cubanmiamiboy

I was reading the "required" Shakespeares when I was in 6th grade,

Lucky you, Mel !...the only required book, (obligatory, actually ), that i had to go through all my school years was Karl Marx's "The Capital". ..Thank God that i had my grandfather's library at home...!

Does Albrecht really love Giselle? You can answer this question by telling us about productions you've seen (video counts) AND/OR what your ideal Albrecht should be.

I've seen many different approaches to this characters. According to the one that i grew up with, Mme. Alonso's , Albretch's feelings builds up as the first acts goes on, to the point when one feels that the simple identity/flirt game have progressed towards something more complex. Also, is interesting to add that in the cuban production,(see Alonso/Vasiliev as reference), Albrecht tries to run out of the village at the realization that he has been caught up on his lie, (who knows, maybe he would later return and give some explanations to Giselle), but he gets abruptely intercepted every time he tries to run out to a wing by the court members, who enter by every angle all bowing at his sight...THEN, he saddly kind of give up, to the realization that his real fiancee is right there, and his fate has been decided already, but he does it clearly frustrated and not in the openly fresh-remorsless attitude a la Nureyev. Also, after Giselle's death, he doesn't run away,like Nureyev does, but he just can't hold his pain and his newly found love feelings for her,(too late!) and kneel down on the ground crying while desperately kissing her feet in front of Bathilde and everybody else...That, for me, is the confirmation that he has loved her, even if it's been for a few minuts/hours...In other productions, it looks to me as infatuation...

occasionally they stand out, usually for the wrong reason - they are unattractive... usually large or sticking out or something.

I think the topic is very appropiate. Ears are a plus in Giselle. That's why i strongly believe that the only option to the the anatomical display of ears on the Willis is none . I don't like to see any part of the ears on this surreal spirits. I only accept the middle partition/all covered ears hair do as the ideal romantic approach to the characters.

Tonight there was the Grand Gala Homage to Roland Petit, also recipient of the "A life for Dance" Lifetime Achievment Award at the Carnival Center. I know that i won't probably have any other BT'rs fellow watchers from Miami to contribute, but at least i know that Roland Petit's choreographic works are familiar for some out there, so it would be interesting to know their opinions. For me, at least, it was a first, as i had seen only one work from him, years ago, when i didn't really know anything about his extensive choreographic career. Also, i just realized that "that" was a Petit's work when i saw it again tonight, and amazingly, danced by the same dancer whom i had seen it by the first time. So the program consisted of four works, all danced by the Roland Petit Ensemble, from France, from which Mr. Petit is the Artistic Director. This was the program order:

1-"The Opener". Choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Duke Ellington, Performed by Altan Dugaraa.

As soon as "The Opener" started, i inmediatly felt a sense of vaudeville/cabaret inspired atmosphere in this male solo ballet, danced to a jazzy vigorous music. It consisted in a non stopping series of classical steps mixed with modern dance and mime, all succesfully delivered in an almost agressively secure way by Mr. Dugaraa, a great performer. i loved it, so did the public.

2-"The Great Gig in the Sky", choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Pink Floyd, Performed by Raquel Lopez and Lienz Chang. I would like to really express all that i felt when saw Mr. Chang after more than 15 years since the last time that i saw him partnering Mme. Alonso while he was Principal Dancer at Ballet Nacional de Cuba, when suddenly he dissapeared until now...but i won't, for respect to the dancer. I just want to observe that the picture was sad, and i was shocked...he was at the top back then, if anybody out there remembers him on the early 90's...There is still a video of him partnering a very young Viengsay Valdes (now first dancer at Ballet Nacional de Cuba).

3-"Je Cherche Apres Titine, Les Petits Chaussons", from the ballet "Charlot is dancing with us", choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Charles Chaplin, Performed by Luigi Bonino.

It was a delightful small piece danced by Luigi Bonino, a senior member of this ensemble (whom i remember from a Festival back in Havana in 2000) in which he portrays Charles Chaplin and his famous moves from his films. Tastefully delivered.

4-"Ma Pavlova". choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Jules Massenet, Performed by Eva Crevillen and Lienz Chang. Another piece for two that left me thinking again how cruel the balletomane eye can be related with the dancer's figure and body..Could have been a good piece in another choice of dancers.

5-"Run Like Hell", Choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Pink Floyd, Performed by Altan Dugaraa. Another technical display by this excelent dancer with gymnastic-like qualities, again mixed with classical pirouettes, jetes and even some kind of tribal dancing...short, intense,interesting and worth to see.

