that performed in it were known by the name "Kirov." This name lasted until the early 2000s when the ballet company itself reverted back to it's original name.

Its original name? The Imperial ballet? I assume you mean the ballet company reverted to the theater's original name.

I tend to think fans can be forgiven for getting lost in this particular tangle. Though the New York Times probably should get it right. (But then again, as noted below "Mariinsky" in Macaulay's review could appropriately refer to the resources of the theater.)

I loved the photo published with the Times review.

[volcanohunter]

The company that performed in the Mariinsky Theatre that was named for the Czar's wife Maria, was known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, (or) the Imperial Ballet. This was the case until 1918 a year after the Revolution. After that, it was named the State Academic Ballet of Petrograd by the communists during the Russian Civil War years in the 1920s. Following the death of Lenin when the city was renamed Leningrad, Sergei Kirov was the Party leader of the city. After Sergei Kirov's hit was ordered by Stalin, (which began the purges of the 1930s), the Theatre was re-named, the Sergei Mironovich Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and the opera and ballet companies that performed in it were known by the name "Kirov." This name lasted until the early 2000s when the ballet company itself reverted back to it's original name. The Theatre reclaimed it's original name "Mariinsky" in the 1990s, when the city reclaimed it's original name, St. Petersburg.

Surely it's obvious why he could not have included this information in a 13-paragraph review. It's hard to follow even for people with great interest in the historical sequence. In Macaulay's defence, he never writes "Mariinsky Ballet," and as you point out, the theater itself was called the Mariinsky in 1895. As RUKen says, since Macaulay uses the expression "first Mariinsky version" and refers to the "Mariinsky’s choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov," I take his references to the "Mariinsky" to mean the 1895 production.

[Drew]

screw up--please delete

[Drew]

Surely it's obvious why he could not have included this information in a 13-paragraph review. It's hard to follow even for people with great interest in the historical sequence. In Macaulay's defence, he never writes "Mariinsky Ballet," and as you point out, the theater itself was called the Mariinsky in 1895. As RUKen says, since Macaulay uses the expression "first Mariinsky version" and refers to the "Mariinsky’s choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov," I take his references to the "Mariinsky" to mean the 1895 production.

Yes--I was just about to edit my comment to add that invoking the Mariinsky's resources could just as well refer to the theater as anything else.

Very enjoyable reading about the production from those lucky enough to be there.

[Natalia]

Back home from Zurich and how I long for Confiserie Sprungli's hot chocolate!

Just checking docs in my home library. (I can read very well!) As per R. J. Wiley's 1997 oeuvre, THE LIFE AND BALLETS OF LEV IVANOV, which reproduces the complete casting list of the first full performance of SWAN LAKE by the Imperial Ballet company of St. Petersburg, the Act I Valse lists exactly forty (40) performers (p. 259). That's precisely the number of performers notated by N. Sergeyev and, hence, utilized by Ratmansky in Zurich.

Perhaps Macauley was recalling seeing more than 40 dancers in multiple viewings of the Konstantin Sergeyev Kirov-Mariinsky version when he wrote "Mariinsky"? If so, it was ridiculous for him to compare two totally different editions of this dance. Apples and oranges.

Thanks to all of you who have truly appreciated my reports from Zurich.

[Rosa]

Lots of photos here

Gorgeous.

And thank you, Natalia, for the incredible reviews! I would love to see this. (Maybe we'll a get a DVD someday? )

[Natalia]

You're most welcome, Rosa!

[Natalia]

Before going to Zurich, I developed a set of questions (post #51 above), which I can now answer after viewing the actual performances. Some of you want me to repost as Q&A so voila! ANSWERS IN ALL-CAPS.

Act I, sc 1

Will there be a Village Waltz incorporating all of the 1895 props, ie, stools, floral baskets, battons & a maypole with red, blue & yellow ribbons? I'm not expecting the 20 couples/40 dancers of 1895 but maybe the Jr troupe and older academy students will be used? (I saw a recon of this Petipa version, with full regalia, in 1994 at the Maly Th. In St P, but it wasn't filmed, that I know. The Royal's current version, by Bintley, incorporates a few stools but it's nothing at all like what I saw at the Maly.). YES, THERE IS, WITH ALL 40 DANCERS NOTATED BY N SERGEYEV.

Will the Goblet Dance be as described in contemporary accounts...danced in large rectangular blocks, with claps? The most similar to this that I've seen is in the old Royal Ballet version, attributed to De Valois...but De Valois worked closely with N. Sergeyev in the 1930s during Sergeyev's first staging for Vic-Wells Ballet. (Sergeyev apparently had trouble reading his own messy notes so De Valois had to help him bring some dances to fruition, according to some sources.) THE POLACCA WAS DANCED ALMOST THE SAME AS WE SAW IN THE NINETTE DE VALOIS STEPS, AS SEEN IN THE CIRCA1980 RB DVD STARRING MAKAROVA AND DOWELL. DE VALOIS' VERSION'S DANCERS ARE MORE COUNTRY BUMPKINS AND THE WOMEN DON'T DANCE ON POINTE.

