Birdsall

Overall, I suspect cross-training is good (and interesting) for dancers and probably good for audience members, but I do know that once I find something that feeds my soul I tend to gravitate away toward things that don't give me the high. For example, I worked out and ran for years and coped with injury after injury to the knees and shins and shoulders. This was all an attempt to stay fit and "hot" I guess. I now mainly only do yoga, and I kick myself for having wasted all those years working out and running which only injured me. Yoga exercises me and fulfills my soul. I find other types of exercise as almost a lower form just using brute force (working out) instead of learning about the body and teaching it to move in ways that help your balance, coordination, etc. (yoga). So I found the exercise routine that feeds my soul and have turned my back on all others except a little Pilates. I have to also say that once I discovered opera (after my sister died), I lost all interest in pop music. It all seemed so unfulfilling. After learning to love singers who are practically athletes when they sing why on earth would I be impressed with Madonna except as a businesswoman and as light fun silliness (her music)? And I suspect Cristian is that way about ballet. He can't accept choreography where the dancers are rolling on the floor, because it is not magical. I am getting to his point also. When I go to the theatre I want magic. I don't want to see rolling on the floor. I am still a little open to "new" choreography, but overall when I see something like Ratmansky's Cinderella (and part of I actually like, by the way), it does not compare at all with seeing a wonderful Swan Lake or Raymonda. I suspect it is like a crack addict being given pot. That's not going to give the right high! LOL

Exactly. And I'm sure the dancers in those new works feel the same way. I then say lucky you all you have been exposed substantially to such great new choreographers. As per me, I can't say I'm particulary thrilled with the contemporary stuff I've seen not only in the last decades, but during my whole lifetime of ballet viewing. My greatest memories are all about the great Giselles, Sylphides, Chopinianas, Swan Lakes, Filles, Coppelias, Nutcrackers, Bayaderes, Paquitas, Grand Pas de Quatres and a handful of XX Century ballets by Balanchine, Tudor, Ashton, and Robbins. My loss probably.... I have the same experience in opera. Most singers want to sing new works, and you can't blame them. I am sure dancers are the same way. People want things composed or choreographed for them so that they feel they are making a mark in history and not simply copying what has been done before. Artists want to feel they are part of the creative process, not just puppets following what so many people have done in the past. So I totally understand why dancers and singers want to dance and sing new works. However, I think the average audience member likes to see the classics (Swan Lake or in opera Tosca or La Traviata) over and over and enjoy seeing a new work occasionally, but most new works do not make us swoon like the classics. It is because new works are too close to us. They probably do show a slice of the times, and we tend to find our own personal times (Year 2012, for example) to be less thrilling since our lives seem so mundane often. A century from now some of these new works will become part of the canon of great works that represent the 2000s or 2010s, but only some of them. Many will fall off the radar b/c they did not stand the test of time. Basically, my point is that dancers are always going to want new works, and that is normal for a dancer. But I think it is normal as an audience member to want big heapings of the classics. Some people are more adventurous in their viewing, and that is a good thing too.

What I love about story ballets is that you get to see how a particular dancer acts as well as how she/he dances. So they are doing two very difficult things (acting and dancing). In abstract ballets they usually just have to have a certain emotion on their face. I do enjoy that also, but it is personally more fun to compare and contrast different dancers dancing as well as acting. For example, Viktoria Tereshkina's Odile is so evil and delicious. In contrast Novikova who usually has a very "sweet" and "innocent" look sparkles with complete confidence and exudes her own sort of evil in the role. Both dancers act, and some will prefer one over the other, but they both make you think about how the role can be interpreted differently. So for me the "acting" adds more artistry to the dancing, but that is a personal preference. But I don't mean to take this topic away from Balanchine or dismiss Balanchine. I love Serenade, Theme and Variations, and Ballet Imperial among many others, so I like that too and look forward to Nov. 30 when I will see Les Patineurs/Apollo/Piazzolla Caldera! I try to enjoy everything I see, and I usually do.

