meunier fan

Not particularly helpful for sales I should think. Oh, perhaps now I will buy that box in the corner ....

I would have thought the co-production funds would be up-front (as I assume they would have been for both Alice and Winter's Tale with the RB) as support would have been for the original 'physical' production/mounting knowing that would be shared. Otherwise it would be rather difficult (and fearful) to budget against. If a discussion were had vis a vis a change in the rep, i.e., the exchange of other productions in the original's place (e.g., other Ratmansky pieces in this instance) they may well be delivered in kind in acknowledgement of the original investment made (or at least one would hope they were). Perhaps such was part of their original agreement. It would make sense - and I'm sure guidelines would have been established as towards a significant time frame for any NBoC performance decision post ABT premiere. I assume that the Canadian accounts (as a major non-profit organisation) are published and open to view. The investments for all I assume would be notated. That would surely give a definitive answer.

Here's a video of Ms. Hayward giving a demonstration of the 'Fred step' http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1rBdjfvPFDT75KZgMpdZKdC/ballets-rising-star-francesca-haywards-fred-step

The Royal Ballet couldn't have anticipated that this pair would work so well. Recent experience with Polunin also showed it was possible to push young dancers too hard and too fast. But the Royal Ballet has not been reluctant to repeat repertoire in the cinemas, and if they choose to return to Manon in four or five years, we can still hope that the Hayward-Muntagirov pairing will have lost none of its freshness or magic and that their opportunity to enchant movie audiences in this ballet will still come. I agree. It was just wishful thinking on my part. I'm sure at some juncture the pairing (assuming no desperate physical accident) will come to pass on film .... most happily I only wish that NYCB had similar showings internationally. I, myself, would happily pay above the odds to enjoy all the excitement that I read about here. How I wish the glorious Wendy Whelan retirement performance could have been relayed throughout the world (as surely it deserved) and so many of the NYCB celebrated works by Ratmansky, Wheeldon and Scarlett ... as well as, of course, the ever glittering Balanchine and Robbins masterworks. Surely an audience would grow ... Is this not something that would/should/could deserve WORLD subsidy? In so many ways, after all, Balanchine taught the 20th Century TO dance.

For my money the Manon of this particular RB session (still ongoing) is, without exception, Francesca Hayward .... all of 22 years old .... and entirely magical .... and the Des Grieux is - without current peer - Vadim Muntagirov - all of 24 - who has quite suddenly - unexpectedly - and equally magically come into his dramatic own. Never has that meeting pas looked so good in my experience. It is such a shame that those two were not captured on film and let a world hungry for the new be introduced to them. It would, I think, have been a revelation.

Actually this was buried in my post on Saturday about ENB: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/39335-tamara-rojo-and-her-coup-for-english-national-ballet/page-2

