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sunday

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Everything posted by sunday

  1. Carolina, I'm sorry to disagree, but I liked Natalia Tapia (in spite of some travel during the fouettés). It helped that I brought my field glasses and was able to see her facial expressions. Perhaps she received the same amount of applause as Angel himself, I dare say. Also, past year the corps de ballet had some rough edges, but has improved since then. Great synchronization overall, and the soloists are world-class. But the performance of the score by the orchestra was only so-so.
  2. Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa is the winner. Yay! His Wikipedia page is going to be severely edited now, methinks.
  3. I surrender. From a purely egotistic POV, I hope that SanderO succeeds in his efforts of "organizing" balletomanes and NY ballet companies. Even I would applaud the founding of Ballet Organizers for Reform Now!, a.k.a BORN. With a little luck, some of that superb American dancers -accompanied by some chunks of cash- will found a nice exile in Spain, and mend the Attila-like consequences of Duato's tenure.
  4. I found a review of Le Corsaire by the Bolshoi, written by a young Spanish ballerina, also fellow BTer, that left me wondering about the futility of finishing my review. See the google translation here
  5. Point. But from I know abut EPA's past performances and its heavy-handed approach to safety, that lobbying *could* be a sensible thing to do, while sponsoring *real* research on cancer. Probably EPA would want to ban MDF board and other timber-derived goods, driving the industry to search for substitutes more expensive, with less quality and/or less environmentally-friendly. What would happen to Ikea furniture, then? There is a interesting section in Bjorn Lomborg's "The Skeptic Environmentalist" where the author presents some quantitative values on ratios of cost of preventing a risk vs. estimated number of lives saved because of not being exposed to such risk. Very informative. This is not a pure utilitarian, cold-blooded consideration: it's basic economics: if there are still people dying for the lack of, for instance, $1,000, spending $400,000 for saving only one life does not make much sense.
  6. SanderO, Obviously you're free to boycott anything that you think needs boycotting, but as you don't seem to be a expert on Chemical Engineering, nor on Chemistry, nor a MD, perhaps you may want to read this. Despite of being wikipedia, it seems a good introductory article. Formaldehyde is a important chemical, not only for its economic importance to the evil chemical corporations, but also as an affordable antiseptic that saves lives.
  7. So, Are the Wilis of the French version the spirits of the women who killed themselves after being scorned by their lovers? It would make sense, as cursed souls who are denied the access to Heaven because of being driven to suicide by Casanova wannabes, and would make a very popular Goth/Zombie themed terror ballet. Or, indeed, a movie by Tim Burton: Johnny Depp as Hilarion, Bonham-Carter as Myrtha, and that couple from Twilight as Albrecht and Giselle. Natalie Portman could be a convincing Giselle. But only if her career survives Black Rac..., er, Swan.
  8. I have gone back to read your reply twice and each time I have laughed out loud. I thought of Darwinism in action
  9. From the POV of a foreigner, some musings: I don't think this thread is about laundering blood- or mob-money through ballet. Don't see the theaters making a politics test to prospective tickets buyers in order to check that their politics are "right" (or "left" ) either. Boycotting Ballet Nacional de Cuba because of the politics of the current Cuban government does not seem a sensible thing to do. Having contempt, for instance, from one political side, for Maximova, Plisetskaya, Vasiliev, Fadeyev, or Alonso or, from the other side, for Petipa, Diaghilev, Balanchine, Baryshnikov, Makarova, or Pavlova may stink of bigotry. Perhaps not so much as despising artists for their sexual orientation, but still bigotry. Private and corporate money seem to be a blessing for the Arts in USA. The partisanship of the original New Yorker article seems open to discussion. In another forum, of course.
  10. Really enlightening thread. Thanks to the posters.
  11. Perhaps a question of shoes. I was wearing my lowest ones.
  12. I'm 5'10" myself. Last weekend, I found Anna Nikulina about 4" shorter than me, at least. Both Vasiliev and Osipova of comparable height to me, and taller than Tamara Rojo in 3" heels. Alexei Loparevitch (Don Quixote in DQ) looked 6' tall. Osipova could have been wearing high heels (I did not look), and/or I could have been unconsciously bowing before her, of course. On stage she seemed a little bit shorter than Alexandrova, it should be said.
  13. Don't think so, atm711. First, a gamekeeper is a respected member of a small community such as Giselle's. So he could satisfy her possible desires for upward social mobility, and save her of the worst chores of a farm wife's life. Second, there was no TV and no marketing in those times, so her knowledge of fine things would be limited: can you imagine a peasant girl asking for silk slippers, perfumed gloves, expensive jewelry, and the like? Game meat would be a fine thing in those times, and a gamekeeper would be able to provide. And Giselle does not know of the wealth of Albrecht when she falls in love with his pretty face. Albrecht has to hide most of his worldly manners in order to woo Giselle, actually. Third, Giselle likes dancing. Going for the wages that most of today's ballerinas earn, seems that being able to dance is a reward by itself. Fourth, Giselle bad health and 19th century healthcare. Probably she wouldn't survive the birth of her first child. No much time to make the life of a man a living hell in only 9 to 12 months. But those are cold reasons and delving in them too much could ruin the pleasure of the ballet, so better make a suspension of disbelief (as HRC would say) and enjoy the Art.
  14. When I said to a certain ballerina that I consider Giselle a stupid girl, she couldn't stop laughing. I think she agreed. One could consider Giselle a good natured but silly peasant girl that rebukes a perfectly good husband candidate to fall stupidly in love with a charming stranger. The rebuked solicitor realizes that the charming stranger is of high rank and, probably wants only to have a roll in the hay with Giselle, and forget her. So Hilarion decides to show Giselle the wrongness of her ways but, alas, he misjudges Giselle frailty and causes her death. It could be considered also that the night of sex and prompt fleeing of her paramour will cause the death of Giselle. And so, one may conclude that the evil one in this history is Albrecht. And then that stupid girl goes and saves the culprit from the gentle hands of Myrtha. Women...
