Françoise

What I want to say, it's more easy to dance three ballets from Balanchine, than alternating a leading part in a ballet from Neumeier at Bastille, a ballet from Lacotte, in same time. Some dancer will appear too in the next program Tetsuo shebigawara, and Mats Ek. And I think it's really more difficult to jump from a Balanchine to a Mats Ek than from Emeralds to Diamonds, even Emeralds is lyric, it's classical dance, and it's the same kind of steps, it's not three different language and not from three different choreograph. I will add that Balanchine is my favourite choreograph and I know perfectly what he makes ! I perfectly know that each ballet is a tribute to the three big school of dance, the lyricism and the french style in Emeralds, the jazzy, quickly american dance (some steps seems to come from musicals especially for the leading man), in Rubies, and naturly the classicism of Russian School in Diamonds, whose pdd is evocating Swan Lake in too many attitudes !

From POB, Agnès Letestu and Jean-Guillaume Bart will perform in the Maryinski Festival. If I remember it well, it's in Jewels Diamonds, they are dancing it also in POB as well as Agnès Letestu and José Martinez will dance Raymonda Grand pas in Cloture gala.

It's perhaps too many rehearsals but it's the same style and it's more easy for them I presume to dance a part in each ballet. Some time we're complaint because we don't have choice, but this time if the dancer don't injury themn we have too many cast to see. Each night you have something interesting, and too many "debuts" in different ballets. We never are happy

Seats are expensive at Mogador it's not Garnier or Bastille where you have good seats for small price. In this kind of theater, all the seats near to the stage are expensive, and all the seats far from the stage are less expensive. The less expensive are at second balcony, very high ! And I can't go a second time. I would love to see the second cast, because I really enjoy this ballet and these dancers. I saw that Vila didn't appreciate it. And I respect completely its point of view about the ballet and his/her vision of the ballet against for the applause, where I were sitting at the second balcony, audience was really enthusiastic and clapped their hands very strong, shouting "Bravo" ! I didn't have the feeling of "claque" ;) !

After Nijinski from Neumeier, presented by Hamburg ballet at beginning of year at palais Garnier, another mythical figure stemming from Russian ballets is honored and becomes the central figure of a ballet, Olga Spessivtseva. If the names of the dancers are not clearly appointed, and presented in the form of entity the ballerina, the Secret agent, the partner and the professor, it is not difficult to put a name on each of them. The ballet is divided into two parts, the first is dedicated to Olga Spessivtseva's life in Russia before her departure in France, her classes in Kirov with the dancers in identical white tutus, the performances, its meeting with her lover of the future KGB, the Russian revolution, the "Egerie" of these people, then hers flight to Paris at the same time as the exodus of "white" Russians. In the second darker part less narrative, we attend the arrival of the heroine in France, her Lifar's discovery at the same moment as the choreographer with dancers which are not any more in academic tutus, but in suits pastels, as partner and as man, the homosexuality of this one which drops her and makes that it sinks bit by bit into the madness, not without having in the evoked passage Gay Paris of 1920 and her role idol Giselle. The choreography mixes a succession of big sways in the crowd with intense pas de deux among the various protagonists. One will retain in first part the evocation of Sleeping Beauty in front of Kirov soberly evoked by its blue curtain, the Russian revolution with his unchained dancers, but especially the pas de deux in the audacious carried among the ballerina and her lover whom she will eventually leave. In the second part, the most subtle theatrical finds succeed one another as the pas de deux with the head of her lover of the secret agent who pursues it in recollection, Giselle's evocation hijacked on Schnittke's music but also in the choreography of its soloes or her final pas de deux with Lifar, evocating wilis, finally the madness where she sinks by moving of mirrors in mirrors. Far from Kirov and from Bolchoi, Boris Eifman proposes a more free dance, anchored in his roots but turned to the future while keeping a robust neo-classic bass. He immortalizes the tradition of the big Russian ballets with stories as Spartacus, Ivan the terrible, the stone flower, etc. The choreographer mixes purely academic style and more contemporary, even if the dancers always evolve on toes. The dance of the troup is strong based on academics steps. One of the pictures evoke as well a modern second reading of the Charleston and all this modern dance... In this ballet, Vera Arbuzova embodies a long ballerina of an extraordinary, poignant and torn flexibility enter her love of the dance where its professor Alexandre Ratchinsky who discovered her will finish tortured by the secret agent pulled by Yuri Ananyan, pervert and sadist as one pleases, of his partner "Lifar " danced by brilliant Yuri Smekalov. The corps de ballet, which one admires group and precision, also is to be congratuled. It's consisted of big and long female dancers quite more flexible the some than the others and male dancers all more virtuoso some than the others. A magnificent ballet in the deserved success, but which deceives regrettably in front of a half empty room. Please, run there, you will not regret it.

