Natalia

I totally agree, Alexandra. Perhaps I didn't mention that, for "Doch' and 'Paquita', the programmes (playbills) credit *only* Pierre Lacotte as choreographer. The programmes go on to explain that the ballets are "in the spirit of Petipa" (or something to that effect). Needless to say, it would be preferable to stage a 'Paquita' or 'Doch' from the notations. However, I (and many others, judging from enthusiastic ovations in Paris & Moscow) thoroughly enjoy the "in the spirit of Petipa-style" productions as beautiful works of art, in and of themselves.

You probably just hit the wrong half of the hall -- the half that goes to the ballet only occasionally and doesn't truly understand the training and discipline behind the art. Those folks, too, probably equate ballet a bit with figure skating and gymnastics...where a fall on a triple axel or off the balance beam knocks-off two-tenths of a point. That sort of thing. It's hard for those of us who see a lot of ballet (most readers here) to comprehend that the casual, occasional American ballet audience probably lumps ballet with skating or gymnastics. Remember the 'Dancing for Dollars--Bolshoi is Vegas' TV documentary....in which the Oklahoma farmers who bank-rolled the Bolshoi tour were commenting things like: "I've never seen ballet, but I've seen Olympic ice skating and it must be just like that." To answer the question of whether or not it bothers me when dancers fall in performance? It bothers me only from the point-of-view of concern. I am worried that they may have hurt themselves, if it looks like a hard fall. [ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

Ha-ha, Juliet!! Ok, Ok...I was lucky enough to see DOCH FARAONA last year and it *is* a visually stunning production...Cecil B. DeMille -style sets & costumes....of such splendor that any major ballet company would be proud to own them. No, there were no giant lotus flowers...but there is a cute monkey swinging from the trees (the role of the child Balanchine many years ago, by the way)! Anyhow, I would love to see Doug (or another Stepanov-notation translator) set the correct steps on some major ballet troupe. Sets-costumes-music exist, in some Bolshoi attic.

Ha-ha, Juliet!! Ok, Ok...I was lucky enough to see DOCH FARAONA last year and it *is* a visually stunning production...Cecil B. DeMille -style sets & costumes....of such splendor that any major ballet company would be proud to own them. No, there were no giant lotus flowers...but there is a cute monkey swinging from the trees (the role of the child Balanchine many years ago, by the way)! Anyhow, I would love to see Doug (or another Stepanov-notation translator) set the correct steps on some major ballet troupe. Sets-costumes-music exist, in some Bolshoi attic.

Indeed, Terry. I'll be there "with bells on" for Yoshida's Lise. I consider myself very, very fortunate. [Thank you, Kennedy Center...]

I agree with practically everything that Alexandra wrote (except for my assessment of Cope's Armand)...plus the following 'quick thoughts': LES RENDEZVOUS: *Best rendering by far...perfection, for me! * The fleet-footed Pas de Trois...stellar! Tapper/Meissner/Howells never let up for a beat! Lord, I love this number... * Miyako Yoshida, as the lead girl, was once again brilliant. Loved her facial and hand mannerisms...those "rolling arm" movements in her solo. Great "backward chugs" again, during the finale/coda. * Kobborg's training in Bournonville-Ballon was once again in evidence. Bravo! * The corps ladies made the most of the florid Ashton hand movements, accentuated nicely by those ultra-bright short gloves. * That wacky "Toreador Pas de Dix" for the male corps stole the show... dropped to the floor 'in-synch' at the end...Ole! THAIS pdd: * For the 3rd night in a row...Heaven on Earth! Audience around me sighed...and cheered * What *things* can be done with a scarf!!! SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS: * Another fine performance...but, tonight, my eye landed--and remained--on one of the "side girls": Tamara Rojo. I dont think that Ashton meant to focus on one of the side girls...but Tamara is a powerful dancer. Odd casting... SOUPIRS (special pdd - tonight only): * Well, the audience went crazy...instant standing ovation in all tiers, after this incredibly poignant performance * Sibley/Dowell gave us a good dose of the Old Magic...breathtaking! * Antoinette Sibley remains incredibly agile...Sir Anthony was the perfect cavalier * Lucious blue-purple dress with assymetrical hem...and heeled shoes for her...boureed in spots, making me think that this role was originally performed in pointe shoes by the woman * Wonderful opening speech by Dowell...reminding us that Ashton used to tell him: (close paraphrase) "Change whatever you must in the choreography to suit your capabilities...and we will be doing that tonight!" Big laugh from audience. So the steps were changed to suit Sibley/Dowell's current capabilities...big deal..it was still stunning! MARGUERITE & ARMAND: * Cope's DC debut in the role...replacing Le Riche, who danced it on the first two night...Cope is a gorgeous dancer, with perfect long line...pity that he was a bit lacking in the emotional department * Cope's lack of passion (in my eyes) resulted in an altogether different performance by Guillem...not that she wasn't good, mind you...just different from the two nights with LeRiche * I left the theater hungry, even though everything that preceded M&A was indeed filling...ah, well... Still - I'm celebrating the Royal Ballet. Britannia rules the stage in DC On to FILLE! [ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