  15. Friday's had a premium trio in the Dryads scene: Allash as Queen, Osipova as Dulcinea, and Kaptsova as Cupid. Also Yatsenko as street dancer. Yatsenko was a discovery for me - Thursday as Gulnare, Friday as street dancer. Gypsy dancers were the same, so I was treated to a double, outstanding, emotive performance by Antropova. The second variation of the third act was danced by Nikulina on Friday and by V Osipova on Sunday. Vasiliev was more showy in the one-hand lifts, going twice in one foot while supporting Osipova in one hand. Second time he went into a slow battement tendu jeté - I recall perfectly his leg, rigidly elevating until it formed a 20 degree angle with the supporting leg. Sunday he went in one foot only once, but scratching in a humorous manner the back of the lower supporting leg with the raised foot. Also I think I saw V kissing O on the neck from behind during the GPDD on Sunday. Don't think the choreography calls for that, but it was quite tender. There were more curtain calls on Friday, and Vasiliev made the last two by jumping from the rear of the curtain to the front, to much delight of the audience. I'm afraid that pic must remain private as those fans are still teens, and the rules of the board don't allow to post such material. Still working in the reviews. Almost finished the one on Le Corsaire, but I'm trying to give a abridged version of the argument and, well, we are talking about one of the most convoluted arguments in ballet.
  16. Managed to see some, but recognized too few. Olga Stebletsova was very celebrated as one of Kitri's friends. Alexei Loparevitch (Don Quixote himself!) exited a couple of times, made a few hilarious bows, signed autographs, and went back into the building. I also waited for the soloist of the Gypsy Dance, Anna Antropova, but did not see her. Recognized Denis Savin (Gamache on Fri and Sun), who was introduced to the fans waiting at the stage door in Friday. Yulia Grebenshchikova was also seen teaching a fan how to spell her surname (no surprise here). Also, after seeing some quite beautiful, young Spanish balletomanes getting all over Vasiliev* in front of a not really amused looking Osipova (who may have thought that Don Quixote, the ballet, really did finish before) on Friday, probably one could have musings about the reluctance to come out of the building and preferring to sign autographs with a solid countertop between dancers and fans. But that is only my evil imp writing. BTW, if you were near the door itself, i.e. between the door and the car parked in front, we could have even talked a little. Also, working in my reviews. * There is photographic, non-public proof of that
  17. You may say it was a long wait. Staff came to said the principals were in a party followed by dinner, as the Sunday one was the last Ballet performance. Staff also said that they could come outside using the stage door, but that they may also not. As I had enough cigarettes to pass the time, was leaning in a kinda comfy car (at least in the outside), and there was any London museum open, I had nothing better to do. Also I was expecting to see Nikulina, again, to express my congratulations for her Queen of Dryads. Even tried to extract an autograph from Sir Victor Hochhauser himself, but he kept directing the glory to the dancers. A really humble gentleman, I think. Also I think I was not very polite using the "Sir" bit. Well, it was my first occasion of treating a Commander of British Empire, after all. So, I spent time discussing with a Japanese lady what Alina Somova has got to attract Nipponese, asking a understanding British lady about the names of the dancers she was taking autographs from (after the third mistake of asking people if they were Nikulina...) and generally trying to improve my spoken English. Past 7 p.m. staff came out to announce Osipova and Vasiliev were waiting inside for us fans to get signatures, but we have to be quick, as they were going to a dinner afterwards. And so my season program got signed, and I got to get escorted part of the way back to my hotel by a nice, blonde couple of mother and daughter that were next to me in the autographs queue.
  18. Me too. Seat C6 in orchestra stalls. That crazy Spaniard who was teaching by example how to properly pronounce "¡Bravo!" to out strong-"r"-impaired-Northern neighbors. Several times. Went also to the Stage Entrance after the performance, and waited couple hours until O&V set shop in the stage counter to sign things. I got my big program signed. V in a pic of Spartacus, O in a jumpin' Kitri. Happiness. Bliss. I went also to the Friday performance, and I think there were more curtain calls then. Also got autographs of O&V in the ticket, and one of Anna Nikulina in the hand program. Did not find Nikulina on Sunday to congratulate her for her Queen of Dryads. A notoriously humble Soloist, that young lady. BTW, I discovered that a no so uncommon Spanish surname has a certain weight among the staff of the Royal Opera House. Hint: Translate Sunday to Spanish. Just arrived home from the airport.
  19. Beautiful. Now, as the English press has unconditionally surrendered to Osipova's dancing, how much time until a Dying Swan by her? Shall she expect to be 30?
  20. That reminds me of a story I once read. One afternoon there was a married couple physically renewing their sacred vows. Afterwards the wife went downstairs to prepare something to eat while the husband laid naked in bed, blissfully sleeping, recovering of his Homeric efforts. They had a cat. Curious and prone to hunting -like all of their ilk- he entered the bedroom and saw something twitching near the belly of the man. Naturally, he pounced. Later, the wife recalled hearing a shout of pain from her husband, a loud, outraged meeow, and some extremely colorful use of English. She also recalls the sight of her baseball bat wielding husband, naked like a athlete of Classical Greece, furiously pursuing with murderous intent the furry member of the family.
  21. Should be interesting - in the sense of the Chinese curse.
  22. There is a clip about this film in YT A few dance scenes could be seen.
  23. No stories about Bayadère's elephant?
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