vila

Late as usual, but still :

A most wonderful evening last Saturday for the premiere of la Sylphide at the Royal Theatre. The lanterns were red, the house well sold out and the feeling of anticipation rather palpable with all the expectancies borne on this production (« one of the classic ballet’s most captivating characters – an innocent soul and femme fatale all rolled into one. See the premiere directed by NH , one of the greatest Danish dancers ever… » read the blurb in the papers) which in many ways acted as a pre-pre opener to the festival in two years time. Bojesen was an ethereal sylph of great beauty (and a wonderful dancer, confirmed by her remarkable performance in Etudes the following night), but while her playfulness and that incredible lightness were utterly disarming – the man sitting next to me was falling in love by the minute- I too somehow regret the choice of naïve innocence she embodied and was therefore all the more very sensitive to the Rose Gad’s interpretation on the following matinée, which seemed to convey a slight sense of doom ; surely the sorceress can’t be the only one “aware”. Or is it that « lurve » transforms one into a butterfly (all the more when you are a spirit to start with?) Perhaps… Lund’s James screamed escapism, (though his affection for his Scottish bride came across as utterly genuine) and the décors suggested the sort of « doll house à l’envers” (sheltered/pampered existence, Anna’s power, arranged wedding…). Lund was a rather boyish James, chasing after the object of affection/illusion that forever eludes his grasp with frantic gestures, and can he dance! In the first act, after Eggert’s very laudible solo (a wicked man that Gurn of his), James storms out center stage, beats and open arm jétés like none, erasing all we have seen just before and leaving an ever lasting impression. Lund, and the following day Blangstrup, both manage to pinpoint their focus and have the audience questing after their reverie, so much so that when the sylph is dying you want to protest and beg to be allowed to paste her wings back for the sake of a happy ending. Lund’s intensity of distress, his broken James who dares not behold what he has done is haunting. Tina Holjund was a charming earthly bride-to be all wrapped in her tartans and woollies, in great contrast to the diaphanous spirit of the woods; Lis Jeppesen, a witch who spits with force and eloquence…and how that hex downs her whiskey! Her threats - eyes gleaming eerily as she lays her curses- resembles at times those street characters prophesying the end of the world. An ultimate spit after James lies prostrate with grief and collapses, brings the story to the end. Rapturous applause, flowers for everyone, bows, curtseys and reverences to the Queen ended this performance which paid an exquisite tribute to Bournonville's work.

the casts :

Sylfiden

Gudrun Bojesen

(20/9, 3/10, 16/10, 11/11)

Rose Gad

(21/9, 2/10, 4/10)

Silja Schandorff

(27/9, 7/10, 22/10, 6/11)

Caroline Cavallo

(24/10, 4/11, 7/11)

James

Thomas Lund

(20/9, 3/10, 16/10, 11/11)

Mads Blangstrup

(21/9, 27/9, 2/10, 4/10, 22/10, 24/10, 4/11, 7/11)

Kenneth Greve

(7/10, 6/11)

Madge

Lis Jeppesen

(20/9, 3/10, 16/10, 24/10, 11/11)

Jette Buchwald

(21/9, 2/10, 4/10, 4/11, 7/11)

Mette Bødtcher

(27/9, 7/10, 22/10, 6/11)

...and the second link doesn't seem to work

from the Royal Theatre:

Bournonville news: New La Sylphide

James has lost his beloved Sylph 755 times at the Royal Theatre Old Stage in

Copenhagen. But with the 756th performance, curtains will be drawn on a

reinterpretation by the Danish dancer Nikolaj Hübbe.

As a brilliant interpreter of James on stage, Nikolaj Hübbe - principal

dancer at the New York City Ballet since 1992 - has always had a passion for

La Sylphide. Now he debuts as director of his own rendition of this

Bournonville classic in close collaboration with the Danish set designer

Mikael Melbye.

Nikolaj Hübbe was trained at the Royal Danish Ballet School in Copenhagen

and his experience with La Sylphide - from children's parts to that of James

- spans a full dancing career. In his new staging he emphasises the living

continuity of the unique Royal Danish Ballet tradition.

