atm711

Tamara Toumanova---she was 'drop dead' gorgeous on the stage.

I finally got to see this DVD through my library. I had never seen the Patrice Bart version---and all I can say is wow It's not the sort of version to see on Mother's Day. Is this the version now being performed at the Paris Opera---do any other companies perform this? I was completely engrossed with the telling of the story; but, then, I am on the side of any choreographer who dispenses with the tutor and jester in Act 1. The opening scene startled me--I wondered if I was watching a Tudor ballet that I had somehow missed. I liked the Edwardian costumes, but found the tutus too bouffant---all that fabric took away from the dancers' line. Oliver Matz as the Prince was quite good--beautiful line and feet; Steffi Scherzer is a big beautiful dancer with lovely long languorous sweeps of the leg. And yes, Herman Stevens---those sissones into arabesque in her 2nd Act Variation were exceptional. I found the lighting to be good--the costumes were light colored against a dark background and it was easy to see the dancers. All this and Barenboim, too.

Peter Boal in 'Apollo' (the definitive Apollo for me) Ansanelli's Colombine (Wouldn't she be great in Fokine's version) Ananiashvilli in 'Ballet Imperial', 'Swan Lake' and 'Raymonda' (she almost redeemed the production for me) Sylve Guillem in 'Marguereite and Armand'. (I always found this work to be too melodramatic (and, yes, corny), but her intense performance elevated the ballet into drama.)

I was struck by what Peter Wright said about how "Aurora" should be interpretated in each of the Acts---In Act 1 she should be girlish, in Act 2 remote and womanly in Act 3. These are the qualities I missed in Silve's performance. I can sympathize with him, however, he was probably recalling Fonteyn. I did, however, enjoy the technical aspects of her dancing very much. I was disappointed in the camera work---most of the time I felt as though I was sitting in the 'cheap seats'---I had the urge to reach for my opera glasses. One thing I must add---the excerpt of Silve dancing 'Dewdrop' is worth the price of the DVD.

Thanks--we appreciate the kind thoughts from our European friends....

KFW - thanks for the New Criterion review--it's the best one I have read and it neatly puts Ms. Bentley in her place.

I usually move every 15 yers or so, and there is always somebody around who will say to me "Do you REALLY need all that stuff?" I guess I am ready for another overhaul---I have been living in this location for 19 years---when I moved here I sold two huge boxes to the Ballet store near Lincoln Center--and I have more than made up for that loss.

Willful and manipulative?---I would like to hear from the ballerinas who had to share the stage with Fonteyn during her reign at the Royal Ballet.....

Did Ashton really have a style before he started choreographing for Fonteyn? I have always felt about Ashton that it was she (Fonteyn) who gave him a style--and it was all about her particular way of moving. (With Balanchine and Farrell it was the opposite---he gave HER a style). Daneman touches on this in her book when she quotes Ashton as saying "Had I not been able to work with Margot I might never have developed the lyrical side of my work. As it was, it developed into a personal idiom". When I saw ABT's revival of "Symphonic Variations" recently, the ballet cried out for Fonteyn---and perhaps we won't see the Ashtonian style until we have a clone of Fonteyn.......He took her attributes and turned them into his Style.

The incident you refer to is in Maurice Leonard's book "Markova The Legend". It is very lively reading (all you need is to put Serge Lifar in the mix). Leonard fully covers the 'costume' scandale and then goes on to her debut in New York (with Lifar, who was still smarting over the 'costume' incident). Someone thrust a note into Markova's hands---"Don't dance Giselle tomorrow night or....." Danilova and Hurok warned her not to be alone for the evening---and along with Danilova, Franklin and Youskevitch went to a Rodeo (not the ballet, but a genuine event at Madison Square Garden). Nothing sinister happened but she spent the night with Danilova....Next day she told Hurok to let Toumanova dance...he refused but implemented a full-scale security alert and omitted the trapdoor. It gets better---Lifar used real lillies in Act II which could be slippery....and on the se cond performance in Act I, as she sat on Lifar's knee, he slipped and Lifar rolled on top of her and crushed her foot....without telling the audience, Slavenska showed up in Act II---a brilliant redhead. (I saw Slevenska in later performances of Giselle and I can attest to the brilliance of her hair; a sexy terre-a-terre dancer) Do we have any performers today who could compare to this skulduggery?

If I were more 'computer savvy' I could post by 'blog' comments on Markova here; I saw quite a lot of her in my early years of ballet-going---in fact, she was the first ballerina I ever saw on stage...the comments can be found at Google by typing in: Alicia Markova Ruminations.

