Natalia

Estelle - Sorry to have forgotten Bridard. I don't remember ever seeing him doing true "partnering" BUT he was a fantastic Abderakhman in RAYMONDA a couple of years ago. Tall & handsome and with sinewy, sexy solos in Act II! Also, wasn't he one of the Inigos during the first few performances of PAQUITA (which I attended)? He seems to always be cast as the 'demi-caractere' or 'bad guy' despite his height and handsome looks. This situation reminds me of ABT's Victor Barbee - tall, handsome, great dancer...but always in the villanous or comic roles. I always used to think of Barbee: 'What a waste! There's a handsome Basil behind the mask of Gamache!' But, of course, it's not really a 'waste' if he's fantastic in what he does. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 14, 2001).]

Thibault has been both excellent partner & virtuoso soloist in many roles. He is definitely PD-rank material. *However - and this is a big 'however' - I believe that he is being kept at the Sujet level because of his face which is piquant (funny, in a nice way) and with an aquiline nose. Not because of his line, partnering skills or soloist skills. I believe that it is his face, plain & simple. Just my two-cents worth. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 14, 2001).]

Estelle - You asked me about the current male Premieres Danseurs at POB & whether I think that any of them are 'danseurs noble'? I've seen glimmers of the 'danseur noble look' in Wilfred Romoli above all, although several of the other men are also capable partners. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 14, 2001).]

This episode is a real shame. Most of my friends who attended the Concours agree that Thibault "wuz robbed." I've seen Thibault in Robbins FOUR SEASONS (Faun) & PAQUITA Pas de Trois, in addition to several films from Varna & other competitions. He is a true virtuoso & has quite beautiful 'line' (not stocky proportions as do a few equally skilled demi-caractere virtuosi, such as Eric Quillere and Kirov/RDB's Andrei Batalov). Perhaps not an Etoile but he's certainly capable of being a Premier Danseur and, as Alexandra wrote, there is no logic to keeping a non-danseur-noble from the PD ranks. Isn't Eric Quillere in the PD ranks, after all? - Jeannie

Leigh - Why, didn't you know that it's perfectly "normal" for a ballet troupe to be headed by a conductor? Look at the Kirov (Valery Gergiev) and the Bolshoi (Gennadi Rozhdesventsky). Funny how Boston has opted to follow the "Russian" model in this particular decision! What's next? Hugo Fiorato replacing Peter Martins as head of NYCB? - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 09, 2001).]

Estelle - I believe that you posted concurrently with me. The MARCO SPADA is a full, VERY long ballet. I'm not sure if it was commercially available in France but was telecast over the RAI network in Italy a number of times in the 1980s. Denard danced the "young romantic" male lead, Federico...but had the unenviable task of having to share the stage with Rudolf Nureyev in the title role of the "older father figure"! Somehow, "old papa" managed to dance the leading pas de deux with his "stage daughter" Thesmar! - Jeannie

The artistry of Denard lives on in his videos/telecasts, including the complete "original" LA SYLPHIDE (Lacotte, after Taglioni - Schneitzhoffer music) and MARCO SPADA (Lacotte, after Mazilier - Auber music). In both cases, he partnered Ghislaine Thesmar, who appears to be a rather tall ballerina (long & thin, like Gregory). - Jeannie

There is hope. I can think of the following 1990s choreographic pieces that have delighted me: #1 by a mile: Boris Eifman - RED GISELLE (THE masterpiece ballet of the 1990s, for me!), TCHAIKOVSKY, BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, to name a few. I was less impressed by his most recent work, RUSSIAN HAMLET. We'll see how his newest work, DON JUAN, fares this spring. Most of you know that Eifman has been showered with prizes worldwide for his oeuvre, not just in his native Russia. Alexei Ratmansky's DREAMS ABOUT JAPAN and a couple of other shorter pieces that I've seen which, incidentally, have also won major prizes in Russia. What a shame that Ratmansky was unable to choreograph the new NUTCRACKER at the Kirov, as originally scheduled. Angelin Preljocaj's LE PARC - although it is mostly "modern" (no pointe shoes, etc.) I was surprisingly delighted by it, when performed by POB in NY ca 1996. Tres romantique! I also admire Vladimir Anguelov's work for Rasta Thomas, Michele Wiles, the Canterna Sisters, and other IBC competition medalists. I too look forward to seeing larger-scaled works from Anguelov, someday. I have also thoroughly enjoyed Pierre Lacotte's "brand-new choreographies in 19-th c. style" during the past ten years, such as FILLE DU PHARAON, LAC DES FEES, LA GITANE and such. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 08, 2001).]