I think you forget to speak about the other article on the deep of the problem saying that all dancers dance on physical problem. In the article, Marie-Agnès Gillot says "I have always feet problem" but when I'm on stage I forget all and dance. I think it's dancer's mentality, it's shocking for someone who don't practise this art, but it could be understandable for someone who lives from this art. Dance is hard and all dancer know that, they know they will live with injury, with backage, feet age, and so on... She had she dance on injury, and say " A dancer has always something wrong". Some day I discuss with an etoile of POB, who said, we always have "petits bobos" but we are use to dance. Guillem is in the same case, she just said that she made like that, she speaks about her personal life, and she add at the end in a sentence you forget to translate that a Royal Ballet dancer make sign "a decharge" (sorry I don't know the english word for it" to dance on stage despite a tireless injury.

This evening began with Grand Défilé du corps de ballet in spite of an evident lack of rehearsals and the fluctuating lines, he allowed us to see again in this magnificent walk, the female etoiles which left it too fast as Isabelle Guérin, Elisabeth Platel and especially Monique Loudières more applaused than all the others. A movie made on original ideas from René Sirvin and told by Laurent Hilaire, allowed us to see some Rudolf Noureev's images at the top of its glory, few new images, but the key moments of its career, his freedom in 1961, Marguerite and Armand, Swan Lake with Margot Fonteyn, to arrive at Bayadère. The evening really began finally, one can consider that this honoring consists of several parts(parties), the second readings of the big classical authors, the original choreographies and the roles standing out with the dancer. The evening thus opened on the variation of the Raymonda's act III "La claque", danced by Elisabeth Platel who missed a little of presence, but reminded us, that Nureyev wanted a "noisy" version of this variation and not a silent variation. Then it was the pas de deux of Nutcracker where Clairemarie Osta was brightening notably in her sauté on points, light, immaterial, regrettably Laurent Hilaire was a little bit absent as partnership. Followed a new second reading with the Don Quixote's Adagio by Laetitia Pujol and Eric Vu An which relieved unwell Nicolas Le Riche but could only assure the Adagio and not the variations. If Eric's noble look, reminded us the big style imposed by Nureyev, the visible lack of rehearsals cruelly was smelt notably in pirouettes. After some revival re-choregraphied, arrived original choreographies, it was at first, balcony pdd of Romeo and Juliet. If Elisabeth Maurin showed all the qualities of Nureyev's eoile, with a unique style, a youngness, she suffers from Alessio Carbone's performance, recently promoted first dancer and very disappointing in Romeo, very rough receptions in his double assemblés. The magic moment of evening with Monique Loudières's appearance, more graceful and lyric than never came, she was incomparable in the pas de deux of Cinderella's stool beside a Jean - Guillaume Bart which was not without calling back by its elegance and its style, Manuel Legris. What moment of big emotion ! First part ended with the first honoring to Nureyev as dancer and presented Les Chants du Compagnon errant of Béjart with the enemy brothers of formerly Laurent Hilaire and Manuel Legris. At the top of their art, they were the magnificent interpreters of this pas de deux, Laurent Hilaire upsetting, merciless Manuel Legris, magnificent honoring returned by both Nureyev's etoile to the one who made of them both bigger male Etoiles of the Opera ! Second part always dedicated to Noureev dancer allowed to admire Marguerite and Armand created by Frederik Ashton for Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev and danced for this evening by Sylvie Guillem and Nicolas Le Riche. This ballet which tells the history of Camilla, is an intimist work, and grand at the same moment. Far from the usual Parisian performances of the renegade etoile, Sylvie Guillem offers us alternately triumphant, loving, wounded, dying Marguerite, with the same happiness, her play is differentiating and perfect, and the ballet allows us to discover in France a facet underestimated by its talent. Beside her, Nicolas Le Riche pulls passionate one Armand, but if the technique is impeccable, everything is very well-trained, his game is by too much exaggerated notably his entrance and especially his despair to Marguerite's death and its noisy sobs. Anthony Dowell made his debuts on POB stage being Armand's father with his dignity and his trouble. Last part showed us Noureev's various aspects, amator of all the kinds of dance including baroque dances in an extract of Bach Suite 2 masterfully interpreted by Kader Belarbi who chiselled all the steps. It was as well the honoring of the corps de ballet with the Swan Lake Polacca settled for the boys of the corps and danced with one accord. The famous Pas de trois of the black swan remembering that Nureyev was a theater man, with his conception of Rothbart's male role. Agnès Letestu, José Martinez and Wilfried Romoli were brilliant in this however theatrical extract it is in the adagio for the endless balances or in their chiselled, perfected variations. A pure moment of happiness. The evening ended on shadows act of Bayadère, last ballet choreographed by Rudolf Noureev for POB before his death, the feminine corps de ballet honoured the choreographer with a perfect ensemble completed in the famous descent of the shadows, this act allowed us to find Isabelle Guérin beside Jean - Guillaume Bart. Regrettably it was not the best Nikya of the etoile, the technical problems are too visible for whom saw her since the creation, Jean - Guillaume showed himself an attentive partner and a virtuoso brilliant Solor notably in the redoubtable maège of double assemblés. Nathalie Aubin, Mélanie Hurel and Eleonora Abbagnato to dance the three shade variations If Eleonora dominates the trios by her grace and her presence, she danced her variation without "brio", Nathalie Aubin dances with her usual mastery first variation and the young première danseuse, Mélanie Hurel doubtless galvanized by her unwaiting title was astonishing of virtuosity and technique in second shadow which descent of statements on pointes ! Evening ended by all the protagonists gathered for endless saluts under the bravos of a public conquered by the talents of our dancers in particular the famous generation Noureev !

