canbelto

This movie is the Giselle to get for fans of "Mme. Alonso". It was made in 1964, and she has some shaky moments (the camera artfully cuts away from the developpes of Act 2, and the Spessivtseva solo is taken at a very slow pace) it's still an impressive portrayal. I love how lightning fast her entrechats are in the Act 2 pdd. Alonso's Giselle is of the "stern" variety (think Vishneva, Makarova, or Fracci) rather than the "gentle spirit," (think Ulanova or Cojocaru) but I like stern, determined Giselles. The film is rather rustic, probably implying the inherent superiority of the working man farmers over the aristocrats (just my guess). The production also preserves some mime not typically found in other Giselles. Just before Giselle descends back in her grave, she sadly mimes "I'm already dead" to Albrecht. Aron Plisetsky (Maya P's brother) is a somewhat pudgy, unimpressive Albrecht. Picture quality is not that great.

There are some clips on youtube, if anyone wants to see them. Warning: not for the faint of heart.

I've got to admit that I don't feel the same enthusiasm towards this Giselle. There comes a time when a performance becomes technically unacceptable, no matter how legendary the performer, or how great the artistry. I've never seen such a poorly danced Giselle as Alicia Alonso. Not that I blame her -- she was 60 and completely blind. But she is simply unable to cope with the part, even as the camera makes obvious cuts away from the most exposed choreography in Act II. (They did the same in her film in 1964, but back then she was still in many ways technically remarkable.) She also modifies the choreography so much that it really becomes a Nursing Home Giselle. I suspect that the adoring crowd never got enough of Mme. Alonso, but she should have had the self-awareness to know that by 1980, Giselle was beyond her reach. For the completists only.

On Amazon I saw that there's set to be a new release of Giselle from the Bolshoi, starring Ludmila Semenyaka. Anyone know when this performance was filmed and have any comments on it?

There was also a video released by the Paris Opera Ballet in the 1980s which had a stunning version of the Grand Pas Classique, danced by Sylvie Guillem and Manuel Legris. And then it had some of the worst choreography I've ever seen. I forgot the exact names but I remember cringing with disbelief that it could be so bad.

What do you all think of ballets that were choreographed specifically for a Very Special Occasion? For instance, Ashton's Birthday Offering. Or Balanchine's Cortege Hongrois, which was intended as a farewell valentine to Melissa Hayden. The original ballet had an elaborate flower procession, concluding with Balanchine himself bringing out a bouquet for Hayden. I think the appeal of these Very Special Occasion ballets tends to dilute when it's no longer that Very Special Occasion. Just my opinion, of course.

Wonderful news!

While I agree that Lopatkina's performance had the careful calculation that can be off-putting I'm puzzled that you refer to her "offensive" hyper-extensions. She really is not an ear-whacker at all. She is very long-limbed yes, and flexible, but definitely not hyper-extended in my opinion.

Diana Vishneva, asked whether she wanted to give up or ever felt bad about herself, writes:

I think Marianela Nunez is stunning. She has the most beautiful smile, she always looks so full of joy.

Alistair Macauley reviews La Bayadere and starts off with these choice words: Here is the review. Maybe he just shouldn't review full-length story ballets, considering his open disdain of, like, all of them.

I am sad to hear this news, because Ratmansky really seems to have revived a slipping company. Now the Bolshoi is almost bleeding with talent, and stars seem to transfer there year after year.

I saw him on Charlie Rose a few months ago and he still looks boyishly handsome. Really has aged gracefully.

