Solor

I think its a horrible waste, the fact that these wondrous films are just sitting in some room collecting dust somewhere. I know that there are politics, etc. concerning rights, royalties, what have you but C'MON! Maybe PBS should have made up contracts where they owned the films 100%, but then again maybe it never would have aired otherwise. HEY, Maybe in 50 years or some of these films will be in the public domain, and those of us still living can watch them! I KNOW! PBS should have some weekly show where all of these old films are aired, instead of them sitting around and SERVING NO PURPOSE. Probably theonly thing that is gonna show up on this anniversery PBS thing is some opera or symphony that someone could just go get at the library and watch anyway...... sorta like that Giselle film with Makarova and Baryshnikov everyone is voting for! ? I dont remember, as usual, where I read this, maybe it was in Dance Resarch, but it was recently, and it was of an old article I believe - Clive Barnes once wrote about what a shame it is that so many dancers are not filmed, and that many films are not available, etc........anyway the article spoke to that effect. He even says what a shame it is that the only film of Nijinsky in his prime is of him walking out of a hotel (?) Does anyone know what Im talking about?

Who was the first ballerina to dance the Act III (or Act II) "black swan pas" in a black tutu? What kind of costume did Legnani wear in 1895 for this scene - was she not known as the 'Magic Swan' then? Perhaps I missed it, but I did not read anywhere in Wiley's "Tchaikovksy's Ballets" a descrition of her costume, or that there was no such thing as a Black Swan in this production (or in the original of 1877). I did read that it was Chabukiani who took the omitted allegro ending of the original pas de deux/andante and fashioned it into Siegfried's solo, but Wiley gives no date....when was this? Regarding the "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux", which I suppose was really the original 'Black Swan Pas de Deux', I have read here and there that Tchaikovsky merely reorchestrated the 2nd variation, and that he changed the melody only slightly in the entree and coda, while still reorchestrating it. I have also read that he did not do anything to the first variation - which by the way sounds very typical-Minkus-male-variation, stucture and all. In wiley's book he quotes Pavel Pchel'nikov who, after describing the whole 'Sobeshchaskaya-additional Petipa pas de deux to Minkus's music' situation, says, quote - "The music was written very quickly, and in addition pleased the benefit artiste so much that she requested Tchaikovsky write her an additional variation, which he did" what variation is this? I thought perhaps that it could be the 2nd variation, though, like stated above, I have read many times that it was only 'orchestrated by Tchaikovsky'. Pchel'nikov says, quote "In the benefit performance BOTH (I stress both) of these numbers enjoyed a noisy success with the public." I believe when he syas 'Both' he means both the additional variation AND the pas de deux, though I'm not sure.....? Perhaps the more appropriate title for the "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" should be the "Minkus/Sobeshchanskaya/Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux"....... Does anyone know what ever happened to Minkus's original music before Tchaikovsky 'rewrote it'? Considering Tchaikovsky's reaction to the addition, after 'adapting' the music he probably ripped up the original manuscript and through it in the fire!

Joseph - Yes, thats the only recording of the whole ballet - WONDROUS! I also reccomend Tcherepnin's ballet "Narcisse et Echo" performed by the the Hague Orchestra and choir under the baton of Rozhdestvensy. I actually just got my CD of it yesterday, and must have listened to it at least 10 times last night. It is so beautiful! Theres is only 1 copy up for grabs on Amazon.com, heres the link, through ballettalk of course! - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000G4N...5Fencoding=UTF8 If you get it, just imagine the great Karsavina and Nijinsky as the leads dancing among the wondrous decor of Bakst! True art! The score itself is one continuous movement, where as "Pavillon" is in the 19th century ballet music tradition with pas, variations, etc. I cannot put into words how beautiful "Narcisse et Echo" is....Nikolai Tcherepnin really was something else when it came to melody and orchestration, and he really puts the choir to good use. The score almost sounds like it was recorded in some large cathedral or something, the music really sounds massive, as Tcherepnin uses a very large orchestra. By the way, if anyone knows, was the original production by the Ballet Russe of "Narcisse" the only production ever of the ballet? Certainly a reconstruction of this ballet is definately in order, though I'm probably only dreaming. Regarding the score, does anyone know just how many instruments the score uses?