Eifman will present in Mogador theater in Paris (more a variety theater than a ballet theater) Red Giselle from 25 january to 2d february. It's six or seven performance, they just dance on the week end.

Sorry for antique, I spoke very bad english I said it in an other topic. Sylvia is so up-dated, that it becomes "cute", as Estelle said, Michael Denard, or Jean-Yves Lormeau in hellenistic dress is funny and old-fashioned. But personally I love also Neumeier's version than Darsonval's one. And I think we could see the old version with a certain pleasure ! And I'm sorry for my english !

Alexandra, the problem in POB is that just the soloist (premier danseur and étoile) can dance the leading part on the POB stage actually and all the soloist want dance and have actually the leading parts in all the ballets. Too many dancers of the class of the sujet dance some of the leading parts in gala in foreign countries, as Giselle, or Aurora, or Odette/Odile. For example, Clairemarie Osta has never again dance Giselle part at POB but she dance it in Japan. The dancer who are not premier danseur or etoile can dance leading parts in creation, in modern ballets, they could dance also parts as Gamzatti, Nikya, Dryad Queen but they never dance leading parts. It's for that hierarchy in POB is so hard, and internal concours is each year very important ! All the POB etoile dance the leading part. Even if they dance it just one season, actually they all danced Albrecht, Aurora, Giselle, Odette/Odile (Aurélie Dupont should dance this year but how she is injuried, she was replaced by the new etoile Laetitia Pujol). I think POB is very special actually. Before when a premier danseur or a premiere danseuse had the leading part, they was very often ranked as etoile, now it's not the case. And they had just ONE performance, and often ONE big part in a season. Now premier danseur dance several performance in several big ballets. It's that POB actually !

