EricHG31

Sorry for replying to an older post, but R&J is a favorite of mine--and I agree with you. I actually thought I was alone and that the majority of people prefered the MacMillan. I love the cips I've seen of that production, but as I asked in the R&J on DVD thread, I'm curious to what version it exactly is--also the DVD time listed on Amazon is 30+ minutes shorter than the 1974 Vasiliev/Maximova version. I *love* that version, and it is the original Leonid Levrosky choreography and original designs (I admit, one reason I like it is it's neat to see what was the first major production of the ballet--especially since it was so controversial in the Soviet Union at the time, which is why I believe it was staged somewhere earlier in a smaler production--Czecho-Slovakia I think). It is a long piece--about 155 minutes, and it has TERRIBLE lighting, some parts are hard to watch on TV which is too bad,a s the clip Helene shows, proves. But Vasiliev and Maximova are dynamite, as is everything else. I have a Romeo and Juliet book about the Grigorovich version (part of a series of Bolshoi ballet books--with poor English translations, from a Russian publlisher, though I only otherwise own the Raymonda and Sleeping Beauty volume). It has a history of the productions and apparently Grigorovich did change some elements of the Lavrosky version in the late 70s (so I'm not sure if either DVD reflects these though I'll assume, with no credit, the 1974 Maximova one doesn't at all). But according to the book, his brand new version (with Simon Virsaladze's designs like most of Grigorovich's ballets) premiered in 1979. The Bolshoi Ballet website says the same thing. For a while, oddly, the Bolshoi seemed to have both productions in their repertoire, but by the late 80s that no longer was the case. The Grigorovich version was filmed again with Bessmertnova in 1989 for the video series The Bolshoi at the Bolshoi, but I find the production disappointing, and haven't watched much. I think the only company that still does the Lavrosky original production is the Mariinsky--where it of course premiered. (I do find the Ulanova film fascinating with gorgeous dancing, but I'm not a big fan of "ballet films"--I prefer to see them recorded live, and it's been whittled down to, I believe, under 90 minutes. Also some of the effects in those Soviet ballet films are hard for me to take--though I do have a soft spot for the Zhakarov CInderella film). (BTW the Mikhail Lavrosky/Bessmertnova production on DVD is still available from Kultur if you buy it with older vidoes of Giselle and Nutcracker, titled under Trilogy of Ballet-I suppose I should just buy it to see of rmyself if 30 minutes really are cut, and if it's any different choreographya dn staging wise to the Vasiliev/Maximova). *ahem* back to the topic, although I will say I'm most excited, after seeing Esmeralda, to finally see Le Corsaire.

Kathleen, I completely agree with you--and with digital distribution now such a strong option, it's particularly frustrating. I think the main concern with Live from Lincoln Center is that they are filmed with the specific deal that they'll have limited repeats (I read an article that at least for current titles, eahch PBS could air an encore showing once only, and only during a certain frame of time from the recording), and artist compenasation. I know more about the concerns when they've filmed plays or musicals, where it all is connected to the unions (for a while there was a DVD release series that would collect all the musical number performances from the Tony Awards together--they got to about three volumes and then a group of actors, together with the union, protested saying when they originally were paid to perform on the award show, they were told it was a one showing only thing, and demanding some sort of agreement would be made where they'd get some money from the DVDs. Which is fair enough, but really just killed the whole project as the small label handling them didn't have close to the right budget--it became quite a fiasco). I didn't realize that the Balanchine Trust was so careful to look for his work online and remove it--interesting, although not all that surprising. As per the announcement of them working out how to get some of these things released, I found the original message I had saved from back in 2009, but only seemed to btoehr saving this brief bit: [the following comes from the 8 page release of about Lincoln Center's 50th Anniversay celebrations]: <<Additional 50th Anniversary Initiatives Live From Lincoln Center May 2009-May 2010 Performances by Leontyne Price, Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and hundreds of other artists who appeared on the country’s only live performing arts series, Live From Lincoln Center, will now be available to the public through a worldwide licensing arrangement with EuroArts/Medici. Over the next decade, these ‘hidden treasures’ from Live From Lincoln Center’s vast programming library, will be offered globally on DVDs, downloads, streaming video, broadcast, and other digital media. The nationally televised series in 2009-2010 will change its name to Live From “the 50th Anniversary of” Lincoln Center to highlight the anniversary.>>