interesting - I always wondered what exactly went on in the original staging, as the current 'pas de deux a trois' w/ ali, conrad, and medora seems 'petipa-esque', though the solo for Conrad seems like a later interpolation. It would be very interesting to find out what exactly was danced to the music of the current 'ali variation', not to mention the adagio, and coda...well all of it! Also, I wonder if Legnani, performed her 32 foutees? I bet she did!

no doubt RG has the answer to this question, but maybe others..... Who was the very first dancers, besdies Legnani, to perfrom Drigo/Petipa Corsaire Pas de Deux/a Trois in 1899? I have read in RG'sa article for balletalert that, "According to the New York Public Library Dance Collection, Aleksandr Chekrygin is given credit for the "interpolated dance" to music by Drigo, for the '99 production. If he was Legnani's partner, in true Petipa form, perhaps he was responsible for his own solo dancing. "Whether or not this was then the "pas de deux à trois" shown to the world by the Gusev/Vinogradov Kirov Ballet production is uncertain." -is this really so? what role did Chekrygin dance in the '99 production? Ali? Conrad? What are the orgins of the role of Ali?

AMEN CHRIS!!!!! that why I want to see Makrova's orignal staging of Byaadere so bad!!!!! I have always wanted to, especially for the interviews. VOTE FOR THE 1980 BROADCAST OF MAKAROVA'S LA BAYADERE!!!!!!!! I WANT TO SEE IT SO BAD!!!!!!! LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE LA BAYADERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In an effort to find any information for my research on the life and work of Cesare Pugni, I just recently purchased an issue of Dance Research (vol. I, no 1, spring 1983) for the Ivor Guest article it contained - Cesare Pugni: A Plea For Justice. In the bibliography Guest reccomends an article he wrote for the Dance Gazette (1979, no. 1) where he writes more about Pugni's life, etc. I am wondering if this publication is still in exsistance, and also, if anyone knows, where one can locate, or at least try to, as it is now 45 years old - Guest and Lanchbery's 3 articles concerning the 3 scores of "La Fille Mal Gardee" (1789, 1828, and 1960). Thanks alot -

Excellent photos! Especially that of Vladimirov and Semenov! In the Bonynge recording of the full Makarova Bayadere the numbers provided for the Shades scene are all called 'original Pavlova material' - the numbers of the shades pas classique are -the grand adage, the 3 variations, Nikiyas danse du voile, and the finale- the first two numbers of the pas -entree of the shades, waltz, entree for solor, entree for nikiya- Lanchbery's orch. Regarding Pavlova's music for bayadere, when did she plan her staging RG? Regarding the Fairy Doll pas de Trois, I have it titled 'Les Millions d'Arlequin' Riccardo E. Drigo on piano reduction of the pas, which 100% corresponds with the Kirov film w/ Lezhnina, including her pizzicati variation. As well I have seen the Art of the Prima Ballerina recording, in listings online such as Amazon, list track 2 - the pas de trois by Drigo, as being from 'Arlikinada'. Perhaps the material used for the Bonynge recording of the Drigo pas is of a manuscript copied by hand, and the copiers were to lazy to record all of the parts for instruments! Or perhaps its a reorchestration of a piano reduction, with whoever did the work orchestrating as best he could off the top of his head as to how the music sounded as orginally scored.

