peasant pas de deux

[John-Michael]

On an old (I think out of print) Kirov Giselle video from the 80s the traditional female variation is replaced in the peasant pas de deux. Does anyone have any idea as to whom the composer might be?

[Solor]

I could be wrong, but I am pretty that somewhere in the history of Giselle Petipa had Minkus write a Pas de deux for the 1st act of Giselle. As you may know Minkus also wrote the "coda" for the Act II pas de deux (the music that follows Albrecht's variation) and the Variation of Giselle in Act I (according to Spessivtseva who 1st performed the solo) though the music is from some other ballet I cant remember (i read that in an old book I have). I have that same film of Giselle with Olga Vtorushina dancing in the Peasent Pas de deux (with Mezentseva as Giselle and Zaklinsky as Albrecht), and I have wondered myself where that music she used comes from. I could be wrong, but its a theory. Im not certain, but Im pretty sure I read somewhere that the Joffery (i think) ressurected this music and performed this pas of Minkus that is no longer used in Giselle. Ill post a topic to see if anyone knows.........

[John-Michael]

Thank you... it's an interesting theory.

[rg]

acc'd to frank w.d.ries's IN SEARCH OF GISELLE, a supplement to DANCE MAGAZINE, aug. '79, Algis Zuraitis's recording of GISELLE (angel/melodia) includes 'the interpolated pas de deux for albrecht and giselle which petipa inserted in act 1...'

he further states that 'the music for this pas de deux, however, was used recently by gerald arpino for his L'AIR D'ESPRIT for the joffrey ballet.'

arpino's duet was said to danced to music by adam [see nypl info below] but this could be a misunderstanding due to the duet's 'origins' in russian productions of adam's GISELLE.

reis also points out, in the handy chart comparing the 1841 paris score to the 1888 st. petersburg score, that in place of burgmuller's PAS DE DEUX DES JEUNE PAYSANS russian productions interpolated a pas de cinq to music by pugni - i believe vasiliev's production for the bolshoi ballet included this number. i suppose it's possible that when russian productions reverted to the burgmuller, after 1860 acc'd to ries, that one of pugni's variations was retained and is the one in question here.

Air d'esprit : Chor: Gerald Arpino; mus: Adolphe Adam. First perf: Chicago, Auditorium Theater, Feb 7-19, 1978. // First N. Y. perf: City Center 55th St. Theater, Apr 6, 1978; Joffrey Ballet.

[John-Michael]

acc'd to frank w.d.ries's IN SEARCH OF GISELLE, a supplement to DANCE MAGAZINE, aug. '79,  Algis Zuraitis's recording of GISELLE (angel/melodia) includes 'the interpolated pas de deux for albrecht and giselle which petipa inserted in act 1...'

he further states that 'the music for this pas de deux, however, was used recently by gerald arpino for his L'AIR D'ESPRIT for the joffrey ballet.'

arpino's duet was said to danced to music by adam [see nypl info below] but this could be a misunderstanding due to the duet's 'origins' in russian productions of adam's GISELLE.

reis also points out, in the handy chart comparing the 1841 paris score to the 1888 st. petersburg score, that in place of burgmuller's PAS DE DEUX DES JEUNE PAYSANS russian productions interpolated a pas de cinq to music by pugni - i believe vasiliev's production for the bolshoi ballet included this number. i suppose it's possible that when russian productions reverted to the burgmuller, after 1860 acc'd to ries, that one of pugni's variations was retained and is the one in question here.

Air d'esprit : Chor: Gerald Arpino; mus: Adolphe Adam. First perf: Chicago, Auditorium Theater, Feb 7-19, 1978. // First N. Y. perf: City Center 55th St. Theater, Apr 6, 1978; Joffrey Ballet.

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Thanks... I'm going to have to look on the Internet and see if that Giselle recording is still floatig around somewhere...