leonid17

I am currently reading 'Never Mind the Moon: My Time at the Royal Opera House' by Jeremy Isaacs, who ran Covent Garden for about nine years. Mr Isaacs is a very good writer and I'm enjoying the book a lot. I'm not sure about quoting from books here, so if a moderator takes this off, so be it.

This is an account of Mr Isaacs's first encounter with Mr and Mrs Kenneth MacMillan, neither of whom he had met before. I think this is very relevant to much of this thread

"An early visitor to my office was ...........Kenneth MacMillan..............He came now, accompanied by his formidable wife Deborah. They sat on the sofa, Kenneth saying scarcely a word while she let me have it. In the past Kenneth's work had been scorned by the board and neglected by the House. I must ensure that he was properly treated, see to it that more of his ballets were given."

Isaacs goes on to praise R & J and Manon, although pointing out that the latter wasn't universally admired at the beginning. Then:

"Deborah MacMillan pointed out to me how many other works Kenneth had created for the company, some controversial at their premieres, and urged that these should be revived. Such a commitment to our greatest living choreographer would, Anthony Dowell knew, be a main charge on his necessarily limited range of programming and resource. But it was a proper one. Ashton was dead; MacMillan was able to create new ballets and we would be celebrating his 60th birthday soon. Revivals of both men's work would contend for place."

Was it at this point I wonder, that Ashton and the English style were swept under the carpet?

I echo your last comment and the problem was caused by Sir Fred being edged. This was an act from which the Royal Ballet has never recovered despite some excellent dancers on their roster.

Manon is popular because it is a story ballet and that is what most ballet audiences enjoy watching. I personally thinks it flags in the middle.

The best casts I have seen were Sibley/Dowell who both plumbed extraordinary depths and the first performance that Penney and Eagling gave, seemed remarkable at the time and perhaps the best performance they ever gave in any ballet.

Regarding comments made on MacMillan's prediliction for prostitutes, they have remained a feature of most cities lives across the globe for centuries and like the poor, they will always be with us. Their appearance in a ballet should not offend anyone.

Whether it reflects the choreographers personal view of women I do not know. But I do know however, that a number of women friends had always been a feature of his life.

I am not sure but believe that

shows the dedication ceremony (or some such event) for the Vail Festival.

It introduces new choreography to (Anna Pavlova's famous solo, )"The Dying Swan!" The man dancing is Lil Buck, and the man who introduces Lil Buck (for those who don't know him) is Damian Woetzel, former principal dancer at NYCB. He is now the director of the Vail Festival of Dance, and will have Lil Buck there!

Thank you ViolinConcerto for posting this link.

I think it is extraordinary and I would like to see other examples of Lil Buck. I thought it a more interesting a piece of choreography than that offered by many present day choreographers.

PS

Not meaning to be too picky, but Pavlova never danced "The Dying Swan", she danced "The Swan."

Steifel's exit leaves lots of openings on the schedule. I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of Cory.

mmmm

Alonso always talks of Dolin with such reverence, and considers him her main source of her learning of the romantic style, alone with her other idol Markova. Agree with Leonid about remarking of his efforts leading to Miss Spessiztseva's placement in the Tolstoy's state to end her life in a dignified way. A lovely action.

Thank you Cristian.

As I did not introduce Sir Anton Dolin into this thread, but knew and liked Sir Anton when others were unsure of him,

I would like to add some further comments arising from my experience.

There was an effort by Sir Anton Dolin to bring Olga Spessitseva back into the limelight with the film in question. There is no doubt as to his sincerity in this matter, but we find ourselves today evaluating a former aged ballerina in a state of confusion, making statements within a context that was problematic.

Having had some experience with former dancers and those associated with dance in states of dementia, it is always difficult to keep a conversation flowing without prompting. What follows, can be confused response in some areas but entirely accurate statements in other areas.

I have found such an experience may seem to be an invasion into a world which the subjects have retreated from, sometimes by their own volition, but also because cognitive impairment is present.

It becomes difficult when all one wants to achieve is to resurrect the subjects earlier life, not for ones gratification, but to illuminate their achievements and this, in the hope, that they will recognise them and somewhat rejoice in them.