THANK YOU - what a great photo...thanks guys for the info, much appreciated!! The snippets of "Harlequinade" that I have on disc - the 'Valse Bluette', 'Serenade' and the Pas de Trois that is on the Bonynge CD 'Art of the Prima Ballerina' and 'Fete du Ballet' (this pas turns up in the film 'Maryinsky Ballet' aka 'Kirov Classics') is some deliciously beautiful music. It sounds very Italian. The Kirov's film where the Pas de Trois from "Harlequinade" is performed as "The Fairy Doll" (music incorrectly credited to Josef Bayer) - beautifully if I do say so myself, by Larissa Lezhnina, Dmitry Gruzdev and Yaroslav Fadayev, credits this pas to the brothers Legat. Is this in anyway based on Petipa's original? What function does this pas de trois serve in the ballet - is it a pas de trois in "Harlequinad"? I find it interesting that the Drigo music as perfromed by the Mariinksy Orchestra in the Kirov film, in comparison to the Bonynge recording, is very different. The principle melodies are the same, as well as the structure of the piece - amount of bars, etc. (no difference in edits or what have you). Unfortunatly the female variation - a beautiful pizzicati typical of Drigo when writing for the ballerina, is not included in Bonynge's recording, and instead a little short allegro number with solo clarinet is in its place (?) . I find it curious how different the orchestration is when I compare the two - far different. The Mariinksy music is lavishly orchestrated, whereas the Bonynge recording, which is similar, is pretty much the Mariinksy's version in a more stripped down form - arrangements are not as complex. Why is this? The music, for Bonynge's recording comes from Pavlova's repertoire, but the Mariinky's music, I would think anyway, is the original at least regarding Drigo's original orchestration. Also, if anyone knows, - Bonynge's recording of parts of 'The Shades' from "La Bayadere", originally recorded for "The Art of the Prima Ballerina". This version of the Shades music is from Pavlova's repertory. It is presented in a very severe colorful reorchestration. This version of the music also turns up on Bonynge's recording of the full-length Makraova "Bayadere" with the rest of the music done a la lanchbery. No one is credited for the orchestration of the Pavlova material in either recording, nor on the box set 'Fete Du Ballet' where the music turns up as well.

I was shocked after I downloaded MP3s of Drigo's 'Serenade' - thinking it was for violin, I was horrified to find it was SANG by Nelson Eddy ..................SANG??? When did this piece come to have lyrics? I was always rather curious when searching for recordings of any material by Drigo on disc to find his 'Valse Bluette' and 'Serenade', which I thought had thier roots in Petipa's 1900 "Harlequin's Millions", included in opera repertoire recordings by various singers. If they would have taken away Eddy's vocals, what a beautiful piece it would've been, sounding very 'moonlit night in Tuscany' if you get what I mean...... Luckily, the MP3 I downloaded of Drigo's 'Valse Bluette' was a ravishing melody orchestrated for solo violin, played by Mischa Elman. I sure hope that one day someone on this planet records Drigo's full "Harlequin's Millions"...Ive never seen Balanchine's production, nor anyone elses. It must be a beautiful score.

Theres another ballet nu Tcherepnin - "Narcisse and Echo" - out of print of course! ...I just found a used copy on Amazon and quickly snatched it up. Unfortunatly its conducted by Rozhdestvensky, who has a habit of conducting in a more "mathimatical" fashion, but being that its seems to be based on a fantastical theme, and sense "Pavillon" was so lovely, I guess I cant lose! Anybody know the history of this work?? Unfortunately the liner notes of the Pavillon recording dont say things like "pas de trois" etc....I wonder what music goes with that pas.

