Nanarina

What a wonderful surprise, I have now been accross to Paris a few times gradually seeing my favourite Ballets, and Bayadere is one I plan to go to. I have seen Agnes Letestu dance live in La Dame aux Camellias. It was realy wonderful.

You are absolutely right. Marie Taglioni's choreography has not survived in any shape or form. For his version it is said thatLacotte based it upon; prints, notes, drawings, and archival materials from the time of the ballet's original production. Although it may be seen to use the vocabulary of Taglioni's era, there can be no claim to authenticity. The version we see with Kolpakhova, was staged in St. Petersburg in 1979 by Lacotte. This is really lovely, and by information provived by Pierre Lacotte on the La Sylphide DVD he has done numerous research into Taglioni history and work. He always endeavours to portray any reproductions he undertakes to be in the most authentic manner. In some circumstances 0btaining original details of steps and variations which he uses in his works.Both from Tafglioni family members and archives at museums where they have been hidden away for decades.

The Nutcracker or Clara's Story, Grahame Murphy for The Australian Ballet has a number of props, Kettle, Books,small christmas tree, decorations, medals, film projector and sheet used as a screen, picture, tutu and probably a lor I have not mentioned. But in general items such as wings on a costume are not truly props, they are part of the costume. They are not held by the props master but part of the responsibility of the wardrobe staff. Things like jewellery and headresses gloves shoes(not pointe ones)also are under their control.But for example the yellow and pink neck scarves and ribbons in Fille are looked after by the wardrobe staff and handed to the Props dept after attention. (i.e washing and ironing)

Lyn Seymour was definatly a very good actress, I was working at The Royal Ballet at the time, and remember her very well. Nowadays I have found Aurelie Dupont at POB to be very convincing without over acting, I saw her as Tatiana in Onegin and she was brilliant. I have heard it said she can be cold, which I find is a bit harsh. I agree she can be serious , but sometimes the role demands this. She is very good in Les dame aux camellias. In the recent documentary L' espace d'un moment, she dances Raymonda, witout hardly a smile at the end you see her in agony with her feet, which rather explains the reason. She says ""Oh my feet" gasping in pain, All I want to do is to go home, see my son and go to bed".

Well I have just seen the 2010/2011 programme, and do not feel very interested. When one considers the costs involved to come over from the UK, it makes it quite an expensive venture. I had even considered getting a subscirtion, but do not think it is worth it now. I missed the dates for the 2009/10, and now regret it. I have been considering whether to go and see Siddartha, but could not make up my mind, it is so short at 142 minutes, and the trip could cost me nearly £300,00 for just one nights visit. I would also like to see Tribute to Robbins, and Petite Dancers de Degas. this year. Returning to 2010/11 I wondered about Les Enfants de Paradis. It seems such a long wait for the latter. I am now in a VERY BIG QUANDRE !!!!

Thanks, Nanarina ! Here's a link to the interview (in French): http://www.lexpress.fr/culture/scene/aurel...ile_848691.html and to the fashion photographs: http://www.lexpress.fr/styles/diapo-photo/...ent_848577.html Thank you very much Estelle for posting the links to Aurelie's Interview and pictures, I always seem to get it wrong when I try to do it!!!! She seems a lovely person, so down to earth and happy to share her experiences. I did meet her briefly after Onegin last year.

I have seen mentioned on the Net that this is to be on France 3, 2nd March 2010. There is also a very intertesting interview and lots of pictures on L'Express Styles,Fr, "Aurelie Dupont Le Belle Etoile"which has also got a translation possibility there into English. Aurelie tells of her recent pregnancy and her little boy Jacques as well as how she got back to "The Scene". The interview and pages (15)add up to quite a lot to read.