When elderly persons are institutionalised, their language dysfunction is exacerbated by inabilities in their retrieval

functioning. I have found that proactive interference works in some respect, but not necessarily over periods of time.

When Doug states, This variation, including the hops on pointe, is included in the Stepanov notation of Giselle Act One, which was made circa 1903, the year Pavlova first danced the role. The music is included in both the piano score (a manuscript interpolation) and full score of Giselle that are also part of the Harvard Collection.

When rg wrote, somewhere on ballettalk of late mention was made of Bessone? - as in Emma Bessone? - and in connection with her, the non-Adam-composed act one solo, probably? by Minkus. There should be no assertion that Minkus wrote the music, which Cristian has clarified.

Far from being sad as RG suggests when he writes, Dolin qualifies as another sad and sorry example of chatty celebrities posing as authoritative commentators. Dolin has in fact, a status beyond mine own and no doubt many other commentators.

As to,GISELLE with a history that is still being revealed and studied to this day by scrupulous historians and scholars, my breath is bated.

Edited 28.04.2011

Fascinating. The choreography on the Pavlova video is credited to Fokine; that on the McKerrow video to Pavlova herself. Does anyone know the story here?

Another question: at the end, the Poppy seems to fadie (or go to sleep?) by drawing her petals tightly around her. Pavlova actually seems to be alluding to her dying swan, though McKerrow does not. Do California poppies actually do something similar at night, or when they are dying? Or is this poetic license?

I can understand how most audiences were so enchanted by the fluidity, delicacy, and sincerity of Pavlova's performance. (Especially given the rather low level of "ballet" dancing available to them in most parts of the world.) Thanks, Cristian, for letting us share hint of what made Pavlova so adored..

The choreography is by Anna Pavlova and the first performance was given in 1915 at the Cort Theatre San Francisco.

Bart, I grew Californian Poppies from seed in the garden of Ivy House when curating the Anna Pavlova Memorial Museum. Californian Poppies close as the sun goes down and open with the sun in the morning.

Although the music is not synchronised, it lifts the performance and to my mind enchances the experience of Pavlova's movements.

I am so glad that you posted the video Cristian. Thank you,

Each work was announced from the stage by a less than endearing Andris Liepa in a style that to my mind, echoed the 1920's soviet speeches preceding performances ...

I am saddened to read this (as I am disappointed by reports of the program overall). One of Andris' many attractive qualities as a dancer was his abundant charm, and my perception of that charm was reinforced by a chance encounter in a supermarket.

For an alternative view of Andris Liepa's presentation skills read:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3488:the-blue-god/the-firebird-les-saisons-russes-du-xxieme-siecle-london-coliseum&Itemid=27

I guess that by the time Dolin did this the notations were not that available or known. I wondered why he didn't clarify this question with Karsavina. I assume that she had danced Giselle in Russia before the 1911 Diaghilev production-(which she did along with Pavlova)-, or at least would remember details of how was it danced at the Mariinsky during the turn of the century. I also suppose that Markova would have some clues about it, having danced the ballet and rehearsed it with Sergueyev and his notations as back as 1934 at the Savoy.

Anton Dolin partnered Olga Spessitseva in Giselle for The Camargo Society in 1932 which was staged by Sergeyev who also used the Maryinsky notations for the Vic-Wells Ballet production of 1934 when Dolin partnered Alicia Markova.

Anton Dolin's efforts to bring Spessitseva back into the limelight, was an act for which most people I know applaud and which benefitted Spessitseva herself.

As well as studying with with Seraphima Asatfieva and having appeared in at least 14 Diaghilev ballets(including The Sleeping Beauty) he became imbued with the Russian School tradition.

Dolin became noted as partner in Giselle with not only Spessitseva and Markova but that other outstanding exponent of the role Alicia Alonso.

I knew Dolin from the late 1960's as a casual acquaintance who was always friendly and generous in answering questions and discussing historic ballet events.

