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MinkusPugni

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Everything posted by MinkusPugni

  1. Anyone who's read my posts before will know that I'm not a huge Graeme Murphy fan but now I think my mind has changed slightly:
  2. Hans, I know some versions use the Golden Fairy variation in the second for Aurora act but I mean they should use the music for a variation in the third act as the Lilac's variation as that variation doesn't musically make much sense in act II. Mel, okay fair enough that it used to be like that but I am mainly talking about what it is now and what it could be in the future with changes that could make more sense to the ballet. Also, Hans, how can we tell that they are only marriage fairies?
  3. Sorry to post yet ANOTHER topic on Le Conservatoire but I have a dilemma. We're doing Paul Gnatt's reproduction of Le Conservatoire which uses different music from the Danish version and I have a recording of the Danish version. The adage, pas d'ecole, jumps, pas de trois and finale is the same (the finale is from a different part of the ballet) but the acting, the Victoria/Eliza pas de deux mazurka isn't from Le Conservatoire, the men's pas de quatre isn't from Le Conservatoire and Ashley's solo isn't from Le Conservatore and also the acting at the start isn't from Le Conservatoire. Can anyone help?
  4. In my previous thread I asked about the Fairy Pas de Quatre in the final act. I have some arguments about why there shouldn't be a pas de quatre and what could happen instead: 1. Why do we get a new set of fairies? Why not keep the old ones? 2. Why wouldn't the Lilac Fairy go to her own granddaughter's wedding? 3. If she does go, where are the other fairies? They are her godmothers too. 4. I think the Cinderella and Prince Fortune music should be used as a Pas de Six for the fairies and the Gold Fairy variation to be used for a variation for the Lilac fairy. 5. Some arguments against the Florestan Pas de Trois are why aren't they in act I? Well that's true... but I think they should be put into act I. Maybe with the music for the Entree of the Grand Pas de Deux as it isn't used anymore. What do you guys think?
  5. Thanks for the half support lol. I have seen most Bayadere productions available. Certainly, live has a greater effect on me but the effect is lost after the giant repetition. A short, sharp precession leaving you wanting more is how it should be. Not overindulgence. Another idea, then seeing as you don't like the cut, is to have the same amount of music used and have lines of six (at the end... don't picture the lines yet) and have a shade come from a wing on prompt, then the next one comes from a wing on OP, then a the next downstage wing on prompt, etc. I don't like this idea as much as my other one, though. I think the general audience would appreciate the cut (though this thread is starting to change my mind!)
  6. To me, a bad costume (or bad costumes) means the start of a bad performance. It can only go down-hill from there. Some great costumes I've seen are "La Fille mal Gardee" by the Australian ballet (the chicken costumes are so real!)
  7. Fiona Tonkin when she danced didn't only move to the music, she moved as the music. She made it seem asthough the music was coming from her. Every emotion, look, movement was in perfect unison with the music. Whenever she wasn't in time with the music, you could tell that she was deliberately holding back slightly to emphasise not only her movements, but the music aswell!
  8. I haven't ever heard Russians with noisy pointe shoes but the Australian Ballet has very noisy pointe shoes that can easily ruin a mood. It is inappropriate that their jumps land so harshly that the pointe shoes make such a big noise. It is also partly the orchestra's fault for not playing loud enough. I think that if something is marked as p it should be played mp and if it's marked f it should be played ff etc. But anyway, I hate noisy pointe shoes in performances, though my mum actually loves the sound and she says thats one of the main reasons she goes! Anyway!
  9. Yes! But if you think about it, they're not really classroom steps lol! It's more dancing a ballet inside a classroom.
  10. I have heard only a few of those changes - the rest I have only seen as the original music. I have seen the Florestan Pas de Trois performed instead of the Pas de Quatre which you didn't note. But I have never seen the Gold Fairy variation in Act II. I also know that many repeats were cut in the Mazurka at the end of the ballet which you didn't note either including the 2/4 coda but this is more a choreographic change.
  11. Yes, he's the conductor and he does make the simple and sometimes bland tunes and orchestrations sound marvellous!
  12. I am glad to hear your responses but you obviously didn't read what I wrote. I wouldn't be taking out the penchee entrance (by the way, only originally were they not penchees - now every company (except ones who suck) do penchees) I would merely be adjusting it to make it shorter. I am surprised that all of you are so against the idea. To me, all that is attractive about the entrance of the shades is the beautiful music which I think should be expressed through more than just penchees but through mournful dance.
  13. Recently, I asked if anyone knew where I could find a recording of Le Conservatoire (Konservatoriet) and a few people suggested "Musikken til Bournonvilles Balletter" which is a compilation of 9 discs of almost all the Bournonville ballets (except a few divertissements). At first I thought this would be a waste of money seeing as I only wanted Le Conservatoire but I bought it anyway as I was desperate for Le Conservatoire so I bought it and after I listened to Conservatoire, I listened to the rest of the CDs and there'll all FANTASTIC. I suggest if you are looking for music of any of the Bournonville ballets that you should buy this 9-disc set. I didn't buy it on Dancebooks (I think that's what was suggested to me) as I couldn't find it there but I bought it straight from the manufacturer, Danacord. Danacord's Homepage It was flown out from Denmark to Australia in only four days!
  14. Of just the Burgmuller bit or the whole of Giselle?
  15. I think Giselle and all the Wilis SHOULD have wings for the sole reason that the traditional ballet blanc tutu designed by... uh.... that guy.... had wings. It clearly states everywhere that they are the same design and I believe in the original productions, the wilis had wings.
  16. Peggy van Praagh's production for the Australian Ballet is a celebration for the bell. - Waltz of the Night Time Hours. - Dawn (solo for a woman). Dawn dispells the hours before dancing. - Prayer (solo for a woman). - Le Travail (pas de neuf. Three trios of two men and one woman). - Noces Villageoises - Wedding Procession. - Pas de Douze. Six Pas de Deux for Swanhilda's and Franz's friends (music: "Scene et Pas d'Action" from Act II of La Source) - Pas de Deux ("La Paix") - Franz's Variation (fashioned from "Mazurka" from Act II of La Source) - Swanhilda's Variation - Galop Generale
  17. I don't think there are similarities between Lise and Swanhilda. Swanhilda makes it painfully obvious that she wants Franz and when he goes off with Coppelia she gets very upset. Lise is coy and pretends she doesn't want Colas but occasionally lets it show. Swanhilda gets angry when things don't go her way, but when something doesn't go Lises way she gets upset and either cries or submits. Swanhilda is strong. Lise is not.
  18. I think the best version of Coppelia I have seen is the Australian Ballet's one. Lisa Pavane is AWESOME at Swanhilda and the mime scene in the Second Act is the best I have seen - much better than the Kirov one . It is certainly the best one I've seen. The Waltz of the Hours, Dawn and Prayer are the best bits!
  19. MinkusPugni