ENB - or LFB as was - has always been a mix, but certainly has always been a place where young artists could (i) get a meaningful measure in the development of their careers whilst (ii) having an opportunity to learn from visiting masters and (iii) benefit from its own now established school and (iv) outreach incentives. I well remember among the younger ranks people like Tamara Rojo, Patrick Armand, Jose Manuel Carreno and most recently Vadim Muntagirov. There have also been young guests. I well recall the Rojo/Bolle combination and Seviliano when all were but virtual teenagers. The guests have always been plentiful ranging from Nureyev to Luders; from Sombert to Lendorf; from Jose Martinez to Nicolas La Riche; from Maximova to Haydee; from Seymour to Makarova; from Hart to Semenyaka. There are many, many examples. Many - like Friedemann Vogel for example - have guested frequently over a considerable period of time so build up their own history with ENB. There are an even greater talented many who have been raised through the LFB/ENB ranks. (Thomas Edur and Agnes Oakes come to mind - as does Daria Klimentova.) Currently Ksenia Ovsyanick (who just leapt two levels in her ranking with the last round of promotions) is one of my personal favourites. Here there is no question but that resident star principals - say, people like Rojo and Cojacaru - must do their national service. That is expected. Indeed, guest artists are occasionally brought in for those too. Matthew Golding did his share of regional stints as well as at the Coliseum with Corsaire and I understand that Vitor Luiz from SFB is coming in to do certain performances of Swan Lake and Coppelia on the national tour commencing next week due to a couple of current (unfortunate) male principal injuries. Refreshingly the guest principals are not made permanent members of the ENB company. (For example Vasiliev who will guest with ENB in January in his debut as Seigfried and who has previously guested in Petit's Le Jeunne Homme et la Mort has NEVER been listed as an ENB principal and would not, I assume, unless he fully agreed to appear in Manchester, Oxford, Southampton, etc.) That LFB/ENB is not on the same scale as ABT there can be no question. It never was. It never could be. Then, of course, neither is the UK when physically compared to the USA. Still, ENB has always hit above its considerable weight. It is very much 'a Company that can'. ENB has recently looked fabulous under Rojo's vital direction. There are just so many glorious talents amongst its current ranks (and that number seems to be ever growing as the announcement above indicates). Certainly during ENB's glorious recent production of Le Corsaire and this year's incendiary multi-bill in commemoration of the WWI centenary, Lest We Forget, oh, so many fine talents had an opportunity to shine both in London and throughout the country. It is now fully justified that ENB should once more go on a world tour during the summer of 2015 taking in venues ranging from Madrid to Mexico City to Beijing. (Sadly they are not appearing in NYC nor Paris as I myself believe they deserve to do with pride.) As ENB currently sits - or perhaps better termed 'dances' - their ranking fully deserves to be amongst the world class. Rightfully so. Sadly the Arts Council of England has deemed it necessary to freeze their grant for the next three years. However, we can rest assured that under Rojo's fine direction, they will fight on with a full compliment of artistic stealth. That the resulting steam will be heady can, I think, be promised.

I don't know if it will be interpreted as a 'coup' but it was announced yesterday (1st October) that CESAR CORRALES (winner of a Prix de Lausanne 2013 and this year's YGAP Award in the Senior Division; a former 'Billy Elliott' in Chicago and Toronto professional productions and, I believe a past member of ABTII) will join ENB as a (permanent) Artist of the Company. He is all, I think, of 17 or 18 years of age. Just thought I would add this to the above notifications.

I understand there is a benefactor who has specifically specified that they are willing to cover guest fees for ENB. In any light, most generous.

From the depths of my cherished memories comes the name of Erik Bruhn. For me his Dr. Coppelius and Madge with the National Ballet of Canada (of which he was then Artistic Director) remain unsurpassed .... and a lot of waters have passed under my bridge since I can promise you. I also remember the devastating trill of Merrill Ashley's Carabosse in Peter Martins' inaugural Sleeping Beauty ... She came close to emasculating even Monica Mason ... or Celia Franca ... and that takes some doing. One other much more recent memory was Vitaly Biktimirov's inspired Catalabutte a la Peter Sellars for the Bolshoi. His subtle genius in that role remains a masterly work of comedic art in my mind's eye.

I can't believe given the investment that the NBoC have made in THE WINTER'S TALE and Kain's admirable determination on behalf of the company she so glowingly leads that it won't appear in the Big Apple at some point in the not entirely too distant future.

Why do I suspect it might currently be the Romanian National Ballet ????

I agree with much of what Abatt says. That said, wait until you see THE WINTER'S TALE. It is in a different league altogether. Wheeldon has at last come into his narrative own, balletically speaking.

If you are willing to subscribe to THE AUSTRALIAN you can find a review here. (I only read the one paragraph that was free access.)

If there is going to be blood letting (much like in the change of most political administrations) it is, I think, better to do it in one fell sweep rather than through a drip feeding process where you may well kill with seeming kindness. This may itself prove to be an effective step of prudence for all concerned. At least Mr. Corella is showing himself to be a leader. Time will tell as to the effectiveness of his particular scope/style of leadership. For better or worse such leaders don't themselves grow on trees or they would be more readily pruned and picked. Moreover there is surely a board of trustees/governors/directors who will, I assume, have sanctioned such alterations in the name of overall responsibility.

POB RAINs Live on http://www.operadeparis.fr and http://concert.arte.fr. at 7:30 pm CET on 25.10.14 Production Reference: https://www.operadep...-de-keersmaeker

Sadly Kondaurova did not appear at all during the recent London tour of the Mariinsky.

