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La Sylphide is back on December 17, with more or less the same casts as last season: 17. december 2004 kl. 20.00 Sylfiden Gudrun Bojesen James Thomas Lund Madge Lis Jeppesen Gurn Nicolai Hansen Effy Diana Cuni 18. december 2004 kl. 12.00 Sylfiden Caroline Cavallo James Mads Blangstrup Madge Jette Buchwald Gurn Morten Eggert Effy Tina Højlund 20. december 2004 kl. 20.00 Sylfiden Silja Schandorff James Mads Blangstrup Madge Jette Buchwald Gurn Morten Eggert Effy Maria Bernholdt

I also went the second night. I agree with Effy about the Robbins pieces. Fancy Free more or less boring. In In the Night I like the beautiful first pas de deux, this time danced by Gudrun Bojesen and Thomas Lund, and not much else. I love the decor of Far from Denmark, specially that of the first act. If M-P Greve is fragile, Gitte Lindstrøm is more filled with Latin passion. Andrew Bowman does not show the same dramatic talent as Mads Blangstrup. I agree that the two cadets look very girlish and cute, you never think of them as men. This time danced by Susanne Grinder and Christina L. Olsen. Gitte Lindstrøm is having a great season. She dances everything and does it wonderfully. Like Anna Karenina, Louise in The Guardsmen, the ballerina in Etudes, Rosita in Far from Denmark and Palmyra in Abdallah.

"Fjernt fra Danmark" is back. It has not been danced since 1992. The casting: Repremiere onsdag den 3. november: Rosita Marie-Pierre Greve Wilhelm Mads Blangstrup Don Alvar Jean-Lucient Massot Konsul Fernandez Peter Bo Bendixen Poul Diana Cuni Edvard Izabela Sokolowska Torsdag den 4. november: Rosita Gitte Lindstrøm Wilhelm Andrew Bowman Don Alvar Fernando Mora Konsul Fernandez Poul-Erik Hesselkilde Poul Cecilie Lassen Edvard Susanne Grinder

Casting of "In The Night": Premiere November 3: 1. pas de deux Marie-Pierre Greve og Mads Blangstrup 2. pas de deux Silja Schandorff og Kenneth Greve 3. pas de deux Caroline Cavallo og Peter Bo Bendixen November 4: 1. pas de deux Gudrun Bojesen og Thomas Lund 2. pas de deux Caroline Cavallo og Mads Blangstrup 3. pas de deux Gitte Lindstrøm og Jean-Lucient Massot Quite a few great couples I think!

Thomas Lund and Morten Eggert are casted in the second team in Fancy Free: Premiere onsdag den 3. november: 1. sømand Tim Matiakis 2. sømand Dawid Kupinski 3. sømand Jean-Lucient Massot 1. pige Cecilie Lassen 2. pige Gudrun Bojesen 3. pige Haley Henderson Torsdag den 4. november: 1. sømand Thomas Lund 2. sømand Morten Eggert 3. sømand Julien Ringdahl 1. pige Amy Watson 2. pige Femke Slot 3. pige Maria Bernholt

No throwing around but in Cranko erotic style I think. The reviews in short: Aschengreen was overall enthusiastic. Praise for dancing, dancers, sets, costumes. In no other place in the ballet world you can see such joy and happiness coming from the stage, he says. Henrik Lyding (Jyllands-Posten) is also positive. Says the main characters are solid but he lacks expressiveness and detail in the small sidestories. Lyding thinks the new dream scene adds nothing and seems superfluous.

I don't like the set of Life Guards. I find it too simplified and oversized. So very far from the pictoresque decor I have seen in photos from 1903. I would have preferred something like that, but maybe it's me that's too romantic. I didn't see the premiere but the second performance on October 3rd. Silja Schandorff with her carriage and expressiveness was a fine Louise. Peter Bo Bendixen substituted a supposedly injured J-L Massot. The new scene inserted by Vessel was so accurately described by Erik Aschengreen in his review as freely borrowed from the dream scene in Cranko's Onegin. Only this time we see four Tatianas, I would add! Cecilie Lassen and Christina L. Olsen was good, especially the mime, as Sophie and Andrea. Thomas Lund a sparkling Otto. Etudes looked very good all the way. Caroline Cavallo is well suited for role of the ballerina where she can show her fine technique. Mads Blangstrup, Kenneth Greve and Kristoffer Sakuari danced the solo men.

