Solor

Is there any recording that anyone knows of of Stravinsky's orchestrations of Chopin's music in "Les Sylphides"?

Well, I don't think that the POB can be considered as responsible for the Maryinsky's DVD policy... And actually I regret that the POB released so few videos for a long time, as there are so many dancers (like Platel, Loudières, Maurin, Jude...) which appear in very few videos. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Dang, I thought that the POB was responsible for the Kirov's DVD policy. Yes I would ove to see thosse dancers as well.

strange - I have the box set "Delibes: The 3 Ballets" and no where in this set is this number. I wish that Bonynge would have recorded ALL of Delibes's ballet scores. 'Le Jardin Anime' is missing!

My teacher Marat Daukeyev told me that Cesare Pugni's name was pronounced 'Che-zar-ay Poo-j-nee' when I asked him once. But who knows? I think "Ses-ar-ay Poog-nee' sounds good. I thought that was how it was pronounced. In class when the pianist would play music, often times he would ask us "what ballet is that music? what composer?" I said "Ses-ar-ay Poog-nee' and he laughed and said "its pronounced 'Che-zar-ay Poo-j-nee'.

His name is pronounced (Che-zar-ay Pooj-nee) - not real phonetics but good enough. Yes Pugni composed ALOT of ballets. You think the meoldies in "Pharaon" are dull? Geez. You seem to be a big fan of his, so, if not for this ballet, where in the world else did you hear his music? The only other things in exsistence that can be heard are "Pas de Quatre", "La Esmeralda". MinkusPugni - Have you ever heard/seen the "La Esmeralda" Pas de Six? It is really quite beautiful and has some lovely music. Theres a number in it by Drigo, but the rest is Pugni. The choreography is superb.

I dont know about any of my fellow dancers, but Ill tell you Id rather dance to an old variation by Pugni or Minkus or Drigo any time over Stravinsky! Or even Tchaikovsky (he didnt write that many anyway). I just watched "Fille du Pharoan". Theres a part right after the act I adagio (which by the way is a great peice of music) of Aspicia and Ta-or where 3 variations are danced: for Ta-Or, Ramzea, and Aspicia. The music first of all is GREAT. I mean it fits the movements of classical ballet like a glove, and it makes the onlooker wanna get up and start clapping at the end! Just listen to that reaction from the audience! The first time I ever saw ballet I was 8 years old, and it was on TV. It was a performance of Ruzimitov and Terekhova in the "Le Corsaire" pas de deux (this is on "The Magic of the Kirov"). Ill never forget my reaction to these 2 awsome humans dancing to that music that was just perfect for the things they were doing. I knew right then I wanted to be a ballet dancer. Of course, people need to be creative, and try new things and all of that. They need to keep things "moving forward". But Im sorry, as far as Im concerned nothing beats a well trained classical ballet dancer dancing to an old variation by good ol' Pugni, Minkus or Drigo. I think that thier music stands alone quite well. But anyway yes I did say that - Its not classical music - in the conventional scense. Just becasue a full orchestra is playing it doesnt make it classical music (in the way that most people think of it). Its ballet music!

There are only 2 ballets that need to be on DVD more than anything - thats the Mariinsky reconstructions of "La Bayadere" and "Sleeping Beauty"! Why is the POB always on DVD so much? Why doesnt the freakin Mariinksy do this? Gosh theyd make so much money! Id rather watch the Mariinksy over anyone else.

If its not a classical version, than what is it?

I just hope that when the POB films are released they dont have that horrible ballerina that was the lead in that un-needed reconstruction of "Paquita". Boy was I mad when I spent 30$$ on that nonscense.

On the film "The Maryinsky Ballet" AKA "Kirov Classics" there is a performance of "Paquita". In this performance Igor Zelenksy dances in place of the traditional male variation a variation to music that by (I have heard) Delibes. What ballet does this number come from?

What does "Danse d'Ecole" (spelling?) mean? How do you pronounce it? What about "Grand Defile"? What does it mean? Hows' it pronounced? "Pas d'action"? I know what it means but I have no idea of the correct pronounciation. What about "Grand Ballabile"? What does this mean? Geez, youd think after ballet training since the age of 8 and company dancing Id know these words by now.

In the interview on the new DVD with Lacotte, he states that indeed the Mariinksy would not give up the originl Pugni score. The Bolshoi used there own score that they have had for a looong time from the Gorsky stagings, etc. But, I tell you, if you could hear the perfomance I have with Ananiashvili compared with the new DVD release of the Zhakarova performance, there are differences in the music in many sections. For example - the introduction before at the beginning of the ballet is completely different. The adagio of Aspicia and Ta-or had much more dull, less colorful orchestrations (in act 1), as does the adagio at the beginning of the 2nd act. The harp arpeggios that accompany Aspicia's decent into the bottom of the nile are gone from the Zhakarova perfotmance. There are quite a few others. My guess was that the re-orchestrated material was not yet prepared (even the set for act 1 was changed slightly) , or perhaps i was issued later due to the sneering of Pugni's score.

