silvy

yes. Teatro Colon is undergoing some difficulties. and our theatre was full of difficulties since its birth in 1935 -this year a Tchaikowsky gala was cancelled -orchestra would not play nonetheless, Corsaire was great

yes...a great production here at our doorstep. today I watched Le Corsaire, danced by our National Ballet Company, which is under the direction of Mr JuLio Bocca. Production staged by Anne-Marie Holmes, Maria Riccetto starring as Medora, Jose Martin(soloist from Royal Ballet) as Conrad, Avetil Karapetian (Royal Swedish Ballet) as Ali, Giovanna Martinatto (Urguay) as Gulnare and artists frrom the company a great production which makes me immensely proud and happych that ballet is getting to the place it belongs by right in our society. New theater. No orchestra due to musicians strike but taped music (which(I resented) Ricetto looked good, but, I think, maybe was tired. Fouettes did not go too well. Great adagrnio work in pas de trois. and still greater adagio in "Finesse d amour"..I loved her dancing in it:lyrical,tender. I think she is more of a lyrrical than a bravura ballerina. Giovanna Martinatto (our prima ballerina), was at her best: high extensions, but still looking elegant and delicate. Impeccable turns. Double fouttes. Avetik marvellous - fantastic revoltades coda. Jose Martin: perfectily lcontrolled multiple turns, ending in a balance that seemed to last forever. I think we must be forever grateful to Mr Bocca for bringing back to us the pleasure of watching first rate ballet!

My partner and I have decided to dance Giselle pas de deux Act II this year. He loves the Lavrovsky-Bessmertnova version, so we shall work on that basis. My question: where should the pas de deux end? My order would be the following: - adagio - Giselle and Albrecht (the part in which she does the entrechat 4 sequence) - Albrechts variation - Giselle waltz variation (while Albrecht is lying on the floor), which end with she entering the wings with jete pas de chat, followed by him. Should the pas de deux end there? Or should we add the sequence in which she does 32 bars of entrechat 6 or brises? thanks a lot! silvy

I wonder if someone could recommend to me a good version of Le Corsaire on Cd to purchase, or to get, as I am somewhat bewildered by the different arrangements of the music I have heard so far (for example, ABT's Corsaire on DVD is very different regarding music than Kirov's). Especially I need the Jardin Animee section, but I would like the whole ballet. Thanks a lot in advance Silvy

Thanks for all your replies! Thank you for the photo of Pearl Argyle, Gina - that was a beautiful woman!! Union Jack is already included - and it is not nationalistic at all, as the Navy here seems to see the English Navy as a model (their uniforms are based on the English ones, and at the Naval Museum, where I shall give the lecture, there is a cannon that belonged to H.M.S. Agamenon, which fought in the Battle of Trafalgar under Admiral Nelson - there is also a cannon that belonged to German vessel "Admiral Graf Spee", which is quite astounding, but this is ). About the King's Volunteers of Amager, where can I find the plot? Or does someone know it? Thank you Silvy

I was asked to think of ballets with marine-related plots, and to offer a lecture on this, which is to be addressed to Navy officers in my country. So far, the only ballets that come to mind are Union Jack and Le Corsaire. "Ondine" maybe, but I was not so sure, since I understand she is not a "sea" sprite, but someone who comes out of a "fountain". Then I thought of "Pharaoh¡s Daughter", but, again, Aspiccia throws herself into the Nile, which is a river and not a sea. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks a lot

There is a new recording available of the above ballet - does anyone know anything about it? Is the music well known, or virtually unknown? Thanks a lot Silvy

Are any ballet or ballet excerpts in which Edward Villela is seen dancing? I have just finished reading his autobiography and I am most curious to see him dancing. Thanks a lot silvy

I am looking for a complete filmed version of Balanchine's "Union Jack" - I have only seen the excerpt on one of the "Balachine Celebration" tapes, but I know that the ballet is much longer, and complex, and am eager to see it . Does anyone know if there is any filmography of it? Thanks a lot Silvy

Now I am confused Because I thought that Ballet as an art form had developed during Louis XIV reign (i.e., 16th century) and that the geometrical patterns reflecting the perfection of Versailles palace stemmed from that century. As far as my limited knowledge goes, I thought there was a period afterwards in which ballet masters opposed the use of masks and the fact the "entrees" ballet consisted of, and when they thought that ballet should convey meaning in itself, with a plot and pantomime (I am thinking of Noverre). I was asked to draw a relation between this 2 things by some members of the Masonry, to whom the ideals of the Enlightnment are apparently very dear.

