su-lian

Apparently, during the Kingdom of shades scene, Nikiya tells Solor that if he doesn't betray her, her shade will be next to him to help him and to protect him and that his spirit will find peace in this kingdom when he dies. I suppose that this is related to the last act because he betrays Nikiya by marrying Gamzatti, and therefore they are all punished and at the end of the last act, once the temple is destroyed, the shade of Nikiya goes back up to the kingdom of shades looking down at Solor, so this probably means that he will not go there because he betrayed her. Still according to the original Petipa notes, the Rajah wants Solor to marry Gamzatti because he was designed as her fiance when they were children, so he has the obligation to marry her. About Solor and Nikiya, Nikiya is destined to the temple since she is a child and her duty is to it, she can't leave it or marry so Solor promises her to come and fetch her in a few days and escape, but then he has to marry Gamzatti, and he tries to escape from it by saying he needs a bit of time, but the Rajah answers he can't refuse and has to accept the marriage now.

I've seen the Makarova version by the Royal ballet, but it was a few years ago, and I don't remember it very well. However, in the Nureyev version, when Nikiya is bitten by the snake, she accuses Gamzatti of having put the snake in the basket (or at least have it placed there). I saw a documentary not long ago about the Nureyev version of La Bayadere at the Paris Opera and I will do my best to try remembering it correctly. According to Isabelle Guerin (who created the role of Nikiya in this version), when she hesitates to take the antidote which the Great Brahmin gives her, she looks at Solor, and he looks at her, but knowing that they will not be able to love each other prefers to die, but according to Laurent Hilaire (who created the role of Solor), she looks at him, he has his backed turned to her and is with Gamzatti and so she decides to die because she thinks he doesn't love her. As for the accusation, they say that Gamzatti turns round after being accused and Solor understands that Nikiya is right. However, in the video/DVD which dates from 1994 and in which Guerin, Hilaire and Platel dance the roles they created, Elisabeth Platel seems to nod her head after being accused (which I find quite weird). The documentary dates only from about two years ago and has the same three (Guerin, Platel and Hilaire) talking about it, so which one is correct is difficult question to answer, especially since the video/DVD was recorded closer from the date of the creation than the documentary was and therefore one might think they remembered better what the creation was like and what Nureyev wanted (if he told them what he wanted!). But then one can also argue that after a longer period they can assimilate the ballet better and therefore give a better interpretation of it. Apparently, Nureyev didn't change the choreography much from the original (except that he didn't restage the last act), probably because of his illness. So I suppose in this version, Nikiya immediately realises it was a plot organised by the Rajah and Gamzatti. I have just looked in the program, and the original notes from Petipa don't mention anything about Nikiya accusing anyone oand there is nothing about Solor's and Gamzatti's reactions:"Gamzatti asks that some flowers be given to Nikiya. Nikiya receives the basket with pleasure and dedicates her dance to Solor who is thoughtful. Suddenly a snake comes out from the basket and bites Nikiya on the chest. The wound is deadly. Feeling she is losing strength, she calls Solorto her rescue. 'Don't forget your promise. I die! Farewell...' The Great Brahmin rushes to her and offersher an antidote, but Nikiya refuses:'God will judge us!' She falls in Solor's arms. 'Farewell Solor. I love you, I die innocent!...' These are her last words. The rajah and his daughter triumph" This is all I can say. I might not answer your question, I haven't read the reviews on the Mariinsky forum.

Yes, I understand. I should have been clearer in my explanations, I'm sorry. It's just that I'm so used to the Nureyev version which apparently is quite different from the Sergeyev one (seven fairies instead of six but no lilac fairy)! At least now we've all learned lots about fairies in Sleeping Beauty! It's been interesting to try to find all this and understand it! I quite like comparing different versions of the same ballet and sometimes try to find what it was like originally, it can be very interesting! The problem is that I mostly know about the Nureyev versions, being in Paris, but not so much about other versions, and this is why Ballet alert is so interesting, because there are lots of people who can tell me about what I don't know!