Anthony NYC - what is the 'online edition of Grove's"? "Fille du Pharaon" is anything but Pugni's 1st work. He created many ballets way before this ballet, and he dies 8 years after its premiere (premiered in 1862, he dies in 1870). I think the music of Pugni is great, I mean its not classical music, its ballet music! I have a performance of Ananiashvili in "Fille du Pharaon" its the premiere (@ the Bolshoi via Lacotte). The music sounds way different than that of the performance DVD now available of Zhakarova. The orchestrations in many numbers are alot different. I know that the conductor Sitnikov re-arranged many of the numbers Pugni worte for "Fille du Pharaon". My guess is that the original numbers were used (perhaps from the old Bolshoi staging) for the premiere. The re-orchestrated ones came later. You should hear these versions that are in the Ananiazhvili premiere that I have. Talk about Bland!

I was digging around online for some rare CDs and I stumbled onto this Japanese (I think) site that seems to have up for sale a 2 CD set released by the label London called - "Grand Pas de Deux" Richard Bonynge London Symphony Orchestra (with a picture of Dame Alicia Markova - in "Pas de Quatre" - on the cover. This is the same picture used in the original vinyl release of the recording "The Art of the Prima Ballerina") I have never heard of it. When I went to the Decca site (isnt London and Decca the same label?) there was no listing for it and when I went to investigate this disc further online (Amazon.com, Amazon UK, search engines, etc.) I could find nothing! Anyone that knows me knows that when it comes to obscure/rare 19th century ballet music recordings I must have them! This set looks like a great thing to have, and might have some really great stuff on it. Anyone heard of or seen this before? When you look at the cover of the CD youll see that it has the current Decca/London design scheme (for example - "Fete du Ballet", "Delibes: the 3 Ballets", "Tchaikovsky: the 3 ballets", as well as many other Decca/London releases have this sort of theme going on) Heres the link to the site I found it on - http://amatype.com/jp/-/asin/B00005FL2T/

well...............then its Mr. Bogtyriev's orchestrations that are way better than McDermott's or Douglas'! By the way Mel, I dont know if you ever noticed, but the Kirov's arrangements for the pas de deux from "Satenella" or "Carnival in Venice" are way different than the version used in the film "Nina Ananiashvili and InterNat'l Stars". Maybe the same thing going on with this Pugni number?

Well, for example, watch the Bolshoi's film of "La Bayadere" (Gracheva, Bylova, Vetrov). You will see the technique of the 2 female leads is well, sloppy. Same thing with the "Sleeping Beauty" film. Fedeyechev is not sloppy. But the dancing of Semizorova is in the "SB" film. In "La Bayadere", particularly with Bylova, the dancing is less than exceptional. I cant describe it, one must watch it. But this technical sloppyness should not suggest that these ballerinas arent great performers. Anyway, all I am saying is that I have noticed a HUGE change in the way that the Bolshoi's dancers are technically.

I have 2 films of the Bolshoi that have really got me wondering about something - the first is a perfomance of "La Bayadere" (from the early 90's) with Gracheva, Bylova, and Vetrov. The dancing in this ballet (except for Vetrov) is technically sloppy and under the level of where one would think a world class company like the Bolshoi should be (and to top it off the orchestra plays really badly). It is the same in another film I have of "The Sleeping Beauty" with Semizorova, Speranskaya, and Fedeyechev. Basically, sloppy dancing, with no attention paid to clean technique. Then I come to the latest film of the Bolshoi dancing, "The Pharoah's Daughter" (from 2002) and all the dancers are technically superb. I have a few bootleg perfomances of the Bolshoi performing recently and all traces of that "way to Bolshoi" , technically sloppy dancing seems to have vanished. So what has happened? It seems, from what I can see of the Bolshoi - that over the last 10 years or so the Bolshoi has cleaned up, and that old style of sloppy dancing has gone away. (Not that all of the dancers that ever came out of the Bolshoi are sloppy mind you! - but I think some of you might know what Im talking about) Does anyone know if the Bolshoi made a concious effort to clean up there dancers or the training they get? The style of performing and the technique seems to have really made a HUGE change for the better!

I meant will the Kirov perform these reconstructions at all at the Mariinksy or otherwise? This season? Ever again?

interesting. whos arrangements then does the orchestra perform in the film "Nina Ananiashvili and Inter'Nat'l Stars"? On the film "Kirov Ballet: Classic Ballet Night" ("Le Pas de Quatre" is perfomed with Komleva, Kolpakova, Mezentseva, and Evteyeva) that I have the orchestra perfoms the exact same arrangements as the "Nina Ananiashvili" film. They have been performing this number for a loooong time.

There is a video called "Ninel Kurgapkina" that has the Soviet version of the pas from Harlaqiunade.

