Buddy

"Now, Christopher Wheeldon and the playwright Craig Lucas are adapting the movie for a stage production, with Wheeldon to be both choreographer and director." How literally translated (from movie to stage) do posters here think that the new production will/has to be? With Craig Lucas included it does seem like it might be a lot of theater (acting and singing) as well as dance. Yet the idea that Christopher Wheeldon is also the director fires my imagination. I still love the idea of Marcelo Gomes or Rolando Sarabia flying around the stage and doing what Gene Kelly did in 'balletic' terms, something that Christopher Wheeldon could handle brilliantly. This might really be an exciting take on the 'heart and soul' of Gene Kelly. bart 'logo' : "The consolations of the imagination are not imaginary consolations." By the way, I saw Steven McRae's performances when he won the Lausaunne competition. I live half the year about an hour away. I haven't been to one in awhile because of timing, but back then there was usually one contestant each year or two who really stood out . Steven McRae was certainly one of them. His final number was a tap dance, some of it on pointe. I'd never seen this done at Lausanne, before or since. It was a treat. And by the way, Bart, they discovered that your own *Miami City Ballet*'s Jeanette Delgado is also a fine singer. Marcelo, Rolando….now once again 'do ray me fa do' .

bart 'logo' : "The consolations of the imagination are not imaginary consolations."

Thanks, Dirac, for your insights and the Ballet Alert comments about the NYCB production. Cool if we found that Marcelo, Rolando….were also latent Caruso's. The fact that Christopher Wheeldon is the "director" as well as the choreographer seems to spell 'Dance' with a big D. It will be interesting to see how this all developes.

From many choices, Myriam Ould Braham. I don't know if she speaks english.

Bart and Vipa, I was able to watch the first several minutes of the key, lengthy (15-20 minutes?) dance scene from the movie on internet video. That's all I could find. It looks pretty 'balletic' to me. "His [Gene Kelly] many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical film, and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Kelly

Hi Bart. You bring up the obvious practical matters. I would guess that this would be about Dance, Wheeldonesque Dance perhaps, and a versatile ballet dancer might be fine. I think that Dance was Gene Kelly's strongest feature. The rest could maybe be finessed. Rex Harrison talked his singing in My Fair Lady. I haven't seen the movie in maybe twenty years so I should really look at it again to comment accurately on what you are saying. Abatt, I had no idea that Christopher Wheeldon did a production of this for NYCB. Maybe you have some ideas about this ?

I still go with Marcelo, abatt, and I raise you one -- Carlos Acosta ? Damian could be fine. I've only seen him once. Added: and more Leslie.... Alina Cojocaru Maria Kochetkova, but she'd need a not tall partner. and Sylvie Guillem ? Gene? and of course or click lower right for starters: http://www.rolandosarabia.com/wordpress/videos/#!/rolando-sarabia

An American in Paris "Now, Christopher Wheeldon and the playwright Craig Lucas are adapting the movie for a stage production, with Wheeldon to be both choreographer and director." I love the idea ! "The big casting decision for Wheeldon will be choosing who will play the acting/dancing roles of the two leads, Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American artist in Paris (Gene Kelly in the movie) and Lise Bouvier, the young French woman he loves (Leslie Caron)." Any suggestions, anyone, for Casting ? **** Gene Kelly **** For me it's obvious. **** Marcelo Gomes **** Ekaterina Kondaurova ? After what I saw her do at this year's Mariinsky Festival, she could handle this and maybe Garbo as well ! (And she even speaks english, something I never thought of all the times that I struggled to get out a sentence in russian telling her how great I think she is.) Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev -- worth a try. http://dancelines.com.au/wheeldon-balanchine-road-broadway/ (thanks to BalletcoForum)

Thanks, Helene. As an hotel doorman once told my stepfather when asked if he might need an umbrella to walk down the block. "Live dangerously, sir, live dangerously!"

I'm afraid to read this interview. Bart, is it ok? I really like him. I think he referred to himself at MCB (someone quoted) as "The Big Chief". I'm sure there're many sides to his leaving, but underneath it all he really seemed to *Love* his art and 'his' dancers.