No, I wasn't counting the lilac fairy as one of the six fairies from the pas de six, I was probably wrong, but it seemed to me intuitively that it had to be counted like that, and from what I've seen, Petipa wasn't counting her either! I still think it would be interesting to see (or rather read!) what the reconstructed version is like. Which other fairy? The other one dancing the second variation? In the Nureyev version, the lilac fairy doesn't dance at all in the pas de six and there are seven fairies dancing the adagio and the coda, and they each dance a variation except two of them who have to dance together. From what I understand, the original has seven fairies (six and lilac) dancing the six variations but there is nothing about the adagio and the coda, so I don't know if the lilac fairy danced them too or not. I don't suppose so, other wise Petipa would have just called it a pas de sept.

On the notes written by Petipa to Tchaikovsky for the music, it states: -Little introduction for the pas de six -Pas de six.Adagio.Petit allegro. -Variations of the fairies -Candide -Coulante and Fleur de farine -Breadcrumbs -Canary -Violent -Lilac Fairy -Coda So that means Petipa himslef makes it a pas de six with seven fairies: six fairies and the lilac fairy.

I know they don't add up properly. What I meant was that if there are six fairies dancing the pas de six (adagio, variation and coda) but that the lilac fairy comes and dances the last variation, then two of the fairies have to share one variation. In the Nureyev version, it is called pas de six but has been changed to a pas de sept because there are actually seven fairies dancing , the last variation is not danced by the lilac fairy, but he kept two fairies dancing the second variation so that makes it seven. But I suppose in the original, if the lilac fairy dances the last variation but not the rest, then there are only six fairies dancing the adagio and the coda and since the lilac takes one of the six variation, there are five variations for the six fairies of the pas de six, so two dance the second variation. I suppose this is what it all means, it is all so complicated!

Yes, the Nureyev version at the Paris Opera Ballet has it danced by two fairies and it is the version I know the best, but also according to the program, this was also how it was done at the creation by Marius Petipa. It was a pas de six with six fairies and six variations, but the last variation was danced by the lilac fairy, and the second variation was danced by two fairies, "coulante" and "fleur de farine"(which I wouldn't really be able to translate properly but it would probably be something like 'flowing' and 'pure wheaten flour'!). This is probably why Nureyev chose to have it like that because apparently he wanted to more or less keep the original Petipa choreography except that headded some variations for the men, as usual. , unless I haven't understood what was said in the program correctly, but I think this is what it says.

I suppose you mean the seven fairies from the prologue. In the original Petipa version, the first fairy is called "candide" and has a slow variation, and gives to Aurora purity. The two next ones dance together a faster, more energetic and dynamic variation with lots of ronds de jambe and give her joy and high spirits. The third variation (fourth fairy) is the breadcrumb one is a more staccato variation and symbolises the breadcrumbs being thrown on her (in russian tradition it brings a happy motherhood). The fifth fairy brings laughter and singing and is known (at least here in france) as the canary variation (she is in a bright yellow tutu). The sixth fairy is known as violent and also has quite a staccato variation with unconventional arm movements (stiff with the second finger pointing out). She gives a lively character. The last one, sometimes danced by the lilac fairy, is a rather slow variation with grands ronds de jambe and arabesques. She brings elegance, generosity and happiness (they all seem to bring happiness!). Hope it helped a bit, and that someone else will have more original things to add!

I've had another look at it, and from a dance point of view, I'd say it's quite good, the choreography goes well with the music, and to a certain extent with the words I suppose, and the dancer dances well, but from a commercial point of view maybe they could have found something which appealed to more people, I'm not saying they shouldn't have used ballet, but maybe for people who aren't particularly interested in ballet it just seems weird and stupid and therefore they won't particularly like this video and therefore maybe the song too (we know how much videos influence the preferences towards certain songs or artists nowadays, it's not just the music which counts anymore). In a more general way, I shouldn't see why artists shouldn't use ballet in their videos as long as they don't give an even worse view of ballet as people already have (many people don't consider ballet as interesting and sometimes also have a low opinion of it). As for the ones who can't stand seeing it, one can say that nothing can satisfy everyone, so if some dancers say it's not good from a dance point of view, no dancer can say they like all ballets and all styles of dance anyway, and for people who don't know ballet and can't stand watching it, well, what do they know about it to judge it like that? They're probably the ones who already have prejudices about ballet and don't want to be seen watching it as it would be for them as being seen as approving it and enjoying it.

