gravitysalad

We are known, after all, for our "12th Man" here in Seattle.

Thanks for sharing this news, sandik.  I never tire of watching that video, or Carrie Imler dancing in anything, and will miss her.  Sigh... I sure hope we get to see 32 more of those fouettes in the season encore.

9 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

 

As of a year ago, it did not, and as far as I can tell it still doesn't. (Otherwise they would have to get rid of those crazy service charges!)

 

P.S. You may end up loving it, but I detest the Grigorovich Swan Lake. I will tolerate it only for the sake of certain casts. There are films of it, so you can give it a test drive and decide for yourself.

Dang about the tickets (and fees), although an official box office printed ticket is a nicer keepsake than the print-at-home variety.  

Ah, very sound advice about test-driving... Probably best to do for every version with that option before springing for tickets and travel.

On September 29, 2016 at 6:40 AM, mnacenani said:

If I may venture an opinion : the current Grigarovich staging at the Balshoy in Maskva ! The first act choreo for Siegfried/Rothbart (Zloy Geniy=Evil Genius in Russki) is mind-blowing imho. Saw it at Balshoy in Jan 2015 on my first trip to Russia (Nikulina/Chudin/Belyakov) and recently twice at the ROH London in August this year (Smirnova/Chudin/Kryuchkov)+(Zakharova/Rodkin/Belyakov). The Jesters are something to see too ... no one in the West can do this sort of characterization. The current Legris staging at Vienna is very good too but you have to pick your cast,  Konovalova and Yakovleva are good dancers.

Good to know about these are recommended as well - thanks!  Oh, how wonderful to have so many choices.  I haven't much thought about aiming for specific casts yet. (The swan corps is the biggest draw for me so far.)

On September 27, 2016 at 5:49 AM, cubanmiamiboy said:

The most notable thing, musically speaking,  of act IV of the Mariinsky is its use of the Valse Bluette, Drigo's 1895's orchestration of a piece that wasn't even written for the ballet.  I must say I find it anti climatic and too sugary for all the drama that goes before and after its insertion, so no very unhappy too see it cut from ABT's.  Both Mariinsky and ABT use ACt IV's "storm music"-(sometimes also cut off from some productions). Mariinsky basically puts Von Rothbart grand jeteeing acros the stage while ABT's have swans also grand jeteeing in front of the curtain along with a distressed Siegfried. As per ABT's silly prologue, YES...IT NEEDS TO GO at some point.  It is VERY anti climatic to show the ballerina dancing Odette before her iconic entrance in Act II.  Still...SW is all about drama, and the ORIGINAL finale, as originally conceived and followed by ABT, can't get any better.  ABT has also GREAT mime scenes in its finale, something that can't be found at Mariinsky either. 

Edited to add: Gravitysalad...there are two productions that are very interesting to see, from a historical point of view.  One is Miami's impeccable recon of Balanchine's mid century one and the other one the also uber detailed recon of Messerer's 30's staging at the Mikhailovsky. I have truly enjoyed watching both of them.  They really take you to another era.

Thanks for these details!  At some point I do hope to see ABT's, Balanchine's and even Peter Martins's (if only to see Sara Mearns as Odette/Odile, based on what I've read about her), and will keep an eye out for the Messerer as well.

The La Scala helpful hints are much appreciated!  I've marked my calendar for the when tickets go on sale and will try to make this happen next year.  Good to know the mail-only option delivered quickly... Not having another option may well have scared me away.  (Does La Scala have a print-at-home ticket option?  I guess I'll find that out on May 5.)

Oh my gosh, your evocative descriptions of the lakeside scenes in the Mariinsky production are so compelling, Drew and Birdsall.  I very much look forward to experiencing hopefully most of the recommendations here in the years to come.  --with gratitude to all from a newbie balletomane with so much to learn

11 hours ago, Jayne said:

The Royal Ballet is creating a new Swan Lake next year I believe. It will be traditional and replace the current, much criticized version.  

Thank you for the heads up, Jayne!  I was hoping someone would recommend a London production, and look forward to learning more as news on it unfolds.