Bartoli is incredible to see live. She is full of energy. You will enjoy it. Another creature of the stage! She specializes in very rare repertoire now and rarely sings on this side of the pond! But in her early career I saw her several times in concert and recital when she used to tour the U.S. more often. She gives her all to the audience! Some people criticize her aspirated coloratura, but I think her rapid machine gun runs are something unique to her. I don't think it is the normal aspirated coloratura. I hear her new CD "Mission" has less aspiration, but I actually don't mind the way she sings runs myself. I think she has recorded Norma, believe it or not, but I don't know when it will come out. The unusual part is that we tend to think of Norma as a role for a dramatic soprano, not a mezzo, but she was supposedly recording it with Sumi Jo as Adalgisa. Should be very interesting.

I do think Terfel is a creature of the stage. I have seen him, and he can be riveting. I think he's been taking on roles that are a little heavier than his voice is naturally suited to however (I personally like a more bass sound in Wotan as opposed to a baritone sound) and he sometimes resorts to bellowing, barking, and snarling in order to act in some of his roles. But overall, he does own the stage when he is on stage. He does make you feel that you are getting your money's worth. Gheorghiu is probably my favorite soprano currently, and I do think her lower register (which is terrfic on cds) disappears with an orchestra before a live audience. She has a naturally dark sound for a soprano, so I understand why she thinks she can sing Carmen, but the role really needs an authentic mezzo (we want a Carmen who has a solid lower register), in my personal opinion. I was disappointed in Gheorghiu's recent Covent Garden Tosca dvd that I bought. I loved her in the Covent Garden Adriana Lecouvreur dvd, so I thought she would be amazing as Tosca and pre-ordered it, but she is so mannered in the first act. She gets pretty good in the second act, but overall, I was surprised that Tosca is not a good fit, since I like her previous studio recording and film of it. Did you get to see her in both these roles at Covent Garden? I loved her and Olga Borodina in Adriana Lecouvreur. They made a good case for that opera, in my opinion!!!! Both were quite exciting! Thank you for making me think and talk opera! It helped me overcome my sister's death 20 years ago, and I was a FANATIC, but I followed my partner to a new town and walked away from a career I loved, and so opera was not pulling me out of the depression, and that is why I decided to learn about ballet. But every now and then (like reading your post) I remember the joy I used to get from opera!

Thank God it is a typo. I can not imagine her dancing Paquita.

I can't wait to see Les Patineurs! I think it is a cute ballet and a good idea. Apollo will probably be nice too even without the birth and the ascending the stairs. I will stay for Piazzolla Caldera also. It will probably be fun.

Maybe so. That seems like the only explanation. Otherwise, he is slandering and betraying his own dancers!

I just read a review of the Berkeley, CA Swan Lakes by Toba Singer, and she says she asked Fateyev why the Prince Siegfrieds she saw did not do turns a la seconde after Odile's fouettes. He told her that "not everyone can do that step".......and she saw Korsuntsev and Shklyarov. I find it hard to believe that Korsuntsev and Shklyarov can not do turns a la seconde. Even she says she can not think of a major company where the male dancers can not do turns a la seconde. Then, we have the above case where Paul reported that Fateyev claims the ballerinas at the Mariinsky can not do frappes (in that series of steps). What gives???? Why on earth would a director of the Mariinsky slander his dancers to people and tell people his dancers can not do steps that they can do? That seems beyond bizarre to me! What is his motivation to say such things?

