traviata

I haven't seen it, but absolutely every person I've talked about hated this ballet! It seems the weeknesses are, first, the music, then, the fact that there is too few dancing in it (and more drama/theatrical things).

Dear friends, (long time ago I haven't written here!) My feelings about this DVD are quite the same than Natalia's ones. Anna Tsygankova is a beautiful ballerina but we expect more energy as Kitri. Actually, her first entrance is spoiled because she enters too early. This is a beautiful staging but... so boring. There are so many DQs available on DVD that this new one doesn't seem necessary. Here is my opinion (in french!) more detailed: http://classiqueinfo-disque.com/Un-Don-Quichotte-bon-chic-bon.html

Here's what's on in Paris Opera Ballet: 1. Green 2. Light pink 3. White 4. Bright yellow 5. Red 6. Blue Very interesting what you said Carbro!

Yes, the spellings were off! So you haven't read my post? I am happy some of you know the french candidates. Mathilde Froustey is still a coryphee as promotions usually take place in december. Bet she will become a sujet!

Hello Yulia! I am amazed that nowhere we can find the results. Here, in France, we only know the results of "our" dancers: Mathilde Froustey won gold as "senior", Josuah Hoffalt won silver as "senior" too .

Will you be Swanhilda??

Sleeping beauty: I think it is easy to find the Paris Opera Ballet one, with Aurélie Dupont and Manuel Legris. A good one, although I must confess, I like better the one with Lezhnina and the Kirov. Good luck to your daughter :rolleyes: !

I've seen last year, in Bath (UK), a company called "Moscow City ballet". Is that the same one?

Personally, I appreciated a lot Mélanie Hurel as Giselle. Physically, she fits the role, and she makes the best of her medium height. It seems she worked a lot the top part of her body. Her acting was spontaneous, vivacious and touching. I think I also did enjoy so much the performance because of Benjamin Pech, who was an Albrecht perfectly suited to Mélanie. As regards the peasants pas de deux, I totally agree with you, Françoise: Myriam ould-Braham and Mallory Gaudion didn't seem to be dancing together... But they were very good individually.

I simply adore this book ! It is about Paris Opera Ballet School. The text informs you about the pupils daily routine, in the city of Nanterre (near Paris), where a brand new school was built in 1987. But, in my opinion, the most interesting thing are the photos. Almost one big photo per page, showing mostly pupils at work. You can try to recognize dancers of the company, at the time they were only children or teenagers!

I discovered her few days ago, and I just found her amazing!! Those last few weeks, in Paris, she did dance Ramzé and Aspicia in "La Fille du Pharaon", as well as solos in "Swan Lake" and she will soon dance in "The bright Stream". I think she is a great actress, with a beautiful and expressive face without overacting. She's a 25 years old soloist, and I hope she will soon become a first soloist.

We won't see Maurin for the next few month, and Belarbi got injured last month, during a performance of "Un Trait d'Union".

Here's my report :sweating: ! I have seen « La Fille du pharaon » last Saturday night. The opera house was crammed! The cast was: Svetlana Zakharova as Aspicia, Dimitri Biologolovtsev as Taor, and Elena Andrienko as Ramzé. This Fille is a huge production (just as can be “La Bayadère”) in eight parts, enclosing parades, a lot of variations for every kind of soloists, exoticism, false tropical animals… and a real horse on stage! This ballet was recreated by Pierre Lacotte, who offered us two hours of pure dancing, with only short mimer scenes. Zakharova’s Aspicia is brilliant and attaching, despite the fact Aspicia isn’t such an interesting role. In the first act, I enjoyed the first appearance of the corps de ballet: the huntresses. The audience laughed a lot at the appearance of a monkey on a liana . The highlight of the second act was the Pas d’action, in which I especially liked Anastasia Yatsenko and Anastasia Goriatcheva, with beautiful red and white costumes . Part of the third act takes place under waters of the Nile. Three dancers embodied three rivers (Anastasia Yatsenko: Guadalquivir, Ekaterina Shipulina: Congo, Maria Allash: Neva) that join in the Nile. Each of them danced a variation, and I especially liked Ekaterina Shipulina, who offered us a lively and sparkling interpretation. Besides, I was stunned by the homogeneity of the corps de ballet, all the dancers having more or less the same size (maybe is it an illusion). I also did appreciate their smiles and their enjoyment to be on stage. As regards Pugni’s music, I did enjoy it. In my opinion, that is real ballet music, fresh, light, and unpretentious.

You will find the complete cast here .

February, 11th in France

I will see "La Fille du pharaon" next saturday. Promise, I will write a report! It seems people enjoyed Swan Lake a lot, especially for Zakharova and Maria Alexandrova.

Hello everybody, Here is a link to a very rich website about dance history, especially in France: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/dansomanie/ Sorry, it is written only in french Hope you will like it :yes: !

Paris big ballet star is, in most opinions, Marie-Agnès Gillot. She's 28 years old and she still doesn't have the title of "etoile". Nobody can understand it. Just to give an example, during the traditional Paris Opera Ballet parade (known as "defile"), she is the feminine artist who is the most applauded, even more than etoiles. The male dancer the most applauded is usually Nicolas le Riche, who is a great ballet star, currently at his top. But I must confess, my favorites are Agnes Letestu and Jose Martinez .

What I will remember of 2003 is Agnes Letestu's performance in Giselle, at Garnier Opera, Paris. She is the best Giselle I 've ever seen so far, and one that made me really believe in this story. At the beginning, I was a little bit afraid of what I was going to see, because Agnes Letestu is tall with fair hair (unlike traditionnal Giselles !). But as soon as she came on stage, I had no doubt any more: She was made to be giselle, or maybe Giselle was made for her ! She really renew the role and is not to miss. (Paris Opera Ballet will play Giselle next february/march) Happy New Year to everybody !

Nobody mentionned Noureev's one for Paris Opera Ballet, with Elisabeth Maurin and Laurent Hilaire. That is not a traditionnal Nutcracker, and you might not like it, but in my opinion, this Nutcracker is worth a glance at least because of the Grand Pas de deux, that Noureev totally transformed. Personally, I like better this Grand Pas de deux rather than the traditional one . I would say this Nutcracker has been made for adults rather than for children.

De rien, Sylphide !

I think the "Anna Karenina" you've mentionned was performed by french actress Sophie Marceau.

Anybody mentionned this old "masterpiece" that is "Sissi". I wonder if you know it apart from Europe... It is an old movie of the 50's relating former Austria empress Elisabeth's life. The main actress is Romy Schneider. In the third part of this trilogy, Sissi and her husband go to opera house to see a performance of Gounod's "Faust", and there we can see the Vienna opera ballet.

extracts of this movie are available there: http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_...film=29437.html go down on the right in "vidéos", and click on "bande-annonce", "extrait", "extrait 2"... Enjoy ! (Sorry, there is no subtitle...)

Bolchoï Ballet will perform "La Fille du pharaon" in Paris (opera Garnier), on January 2004, 15, 16, 17, 18. I will be there :grinning: !