11 hours ago, sandik said:

Christopher Wheeldon's version, which is not a traditional one, has many lovely moments.  He made it for Pennsylvania Ballet a number of years ago, and the Joffrey now does it as well. 

 

(not sure that PB will be keeping it with their new administration)

... adding Wheeldon to my list as well.  Thanks, sandik!  

10 hours ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

Live I have seen Bolshoi-(Grigorovich)-, Mariinsky-(K. Sergueev)-, Mikhailovsky-(Messerer)-, Alexandrinsky, POB-(Nureyev)-, Miami-(Balanchine)-, NYCB-(Martins)-,and Cuba-(based on Mary Skeaping 1958). Overall I recommend ABT's.

Wow, that's a great endorsement for ABT.  I was wondering if any of the Russian productions would be recommended.   Much appreciated, cubanmiamiboy!

4 hours ago, naomikage said:

Katherine has told almost all the low points that I also find with this version. The swan choreography is awkward and I don't like the lighting in the white acts which are strangely bright. Plus the violence toward women in the first act (with a gang rape..) National Ballet of Canada now has wonderful Odettes such as Lunkina and Dronina so it is time they should replace the version.

 

I also agree with Katherine's opinion of Neuemeier's Illusions Like Swan Lake, although not a traditional one it is very beautiful. Along with Hamburg Ballet, it had recently entered the repertoire of Munich (as it is the hometown of King Ludwig II who is the main character in this ballet), but it will no longer be performed there with the arrival of Zelensky. 

 

And also not a traditional version, but I like the Bourmeister Swan Lake (which was originated in Stanistavsky Theatre, where Zelensky also directs) which has a stunning and dramatic 3rd act. There is a DVD available because Paris Opera Ballet also used to perform it. 

Thank you, naomikage... I will definitely wait for National Ballet of Canada to replace theirs, and seek out the Neumeier.  And thanks for the tip about the Bourmeister DVD.

With all of this collective knowledge, I wonder if there is a compendium somewhere (perhaps within the forums here and I didn't look hard enough?) with basic production info and impressions/opinions of all the current Swan Lakes... If not, and if it might be useful, I volunteer to help set up a matrix or something like that if anyone else would be interested (since I'll be doing this offline for my own travel dream purposes anyway).

Gosh, thanks all!  Your impressions of the different cities are appreciated, too. 

volcanohunter, I was actually wondering about the National Ballet of Canada production, so it's helpful to know it's not recommended.  Poking around on the forums here yesterday - what a wealth of info! - I stumbled on a review that served as a similar warning. 

Alrighty, I've added the Ratmansky to my wish list (and appreciate the Milan tips and touring heads up, aurora, Amy and silvermash) along with the Cranko (and I'd be game for the Neumeier even if not exactly traditional - thanks kbarber for all the helpful info on the Tours en l'air site as well... I'm going to start saving and hope the stars will align with the Cranko and/or Neumeier in one of your wonderful sounding holiday tours in a future year.).

55 minutes ago, kbarber said:

I like Cranko's which you can only see in Stuttgart.

I also love Neumeier's version but it wouldn't fit your requisite of "relatively traditional 2nd and 4th acts".

Much appreciated!

What productions of Swan Lake would you recommend traveling to see?  I've started making Swan Lake a focus of vacation travel, but having limited resources to spend on travel am wondering which productions to make a priority, particularly those with relatively traditional 2nd and 4th acts. I love Kent Stowell's production at PNB (especially the ending), and also enjoyed Helgi Tomasson's production in San Francisco. Paris is next on my list.  Where would you recommend going?  Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
 

A bit off topic (but may be of interest to Millepied fans in Seattle):

Reset, the new documentary on Millepied, will be screened in Seattle on Oct. 3, 7:30 pm, as part of the French Cinema Now festival at SIFF Cinema Uptown, just a few blocks west of McCaw Hall.  Peter Boal will be introducing the film.  Here's a link for more information and tickets:

http://www.siff.net/cinema/film-festivals/french-cinema-now-2016/reset