I think you're right--and obviously as you say, it *can* be done, but I suppose PBS and whoever they did the release with would have to decide that it was worth the effort. I know more about the lagalities around musical theatre, bu for instqance the other year they filmed live the recent Broadway revival of South pacific, and a few years before that A Light in the Piazza. There was some interest in getting these released on DVD (the way past PBS live tapings of musicals--like several Sondheim shows--) but apparently it would have made the actual filming cost significantly more. But I do hope more of this stuff does get a release--that press release implying a bunch of "classic" broadcasts would, gave me hope, even if nothing more has been said.

I liked to the DVD at Amazon above. I admit, the Lavrosky is my favorite production of the ballet, although I know mot Western audiences seem to prefer the MacMillan. It's too bad that the Bolshoi retired it for the Grigorovich (which I am not too fond of--I like a lot of Grigorovich's work, but not this particularly), and that I've heard the Mariinsky;'s production fo the Lavrosky is badly in need of refurbishment, as I hope it's not lost from their repertoire the way the two original Soviet productions of Prokofiev's Cinderella have long been retired (and are preserved only in so/so movie and filmed for TV edits).

Wonderful! And back when they didn't try to film ballet with as many cuts and weird angles as possible (well some of those Soviet theatrical ballet films have some odd camerawork, but...) Sadly, because of how Live from Lincoln Center works, a DVD release is extremely unlikely. The contracts they do with the performers and producers only allows one or two repeat airings within a certain time frame, and no DVD/Video release (I knwo there are a lot of things, includinga lot of great musical theatre productions, I'd love to have). A few years back for a Live from Lincoln Center anniversary, PBS released a press statement that they WERE working around this and many of the most classic performances would be released on DVD--but I've heard absolutely nothing else about that. (I believe the old Dance in America series and Gret Performances performances *can* be released on DVD, though only some seem to get a release).

Thanks for that link--I never knew that the Kirov made a ballet *movie* version of Raymonda (I know about the live 1970s recording of course)...

I'm thrilled for this--Blanhine's version is probably my favorite of the traditional versions of the ballet, and I've never been satisfied with the film with Culkin for several reasons (and have never tracked down the original two telcastys mentioned above). Live from Lincoln Center productions can usually only be repeated once by each PBS, and not a get a DVD release, so I'll have to be sure to track this down--my PBS from Seattle tends to show their Lincoln Center stuff at times like 2:30 am, because they're too busy repeating Susan Ormon lectures and David Foster concerts in prime time... Sigh).

I always assumed Madonna credited Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Paula credited All That Jazz with their numbers--but Madonna has always "borrowed" from others--I believe that's a big part of pop culture, and always has been. (Similarly, while I'm not a huge fan, all the ways Lady Gaga is "influenced" by others doens't bother me too much as she has been pretty open about her influences--I believe to an extent that's the nature of pop culture. It's the fact that Beyonce seems to have remained mum on the issue that bothers me--it's obvious that there's even more than just a hommage thing going here, and I don't know how it could be denied. Its cetainly not a new thing for Beyone--even small details oten are taken from other things (her last tour opening coming from a robot suit was the same as Kylie's Fever tour, etc). Speaking of Beyonce, did she talk about how her Get Me Bodied video was a direct new take on Fosse's Rich Man's Frug (which of course Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls ALSO used for her Maybe video). Those examples are so obvious, I'm sure they had to give some sort of credit... I admit, I have friends who love Beyonce and had NO idea it was taken from Sweet CHarity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r57pS5lPUUI

No, I agree, although I do think that aspect works far better on stage than on film, for me, where they're on "real" streets. I love the movi--it's one of the better stage to screen adaptations--, but definitely have some issues with aspects of it. Dancing street gangs is esir to accepton a somewhat abstract stage. I guess what i meant was that the music, while often difficult, really doesn't work when the voices sound *too* operatic, Maria probably being the character who can get away with it the most. Will report back.