Actually "Pas de Quatre" has been recorded 2 times, both times by Bonynge (and both times with lousy conducting and un-needed re-orchestrations). Bonynge should have recorded the original Pugni orchestrations which are elegant, and colorful - you can hear the original Cesare Pugni score on the film "Nina Ananiashvili and International Stars" on either Vol. 3 (on VHS) or Vol. 2 (on DVD). The first recording of the music for "Le Grand Pas de Quatre" was for the set "The Art of the Prima Ballerina" (with the London Symphony), first released in the 60's by Decca, then re-released by Decca in the 90's to cd (1992, cd 433 861-2), it soon went out-of-print. This release was later released again in the box set "Fete du Ballet" (along with all the other, well most of the other ballet snippets recorded by Bonynge). This recording has the arrangements by some guy named William McDermott. It says in the liner notes 'Specially arranged for Mme. Markova by William McDermott'. Perhaps all that was available at the time the recording was made was a piano reduction and Markova (who in fact assisted Bonynge in the "Art of the Prima Ballerina" recording) had this arrangement commissioned (though its only my specualtion, as I cannot fathom why anyone would think that McDermott's arrangements are better than the original 1845 music of Pugni). The second recording is again by Bonynge, though this time it was for a double CD release entitled "Ballet Gala" (with the English Concert Orchestra - Label: London 1988 - cd 421 818-2) - this set is very obscure and I have only seen it the time that I bought it at a used store in Portland, OR. This time the arranger of the Cesare Pugni tunes is Peter March. This set also has recordings of March's completely un-necessary arrangements for the "Don Quixote" pas de deux, the "La Esmeralda" pas for 'Diane and Acteon' by Riccardo Drigo (Drigo's original arrangements are WAY better), and the "Paquita" grand pas. This set also includes "Grand Pas Classique" by Auber, the pas de deux from "Le Corsaire re-orchestrated by Lanchbery (with the 'wrong' variation danced by Fonteyn), "Les Rendez-vous", "The Good Humoured Ladies", and "Francois de Rimini". All of these numbers ended up on the box set "Fete du Ballet" except for the Peter March versions of "Le Grand Pas de Quatre", and "Paquita" - this recording of Paquita is of Pavlova's versions of the music, as far as the numbers recorded goes, not the orchestrations - this is the real treat of the whole set. There are a few variations recorded here that I have never seen and/or heard before - they are very showy and beautiful - typical 19th century "shmoltz". Minkus/Pugni - You should really get the 10 CD set "Fete du Ballet" - there are the 2 ballets recorded here by Drigo - "The Magic Flute" and "The Awakening of Flora" (all in Drigo's original arrangement) that you'll definalty like. There are many other treats as well for a fan of 19th century ballet music!

Dont worry Dick, your not missing much. I have the fim of the Malay dancing "La Esmeralda". As a ballet, it is interesting for its historical points. As far as the perfomance goes, the lead ballerina in the film is not all that great, and the ballet itself is so stupid! I got a copy of this film from a friend that got it off TV in Europe. I was very excited to see it, finnaly for the first time, and to see the ballet that all the great ballerinas of old danced. But I was very dissapointed wiht the how obsured of this ballet. Another thing I didnt like was that it was missing a few of the later interpolations of Petipa.

Yes I have Hans! I have the video "Maryinsky Ballet" aka "Kirov Classics". Her mazurka is classically precise, so perfectly Vaganova. I believe Mme. Vaganova would have been proud! I also love her in the fim "Kirov Ballet in London", where she danced the "Le Corsaire" pas with Ruzimitov. They were a great partnership.

Are the reconstructions of Bayadere or Sleeping Beauty being performed by the Mariinksy this season?

I just have to bring to attention this wonderful ballerina. I just watched her in the film of Makarova's Royal Ballet "Bayadere". Her kingdom of the Shades is absolutly the best interpretation I have ever seen......live or on film. Her 'Pas Classique of the Shades' - entrance, adagio, and 'danse du voile' variation - is classical technique perfection! I noticed how tastefully she interprets Nikiya. Her 1st act adagio with Solor was so wonderfully placed. Each movement so wonderfully 'Vaganova'.....her arched back and wonderful line, each pose and transition into it was flawless and totally classical. Not once does she give a 180 degree panchee', there are no 'Guillem-ish' or 'Zhakarova-esque' tricks here with the legs going up to the side of her head in a la seconde - she needs this tricks not (dont get me wrong I love these ballerinas!). Her Shades Adagio (Entrance of Nikiya) is so perfect - her developes (spelling anyone?) go to a little over 90 degrees, yet its the placement that is the wonder here. Her varation in the Shades scene - each movement so well defined! She is so grand and opulent - at the pinnacle of her art. How lucky we are that this perfomance was put to film! Just as great are her street dancer in the "Don Q" film, and her Medora in "Corsaire" (her act 1 entrance is perfection) is wonderful. I read somehwere, Im not sure where, that there are those that felt that she didnt reach her full potential. I say just watch her 'Kingdom of the Shades', and youll see that she reached it just fine! a little off topic but - watch the first 2 soloists of the 3 shades variations in the film of the Royal Ballet's staging of "Bayadere" by Makarova. I feel smiling has no business in the 'Kingdom of the Shades'!