Sylvia passed on Antenne 2, French public chanel, some years ago in 1979 (if I remember well), it was the Darsonval version after Merante. It was with Noella Pontois as Sylvia, Cyril Atanassof as Orion, Jean-Yves Lormeau as Aminta, Sylvie Clavier as Diane, and Georges Piletta as Eros. It was the traditionnal version with fauns, nymphs, and all the antic hellenistic pictures, but it was a lovely version, a few up-dated but... so cute to see ;) !

I think we must see two things in Annual concours, - which are the jury's choice ? - which are the audience choice ? and why their choice are often not the same. I think we need to see what need a true post of premier danseur or première danseuse. They are actually "étoile" without title, they must be able to dance leading part and to dance classical and modern ballet. Ariane Bavelier is right in her view about "trucage" but not in the choice of the named dancers in her article. She choosed two dancers who have not the premier danseur profile if we considerate what POB dance direction wait from them. They are loved from audience, Emmanuel for his high jump, and virtuosity, Celine for her personnality especially in contemporary works. Emmanuel Thibault is an exciting "virtuose", a brilliant technician, but he is not a partner and can't dance this famous leading part than all the premier danseur dance now as Solor (Romoli, Paquette and Pech danced it), Siegfried (Moreau and Pech danced it), Lucien in Paquita (Paquette, Pech, Bélingard danced or must dance it), Albrecht (Pech, and Romoli danced it), Romeo (just Duquenne who is sujet was able to replace all the injuried dancer two years ago). And more he can't dance all the contemporary work, it's not his part. I think it's an important thing to see, and we must not say "It's not normal, he is not promoted", because we love him, we must see that he doesn't correspond to the actual physical and abilities criters to be premier danseur ! Celine Talon is a true modern dancer, but you need to be a complete artist in POB and must be able to dance big part in classical ballets, if Celine danced Mats Ek Giselle, and all the contemporary works with too many talent. I adore her ! I think she is not for the same reason imposed by POB criters a première danseuse. It's for that I spoke of two sort of judgement, the audience judgement who don't know all the other views to judge to become premier danseur and the jury who knows it. Now it's true that in this case, they don't choose the best too ! For exemple, a dancer as Fanny Fiat is more a premiere danseuse than Mélanie Hurel, I must say I appreciate Mélanie, but she has not this something "more" who makes from her a premiere danseuse. I think the article of Ariane Bavelier will be more true if they choose dancer as Fanny Fiat, as Christophe Duquenne, or as Delphine Baey or Pierre-François Vilanoba. These two last dancer must become premier(e) danseur(se) because they have all the necessary qualities to be it. Delphine was so good as classical than in contemporary. She was depreciated after a wonderful concours, two years ago. Two place was free, the first goes to Eleonora Abbagnato, it was normal, she is an artist, she has something more, but what say about Delphine, she makes wonderful seasons and makes an incredible competition, she was the best. She was not ranked and left POB for Marseille where she stayed. For Vilanoba it's the same thing, he was a magnificent dancer, good partner, good as well in classical as in modern, they don't promote him and promote nobody. He prefered leave POB and is now Principal at SFB ! All this speech, sorry for the long way and my bad english, to say we must considerate all what is important for premier danseur category and not say "we love him, he is good, he must be..."

New changement but in cast this time. Jeremie Belingard, again injuried (he didn't perform in Paquita, Lucien's Part beside of Clairemarie Osta and was replaced by Jean-Guillaume Bart) is replaced by Nicolas Le Riche in Don Quixote pdd. Other changement, Karin Averty who will dance the first shade in Bayadere will be replace by Nathalie Aubin.

I just make a precision, it's Mrs Ropers and not Miss Ropers, she is one of the lonely artist who take her wife name as stage name. Her birthname was Chalumeau it was Miss Chalumeau who became Mrs Ropers She entered in POB in 1985 or 1986.