The Footloose remake is getting better reviews than I expected Is it a movie musical though? Or a movie with dance segments? ;) I know there was some controversy because originally it was meant to be a full on movie musical--with the characters singing (I assume at least some of the score that was used for the stage adaptation--while the stage version was a bit of a flop on Broadway, but ironically Derek Hough, the brother of the star of the remake, got great reviews with it in London last year). For some reason, then they later decided to go in a gritter direction, which is why they hired the director of Hustle and Flow. Still, I'm intrigued to see it (but it might be a renter for me)--and I don't have particular nostalgia or love for the Herbert Ross original, so am not against the idea of a remake. Great idea for a thread! I'm a huge musical theatre geek--but I admit that I find film musicals more problematic (I guess one reason is stage is abstract anyway so the singing and dancing some how seem more natural. I love the West Side Story film--some casting issues aside--but I admit I find it harder to get used to gangs dancing on *real* streeets, than I ever do when watching the stage version).

It's great to be posting on this board--where things can be discussed like if the Lilac Ferry wears pointe shoes in the prologue--and people don't give you a funny look. I have a bit of a ballet background, but more as a lover than a dancer. When I was little I was fascinated with my mother's picture books on ballet, and grew up at performances of Nutcracker, and Coppelia in Alberta. Since then I've become more of an actor in musical theatre, but being used to, well being, the only boy in dance class for years, helped me immensely. I'm currently in Victoria, BC, where there isn't much ballet, but it's made me more interested again in the ballet culture around the world. Without this sounding too much like a personal ad, I admit my weakness is for the Russian story ballets, anything from Petipa on. This is a great site and I hope to be able to join in the conversation!

Good point. And I don't think it should--as others have said, ballet is so stylized anyway, that I don't see a justification for it. My background is theatre and this comes up all the time, and the only time I, personally, see it playing a part is when the work is *about* race. I hope that one day even that can be beyond audiences' eyes, but it's not (IMHO) at this stage whatsoever. But otherwise it goes back to the whole thing--do people in Pharaoh's Daughter look Egyptian? And if they did would they even be dancing those steps?

Encourage diversity, but don't accept and promote on the basis of diversity, or at least primarily on the basis of diversity. Let diversity be the tie-breaker when other factors are equal. Has this EVER happened in the world of dance? I would be amazed (and I could be completely wrong), if it has. A large part of the dance world is aesthetic, that will never change, and probably shouldn't. But I've yet to ever see a "non-white" dancer in ballet, or any dance ensemble, who I thought "well she/he's ok, but it's obvious they got in based not on talent, but to fill a quota".

I actually was surprised with tickets to this next week as a gift from my boyfriend, so I guess I'll be reporting back. You're right about the use of the term choreographer--it's something I have to get used to, but I know for the A Chorus line revival tour Baayork Lee was credited as choreographer. The McGlinn Show Boat is one of my favorite musical recordings ever, it's just stunning how much amazingly gorgeous music there is that was cut out of town, and I've always been kind of perplexed that Hammerstein and Kern never followed it up with anything comparable. As you say, I think it works because Show Boat was really a bridge between operetta and musical theatre, and back in 1927 the voices were probably more "operatic" anyway (they'd have to be to sing over some of those Bennett orchestrations!). I used to have a copy of McGlinn's Annie get Your Gun, which I found unlistenable... The issue with West Side Story I guess, is the music is so difficult in many ways, but still has to sound legit in street terms--which is true of the dancing too. (And yeah, I'm glad there's little chance of the Spanish translation--something that must have seemed right on paper, but doesn't make any real theatrical sense).