Thank you very much svemaus to have gone through all this trouble translating it! It does help a lot, because it's difficult to understand a song in a foreign language even if you know it a bit, because the words don't exactly sound the same. Thanks a lot again.I shall have another look at it now!

I saw a video once of a singer called Benjamin Diamond I think, and was surprised to see that it had Jeremie Belingard and Eleonora Abbagnato dancing in it, but not ballet though. I only saw it once and didn't find it again, but it seemed good to me (maybe because I was so excited to see two of the opera's dancers in a video!). I haven't had the time to see the whole of this one yet, because it keeps stopping, and it's a pity I can't understand everything he's saying too, because it would be interesting to see how it evolves. I'll try again later anyway.

This music is really from La Bayadere, and Nureyev added it to Don Quixote for a pas de deux for Kitri and Basilio to build up more the dramatic and realistic side of the characters so that they would be more credible, because during act one and three, we only see them dancing happily, and this added pas de deux is to show their despair after having run away.

It seems like there are quite a few dancers injured, from what I've heard (Gillot, Legris, Dupont, Hilaire who isn't really injured but isn't in the best of health...and now Fiat also). It reminds me a bit of Paquita two years ago when Letestu, Bart, Dupont and Legris injured themselves and there was only Gillot and Martinez left to dance! At least, in Jewels, there are more roles which can be done by Sujets, and the roles are shorter, so I suppose it's easier to replace the injured (more dancers to choose from, the choreography isn't new and the ballet is not entirely based on a couple of dancers, I mean everybody dancing well in Jewels and maybe one not being quite ready is not like having an unprepared Lucien or Paquita for the whole ballet). Su-lian. PS:Sorry to come back to this, but even though the warning wasn't for us, I prefered to apologise just in case I did it somewhere without noticing it.

I'm very sorry if I refered to politics anywhere, I didn't do it conciously. I mean, I know I shouldn't do it, but it might have escaped somewhere without me noticing. I'll be more careful now and read my posts a few times before I post them to check. Su-lian.

Yes, I voted for Nutcracker too, Solballets Mom! I have seen so many productions of it because you always think it could be a good one, that I know feel a bit sick just at the idea of it. It even started to make me hate the music, which was my favourite when I was small. There are so many weird and modern productions also! Everyone tries to be original, but most of them aren't, and shouldn't The Nutcracker stay The Nutcracker? I remember watching a programm on the Nutcracker, and someone said (especially about the ones who twist around the story) "If they want to do a new ballet, they should do a new ballet, but they call it the Nutcracker because it attracts the audience" and someone else said that in his native town, they had a production of it every year and he couldn't see any more Nutcrackers.

I'm sorry it was too late. For the rest, it's fine as it is, and you know how Australians would pronounce it more than I do! I only made suggestions to help a bit, but I'm not a specialist and what I suggested might not be quite appropriate, so feel free to do it as you think it should be done. But I think it should be OK as it is now. Su-lian.

Personally, I wouldn't say I prefer Duquenne to Thibault, but I wouldn't say either I prefer Thibault to Duquenne. I mean they both dance very well, Thibault is certainly more talked about, they both have a brilliant technique, but maybe Duquenne's is a bit less remarquable in the sense that when you see him dancing, you tnd to focus more on his style rather than on his technique, because this is what appears immediately. Then you realise he also has an excellent technique. I would probably say the opposite about Thibault, that his technique is more apparent than his style. Anyway, I said they were both among my favourite corps de ballet dancers in another post. About Isabelle Ciaravola, yes, she has wonderfully long legs, it's one of the first things I noticed about her, but it was even more obvious when she was 14. It gives her an awesome line! I agree with Viviane that the opera has a lot of valuable sujets. I am very fond of most (nearly all) of them! Su-lian.