We're getting more Ashton here in DC, this week, than England will get all next year (five Ashton ballets in DC vs. two in England next season). Bizarre. The one positive about the new season: There will be plenty of big classics in which to 'show-off' the pleiade of technical 'whiz-kids' among the Royal's soloist ranks. I'd take the Concorde to London to see Rojo or Cojocaru as Kitri or Nikiya, if time and budget allows! It will be a Petipa-classic-lovers feast. Sad for the Ashton & MacMillan lovers, though. A second positive: the DeValois programme. Hopefully to include CHECKMATE, RAKES PROGRESS and other of her seldom-seen great works. [ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

To add to Leigh's insights: The Royal re-revived it in summer 1999, with Sarah Wildor as one of the Ondines. The good news is that the ballet is in "recent-active" repertoire.

Doug - I'm very happy to read your final paragraph, regarding the positives in either sort of revival (notation-based or new choreography after the originals, a-la-Lacotte). The mere fact that, in 2001, a full-length PAQUITA & DOCH FARAONA exist is cause for celebration. Sure, we'd love to see original steps. However, since when have any of us seen 'original steps' for NUTCRACKER? Does that make the post-Ivanov NUTCRACKERS...Balanchines, Grigorovich, etc.... bad? Of course not. I'd be tickled-pink to see *any* revival of the complete music, designs, and stage-action of BARBE-BLEU or KALKABRINO, any time in the future, regardless of steps (notation or not). What gifts the Bolshoi/POB and Lacotte have given us, with the recent full-length revivals of PAQUITA and DOCH! Unfortunatey, it appears that the Bolshoi has killed DOCH. Perhaps ABT can buy the sets/costumes/musical score from the Bolshoi and you can teach the right steps, Doug? I'm serious. Does anyone have Kevin Mckenzie's e-mail address? Someone should plant the seed.DOCH FARAONA is a beautiful ballet which would nicely meet ABT's full-length-classics mandate. Enough renting of 1960s European productions (ONEGINS, MERRY WIDOWS, etc.). ABT should be reviving the long-lost great classical ballets.

Doug - I'm very happy to read your final paragraph, regarding the positives in either sort of revival (notation-based or new choreography after the originals, a-la-Lacotte). The mere fact that, in 2001, a full-length PAQUITA & DOCH FARAONA exist is cause for celebration. Sure, we'd love to see original steps. However, since when have any of us seen 'original steps' for NUTCRACKER? Does that make the post-Ivanov NUTCRACKERS...Balanchines, Grigorovich, etc.... bad? Of course not. I'd be tickled-pink to see *any* revival of the complete music, designs, and stage-action of BARBE-BLEU or KALKABRINO, any time in the future, regardless of steps (notation or not). What gifts the Bolshoi/POB and Lacotte have given us, with the recent full-length revivals of PAQUITA and DOCH! Unfortunatey, it appears that the Bolshoi has killed DOCH. Perhaps ABT can buy the sets/costumes/musical score from the Bolshoi and you can teach the right steps, Doug? I'm serious. Does anyone have Kevin Mckenzie's e-mail address? Someone should plant the seed.DOCH FARAONA is a beautiful ballet which would nicely meet ABT's full-length-classics mandate. Enough renting of 1960s European productions (ONEGINS, MERRY WIDOWS, etc.). ABT should be reviving the long-lost great classical ballets.

Here's a new name for you: GATOB. That was the acronym for the Russian words for "State Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet." After the revolution (1918), the Mariinsky became the GATOB. The GATOB became the Kirov ca. 1935...then back to Mariinsky after Glasnost. Hopefully, it will remain Mariinsky for a good while!