Will we see the full mimed exchanges between Siegfried and his mother..."Have you been drinking, son?" "Not one drop, mom." NOT IN THE 1895 NOTES! NOT IN ZURICH, ALTHOUGH THERE IS LOTS OF OTHER MIME BETWEEN MOTHER & SON.

AI, sc 2

Will we see Siegfried's pals (Benno and other hunters) intermingling with the swans? YES.

How exactly will Ratmansky handle the inclusion of Benno as the 2nd male partner of Odette in the "White pdd adagio"? BENNO WAS THERE. BENNO HOLDS ODETTE UP ON HIS THIGH, FOR EX.

Will child swans accompany Odette and be part of the Danses des Cygnes (as in RB version)? YES. EIGHT YOUNG STUDENTS.

Will the two tall demi swans blow kisses to their fellow swans during the Big Swans dance, as in Kirk Peterson 's Washington Ballet version, also based on N Sergeyev)? NO KISSES HERE. PETERSEN MUST HAVE READ ABOUT THE KISSES IN THE 1930s VIC WELLS VERSION OR MADE IT UP HIMSELF.

A2 (ballroom)

Will Ivanov's true "Venetian Dance" (aka "Neapolitan") finally be staged??? Or was it as weak as described by contemporary reviewers...hence not worthy of reconstruction? (The reason often cited for its failure was that the piece lacked soloists...just an ensemble for 32 corps dancers with mandolins and tambourines.) VENETIAN-NEAPOLITAN WAS FINALLY SEEN BUT IN A SMALLER-SCALED EDITION WITH FEWER DANCERS; ATTRIBUTED IN THE ZURICH PROGRAMME TO "N SERGEYEV AFTER LEV IVANOV"...AND, TO ME, IT IS WEAK AND HOKEY...ESPECIALLY THE FOOT STOMPING BY THE MANDOLIN GUYS. NOW WE KNOW WHY ASHTON CREATED HIS OWN WONDERFUL NEAPOLITAN!!!

As with the earlier White Swan pdd, how will Ratmamsky deal with the "odd 2nd male" other than Siegfried dancing the solo in the "Black Swan pdd/pd3/pd4"....Odile, Siegfried, Von Roth + classical solo male (that was Gorsky in 1895). And, regardless of which character dances the male solo...what will be the steps performed? As most of you know, today's well-known version of the male solo in the Black pdd is known as "the Chaboukiani Solo"...Chaboukiani wasn't around in 1895! So I'm fascinated to discover what Petipa set in 1895. THE 1895 SOLO FOR "ODD MAN" GORSKY WAS, IN ZURICH, GIVEN TO SIEGFRIED. ZURICH SIEGFRIEDS CAN DANCE.

A3

Will we see the interesting mime among Odette, the two tall demi swans AND the corps swans...as seen most clearly in Kirk Peterson's 2015 staging for Washington Ballet & somewhat less clearly in the current (Dowell staging) RB version? YES, IN ZURICH WE SAW LOTS OF MIME AMONG ALL CATEGORIES OF SWANS, EVEN MORE SO THAN IN PETERSON'S WASHINGTON BALLET STAGING...OR ANY ROYAL BALLET STAGING.

Will we see the correct 1895 ending in full...a storm, Odette & Siegfried's double suicide, and Von Rothbart jumping off the rocks after them (in his case, to ultimate end)...and then the Apotheosis of the lovers in Heaven? Even in the Royal and Washington versions, Von R just seems to collapse on the stage, whither & slink away into the wings. (As per Wiley, TB, p. 269, in the Synopsis accompanying the Sergeyev notes, the Genie follows Siegfried off the rock.) WE SAW A DOUBLE SUICIDE BEFORE VON ROTH WENT TO TOP OF THE ROCK-STEPS, DYING THERE AS HE STRUGGLED TO NOT BE BLOWN DOWN TO THE WATER. SO HE DIES AT TOP OF ROCK BEFORE THE APOTHEOSIS (THE BIG SWAN GLIDING ACROSS HEAVEN WITH ODETTE AND SIEGFRIED, WITH SOFT MUSIC AS CURTAIN FALLS).

- Natalia Nabatova

[canbelto]

Natalia thanks for the great reports. A question: do the swans and Odette do the now iconic "flapping" motions with their arms?

When I look at the 1895 photos I don't see Legnani as someone who would have the soft boneless rippling arms a la Plisetskaya or Lopatkina to really do that "flapping" motion.

[Drew]

Thanks Natalia for detailed return to all of your questions. Very interesting to read about.

[Natalia]

Canbelto, good question. Zurich was a no-flap zone...at least not in the sense of the stretched "Vaganova arms and back." In Zurich, the main port de bras for the corps swans saw bent arms, then one of the arms unfolding quickly to point towards a foot...crisp and sharp movements...not so flowing-organic. Yet lovely when performed in unison. We can see this movement in the 1950s film of A2 with Fonteyn/Somes. It's performed during the entree of swans, when they form a triangle...also when they encircle Benno. Instead of performing the iconic Vaganova flapping arms they do this "chop chop" movement.