I think Novikova's recent Mariinsky Raymonda shows that she has grown in the role, in my opinion. So Cristian, you are right. A dancer (and audience) grows into the ballet clothes. In fact, I think she is incredible in the Mariinsky performance. I thought she was great in the La Scala video also, but somehow I didn't think at that time her final variation was triumphant and diva-like the way I personally like it done. But in the recent Mariinsky one she had totally grown into that variation, and it is the crowning glory of her evening (just as it is Raymonda's triumph in happiness). She also adds a lot of nods of the head throughout the evening. I guess that is a Hungarian move or something. I don't know. Lopatkina, Kolegova, and Tereshkina do not do those little head nods when they dance it at the Mariinsky. Does anyone know the story behind these head nods? Although I love La Scala's sets and the fact that they reconstructed the story, etc., I actually prefer the Mariinsky version's choreography. In the La Scala video you see Novikova with the famous Mariinsky arms and the corps around her have much stiffer arms. At the Mariinsky everyone has the same style. For me I think Raymonda (the character) should be a really girly girl. Sort of like the beautiful, unreachable cheerleader nobody can date except the Big Man on Campus (Jean de Brienne). This is probably why Lopatkina is so famous in this role. She has the look (with make up and costume) of that type of girl, an almost snobby yet innocent look....a girl born into privilege who finds it absolutely normal to just be who she is. I think Novikova's youthful looks also give her the air of what I think a Raymonda should be like. Very feminine. Raymonda is sort of a young pretty girl oblivious somewhat to politics and the dangers of the world. But by the end of the ballet she has experienced a taste of danger (and maybe sexuality) and I feel the final variation shows how she has grown into being a woman and is on her way to becoming a woman of the world. I think Raymonda is actually very relevant to today's times. We are living in a time when the East and West are still in conflict. There are extremists alive and well today on both sides of the religious spectrum. So Raymonda for me represents a moment when East meets West and there is a possibility of some sort of understanding, but in the end the West is more comfortable sticking with its own culture and lifestyle. I think Raymonda (the ballet) reflects this on-going issue. Both sides are intrigued by the other side to a point. But at some point the interest stops and we go back to our sides. I have to say that I used to like the Bolshoi's version of Raymonda, b/c it was somewhat more athletic (especially for the men) and interesting b/c of the differences in story-telling, but after watching it again this past summer live in the movies and analyzing and comparing it with the Mariinsky version, I actually think Grigorovich's version makes some really terrible decisions. Raymonda's beautiful picking-up-the-flowers entrance is gone (and that is a heart-breaking choice) and she falls asleep leaning against a column which has to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen. I had forgotten about that. A princess would not lean against a pillar and fall asleep! I also think the Bolshoi's sets are a big disappointment and the costumes look like they belong on a Michael Jackson video during his Thriller period. It looks so dated and 1980s to me! Bessmertnova is good, but she deserved better sets and costumes! Each time I watch that video I think Michael Jackson is going to walk in during the character dances and do the moon walk!

Falls do happen to even the best dancers! I've seen Tereshkina slip. But it is a problem when someone falls or stumbles or makes a mistake every single time you see the dancer perform. That starts to become a little shocking.

By the way, Paul, which performances did you attend in California? Which one had Ivanova switch her role as the Little Swan? A friend of mine wants to figure out the casting. I tried to private message you, but it says you can't get private messages.

Paul, I have no clue and don't know anything! LOL I simply watched the wonderful video by PNB "After Petipa" that Aurora posted above. In it Doug Fullington (dance historian) tells a story about how a ballerina did not want to dance a certain variation, and to get her to do it (my interpretation), Petipa told her that if she doesn't dance it then people will think she can't dance it. And then Fullington goes on to give that as a possible theory as to why the women's variations are often the same now as they are in the original notations in contrast to the male variations which have changed wildly. But he basically implied this was his theory. But obviously some things do change over time (at least in some companies) as we have seen in this topic. This is all very fascinating!!!

It is interesting that the website did not make casting info available like it did in the past. At least I could not find it.

What Cinderella has a Stepmother and stepsisters that are not caricatures? Are those characters meant to be deep or thrilling? Are they deep characters as written? Or are they, in fact, quite explicitly the opposite? Well, I don't disagree with you. If any characters should be caricatures, I guess they should be. I guess for me personally I would have liked more subtlety in their choreography, but that is just a personal taste. They are supposed to provide comic relief, and at moments it is funny. I am just not a huge comedy fan, so that might be it too.

I agree with what you say. It has some nice moments, but some purposely "ugly" moments that are interesting the first time but get old real fast. I am thinking of the step sisters and step mother. Yes, it is funny and sort of fun. It is interesting to have actual ugly dancing moments to underscore how mean they are, but it is only interesting for a few seconds. Then, you are looking for more. Caricatures are not deep. Funny, but not deep or thrilling. After that it starts to be annoying. But Cinderella has some beautiful moments, and I enjoy the Season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) Fairies. Some bravura moments in these male fairy dances. I think this is B-side Mariinsky. Better than nothing but not what people really want when they want to see the Mariinsky Ballet. I think Ratmansky has some good ideas, but he seems overly concerned with making things "hip" and "cool." I don't think "hip" and "cool" necessarily withstands the test of time. When he throws out the desire to be "hip" he actually can produce some nice choreography that is both pleasing and modern but definitely based on classical ballet.