His version of the "Pas de Quatre" has remained continuously admired in Europe and I treasure memories of seeing the original casting for the Kirov Ballet.

Thanks, Leonid, and welcome back!!!

Yes, the critics seem to be in agreement about the impoverished attempts to reproduce the glories of the Ballets Russes.

Here are two other reviews, which agree:

http://www.bachtrack.com/review-blue-god-firebird-ballets-russes

http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/31893/diaghilev-festival-programme-1-the-blue

Thank you for the welcome back.

It is a great shame as both "The Firebird" and "Scheherazade" could have been given a more authentic production if a liaison had been established with the Royal Ballet in the first instance and English National Ballet in the second.(see below)

Overall and most disappointing, was the recreation of both costumes and sets. Whilst not an absolute offence, almost all the sets lacked vibrancy and subtlety as did the costumes, which one knew from earlier recreations, various auctions and exhibitions over the last 49 years.

Having said that, I was thrilled to see the realisation of "Thamar", in which the recreation of Bakst’s designs, brought us closer to the original production, previously known from photographs and design illustrations.

Throughout the Kremlin Ballet’s productions, one was aware that the height, slimness and musculature of their dancers, diminishing the design effect and what one assumes was the original effect of the costumes movement conceived for smaller and stockier built dancers.

I was glad to have seen the productions, but could not recommend them without a caveat.

NOTE

The Kremlin Ballet used the Alexander Golovine original designs for "The Firebird" whilst The Royal Ballet use the later

Natalia Goncharova designs. The Royal Ballet's advantage is that it was staged for the company by Sergey Grigoriev and Lubov Tchernicheva with Tamara Karsavina coaching Margot Fonteyn and Michael Somes in the leading roles. English National Ballet's production of Scheherazade is descended from the Diaghilev production via the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and London Festival Ballet with exceptional performances given by Vassili Trunoff and Dudley von Loggenburg,for whom it seemed to be, entirely in his blood.

I received links to several articles about "Les Saisons Russes du XXI Siècle" -- performances in London, coordinated by Andris Liepa. They are presented at the London Coliseum. First, from The Express:

Friday April 15,2011

By Neil Norman

BRINGING together dancers from the Kremlin Ballet theatre company, plus guest artists from the Mariinsky and Bolshoi, Andris Liepa's dream project - subtitled Les Saisons Russes du XXI Siècle - delivers an unprecedented number of ballets created by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes between 1909 and 1929.

also:

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/04/13/48897669.html

http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/31893/diaghilev-festival-programme-1-the-blue

After almost a years rest from the ballet, I attended what was described as a tribute to Diaghilev by the Kremlin Ballet.

Having seen the three programmes presented, I have to regrettably report that they were far from being a tribute.

Each work was announced from the stage by a less than endearing Andris Liepa in a style that to my mind, echoed the 1920's soviet speeches preceding performances for the new Russian audience who were unfamiliar with ballet. Each night he announced that he was the son of the outstanding Bolshoi ballet star Maris Liepa and proceeded to extensively describe the quality of what we were about to witness. This was a crass act and an indication that we were in for a bumpy ride.

Here are four newspaper reviews.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/the-diaghilev-festival-coliseum-london-2267389.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/apr/14/les-saisons-russes-xxi-review

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7370afe2-66aa-11e0-ac4d-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Jz09bYHO

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f5e4f098-69be-11e0-826b-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Jz09bYHO

To the Mods: This might be somewhere else in this board, and if that's the case, please delete it or move it.

I just bumped into this lecture given by Vikharev and Fedosova in Tokyo, 2000 about the reconstruction of Sleeping Beauty. There are many thumbnails on it of the original production pictures.

Enjoy!

http://www.geocities.jp/ttpballet/lecture/sleepe.html

Thank you for posting this link.

if mem. serves this photocard of Nikolai Aleksandorvich Solyannikov was posted previously, but that was likely with regard to SWAN LAKE, perhaps, in this case, Lopukhov's '45 production of the ballet for the Kirov Ballet. (as so often happens the photo is undated and uncaptioned except for the minimal writing on the negative).

in any case, now it can serve as a HALLOWEEN 2010 card.