And a glance at the real Anna Pavlova. This is a 2:41 film clip of her at home. At 1:30 she is feeding some swans. At 1: 50 she mounts the stairs in her garden. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KppDk6ZYTDQ&list=PLD30D724AE6DE358B&index=6

"ABC Family has torn down the Bunheads set. "But — and it’s a big but — the show hasn’t been canceled either, a hopeful sign considering the last original episode aired in February: If the network wanted to be done with it, they’d be done with it. So let’s indulge in some optimism, shall we, and focus on the reasons why it might come back." I do hope that this show is continued. It's probably my tv favorite. http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/why-abc-familys-bunheads-still-has-a-shot-at-renewal.html

I seldom watch entire works on video. As a matter of fact I could spend most of my viewing time with the Odette white swan Act II duet ("Swan Lake") and be totally happy, switching from one artist's interpretation to another. Not that complete works aren't fine, but so much greatness can be summarized in a few minutes. After that would possibly be the Act II duet from Giselle. I'll wait through entire performances just for this. But first the entrance of the Shades occurs and sometimes I say to myself, "Oh, I completely forgot about this!" and then sit back and enjoy what I consider one of the most enchanting passages in all of dance. Correction: In the final paragraph I confused the entrance of the Shades with the entrance of the Willis from Giselle. It is the entrance of the Shades that I was thinking of, although I find the Willis' dancing very beautiful also. My mind tends to run parts of these two ballets together.

The more I watch this video the more I have to conclude, "What can be said about Anna Pavlova?", except that she existed in a 'Universe' of her own. My main reference is another version of her doing 'The Swan' that can be seen on a Kirov compilation dvd. It presents about one minute of this performance and I treasure it. It's my only real insight into the greatness of Anna Pavlova and if it's at all an accurate portrayal of her, and I have to conclude that it is, then I'm in *Awe* . Based on innumerable watchings of that video clip I've felt her to be the female equivalent in artistry of Michelangelo. Soul and Genius Anna Pavlova Danced among the Stars

You can always hope for more. At least the matter is being kept in the public eye. I would hope that that's for the good.

Thanks for these clarifications, volcanohunter. I'm not at all familiar with politics in Russia. Still it looks like Alexander Pochinok is trying to move things in the right direction by informing everyone of what recourses are available. We can hope for the best.

This is a very interesting, possibly very hopeful, report from Ismene Brown. It's about how former Russian Minister of Labor, Alexander Pochinok, is trying to help settle labor matters at the Bolshoi. It also has very important implications for the Mariinsky. I've started reading the article, but it seems significant enough to mention now in case others would like to take a careful look at it, as I hope to do. Here are a few quotes. "Alexander Pochinok, Minister for Labour from 2000-4 and now a Russian Federation Council member, is a prominent economist and a frequent advocate of more modern ideas of political understanding and free expression. "Pochinok’s main initiative, he says, was to introduce outside union experts to advise the Bolshoi performers union. He stresses in the interview that Russian employment law already exists to protect workers, and that workers need to know and use existing legislation better than they do. "He also says that a new works agreement at the Bolshoi would address problems nationwide in the theatres, which hints at a more strategic reason for the government to act. One surmises a new government-backed theatre practices agreement at the Bolshoi would affect the Mariinsky, where ballerina Daria Pavlenko has been at loggerheads with general director Valery Gergiev over what she has described as long-outdated working practices formulated in Soviet times." http://www.ismeneb.com/Blog/Entries/2013/6/29_Ex-Minister_helps_Bolshoi_tackle_its_woes.html (Thanks to 'UK' forum for posting this) Added quote: "When will the process be complete, when could an agreement come into force? "It's down to the elementaries - there are time limits in which the theatre administration needs to come to the negotiating table, there are regulations that govern negotiations. People simply aren't good at using Russian law, and in fact the Labour Code actually allows for very good talks to be held. It is only necessary to observe the law scrupulously."

Or should I say: Posted in case anyone still thinks that **Delicate, Fragile Beauty** can't handle the 21st Century.

