Marc Haegeman

Oh yeah, this role is tailor-made for Tsiskaridze .

Alexandra, Inga will surely be able to tell you more about this, but "Narcissus" surely isn't new for Yanin. When the company was in London two years ago, at the Drury Lane Theatre, he danced all the performances of "Narcissus" then, due to the absence of Tsiskaridze, and was pretty successful with it.

I went to see one of the final performances of "Jewels" at the POB (on the 5th). Above all, I would like to mention the quality of the Parisian corps de ballet, which was in all three sections in a class of its own, the ideal support for the soloists and quite elementary in the creation of the overall feel of the work. On the other hand, the soloist-parts weren’t all that brilliant this time. Laëtitia Pujol and Karl Paquette were the somewhat pale leads in 'Emeralds', yet totally disappointing (or simply miscast) was Eleonora Abbagnato in the second solo and duet (her partner Bullion wasn’t much to write home about either). Things improved with 'Rubies' thanks to Nolwenn Daniel and Hervé Courtain as the leading couple, doing rather well, although nowhere near as good as for instance Delphine Moussin and Manuel Legris. Another serious miscast and a cruel example of an artist who should be dancing in the corps instead of being thrown in a solo role was Emilie Cozette as the second girl. 'Diamonds' was probably most agreeable overall with Moussin and Bart. Moussin definitely found more in the role than Letestu, even if (like I often felt with Moussin) she lacked again that last bit of sparkle or inspiration or personality that could make it a truly great performance.

Thanks for all the reactions. I've put up a new thread about the sense and non-sense of these historical reconstructions at the Mariinsky. Anybody wanting to discuss this interesting topic further, please post there. http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...&threadid=10196

As was obvious from the comments following the performances of “La Bayadère” during the Mariinsky Festival, the historical reconstructions keep dividing opinions. Some people say they are old-fashioned, overlong, boring, and unsuited to public taste and to the style of the dancers. Others have stressed the value of the reconstructed choreography and dramatic structure of the ballets, revealing long-forgotten or overlooked aspects. In that same thread a rather interesting point in this issue has been touched by Andrei and Alexandra, which I think can be considered typical : in a period when the Maryinsky Theatre is showing serious interest in its past and is taking great pains to revive its priceless heritage, this attitude is apparently not shared by many of its (leading) dancers and ballet masters. Most of them simply don’t seem to believe in these reconstructions, some of them even refuse to appear in the restored ballets, and those who do, frequently ignore the surroundings. Another aspect which I find bizarre is that the Kirov soloists are allowed a great deal of what you might call 'artistic freedom' within an undertaking this ambitious. Some interpretations may seem closer to the spirit of the reconstruction (if such a thing can be achieved) than others, yet the way that Zakharova dances Aurora or Nikiya in the new-old productions for instance isn't in any way different from the way she used to dance these roles in the Soviet versions. To put it briefly: she just changed costumes and learned some new steps. Can the reconstruction of a period piece succeed without the wholehearted participation of all concerned? Doesn't it fail when not everybody involved, believes in it a hundred percent? Andrei has already given his answer: “all reconstructions of 'original' choreography have to be stopped immediately.” What do others think about this?

In the Mariinsky version each of the 6 variations is danced by one fairy, the last one being the lilac. In Nureyev's version the 6 variations are danced by 7 fairies, the 2nd variation is danced by two (Coulante 'and' Fleur de Farine, usually one and the same). It's also interesting to read what Doug Fullington has to say about the Kirov's reconstruction: http://users.skynet.be/ballet-lovers/Beauty1.html

Thank you for the reports! Alexandra, Goriacheva was indeed trained at the Moscow Choreographic School. At the Bolshoi she works mainly with Struchkova. Some more on : http://users.skynet.be/ballet-lovers/Goriacheva.html and (in Russian): http://www.ballet.classical.ru/b_goriacheva.html

In Nureyev's version for Paris there are two fairies for the 2nd Prologue variation as well. Don't know why either.

Bertrande, see Jeannie's opening post of this thread about the promotions.