"La Sylphide is one of the principal works of the Bournonville repertoire.

An ingenious story that is emblematic of the Romantic epoch yet timeless. It

is no coincidence that La Sylphide is among the most performed ballets the

world over. As a prelude to the 3rd Bournonville Festival in 2005 we present

a reinterpretation of La Sylphide complete with new sets. I find it vital

that the younger generation of dancers contribute to maintaining the

Bournonville heritage - his style and expression. I have therefore invited

Nikolaj Hübbe to stage La Sylphide according to his own heart."

Artistic Director Frank Andersen

La Sylphide is sponsored by Danisco

Danish Premiere | Old Stage

20 September 2003

Performances:

20 | 21 | 27 September

2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 24 October 2003 with Etudes

4 | 6 | 7 | 11 November 2003 with Napoli III act.

More about La Sylphide:

http://www.kgl-teater.dk/dkt2002uk/ballet0...e/Bsylfiden.htm

http://www.kgl-teater.dk/dkt2002/bournonvi...for_festivalen/

balletterne/sylfiden/sylfiden.htm

There are a few rehearsal pictures on http://www.balet.cz/nd_praha.htm that were taken in 2001 before the première of Raymonda,

(scroll down till the end, last three black and white pictures, they are hi-res if you click on them :sweating: ), otherwise the site of Narodni Divadlo, i.e. the National Theater http://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/B_Zaklad.aspx?jz=en

has three photos of the production & the cast list, all in English.

Unfortunately I am no longer very “au point” with the company, but I do recall as a child that Harapes- was a bit of a national hero/pride in Prague, receiving fair amounts of media coverage (between two programs on tractors and other agricultural/ industrial reports) so it was with great fondness that I saw them a couple of years ago in Paris. They are a came across as very committed and interesting troupe. A suivre...definetly.

Most of the dancers used to come from the Prague Conservatory of dance or the theater’s ballet school. Lukas Slavicky, Barbara Kohoutkova (1996 NYICB gold medal) Ivan Liska (all @ the Munich Ballet) trained there and so did

the Bubenicek twins http://www.bubenicek.net/ who now dance in Hamburg, Jirí Kylián...

It is quite strange Estelle, but I have never ever actually seen a Guédiguian, even stranger since I am quite fond of his actors : Daroussin, Ascaride etc…

Hopefully I shall repair this “oversight” soon, I actually seem to remember that he’s got 2 films to be released shortly, well before end 2003 if all goes to plan : one on the final years of Mitterrand (with Michel Bouquet) and another one called Mon père est ingénieur.

I was wondering, does Guédiguian have a following abroad ? I suppose it’s very “art housy”, but wondering is his work is fairly known …

Regarding Tewsley : I saw a three of the performances (Thursday, Friday and Sat matinée) during which he did not dance. Just checked : he was actually due to do Herman Scherman with Whelan on the matinée, but it was Evans -correctly listed on the day's cast list- who did the part. I was however given a cast sheet of the Wednesday evening performance and can see him put down for Jeu de Cartes (though so is Millepied, and from what I have read here he wasn't on on Tuesday, so whether he/ they danced I don't know.) Hope this is not more confusing than clear.

Having missed the Spring season this year, it was all the more thrilling to see the NYCB again (combined with the pleasure of being in CPH), highlights of which were chronologically- ou presque- Hubbe in Square Dance on that first night (fantastic stage presence-stature, beautiful carriage/dancing), Hubbe and Borrée, both wonderful on the matinee, again in Sq. Dance, slightly more daring with some wicked twirling going on, Janie Taylor –fluidly neurotic- in the Infernal Machine, Wheelan’s incredible body speaking Forsythe in H.S. (& the laughter of surprise brought by Evans’ apparition in the yellow mini-skirt), a chirpy Carmena, an enchanting Koroswski and a ever so solid Somogyi in Piano Pieces… the pleasure of discovering Glass Pieces… I could go on, but have a deadline.