Thamk you very much,Silvermash on two of the Ballets it has the word MEZZO on the clips on YouTube. I have been told this is a Japanese outlet, but cannot find anything else about it up to now. Do you know if it was broadcast in any connection with MEZZO France? I have found the other Raymonda's that have been mentioned on Ballet Talk, and have already got the Bolshoi one with Bessmertnova. I saw it live in London when the Bolshoi came to The Collaseum and it was brilliant, a much better production I imagine (from clips I have seen) than Nureyev's for POB.All the same I would like to see the latter live sometime, but with different cast to the current film. Hopefully we will be able to get Fred Wisemans Danse soon, his production company is Zipporah Films, and I got the ABT earlier documentary direct from them. Luckily I did make a play list up of L'Arlesienne so I can watch it in the correct order on my computer Seems as if there are gonna be a few DVD's to save up for!!!!.

Yes,. I have it on DVD and watch it a lot. I think it is a true representation of what the couple were, truly in love and happy. It was a terrible blow to Queen Victoria when she lost her beloved Albert. Another film that tells of her later life, which is available on DVD and well worth watrching is "Mrs Brown" which tells of the distraught Queens relationship with her Scottiah Gilley John Brown. both at Balmoral and Sandringham.and how he helped her face life again. It is heart rendering as she looks after him when sickness also strikes him down and he dies. However there is no mention of Ballet in it.

Over the past few days I have been trying very hard to find out how I can obtain copies of the followinf DVD's. Please can any members help with information ? I have tried the main suppliers to no avail. They are all on YouTube so must be released now. L'Arlesienne (Mezzo) Paris Opera Ballet Jeremie Belingard, Eleanora Abnagato Casse Noisette Nureyev POB Jeremie Belingard Myrium Ould Braham Raymonda Nureyev POB Marie Agnes Giilot Nicholas Le Riche Thank you in advance for your help.

I think clapping or applause in the religous works is okay if it is respectful, but the shouting of bravo and stamping feet is not appropriate, until at least the end of the piece. I find the response of the Cuban audiences rather over the top, and some Japanese young ladies when they scream and shout at a performance. Recently on the TV programme Pop Singer to Opera Singer, the same happened when the performer was a young well known Boy Band Member, it seemed totally out of place. I felt the audience should have been advised how to behave. it was only a few girls, but quite different to the rest of the audience's behavyor. Actually personally I find it distracting when people keep clapping through a ballet and the dancers have to keep stopping to take a bow. It is fine at the end of a scene or act, and even better to give them lots of curtain calls and shout Bravo (if you think they have excelled) at the end. I wonder what the Dancers themselves think about the subject.

That was a great buy, it is a very good production, I like Sir Peter Wrights work, he is one of the old school, similar to Pierre Lacotte, they keep the production authentic revising the original ballet as true to it's early choreography as they can.

I wonder if he's changed his attitude now that he's choreographed three story ballets and kept them in the repertory. In any case, Maria Kowroski says in the latest danceview that she has been taking acting lessons Where did it lead kfw, or is it too early to say?

It says BBC Worldwide Productions Opus Arte. NTSC All Regions Sold by Amazon EU S.a.r.L Hope that information helps.

How can you teach a look in someones eyes? Unless of course it takes the coach or choreographer to traet the person in the manner they wish to achieve in performance, so there thoughts return to that experience. Even to simply draw out the emotion it seems very unkind or unacceptable to treat someone like this for artistic reward. What I mean is to hurt them, to make them look hurt. Though it probably does happen.

Hopefully we will soon be able to see the new Paris Opera issue with Marie Agnes Gillot (not my favourite dancer for a major classic) this is of course Nureyev's take on Raymonda. And from what I have seen on clips and the POB documentary Dancers Dream Raymonda, the story and characters have been altered. The later DVD is one of a series and I think still available to purchase.