Some changement in the program they add in first part of the programm Nutcracker pdd from act II with Clairemarie Osta and Laurent Hilaire and they invite Monique Loudieres to dance the excerpt of Cinderella with Jean-Guillaume Bart (it's the act II pdd). Order of appearance change too, Chants du compagnon errant are at end of the first part. Melanie Hurel replace Clairemarie Osta as second Shade in Bayadere "Shade act"

It's sure that Laetitia Pujol was more good as Kitri than Diana Vishneva, personnaly I didn't like Laetitia when I saw her, it was her nomination night and she makes too many mistakes for her high technical level, and not act too many. For me the revelation of this serial was Marie-Agnès Gillot who was a true Kitri as I loved her. Since Monique Loudières, I never had seen a so good Kitri, high technical level, just play, musicality and all what needed the Character. For Paquita, Zakharova will again have as partner Jean-Guillaume Bart, she must theorically dance 30 january and 1st february, I don't know against which are the other dancer as Inigo and in pas de trois. I heard the same thing than you about Zakharova, she was not as she is at usual and it's for that I was really surprised when I saw her for the first time, waiting for the "worst" and really enjoyed her composition.

I don't see Zakharova live in Swan Lake but I saw her in Bayadere, and was really surprised by this dancer whom I heard too many bad things. She doesn't abuse of six'o clock in this part and I love really her interpretation of Nikya, she must dance at the end of this month Paquita with POB, she never dances the complete part from Lacotte, and the Grand pas variation is not the traditionnal etoile variation but the variation of the fourth dancer with "grands jetés". I'm very interested by this debuts in this part, and I find it more interesting to see her in a ballet she never danced before with Kirov than in traditionnal repertory ballet. I will prefer than it was company dancer as Nolwenn Daniel or Fanny Fiat who dance the leading part of Paquita, but it could be interesting to judge Zakharova qualities on a ballet she never danced before and with a French style ! It was the next season but how we speak about the 2002 year, I must say I don't like at all Vishneva as Kitri, she makes of this part a vulgar and common character. And I dislike her style in this ballet except perhaps in Dulcinea part, where she doesn't smile. I found she smiled too many and was always too playing with her fan. To answer to this topic, for me, my hearts belongs not to daddy but to Lock's creation for POB called Andreauria, it was a wonderful short piece, with some of the best dancer of the company for the girls we have MA Gillot who should be etoile (but direction seems to prefer dancers as technical Pujol or Osta), Stéphanie Romberg who became première danseuse, Fanny Fiat (who should be première danseuse but seems to be in the same case than MA Gillot, not loved by direction), Dorothée Gilbert (the most promising girl of the company) Clairemarie Osta and Caroline Bance. For the men it was Karl Paquette, Yann Bridard, Stéphane Bullion who became sujet, Martin Chaix and Jean-Philippe Dury. Even if the music was minimalist the choreography was really interesting, with this speedy movement on slow tempo.

I will try to go but the booking at box office open monday morning. By internet, correspondance and phone we have no free place. It's not a private evening but the high prize make from this event a till private event unfortunately

To celebrate the death 10 years ago of Rudolf Nureyev, POB organizes a Gala at january 20. Programm is composed by ballet choreographied by Nureyev and two importants parts of Nureyev. Evening will begin with traditionnal Defilé of Corps de ballet after we will have a short film about the dancer/choreographer we must see Chants du compagnon errant - Chor. Maurice Béjart, Mus. Gustav Mahler - Manuel Legris, Laurent Hilaire Raymonda, female variation, act III "la claque" - Elisabeth Platel Don Quixote, act III pdd - Laetitia Pujol, Jérémie Bélingard Romeo and Juliet, balcony pdd - Elisabeth Maurin, Benjamin Pech Cinderella, final pdd - Aurélie Dupont (if she recovers from her knee injury), Jean-Guillaume Bart Intermission Marguerite and Armand - Chor. : Frederick Ashton, Mus; : Frantz Liszt - Sylvie Guillem, Nicolas Le Riche, Sir Anthony Dowell and Christopher Saunders intermission Bach Suite - Chor. Francine Lancelot - Kader Belarbi Swan Lake, men polonaise highlight from act 1 Swan Lake, black swan pdd - Agnès Letestu, José Martinez, Wilfried Romoli Bayadère - Act III "Kingdom of the shades" - Isabelle Guérin, Manuel Legris and Karin Averty, Clairemarie Osta (she could be replace as she became etoile last sunday) and Delphine Moussin