Yes, they performed it in "Théâtre de la Ville" in Paris last year. Estelle, any production of "Swan Lake" that claims to do better than Petipa and is (as we are reminded in the programme book by artistic director Robert Denvers) "more interesting and logical to read than most 'Swan Lake' productions on offer today", can never get enough attention . Anyway, for anyone feeling the urge, here's the link to the official RBoF site (in 4 languages): http://www.koninklijkballetvanvlaanderen.be/ Perhaps we could move this to the Other International Ballet Companies section, Alexandra?

Here they are, Betrande, taken from www.mariinsky.ru (and hoping this is the latest version): Principals: Ayupova, Lopatkina, Makhalina, Nioradze, Vishneva, Zakharova; Baranov, Fadeyev, Kolb, Korsuntsev, Kurkov, Ruzimatov, Zelensky First soloists: Dumchenko, Ivanova, Kullik, Tarasova, Zhelonkina; Batalov, Korsakov, Matvienko, Ivanchenko, Kuznetsov, Yakovlev Second soloists Amosova, Golub, Gonchar, Kasenkova, Pavlenko, Serova, Sheshina; Bobovnikov, Merkuriev, Ivanov, Sarafanov, Semionov

Yes, Viviane, I saw that cast as well and enjoyed Olga Volobueva a great deal, too. Incidentally, Volobueva is a former Kirov Ballet soloist. In 1995 she joined Colorado Ballet and danced quite a lot of Balanchine with that company. In 2000 she joined the Royal Ballet of Flanders and is now first soloist. I agree it's not with the most attractive works they are touring, or at least not the works that show them from their best angle, but as far as I heard all performances of "Not Strictly Rubens" here were sold out.

You haven't seen this one yet, Lynette. And, undoubtedly to magnify the impact of the experience, it's offered non-stop as well . I wonder how the their "Romeo and Juliet" will be received in London. It is a rather truncated affair, with the music cut and pasted on several occasions, but at least it gives the dancers some chance to prove themselves.

Thanks, Leigh. That's right, Viviane. They also bring their version of "Romeo and Juliet" to Sadler's Wells, May 6-10. Not exactly a masterpiece either, but still worth seeing (interesting to note also that in London they bring it with an orchestra, while we almost always get taped music out here ) Viviane, I have plenty of ideas of what these things may be, but I rather not say it on this board Here's the link: http://www.sadlerswells.com/whats_on/sprin...03/flanders.asp

Alexandra, I don't have figures to back this up, but as far as I know the Royal Ballet of Flanders seems to be doing well with its traditional classical/neo-classical ballets. It doesn't necessarily mean that much, as we are a small country and there are very little performances over the year, yet all the performances I attended over the last years had a reasonable amount of attention and there definitely is a public that enjoys traditional ballets. Yet, I suspect that this doesn't seem to be enough to some of those in charge. As Viviane points out there have been several efforts to bring in fancy names, so called cultural popes, enfant-terribles, whatever, eccentric brains, who may score highly within certain circles, but for all that are often completely out of touch with the idiom of classical ballet. We get parades of highly personal quirks that are being sold as original and novel art (Fabre's "Swan Lake" is now advertised as "pioneering"), but as Viviane said, dance in all that becomes completely marginal and secondary. BTW, Bogaerts the creator of "Not Strictly Rubens" is said to have been active in among others Joffrey Ballet, Washington Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet and Danish Royal Ballet. Is anybody familiar with his work in those companies?

Catherine-Françoise, I didn’t see other companies in "Jewels". I understand the Miami Ballet is one of the best as well. Limiting myself to this particular evening with the défilé and "Allegro brillante" preceding "Jewels", I particularly enjoyed Elisabeth Maurin in "Allegro brillante". This is a great ballerina with a superb quality of plastique and an uncanny sense of style. In Emeralds I thought Osta and Belarbi were outstanding, although the ensemble in general was very strong on atmosphere. In Rubies Moussin and Legris were close to ideal and without any excesses. On the other hand, Letestu and Martinez in Diamonds, seemed totally outside of this ballet, with no connection whatsoever to it spirit, and no matter how well danced as a purely technical exercise.