"The Sleeping Beauty" 1890, some of the cast of Act I, including Mme. Brianza http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5896/sl...auty18902wr.jpg "The Sleeping Beauty" - Vsevolozhsky's costume design for, I think, the Lilac Fairy in the prologue, 1890 http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2183/sc...lacfairy189.jpg "The Nutcracker" - Vsevoloshsky's costume design for Mother Gigogne and her children, 1892 http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8901/sc...thergigone1.jpg Ivan Alexandrovich Vsevolozhsky, circa? http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/9797/vsevolozhsky2bg.jpg All I have to say is WOW - Konstantin Ivanov's decor for the "The Nutcracker" Act II, 1892. http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/2744/kons...iithenutcra.jpg Alexandra Danilova as Odette, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo 1935 http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9599/al...swanlake2ua.jpg Alexandrova Danilova and Sege Lifar - Apollon Musagetes 1928 (is this Apollo in an early form?) http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/3558/al...andsegelifa.jpg Serge Lifar and Mme. Spessivtseva, circa 1933. Not sure what work. http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9999/serg...ssivtseva7w.jpg Serge Lifar in the same work as above http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6001/se...ifar19331ya.jpg Serge Lifar and Alice Nikihina in a work by Balanchine, 1930 http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/5418/serg...ikihinafrea.jpg Serge Lifar @ Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, 1981 http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9576/00001830480015ye.jpg Anna Pavlova as Kitri circa 1923?, 3rd photo w/ Laurent Novikov. I think these are from her tours. Abslolutely Gorgeous! 1. http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4978/do...lova19239km.jpg 2. http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3204/do...ova192324ld.jpg 3. http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/7470/do...vaandlauren.jpg Anna Pavlova and Laurent Novikov posing outdoors, circa 1920? 1. http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2324/an...ntnovikov19.jpg 2. http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2231/an...ntnovikov20.jpg 3. http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5510/an...ntnovikov21.jpg Anna Pavlova and Mikhail Mordkin, circa 1915-20? http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5703/an...ilmordkin19.jpg Anna Pavlova on tour, circa 1920-1925? 1. http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1784/anna...ova192031fx.jpg 2. http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1152/anna...ova192024pl.jpg Olga Spessivtseva, Aurora. London w/ Ballet Russe, 1921 http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/447/sle...ivtseva24zu.jpg Tamra Karsavina, Armida "La Pavillon d'Armide", 1912 (Ballet Russe or Mariinksy?) http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1879/armide19125ka.jpg "Les Sylphides" Ballet Russe, 1938, 2nd photo w/ Vera Nemtchinova and Paul Petroff 1. http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4755/le...usses19381k.jpg 2. http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8946/le...ussesverane.jpg Liza Minelli and Misha boogy-woogy-ing @ Studio 54. New Years Eve 1977 (anybody got a time machine, cause I wanna be there!) http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8555/li...ldec29771db.jpg Rudolf, Manaco. August 17, 1967 http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/5894/ru...aug1719676z.jpg Last but definately not least, Rudolf and Mme. Fonteyn @ San Simon Beach, Beirut. July, 28 1964 this photo gives me a big http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8221/ru...gotfonteynj.jpg

Just a reccomendation for those who havnt heard it - I just purchased a recording of Tcherepnin's complete music for "La Pavillon d'Armide" (I believe this means "The House of Armide"?), a ballet first mounted in 1907 @ the Mariinksy w/ none other than the great Anna Pavlova in the lead role of Armida, and then later Nijinsky danced in the ballet in its Paris staging as Armida's favourite slave. Kschessinska was supposed to have danced Armida orignally but backed out. Its perfromed by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra conducted by Henry Shek on the label Marco Polo. Its out of print fo course but when I bought mine there were like 5 or 6 other copies available, and I got mine brand new for 20$. Upon hearing the music I was taken aback - it is absolutely beautiful......the score has lots of French influence in it, and is colorful without over doing it, with great melody and elegant orchestration. Of course Im no musicologist but its some really good listening. Are anyof these ballets still in the repertory anywhere? The part of either work I know of in the active rep. is a varioation from Pavillon that truns up in the Mariinksy Paquita, the one for celeste.

was there ever a disscussion regarding this little known Petipa/pugni pas de deux.....I was curious about its orgins.....Ive heard it referred to as the "fascination pas de deux", etc. with the ballerina wearing a mask a la Madonna 'Erotica' or 'Zorro'........ Diaries of Petipa says this pas (i believe its the same thing) as "Venetian Carnival Grand Pas de Deux" to music of Pugni based on a theme by Nicolo Paganini, w/ Petipa uncredited as choreographer, 2/12/1859.... theres also a work listed called "Satanilla" or "Love and Hell" to music by Napoleon Henri Reber orch. Konstantin Liadov, originally staged by Mazilier @ Paris Opera as "La Diable Amoureux" on 9/21/1840, revival 2/10/1848 @ Bolshoi Kammeny St. Petersburg. was the pas de deux put into the ballet at some point? Why is the pas known as both "Satanella" and "Carnival in Venice"? does Satanella mean satan, or something like 'girl-devil'?

I would LOVE to see "Halte de Calverie" as well as the Soviet "Harlequinade"....was this ever released on DVD/vhs?

OOOOOOH...... BAD WORDING ON MY PART!....I meant that he wouldnt have had that as a source of insperation, though I didnt mean that it was all of his insperation - I was thinking along the lines of symph. #6, or 5........even parts of his operas......even the good ole white adage from swan lake act 2 - i dont care how many times i have heard it, its very moving in a tragic way. yes I understand exactly what you mean carbro...particularly what you stated about inborn sadness. indeed! I agree.....people and stupid "hypothesis" over all things done by a homosexual artists really upsets me

while researching on the web I found out some very interesting info on Cesare Pugni...... According to St. Leon, he had a severe drinking and gambling problem, so much so that the dancers had to take up a collection to feed his large family.... he wasnt a bad looking guy....a pic of him is in RJ wileys book "century of russian ballet", and he was rather handsome.