La Bayadere Nikya - Uliana Lopatkina Solor - Ivan Kozlov Gamzatti - Tatiana Tkachenko Well I finally saw the Kirov in La Bayadere! In many ways, it didn't disappoint. The production is still beautifully elegant, with the right mix of spectacle, mime, pageantry, and of course, the Shades! The 32 Kirov corps deserve the biggest for their breathtaking beauty. They weren't perfect, mind you. During the big group developpe, several girls started wobbling. I happened to see one poor girl in row 2 wobbling painfully, and I saw her face, and she was grimacing. A reminder of all the hard work that is behind the beauty. But their uniformity of movement, exquisite port-te-bras, and elegance made the Shades scene the best part of the afternoon's performance, by miles. Grigory Popov deserves all the praise he got as the Golden Idol, as does Ekaterina Konduarova as the Third Shade. I thought the performance of the leads was a bit disappointing. Tatiana Tkachenko was maybe the most disappointing. The best Gamzattis drip both glamour and menace. Tkachenko exuded neither -- she seemed at times rather girlish, other times simply bland. She didn't convey her social superiority to Nikya, nor her determination. The fight seemed somewhat tame and rote, and one who didn't know the storyline might have thought the ever-regal Lopatkina was the royalty, not the other way around. This is also a role traditionally given to the technical heavy hitters. The Turners, the Jumpers. Tatiana Terekhova, for instance. Elizabeth Platel. Tkachenko was technically unremarkable, she finished her variation with a nice triple, but she stumbled a few times during the grand pas de deux. A bland interpretation backed by an unimpressive technique. As for Solor, ever since Chabukiani I think the expectation is to have a dancer capable of wowing the crowd. I can kind of understand the complaints about Kozlov. I think he'd be fine as a Siegfried or Sleeping Beauty Prince or any other "cavalier" type role. But he's definitely not a bravura dancer. He's tall and handsome, but a somewhat careful dancer, without much speed or elevation. The difficulties of partnering Lopatkina must be numerous, and I noticed that Kozlov when supporting her in turns often breaks classical form and spreads his legs wide and bends his knees slightly, kind of like a basketball player shooting a free throw. I don't think he's a bad dancer, just that maybe Solor isn't the role for him. Now Lopatkina. Unlike Tkachenko or Kozlov, Lopatkina definitely is not miscast. She walked onstage like she owned it. Her body is, as Natalia said, the Stradivarius of classical ballet. She makes Sylvie Guilliem look stocky. She has maybe the most impeccable classical line today -- her long tapered feet elongate her legs even further, her neck naturally gives her an air of elegance. Still, I felt that she maybe has done this role too many times, or was having a slightly off day. Her dance at the Betrothal Scene was beautifully phrased, and her back was pliant but curiously missing in some bits of acting. For instance, she doesn't really radiate happiness when she gets the bouquet from Solor. She barely smiles. When the High Brahmin gives her the antidote, she doesn't look over at Solor/Gamzatti one last time before dropping it. It's the Kingdom of the Shades scene where she's predictably the most impressive. Here, her air of regal serenity is appropriate, and she used her magnificently long arms/hands to great effect -- her fingers often seemed to dissolve into the air as she reached for Solor. Unfortunately, the Scarf Duet, usually one of my favorite parts of the ballet, was marred by a rare moment of technical insecurity from Lopatkina. She stumbled out of the first series of pirouettes, and seemed shaken. Maybe because of the first bobble, she didn't alternate directions in her pirouettes, unlike most Nikyas. She looked like she just wanted to get the duet over and done with, and so for once, the Queen of Slow was rushing through the steps. I might have been reading too much into it, but I thought she looked a bit circumspect during the curtain calls. I was glad I saw her in one of her trademark roles, but she might have been having an off-day. Before the Shades scene I saw Makhar Vaziev and Olga Chenchikova sweeping into their seats a few rows in front of me. Vaziev by the way is very handsome.

I kind of am the opinion that Quality is Quality, even if it requires different mindsets and expectations. I believe the standards in top companies have always been very high, and it says a lot that over a century after many of Marius Petipa's pieces were choreographed, dancers still struggle with the pure technique of the ballets. For instance, I saw a highly regarded dancer a top company (that I happen to like) dance the Rose Adagio in Sleeping Beauty a few years ago, and she was never able to balance. She seemed nervous, and frantically grabbed the prince's next hand in succession and wobbled throughout. Now one could have gone home and popped in a tape of Margot Fonteyn sailing through the same Rose Adagio, with each balance held, arms in Fifth, like the choreography was simply made for her, and said, "What was wrong with the Auroras today? I'm never going to see a good Sleeping Beauty again." Or, one could have gone to the Royal Ballet, and saw Marianela Nunez as Aurora, and concluded that Quality is Quality.

