cubanmiamiboy

Some variations on the subject.

Are you all ready...?🤗😍

I did a repeat tonight on Bouder. Currently at intermezzo. She's one of the BEST Swannildas/Coppelias I have ever seen. Oh...how I would love now to see her Giselle...😔

You're right. I looked them up, and they look like this. https://goo.gl/images/bMf9ys

Some points from the top of my head. -Lovely production, with a strong vintage feeling. In a black and white picture it could look as something out of Ballet Russes de Montecarlo. - Backdrops in a "chagallesque" style-(particularly act I) - I do like the Karinska costumes. The short pink number for Swannilda might look odd to some, but I much prefer it to the huge bell shaped skirts I have seen I other productions. It looks very cute and straight from another ballet era, again..very Ballet Russe's de Montecarlo. - I quite didn't get the male costumes for the Mazurka. I'm sure they are probably very historically accurate, but still. Particularly the "pants" - Wonderful doll sequences. If this was also Danilova's, kuddos to Mme. - Waltz of the Hours with the little girls was unexpected to me. And very charming. Quite a continuity from Balanchine of the Imperial stage tradition to do so and get the kids used to the stage. - Prayer doesn't look the part. Where are the "praying" gestures...? - Mixed feelings about the "War and Discord" divertissement. Overwhelming costumes-(I think this is the most I have seen in a Balanchine dancing role...even more than the Midsummer butterflies) and sort of repetitive. - What are all those initials on the bells..? I think I might had seen AD for Danilova, LK for Lincoln K. and GB for Balanchine. Am I wrong..?

Yes indeed.

Remember this is a production that dates to the 40's. Nothing has been added. The whole entrechats/brise' voles started with the Soviets. I'm sure some who saw the pre-Baryhsnikov productions-(atm711?)- might give credit to this. Same with the over head lifts.

I saw him in Miami with the tour. Alas, it was a small stage and probably under rehearsed, but he looked completely underwhelming. He came and went and left no remarkable impact on the performance

I thought some of you might find this full length recreation Alonso did for her company of the delightful Petipa/Drigo creation interesting to watch. Enjoy.

At the matinee right now, and Erica Pereira has been delightful. Such a tiny, little thing...😍

The original ending of the ballet is the "Lever du Soleil et Arrivee de la Cour", with Bathilde and the court making an appearance with some mime between Giselle, Albrecht and his fiancee. The fast music ending is the original. The slow cut you're used to I believe belongs to a production done for Pavlova's debut in 1903, supervised by Petipa-(even though he was in forced retirement by then). The Cuban production aims at portraying desperation at the end, vs sorrow.

I am SO glad I skipped Bayadere tonight to see Coppelia. More to come, but Ashley Bouder OWNED the role, particularly during the doll sequences. Joseph Gordon was a much reliable partner for her tonight.

And contradictory accounts on whether Marie did indeed dance on pointe or not on the prologue. I think even first hand witnesses-(I believe Lubov Egorova..?)-declared later on that Marie had NOT dance on pointe, despite that famous photo that exists of her in tutu.

No Bayadere interest for me this season. Coppelia will be tonight.

Cubans have ALWAYS been way better turners and in general "a terre" dancers than jumpers. Let's not forget we learn to dance salsa very early, and the core of salsa is the endless turning. Very rare will you find a Cuban who can't dance.

I was there and it was a SPECTACULAR performance.

AND...her variation is not set to the original Amor music, but rather to "Kitri as Dulcinea"s variation music sans the pique turns coda. Of course Valdes must look tired. The woman is 42 and still dancing Kitri, for God's sake!

She never did. During her 20 years in Ballet Theater-( 39-59)- and the occasional guesting with BRdMC only the pdd was in repertoire-( there is a great video of her and Frederick Franklin dancing it on the Robbins video collection). When the full length production was staged in Cuba she was pass 60. https://goo.gl/images/yMbDKD

I Cuba Coppelius shows up in the wedding furious, but he's given money to compensate for his broken doll and he leaves in good spirit. People bid him farewell in a good way.

He comes with his noble attire of cape and hat. The cape is wrapped around so you can't see what's underneath, but the idea is that he comes as Albrecht and emerges out of the cottage in a different attire and disguised as Loys.

I still can't really grasp what happened. They were EXTREMELY close to the wings when he took her up and down right away for her to keep running. Now...this is a very fast sequence. It must look as if Albrecht just grabbed Giselle's essence for a split of a second. Usually dancers don't do much but up and down, but I believe Bolle tried to turn right after putting Seo down and he stood on her way by doing so...? I also think she might exited using the same wing exit where Roberto stood after putting her down. It was very confusing...and fast. But he CERTAINLY didn't drop her.

I have tickets for three Coppelias. I love this ballet, and miss it terribly from my days in Havana. There it was done in a very regular basis, just as Giselle. I have never seen Balanchine's version. What should I expect...? I am very excited!

Some things you should expect if seeing Giselle's staging, from the top of my head. -This production has its roots in three different productions: the Romanoff/Balanchine 1946 staging for BT in NYC , the Dolin 1948 staging for Ballet Alicia Alonso in Havana and the 1953 Mary Skeaping staging, also for ballet Alicia Alonso. All three versions were premiered by Alonso and Youskevitch. -There are musical cuts and/or differences from the standard versions we know. And here are some of them. - Albrecht's entrance is not set to the triumphant music we are used to. In the Cuban version it is set to the main sweet, arpeggiated leitmotif we hear in the overture. The triumphant music is heard when Albrecht comes out of the cottage after having a change of clothes-(another difference with ABT's, which has Albrecht already dressed as Loys right since his entrance). -The Peasant pas de deux is instead a "ballabile for Giselle's friends". I believe four couples plus two female soloists. -Giselle's Pas Seul finishes with the famous Spessivtzeva's diagonal of pirouettes, instead of the circle of piques usually seen. This diagonal was danced in ABT up until Baryshnikov. I don't know of any other company who keeps it today, besides CNB. -Giselle's Initiation scene in Act II has a double pirouette in attitude on pointe right after the Grand Pirouettes. For this reason, expect the Grand Pirouettes to be executed slower than what you are used to. This section is also cut shorter than ABT's. - Myrtha's choreography is different in certain sections. And her arabesques penchees are way slower and deeper. Cuban Myrtha takes her sweet time with her arabesques. You might find some of the tempi extremely slow. - The series of entrechats for Giselle are done in a devilishly fast way, mimicked after Alonso's, which were just like that. If the ballerina is not very good at such footwork, they might look almost non existent to the eye. - The music for the finale, right after Giselle has bid her final farewell to Albrecht is not the very slow ABT-(or the Russians)- have. At some point I recall reading here that the slow ending had been a change for a staging with Pavlova- ( I think it was Mel Johnson). Instead the ending is here the allegedly original...a very fast, quick music section, which has Albrecht running all over the stage to then collapse over Giselle's grave. - Stylistically, you might find this staging old fashioned, and I suppose the poses will look rather stiff and outdated to some. You won't see amplitude, but rather constriction. Many tilted torsos and necks, and a Chopiniana-like formation for the willis instead of the double line on each side of the stage.