cubanmiamiboy

Sometimes when I see contemporary choreographies, I feel that it really doesn't matter what music its being danced to, for which it doesn't make too much of a difference.

Birdsall, this time I approach the ballet from a different angle. Instead of trying to search for a specific moment or a particular climax, I just let myself relaxed and take it as if I was just enjoying a Chopin piano night in a concert hall with some beautiful dancing as a bonus. The music ceased to be programmatic and took, in my mind, the same level as the choreography. Also,, I must say that for some reason, the ballet looked as if tailored made for Villella's dancers. Kleber Rebello was FANTASTIC as the boy in brown. His solo had such a beautiful feline quality. He has really mastered the art of legato, where he links all his movements without apparent transition, sometimes giving more time for an arabesque to come down slower to suddenly get into something else. I have rarely see a male dancer have this control over movement before. He reminded me of Sarabita many years ago. His landings are as soft as they can be, and mega precise. In general everybody was amazing. I spotted a happy Patricia Delgado seated by herself a couple of seats from me, enthusiastically clapping and cheering at her peers.

It is necessary that I write down my reassessment of Dances at a Gathering. I went to the ballet on Saturday night, and I "saw" it for the first time. First, I must say that there are some ballets that ought to be watched up close, and this is one of them. I was seated in orchestra center, fourth row, next to the right isle, with no one around me, and so I could really get into the dancers glances at each other, their changing mood, the always evolving atmosphere. Because if there's an atmospheric blessed ballet, this is it. Much of what I got has to do with personal feelings over situations that somehow the wonderful dancers were able to convey on me. I couldn't help but cry a little to the powerful sense of loss that this group has when they gather together at the end. IT reminded me so much of things that have happened in my life. To me this is the ever present story of one's life, told in a wonderful sequence of Chopin melodies, from the happy, carefree times, where everything seems to be forever, and nothing gets in your way, to the moment where your life somehow changes, and at one point you find yourself revisiting that old playground, either in your memory or physically. The scene of the group glancing at the distance at something that obviously is passing probably forever was so touching...but then, the most beautiful moment happened when one of them respectfully and lovingly touches the floor, as if recognizing that here is where his heart was and always be. And then, as it should be, at the end there is acceptance, maturity and a human effort to get going, even if in a different, slower way. If anything...Robbins told me that eventually there is a room for closure and calm continuity...

My wild guess is that all that Soviet Giselle footage of Makarova, as well as the pics, come from recorded, non live performances-(those we can see so often of Nureyev, Sizova, et al with fake applauses)-or on a TV studio, like the first clip I posted, and that her very first live performance was the one she talks about with Dolin in London.

Hmm...some bad ballet footage of Alonso during her NYC days at a presentation a friend of my mom did when I was in elementary school...? From then I started visiting him at the library where he worked, and he would tell me about his wonderful ballet viewing years in Havana during the 60's. From then on, I was hooked, and it was not long before I was able to see a performance in Havana during a school vacation with my parents.

Damn...this is just so sad. Freddie was just such a wonderful person to exchange words with. I had the opportunity to talk to him a couple of times,the last one during Alonso's 90th year birthday at ABT. While coming out of her box, champagne glass in hand, no glasses, no cane, and so willing to talk to me about his beloved Danilova. When I told him that I had seen a footage of him dancing the DQ pdd with Alicia at the Jerome Robbins archives, he said..."Oh, really...?, did I dance that with her...where can I see it?!" Definitely an era is gone for good now. RIP, wonderful Freddie.

@ 1: 15:08 D: "Did you dance it for the first time in Russia?" M: "I was prepared, but I think the first performance I gave for the public was in London, in 1961-(Royal Opera House)- and it was unexpectable success for myself. I was shocked...because I was 19, 20 years old, and it was a remarkable day for me, in my memory. My first Giselle in my first tour coming out..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fkWRdBJn-4

I'm sure you all will love this... Giselle-(didn't she tell Dolin in "A portrait of Giselle" that she had never danced the role in the Soviet Union...? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tckdQ7IrrPU Chopiniana, with Vitaly Onoshko http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLomme3Juds With the one and only Soloviev, again in Chopiniana... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccaG3nOCfC8 As Odile... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPacN5H99nI

Vishneva did a great rendition of Alberto Alonso's heroine, and Plisetskaya approved. 'nouf said... Then...what on earth happened to Bashmet's synchronization...?! Mme. Kolpakova should had been seated first row. The new "Sacre..." looks so..generic next to the recreated one... The reaction to the Diamonds finale was very lukewarm.

Morrosine...Mo...sine...Ma...ssine...MASSINE! Given the time-(1936...), it looks like a role model to me... Anyhow...thank you both bart and Birdsall for your reviews. I won't hide my apathy toward this program-(both ballets bore me), but I might go see it if my local Violetta is not engaging enough to exchange a night at the opera for one at the ballet.

Hmm, I smell promotion for Quenedit...

Dumaux...

The five hours-(sans the intermezzos)-went by wonderfully today for me, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than my Wagnerian's last experience-(dragging afternoon that it was...).

The countertenor issue. Well, for me I had it clear today, seeing two men in the parts, one whom I didn't feel comfortable with and another for which I just was thinking "what a beautiful voice", despite the non-manly sound.

Not at all...he seemed to struggle with his fioritura choices, and looked breathless at times. He was also very mannered, whereas Dumaux seemed to be at ease with his vocal parts and acting. I LOVED him. BTW...I hated Dessay's vaudeville act with the umbrella.

Daniels singing did not flourish, IMO. His coloratura sounded strained, and the low register was very opaque. Everytime Dumaux came singing right after Daniels, you cold tell the difference. Dumaux sounded rich, powerful...it was like night and day. The Coote/Bardon duetto was so beautiful...

Who went to the house..? Who saw it at the cinema...? I went, and have to say, what wonderful 5 hours did I I spent..! More to come, but...for now, just two names that OUGHT to be applauded here...Christophe Dumaux as Ptolomeo and Patricia Bardon as Cornelia. Oh my... 'nouf said... And then, a beautiful "Se pieta di me non senti" by Dessay...

I think he likes the circuit environment...

A little snip of his TPDD. ...and rehearsing with Mary Carmen Catoya back in his MCB times...

Yes...she truly knew-(know)-how to work those accents. That's why we called her "The Queen of Accents"... Also, for those familiar with the Four Jewels of the National Ballet of Cuba, the great, strong Aurora bosh was not known for her Giselle...(it seems as she danced it, as the pic below states)-but she was definitely the best Myrtha I've ever seen. Here's Bosch as the Queen of Willis at the youthful age of 49.

Valdes is Kitri...Annette Delgado is Giselle.

Oh...divine Lorna. My last favorite ballerina.

I was curious about Gregory, and was about to search a bit into it...

Actually, let me answer myself...Preobrazhenskaya did dance Giselle, as this pic with Legat proves.

Congrats to Cuban Taras Domitro!