The only time that I saw the corps with arms stretching up was when the would run towards the wings...but only a quick arms-up...never flapping up & down/up & down.

In the White pdd, Odette DOES raise arms a couple of times, with Siegfried helping to lower them as he cradles her (so pretty).. but it's a totally different feel and poetry. No "swan head shakes" as we see nowadays, for ex. Then she seems almost like a zombie - staring into space - whenever she swoons, caught at the last moment by Benno. Scary! This brought gasps to some in the audience, especially when Khamsina danced. The true meaning of trust.

[Natalia]

To me, the single most intriguing revelation in Zurich was Odette's very first entrance: as Siegfried spots her and hides near the audience-left downstage wing, Odette enters from her usual backstage audience-right wing with a quick pas de chat, then proceeds on the diagonal in four successive first-arabesques, each in a quick balance...perfectly to the music, played faster than usual. Absolutely no stops for languid poses in fourth position & no swan port the bras. Incredible! That's why I'm sure that Russian primas will detest this version.

[canbelto]

Oh well, I'd like to be a fly on the wall when this production travels to La Scala. When Ratmansky tells Zakharova that she can't flap her arms in Swan Lake ...

ETA: it seems as if the earliest document we have of flapping Swan arms is Anna Pavlova's video of Dying Swan. Pavlova already had the boneless rippling arms.

[volcanohunter]

The "stars" have already bailed out of the La Scala performances. It will be a home team affair, and apparently this does not include Zakharova.

After having verified the programming, the Ballet Management rectifies what previously announced: the performances of the new production of Swan Lake will be given to the dancers of the Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company.

[Natalia]

The "stars" have already bailed out of the La Scala performances. It will be a home team affair, and apparently this does not include Zakharova.

Exactly. Absolutely not Zakharova, Semionova, Kondaurova, Skorik, or Lopatkina or anyone like them. A great Juliet who has 32 good single fouettés should do well in Ratmansky's SWAN LAKE. An actress-dancer who has a beautiful face that "reads" well.

This is a balletomane-connoisseur's production. A fascinating look at the Tsarist Imperial Russian Ballet. Lotsa mime. Lotsa Cecchetti. Lots of sweet charm. (I personally love it.) But I doubt that any of the top 6 or 7 ballet troupes on this earth would take it on unless it's understood to be a TEMPORARY curiosity in the rep of a company. I can't see ABT's board approving a production that doesn't give the casual NY socialite audience what it expects to see in a SWAN LAKE. This is a total symphonic work that's ingrained in the average ballet lover's brain; very different from a SLEEPING BEAUTY.

[canbelto]

Hmm I found this beautiful picture from 1909 with Pavlova and Nicholas Legat.

One thing that is cool about this photo is that this is a mere 14 years after the premiere, but you can already see how much aesthetics had changed. Pavlova is much thinner, has her arms in the tapered "swan" position and a swan feather head-piece. Legat looks way more like the contemporary dancers than the original Siegfried, Pavel Gerdt. Also: where are the "modesty" shorts? It doesn't really look like Legat is wearing one. It looks like his coat is just added a few inches but otherwise he's wearing modern tights.

ETA: wow at the muscle tone of Pavel Gerdt!

[kbarber]

But Pavlova was considered skinny by her contemporaries; she was told to eat butter to fatten herself up. So I don't think this picture represents a new aesthetic, it just represents Pavlova (who may in turn be partly responsible for the later skinny aesthetic)

[Natalia]

The attenuated-ballerina aesthetic didn't begin with Pavlova (but I love that photo, Canbelto). Some 70 years earlier, Marie Taglioni was considered too thin and sickly. But Taglioni & Pavlova were unusual in their respective times. This aesthetic did not become the expected norm in all ballerinas until the Sylvie Guillem craze of the 1980s, IMO.

[canbelto]

Ok now I'm just peppering you with Q's but were the cygnets allowed to do that head rolling/bobbing/tilting gesture? The 1950's CG film with Fonteyn/Somes has that gesture from the cygnets but I always wondered if it was notated or it just became something dancers did over time.

[volcanohunter]

The company has posted a trailer on Facebook. Gosh, it looks gorgeous.

https://www.facebook.com/BallettZurich/videos/732935113475372/

[Syrene Hvid]

Wow. Just. Wow.

[sandik]

And more wow.

[Natalia]

See why I went gah gah? It's a great trailer. Also, there's something about the size of the Zurich venue that adds to the magic...more intimate than the Met, La Scala, etc. All elements converged in Zurich...even the gorgeous Zurichsee lake full of swans, next to the theatre!

[Balanchinomane]

This is stunning. What a beautiful color palette for the costumes. Odile's dress.

Odette's humanity - when she hugs Sieggy at 2.00. What a gorgeous

production. Does this company tour?