Maria Kochetkova "This girl is wonderful as both a dancer, and a human being. Totally charming." (Whitey) ( ) Whitey "Whitey recently announced he had reached his 6.5 millionth online play, which based on his unsigned status makes him one of the most popular underground artists in the world." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitey_(musician) Posted by Maria Kochetkova Whitey -- No More Right Or Wrong Demo featuring Anna Pavlova (https://twitter.com/balletrusse/media/grid) Can be seen at Ballet Alert! http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/37447-anna-pavlova-whitey-no-more-right-or-wrong-demo/ [typo correction]

"What you do to others leaves a mark on you." Whitey recently announced he had reached his 6.5 millionth online play, which based on his unsigned status makes him one of the most popular underground artists in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitey_(musician) Added comment: Posted in case anyone still thinks that the Mariinsky can't handle the 21st Century.

I tend to think that you are right, although pronunciations can vary slightly.

I would say Mah-teel-deh Froo-stay. Marga ?

There is one thing more that I would like to add. Having seen four of Simone Messmer's Swan Lake appearances last week, I noticed something *Remarkable* that I've never seen before in a ballet dancer. * Her Moves seemed to have Their Own Language * Rather than being classically beautiful in purpose, they seemed to be calligraphic, a sign language for what she wanted to say. There was a completely different feel and intent from the normal, lyrical flow, that draws me to ballet. Yet in perhaps in a totally different ballet language she produced something equally as beautiful and compellingly meaningful. Once again -- Fascinating ! And once again, Simone Messmer: "Over the last couple of years, something’s happened to my dancing. I’ve really come into my own, and I need more, because I just want to learn more and grow. "I’m just trying to really experience it and make sure that I’m behaving and presenting myself the way I want to be seen, and I think something has sort of occurred with my dancing. I feel like I’m dancing well, and I feel like I’m dancing freer. It makes me happy…. "I’m beginning the highlights of my career, and I need to treat it as such." [spelling correction made]

Thanks, pherank. It's hard to read this interview and not get emotionally hung up. Simone Messmer takes her career and her art form very seriously. Because of her amazing talent, sincerity and love this would seem totally understandable. She says that she wants to grow, do her best and be appreciated. Fair enough. I, for one, feel that she deserves this. I think that Gia Kourlas' introduction sums up a lot of folks' feelings. "This incredible American Ballet Theatre soloist will depart for San Francisco the day after ABT wraps up its Metropolitan Opera House season….She will be missed. "For years, Simone Messmer has been one of my favorite dancers—not just at American Ballet Theatre, which she joined as an apprentice in 2002, but in the entire dance universe. With distinction, grit and unflinching elegance, she has provided a reason to endure otherwise meaningless ballets, as well as been spectacular in good ones like In the Upper Room, On the Dnieper and Firebird. Even so, she’s been too-often passed over for roles. Following ABT’s Metropolitan Opera House season, Messmer joins San Francisco Ballet; it’s a brave and bold decision, but I’ll miss her profoundly. One consolation is that her first performance with SFB will be in New York this fall. It’s fate." These are a few of Simone Messmer's comments that stand out for me. 
 "I think Kevin [McKenzie] thinks that I’m not as classical as some of his other dancers, which I can see in a sense, but I consider myself very versatile. I continue to work on my technique and really try to push myself…." "And I’m an actress. There needs to be more focus on what you say when you point your foot and what you say in your transition steps. "It’s about telling a story and putting yourself out there…. [This is perhaps a key statement. Her identity, her moves and expression may not all be classically fine (maybe they are) but their statement and meaning are powerful.] " I made a real effort to not compromise in my career and that’s all I can do." I wish her all the best.

I was actually told that this would happen awhile ago, but it was unofficial. I haven't had a chance to read the interview or the other posts here, but will try to do so. I can offer my limited opinion having seen her perform about ten times at the most. She Fascinates Me ! I consider her totally one of a kind. Perhaps she is a 'personality' artist. It's possible that ABT simply decided that she didn't fit the 'criteria' or 'mold' to do the major roles. I think that if she ever did Odette/Odile we would have been discussing it for the next year. It would possible be unlike any Swan Lake that we've seen before. This is not an impossible idea. I think that there is a definite place for great artists who are hard to define and who work outside the box. I'm very sorry to see her leave ABT, both for her fans and for herself, considering the amount of time she devoted, but hopefully at SFB she'll get a chance to spread her wings.