Here - here! And I'll "third" it! We've been a bit hard on those new designs, haven't we? As I mentioned in my original review (yesterday's), I was pleasantly surprised that the RENDEZVOUS designs were not nearly as bad as the reviews from England made them out to be. Just not the 1937 gates...but big deal. Sometimes it's the shock of the new that turns-off the public. The new designs are quite different but suited to the piece, IMO. [ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

I love all of the Russian compilation tapes, with "Glory of the Kirov" and "Glory of the Bolshoi" as the absolute-favorites.

Once again, THAIS PDD drove the audience in the 'cheap seats' crazy...and Leanne Benjamin has definitely gained a fan in me. Wow! I have problems with Revie's lead in RENDEZVOUS...not bad but, to me, she's no Miyako Yoshida! A bit of a 'sap' in comparison. Yes, Laura Morera was wonderful in the galloping Pas de Trois. The corps were even better than on opening night, more crisp & precise. Even that eccentric 'Toreador Dance' by the corps men was cleaner. I agree with Alexandra that, on the whole, the SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS was better. Miyako Yoshida has been dancing the lead female role since at least the Spring 1996 season...and the experience shows. On the other hand, I prefered the two "side girls" on opening night (Rojo-Wildor) to those last night. Guillem & LeRiche once again delivered powerful performances. But I felt like I was "doing time in purgatory" by sitting through the ballet again. If it were not for tonight's cast change (Jonathan Cope replacing LeRiche as Armand), I would skip it altogether and go home during the second intermission. I'm curious to see how Guillem reacts to Cope; I can't imagine a sultrier pairing than Guillem/LeRiche...so we shall see. [ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

'Bravo' to Sarah Kaufmann...she's getting better and better with each review. ;) In retrospect, it was Miyako Yoshida's lead in Les Rendezvous that set the positive tone for the whole evening, for me. To me, there was no fault - artistically or technically. Yoshida is THE allegro ballerina of the moment, in my book! And those perfectly performed 'backward chugs' in the coda were the icing on the cake. [ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

samba38 - You wrote above that you saw Baryshnikov/Kirkland's last performance? Lucky you! Those are the moments that make balletgoing so special. Back to the topic... Yes, the audience was quite enthusiastic up in the cheap seats (2nd tier) last night. The ovation was especially hearty for THAIS pdd (Benjamin/Cooper). I mean whoops and hollers...the whole nine-yards! I agree with Alexandra about the ovations for Guillem/M&A being less-than-enthusiastic. I seem to have missed seeing the standing ovation...didn't make it up to where I sat. About 80% of 2nd tier (the uppermost) level was full. From my vantage point, it appears that the other levels of the house, including Orchestra, were 100% sold out. Not bad for a mid-week mixed bill by a non-Russian troupe! I wasn't very clear, in my review above, about my feelings for the RENDEZVOUS designs. I'll take the old ones (with the gate) anytime! However, I had heard and read so many negativisms about the new ones, that I was pleasantly surprised when they did not turn out to be utterly atrocious. Also, I was sitting way up; I bet that that huge sun-disk looks awful from the orchestra seats. History Lesson of the Day: Did you know that the beloved "gates" set and pink-and-white costumes of the old production of RENDEZVOUS were *not* the original designs of the ballet? Rather, it was the second version. The original version of the ballet, in 1933, had much darker, somber costumes and a darkish set. In 1937, new designs -- the ones everybody loves -- were created by William Chappell (who also did the 1933 version). The current day-glow-colors version is the third edition. One last "fun detail" which I forgot to mention earlier. As far away from the stage as I was, I could totally feel the "power" of the Guillem/leRiche chemistry...especially those "juicy kisses" during one of the love scenes on the divan..and what about that kiss on Guillem's bosom during one of the backbends? The sound really carried up to the cheap seats, my friends! ;) I don't seem to recall that move in the Nureyev/Fonteyn tape (although it's probably there...but made no memorable impact on me). [ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

This is all too funny! My pet peeve is seeing a dancer -- especially a female -- who is afflicted with a condition that I term "Guppy Mouth." (Have you seen profile photos of guppy-fish?) The ballerina's mouth constantly open in a small "O" circle, lips sticking out. It is even more ridiculous when coupled with the "eyes-of-wonder/raised eyebrows" look, which usually appears right after the dancer has completed some technical feat...even if it was not done so well. Are dancers *coached* to make these faces??? Can't anyone correct them???