Dear Grace, May I suggest a few changes? I don't want to seem rude to anyone, but I just thought I might know enough of both languages to help a bit (I am french, but my father is British and I am supposedly bilingual, and am in a bilingual school too). I hope it's not too late. I would say "royale" would be pronounced as 'rwah yahl' and similarly would change "trois" to 'twah'. Also, "entrelacé" would probably be closer to 'on tru lah say' (the 'y' shouldn't be too accentuated or pronounced) and about rotation, same as english but just changing the 'a' into 'ah' would be fine. My first reaction to "deux" was 'duh', so this change you suggested seems fine to me. About the 'u', I know I managed to get my sister (well, step sister who isn't french) to say it, but at first she used to say it as 'you ne' which could be OK too. Hope it helped. Su-lian.

I just discovered ballet alert on the links of ballerinagallery and at first I wondered what this site could be with such a name, and I found it so wonderful that I straight away joined!

Yes, I have to agree that the older costumes, the ones they used for it on its own as Capriccio, were nicer. But I don't see Isabelle Ciaravola as tall, I mean, she isn't tall compared to Marie-Agnes Gillot or even Vanessy Legassy. I think she's probably only 1m60 or so. In fact, I have just checked, it was Aubin, Laffon and Legassy dancing with Cozette in Diamonds as the four soloists, and Romberg didn't dance it since she is now Premiere danseuse. They were the same except it was Karine Villagrassa was doing the fourth one.

I don't find Karin Averty big at all. I mean I agree that Gillot and Letestu are quite tall and strong, but Averty! And you can't get much thinner than Moussin, so if you say there isn't that much difference between them, Averty can't be big (well at least not what I would call big, maybe the Opera finds her big?). But it's funny, because the difference in size between Cozette and the others didn't really show in Diamonds. Would it be the tutus giving this effect?

I have just seen Jewels twice, last saturday, the 15th, and tonight, the 22nd. On the 15th, I only saw part of Rubies and Diamonds since there was a problem on the RER and I got there an hour after the show started. I was really frustrated since last time I was meant to see it (15th december 2000) I didn't see it because the Opera was on strike. Anyway, Emeralds was danced tonight by Laetitia Pujol with Karl Paquette and Nolwenn Daniel with Kader Belarbi and the Pas de trois was danced by Emmanuel Thibault with Laure Muret and Myriam Kamionka. Emmanuel Thibault as usual danced very well, high jumps and lots of turns as well. They all globally danced well, but I didn't like Nolwenn Daniel too much in the second variation. Belarbi had a lot of elegance and Paquette a bit less, but quite elegat too. In Rubies, I saw Clairemarie Osta and Jérémie Bélingard with Stéphanie Romberg on the 15th and tonight it was Eleonora Abbagnato, Jérémie Bélingard and Emilie Cozette. Osta was very good, and Abbagnato too (she is so flexible!). They both seemed playful, but in different ways, Abbagnato in a more mysterious way probably, while Osta seemed to just enjoy herself. Bélingard also really seemed to enjoy himself. Cozette danced well, but she seemed very big (not fat, but tall and wide) on stage compared to the others. She seemed better in Diamonds. Maybe it's the costumes, I don't know. I prefered Romberg, although Cozette was very impressive too. Diamonds was danced the first time by Delphine Moussin and Jean-Guillaume Bart and tonight Bart and Letestu. Bart danced very well and the manege was fantastic. Letestu seemed more elegant than Moussin, but a bit too elegant probably, which made her a bit distant, not really in it. One thing I didn't like too much (but that's not the dancers' fault), was in one of the pas de deux, I think the second one, they have staccato movements which don't go well with the music and the atmosphere in my opinion. But apart from that, I spent a wonderful evening and enjoyed being at last able to see Jewels in its integrality.

Thank you mom who sews and everybody else too!

Now at least, I know I haven't seen it and I was wrong. Thank you!

I thought there was one, since I was pretty sure I had seen Margot Fonteyn at least in the Rose Adagio and had been a little disappointed (you know people making descriptions and you imagine something extra-ordinary, in it's true meaning,and you expect something impossible and when you see it in real, you're a bit disappointed because it wasn't what you expected), but Alexandra's probably right, I don't really know. I was sure I had seen her dance it until I read this. Anyway, good luck Silvy!