5-"Cheek to cheek". Choreography by Roland Petit, Music by Irving Berlin, Performed by Luigi Bonino and Raquel Lopez. A lovely piece for two that i recalled seeing performed by Mr. Bonino and Mme. Loipa Araujo, one of the "4 jewels" of the Ballet nacional de Cuba , in Havana in 2000. It tells the story of two mature lovers going on a date, in which they dance around and over the table...very cute and lovely delivered.

Does any or this works rings a bell?

Cristian - Cheer up, it's not that bad! Petipa core is still there & still beautiful.

I'm sooo relieved to read that...Thank you so much, Susan, for the encouragment!...

They also have some really wonderful dancers in all the roles - right down to the last fairy.

Looking forward to see Murphy/Corella and Kent/Carreno..!.Do you think it'll happen...?

Anything with Kent/Corella (i.e Swan Lake or Le Coursaire) run to the box office, do not walk and get your tix.

I know!...I saw them all when they came over with their SL, and i specially remember the Kent/Carreno night...it was magical, and i'm praying to see her Aurora...I know that Murphy is the dazzling all favorite, but for some reason, Kent really got me into the lake that night...

I've recently started taking an adult ballet class, which is sooooo hard

Hi. Barbara!!...wow, that's great that you went back to take classes. That's one thing i've always dreamed about, but has never happened...Sometimes i bike my way to the MCB studios and watch the adult class from the glass window.

Anyway, Welcome!

Cristian - Cheer up, it's not that bad! Petipa core is still there & still beautiful.

I'm sooo relieved to read that...Thank you so much, Susan, for the encouragment!...

They also have some really wonderful dancers in all the roles - right down to the last fairy.

Looking forward to see Murphy/Corella and Kent/Carreno..!.Do you think it'll happen...?

The new ABT production of 'Sleeping Beauty' is stirring up lots of talk and emotion about this, the most classical of Petipa ballets.

1. THE WORST - ABT 2007 - it just doesn't get any lower than this. Simply read my post on the SB review thread.

For the unbearable, ABT's new version comes first

...and that's going to be my first approach to live "Beauty"...my very first...

I was so excited with the ABT production coming over Miami, and now, after reading this posts, the magic is gone . Please...can somebody cheer me up...any good comments...?

Does anyone else share my interest in Byron?

I read Lord Byron's poetry when i was a teen, but haven't revisited him ever since. Maybe is time for myself to "reassess" his works...

It's just too gross.

That reminds me the part on the "Ballet Russes" documentary when one of the dancers recalls Brodislava Nijnska's being quite unpleasant about touching the sweating bodies of the dancers during rehearsals, so she would always wear white gloves to do so...

That is some school down there!!!

Mme. Alonso's school Bravo Yonah!!

How do dancers deal with the problem of sweat during performances... their own sweating... their partner's sweating...?

Is there a problem with the floor getting slippery from sweat during performances?

Why is it in filmed close-ups the men often have sweat dripping off them but not the women?

Not only men!...In my Youtube account's "favorites", i have a clip of Viengsay Valdes doing the Black Swan, and at the end, when she's bowing, you can see her dripping wet from sweat...(understandable after dancing that killer Alonso's coda... )

Absolutely wonderful!! Could that have been from the Shangai Ballet Competition...?

Watching the Paris "Rubies," I found myself thinking: Dupont and Carbone are lovely and charming and dance elegantly. But I really missed Villella and McBride's totally different approach to the parts.

This led me to the thought that there are some partnerships that are truly likeable. This is not the same thing as "admirable," or ""technically brilliant,"" or even "two dancing as one." They don't have to be the best dancers. Something clicks, however. And is communicated to the audience. You care about them and want to hang out after the performance to here about how they felt about it.

I'm not good at dredging examples from my flickering memory, so I need some help.

Upbeat ballets: Patricia McBride and and Edward Villella.

Dramatic ballets: ?

Romantic ballets:

Classical ballets: ?

Are there any such partnerships that strike you as being highly "likeable"? What makes them that way?

Romantic ballets: Alina Cojocaru & Johan Kobborg Their Giselle is truly enjoyable and their real love for each other really shows onstage.

Classical ballets: Lorna Feijoo & Carlos Acosta. They both enjoy bravura and flamboyancy, aside from having a brilliant technique. They also come from the same ballet school/style, and that makes their partnership specially "likeable".(eg. Diana & Acteon in Youtube)

I divide my vote between Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Carlos Acosta.

...and from the past, of cooooooooourse, who else than Mr. Perfection, (aka George Zoritch?)

just take a look...

http://www.georgezoritch.com/frame.html

Love the beard on Hadrian too!