Yes, this might have sadly been the Manon during which I spent the least time watching the central character... Nonetheless there was a rapturous applause-curtain call session (the last time I saw such a one was for the Cojocaru/Kobborg/ Lund... Onegin, which certainly had a very different calibre of dancing! :yes: )

Yes indeed, danciegirlmaria, …. fluffy dresses, candy tutus whatever you will… I had to pinch myself on Saturday evening when I realized that these pink, green, yellow-clad women with tulle galore were actually les “filles “de Madame ! During the interval, my neighbour, a charming elderly man asked me if I was enjoying the performance. Could not help mentioning my surprise at the choice of costumes compared to the one’s I saw last June at the Paris Opera. He said , “Oh I see, in Paris they were surely wearing less…” . No, not necessarily less clothes, just not candy-fairy like…after all, it IS a brothel ! At this he laughed and he said, Yes you see that is typical of us in our strange little country !”All in all, a very enjoyable evening (with a wonderful orchestra conducted by Graham Bond) though I must say I was not very carried away by Caroline Cavallo’s performance, which I found rather bland…Not exactly moved by the way she explored the plight of the heroine; Andrew Bowman’s Des Grieux certainly seemed more heartfelt... And Peter Bo Bendixen was a downright evil Monsieur GM, little nuance, but tremendous effect. The corps de ballet (one can get a booklet with the headshots of the dancers : corps de ballet, aspiranter & all at the boutique) convincingly create the various atmospheres the ballet requires (could not keep my eyes off the exquisite Flemming Ryberg in the first act, where he plays the lusty old man … ) and it was an extreme pleasure to see such harmony.

A lot of Forsythe will be going on during the second “Nuit Blanche” in Paris (4th October), a night when cultural places stay open to the public for free and one-off events are held from dusk till dawn. Three interactive installations (Scattered Crowd, Instructions and City of Abstracts), all involving the public in various ways will allow sleepless Parisians to catch a glimpse of this intricate mind… http://www.entrainements.net

Sorry about not answering earlier Estelle, I was travelling …

Yes I did see it : did a mega-“La meglio gioventu-thon” on the Saturday following your post; first part in the early afternoon and the second one in the evening, in another cinema. The performances are outstanding, the characters subtle and the story both incredibly moving and compelling… Nicola, Carlo, Giorgia, Matteo, the parents… everybody just grows on you….And despite the unfavourable conditions in which I saw the second part (no AC in cinéma in the middle of our summer heatwave and full theatre) I indeed do not want the film to end… The audience was really in sync, something I hadn’t witnessed in a movie theatre for some time, and a fair sharing of packs of Kleenex was going on…The film has enjoyed a fair “bouche à oreille” success … The other day I was at a dinner party where somebody mentioned the film and actually all of the people at the table -save 3 (of a party of 12) had seen it…and had enjoyed it much …

Happy viewings to those who will have the opportunity to see La meglio gioventu (do not be put off by the “family saga”/tv series aspect –I was weary off that- there is so much more to this movie.

Oh I am so glad you mentioned this film, I 've been wanting to see it for a while but my motivation factor has been deeply increased by your post. I am now quite decided to spend my Saturday between the Champs Elysées and St Germain (with a 2 hur break in between) in order to catch the 2 parts on the same day ! Thanks Estelle.

Mayerling has scenes from Giselle when Omar Shariff and Catherine Deneuve meet at the opera. No idea about who is performing though ...

There has been a new movie release this week in France, a film called "Il est plus facile pour un chameau..." where the main character takes adult ballet classes. Jose Martinez and Marie Agnes Gillot (from the Paris Opera) have a a "blinK and you miss it" apprearance during a tango scene.

Having seen both the tribute at the Paris Opera and at the Royal Ballet, my preference will not sway to the latter. Not exactly fair to compare though : one was a one-off with nearly-impossible-to-get-overpriced-seats/overpriced programs with a certain amount of pomp and circumstance whereas the other is a triple bill evening staged several nights on …

I was quite distracted by the divertissements (or was it "diverted by the distractions" ? )as well. I was dying to see In the middle performed by Guillem and Hilaire after so many years and managed only to catch split images with my focus going all over the scene/screen, avid not to let anything go by. Rapidly I then chose to focus only on the dancers (reassured by the fact that most of the archives were taken from the INA and therefore accessible) but whatever the degree of concentration (mine was seriously put to test during the Sylphide as I did NOT wish to miss a single beat) things did get lost and onstage movements were eaten up by the giant–like Rudi reigning from the screen. The working title of the Forsythe morceau kept ringing in my ears : Impressing the Czar…