Unless I have misread what you have written, it is captioned at the bottom of the photocard as Lebedinoe Ozero(ie Swan Lake)listed before the name of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Solyannikov.

Having watched the video of Margarita Perkun-Bebeziche posted by Mme. Hermine, I was moved by seeing Marina Victorovna Kondratieva discussing her one time pupil.

Thos wonderful dancer has not I believe,been much discussed on this site.

I was fortunate to have seen Marina Victorovna’s regrettably few performances in London.

For Geoffrey Whitlock’s brief biography see:

http://www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com/biographies-kondratieva.html

Video clips of her dancing and talking:

http://www.ruclip.com/video/6RVS9flufrQ/marina-kondratieva-in-spring-waters.html

and with Yaroslav Sekh in Paganini, which regrettably has adverts before the clip see:-

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=67654

Natalia Osipova pays tribute to Marina Victorovna in a Dance Magazine article written by Margaret Willis see: http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/September-2008/Russian-Ambition

the film in question is the following as described in the NYPL Dance Coll. cat. listing below, like the Torch Dance, a.k.a. as Assyrian Dance, it's silent but unlike the Torch dance, this b&w film does not have post-syc'd music, which Foster helped the film archive find to apply to the '09 Karsavina film:

The golden road to health and beauty [192-?].88 min. : si. b&w

Notes: English version of the motion picture Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit, made by the Cultural Dept. of the UFA (Universum Film Aktien Gesellschaft), Germany. Director: Wilhelm Prager. Scenario/scientific preparation: Nicholas Kaufmann, M.D. Music: Dr. Giuseppe Becce. Photography: Weinmann, Hrich, Paulmann. Silent, with English titles.

SUMMARY: Documentary on the value of physical fitness. Includes recreations of ancient Greek athletics and health practices, which are contrasted to modern neglect of the body. Survey of current exercise systems, including gymnastics for children, crawling exercises, Jaques-Dalcroze's eurythmics as practiced at the Hellerau school, the Loheland-Schule, Bess M. Mensendieck's exercises, and other athletic activities. Dance contents include: glimpses of dances from Africa, Hawaii, Japan, Burma, Bavaria, and Spain; Niddy Impekoven in The decadent doll, The life of the flower, and as a München tea-cozy; Rudolf von Laban and his company in a men's dance and the final scene of the dance-drama The living idol; Dussia Bereska in The orchid; Baku Ishii in The prisoner; Jenny Hasselquist in The white rose; Tamara Karsavina exercising at the barre and in a pas de deux from Sylvia with Pierre Vladimiroff; and Mary Wigman and her students in the final scene from the dance-drama The exodus.

This film can be downloaded at http://www.vo2ov.com/Path-to-the-power-and-beauty-Wege-zu-Kraft-und-Schonheit-by-Wilhelm-Prager-1925-_1080909.html

I can't believe that folks in the USA still have not received the book. Mine came to my present locale (in Middle East) within a week of ordering from the UK amazon.

I can't believe it, either...according to Amazon US, the book is out of print, with limited availability! I think I might order it from Amazon UK and pay extra for the shipping, though that will really be an expensive proposition. Amazon US went right from putting people on a notification list, to saying it is out of print...as far as I know, it has never even been stocked! Enjoy the new Roca book, too...that's another one that sounds fascinating.

This book is what in the past, would have been called a "vanity" publication being written and published by the author and it is my understanding that very few copies of the book were printed.

However, I have heard from several sources as to its value in terms of research and illustrations and in this respect goes beyond previous studies. It is short I am told, on descriptions of Karsavina in performance and fails to deal with her post Russia later life as Natalia mentioned.

Coloman (Koloman) was a King of Hungary and a rough contemporary of Jean de Brienne.

The shift in the story from Western Europe to Eastern Europe may have had political significance in the late 30s.

I am sure you are correct regarding the politics and there is an overtone of Soviet Russian racial delineation at work.

How odd of the authorities to change the name of Jean de Brienne to that of Koloman?

