cygneblanc

I saw it three years ago and I liked it a lot most certainly because I appreciate both narrative and dramatic ballets very much.

Yes, the scenery is wonderful, and like you I liked the flowers a lot, especially when Marie-Agnes Gillot is dancing. I don't think it has been done before at least in the POB.

I agree with you, it's pretty hard to understand the ballet if you don't know the story but on another side the ballet often differs from that story so the person who's hoping to see an exact translation of the book on stage will be disapointed to my mind.

As far I'm concerned, this is the POB's best creation in years. We've got a lot of very bad contemporary creations the last few years and this one is so wonderful. It's a shame only seven performances were scheduled this year. The Palais Garnier is full while the Bastille Theater where they're playing Neumier's Sylvia is quite empty. I wonder why they have scheduled so many Sylvia's performances :rolleyes: .

Excellent Naoko ! I have a pretty good seat too. And yes, cheers for ML's website

Here you can buy the book with pictures that Estelle mentioned. It's a network of bookstores that are selling second hand books. I've ordered several books from them and things were fine.

http://www.galaxidion.com/home/catalogues....%E9jart&x=0&y=0

Otherwise, here a link on amazon.fr with several Bejart's titles

http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/search-ha...8009156-8781724

Some of his ballets are discussed in the following books

Michel Robert, Conversations avec Maurice Béjart, Paris, Renaissance, 2000.

Be aware that ballets are discussed here and there in the book but it isn't a book about his ballets.

This book has been written by one of his forler dancer, and she sometimes discusses ballet.

Carole Trévoux, Danser chez Béjart, Bruxelles, JM Collet, 1986.

Misss Maurin's farewell performance will be on June 29, 2005. It is written on Manuel Legris' website. You can order a ticket on the POB website. I have a one. It was hard to find something on the parterre, I had to try out in each category !

Naoko, this sylphide hasn't been broadcasted yet here, at least not on the state TV (Maybe on Mezzo, but I'm not sure. Do you know it, Estelle ?).

As for the DVD, I think it will be released by the POB but I don't know when. I think the japonese version you mentionned will be the first one that will be available in Europe

Dame Alicia Markova DBE

A Service of Thanksgiving for the Life and Work of Dame Alicia Markova DBE will be held in Westminster Abbey at Noon on Tuesday 8 March. Those wishing to attend are invited to apply in writing, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to : - The Assistant Receiver General [Protocol], Room 8, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean’s Yard,Westminster Abbey, London, SW1P 3PA. Tickets will be posted by Friday 25 February. All are welcome to apply for tickets.

See www.westminster-abbey.org

Yes, Estelle thanks I mean the GRTOP. Yes, it was firstly directed by Carolyn Carlson, who was an "etoile-choregraphe", they etasblished that title just for her.

I can't tell like that until when the GRTOP lasted, but I'm almost sure it was around 1985. Someone knows ? I must have the infos somewhere but where, here's the question lol

Naoko, yes I agree with you about the idea of bringing the ballet kids to Opera performances is very good indeed but why that production of the Flute and not another production ?

My goddaughter is 15 and was disturbed by the whole thing but she enjoyed Dialogue de Carmelites very much and we will attend Boris Goudounov later in the year. It's a pity Mr Mortier won't give us free tickets for that productions :rolleyes: I can tell you we would appreciate them very much. And for the condoms things, I'll have to interview her she was really annoyed by that and I didn't understand very well why they are giving them away !

"He has come with me during my journey to modernity, he's a leader in the compagny","....and so will he be, for many years to come, in enhancing the endeavours made in the last decade or so"

Thanks for the good laugh but seriously I think you're just right when you're writing that.

But our director is also very odd as Estelle said so I don't know what we can expect now, the worse or the best (I hope for the best )

Actually, a long time ago, there was a split in the compagny. Only a small group was dancing some modern works. Estelle, do you remember if BL was a member of that group ?

http://actu.voila.fr/Depeche/depeche_loisi...7.uf61x2rr.html

Here is a link to an article on WR promotion. I'm translating the only interesting sentences from Brigitte Lefèvre:"One hope sometimes is consacrated but so is sometimes the talent. It's not too early, and it's not too late, that's commended (or asserted ?) today. He has come with me during my journey to modernity, he's a leader in the compagny.

I find the last sentence very sad and worrying, it looks like this promotion is a personal thank you from Mrs Lefèvre. And she's saying it openly (you're going to tell me at least she's frank lol).

That's a mess and that's very sad for the dancer and his talent!

Well Naoko, about your vision of POB's etoiles, I don't think it's too much "idolised", since I have pretty much the same one, but as far I'm concerned, I think there is lack of that sort of etoiles, especially in the women ranks and I wonder if the direction wishes it still exists.

I don't think Ashton work would fit very well the POB, but between all the atrocious contemporary works we have this year (Thank you so much, Mrs Lefèbre ) and some Ashton works badly danced, I choose the second solution !

And yes, it's very british but since I like everything in Great Britain from the anglican choirs to the humor, I was very happy ! I wish I could see each program from the ROB this year!

I saw the Prejlocaj soirée from a very bad seat (didn't want to spending my money away for some contemporary works) and I HATED the second piece, MC16-22. The first one was still acceptable although I didn't like it. I went just because there were a lot debates about this soiree and I wanted to see it from my own eyes but that's all. It's nothing against the choregrapher (I like the Parc a lot) or Medee (I saw the play with Isabelle Huppert, she was amazing, and I was deeply moved bu her interpretation).