...the one taken by Massine in Florence is my favorite. So, do i get any credit for my Zoritch choice...?

I divide my vote between Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Carlos Acosta.

...and from the past, of cooooooooourse, who else than Mr. Perfection, (aka George Zoritch?)

just take a look...

http://www.georgezoritch.com/frame.html

I've just come across a reference to a biography of Frederick Franklin by Leslie Norton, and notice that Amazon has some copies. It's fairly pricey for a paperback.

I can't recall if anyone has written about this here. Anyone care to share their thoughts about this book, or recommend it?

Amazon listing is HERE

Frederick Franklin. Certainly a great character, bart. I recall his wonderful appearances in the film "Ballet Russes". as usual for the information. I would be waiting for responses from BT'rs, before ordering a copy.

Fridays (after 5:00) at MoMa are free, too! That's the justification for the $20 admission at all other times. Special exhibitions are ex$tra.And shame on me for not going since it reopened.

Last time i went to NYC i was at MOMA on a friday, (i always do, as i know about the "free fridays"). It was last year in august, and they had that fabulous DADA exhibition. For the first time in my life i could see the famous Duchamp's urinary (aka "Fountain" ) in front of me...

Love Defoe for 'Moll Flanders' .

Yes! I loved Moll Flanders too!, God, was she outreagous!

definitely Homer, and the Iliad even more than the Odyssey, it's more muscular.

Those were mandatory when i was in high school, but back then i was just devouring all the XIX russian and french literature that i could get...it wasn't 'till college that i got into Homer...for good.

Agree with cubanmiamiboy about 'The Wild Palms' of Faulkner, I've read most of his novels, they are all magnificent.

I know! Every time i reread some pages of the Harry and Charlotte’s doomed love affair, i just get amazed at its long, hypnotic phrases and brilliant tone.

For those of you enamoured of Don Quixote, Martin Amis writes a most amusing essay on how hard it was for him to get through it. Made me not want to read it, and I did try once.

I would like to add that I was able to read this amazing tale in an excelent adition in its original language,spanish, which is also my first language, so i guess that that's a plus when trying to get into it...

Oh,well...here's a rough amd truncated very first choices list:

Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment

Flaubert: Madame Bovary

Tolstoy: Anna Karenina

Joyce: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Hemingway: Farewell to arms

Cervantes: Don Quijote

Proust: In search of a Lost Time

Faulkner: Wild Palms

Zola: Therese Raquin

Balzac: Lost Illusions

Stendhal: The Red and The Black

I love the idea of outreach to younger audiences. But there has to be pricing that allows for this to work.

Of course, bart. And if you take the fact that for the cheapest ticket here in Miami going at $18 ( with the student discount ), what you'll get is an anticipated dissapointing performance, (in terms of organization), with no parking lot for your car, (we have no public transportation in this city) , and then having to deal with chaotic traffic after the performance, then...

But back to Saratoga and the NYCB, any similarities...?

It's not happening in NYC.

...nor in Miami, as usual.

Mmm, interesting . I think i will be paying a visit to the "World Erotic Art Museum" here in Miami Beach. I've never been there, but i think it will be...different Thank you for this information!

Back to bart's question: how can SPAC, and other venues, boost attendance?

Well, how about trying to attract young people?...Last night, at one of the half empty Ballet Festival performances, i was talking to a lady who was sitting in a desk in from of an enormous pile of gloosy festival-related flyers that were going to be thrown out after the show. She ended up being part of the event staff. I told her that i hadn't seen any publicity of the Festival around my school,(Miami Dade College),which is a super big well known institution with half dozen huge campuses all spread out around Miami. I ended up taking the flyers with me and i'm planning on displaying them in in my school library next tuesday when i go to classes. So, how about just that? If they spent the money already on the flyers, why not going around Colleges, Universities, high schools and the like to try to target that type of public, students and teachers...? PR doesn't have to be always about connecting with the big media, but it should be more than giving discount tickets to geriatric/nursing home produced groups, (and thank God that at least we have those.!)

Are there any lessons to be learned by other ballet companies -- and summer festivals -- which may be faced with unpredictable and even declining audiences for some of their programs?

Thanks for bringing up this topic bart. I know it would be dangerous to give an impulsive answer to those questions, but God, is so frustrating to go to half empty theatres with absent courtain calls ballet performances! Believe me, at least here in Miami this situation get's at horrific levels. Currently , we're having our infamous International Miami Ballet Festival, and i really have no words to describe the disaster so far. The magic word for a huge part of the success of ballet companies and festivals, in my opinion, is one: PR.