I was asked to find a relation between the Era of the Enlightment (XVIII century) and ballet, meaning, if the ideals of the philosophers of this era (which in turn would help trigger the French Revolution) exerted some kind of influence on ballet as an art form. I can only think vaguely of "Le Chevalier Noverre" and his "Lettres sur la danse et les ballets", and his "ballet d'action", but still, I cannot seem to draw a clear relation. Does anyone have some hints on this? Thanks so much Silvy

I have come across an old article from a dance magazine (do not recall the name of such magazine now) in which is stated that the choreography for Lilac Fairy solo in the prologue as it is now performed by russian ballet companies (i.e.,the one that has the diagonal with sisonne, sisonne, releve, double pirouette from 5th) really belongs to Lopukhov. I do know that Marie Petipa did not dance a choregraphically difficult variation, but that this was later changed when it was danced by better equpped dancers - however, the doubt still falls on me as to whether these "better equipped dancers" belonged to Petipa's era, or to Lopukhov. Does anyone know? silvy

I am referring to Diaghilev's staging of Sleeping Beauty, called "The Sleeping Princess", in London, where Olga Spessitseva danced. I have a very big doubt: Did Diaghilev stage the complete Sleeping Beauty, or only the third act (i.e. "Aurora's Wedding")? Also, does anyone know where the name "Aurora's Wedding" originated? Thanks so much Silvy

Thank you for all your posts, and sorry for delay in responding (vacations, etc). What I mean is rather the other way round, i.e., what would be the reasons that would encourage a University to have its own ballet company (and not the advantages for a ballet company to belong to a University). I know of a couple of examples in South America, but cannot see the ramifications too clearly. Nevertheless, what you have answered has helped me gain a new insight into the matter, from another perspective

Hi! What would you consider as an advantage for a Universtity to have its own ballet company? (its dancers being professional dancers from outside, not students from within the University, and its funding being provided by the University itself). As far as I know, there are ones in some countries, but cannot see the advantages too clearly.... What would you consider them to be?

Today I was asked if there is any ballet company in Iran - I had to confess I did not know...... Does anyone know? Thanks Silvy

As a dancer, and regarding applause in the middle of a variation, I can tell you that I am both pleased (and honoured) AND distracted by applause. Last year I was doing the diagonal of ballones in Dulcinea's variation (2nd act Don Q) and the people started applauding... I got too emotional and sort of wobbled at the end of the diagonal!!!!!!!

Thank you both richard53dog and dirac. I have read the Wikipedia link. There is one fact that baffles me: why does Sarastro abduct Pamina, taking her away from her mother (too evil as her mother is), if Sarastro is supposed to be a "good guy"? Is this a question of religious beliefs, or what?

I must tell you that my friend and the other actor finally performed the play, and it was a success - everyone laughed a lot. My friend even came off stage with a measuring tape, and starting measurng the noses of some of the men in the audience......one if them was asleep, and my friend said:"vodka is very dangerous" It was most hilarious.

I know the above is a difficult one.. I wonder if anyone knows about the meaning of the different characters and elements in Mozart's "Magic Flute". Or else, if you know of a website where I could learn about this. I have just finished watching the Bergman film and was most intrigued (and delighted also), and I am eager to learn more. Thanks so much in advance! Silvy

Hi everyone, and thanks for the load of interesting info... The bit about "singspiel" was quite enlightening to me... so it was a musical comedy in the classical period... Regarding bart's enquiry, I was asked to prepare some dance(s) to one of Mozart's operas, preferably "The Magic Flute". This would be for a sort of gathering (dinner), not for the theatre.

AS you may know, this year there had been great celebrations in homage to Mozart. I was asked to prepare some dance(s) to a Mozart opera, preferably to "The Magic Flute". Do you know if there is a ballet included i n that score? Or in case there is not, what other of his opera contains a ballet? I know that he composed a ballet (Les Petits riens), but it does not inspire me too much...........

Hi!! As far as I know, much of what we know today as "Don Quixote" has come to us through Gorsky's version for the Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow. As far as I know, gorsky was Petipa's pupil and Petipa was very much annoyed when Gorsky's version was staged in St Petersburg. I am curious to learn what happened to Petipa's original version - has it been preserved in notation or is it lost?

Yes, those curves are gorgeous (shall I say "sexy"? - if that is allowed in this board, sorry!! ). Also I very much like the fact that she is not skinny, but very womanly, yet she does look a ballerina from head to toe. An example that you do not have to be anorectic to be a gorgeous dancer

I saw "Memories of a Geisha" (the Steven Spielberg film) and see it as a firm candidate. Then I read about William Golden's book having been opposed by the Geisha who inspired it, but I do not if this might influence the judges or not......