I've already got four tickets to see it in two stints in Paris. I love to see how these things grow into themselves ... and grateful not to have to fly to New York to see the wonderful Mr. Fairchild.

Here are a few looks at the development of the Australian Ratmansky re-fashioning of his Cinderella, marking a return to the home of his first full-length ballet effort.

A short note; decades ago, having graduated from Cambridge I got a fellowship to take a PhD at the University of Toronto in dramatic literature. I would have just turned 20 at the time. Some friends of mine dragged me (and I mean literally - as I didn't want to go I recall) to some horrid hole in the ground where people 'did comedy'. (It hadn't become a fad yet; still very much on the outskirts of civilized comprehension.) I was bored silly. It was a Sunday and what now would have been called an open mic night - only there was no mic. Suddenly this young man pushed his way (again, literally) up onto what passed for a stage. The audience were screaming at him to get lost. It was all quite barbaric. Still he persisted. The season at Stratford, Ontario was in full flight and he started in on and about that. Suddenly he took on the guise of Olivier (then still thriving) having to deal with these colonial numskulls on that most extraordinary stage (then copied in this country at Chichester and Sheffield). His efforts were dazzling. Even today I have never heard a better take on Olivier. His knowledge of Shakespeare was truly encyclopedic. After 20 minutes or so - with that same audience in his now more than ready fist - he finished. This time they wouldn't let him go ... He did another 20 minutes (at least) and then took questions AS OLIVIER. ... Some really bizarre ones as you can imagine. It was well after midnight when I and my friends walked out. Just before we left I went up to him to say how much I admired his skill. He seemed frighteningly shy and was literally backed into a dark corner on his own. How could this be? Perhaps people were just intimidated at the extraordinary volume of his gift. There is no question but that he had been glittering in the sweep of his rapier wit on that platform some minutes before. He seemed, I recollect, to be staring into a space on the floor. I asked his name. 'Robin Williams' he mumbled. 'Honoured to meet you, Mr. Williams,' I said taking his hand to shake. Suddenly he looked up. His eyes galvanized mine with laser like precision. He swallowed I remember and smiled sadly during this unexpected moment of almost alarming intimacy. 'Thank you', he whispered while still holding my hand. Still it was - it IS - his dramatic performance on that platform - for that is what it was - that I recall most vividly even now. It is something I've never forgotten. (This was some time before even MORK AND MINDY.) I owe those friends of mine a great debt of gratitude. I'm so glad I went. RIP Robin Williams.

