cubanmiamiboy

First things first, I want to note it was great meeting some board members during my trip and get to see some others I knew already. Makarovafan, NYSusan, Bart Birsdall, Canbelto, Carbro, FauxPas, Drew and Cubanmiamiboy made for a great group at the MET..! Canbelto, allow me to mention how pleasantly surprised I was to find you have such a bubbling, sparkling personality, being your reviews so serious and all . Very nice indeed to meet you all guys! Ok, back to balletic matters. I attended three Bayadere performances. On day one I was going to opt for City Ballet, but the program didn't really "get"me-(I saw "In the Night" over here just a little while ago, and while I find it pleasant, I certainly don't LOVE it that much...well...perhaps a little bit more than its cousin "Dances..."). So then I decided to try Seo/Muntagirov Bayadere. This performance was sort of on the bland side. Seo executed the steps, did the cat-fight with Boylston and wore her white Shade tutu with grace, but that was it. there was no much characterization or drama in her portray. She was good, but not great. It was appropriate, then, that her rival character wasn't done with a higher level, either technically or artistically. Boylston's dance was tentative, not developed in the grand scale either...just as Seo's. Muntagirov's Solor was a bit more exciting, but generally, the whole performance left me cold. Day 2 was definitely better. Cojocaru's Nikiya had more depth, and her technique, while diminished from past memorable performances, was still strong. She was the only one from the three Nikiyas I saw who really honored Dudinskaya's devilish series of pique/chainee turns at the PDD coda during the white act, performing them with great speed and sharpness. Still, during the Adagio, she fell off pointe a couple of times, but all around her dancing was wonderful. Now, the big problem of this particular performance was the pairing of Vasiliev/Solor with Copeland/Gamzatti. I really don't know if Solor even though of his bride to be at any point-(leave Vasiliev his ballerina)-, during the whole thing. They were in two separate worlds. During the betrothal scene, right when they have to perform those tour jetes at the same time, while Vasiliev was still suspended on the air, way up there, poor Copeland was already on the floor, after having jumped half the height of her partenaire. It was definitely an unfortunate pairing, and it was clear that they are in two very different levels, technically wise. I felt it was unfair to Copeland. Vasiliev, of course, was his usual airy entity, jumping with the softness and grace of a cat-(that's the best example I could come up with), He is probably the only current reminder of the bouyancy of the Bolshoi dancers of the past, and he's not shy about showing off. I like that. His cambres are marvelous...he has one of the most flexible, beautiful backs in a bailarin I've ever seen. His solo during the betrothal scene brought down the house. Beautiful pirouettes a la second, perfectly executed. It all that wasn't enough, right after Nikiya dissapears at the end of his vision, he suddenly showed up on stage to leap across and into the right wing in what looked like a lion's jump. Wonderful. It is a shame that he's not as tall and prince-looking as other ABT bailarines-(Hallberg, Gomes, Bolle), but I'm sure his short height has a lot to do with his capability to jump that high. THE performance of my trip, for me, came embodied in the handsome paring of Gomes/Part. Veronika currently carries like anybody else the long ballet notion of what a beautiful Russian ballerina ought to look like. I'm one of those balletomanes who believes in physical beauty onstage as an element as important as technique or artistry-(poor Vaganova...she was the victim of others who shared my view). Needless to say, Miss Part was a perfect vision in white during the Shades act. What gorgeous lines...how luscious her grand jetes are...her legs seem to go on forever. I have seen her in the past both as Lilac and Sugar Plum Fairy, but for some reason, it looked to me as if this was the first time I saw her dancing. I guess I was lucky to catch one of her "on" nights, right....? Her paring with handsome Gomes was the happiest idea. they are both tall, brunettes and dramatically competent, and she looked very comfortable with him. Of course, during the lifts it was Vasiliev who won the prize here, for which he carried Cojocaru in a complete horizontal position overhead, while Gomes and Part chose to have an arabesque design for her with the left knee folded under. Their veil PDD was gorgeous, and she didn't have any major faults. One of the things I remember the most during this performance was the way Veronika chose to dance the flower basket sequence. It was interesting, because while other dancers even smile during the dancing-("what are they happy about?!", I always wonder)-Part's was a languid, sorrowful display, as if she was just "seeing" her death approach...she knew that it was all done...that Solor would never be hers. I really found her characterization here exquisite and it all made sense to me, unlike with other dancers. And then there was Osipova. What could I add about her amazing performance..? Everything has been done about her in other reviews. If anything, I really "saw" Gamzatti for the first time. She was no longer "the other" ballerina. She made the character alive and fundamental in the story line. One of the things I noticed was that, during the last act, while the two couples are dancing at the same time, whereas Part would look at Solor anytime she could have a chance, Osipova would try to turn to the audience and gaze at it. Basically Part was dancing to her beloved of choice,... and Osipova too..! I want to note though that I wasn't satisfied with any of the fouettes being executed by any Gamzatti, Osipova included. There seems to be a trend among ballerinas not to show the ample ronde de jamb that ought to be finished with a perfect a la second pose during the whipping of the working leg. Instead they tend to bend the knee while the whipping movement happened almost in front of their bodies, instead of on the side. Then, of course, the movement takes less time, becoming shorter and faster, allowing them to do double and triples pirouettes in between. I find the trick a little diminishing to the fouette concept. And now that I started to complain, let me mention two of the things that bothered me the most of this production. Number one was the design of choice for the Shades ramp. The big problem here is that the ramp is almost non existent..! The props of greenery take almost half of the stage, and then what it's left of the ramp is just a little piece in which only three shades can stand at a time. Plus, it is only one level of ramp and then the simple floor, instead of the double ample feature showed in old soviet productions. I was disappointed to find the iconic descending sequence very diminished. The other thing was the costume of Nikiya during the last act. I can't understand why they dress her in Harem pants, instead of keeping her in tutu. Isn't she still a ghost only coming into Solor's view...? Wouldn't have made much more sense to keep her as a Shade, still borrowed from the utter world, instead of dressing her with a worldly attire, as it was her choice to change clothes...? All in all, it was great to see Bayadere. I had never seen the whole ballet before-(what we have in Havana is an abridged "Kingdom of the Shades", very much in the comprised fashion of the 50's), so it was wonderful to see the luxurious staging. The grand importance of this production is that it has been able to become part of ABT...that by now it is not a foreign Russian curiosity-(a la "Pharaoh's daughter")-but an integral part of the NYC ballet life. It was moving to see so many people attending the performances...and to know that the ballet has its golden seat along with the other warhorses. That said, for the inclusion of Bayadere into our lives as balletomanes we can't thank Makarova and Nureyev enough. See ya..!