Screening the video installation during the interval would have certainly made it so much more “tangible”, were it an option. I remember a Sylvie Guillem evening at the Theatre des Champs Elysées some years ago where films were projected while she proceeded to change costumes and that made up nicely for the time. I had been actually looking forward to Françoise Ha Van Kern's footage, whose documentary on Guillem (incidentally on French telly next week) is wonderful. Pity too for the closing item, Surge, (urgh ! and say no more) as opportunities are getting more and more rare to see Hilaire dance in Paris.

Interesting evening nonetheless which also gave us offerings such as Apollo (birth and all), the 3rd act of Raymonda with a beaming Guillem, Kobborg’s exquisite James and that fleeting Kumakawa moment (was he there or on the other side and is he already gone ??? ) of sheer beauty…

I have just discovered the enchanting pas de six from Markitenka (a.k.a. known as La Vivandière, or so have I learnt through a rapid search on this board )on the “ballet du Kirov” video.

The booklet states the following :

Chor : St Léon

Musique : Pugni

Première : Paris 1847

“pitch”: sculptor falls in love with statue, asks the devil to give her life, wish fulfilled under the condition that the young girl herself does not fall in love, or else shall be transformed back into statue.

A google search mad me stumble across the Thessalian Ballet website (http://www.thessalyballet.gr/main1/en/repe...nka_history.htm) which provides another story : one act ballet set in a little village of Hungary. It tells the story of Kathy and Hans, two youngsters, who in order of them to get married, they had to escape from the plans of the Mayor, the Baron of the region, who both of which wanted Kathy for themselves! First performed in 1844 in London, choreography by A. Saint Leon and music by C. Pugni with C.Grisi and the choreographer himself in the leading roles. Today it is performed as a "pas de six" of the wedding.

Elsewhere, one can read that the divertissement on the le ballet du Kirov video is a “ Pierre LaCotte restoration of the choreography of Perrot: the pas de six from "Markitenka" or "La Vivandare".((http://hallvideo.com/index.php/Mode/produc...33/page/Unknown))

I am confused here and beg for enlightment.

:confused:

Het Nationale Ballet will participate in the Dance Salad Festival on 17,18 and 19 April in Houston, Texas, USA.

Program : Live by Hans van Manen, The Grey Area by David Dawson and several pas de deux from Krzysztof Pastor's Kurt Weill.

Okay, not exactly NY...

Viviane, I thought much about you when I was at the desk buying a ticket last week for the same evening performance of NY Masters. Thought it would be possible to have the casting there and then, but oh no… the otherwise very helpful person replied “you will get a piece of paper with the names prior to the performance, it will be like a surprise.” Humbly I then proceeded to inquire if the cast would be likely to be the same the following night, yet again to no avail. So I bought a ticket for both the Thursday and the Friday night and waited to be surprised.

The program is delightful. After the immediate “shock” of realizing that Serenade was opening the triple bill (after so many years of seeing it close the evening that it almost seemed like a crime lèse majesté… ), I had the pleasure of discovering Larissa Lezhnina, Anna Seidl, Tamas Nagy and Sofiane Sylve (who had so delighted back in NY in Western Symphony) on both nights.

Acts of Light will be forever marked by the extraordinary intense performance of Yumiko Takeshima as the figure of mourning in Lament. This was Graham as I had always imagined it. Conversation of Lovers were interpreted both evenings by Sarah Fontaine & Jahn Magnus Johansen, idem no cast change for Helios on Friday, whereas Kumiko Hayakawa was the one doing Lament .