What's interesting is that the host talks before the variation and his theory for the reason female variations did not vary as much as male ones over time was b/c people may have thought a ballerina could not do it, if she didn't do it as always done. This may very well be true, since that issue has come up here. The Mariinsky dancers don't seem to do it, so now they are being accused of being unable to do it. It is amazing that Fateyev slandered his own dancers. Very strange.

I meant to give the timing. The 8 year old does the steps around the 6:00minutes and 6:11minutes mark in the video above. I am dumbfounded that an 8 year old can do things the Mariinsky principals can't! How is this possible?

Watch the following video of this 8 year old girl who seems to do the steps in question although she only does a single instead of a double! If Fateyev really means what he says, that he thinks the Mariinsky dancers can not do this step, they better hurry up and sign this 8 year old up to be Principal of the Mariinsky!!!! Maybe she will be Prima Ballerina Assoluta over Lopatkina, Tereshkina, Kondaurova, Vishneva, etc.!!!!!

I agree, Tiara! I am wondering if this topic was created as a joke just to see how shocked we can all get!

I thought it was a typo myself.

Glad you found it! Yes, let's hope the Bolshoi keeps the 3 ramps. I laughed about the Justin Bieber comment. I notice some oddball videos come up when I search YouTube also! Not sure how that happens!

Okay, that explains the discrepancy about the performance. I agree with you. Beauty is a factor in ballet. I think there is some wiggle room however. You can have a distinctive look that some may not exactly find beautiful but intriguing. I find Tereshkina in that category. I think she has a unique look that has an attractive quality especially when combined with her beautiful dancing. She has an interesting look, but I don't think her looks are to everyone's taste simply because her look is very unique. I am disappointed she is out of commission due to pregnancy but happy for her. I think her Swan Lake is absolutely fabulous. She is a very evil Odile and a very gentle Odette. If Cristian is reading, Tereshkina does a standing balanced cambre on pointe (maybe there is a more technical term for this) during the coda although not the backward hopes on pointe (Cuban way). I did not realize 5 were out due to pregnancy. Who are the five? Somova, Tereshkina, Matvienko, and who else? Just curious.

The Makarova version (which I actually do love) only has 24 Shades, and there are different theories why she reduced the amount. The original is supposed to be 32. It is incredible when you see 32, but 24 is okay too. Check out the Bolshoi's Bayadere, if you can find a copy. It has 3 levels of ramps, so when you count the shades that arrive on the stage floor at one point there are four levels of shades. It is so gorgeous. Now that I have seen that I actually want to see it that way all the time, but no other company does it that way, and I am scared the Bolshoi's new Bayadere (I think there is a new one coming out this season) will get rid of some of the ramps. But I definitely do not want to see them come down two ramps facing each other and then holding hands!

I do know that in the opera world opera singers want to experience having a role composed specifically for them and many enjoy singing new works, but the fact is that most of the new works have trouble being revived. Often the work has no legs. I think this is because the vast majority of opera lovers want a good helping of Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, and a few others (verismo operas), etc. They hesitate to attend something that is new b/c often there are no arias or if there are they do not compare to the composers of yesteryear. New music often does not make us swoon the way 18th and 19th century works do. I am sure all dancers get excited about working with a living and breathing composer, and I actually enjoyed Ratmansky's Symphonic Dances and look forward to seeing it again this coming year. I think new works might work better in ballet, but they often use classical music from previous times as opposed to contemporary music composed today. I think this is because overall older music makes us swoon like I said above. I am fine with exploring some new works. But I understand what Cristian is saying. I would love to see what MCB might do with Swan Lake one day. It might take time, and I don't mind waiting. I actually think the approach that MCB has taken most years is a good one: 1 full length story ballet (not including Nutcracker) and the rest repertory nights with a good amount of Balanchine. I think that will satisfy most people, and it seems to be a formula that works for MCB. I don't think anyone wants to change that. Lopez doesn't sound like she wants to, and most MCB lovers don't want much change from the sound of it. I am okay with 1 story ballet per season. So I am not talking about rocking the boat either, but I personally would love MCB to start thinking about taking steps to present a Swan Lake in the future as Cristian suggests. I think it would be exciting to see what MCB might make out of it. I think Swan Lake is a cash cow, so it seems like it would be a smart financial decision, but I really don't know....maybe the cost of staging it versus the rewards does not make it worthwhile.