Perhaps this is the article in question? http://www.ottawacit...html?id=6659989 It says (next to last paragraph): This is simply a clueless reporter. Yes ...starting with Zakharova's hair description. Since when is she a blond...?

Justice and revenge are sometimes-(probably more than what we want to accept)-intertwined. Very religious/pious people will definitely have a harder time understanding Myrtha's behaviour.

And when Gomes jumped in ! :-)

Nice to have been able to breath a fresh dose of Petipa. Now back to Balanchine. What a lovely bunch of B,talkers! :-)

Great to see you all here tonight! :-)

Bummer

I can not believe this. All this trip arrangement to end up with such change?

So where will it be finally...?

Entrechats for me, and if they are divine a la Soloviev, then...

From the various revisions and tunings Dolin did in Alonso's Giselle-(the last one being in 1980)-, none of them included either brises or entrechats. Cuban Albrecht, (Dolin/Youskevitch based)-, seems to wander around the stage stopping a lot to beg for forgiveness to Myrtha. It is a very mimed segment.

Glad you like this rare gem, BB Needless to say, I was surprised the first time I realized-(on video)-about Ashton's Fille's lenght, being used to Alonso//Nijinska/Gorsky/Romanoff/Balachova after Petipa one act version. I really like Hertel's score, and Lissette's theme, which also plays in the ballet's overture. Actually, I would say that it is in my top five list of "haunting"-(I got the right spelling now, right...?)-ballet melodies. The score is indeed very "musique dansante" in nature, and the ballet itself is a brand name in Havana. Cuban ballerinas want to recreate Lissette's naughtiness with the same level of interest as Giselle's dramatism or Odile's glamour. Cuban audiences also have place it right next to the other Petipa's works. I really miss it. I can't believe that ABT allowed for its dissapearance. Didn't Claude Bessy staged this version for POB in the mid-80's...?

Green with envy as I read. Relocation time perhaps...? humm....

