MinkusPugni

If the G came after the N then it would be "Poon-jee" which it definately isn't. Do you spell gnocchi with the N before the G?

They are all to the right but there is a change of direction therefore you are going the other way. I said nothing about which leg they were on. The pirouettes from fourth are going from OPU to Prompt D and the tombet coupe pirouettes (or "lame ducks") are going from Prompt U to OPD. So you are going the other way.

All of the variations are equally hard in different ways. The first: so many brises! And actually making it look good with the quick changes of directions. The second: The fast tempo and quick movements plus all the balances en pointe. The third: Six lots of turns going one way then suddenly eight more going the other way!

wow! I didn't realise Pugni composed so many works! My favourites of his works are the Pas de Quatre and the Pas de Trois from Le Corsaire. I really am not fond of La Fille du Pharon. It's not even that the orchestrations are bland! They just have boring tunes! I mean the Paquita variations are bland orchestrations but boy do they have great tunes. So where have all these old works gone? Are they still available somewhere? By the way, how do you pronounce Pugni? Is it pooh-nee, or pyooh-nee, or pyooh-nye or what? I always thought it was pooh-nee but it sounds kinda odd when you say it so I'm going to ask.

Is the Pharaoh's Daughter Pugni's first work? I can't find much info on the net about him. To me, Pugni has always been the master of the cute, buoyant tune that everyone just loves but all of the Pharaoh's Daughter is quite bland and none of the music really stood out. This is why I'm asking if it was his first work - because it's very simple - even for Pugni. Also, is Pouni the same person as Pugni? Maybe like the zillion ways of spelling Tchaikovsky. On my recording of Paquita one of the pieces is by Pouni and I can't find anyone called Pouni on the internet, are they the same person?

I think Le Corsaire could be a much more serious ballet if it wanted to but audiences love the ironic and moronic action, the romance, the pretty costumes lol. So, Mel, in the Kirov Corsaire, is the other person in the Pas de Deux a Trios a pirate?

He may be more muscly than the average man back then... I don't know if I'm allowed to say this... what about David's "David"? lol

I don't think so Hans. Look at The Statue of David. That's a very modest sculpture.

Nudity is encorporated into many forms of art - mainly painting and sculpting. If this is acceptable why isn't nudity in ballet? As long as you're not just deciding to dance Swan Lake nude for the hell of it. If a ballet is nude for a reason (such as showing of the creation and beauty of the human form like many of the paintings and sculptures) then I believe it's completely acceptable. The human body is a great thing and we can celebrate it tastefully in ballet. Performing Giselle nude would be completely untasteful and I would be completely shocked that somebody would do something like that to Giselle! But, yes, in the correct circumstances nudity is certainly acceptable in ballet.

I saw Stanton Welch's Sleeping Beauty last night. It was like a new look at the old ballet. I prefer the original story line but the ballet was alright. The story goes like this: The Lilac Fairy is the Queen of Spring and she has chosen Aurora to be the new Herald of Spring. Carabosse is the Queen of Winter. The Lilac Fairy has decided to make Spring earlier than expected. Carabosse is furious at this and curses Aurora to death. If Aurora dies, then the world will be plunged into Winter forever. The Lilac Fairy changes the spell so that she will only fall asleep, not die. At her 16th Birthday, Aurora is poisoned by some thorns which Carabosse has made and falls asleep. The whole kingdom falls asleep and the world is plunged into eternal winter. 100 years later, Florimund and his brother (who know nothing of "Spring", "Summer", and "Autumn") are hunting in the woods when they are greeted by wood nymphs who show them a vision of Aurora. Florimund is instantly besotted with Aurora and asks to see her. When he awakes Aurora, the whole kingdom celebrates and they get married. What I did like: - The Six Fairies were constant throughout the whole ballet and played a big role in the ballet. - Use of music. There was more of the music used than in most productions of the ballet, though some dances were skipped! - Drama. Well-choreographed to give much more drama and effect. - The playful banter between Puss-in-Boots (though he was called the Ginger Cat) and the Bluebird and the Canary Fairy. - The Pas de Deuxs were much more interesting than in previous versions though at some points were too hard and a few stuff-ups occured. - During the Panorama in Act II (which was changed to merge with Act III) the trees which were sets moved about the stage which was such a great effect. - Music was at good tempi. I hate watching some Russian ballets because they always slow the music down so painfully much that it is sometimes hard to put together the tunes. What I didn't like: - The costumes. There was only one tutu in the whole ballet! The fairiers wore awful body-suits with a single layer of tulle for a sort of dress thing. - Dances were skipped! The finale mazurka was skipped! How can you even think if skipping a ballet's finale!? Also: Little Red Riding Hood was skipped. The Fairy Pas de Quatre in Act 3 was changed to a Pas de Cinq for four of the original fairies and Florimund's brother. Florimund's brother had half of the introduction as his variation, then strangely enough they skipped the first variation and made the second variation a pas de deux! - No Lilac Fairy attendants. What the. - It was set somewhere in the orient instead of Russia. - The fairies were: the Air Fairy, the Earth Fairy, the Water Fairy, the Fire Fairy and the Canary fairy. - What seem like lack of preperation. Alot of the choreography was sloppy and alot of the dances weren't in lines, etc. So it seemed that they didn't practice for very long at all. - The new storyline. - Dolls? There were these things that were constantly onstage that were like dolls or something. They were really weird and very distracting. - Things just rolled on. I think the only bows or curtsies were from Aurora and Florimund in Act III. It's fair enough that you don't bow or curtsy if onstage there is no one watching you, but if there is! So it meant that the next music started while everyone was still clapping and you missed the first part of the music which was always frustrating.