A follow-up .... Attended both of the performances of the Mariinsky's Balanchine programme on the second Saturday of their three week 2014 London Tour presented at the generous behest of the Hochhausers' commercial interests. All seats were - as far as I could see - filled. Sadly the two performances of APOLLO were stung by a collection of Russian instrumentalists and their slovenly leader - one Gavriel Heine - who insisted on homogenising the aliphatic musical mysteries of Stavinsky's glorious drama. Those sitting in front of the position in the upper ROH amphitheatre from which I stood shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the insistent sawing rendered their ears ever more leaden. Even Ms. Shapren who danced all three of the weekend's Terpsichores was not shielded from such effects. (I must confess given the lack of additional interpreters of that major role - [i, myself, would have loved to see the luminous Ms Tereshkina] - and in my own desperate need to find some/any respite from the barbarous musical massacre being wrought - I begun to wonder if this particular lack in notable casting variety might in some covert fashion be a signal as to the diminishing depth of strength in the current Mariinsky soloist and principal ranks on London show. Then suddenly another sour horror was struck from the pit and I was interrupted from even that contemplation. One of course prays that the combined Mariinsky forces will continue to wave and not drown. History happily shows that this will be the most likely course.) That said - and In all events pertaining to Stravinsky yesterday - as much as towards Balanchine's indomitable Apollo Musagete such as is danced by this Company, it proved hard - neigh, almost impossible at times - to 'hear the dance' when - at almost every (and frequently unsteady) turn - we were clouded in our efforts to emphatically 'see' the staggering score of the 20th Century's master music maker. T'was a shame. The matinee of Balanchine's MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM - much as had been the case with the previous Saturday's SWAN LAKE - proved to be but a rehearsal for an enhanced evening repast (short in this instance for the very delicate turn in the second act's vigorous adagio by the ever appealing Nadezhda Batoeva). Even Oxana Skorik, who had, herself, been a Ttiania of limited largess in the afternoon, found second breath in the evening's Divertessment (certainly when compared with her rather forced efforts in that role the evening before). During this last London performance of Balanchine's take on Shakespeare's insightful frivolities Skorik allowed an enhanced grace to flower in her stunningly elongated extensions. A renewed relaxation was to be found in her smile as it now began to consistently unfold in the the ever hardy hands of her industriously stolid - oh, sorry - solid cavalier, Konstantin Zverev. Uliana Lopatkina - although not perhaps a Balanchine dancer born - sprinkled the radiance of her glowing sincerity - a rarefied entity we have long been privileged to cherish - over all. She made the many happy faces of the talented British children beam within the girth of their second act circle's approbation. (Bless Balanchine for never being patronising in his choreography for these [or indeed any] youths.) Even the entirely endearing changeling child's enhanced grin (surely well worth the price of any familial feud) was wrought even more emphatically delicious as he did his level best to copy Lopatkina in her theatrical grace during the first act curtain call. (Strange as it may sound that, I think, may well prove for me to be one of the highlights of this particular Mariinsky run). Definitively - if proof was EVER needed - Lopatkina gave deafening lie to the song title: ' '. With abundant validity she was here adored by all. The female quotient of the Bard's lovers (again repeated here from the previous evening) were on particularly fine form as was Anastasia Matvienko's ever eviscerating stealth as Hippolyta. Happily she too now found her smile. Viktoria Krasnokutskaya's emotional variation as Hermia was most especially vivid and garnered enhanced and well warranted applause. ABOVE ALL, however, what set this performance apart from the other two sometimes saddened outings was the performance of Oberon. The misery of those previously missed opportunities suddenly evaporated as Filipp Stepin stepped - or should I say - leaped - into the role with refreshing conviction. While not approaching the informed majesty of Peter Boal, Stepin (in the pejorative) 'went for it' and gave more than joy in his elevating execution. Bless him. The audience was rightly buoyed and no one could I think have asked for more on that occasion. Vladislav Shumakov's Puck rose to a happier place in the end.