The cherry on the cake was The Concert that ended the evenings. New to Het Nationale Ballet's repertoire, this Robbins –unsurprisingly- brought the house down on both nights. And casting was a real treat here : Lezhnina on the first night as the ballerina and Sylve on the second. The two interpreted this wacky role in very different manners : Lezhnina was an absolute scream, divine : all delicate and loopy eccentricity, where Sylve was more of a sophisticated figure. I’m sure the interpretations will evolve (after all this was the second and third nights of the run) and would love to see how. Everybody on that stage seemed to be having a wild time, camping it up (both pianists, Michael Mouratch and Olga Khozianinova were outrageous) and the audience loved it. Absolutely irresistible. Was swept away by both evenings, a very good company/ orchestra, lovely theatre and should I mention the awesome patisseries and choccies they sell during the intervals ?

The following night I went a few yards down the canal to Theatre Carré to catch a glimpse of Ballet Nacional de Cuba ‘s Don Quichotte -it was like galaxies apart. Minkus came out of a can but the dancers managed to carry the production over the top. The leads were stunning (their names were tannoyed through at the beginning of the performance, in Dutch and before I realized what was going on it was already to late) : effortless dancing, impeccable technique (such balances) and passion galore. Wish there had been an orchestra, these dancers would have showed us more !

Hubbe was superlatif when I saw him the first week of this Winter Season. As a matter of fact I have never been disappointed with any of his performances and I hate to think he has too deal with injury again.

What was that poll ? Eifman or Forsythe?

Forsythe.

Forsythe forever.

How could I have ever doubted ? (Well, I actually have to remind myself of the reasons : I had never been through an “entire” Eifman and the last of Forsythe’s I had seen was Kammer/ Kammer, an experience not unsimilar to watching David Lynch’s Lost Highway, leaving you nonplussed when not downright “excluded”.)

Okay, the night I saw the Red Giselle, things weren’t obviously going right backstage : there was a blackout in the lobby at one point, stagehands had trouble retrieving the trees... and the Mogador stage simply isn’t big enough : the actual Giselle excerpt seemed to take place in a studio flat, there didn’t seem to be enough room for that little house on one side and the bench on the other and dance between the two….

Eifman is a lucky man to have such good dancers, notably the lead role, but does not do her any favours by dressing her the way he chooses to. This is a tall lean powerful dancer who at times appears to be in drag given what she has to wear and that is downright cruel, because the woman IS beautiful. In terms of choreography, there is a lot of the same (except when he chooses to borrow : the Sleeping Beauty/ Giselle inspired steps, the Charleston… etc). a mélange of contemporary and classic (always a bit surprising when you see a point shoe at the end of an otherwise modern movement ) and repetitive fancy ice skating portées, all amidst the sort of dance-acting one can gets in bad musicals, far too over-theatrical, far too dramatic (the stage IS too small –and NO, the problem does not seem to come from the dancers). Now as for the story line, is that really meant to be a tribute to the great Olga ? Is a ballet biography possible/ desirable ? Is ballet an art form that can do justice to the complexities of a life time/ moments in life without resembling a series of juxtaposed video clips that each demand topographic/ temporal indication? *

Give me swans or ballets with very long obscure titles anytime, both far more poetic and of greater interest to me.

As for the audience, it was sparse, especially for a Saturday night…The French public is reputed to have trouble knowing when to stop applauding, here the clapping was dying out after three polite curtain calls, and held longer artificially by the stage management. But I did overhear a very enthusiastic “did you see how high her leg went”? on my way out and from what I read above, I see there are supporters. Good for Eifman, even better for his dancers.

I’m sorry my “sense of humour” was off that evening.

*These aren't rhetorical questions...I haven't seen Nijinski, nor any other bio inspired ballet, I believe -save that one featured in the movie Center Stage - so I am wondering & dubious...

The evening was a great pleaser indeed, starting out with the défilé (all white tutus and white tights) to Berlioz's March from the Troyans. Opened by a little girl from the Opera school and followed by an intricate pattern of students, corps de ballet members, premiers danseurs and interspersed with étoiles descending individually, it gave the opportunity for the public to cheer each and every one along. And boy, did they not miss out on an occasion to display their affection with ovations galore. The opera house for once resembled more a cheering stadium -despite all the mink coats- delighted to “bravo” the dancers going down that steep rake all the way from the magnificent foyer, for once revealed to the pubic. 15 minutes of sheer unadulterated pleasure…tainted only by the unfortunate absence of the étoile Aurélie Dupont (injured) who would have also largely deserved to be thus celebrated ….