Is there any biographies in english on Arthur St. Leon or Jules Perrot?

I have heard of that, concering Tsarist Russia and homosezuality. I have always believed, even though I never really studied it, that the great composer's melancholy had a great deal to do with him having a problem excepting who he was its to bad to, because its such a waste of energy.........but still, had he not been that way (melancholy i mean) he never would have created such glorious work!

I dont plan on quoting anybody, just need roccomendations for research.

I just read a rather lengthy review on the book "Tchaikovsky: Quest For the Inner Man" by Alexander Poznansky - the book, as far as from my research on the net, is hailed by many to be the most revealing on the great composer. I myself judge a biography on how much truth and even specualtive information is given by the author - I want to know all avenues of conjecture, all theories, etc. in realtion to ALL of the facts...but I do not want to read any lies. I also read in this same review that there exsists the un-edited memoirs of Modest Tchaikovsky.....as well what of Pyotr's own un-edited memoirs? So with this in mind, can any of our learned BalletTalkers reccomend a GOOD bio on the composer? Has anyone read "Tchaikovsky: Quest For the Inner Man" by Alexander Poznansky, and does anyone know any iteresting info on it?

does anyone know if any recording exsists of Rimsky-Korsakov's Mlada with Minkus' ballet music? I found some on Amazon.com, but they dont credit Minkus anywhere, as I figured they probably wouldnt, yet all articles I found on the work credit Minkus as having written the dance section of the work.

I have recently began contributing to the nearly non-exsistant ballet sections on Encyclopedia.com, and other stuff on the web........I am wanting any information if anyone can help on the composers Riccardo Drigo (especially), Cesare Pugni (especially), and Leon Minkus....well fo them especially as the articles on them are near non-exsistant, such as full names, actual full dates of birth/death and other specifics, particularly on Pugni, theres nothing anywhere on the web, save an italian article I found that I translated with my online translator.......Wasnt he the grandfather of Alexander Shiryaev...in Tchaikovsky's Ballets on page 161 he says "...my grandfather Pugni..." ? Also I found in the bibliography of that book that an english language translation was published in 1982 of excerpts from Drigo's memoirs in The Dancing Times - Leshkov, Denis Ivanovich, 'Personal Reminiscenes of R. E. Drigo........eng trans. The Dancing Times, LXII (1981-1982_ pp 577-8, 661-2. -what does the 'E' stand for? I have contacted teh Danding Times to try to get a hold of this issue, as well as a library loan. Are there any books, magazine articles, that could give good info as well as what these composers were like as people?

I have another question about a rather interesting curiosity from the "Children of Theatre Street" film- what is known, at least in the west, as the male variation from the "Paquita" Grand Pas Classique (in 3/4) is danced by a female soloist in this film. I have a film called "THE MARYINKSY BALLET" (AKA "KIROV CLASSICS") and this variation pops up nowhere in that particular Kirov performance (incedently the lead male danseur of that particular performance - Igor Zelensky - dances the introduction from the "Introduction and Mazurka" from Delibes' part of the composition - "La Source", as a variartion for himself). This variation that is danced by a female soloist in the "Children of Theatre Street" is also danced by Fernando Bujones in the film "ABT AT THE MET:MIXED BILL" in Makarova's staging of the "Paquita" Grand Pas Classique to Lanchbery's nauseating orchestration, as well as by Jose Martinez in the film of Pierre Lacotte's Paris Opera revival of he full-length Mazilier/Petipa staging. Even in the confusion of sources of 19th century variations I have never encountered a variation danced by both men and woman! RG posted a few years ago a rather interesting list of some 15 or so variations from the Soviet "Paquita" Grand Pas Classique.... posted here - http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...topic=11664&hl=

Great photos RG.......the 60s photos are very....60s! I thought the Diane and Acteon was from "Le Talisman"? Maybe its music was.....?