An instant response to the Mariinsky's Balanchine evening ... and but a few errant scribblings to take for but what they are worth ... The Mariinsky's Balanchine evening was the Company's finest outing thus far in their 2014 London season IMHO. This is I think entirely understandable given the embracing magic woven inside both pieces selected as created by the master dance maker of the 20th Century. While not yet scaling the heights of, say, (Peter) Martins, Boal, Hubbe, Finlay or Carreno as Apollo, the exemplary Vladimir Shklyarov was impetuously incisive in his depiction of a young God finding his way in the world. (Is there a one act ballet with a more inviting narrative than Balanchine and Stravinsky's APOLLO? I think not. I only wish that the music had been better played on this occasion. Methinks that Maestro Gergiev has kept all the best Mariinsky instrumentalists at home under his own baton.) After attending more than a few of the performances by the Mariinsky team of balletic performers fielded for this particular London sojourn, I have come to believe that Shklyarov and the incandescently gleaming Viktoria Tereshkina (whose Titania in Balanchine's MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM brought to rapid mind the glories of Krya Nichols in the same role - from the warmth of her glittering smile down) are by some distance the strongest on show. Both did nothing but build on the incisive radiance of their truly outstanding SL performances. One sees well why Kevin McKenzie has selected them as ABT's 'exchange artists'. The enormity of their skill reaches engagingly beyond time; beyond any geographical boundary. Both understand and precisely relate the application of their artistry as embellished both off (as well as on) balance as well as adorn their virtuosity by moving 'through rather than 'on' music much as Balanchine dictated. Sadly a goodly number of their peers do not and struggle to render the 'Balanchinian' magic routine. Balanchine happily sees that they fail. Still there is NO question but that Shklyarov and Tereshkina stand out from that crowd. Without hesitation Tereshkina's artistry is a far cry from the uncertain centre of Oxana Skorik, who almost (but not quite) managed to mangle the stunning glory of that masterful pas de deux which beats at the heart of the second act of Balanchine's DREAM, itself but a thrilling extended divertissement in celebration of the impending nuptials. I, myself, felt naught but sorry for the hard working Konstantin Zverev as her cavalier. Nancy Goldner in Balanchine Variations quotes the progenitor of ballet as we now understand it as writing: "It was in studying Apollo that I came first to understand how gestures, like tones in music and shades in painting, have certain family relations." These could well be appreciated in the rich sharing between Shklyarov and the finely animated Kristina Shapran in what may well be her (very fine) Mariinsky debut. (London audiences have previously appreciated her animated skill at the Coliseum in the title role of Coppelia with the Stanislavsky Ballet aside their current 'guest artist' Sergei Polunin, a former RB principal.) The stunning central Apollo pas de deux sang through Shapran's guiding limbs as Terpsichore. It was suffused with a much appreciated adroit finesse. I was also taken by the bouncing excitement of Nadexhda Batoeva's Polyhymnia and very much look forward to her Cinderella (again in the more than capable hands of Shklyarov) at the final performance of this particular Mariinsky season. I confess I prefer Ashton's DREAM to Balanchine's (even though the latter does more fulsomely address the Bard's work itself). That said, I MUCH prefer Balanchine's finely dramatic La Valse to our British master's take. Horses for courses and all that. Still it was wonderful to be able to revisit the Balanchine via the splendour of this far more than merely handsome physical production. I so appreciate that the Mariinsky design team never appear to clutter their stages with scenery, allowing the dance itself to set the scene. While never touching the diabolical glee of Damian Woetzel's resplendent performance, the talented Vasily Tkachenko rightly glorified in Balanchine's Puck. Xander Parish came into his own I felt as Demetrius and Anastasia Matvienko (an artist we have previously enjoyed in London with the Mikhailovsky) rendered her stealth - if not her smile - on Hypolita, a role that for me will FOREVER have the name of Monique Meunier emblazoned on its heart. (Sadly London - that 'mecca of world dance' according to Sadler's Well's Alistair Spalding - was never given an opportunity to sample Meunier's heady flair.) What came close to making me cry, however, was the approximations of Timur Askerov's Oberon in that MASTERFULLY extended variation created for Villella in 1962. How well I remember attending a free seminar at the NY Public Library (Lincoln Center Branch) where Villella himself choked up at watching a film of his performing the same and then spent an unforgettable hour relating details behind the alchemy of its creation. Last night's audience rightfully applauded Balanchine's genius in the construction of this devilishly difficult feat ... but, oh, that the virtuoso that was Peter Boal could have been been reawakened to show this deserving crowd just how those steps might dazzle in the full flight of their undisputed magic. Still, one must be grateful that a likeness was there at all I suppose ... and there was - as I said - much in the overall evening to admire throughout.