At firt, Happy new year to all You have completely right Leigh, Emmanuel Thibault is sure a brilliant technician, but he just can dance pdd divertissement and never dance other thing, the only few "modern" thing where I see him it's Neumeier Midsummer Night's dream where he danced Puck part. He has two problem the first is his repertory really limited can dance only divertissement (bluebird, peasant pdd from Giselle, Scottish pdd from Sylphide or Swan Lake pas de trois...) but he never dance contemporary works as Forsythe, Kylian and so on. His second and more big problem, he is not a partner, and since some years premier danseur are considerated as "little" etoile without title, they must dance all the parts as Solor, Frantz (Coppelia), Siegfried, Albrecht Romeo but they need to be partner, Emmanuel unfortunately is not a partner, every time I saw him in pdd, I'm always surprise by his high jumps, but every time I see problem of partnership, I think it's for that he can't be promoted. Considering Ek's Giselle, if I don't love Caroline Bance interpretation of this role, it's the name of the promoted dance, it's choreography, Giselle is a contemporary masterwork. Against we can ask a question about variation choice, some free variation (each dancer must dance one imposed variation and one free variation) seem more easy than others. But it's choreography, I think we must say "I don't love this sort of dance", but it's dance. The greatest etoile of this last 20 years, Monique Loudieres choosed this ballet for her farewell performance. It's a wonderful ballet. Mathieu Ganio is 18 years old now and it's really a brilliant dancer, till he began to dance his imposed variation, you look some boy different of the other, tall, technically better, and smiling which is not often the case unfortunately, especially in this competition, where they are all on nerves ;) !

I just want say something about Monique Loudieres, she was completely contemporary dancer too, she made her farewell performance with Mats Ek's Giselle and she was alternating on the cast with Pietragalla, she was wonderful and was able to dance some works of Ailey, Forsythe, Kylian as well as Coralli's Giselle and for me she was the greatest etoile of this twenty last years ! I never say it was wrong to be a classical dancer in POB corps, but if you want make a real career and especially become an etoile actually you must be "versatile", for example, Emmanuel Thibault never will become premier danseur and he is a perfect classical dancer.

I think all the POB dancers are good in classical, as it's a classical troup, but the best dancer of the company are the one who have this something more in modern dance and are able to all dance.

You could see Isabelle Guérin in Bayadere DVD with Laurent Hilaire and Elisabeth Platel, or in Le Parc but it's only a television captation for the moment. It's a great compliment for you as she is considerated by too many people as one of the great ballerina from POB !

Basis of repertory was Nureyev, it's not true now. This season, they just give Swan Lake, and take Bayadère for the Japan Tour. This year you have creation by Edouard Lock, Maurice Béjart, Tetsuyo Shebigawara, Patrice Bart, it's not really classical ballets and you have Kylian and Ek's work again. We don't forget that POB is not only classical troup and is really open to contemporary, last season was also a complete contemporary season, and classical dancer can really show their qualities in ballets like Notre-Dame de Paris, Ek's Giselle, Preljocaj's Parc, Blanca Li's Sheherazade. I think we must have dancer for all taste, but we don't forget that if you want be ranked more high in hierarchy and arrive etoile or premier danseur you must be a complete talent :rolleyes:

Miteki Kudo is too old to hope become a premiere danseuse and doesn't pass the concours this year as well as Laure Muret or Nathalie Aubin. Against Myriam Ould Braham is a very good classical dancer but it's all she is unable to dance other ballets than classical. And her choice for her free variation is really bad, always classical variation as Giselle, Grand pas classique, Aurore, Kitri (dream). it's always very classical variation and POB needs complete artist. To my eyes the two best ballerinas of the company are Fanny Fiat, who has high potential and Dorothée Gilbert who became coryphée and is really more good than Myriam ! And the choice of variation as Carmen, Manon (Mac Millan), Sylvia and so on is the princip of POB, choose variation in his wide repertory. We don't forget that POb is an alive troup and don't must live in past and must live in present and future presenting variation from Forsythe, Neumeier, Béjart, Petit and not only Petipa and this kind of variation.