jorgen Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 The Royal Danish Ballet reportoire for next season is now official. The most interesting: "La Sylphide" - new staging by Nikolaj Hübbe. Premiere September 20, 2003. "Ballet Evening". One new ballet by Peter Martins. Also two Balanchine ballets: "Serenade" and "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no.2". Premiere November 14, 2003 "Anna Karenina" - choreography by Alexei Ratmansky. Premiere April 2, 2004. "Abdallah" - the Bournonville ballet that was reconstructed in 1986. Staged by Sorella Englund, Flemming Ryberg and Bruce Marks. Repremiere May 7, 2004. Among the rest are repremieres of this season's Manon, Etudes, Oddysey, Napoli, A Folk Tale and Nutcracker. Read more; www.kgl-teater.dk (only published in the Danish language section) Link to comment
Alexandra Posted March 22, 2003 Share Posted March 22, 2003 Thank you for that, Jorgen. To me, it's VERY good news that Hubbe will be staging a new Sylphide! Link to comment
jorgen Posted March 22, 2003 Author Share Posted March 22, 2003 There is also an article about the new season in "Berlingske" (Danish only): http://www.berlingske.dk/kultur/artikel:aid=306164/# Link to comment
danciegirlmaria Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 Very interesting that abdallah has been chosen to reappear in the rep', with it being set in Iraq and all! Though it is a lovely ballet, I reconstructed on of the solos from Act 3 as part of my Benesh Notation exam, tricky stuff!! Link to comment
Alexandra Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 I don't think they were trying to be topical. That was one of Frank Andersen's acquisitions the last time he was balletmaster, and was out of repertory when he was out of power. Now that he's back, the ballet is back. Link to comment
danciegirlmaria Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 I didn't think that the Kgl. ballet were "making a statement"! Anyway any revival/ reconstruction is always great for the audiences and the kgl. itself- there should be as many ballets 'alive' in the rep as possible! Link to comment
Alexandra Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 They use "Abdallah" for school education programs, I was told by one of its producers. There are a lot of Turkish families in Copenhagen, and there were field trips for Turkish children to see the ballet. "So that they know there is a place for them, too, in our society," as the producer said. Link to comment
danciegirlmaria Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Could i ask which 'producer'? - or is that a little cheeky? I wonder how they relate the story to the children? Link to comment
Alexandra Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Flemming Ryberg -- it was in an interview, so it's okay to say That's a good question, and I can't answer it, I'm afraid. I thought it was an interesting point of view, though, because the Bournonville ballets are controversial with many foreigners who find them "racist" (I don't; I think you have to view them in their time, but I think most people would disagree with me). Link to comment
danciegirlmaria Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 I had a similar 'racism' discussion with a groups of friends (also in the ballet world) about 'Far from Danmark'. In the end that was my basic argument that none of the others could argue against. In that time they it wasn't the same socio-political crime as it is today. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 I agree that "racism" wasn't a "crime" 150 years ago, but I also think that they weren't consciously acting with racist motives. In his description of "Far From Denmark" (in My Theatre Life) Bournonville was quite proud of the fact that the "Negro servants" in the Danish colonies were NOT slaves, but free servants. And the impetus for the ballet was from Gottschalk's "Negro Dance;" he was interested in its rhythms, and had to work to create a ballet -- a Danish ballet! -- that could use that tune. But it wasn't his intention to denigrate anyone, so I would argue that it wasn't, and isn't, racist. I have seen Africans -- or African-Danes -- in the audience at "Far From Denmark" performances, and those I remember were with a Danish friend. I thought that was interesting, too -- and something that wouldn't be possible here. I think it's possible to view those works within their own contexts, and hope very much that they stay alive until a day when we DON'T see them as "racist" because that very concept will be passe. Perhaps a vain hope.... Link to comment
danciegirlmaria Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 It could be said that it is eaiser for the average audience, who know little of ballet history, to comperhend the approved Sleeping B story, that the historical context of a littleused ballet. It just goes full circle: theatre think audience woun't accept- so is lhardly used- which mens no one knows about it- which means audience find it hard to accept........ I find myself constanly defending Bournonville ballets. But it's probably a good thibk as it makes me go and read up to make my defence better each time. I feel I have to defend my heratige (dispite being only half danish)- a strange obligation to my motherland! Link to comment
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