One part of the interview that puzzled me was Osipova saying that the Bolshoi currently does not have "Romeo and Juliet" in its repertory. Hmm? I thought the Bolshoi has always danced the Lavrovsky version.

Natalia Osipova recently debuted in Giselle, and here's a rather long interview with her about her preparation for the role. It's a fascinating read.

I see the Bright Stream issue differently. I think it's a tribute to how far Russian ballet has come, in that there is even a ballet like Bright Stream. In the "old Soviet" days, no one would ever have put a leading danseur in a romantic tutu and pointe shoes. How undignified! How silly! Putting a prima ballerina in a coat and tails. How perverse! When I watch old Soviet films, I of course am filled with admiration for the incredible beauty and grace of the wonderful dancers, but that's tinged with a bit of regret that they were often dancing in old-fashioned productions that deliberately placed limits on emotions and storylines. Nowadays the Bolshoi's repertoire is probably nearly as diverse adventurous as the NYCB's, and that's a beautiful thing.

I guess I'll start this off. I went to tonight's performance, starring the newly promoted Sterling Hyltin, Robert Fairchild, Daniel Ulbricht as Mercutio, and Darci Kistler and Jock Soto as the Capulets. I'd never seen this production before, so I went in with an open mind. This R+J is hard to like. There's the ugliness of the decor -- the grim Great Wall of China-like single set device that never gave the ballet any sense of time, place, or decor. This was most apparent during the "bed" scene -- Romeo and Juliet were forced to frolic on a tiny block that served as a "bed." Most of the dancers were forced to basically dance on a blank stage, and some of them seemed confused about the blocking. Also, there are weird stage directions and cuts. For instance, during the Capulet party, there's no scene of Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio standing by the doorway of the Capulets and sneaking in. They just sort of saunter onstage mid-party. The charming scene with Juliet playing her mandolin is gone. Romeo and Juliet also never have that scene in the party when they are alone for the first time and fall in love. They seem to flirt in open view of their parents and Tybalt. Also, whoever thought of ending Act 1 with the anti-climactic scene of the Nurse sending a note to Romeo? The ballet works much better ending after the Balcony Scene. The choreography is better for the men than the women. The crowd scenes in particular become displays for the men of NYCB to show their stuff in a seemingly endless series of pirouettes and entrechats. The key balcony scene has some very awkward lifts, including one where Romeo holds Juliet almost completely parallel to the ground. The climactic kiss was awkward too -- Juliet is sitting on the ground, bending over backwards, and I thought "ouch" rather than "ahh." The weakest scene is maybe the bedroom scene. Juliet wakes up, looking somewhat bored. Romeo wakes up, and he starts to chase her around and all of a sudden she's the coquettish girl, who resists his advances until they roll into bed and are waken up by the nurse. This makes no dramatic sense whatsoever -- they supposedly just had their wedding night, and now it's time for a painful departure. Where's the passion? The sadness? The desperation? Watch Fonteyn and Nureyev dance this scene to see how it's done. The "slap" scene is IMO actually the strongest. Up until now Martins' Juliet had been irritatingly childlike, but the "slap" seems to awaken Juliet into maturity. That being said, Darci Kistler plays Lady Capulet like a sympathetic mother, which isn't true to Shakespeare at all. But ... despite the best efforts of Martins and whoever designed the production, they couldn't kill Romeo and Juliet. For one, the music remains one of ballet's best, most evocative scores. It practically dances itself. Second of all, Sterling Hyltin and Robert Fairchild were a convincing pair of young lovers. Robert Fairchild in particular -- boyishly handsome, he reminded me a bit of Angel Corella. Sterling Hyltin is saddled with choreography that's little more than a lot of leaping and some awkward lifts, but she's more feminine and lyrical than many of the NYCB women. Her Juliet may lack some emotional depth, but it has a youthful energy and sympathy. I'm not sure she's ready to be principal dancer yet. I remember watching Romeo and Juliet with Ferri a few years ago and at the end of the night the audience was stunned silent. Martins' R+J doesn't have that power. But still, I wouldn't say I wasted my time. It was worth seeing.