Then the short movie and then into the heart of the matter (with offerings as described in the above posting). Each excerpt was danced on a bare stage except for Marguerite and Armand, centrally placed between the two intervals. Guillem was truly out of this world- she can coach actors on acting- whereas Le Riche veered at times to the grotesque by overdoing it, but on the whole it was most moving and splendidly danced. An “oddity” of great wonder to me was Bach Suite which followed, an excerpt from a piece by Francine Lancelot, all baroque steps performed by a Kader Belarbi, alone center stage (accompanied solely by Christophe Colin’s the gorgeous violoncello) who managed to keep the public mesmerized.

It all ended well past midnight with multiple curtain calls :everybody on stage rightfully beaming and a public reluctant to leave after these wonderful and rare performances. The orchestra, led by Paul Connelly, who truly had given it their best during the whole evening; had already packed up while ovations and curtain calls -with lights on -carried on unabated.

"On 16 and 17 May 2003 Het Nationale Ballet guests at the Théâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, near Paris. The Company showcases Four Sections by Associate Artistic Director and House Choreographer Ted Brandsen, In Light and Shadow by Krzysztof Pastor, and Hans van Manen's Adagio Hammerklavier and a pas de deux from his Three pieces for Het. Both performances are already sold out! "

Funny, that the website says that the performances are sold out, whereas the Théâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines states that tickets only go on sale a month beforehand...I suppose they meant the subscriptions... but still, not a very good idea to put a statement like that on the site, one could have been easily discouraged ! Wonder if Sylve will be au rendez-vous ? ;)

A little aside : I was in NY the weekend where two para City Ballet events were held, namely a Family Fanfare and a Ballet Insight so I checked them both out. The two were held on the 7th floor of the SAB building and were of various interest.

The public of Family Fanfare is as much a spectacle as the presentation itself. Imagine 4-6 year olds wearing tiaras, tutus attached to their winter gear co-ordinated with demi-pointes and a larger than life Louis-I-am-ballet- XIV as the master of ceremonies who teaches them glissade, changement… The lecture demonstration is illustrated with various videos and live excerpts from the Sleeping Beauty, Jewels, …Who Cares performed by two couples of advanced SAB dancers, all promising especially Tyler Angle ( brother of Jared) and Ana Sophia Scheller, who then answer graciously and articulately any questions. It was a sweet experience, I would definitely reiterate it, with a child this time – but worry not, adults have no time to get bored!

The Ballet Insight was more of a pre-performance talk- mainly attended this time by a senior public- in so far as it was devoted to the music of the matinee performance. Both a lovely introduction and keys to read the works in the repertory with the wonderful Alan Moverman playing excerpts to illustrate the theory. Very inspiring, makes you head across the plaza with much anticipation .

Sorry to reopen a thread that has already gone full circle. But, well I am back from my little trip abroad…