Yvonne - I truly admire Ferri in Giselle & the MacMillan works...so please don't 'flame me' for being honest. I remember seeing Ferri as Nikiya in the "Shades Scene" from BAYADERE at Wolf Trap (near Wash, DC) sometime in the mid-1980s, shortly after she joined ABT. She was, to me, embarrassingly weak and had real problems performing the sequence of pirouettes while holding onto the long white scarf. I don't think that she danced many of the standard Petipa classics after that night but I may be wrong. Perhaps she dances them at La Scala? Ferri is truly special in the dramatic works, though. Her FALL RIVER LEGEND is phenomenal, IMHO. - Jeannie

Agreed, Alexandra. These differing perceptions are amazing, aren't they? I remember when you once wrote (or told me face-to-face?) that a certain Ballerina-x is wonderful but so small-scaled in approach. I nearly fell out of my chair, as I consider this same Ballerina-X to be a veritable Gargantua in both style & physique! Back to Gregory. Tall, true...but, to me, she was so fine-boned and elongated that I would never, ever have compared her to Van Hamel. Regarding Prima-Donna Style, I only saw Gregory "live" in the 1980s; perhaps she wasn't quite as grand in the 1970s? I only remember Gregory in all of her "kick-ass-prima-donna" glory! I often thought of her 1980s contemporaries at ABT -- especially Cynthia Harvey & Susan Jaffe -- as merely going through the motions & trying really, really hard to be as queenly as Gregory. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 06, 2001).]

I loved Gregory. She had the most glamorous, 'snooty European princess' countenance on the stage. Very UN-American...and, hence, a true 'Prima Ballerina Look', IMO. No apple pie-and-milk-toast in her style. When she performed the Clapping Solo from RAYMONDA, Act III, she spared no prisoners.

Right, mbjerk (re. BOLERO)! I've seen *both* male & female dancers in the leading role, on top of the table, too...everyone from Maya Plisetskaya to Jorge Donn!

More on the Kenn Cen website announcement: The specific Bejart ballets to be danced include BOLERO and BACH SONATA. No specific Robbins cited. Very amusing that -- according to the website -- "new pieces in the [Farrell troupe's] repertory" will include SCOTCH SYMPHONY and SLAUGHTER on 10th AVENUE. New in the repertoire? Both were danced in the troupe's initial season, in 1995.

I'm more intrigued by the Bejartian twist in all of this. Farrell spent several key years of her performing life as star of the Maurice Bejart ballet company. The Kennedy Center's website notes that the Farrell Troupe will be dancing both Balanchine & Bejart masterworks (no mention of Robbins on the official KenCen site, the last time that I checked). Am I the only one on this Board who finds this to be a bit of a waste? I guess that the Boston Ballet Board of Directors are not alone in their admiration for Mr. Bejart/"Eurotrash" (not my invention of a term for Bejart Ballets)?

Good catch, guys! Could you imagine the same sort of thing elsewhere, e.g: "Clive Barnes - sponsored by The Irene Diamond Fund" No, no...this one (Crisp - Vilar) is bizarre. - Jeannie (p.s. - Do I smell a resurrection of my favorite "Junketeers" topic? Naw...) [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited February 23, 2001).]

I miss the artistry & incomparable "line" of Galina Mezentseva. The perfect Nikiya/BAYADERKA, IMO....although Lopatkina comes close. Mesentseva was the embodiment of the word "sinewy."

Estelle - We definitely agree on most points. I am happy that you mentioned the roar of applause for Thibault because, from where I sat in the 'Balcon,' everyone around me was screaming wildly with 'bravos!' I had forgotten just how enthuthiastic this Parisian audience can be for these sorts of ballets. I was also surprised that Gillot's diagonal of jetes was cheered as it was, on both evenings that I attended. The audience roared its 'bravas!' well before Gillot completed the fourth grand-jete. Now I can see why the POB audience and dancers are so fond of IBC-style competitions. I feel right at home in Paris. Vive La France!