The Royal Ballet is looking up! This is the best, most satisfying performance of the Royal Ballet that I've seen in ages...bearing in mind that I last saw them, in London, during the 1996/97 season. Nonetheless, I've faithfully followed this troupe -- my "first love" in ballet -- since I first saw them "live" in the early '80s. What seemed to be a steady downhill progression has been halted; I've never seen them look so splendid. Three cheers! Today's technical and artistic level of the soloists, as well as that of the small ensemble in RENDEZVOUS, definitely give me cause to smile!! Four ballets by Sir Frederick Ashton, considered the 'architect' of British ballet in the 20th C., were performed: LES RENDEZVOUS - Pure delight! After reading about and seeing photos of the 'daffy' new designs, I was afraid; however, sitting up in 2nd tier, the day-glo-polka-dotted dresses on the girls and striped jackets on the guys did not look *so* horrible. The flat backdrop of tall cedar trees with a huge sun-disk in the middle (which changes colours at most segments of the ballet) was OK. My only peeve with the designs is that I fondly remember the gorgeous ones that were replaced, inclding pink-and-white debutante dresses and huge gated entrance to a park. Those designs were hard to top but the new ones aren't as offensive as I imagined them to be. Best of all was the dancing. Miyako Yoshida and Johan Kobborg captured the dainty, playful spirit of the leading couple, and tackled the quick, difficult technical demands with aplomb. The audience cheered like crazy during their respective segments of the finale (her dizzying chaine turns and such). The dancers of the zippy Pas de Trois -- my favorite segment of the ballet, since I first saw it with ABT and Saddler's Wells video -- were magnificent! Jaime Tapper, Justin Meissner and Jonathan Howells did this dance justice. The corps was adorably cute, as befits the style of this frothy piece. [big negative: I hope that the opera house orchestra gets its act together for future performances; the drums-and-cymbals portion of the final number, in particular, was a disaster, musically! I felt sorry for the dancers trying to mark time. Thank goodness that they are well trained to "count" in their heads and can ignore the orchestra.] With this ballet alone, I would have been 'plenty-satisfied'...but more was to come. THAIS pdd - I was crying at the end...a sure sign that the dancers took me into their world. This was 4-5 minutes of sheer artistic pleasure...the incredible technical demands of this adagio-style pdd (tricky lifts and what-not) were beside-the-point. The petite Leanne Benjamin and the tall-blonde-handsome Adam Cooper were brilliant...and they have the "it factor" as a pair. Her feathery bourrees at the beginning and end of the piece made the audience around me gasp. The word for this pas de deux: SEAMLESS. As if floating in a dream. SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS - Considered Ashton's abstract masterpiece -- and, to some, "the" masterpiece -- this sublime ballet was given a first-class rendering. The women are all first-rate: teen-aged sensation from Romania, Alina Cojocaru, danced the central 'Margot Fonteyn' role; the other two female roles were danced by RB superstars Tamara Rojo of Spain and Sarah Wildor of England. The three men were also fine although I found the central man-- Nigel Burley--a bit too stocky for my taste. The other two men (Johan Persson and, especially, Yohei Sasaki) seemed far more pleasant-of-line and danced more smoothly. Cojocaru seems to have no bones, she is so feathery-light. An almost-unreal, pencil-thin "ballet torso"...making Rojo and Wildor seem a bit too wide-of-torso, in comparison. The dancing was wonderful...better than any of the casts that I saw at Covent Garden in May '96. The arm movements of the ladies were spot-on, the fleet-footed steps were in unison, etc. The sudden shift to a "sunny mood" in the last movement was done with finesses & not jarringly (as I recall from '96 and at ABT years ago). MARGUERITE AND ARMAND - Let me get to the best part: Sylvie Guillem and Nicolas LeRiche danced and acted brilliantly. What a joy to see this magical couple with such magnetic 'real-woman-and-real-man' chemistry! Now the bad part: What a DUD of a ballet! Lordie...the video of Fonteyn/Nureyev makes it look better...but this is (to me) so cheesy and cheap, that I find it hard to believe that it was choreographed by the same man who created the first three works of the evening. The horrendously-cheap-looking abstract stage setting (of poles and simple ornaments, with dirty-looking drapes) seems like a cast-away from some Martha Graham Greek Tragedy. My heart skipped a beat when LeRiche ran in with the cape...I could only think of Nureyev in the video! However -- and I know that this is close to blasphemy, so my apologies if I offend you -- Guillem made me forget Fonteyn. With young face, gorgeous feet, long pencil-thin torso (making a convincing tuberculosis patient!) and subtle masterful acting, Guillem was born to be Marguerite...only that I wish that it were some other ballet on the Traviata theme...not this hogwash. Guillem/LeRiche salvaged M&A--the only low-note in an otherwise FANTASTIC evening of ballet. Welcome Back to the USA, Royal Ballet!!!! - Jeannie [ 06-06-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