£3.99 plus P & P. A real bargain Sir Peter Wright's Nutcracker 2000, with Alina Cojocaru, Ivan Petrov, Jonanthon Cope, Sir Antony Dowell. I recently purchased this offer DVD, and was thrilled to receive it very quickly. Found it to be an excellent production which does not seem dated.also with interesting bonus section. It was well worth the £5 ,49 it cost. I am not sure if it would be cpmpatable in the USA without a multi regioh player, but should be okay in Europe.

Hi Bart, "can the use of the eyes be taught? Yes in the course of instruction , for emaple, look left, or right up or down, look at something, in the physical sense. Look hurt or happy, be angry.To express mood. But true feelings come from within, or come from the persons soul. They are the reflection in the eyes of what is being felt. It is a natural phenomin and I do not think that can be taught. Some people show this in their facial expression, imagine eating something tasting aweful,the persons distaste comes out in the face they altermatically pull.Again this can vary from person to person. It is not taught but just happens.

The expression in a persons eyes comes from within, some people have it but others do not. Even in everyday life this happens, just look at two people who are in love, they seem to have a "certain" look in their eyes when they gaze at each other. It is connected with thoughts and expression. To train someone to "use their eyes" is not as simple as it may seem It is a lot deeper than just making the actions, it must be fixed in their thoughts as well, which takes concentration and is another element of performing.

Jane Simpson is correct she is still with us and is a Producer on the staff of The Royal Ballet ( info from the ROH Spring Season 2010 brochere).

Yet another lost source. So sorry to hear this news. If they keep on like this there will be no YouTube left for us to view!!!

Thank you James I am getting inpatient, it seems we have been waiting ages for this documentary to be released. I will have to just wait a little longer!!! Tres Difficiler !!!

Hello Richka. Thank you so much for your post, you have confirmed what I have been trying to tell the UK Dance world for years. I to have always had a strong liking for Character Dance performed as it should be which sad to say in Western Europe, particularly the UK fails dismally. I hope you will permit me to add the word"Eastern" to your statement about European dancers. Is the book you mentioned available to purchase, as I would like very much to read it. It must have taken an enormous amount of research and work to complete such a valuable edition. What a pity you were not available around 1993-5 to share your expertise. At that time I was in the process of founding/administrating The Hedritage Dance Foundation, in Norfolk, UK. A registered charity for the progression of Character/National Dance based in the East Anglian region. This was to be a major top status residential college for dance students, to be trained in the Russian style, to improve the status of Character Dance in Ballet.as well as the other forms of dance. It was a huge project with support from many renouned people in the genre, as well as support from The Eastern Arts Council, local and County councils. We won funding from many sources, including the European 5b. The total cost came to £3.million, of which we were left with approximately £75,000 to find. We had gained respect and support but in the end lost out when The National Lottery failed our bid as the Dance representative, did not understand about "Our own National dances or Character dance" stating it was an unknown quantity". And we wonder why Dance is the poor relation. !!! Sadly the subject is badly negleted here, even the established organisations and schools only touch the surface. It is only due to a small number of groups such as The Folk Dance and Song Society, Morris Rings etc they survive at all. It is a pity that schools no longer include such subjects in their curriculum, Even financial support for promising young people in The Arts is difficult or impossible to get. I wonder if you know of Anneli Robinson, who is a member of The Russian Ballet Society, she has her own school near Harrogate, and teaches Charactedr Dance. She was a former Finnish Ballerina, and also a Company Director but I cannot remember which Company. Thamk you once again Nanarina

Thank you Bart for the indormation on France's new law. What is needed in an official site where information is available that has been cleared by the Copyright owner for use by it's members. This may be very difficult to achieve, or even impossible!!! For Ballet lovers such as the members, who may want to look up small sections or related interviews, etc. etc.etc. Would it be feasible to pay a subscription, or is this idea not acceptable. I realise it would take a lot of research and work o achieve the end result. But at least no rules would be btoken. I am not sure how it would actually function, perhaps similar to some of the music sites, where you have to pay to download. No doubt the Copyright owner would want a fee for the use of their "product".