Estelle - I saw the Bolshoi Ballet's "filial troupe" at the Alexandrinsky Theater in Leningrad/St. P. They have toured it extensively and, in fact, a Japanese televised video of this production exists. As I mentioned earlier, a film (not video) of the 1937 Maly version (Lopukhov's original staging) also exists. Alas, the Maly dropped their fantastic staging in the 1970s, in favor of Oleg Vinogradov's revision, which is not my cup of tea but has an outrageously athletic pas de deux for Lise and Colin. - Jeannie

I believe that the smaller, off-beat arts entities -- be they in the arenas of dance, plastic arts, theater, whatever -- should prove themselves by garnering private funding before they are recipients of public funding. Remember my earlier thread on "Survival of the Fittest." For example, why should anyone's hard-earned tax dollars go to fund sculpture made from cow dung? If the cow-dung sculptress can't continue her activities with private funding, then why the heck should "Mr. and Mrs. Public Citizen" fund the dung? I realize that this is just one example...but I'm making my point. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited February 20, 2001).]

Of course there was Dauberval before Petipa et. al. You don't think that I wouldn't know that, would you? I saw the reconstruction that played Kennedy Center 10+ years ago. Quite charming. And, yes, there were MARCELLINAs -- not 'Simones' - done en travestie before the 1885 Petipa & Ivanov Russian/Hertel edition. Please note that my point is about the greatness & importance of the most-often-performed Russian edition...the edition most often performed anywhere on earth, prior to Ashton. And - yes - there was a black-and-white film of the 1937 Maly-Lavrovsky edition (starring V. Rosenberg as Lise) making the rounds through Western Europe after WWII so it is not outside the realm of possibility that Mr. Ashton may have seen it. Who knows? And please son't underestimate those adorable chickens!

Right on, Barb! So...the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center (America's "official home for the performing arts") should become the Potomac River Valley Community Orchestra? FYI, the Washington Opera may soon be getting a new name...elevating it to 'national' status. NOT the "Vilar National Opera" though!

Good to hear that, Estelle. I look forward to reading your impressions. Don't miss your bus!

The Metropole's price is $300/night for a standard room. The US Govt maximum per diem for Moscow is $306/day (to cover hotel + meals). Thank goodness that the *schi* (cabbage soup) is not too expensive. So...have no other "Ballet Alerters" seen this production of PAQUITA? Estelle - you are notably silent. A little birdie tells me that you may have seen it, too. [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited February 14, 2001).]

That's why I mentioned Karsavina, Alexandra. The 1970s ABT version was indeed compact & did not resemble the Petipa/Lavrovsky/et. al.very much, except in basic plot. If memory serves, ABT's edition was by Bronislava Nijinska & utilized the Hertel ("Russian") score. The "Petipa et. al." is longer than even the Ashton. You should try to see it some day!

Has anyone on this board (beside me) seen the complete Russo-Soviet FILLE MAL GARDEE? It is delightful and has many elements that make me wonder if Ashton saw a recording of it...or saw it on tour in the USSR...before he set about to choreograph his 1960 FILLE? I do know that Karsavina assisted Ashton in setting some of the mime, which may account for some of the *incredible* similarities. The standard Russo-Soviet FILLE (a.k.a. VAIN PRECAUTIONS) is by Leonid Lavrovsky, from his 1937 Leningrad Maly Theater production. Lavrovsky maintained the best of the Imperial Era FILLES (1885 Petipa/Ivanov and 1901 Gorsky) & made it more theatrical. Too, Lavrovsky utilized the Hertel score (the Imperial Russian era music), rather than that by Herold, which Ashton used. The Russo-Soviet/Lavrovsky FILLE is significantly longer than Ashton's. It includes a complete "Wedding Celebrations Act" (Act III) after the "discovery scene" in Simone/Lise's house. Act III is a Petipaesque Wedding Divertissement in a garden, complete with unlikely 'national dances' from far-off lands, such as a troupe of gypsies. The ballet ends with the Grand Pas de Deux for Lise and Colin. [This is the virtuoso pdd that is often danced in ballet competitions & which Baryshnikov revived for ABT in the early 1980s. ] All of the comic touches that I heretofore thought of as "pure Ashton" are in the Lavrovsky; for example, Lise/Colin's Act I Ribbon Dance making a cat's cradle or the 'promenade' of characters before the front-curtain on their way to the harvest or Alain's dopey flirting with his beloved umbrella throughout the ballet and at the very end. Ashton's main innovations are: - dancing chickens (I love them!) - Simone danced en travestie (as are Ashton's Ugly Stepsisters in CINDERELLA) - Simone's hilarious Clog Dance - Alain's "flight" at the end of Act I (the storm) In sum, seeing the Russo-Soviet version of FILLE/VAIN PRECAUTIONS has shed *very interesting* light on the Ashton version. Both versions delightful...Ashton's tighter and more comic...the Russians a bit 'grander' but also very funny! - Jeannie