It clearly says that it is a Pas de Deux a Trois between Medora, Conrad's Slave and Conrad in the ABT version, I am not sure about the Kirov version but in the ABT version, it is definately Conrad's slave as he does go about doing "chores" for Conrad such as going to get Medora in the first act. Maybe in the original Byron Poem he's another Pirate but not in the ballet. That's why he has the feather atop his head and he's shirtless.

"The Corsaire Pas de Deux" (the famous one between Conrad's slave and Medora) in my opinion doesn't make sense. I would really love it if people could explain the following things: 1. Why Medora and Conrad's Slave dance in the first place. Conrad and Medora don't even have a Pas de Deux. 2. Why Conrad's Slave is so high-and-mighty and shows off throughout his variation. A bit too grand for a SLAVE don't you think? He should be humble and dancing without any self-worthiness. Also, in the first act Gulnare dances with Lankendem and she is scared throughout while Lankendem is evilly happy at the prospect of getting money. Gulnare only smiles during her variation when Lankendem isn't around and this is because she's still free and she wants to have some fun. The rest of the time she is worried at being sold. This Pas de Deux makes sense as Lankendem is trying to show off Gulnare to the Pasha. Could someone explain to me how the other Pas de Deux actually makes sense?

I love the music of the first one and the fact that it is so buoyant and happy with the brises. But my favourite variation is the third one because of its music, the turns and the skill required.

Dancers should have that much stamina. It's not all that long and not all of it needs to be so technically challenging - the extended variation would leave some room for dancing (which alot of male variations leave out in their effort to show off one's technique). Yes, Mel, I know that Odile's variation is Tchaikovsky's. I referred to it as "the Drigo variation" because Drigo orchestrated and put it there, not Tchaikovsky. No matter what it is entitled, as I stated before I believe that the original music for the variation sounds more "Odile". Another question - why was Petipa unhappy with the original music for Odile's variation?

From the Odalisque Pas de Trois in the first act, what is your favourite variation and why?

In your opinion, what parts of which ballets are so traditional that it would be a mortal sin to change them. For example, story lines, dances, pas de deuxs, music, variations, etc.

MIRANDA CONEY! She perfectly fulfilled Odette's shoes as the helpless, weak, pettiful, beatuful swan and the daring, bold, attractive, dark, seductress of Odile.

I actually much prefer the original Tchaikovsky variation for Odile. The music, although it is in a major key, seems much darker, stronger and more suited to the deep and complex personality of Odile. The Drigo variation does nothing for Odile's character - it seems more like something Odette would dance to. The Drigo variation is much too light and fluffy - completely the opposite to the slick Odile who, throughout the pas de deux, is trying to capture Siegfried's full attention. Dancing to the original variation, all eyes would be on Odile as it is such a perculiar variation for the traditional "girl" but the Drigo version it would be more like "Didn't I already see Odette do this one in Act II?" However, I do much prefer Drigo's orchestration of the male variation (although I don't think it should be cut at all - which means leaving in the coda). I believe the original score shouldn't have been tampered with as much. I also believe Drigo's additions to both of the pas de deuxs are inappropriate. In the white pas de deux, not the reprise of the B theme, but the runs of the violin. The Black Swan Pas de Deux could have ended simply with the two pizzicato notes that preceed the part that "needed" to be cut, or infact be left as was.

Yes, Doug, the piece full of semi-quavers that you refer to is the Bolshoi Peasant Pas Girl Variation. So if this is the real variation, where did the music for the Kirov variation come from? Why did they put it in there? I actually like both variations, they're both technically challenging and pretty at the same time.

I have recently noticed that the girls' variation from the Peasant Pas changes. One of them is similar to Dulcinea's variation in Don Q with the glissades in to pose attitude and the other has staccato music played by the oboe. The Kirov does the first one and the Bolshoi does the second one. On my recording of Giselle, the music is of the second one. Which one is the original and why are there two?

I love the ballet from Gounod's Faust. It's great part of ballet.

Memo, that means she's Australian. If she has Australian citizenship (which she does) she's Australian. I have to say that I hated Christine Walsh's dancing (much as I hate Lynette Wills) but many people like her. She smiled much too much. I mean just take a look a Giselle and she smiles in the most inappropriate places! But again, just my opinion. At the moment I think Australia's best is Madeleine Eastoe (who isn't even principal!?!?!). Fiona performed so well. She made you watch her. You just can't take your eyes off someone like her. Even in Sleeping Beauty when she's in the Girlfriend's Pas de Six in Act I, I watch her, not the other girls and when the camera goes off her I'm like "WHERE'S SHE GONE!?"

And why exactly does it sound so dreadful, Mel? What would you choose? Any other feedback? I have changed my mind though, all the pieces will be played by a live piano.

I thought Balanchine's estate wouldn't allow the filming of his ballets. Is this the same with Cranko? Because I would really like to see Cranko's Onegin on DVD.

The older the tape, the less chance it has of being the real time. Look at movies from the thirties and you'll see they all move very quickly. It isn't done purposely, that's just how it is.