A side note, Michael Bloomberg has always been very generous in supporting the arts with his personal money. Additionally, he has directed public funds to public arts projects more than any recent mayor. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What's a Republican running for re-election in a Democratic City to do? Am I cynical---nah! ---but--take the money and run.

Thanks so much for your observations---I guess the Spassov is better than nothing at this point, and the Amazon price is fairly cheap---and I will probably buy it while waiting for something better---it will make good listening in the car.

I have just read your 'sledgehammer' review and I have hastily shied away from the recording. You mentioned an 'original' due to come out---has it? I also listened to a disc of Bayadere/Paquita by Boris Spassov (Capriccio 1996). It sounded good to my ears, but I am not a fan of the 'Paquita' music; I would have to see the dancing to subject myself to the score. What is your opinion of this disc?

I was a regular subscriber to BAM in the 70's...it was there that I caught up with the regional companies---particularly Pennsylvania Ballet and SF Ballet--and it was also at BAM that Baryshnikov first performed (with Kirkland in DonQ PDD)---but alas, with the advent of Harvey L. these companies were booted out for his "New Wave" extravagances----

I was really looking forward to seeing this play; I thought Frayn's "Copenhagen" (which only had four characters) was a powerful play. Democracy is about Willy Brandt and Frayn has ten characters. It was a big hit in London, but I and the three people I went with were disappointed. Brandt was a very charismatic leader, but he did not come off that way. I am not sure if it is the playwright's fault or the actor (James Naughton)---I am inclined to think the former. I wonder if anyone saw the London performance? One of the best actors in the piece was Richard Thomas (yes, John-boy, and Barbara Fallis' son). His character was somewhat of a nerd---and he brought to mind Stephanopolous.

I have the Makarova 'Ballerina' tape which I have just zapped through looking for Nerina---but she wasn't on it. I taped it off of A&E, and I noted on the tape that it was Parts 2, 3, and 4. From what you have written Dale, the only part I do not have is "The Importance of Versatility".

My nomination is Felia Doubrovska---alas, I never saw her on the stage, but I did watch her teach a professional class at SAB. I thought I was there to watch a prominent ballerina take class---but I could not get my eyes off of Doubrovska. She was wearing a filmy chiffon tunic and looked as magnificent as she does in those old photos. My heart went out to the 'prominent ballerina'---she was no match for Doubrovska.

The only ballerina I saw who was as impressive as Alonso in this role was Asylmuratova. Canbelto--I wrote long essay (for me!) about Alonso on my blog--you might like to read it. http://ballet.blogs.com/ruminations.

Are there any videos of Nadia Nerina?

This was a bit before my time--but I would love to see it. The rest of the original cast included Marc Platoff (Platt) and Nathalie Krassovska. Grace Roberts wrote the following of the performance: "Alexxandra Danilova gave a delightful account of the Daughter. Alicia Markova occasionally performed this role. Perfect technically, her interpretation lacked the exquisite emotion of Danilova's. Frederic Franklin had in the Beggar a role that for suitability and charm were not equalled in his repertoire until the advent of 'Rodeo'"

daneman appears to be the Kitty Kelly of ballet biography. I am at the halfway point, and it has been an uphill climb...I was looking forward to her explanation of her marriage---but I am at that point now, and I have stopped reading for a while---I can wait for what looms ahead! I do think Daneman was a bit carried away in describing Fonteyn's American debut. Writers tend to take this episode 'out of its time'. It's very true, Fonteyn's reception was tumultuous---BUT, in 1949 New York was welcoming back its wartime allies. During the war years New Yorkers saw thousands of servicemen from England, Australia and New Zealand and they were looked upon affectionately as 'our boys'. It was more than "The Sleeping Beauty", and I really believe that if Moira Shearer had been the Aurora on the first night---she would have received the same adulation.

I have always been curious of how this transference works----aside from the better clarity of DVD, the feature I like most is being able to jump from one ballet, or scene to another quickly---is this feature still intact if you transfer from a tape to a DVD--? I am inclined to believe it is not.

I caught up with that last night and it was wonderful. I loved that 'Sheherazady' ballet--especially the PDD with its snippets of "Apollo" and an "Agon " in the making.

There is a great Alex Gard caricature of Fleishmann, Nelson Rockefeller and Warburg as ballet angels. Fleishmann and Rockefeller, in wings and tutus, are floating above on a cloud holding bags full of money, while Warburg has plummeted to earth and crashed on his wings.