Alexandra, no it isn't and that's just the tragedy. The Royal Ballet of Flanders is one of the smaller groups on the European dance scene that has made a commendable effort to become a respectable classical ballet company in the last decades. It has now a fair amount of the great classics in its repertory (that these aren't always the best versions is another thing), and they are pretty good in neo-classical (as we could see in the opening work of that fearful evening, a fine rendition of d'Amboise's "Symposium/Mondriaan"). Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Somehow, in spite of the obvious success and appeal, there is a growing tendency within the company’s management and the local cultural establishment that supports it, which takes great pains (for whatever reasons) to drag the Royal Ballet of Flanders down into the regions of self-parody and balletic travesty. Last year we had that abysmal "Swan Lake", and now there is "Not Strictly Rubens" which exceeds all expectations.

Topless ballerinas with gigantic erect phalli, prancing about in awkward grace before the whole group joins in a nerve-wrecking mega dance-party. A duet of a giant black body-builder in flower shorts with a smallish ballerina, executed with the passion of a pair of sleepwalkers. It may not exactly be your idea of a Sunday matinee ballet performance (it isn’t mine, either) but that’s basically what we are offered in “Not Strictly Rubens”, the newest creation of the Royal Ballet of Flanders, premiered last week in Antwerpen. Guilty of this noteworthy feat is Belgian choreographer Marc Bogaerts who, the usual out-to-lunch intellectualisation at hand, devised an endless cocktail of ugliness and vulgarity, supposed to evoke the divine ecstasy of the famous baroque painter Rubens. However, Bogaerts’ plot is indecipherable, worse, his insignificant choreographic manner isn’t able to keep the attention for more than ten minutes as it gets instantly drowned by the noise produced by Praga Khan’s techno and dance score. Lighting has the subtlety of a cheap slasher movie and costumes by trendsetting couturier Walter Van Beirendock are a total embarrassment. One wonders why a respectable company like the Royal Ballet of Flanders bothers with this kind of work that definitely belongs in other venues. The classically trained dancers looked all too obviously ill-at-ease within these surroundings. To bring “Not Strictly Rubens” at this moment is even more cynical now that the government decreed that the major task of this company, as the sole classical ballet troupe in the region, is to bring the “brilliance of classical dance”. I understand the RB of Flanders will be touring this work (to London among others). Better be warned. Anyone with similar experiences?

What I think about the Paris Opera Ballet has been amply covered in the last years in DanceView, where you will find several reviews and interviews with étoiles. I'm sure Alexandra will welcome your subscription To answer your question, generally, I prefer the Paris Opera's take on "Jewels" to the Kirov's, at least when it comes to Emeralds en Rubies. Emeralds doesn't look like so much like a lesson learned off pat in Paris, and in Rubies we are mercifully spared of the coarseness that some of the Mariinsky soloists seem to associate with it. As for Diamonds, the Mariinsky reigns supreme (once again, depending of the leading cast).

I know there is this whole argument pro and against Thibault and I don't want to raise it here, nor do I want to speak in his defence. But just this: on the occasions I saw him (most recently in the supporting cast of "Allegro brillante" and the pas de trois in "Paquita"), I always saw a dancer with a remarkable potential that needs to get cultivated and polished. Does it mean he has to be made premier danseur or even étoile? No, not necessarily, but like you say yourself, Catherine-Françoise, a dancer develops, and I'm quite sure that you too can think of a few less-talented colleagues who don't deserve those titles either ;).

Yes, thanks, Catherine-Françoise, I had asked about Thibault's performance in Jewels. Of course, I didn't see this performance so I don't know what I am saying. But just this. Soloist makes unsuccessful debut in Rubies. That's a shame. Conclusion: 1) Balanchine is not for him, so 2) he is artistically limited, and so 3) he is not entitled to become premier danseur. That's a lot of conclusions for one performance and I guess that's what bothered Viviane ;).

Thanks, Jeannie for this detailed report. Good to see that even the less-favoured of the company are performing .

New posters may find it interesting to go back a few months when this issue was already discussed: http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...=&threadid=7942

Thanks, Jeannie. Pavlenko was thrown overnight into Diamonds during the tour in London in June 2000, but she quickly made it her own.

Hans is Hilarion.