B B just gave me the awful news. A whole era is now over...RIP Pop Queen, Miss Summer! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2q2bis6eLE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwWx0Kzeqw0&feature=related

To all the women of this board, Happy Mothers Day, for which they always manage to serve their duties as moms in life somehow...! :flowers: :flowers: http://www.ballet.co..._1000.sized.jpg http://balletnews.co...per-700x466.jpg http://theballetbag....eauty-small.jpg http://www.ballet.co...bow_026_500.jpg

Thanks, CM for the clips. It was nice to see the short snippets of the company dacing "Theme and Variations". I wish a complete video could be available to now compare the way the Cubans dance the late 40's/unlicensed Alonso's version with what I saw here,which I asume has to have certain little differences-(stilistically speaking, and maybe even choreographically)- probably made by Balanchine himself in the course of the years. It was also interesting to hear calling Anette Delgado the best bearer of Alonso's style and technique instead of Valdes. Sad though how when talking about Cubans dancing abroad only Acosta and Toto are mentioned, as if others like the Feijoo sisters or Sarabita are non existent. Then, of course, Alonso, always praising her most beloved partner and friend, "one of the best dancers in the world, Igor Youskevitch".

dirac, the voices were heard around the auditorium. It was the same actor mostly quoting phrases from Clifft's friends and peers-(Taylor, Houston, Monroe, etc...). I still didn't "get" the Clifft character. The guy was acting at one point almost histerically, which is not the image-(preconceived, I know)-I have from the man.

Oh, BB...that's DEFINITELY NOT going to happen...trust me.

On Saturday I went to the closing of FGO's current season, which gave us Gounod's "Romeo and Juliet". Right before the performance CEO Robert Heuer came onstage to anounce that next season would be his last one. The Florida Grand Opera has commenced its search for a new CEO to replace Mr. Heuer, who is retiring after 26 seasons. He will be certainly missed. I enjoyed my 3 and 1/2 hours at the opera tremendously. Beautiful production. From the FGO website. Roméo et Juliette Charles-François Gounod Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré Shakespeare's famous play has inspired many operas over the years, but none as enduring or successful as Charles Gounod's creation. From the breathtaking love duet at sunrise to the opera's shattering conclusion in the tomb of the Capulets, Gounod's lushly romantic music captures perfectly the unrestrained passions of youth and the tragedy visited on the lovers and their bitter rival families. French tenor Sébastien Guèze, who sang Christian in FGO's 2011 production of Cyrano, returns to FGO as Roméo. Cast Roméo Sébastien Guèze Juliette Maria Alejandres Mercutio Jonathan G. Michie Frère Laurent Craig Colclough Count Capulet Stephen Morscheck Tybalt Daniel Shirley Duke of Verona Joo Won Kang Stéphano Courtney McKeown Gertrude Cindy Sadler Grégorio Ryan Milstead Count Paris Graham Fandrei Conductor Joseph Mechavich Stage Director David Lefkowich Set and Projection Designer Erhard Rom Costume Designer Jennifer Caprio Chorus Master John Keene

I just found an article in the Miami New Times about a possible name change for our Ballet/Opera House. I won't make any personal comment on the issue, due to the fact that I happen to know very well, from my old hairdressing days, the bearer of the possible new name's candidate. In any case, here's the issue, and a little note of thanks and appreciation to the late Dolores, who was a wonderful arts patron and human being. Sanford Ziff Wants to Remove His Dead Wife's Name From Performance Hall By Kyle Munzenrieder The Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House ​For 15 years, Sanford and Dolores Ziff were perhaps Miami's top philanthropic power couple. Their name is prominently enshrined on the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, but Dolores died at the age of 85 this past January. Now Sanford wants to change the name of the hall by removing her name and replacing it with the name of his newer, younger, blonder wife. Ziff married 68-year-old Baroness Beatrice Clancy in July, barely six months after Dolores's death. The multimillionaire Sunglass Hut founder wants to change the name of the hall to reflect the marriage to something like the Sanford and Beatrice Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Arsht Center. "I'm considering name changes, especially at the Arsht Center," Ziff tells Jose Lambiet. "I haven't quite decided yet. I still have to confer with the board." Dolores and Sanford married later in life, but Dolores had become a patron of the arts long before meeting Sanford and is widely credited with getting her husband involved in philanthropic efforts. Unsurprisingly, her son from an earlier marriage isn't too pleased. Barr Keator tells Lambiet in the Miami Herald that he's "shocked and offended [Ziff would] even consider this. My mother moved him to supporting the Arsht project. She had the society connections." Sanford and Dolores Ziff Sanford and Beatrice Ziff

Those are the Italian fouettees If you search "Italian fouettes" on YouTube, several examples come up. But here's another puzzle: "regular" fouettes were first done by an Italian dancer, Pierina Legnani, although she apparently first performed them in St. Petersburg. So where did the name "Italian fouettes" come from? I am assuming the Italian school (Cecchetti school) started using Italian fouettes as regular fouettes, so then the other countries started labeling them Italian fouettes. Or does someone have another theory or know the answer to California's question? I assume it was probably where the step was first developed. Fact is,the two steps differ from each other in both design and pace, starting with their different time signatures-(regular fouettes in 4/4 vs. Italian fouettes in 3/4)