antonella

Thanks Bart, I already visited La Scala website and seen the video.

I'm going to see the performance on February 24th, one of the four with Herrera and Friedeman but I know that this it not the only cast.

It would interesting to read comments of people who already had the chance to see the ballet.

Thank you again.

Antonella

The LaScala website has a 4-minute video (in English) in which Deane discusses the preparation of the ballet.

http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/stagioni...a_cnt_6974.html

The video includes rehearsal footage and some costume illustrations.

Elsewhere on the site it is mentioned that Guillaume Cote had to withdraw from the performances "due to ill health."

Casting for major parts for all performances -- not just the 4 with Herrera and Friedeman (2/15, 2/18, 2/20/ 2/24) -- are posted.

Hi all,

the La Scala Theatre in Milan is going to stage Coppelia by Derek Dean, former artistic director of ENB, with Paloma Herrera and Friedman Vogel.

Has anyone seen this production in the past? Any comments?

Can you link me to any reviews?

Thanks in advance.

Antonella

There's some discussion of this by me and others in the Ballets and Choreographers folder. I have a lot of problems with the Royal Ballet production I admit--but I have a lot of problems with most Nutcrackers, lol. But, the filming is very good and even if it's not as clear as the more recent Royal Ballet filming, I think all the changes made to the production by then detract instead of add to the ballet. A lot of the choreography for the 80s production was based on the original Ivanov (the Snowflakes, Waltz of the Flowers, Grand Pas even having that scene where Sugar Plum is pulled on a scarf en pointe--all those original touches have been dropped or changed for the revised version as well as Nutcracker and Clara now dancing throughout the divertissement, needlessly).

Despite my grumpy sounding reservations, I think the 1980s Royal Ballet Nutcracker is probably the best traditional Nutcracker all things said. And Collier and Dowell are *great* even in their awful costumes ;)

Thanks Eric, your help was precious.

Hi all,

for my ballet collection I'm considering to buy the 1985 performace of The Nutcracker by the Royal Ballet with Lesley Collier and Anthony Dowell (DVD). Any comments or suggestions? Do you think it is too "old" compared to more recent performances?

Hope to hear from you.

Thanks in advance.

Antonella

Hi Antonella, IMO the Collier/Dowell dvd is the best compared to the more recent ones available.

It's one of the few records of Lesley Collier on film, and one of her final appearances as a Royal Ballet

principal. She was a classically pure and regal Sugar Plum. Dowell is also quite excellent in this performance.

Thanks Cygnet, I bought it and can't wait to see it.

Hi all,

for my ballet collection I'm considering to buy the 1985 performace of The Nutcracker by the Royal Ballet with Lesley Collier and Anthony Dowell (DVD). Any comments or suggestions? Do you think it is too "old" compared to more recent performances?

Hope to hear from you.

Thanks in advance.

Antonella

I came across the trailer of the film/documentary "A beautiful tragedy" by David Kinsella, on Perm State Ballet School and all those young, beautiful and talented girls driven to anorexia made me feel so sad. Has anyone seen the documentary?

I came across this video of her in a private ballet class at the age of 10. she was AMAZING! does anyone have any ideas as to why she stopped dancing after Monte Carlo / Vienna and has done only figure skating ever since?

here's the video that so impressed me--> Vera Nemtchinova & Katherine Healy Aurora Variation 1979

I came across a video of her too and I was really impressed. Have a look on Youtube: Irish Springtime - Baby Katherine Healy Ballet. I know that at one time she injured herself.

Antonella, we really can't permit tape trading here. We've had so many problems with people getting ripped off that we just had to stop it: no exceptions. I also can't help on that particular tape, because I don't have it and have never seen it. I'm sorry! If you run into any British teachers this summer, they may have a copy. That's the best I can do.

Thanks again, I appreciate.

Hello Antonella! Wonderful to hear from you again!!!!!

"Bella Figure" is available on DVD: Nederlands Dans Theater celebrates Jiri Kylian. It has Bella Figura, Sleepless and Birth-day and I got mine through Amazon.

Thanks for your help Alexandra. I must have it!

I have a question for you, maybe you can help me also this time too.

I know that tape trading is not permitted but I read in an old topic that one of the member has a documentary of the Royal Ballet School featuring a young Alessandra Ferri. Ms Ferri is my favourite ballerina and I really want to have this video. The problem is it was a TV recording so I guess it will be impossible to find it. What do you suggest me?

Anyway, I will post a topic asking details to Pamela Moberg concerning the documentary.

Antonella

Does anyone know if Bella Figura by Kylian, a stunning choreography in my opinion, is available on DVD? And can you supply details?

Thanks

Yes, Volcanohunter, I have both the Shaufuss and Makarova series, they are very good.

In my opinion mass scenes do not work well on TV, on example here being the new Swedish Swan Lake, it was far too dark and I found it useless on a screen. But I have not seen it live, so I refrain from judgement.

As I have now gone through all my ballet videos and transferred them to DVD, I was surprised to note one thing. I owned very few commercially made videos, just some Highlights of this and Glories of that. So the rest of my ballet library was taped from the national Swedish networks. Looking at the dates, very few were later than about 1995. Before that, masses of stuff, Shaufuss, Makarova, Ustinov and Fonteyn series, in addition some rather intellectual and genuine stuff about flamenco. That glorious program "Backstage at the Kirov" was broadcast at prime time, 20 hours a Saturday night! The mind boggles... I also have several other Soviet tapes about the Vaganova, Perm Ballet School and the Bolshoi and what have you. Note that I used the word "Soviet" which means all videos were pre 1991.

Now I am sad to say that Swedish TV has become all fun and games and silly contests - the times they are achanging. It is very rarely one sees any ballet these days. It seems it is the trend all over. :blush:

I read in a topic of 2006 (Alessandra Ferri to retire from ABT) that in your ballet library you have a documentary of the Royal Ballet School featuring a young Ms Ferri doing a short solo. Well, I'm a great fan of her and I'm collecting videos of her performances (by the way, do you know if ABT has released a video of her last Manon or Juliet?). Anyway, could you give me more information about that documentary and do you know where I could find it? I wrote to RBS but they told me that they just remember a documentary featuring a young Viviana Durante. I'd really love to have it!

thanks for your help

Antonella

Hi,

one above all for me, though she has recently retired: Alessandra Ferri.

And among the Russian, Diana Vishneva.

Hi,

what about Jiri Bubenicek of Dresda Statoper?