For the magic Flute, yes it's the one that is currently shown and it's a new production. I haven't seen it but my godaughter did. Gerard Mortier went the POB ballet school to speaking to the pupils about the production and invited them to a performance. From what she told me and what I read in newspapers, it is looking rather "trash", they're giving condoms to the audience :rolleyes: . !

Well, during a meeting of the AROP at the end of the last year, Gerard Mortier told that there would be some news promotions (two if I remember well) after the Sleeping Beauty!

I thought the new etoiles would be some ones that were good in the SB but with that surprising promotion I don't know what to think :rolleyes:

It was an evidence that Mathieu Ganio would be an Etoile one day but I wouln't have said it would be so early. I'm still astonished by his performance at last year annual competition. Wow, there was him and the others, he was clearly the best in the field. But being excellent on two variations is one thing, being an etoile is another one.

So who will be the next one ? I prefer not to think about that :rolleyes:

Well, Naoko, actually, I have the same interrogations as you. While I'm happy for WR, on the other side, the circumstances of his promotion are maybe opening some new perspectives that I won't particularly enjoy :rolleyes: .

Marie-Agnes Gillot, the last etoile promoted, was named after a performance of Carolyn Carlson 's Signes, although she could and should have been promoted after a classical performance .

The new POB president is working a lot to promote the new and desastrous production of Mozart's la flûte enchantée (forgot the English name, sorry), he 's giving a lecture to the audience before almost every performance. That has never been seen before!

So it looks as he wishes to turn the POB into a contemporary theater and that's very worrying for me. Can one be an etoile, at least a POB's one when one can just dance contemporary choreos ? That's quite a question !

Oh and Naoko, while you 're here, I went to London earlier in the season to seeing one of the Ashton triple bills. I liked it a lot. I wish the same triple could be given in Paris but at that time it was a Prejlocaj double bills that wasn't very good

Yes, Estelle you're right about what I mean with reflections. And no, I'm not in the USA now although I will be in Canada in two weeks (I can't wait !).

I got the book from the Amazon Marketplace, you have a lot of choice here.

During my last trip in the States, I had to buy another bag, because I bought so many second hand books but they were so cheap that I couldn't resist. (Me and the books ).

One thing we do with some friends is that we sometimes order some books from amazon USA together and we share the shipping costs. It can be interesting because there often are some bargain prices when you're buying some titles together.

Yes, that's a big surprise for me, too. I also would like to see Delphine Moussin promoted, she deserves it so much, more than Laetitia Pujol, to my mind (who by the way, is a very nice girl..).

This nomination is rather symbolic since as Estelle told it he will have to retire soon, but that's quite an accomplishment !

Wilfried Romoli is now an Etoile. He has been named after tonight performance in a contemporary creation called Ich Bin (I'm).

Congratulations

Estelle,

I have a volume of E. Denby's writings and poetry published by the Yale University Press. It is really interesting.

It's too bad there aren't some good writings in French. There is a PhD on Dance and Philosophy I read once at the Sainte Genenvieve library, but it has never been published. It's a shame, because it's quite a good work.

I'm just bought the book you mentionned . I got a brand new one for $5. In France it would be impossible to having such a book at such a prize !

I'm looking for some books about reflections on ballet.

Could you give me some tips? Has someone read Next Week, Swan Lake Reflections on Dance and Dances by Selma Jeanne Cohen ? If yes, have you like it ?

Thanks a lot in advance

No, it isn't.

A surnumeraire is as a quadrille, the lowest rank of the corps de ballet , and is dancing the same parts. Definitively, these parts aren't" like super" or children's roles in an ABT ballet.

Eg, a surnumeraire can be one of the willis in Giselle, a swan in the Swan Lake...

Yes, everyone will be happy to hear from the Varna Gold Medalist .

Congratulations for your accomplishments, since moreover to being an excellent dancer you seem to be a very good student at school. That isn't given to everyone.

We hope to see you in Paris soon

Well, Alexandra, when I'm watching the picture of Christophe Duquenne, I'm under the impression that

1) the foot is badly pointed

or

2) the picture was taken while he was pointing his foot .

But I can't respond to your question, it's not easy to see everything from a bad seating in Bastille I will try to have a look at the video (featured Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris) in order to see what M. Legris did at tha point .

Well, I just reminded that the pupils from the POB school need the "Brevet des Colleges " ( a diploma you get when you're 14 at the end of grade 9. In France high school begin on grade 10. It ins't a ballet diploma but a school one ) in order to be accepted in the Corps so I wonder if it's the same thing for the others dancers..

Don't forget to check that out with Sophie but I don't think you have to worry, a german school diploma will probably be perfectly fine if the diploma is required

You're right, Alexandra, there is a version by the POB at least in video and I believe there is a DVD now.

Clara is Elisabeth Maurin and Laurent Hilaire is the prince. Elisabeth Maurin was named an Etoile during the filming. She's a wonderful Clara and the corps de ballet is just gorgeous to my mind. Although it was filmed in 1987, it still looks great !

If you get a permanent contract, that mean you will become a state employee after a six month internship. You'll have a spot in the compagny until you're 42, and then you'll get a pension.

With a "surnumeraire" contract, you won't have that.

And no, no diplomas are required. And I think problems of nationality can be solved.

I support Estelle and Leigh, it would probably be helpful to you to contact Sophie. She's really nice

And it could be helpful for you to learn some French.

Estelle said everything. I'm sure there is a barre work and that they are eliminating some candidates. For the milieu, I believe there is a variation. Some permanent contracts can be offered at the audition opened to everyone but they usually give them to dancers that have been "surnemeraire" before.

Generally, there are taking four "sunuméraire" andd it can be less or more. You can also have a contract for one ballet. It changes each year

Good luck