Just a couple of thoughts on this theme: (1) I've always found it incredible that there is a huge audience for classical theatrical ballet in the former colonies of Spain & Portugal (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, etc.), yet seemingly little interest in the Mother Lands. The Spanish public is far more interested in lyric theater (zarzuelas or operas) or in folk-based dance (flamenco, etc.), than it is in the art of ballet, although that is hopefully changing with the recent plethora of young talent from their shores. This is a bit similar to Italy's overwhelming interest in opera, at the expense of ballet, with the big exception that the Italian Ballet School (style) was once a leader of the art. (2) Spain has unwittingly played a major role in the development of classical ballet - through the influence of Spanish folk dance and port-de-bras in the compositions of Romantic-era Paris Opera Ballet choreographers and, later, Marius Petipa in Russia. I am referring the general incorporation of Spanish inflections in port-de-bras, leg positions, etc...not just the obvious Spanish-themed ballets (PAQUITA, DON Q, etc). Ballet, as we know it today, owes a lot to Spain. [ 05-25-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

1. Michele Wiles as Odette/Odile, SWAN LAKE (esp. Odile) 2. Diana Vishneva as Paquita in the POB's full-length production (esp. in the Act II miming) 3. Uliana Lopatkina in any of Leslie Carrothers' old roles in Gerald Arpino ballets (such as LIGHT RAIN) 4. Rasta Thomas in *any* meaty role in a standard, full-length ballet with a top company (e.g., Lescaut in MANON or Spartacus or Crassus in the Grigorovich SPARTAK) 5. Jenifer Ringer in any Patricia McBride role that she has yet to essay, e.g., Columbine in HARLEQUINADE. ...too many others to list.

OK, I'll be the brave one to post this ballet-in-magazine sighting. This week's edition of the U.S. publication, NATIONAL EXAMINER -- the sort of tabloid you see at the check-out counters of grocery stores -- includes a color-photo feature on the all-male ballet troupe, Les Ballets Grandiva. It's on two huge pages. The 'ballerinas' look quite lovely...including a 'Dying Swan' 'Pas de Quatre' and 3-4 other ballets. ;)

I'm also wondering if anyone went. I was away (nowhere close to NY) during this year's annual Eifman season @ City Center. ______

Miyako Yoshida of the Royal Ballet is as good a Swanhilda as I've ever seen. She is a natural comedienne in addition to being spot-on, technically. I'm sure that she'll bring these qualities to another great comic role - Lise in FILLE MAL GARDEE (next month at Kenn. Center). A long time ago (20+ years), I saw a film of Lis Jeppesen's Swanhilda in the Danish version. Jeppesen imbued the role with a natural girlish 'charm' that was very special. Sure -- the technique was fine but that wasn't the point. She was Cute in the best sense of the word.

Great news, Terry! I remember seeing Ms. Cojocaru compete and win a medal (jr.-division gold, if memory serves) at the 1997 Moscow IBC. Just like another RB principal, Sylvie Guillem, who won the Gold at Varna many moons ago. Not to mention Zenaida Yanowsky...Chi Cao...Tamara Rojo...Miyako Yoshida...so many top-flight technical dancers with IBC medals under their belt, now at the two RB companies. Lucky English balletomanes! So...is it 'true' that IBC Medalists have more fun? ;) Washington, DC will be in for quite a treat this June, when the RB comes with this pleiad of fabulous females(not to forget the male laureates at the RB; let's see...there's Johann Kobborg, 1994 Jackson Grand Prix...). [ 04-18-2001: Message edited by: Jeannie ]

Good point, CygneDanois. It's not just the cross marking the grave. Giselle also forms a protective cross with her body (pose with arms outstretched), shielding Albrecht from Myrta. The final time that she does this, the distant church bells are heard, signaling the dawn...the light. I see a tremendous amount of Christian symbolism in this ballet. It was all the more obvious to me this past Easter Sunday (ABT's 'Giselle' in Washington, DC), that this ballet is about Resurrection-and-Forgiveness, in Christian terms.