Balanchine's Who Cares, Midsummer's Night Dream, and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux are inevitable crowd-pleasers. Also, it might not even need to be said, but his Nutcracker is probably the all-time most feel-good ballet ever. Moving away from Balanchine, I agree that Bright Stream and Coppelia are a lot of fun. Ashton's Cinderella too.

Recent pictures of Uliana Lopatkina seem to indicate she's grown out her hair, as has Veronika Part. But back to short hair: I was surprised to read that Mathilde Kschessinskaya had short hair and wore wigs during her performing career, that she would curl into the latest fashions, whatever they happened to be. Natalia Osipova also has shortish hair.

I attended tonight's performance, with the same cast as the opener. I had mixed feelings. This is a sad thing to say but one thing I noticed was the company looked flat-out uncomfortable dancing the ballet, as if they were trying too hard to master the steps. I remembered this year when I saw them dance the Nutcracker. There were a few bobbles, but the company danced it as if it were in their blood. That is always a joy to watch. I didn't get the same feeling tonight. In Emeralds, I liked Ashley Bouder's bubbliness and charm, but she looked as if she wasn't 100% comfortable in the role. But her pique turns are a wonder of the ballet world. She dances with joy. Sara Mearns was a highlight in the walking duet. What was disappointing was the corps de ballet, who looked rushed and uninspired and often, rather unsynchronized with the orchestra. In Rubies, I think a lesson needed to be taught on the difference between looking *playful* and flat-out childish. There was no excuse for the corps, as well as all the men, and Meghan Fairchild, to prance around onstage like actual children, elbows jutting around and hands flapping, as if they were literally hopscotching. Meghan Fairchild, as I said, added some unfortunate child-like mannerisms to the role. She already looks like a "baby," she really needs to mature into this role. Only Teresa Reichen as the tall girl got the mix between glamor and playfulness right. She got some justified cheering after her solo. Diamonds is probably my least favorite section of the ballet but it was for me the most enjoyable part of the evening, thanks to Wendy Whelan, who looked, acted, and danced as the part demanded. She managed to sustain my interest during the entire pdd, and I always end up bored with that pdd. Whelan's developpes and arabesque penchees are fast but never tasteless. She's gained some much-needed weight, which gives her a softer look and line. But most of all she radiated *goodness,* just as she does as the Sugar Plum Fairy. She made all the obeisance towards her that Balanchine choreographed for Farrell look justified. The final tableu seemed like a fitting tribute to Wendy, a real NYCB jewel, someone who I've never seen give a bad performance.

I saw his interview as an extra in "Pique Dame" and he did come across as extremely arrogant, referring to himself as a "young artist" and then saying, without apparent irony: ""I was picked because I was the best, the most talented, and I could do everything." In contrast, the gorgeous Ilze Liepa (who looks a lot like Uma Thurman) seemed so down-to-earth and humble.

I'm gonna get into a little rant here: this is perhaps my least favorite Nutcracker on video. Grigorivich's Nutcracker is a mess in every way. There are random people onstage at all times, even during the Grand pas de deux. The mouse vs. soldier "battle" is less of a battle than people marching around pointlessly. The costumes are really hideous -- the Norman Bates wigs of the Snowflakes being the most prominent example. The performance is uninspired, with some obvious gaffes by the corps de ballet (an extra sticking out of the curtain at the end of Act 1), and Maximova and Vasiliev are just flat out too old for their parts. Especially Maximova. The camera work is horrible -- way too dark, you can barely see the tree. The sound quality is awful too. Fortunately, a prettified, dusted up version of the same ballet can be found with Arkhipova and Mukhamedov in the leads, and it's now available on video as well. Rant over.

I have just finished the book, and I must say that one detail Baronova recalls in the book is to me just as horrifying as her husband's 48 hour demand to leave ballet forever or lose him. It happens after the death of their friend Vivien Leigh. Tennant refuses to allow Irina to attend the funeral, with the dictate "Women don't go to funerals." The fact that Baronova says this marriage was the happiest time of her life I think says a lot about her infinitely patient personality.