It would make more sense that the King of Hungary’s name was changed from Petipa’s King Andrew thus losing the obvious saints name in a Russia with a policy of state atheism without stating to the oblivious public that Koloman the First as a Christian king supported the First Crusade against the Saracens, which is the national/racial designation of Abderachman in Petipa’s ballet.

I have seen several sources Russian and otherwise, that say that Sergeyev and Chabukiani performed the role of Koloman in Raymonda.

Obituaries from London Press.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-mourns-claude-chabrol-giant-of-cinemas-new-wave-2077552.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/7997567/Claude-Chabrol.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/sep/12/claude-chabrol-obituary

Claude Chabrol (Born 24/06/1930 Died 12/06/2010)

Leading New Wave French Director has died aged aged 80.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gzQs17IcBr7L3Z-RV1ih33j2B2_Q

http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/02/chabrol.html

I find Grigorovitch's take quite bizarre. At the very beginning of the Pas, Maximova and Vasiliev are kneeling and posturing their hands in a gesture that look just as if they will start praying! Also, I don't remember any classical choreography where the Prince/Cavalier/male partner is lifted, just as his ballerina. The whole business with the candelabra is quite weird too...

I never liked the candelabra, however watching Maximova and Vasiliev in Nutcracker and Spartacus in 1969 at the Royal Opera House changed the lives of a good number of people I know and knew.

The moment when the prostrate Nutcracker Prince comes to life and Vasiliev takes his hand from his face and the music swells was a never to be forgotten experience and that was without the glorious dancing that was to follow from these two most remarkable dancers.

Not my favourite production, but certainly my favourite performance of this ballet. Picture the delightful Maximova acting away in her nightdress then the act of flinging her shoe at the Rat King and then of course her transformation to gorgeous princess in the last act.

Grigorovich for all his faults, knows exactly how to choreograph great roles for great dancers. Lets not worry about the story or Tchaikovsky getting lost in this production, they don't and the Bolshoi orchestra always rises to the demands of the beauty of the score.

I don't know how relevant they are today but I would love to see another one performed. I have fond memories of a ballet that one of my teachers, George Chaffee, choreographed; 'Les Characters De La Danse' which was described as an Anacreontic (Cheers!) ballet set to music by Jean-Ferry Rebel. The characters (Cupid, Venus, Zephyr,etc.) wore masks and performed ancient dances--Courante, Bourree, Passepied, Rigaudon, Sarabande, etc. Slow moving, but what charm.

I was so interested to read about George Chaffee staging a ballet to the music of Jean-Fery Rebel(1666-1747) as I have only really got interested in his music in the last 20 years with the appearance of recordings, although his name was known to me through his association with many famous ballerina's.

George Chaffee introduced me to earlier ballet works through "The Romantic Ballet in London" published in a Dance Index of 1943, a copy of which I acquired from Cyril Beaumont's shop in London around 1961. Chaffee can be said to have aroused my interest in the history of dance from the baroque to the present day. I would also mention that Chaffee's study preceded Ivor Guest's well-known book on the same subject, by eleven years.

Though not to be compared to his teacher Lully, Rebel's music has many felicitous moments and paints his scenes clearly in such works as "Les Elemens."of 1672, a work which helped to sustain a forward movement in ballet production.

Of course Twyla Tharp introduced many people to Rebel's music for 'Les Elements' through her dance work of the same name.

As a newbie I've done some background reading on ballet history, mainly the periods of ballet de cour and opera-ballet. A few basic points that seem simple:

1. Ballet is a particular form of art, originating in Renaissance Italy, codified as the French danse d'ecole, developed and modified thereafter.

2. It is based in classical and humanist ideals of the 16th and 17th centuries.

3. Ballet incorporates dance, music, theatre, and visual arts but has its own aesthetic and critical tradition, distinct from the other arts.

Though obvious, it seems to me that we often forget these basic ideas. In my opinion, the terms ballet and "dance" are mixed together too much nowadays. Ballet of that time is discussed for historical significance and details of performance practice, not as a vital art form. What we call ballet now too often stresses virtuosity and shock effect, not balance and empathy. Ballets are still talked about in terms of musical scores and operas rather than choreography. (I know a lot of the choreography is lost, but we know quite a bit too.)