First and above all, I should say I am very fond of the NYCB, a lot of it having to do with my love of the city which in my little universe so encapsulates the dance scene. It’s the whole proximity thing with the dancers and their visibility, everywhere else they seem secluded behind the walls of the opera house, whilst in NY, you just keep bumping into them and one can easily get under the candid impression that voilà, this is it and you are part of the whole thing! Needless to say that I get a great buzz each time I cross the imaginary border of 63rd. Unfortunately disappointment was part of the ride this time and I am saying this only after having convinced myself that I shall not take blame for (extra ?) high expectations. I caught (pardon me for the inventory) 2 Serenades (yes the Sunday one had nothing to do with what had been served on Saturday), 3 Morphoses (dreaded the third time round, not because I didn’t like the piece -there are moments of sheer strange beauty such as the entrancing Whelan spiderlike leftwing exit (enface en plié à la seconde en pointe, pushing herself away with one hand) but it’s not it is not an easy one to take in. Luckily the last time I was sitting on a higher level and rediscovered the whole ballet anew ; as with everything it can sometimes just be a matter of perspectives.) Then in for the single takes :Raymonda, Symphonic dances, G Major, Infernal Machine (how terrible of me, I somehow blanked this one out completely- a mystery why), Symphony in three, Le Tombeau, Pavane, Western Symphony and Fancy Free. Save a few truly enthralling performances, I found the dancing -and it obviously pains me to say so- lacking in life. Missed the vitality, energy and high spirits I usually associate with the company. Saturday’s Serenade was dull (all has been said above and personally I found myself more listening to the music and interested in how Kistler would manage to get her layers of tulle down after the portées) and yet on Sunday the same cast simply spelled magic. By the time Kistler was carried away like a some statue/object of sacrifice, I had trouble swallowing. Luckily that Saturday had an extraordinarily moving Pavane with a splendid Nichols. It all ended with a real treat : Western Symphony. Prior to that matinee I had only seen the excerpt on the Balanchine celebration tapes and was not expecting much: cowboys, saloon gals, bit of square dance on pointe to tunes from the Far West… The first bit augured ill for the rest, courtesy of the male performance, but it all picked up with the dashing entrance of Evans and the delightful Ansanelli. They were a dream-in-heaven-duo, him outrageously camp in a black velvet diamante outfit and pink scarf, a perfect self absorbed Narcissus in a cowboy hat to whom Ansanelli responded with an out-of-this-world goof doll act . Evans’ driving his chariot -composed of four corps girls- and her fearless, actually come to think of it scary, fishdives are indelebile. And did they ever play it to the public who in turn rewarded them plenty. The last couple, Sylve and Hubbe, certainly knew how to put on a show on! Full attack, perfect timing, awesome technique for all the extreme rapidity and trickiness of those steps, good chemistry : sparks were flying all the way to the pirouetting grand finale ….what more to ask for ? Those guys and dolls from the Eldorado sent me back home on a high and a note of incredible lightness, humming Hershy Kay.

Fancy free, which closed the following matinée, on other hand did not have the same effect. Probably because once you know the basic plot and have seen a few photos, you can very much figure what to expect (though the chewing gum wrapper competition had me break a grin.) The boys were endearing (Millepied, Higgins and Ulbricht), the horseplay sweet but I somehow resisted the comedy of it all.

Martins’ Symphonic Dances were, how to put this…rather overwhelming ? A sudden explosion of notes, dancers galore : wow, was I ever rather taken aback by the overly romantic profusion of sounds, colours and abundance of people one can fit on that stage ! Yet bizarrely, I liked it, something about the grandeur and enthusiasm that was put into it, notably by Hubbe. Honestly, the costumes are hideous, the music certainly a challenge, but it was the commitment and endeavour put into it that created the whole difference. If this had been the case of all the pieces I saw, I probably would have given this one much less credit but one can only take from what is offered. Sadly, the rest of the performances I saw were nice, but bland-ish. Probably not enough to catch a plane. Thankfully there were also joyful discoveries of corps members such as Glenn Keenan, Ask La Cour... and side perks of being in the city (Boal solos, but I suppose I ought to switch threads for that one) .

"The Miraculous Mandarin." does certainly sound better, I do agree! , thank you for helping me with that one !!!

I have never seen any of his ballets that are programmed for further on this season, but have been to his Sissi, (which I much delighted in : choreography, setting, costumes and...sylvie guillem ) several of his Boleros, Tek, seen bits of his Hamlet and some others - can't recall titles at this point -... oh yes, and the Concours, of course (that murder mystery ballet) which I discovered last year (it has aged quite badly, appealing in a sort of quaint manner, but not enough to see it again! didn't care for all those caricatures/stereotypes i.e. the japanese memeber of the jury, the american etc...., seemed to keep the audience amused though. I do like him more subtle !

Oh, and Alexandra, I am afraid I will be laptopless during my trip

Well Alexandra, for somone who had made a point of seeing all the ballets this season, I haven't exactly been faring very sucessfully. Managed (only) to see Casanova, Kylain/Lock and most recently both girls Sylvia and Paquita. Nijinski (opening tonight) will be another miss as I am off for NY tomorrow morning to see as much as I can of NYCB's Winter season... Must dash