Thank you! I'd really appreciate it. I know it's an unpopular choice, but to me, that production *is* Romeo and Juliet (I wish the Mariinsky would spruce up their version, since they are currently the only ones who perform it), I think I'm just wavering on spending the cash if it's so strongly edited (I already own the Ulanova film which has amazing dancing but is a chore to watch with all the sudden cuts, and Soviet film "effects"). On youtube both video companies have clips of the DVDs from their promo sites and you can see the difference in lighting (and dancing--the first clip is one of my favorite moments in filmed dance, ever) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw2KdkEKNDk

Stunning. From a purely visual point of view--restoration or not--I think this production looks like the most visually pleasing one we have (funny feather hat and all). I'm always struck about how gorgeous, and even novel, the piano (an instrument I usually dislike in orchestral compositions) sounds coming near the end of Raymonda--a bit like the piano glissandos in the Sleeping Beauty PDD.

Having worked in a much (much) smaller archive, that completely makes sense.

This discussion, more or less began with Helene's thoughts on the PNB's Giselle. I couldn't find this link in the Giselle threads, or anywhere else, but I came across it while reading reviews. It's an hour (and a bit), lecture, with performances, about the version they did, which has some fascinating little bits with dancers demonstrating one version of a variation over another, etc. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/11925622

Thank you! I've sent them an email about foreign purchases, but the language doesn't bother me too much, although I'll propbably spend hours trying to read as much as I can. I assume it's still fairly photo-heavy, and I hope I'll be able to get a copy.

Vancouver Opera is doing West Side Story for a bit over a week at the end of October. I wish I could afford the trip, but it looks like I won't be able to (it's just a quick ferry ride from Victoria, but add in hotel, etc, it starts to cost a lot--and tickets, like anything from Vancouver Opera are *pricey*, more than I'd typically pay for a first class touring production of a musical at any rate). Still, I might try to sneak a trip over for a matinee or something as I've been kinda starved for any musical theatre since the late Spring. The last time I saw West Side Story on stage was as a teenager in London at the end of the 90s, when there was an amazingly danced (and decently acted) recreation of the 1957 original. Is anyone going? I am not sure how many people here are around the Vancouver area (I live most of the year currently in Victoria). While I'm weary when opera companies do musicals like this, the cast seems to be almost entirely from the musical theatre world, except for the two leads who at least in interviews have the right appearance for the roles, and can pronounce English, so I don't expect a fiasco like that Placido Domingo operatic album--which is what I first think of, and cringe, when I see WSS and opera put together. They're also making a huge deal about, apparently, *all* the Jerome Robbins choreography being recreated (I hope, and assume, this means the entire Somewhere Ballet, and not Laurents' edit), which would be the main selling point for me, and a 30 piece orchestra, which doesn't seem too big a deal to me since even the recent Broadway revival managed about that, I believe. I haven't been able to find out much about the design though. Anyway the commercials have been on TV a lot, and while not all that original anymore, I quite like them: And a behind the scenes clips thing (which apparently mistakenly credits the woman recreating the choreography as choreographer--and has the Maria actress apparently think her character could be as old as 19... Oh well, apparently it was filmed only one day into rehearsals, which is probably why the dancing looks a little rough, I hope...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfFkjeaxfSk And a piece with Anita and Bernardo (who likewise don't seem all that informed, oh well... Like I said, I do like the commercial ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTXKluZohEg

One random thought about the "shoe information"--I was under the impression that all of Vsevolozhsky's costume designs existed in the archives. Was there one for Lilac in a tutu, or just the mime outfit? Of course that doesn't really prove one way or another what was *performed* but... (and I am aware that others have probably wondered this same thing, but am curious about the result).

