Romeo&Juliet - La Scala - Bolle/Copeland - 15 January

[mnacenani]

RAI5 channel telecast yesterday's matinee performance of R&J later in the evening.

I had never seen Misty in a full ballet either live or on tv and really wanted to see her

and finally got my break. Ballet people in Russia whom I talk with think Misty is not

tops in classical ballet but this junior member liked her very much. For me ballet is

a high art form for drama and I attach great importance to acting ability and characte-

risation, and I thought Misty has excellent acting ability and characterisation, as Juliet

at least. I cannot comment on technique,maybe her PdB is not true Vaganova style but

I did not see anything amiss. I recorded the telecast and in the next couple of weeks am

hoping to show it to my ballet friends in Istanbul and balletmistress Natalia who is from

Vaganova and discuss it with them in the hope of gleaning some insight and info. Would

also enjoy hearing your take on Misty. (nol comment on Bolle who is a known quantity,

but must say Russians I have seen last season as Romeo, namely Shklyarov and Ovcha-

renko, have infinitely better characterisation, they make one believe they are Romeo and

not someone impersonating Romeo, if you know what I mean)

[Jayne]

Ms Copeland and Mr Bolle were trained in a mix of the RAD, Bournonville and Checcetti styles, and some Russian styles, so quite different from pure  Vaganova. 

 

Nor did Mr MacMillan choreograph this ballet in the Vaganova style.  MacMillan made the ballet on the Royal Ballet's English style, fusing his own sense of realism into the dance drama.    The English are known for their effortless looking footwork (Frederick Ashton's choreography) and excellent dramatic training (as the home of Shakespeare this is emphasized more than in the new world).  

 

Interestingly, Perm State Ballet has recently added the MacMillan R&J and it has been popular. They do dance in the Vagaova style. 

[Drew]

Glad you enjoyed the performance and thanks for reporting on your impressions--I was intrigued when I saw Copeland had danced Juliet at La Scala. As Jayne noted above, Vaganova style has no special purchase on Macmillan's ballet. He created Juliet on a great dance-actress (Lynn Seymour, though Fonteyn danced the premier) -- she was no Vaganova dancer for sure, but created roles in ballets by Ashton as well as Macmillan. Seymour had a rare dramatic intensity on stage. 

 

 

 

[mnacenani]

Dear Jayne : Ismene Brown posted couple of weeks ago a review of Perm Ballet's R&J with Osipova guesting,

wonder whether you have seen this :

http://www.ismeneb.com/blogs-list/170109-Osipova-slays-Russians-in-her-Juliet-debut.html

 

I would dearly liked to see Natasha as Juliet, have seen a video of her as J during her first

season at Royal Ballet and thought she was GREAT, will be looking out for it.

[Jayne]

Oh well that is quite a coup for Perm!  Wish I could've been there.  Perm often tours in western europe so perhaps you will have an opportunity to see this company.