Also have viewed on YouTube French ballet scenes from this period. I find many of them stunning and affecting too, full of genuine sentiment, grandeur, humour, and moments of genius. The issue: is this a specialist genre mainly of historical interest, or is it as I believe an art form relevant today, from which we can learn a lot?

Thank you for you post.

I know you will find others on the forum who have considered the same things that you have expressed and will be kindred spirits in their views as to the high art status of Academic Classical Ballet(ACB).

There has for instance, been a recent thread on virtuosity which you may find interesting.

Regrettably there are too many critics writing about ballet who are afraid to write in a manner that would confirm ACB as a high art for fear of being seen to be elitist and often bring populist ideas into their criticism of "dance" performances as being more correct and approachable for todays audiences.

It is the very high status of ACB that offends such people who presume that it separates sections of the population where in fact I believe it speaks with a clearer language to the uninitiated,than a good deal of modern dance choreography.

Like yourself, I admire baroque opera and its dances so much so, that I find myself lost in listening and watching performances of the 18th century for days at a time. (I can hear the echoes of some saying, we wish you would stay there.)

Like Mel I turned out to be Gremin. My friends thought it should be the Joker in Card Game.

I hope they meant mischievious as played by Christopher Gable and not somewhat spitefully as played by Anthony Dowell.

Thank you for posting this.

This pas de deux was first seen at the Royal Opera House in a performance of the opera "Die Fledermaus" on 31 December 1977,performed by Merle Park and Wayne Eagling.

It was revived(and revised)in a ballet programme in the Spring of 1981 at the Royal Opera House. I have fond memories of this performance both in the opera and of a number of performances they gave later in a mixed ballet programme.

This pas de deux was later danced by Mara Galeazzi and Vyacheslav Samodurov.

Alina Cojocaru and Kobborg bring wit, charm and warmth to this performance with some wonderful momements by Cojocaru that lift the spirit, recalling earlier choreography made for Dame Margot Fonteyn.

This couple also danced the pas de deux at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York in 2004 in a performance of "Die Fledermaus."

I found this interview long winded and self regarding; compare it with this far more incisive Ismene Brown interview with Clement Crisp in the same series:

http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_01/dec01/ismene_b_int_clement_c.htm

It struck me as very odd that Macaulay had been watching dance for about thirty years and not seen Revelations. The Alvin Ailey dance company dances infrequently in the UK but in those thirty years he would still have had ample opportunity to see Revelations, a work with which the company always concludes its programmes in Britain. So he is actually saying he has never been bothered to go and see this major company with an international reputation. I actually find that unacceptable in someone who claims to be a major critic of dance.

I personally admired the Alvin Ailey Dance Company of the sixtites and seventies and saw many of their performances in London and in Amsterdam.

Why would anyone question a critics failure to attend any performance of any company. Was it that another dance writer from his newspaper covered the Alvin Ailey seasons? I would think so. Which in the end, is all that any company wants.

I like "...self-regarding;" myself, it smacks of authority and whilst I do not agree with all Mr Macalay's views, I generally find them eminently readable.

I found the Ismene Brown interview naff on her part and Mr Crisp playing that well exposed role once again and as always, enjoyable in the process.

Maria Callas sang at the Royal Opera House many times during the 1950's and regrettably I did not hear hear until 1964

as Tosca. I later heard heard her in concert.

Whilst I never heard her in her prime, I did know Alan Sievewright for many years who had many rare recordings and films of Callas which we watched on a numerous occasions.

Like many of the singers of the past to be found at Cantabile Subito, Maria Callas once heard cannot be forgotten.

I heard Di Stefano in concert and despite having grown up with his recordings over a number of years, there was no criticism in my mind that the voice was less than when younger, because there were many moments which entirely recalled my joy of his earlier days on records.

Films of de Los Angeles who I heard as Mimi in 1962 and Schwarzkopf in concert also later in life are memorable, but they also do not capture the moment of the live voice.

http://www.cantabile-subito.de/