    Notation

    Does anyone have the notation for the scarf dance "Scene et Variations" from act 1? If you do, could you possibly scan it into your computer and send it to me?
  20. I know it is traditional and you can't remove it but the entrance of the shades with the penchees is SO BORING! From a dancer's point of view, watching it may be slightly interesting as you can see who has a bad technique but from everyone I have ever talked to who doesn't dance finds it boring. If I was ever staging it, I would have two ramps from either side of the stage, not just one and have the shades coming on in pairs holding the same hands as their supporting leg and always alternating between legs. This means four people are coming on at one time and it would be over four times as fast (maybe even in time for the next phrase of music) and then you could have a proper dance of the shades. What do you think? Would it be too risky?
  21. I think Aurora is the first born and that's why she's so important and then her brother and sisters are younger than herself. Also, with the four fairies thing, are they all female fairies or are there two guys? If there aren't males then I don't like the similarity of that Pas de Quatre and the Pas de Six from the start.
  22. Mainly I am talking about the Polacca (first piece in the Peasant Pas) and the first male variation here but I have heard three different orchestrations of the Peasant Pas de Deux: 1. The Polacca is loud (sorry, not much detail there) and the first male variation is very heavy (alot of timpani) and mainly played by the strings and horns and some other brass. 2. The Polacca is "sweeter" and not so harsh and the first male variation the accompaniament (the first bar) is played by the pizz strings and the tune is mainly the first violins. In the bourree couru part the woodwinds play decorative notes throughout before going back to the A section and has a section for brise voiles on the end. 3. Practically the same as 2 except without the brise voles bit. Which ones have you heard and why are there so many different orchestrations?
  23. I don't consider a choreographic change in the music to be a musical change. It changes the order of the music but not the actual music itself. Drigo has modified alot of ballet music and I think he needed to think to himself, "would I like people changing my music when I'm dead?"
  24. Thanks for all of your opinions guys! Sorry, then I wasn't talking about Petipa's one if he didn't originally stage Swan Lake. Anyway. I think a fair amount of Adam's Giselle is quite nice (especially the second act) but alot of the second act doesn't suit the ballet. The Sylphs in La Sylphide are supposed to be happy (until the Sylphide dies) but the music is too subdued and therefore doesn't suit the happiness of the Sylphs but the Wilis in Giselle are supposed to be sad and angry. We get happy melodies running throughout the Pas Premiere des Wilis and Myrtha's Apparation. The music can still be buoyant but I think it should stay generally in minor keys. The music in the Pas Premiere and Myrtha's Apparation is wonderful but not suited to the style of Giselle. The Scene et Fugue des Wilis (Hilarion's death) is awesome and is a great part of Giselle. Another part of Giselle that really works is the Entree de Albrecht but I think that should be a dance of the Wilis rather than an entrance. A part that certainly doesn't work is the bit (I think this is excluded in some productions of Giselle) is after the actual fugue of the Wilis and after then have done their glissade, jete, glissade, jete, step, grand jete en avant, step, grand jete en avant off and have run back in the line when they see Albrecht and are about to kill him and before Giselle saves him, there is a canon for the strings which sounds almost like a wedding piece. Anyway, this is just my opinion of the ballet which isn't relevent to yours. But it was interesting to see what everyone had to say.
  25. I think Swan Lake failed originally because the music was over-dramatic and Petipa couldn't think of choreography that was dramatic enough for the music. Swan Lake is sad and melancholy all the way through, even in the happy bits. Especially after the second act. I think Giselle's music isn't dramatic enough. The Wilis' Fugue with Hilarion is how the music should be all the way through the second act, especially at the end when Albrecht is left in despair. I don't think because Swan Lake's music makes you feel sad you can't like it. I love it. I think Giselle's music isn't sad or dramatic enough - that's why I don't like it. Alot of it doesn't suit the ballet.
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