There is now a videotrailer of Abdallah on the Royal Theatre website (on in the Danish language section): http://www.kgl-teater.dk/

My favourite couple is Marie-Pierre Greve and Mads Blangstrup. They are so perfect together. I love Gitte Lindstrøm too, but I find more expression and emotion in M-P Greve.

Nina Ananiashvili has cancelled her Anna Karenina performances since she is too busy after she has been announced the the new artistic director of the National Ballet of Georgia.

Mary, with alert I meant I asumed everybody wants to show Bournonville and the company at it's very best at the festival. Something extra for the dancers to look forward to. Exciting debuts can wait until after the festival I think. What is the content of next season's repertoire? I wouldn't mind a Petipa classic. Or some Frederick Ashton.

Hi Mary. World top 3? I only heard Frank Anderson talking about top 5. I am very excited about the Bournonville Festival and it's 8 performances. It's good for PR and good for keeping the company alert. It gives a lot of exposure around the world. Don't forget there is also Anna Karenina and the new Neumeier ballet this season.

I have now taken some photos of the Margot Fonteyn pointe shoes I have. They are from Freed's - size 4. See here: http://www.ballerinagallery.com/margot-shoes.htm

Yes, Margot wore Freed's. I have a pair sígned by her in 1963. See photo here: http://www.ballerinagallery.com/pic/margot-shoes.jpg I should make some better photos, they are so beautiful.

I have seen Natalia Makarova's version, which she staged for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 2000. The choreography is pretty traditional. The setting is late 19th century. The first act has a beautiful Monet inspired red poppy field backdrop, but having costumes from this period in this ballet looks a bit odd to me.

Marie Lindqvist of the Royal Swedish Ballet has been given the rare title of "Court Dancer" on May 28 2004. This is the finest title a Swedish dancer can get. Marie Lindqvist dances both the classical ballerina roles and modern works. She joined the Swedish Royal Ballet in 1988, was appointed to soloist in 1991 and to principal in 1993. I think that the only ballerina given this title previously is Anneli Alhanko in 1990.

Nina Ananiashvili will be back in Copenhagen guesting in two more Anna Karenina performances on August 27 and September 7 2004. Her Vronsky is Kenneth Greve, whom she also danced with in her only performance this Spring.

Judy Cameron's book is a must-have for any ballet fan!

I enjoy Abdallah immensely. The story might not be the greatest, but still a very good excuse to show off a lot of wonderful dancing. I believe there is more virtuoso dancing in this ballet than usually found in Bournonville works. The second act is both spectacular and amusing. The first cast with Gudrun Bojesen, Thomas Lund and Gitte Lindstrom was outstanding. The second cast with Amy Watson, Morten Eggert and Haley Henderson was very fine too. Henderson impressed with her strong technique and high jumps.

I love Elizabeth Loscavio and will miss her. She is only 36, seems early to retire. She is wonderful as Princess Natalia in Neumeir's "Illusions - like Swan Lake", available on DVD.

About Abdallah from www.kgl-teater.dk Flirting with the exotic The story of the poor shoemaker Abdallah and the nimble Irma from Basra is a charming and magical tale about the invincible power of love. When presented with a magical five-branched candelabrum, which can make wishes come true, Abdallah is tempted by dreams of beautiful harem girls and ostentatious riches. But when Abdallah falls from the pinnacle of fortune, his beloved Irma forgives him for his sins nonetheless. Jens-Jakob Worsaae’s golden oriental design is a delight to behold. Bournonvilles ballet from 1855 was revived by Bruce Marks, Toni Lander Marks and Flemming Ryberg after more than 100 years absence from the stage. The ballet was met with enthusiasm from both audience and press at the revival in Copenhagen in 1986. Choreographer: August Bournonville Composer: H.S. Paulli Set designer: Jens-Jacob Worsaae Staging: Sorella Englund, Flemming Ryberg and Bruce Marks

Here is the casting for the re-premiere of Bournonville's Abdallah: Friday May 7 Abdallah: Thomas Lund Irma: Gudrun Bojesen Hassan: Gábor Baunoch Palmyra: Gitte Lindstrøm Saturday May 8 Abdallah: Morten Eggert Irma: Amy Watson Hassan: Asger Schlichtkrull Palmyra: Haley Henderson

Very worrying, yes. I don't even want to think about life without Silja Schandorff & Co on stage! There seem to be no new really outstanding young talents, but I like Cecilie Lassen 22 and Christina Olsen 20.

Good point about the Royal Ballet, Effy. I will say the Royal British Ballet from now on. :-)

I think the new costumes for the Pas de Sept are terrible. They look more like Caribian pirates than Danish peasants to me.