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction--I'm sure I will add to the discussions there. (and you're right about Laurents--his memoirs are fascinating, but also fascinating how he managed to alienate nearly all of his friends--but yes being the librettist of a musical is a thankless job, as Sondheim said you're blamed if it flops, and forgotten if it's a hit). I just wish they had been professionally filmed. I heard once that they didn't want Beauty filmed and released (I suspect it was filmed at least for archival purposes), because it was initially thought to be such a selling point--a major, historic production one could only see live. But now that it seems to have been basically dropped, that's a moot point. I don't fully agree that the audience is too small though. At least for the BIG name shows (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, etc), often "average" ballet goer audiences will go to nearly ANY production of these pieces--however good or bad. But that may excentuate the point--if a second tier ballet company (or even a first tier), can get by with an easier to perform, cheaper production, then why go through the trouble and expense. It would be great if there could be a sort of museum ballet troupe--dedicated to this kind of thing, but of course that's completely finanacially impossible. At least it seems like we are certain to get Scala's Raymonda, and the recent Bolshoi works are being released through their live cinema events.

Thank you so much for going through the trouble to get all that information. I'll work on seeing I can get a copy this weekend, and report back in case anyone else wants one. While it's not too important to me--do you recall if there were editions in different languages, or were they all in Italian (or, maybe one edition with several European languages)? *edit* On re-reading, I see that you wrote it was in Italian. I spent a Summer there, and my first language is French, so I could probably figure parts of it out anyway--though I want it for the illustrations as well. Sorry about that!

I hope somebody can answer my question. I am a great fan of the Lavrosky, original prodcution of Romeo and Juliet. I own the 1974, 152 minute Bolshoi recording with a stunning Vasiliev and Maximova. However, the lighting is absolutely dismal for some of the scenes (a problem I have with many Russian telecasts of the era). There's another Bolshoi recording from, I believe, around the same era, with Bessmertnova and (Mikhail) Lavrosky, that's been released from Kultur. The Balcony scene can be seen on youtube if you look up Lavrosky and Romeo and Juliet, and the amazon link is http://www.amazon.com/Bolshoi-Ballet-Company-Sergei-Prokofievs/dp/6301005546 From the clip, the lighting seems to be much brighter. However, I can't find out (even from Kultur's own official website) what year it was recorded in, and I was also wondering if it was edited. The Vasiliev one is, as I said, 152 minutes, but Amazon says this version is a much shorter 108 minutes, and the Kultur website doesn't give a time length at all. Amazon has been known to give the wrong time listings--and I was curious if anyone who owned this DVD could confim the length for me. Thanks!

Bart, I really appreciate you taking the time to direct us (in particular, me) to keep these posts in the right threads. This forum has become an indispensible resource for so much ballet information, and the organization certainly helps. Lidewij, thanks! I admit, I missed nearly all the intermission stuff (and even, unfortunately, the very start of the next act, as I had to run out to the lobby to check in with a sick family member). I do appreciate that these Bolshoi broadcasts seem to be making an effort to give some historical perspective and details about the actual production--something a lot of TV and DVD releases of ballets fail to do (although I sympathize with the woman who has to translate everything--as a French speaker, I spend more attention listening to her French bits, where she seems more comfortable). WIth regards to this production of Esmeralda, I'd be curious to know how authentic to late 19th century Petipa the sets and costumes are. The costume and scenery designers (who I believe worked on Corsaire as well) also worked on the Vikharev Mariinsky reconstructions, but I get the impression that there was more leeway with this (and Corsaire) to not be quite as strictly faithful. I know the costumes are based on Vsevolozhsky's sketches, but some elements (like Phoebus' modern tights all the way to the waist in Act III which would have shocked 19th Century audiences), seem more modern. These details are probably too complex to fully get into--and I found it a beautiful production, but I guess the ballet geek in me would like to know all the details.