EricMontreal22

I know Lacotte's "reconstructions" are quite controversial--more so than the recent Mariinsky Bayaderer and Sleeping Beauty reconstructions but only recently--when i was wondering why no on ehad done a reconstruction of the 1895 Swan Lake, did I find that in 1998 Lacotte did for Le Ballet national de Nancy. Now I don't even have much of an idea where that is... Has anyone seen this? how successful was it? Does anyone know of any photographs of it or maybe even video? I'm a huge fan of the classic ballets and the chance to see the original costumes and sets, etc, is always very exciting for me.

At first I wondered why other companies didn't take on this production but maybe, with most companies already doing well with their own Swan Lakes, they don't feel the need. I do wish the Marrinsky would try though i knwo that's ulikely under their current director--I kinda hate how the classic company that premiered the 1895 version now does a production with a HAPPY ending. that just seems so wrong to me

In an Aug 2001 Ballet.co interview he said this:

"

Q: Many productions have changed 19th Century works substantially - have you ever wanted to recreate the original Swan Lake, Nutcracker or something else that is normally very well known?

L: I have revived "Le Lac des Cygnes" at the Ballet National de Nancy and am going to do "Nutcracker" in Athens. "

I dunno if his Nutcracker ever happened....

OK I'm confused. Here's footgae in B&W of the Three Ivans from Aurora's Wedding act--great dancing.

but I always thought this divertissement (added first by Diaghilev for his production) used the Russian Dance music from Nutcracker, but this seems to use Sleeping Beauty's coda for the pas de deux... Which makes me wonder if they had a coda...

Is this the same production they've done for 50 or so years by Sergeyev? I usually love the Kirov's versions of the classics but for me a Swan Lake with a HAPPY ending is simply *wrong* (does the Bolshoi do a happy ending too?). However why would you expect Odette in Act I?

Not off topic at all! thanks for your suggestion--I've been curious to see some of the ballets Balanchine did on this music and didn't know any had been filmed, so I'll keep an eye open. (this IS off topic but would love to see Harlequinade as well).

I always thought Lydia was a famous novelist of historical romances--but this was an original story.

No matter--I do like that Grigorovich's production for the Bolshoi has Jeanne come in the opening scene to say goodbye to Raymonda--which makes much more story and dramatic sense than Ab coming there. I hear the production has dropped the White Lady that was in it when it was recorded in the 80s though--which is too bad. The Bolshoi uses the White Lady's music bit in the battle for Raymonda now--which I also think is a disservice.

I wish they'd do some sort of reconstruction of this--it's my fave of the 1800s ballets after Beauty (yes, I know) and I think, as was mentioned here, cutting out nearly all the mime is really not a good idea. Now that audiences seem to be more accepting of mime, I hope to see some changes made. The story is a silly mess, but so is Le Corsair, or Fille du Pharoan and those don't have that gorgeous music (or IMHO dancing) behind them. However i have to say I do like Aberkham as a dancing role--a showy one, though if they did a strict reconstruction he'd be relegated to all mime. But I could handle that

I'm a huge fan of Raymonda--in all its silliness, that glorious score, etc. It's probably my favorite classical ballet after Sleeping Beauty.

Yet, it's a ballet that's always had some problems--people trying to make the story make more sense (something I feel is misguided), etc. I was wondering what people think is the best current production? I've only seen American Ballet Theatre's (which I enjoyed but I have to say I didn't like any of the changes they made--making it more of a real love triangle, etc), and on DVD the Kirov/Sergeyev version in a 1980s recording, and a 1987 recording of the Bolshoi/Grigorovich staging. I know the Bolshoi has since changed their staging further--one thing is they've removed The White lady I've read a change--as a traditionalist--I don't get but I believe the Marrinsky and Bolshoi still perform these productions though (?). I really enjoy both on DVD although the Kirov one is the one I have the most affection for as I first discovered Raymonda thanks to a library video of it when I was a teen.

What I'd really love is a reconstruction of the original 1898 production but I suppose that would prove impossible now...

So what are people's views on Raymonda? good and bad? I admit I don't know much about Nureyev's production although I found the reviews below of the version at Paris Opera fascinating. I often find Nureyev's takes on the classics a bit too heavy handed--all that Freud, Sleeping Beauty with its insanely heavy costumes and colours, etc, but it sounds like there's much to recommend in his Raymonda. I will look out for the forthcoming DVD

As for the DVDs of the Bolshoi production... I only have the Ludmila Semenyaka DVD and was wondering if people though it was worth getting the Natalya Bessmertnova production shot in 1989, only three years later. I have to admit I *adore* Semenyaka in the role, and I tend not to be a big fan of Natalya Bessmertnova who's on the '89 DVD. But I have a few probs with the Semenyaka DVD--the video quality really isn't very good--just poor video tape source that can't be helped but I wondered if the '89 was much better (for instance it's hard to make out some of the figures in the blue dream scene, and the filming of the Spanish dance is kinda a mess with odd angles--the sound also drops in and out a bit for a minute in Act III--all largely things I expect from ballet videos from 20 years ago that haven't been remastered, and feel bad about complaining, but still wish could be improved). I also noticed that the '89 DVD is listed as 125 minutes, whtn the one I have is 145 minutes. Was twenty minutes cut from the production by '89? Does anyone who's as obsessive as me know the changes made? Or maybe they just cut out the endless curtain calls after EVERY ballerina solo which are a staple of Russian ballet but on the Semenyaka DVD surely run an extra 15 minutes (!). Advice about which DVD people prefer and why would be well appreciated.

Anyway I see there's a seperate Ryamonda subforum where some of this should probably be discussed--but I'd love to hear more thoughts on one of my favourite ballets. I think some of the other Petipa ballets (outside the famous Tchaikovsky classics) are better loved--Bayadere, Don Quixote--and I love them too, but for me, after Sleeping beauty and maybe Swan Lake, Raymonda is the most perfect--just the music and that dancing are enough. (it's interesting the music doesn't grasp everyone the same--I have an online ballet friend who complained it lacked the melody of Minkus [!] which is maybe true but I have trouble sitting for three hours of Minkus, as much as I like many of his classic pieces--Glazunov's Raymonda score reminds me of a slightly more modern take of something between Sleeping Beauty and the Medeaval melacholy ness of Swan Lake--but modern in the sense it's based mor eon themes than melodies)

Wow I didn't know there was any video recording of The Seasons at all! Was it ever released to DVD (doubtful) or even video? I'm a big Glazunov fan, and it's my favorite of his scores...

I'm new here, but was actually going to post about Cinderella on video. I admit that I'm a bit of a purist, in that i like to try to see the closest to the original production of a ballet as I can--and then see other examples. With Cinderella I'm already familiar, however, with Ashton's version--which I really enjoy although I have some problems with (I miss the around the world divertisement in the final act, for instance). It's also hard to find information on the history of the ballet.

The Rostislav Zakharov production was the first production and the one Prokofiev wrote his score to, right? Unlike the (arguably) original production of Romeo and Juliet which the Kirov still dances, I don't think the Zakharov is still performed anywhere--am I wrong? When did the Bolshoi dance it to? And was the Kirov production by Sergeyev the next (I don't believe they still perform that either). While I know critics ar emixed on Zakharov's production, was it ever filmed live on stage or is the movie the only version we have? I ask because I know the movie, at 90 minutes, must have edited out at least 30 minutes of the original. Still, I suppose it's better than nothing. I know the current Bolshoi production si quite controversial, to say the least...