I wrote a review of last night's SOLO FOR TWO performance in London for another web Forum that you might find of interest -- as it specifically makes reference to at least two of the referenced 'major critics'.you note, abatt .... At any rate, here she blows: ... I remember MANY years ago sitting in a Broadway theatre with my mother. We were watching a (not particularly good) musical by Andre Previn about Gabrielle Channel entitled 'Coco'. As the curtain came down after a rather lengthy first act my mother whispered in my ear: 'It's a good thing she's Katherine Hepburn.' It was. While Hepburn's singing abilities were oftentimes doubtful there was no question but that she was every inch a star. (Cecil Beaton's costumes were ravishing too I recall. Indeed both of these entities remain vivid in my mind's eye even now.) In some moments of SOLO FOR TWO - even occasionally in Ohad Naharin's PASSO which I must confess oft dumbfounded me (largely because I'm almost totally unaware of Gaga short of a certain lady and even then only remotely connected) I had a kind of 'far away' response. During such parts I fleetingly felt as if I was again that child visiting a then (to me) strange Manhattan from a country then popularly - and legally - referred to as 'Great Britain'. My ground shifted here as surely as it must have for Vasipova. Somehow at times we both seemed shrouded in a (not always unpleasant or frightening) mist. (And, no, I must confess I've never - even at children's parties - been made to walk like a duck much as Vasiliev had to in time to 'Greensleves'.*) Still, certain goalposts were swaying. That too can sometimes be revealing. At certain points in SOLO FOR TWO I found my mind's eye casting itself upwards as I made to whisper to my mother: 'It's a good thing that they're 'Vasipova'.. Tit for parental tat I suppose. I then imagined that I winked and thought I heard my mother snort - politely - in return. The only thing is, my mother would not have had the good fortune/opportunity to be realistically initiated unto the reality of Vasipova's heady (balletic) charms previously. She would never have (as I fear many in this far from capacity audience had not) seen them together glorify Don Q, Giselle, Corsaire, Flames of Paris, Laurencia, etc. Indeed, the woman next to me had never seen either of them (together or apart) before .. EVER. In many ways I could understand when she turned to her friend after the second interval (both of which were considerably longer than the dance works they preceded) saying: 'I was so relieved when I heard the women in the loo saying they were confused and unhappy. Thank Christ it wasn't just me.' Still I found myself blurting out in joy as Osipova strolled away in dismay at Vasiliev's pseudo 'he-man' display in the aforementioned piece much as I later did when she reattached her wayward groom's 'bunny bow' - this time with sparkles - from the depths of her own burnished (if painful) fantasy buried in Arthur Pita's bemusing FACADA. The ladies next to me remained 'stoney' faced throughout I fear. They didn't even seem to be moved by Osipova's outstanding tabletop dance of death over the final remains of her strangulated and literally strangled Portuguese pain below - for me the single most outstanding feature of the entire evening. Still, they applauded politely and even remained in place for the one front of curtain appearance by the mighty duo. If Sergei Danilian (the producer) had combined, say, two of the three pieces presented (say, Cherkaoui's MERCY and the Pita) with the vision sequence from 'LA BAYADERE (as had been originally promised in the Segerstrom Center's promotion) - or even placed those aside Petit's CARMEN with Ballet San Jose and the magnificent Jose Manuel Carreno in tow as Espada as had been itemised at one point in the production's press release - those ladies I thought - and many like them - might well have been offered a more balanced perspective via which to catch onto/alight (in terms of Vasipova's historic/histrionic strengths) during their journey into this seeming wonderland. I had one additional point of concern this morning. Am I alone in being somewhat troubled by the fact that the two most prominent and positive reviews of this programme are written by reviewers - and in The Daily Telegraph's case the woman who is the overall Arts Editor - who have previously had dinners with and, in the Guardian's case, shared a preparatory class aside the two stars of this production? Years ago I remember chatting with Clive Barnes and his saying that he felt it was "mandatory" - in order to keep an objective critical stance on behalf of his readership - that he not do interviews, other features or in any way socialise with any of the personnel responsible for any of the productions (be they dance or theatre) he would be reviewing. "Other people can write those," he quipped. He even said that he turned down social invitations if he was aware that any such would be attending. I must confess I was myself concerned when Sarah Crompton (ref The Daily Telegraph) showed up to do the pre-class interview and commentary with the Mariinsky Acting Director during their live class relay feature. Other people (if I recall correctly) took those roles for the Telegraph last year when the paper featured similar video outings with the Bolshoi. (Perhaps she won't be reviewing any of the other items of the Mariinsky fare to be presented. That would, in my estimation, be prudent.) Indeed, neither of these women made ANY reference to their associations in their SOLO FOR TWO reviews - and both, I believe, have additionally written features. Perhaps this is just a sign of our times. They may well now be right (I don't know) and certainly must be (rightfully I think) fearful for their positions given the overwhelming and current industry trends. Within the next decade or so such posts may well be entirely non-vocational. The internet does offer such wonderful succour in terms of alternative resource. Just look at Bruce Marriott's gloriously rich DanceTabs!!! We are, I think, so lucky; so very blessed. * I adore Vasiliev in part because he can often appear as if he wants to break out in glee. While doing that duck walk (repeated four times) this dancer who succeeded in making even SPARTACUS palatable for me (and that takes SOME doing) looked (to me) for all the world as if he wanted to tell a joke. I, myself, had wanted to hear it as I have this hunch it might well have been superior (i.e,, come as a relief) to his rather awkward haunch at that particular moment in time.

The so-called 'dance boom' has much to answer for in my case :

And just think of the new audiences that will potentially follow his (and Tiler Peck's) happy NYCB return just a tad up on Broadway. A public service in deed.