A Swedish Swan

[atm711]

Having just acquired a DVD player, I was looking forward to my first 'look' at a DVD recording. At my local Library I got a copy of the Royal Swedish Ballet's Peter Wright production of 'Swan Lake'. It was a live recording and I was greatly disappointed in the quality of the film. Act l was dark and murky, not unlike a poor videotape. The Prince, who wore black tights was almost obliterated. The background of Act 2 was even darker, which made the Swans stand out, but not much more. Sir Peter said he wanted to tell the story f rom the Prince's perspective. I thought he was rather heavy-handed in his depiction of the Queen Mother--sort of a wicked Queen from Snow White---but he did get his point across--this Prince had a problem with his mother. Nathalie Nordquist, the Odette/Odile, has a beautiful long-legged line and strong technique. I don't know how old she is (she appears to be very young) and as she matures, it should work into a fine interpretation.

[jorgen]

You are right about the Swedish Swan Lake. It's dark and murky, so are the sets and costumes. An unlucky choice.

To get top picture and prodcution quality looks for the latest Royal Ballet DVD's. The Paris Opera Ballet prodcutions are of very high quality too. My favourite DVD is Hamburg Ballet's "Illusions - likeSwan Lake". Perfect picture and sound. You can choose from different soundtracks. From the directors spot, from the auditorium or with John Neumeier's commentary in either English or German. A shame we can't have the classics with commentary by Petipa himself!

[Alexandra]

The closest commentary we have of Petipa's that I know of (only portions of his diaries have been translated into English) is when he was locked out of the theater at the end of his career, but managed to get in somehow, and had a look at what "that pig Gerdt" was doing to one of his ballets I'd love to hear his commentary on today's versions, too.

Thanks for the report on the Swedish Swan Lake, Pamela. They danced that verison in DC a few years ago and it was a solid production in every way -- old-fashioned, not too much tinkered with, and solidly danced, meaning, to my eye, precious little poetry. And thanks for the DVD recommendations, Jorgen. I've never seen Neumeier's Swan Lake, and it's always intrigued me. It seems, on paper at least, to me, an imaginative reinterpretation, not done just for the sake of changing or updating, but adding another layer. I'm not a fan of Neumeier's choreography as choreography, but he does have an interesting mind.

[Dale]

The DVD is by Opus Arte/BBC (http://www.opusarte.com). There are so few new productions out on DVD that I hate to suggest that there something can be improved, but I do like some of the extras a couple of them have. The same company came out with Coppelia and Firebird/Les Noces - both with the Royal Ballet. The Coppelia's extras are Deborah Bull's introduction to the original broadcast and a 10-minute "Historic" film called The Ballet Moves. The Stravinsky evening (which had Agon on the program at Covent Garden but the Balanchine Trust would not allow it to be filmed) has extras of rehearsal footage for both ballets and "Nijinska's World" in which David Drew discusses his role in staging Les Noces.

However, the same company's Midsummer Night's Dream, performed by PNB, doesn't have any bonus material.

[carbro]

The Stravinsky evening [. . .] had Agon on the program at Covent Garden but the Balanchine Trust would not allow it to be filmed . . .

Hello? Balanchine Trust? Any reason why you gave the RB permission to perform Agon (implying it met your strict standards), but not for video? Isn't the purpose of a ballet to be seen? Wouldn't this have been a good marketing opportunity for the Balanchine legacy?

I don't get it.

Sorry if I veered off-topic.

[Pamela Moberg]

atm711, glad you liked Nathalie Nordquist! She is lovely and I do hope she will be left to mature in peace. Dont quite remember her age, but I think about 22 or 23. I have only seen her on TV when she won the Swedish EBU competition, she then danced from "Who cares" and she gave a very witty rendering. I should think that she has quite a wide range and I would love to see her in Sleeping Beauty.

[atm711]

Thanks Jorgen and Dale for your replys. I did have success with other DVD's. Both the RB Coppelia (with Leanne Benjamin & Carlos Acosta) and "Essential Ballet"--a compilation of two programs; The Kirov at Covent Garden (worth seeing if only for Assylmuratova's 'Leaves are Fading') and a much improved 'Red Square Concert', which I have on a very poor tape.

Thanks, Pamela. I was hoping you would reply. Alexandra said you have a review of the production---I'd like to read it--but I can't find it.

[Susanne]

Being very new to ballet I saw that Swedish Swan Lake production which was broadcasted on Swedish television in January. I'm glad to hear that I wasn't alone with the gloomy and dark impression of the whole film! When I saw it on TV I really didn't understand what all the fuss of Swan Lake was about! Maybe the unlucky choice of lighting and colour of costumes are to blame.

Pamela, I saw Natalie Nordquist in the Sleeping beauty. But I must say that I didn't have enough ballet experience to fully appreciate the performance since it was my first time at the Opera-house. There were just so many things to look at, all at the same time!

The second time I saw the Sleeping Beauty wasn't with Nordquist and hrmm, excuse me for being non-educated, but how on earth do you determine if someone is "good" or "great" in a role? (The part that impressed me the most was actually the Lilac fairy done by Forslind)

[Alexandra]

Suzie, I gave an answer to your last question, but it's such a good question, and such an important one that I've split it off and moved it to the Discover Ballet forum for more discussion. Thank you for asking that! (I think it's such a good question because the one I asked -- constantly -- for at least the first five or six years after I started watching ballet : )

Anyone who'd like to discuss this topic, please come to:

http://balletalert.ipbhost.com/index.php?s...=0entry100551

[Pamela Moberg]

As Susanne said, it was televised in January in Sweden and I duly wrote some kind of blurb. I was not in a very good mood as I hadnt liked the whole thing much. I cannot find it either, but it must be lurking somewhere, might have got lost in cyberspace. Cannot for the life of me remember which forum, but it must have been - most likely "videos" or maybe "recent perf". Cannot have been on the foreign companies forum; I just saw there was not a thing on the Royal Sw. Ballet - I feel kinda guilty! But on the other hand I havent been to Stockholm for quite a few years.

[grace]

alexandra, i am unfamiliar with this story you refer to, about petipa and theatre politics - i assume there must be a 'whole book' on such a subject: either literally, or otherwise...? (maybe the ivanov biography?) would you mind starting another thread to tell me a little about this, or are you able to refer me to a previous one? thanks

[Alexandra]

grace, it's not a thread. It's an entry in Petipa's diary. I don't have the full cite within easy reach, sorry.

[atm711]

I went back and had another look at Nathalie Nordquist, and came away even more impressed with her performance. She was a sweet, youthful Odette, and had no airs or pretension. Her Odile was not evil or vindictive; she seemed like a good time girl out to have some fun. (In physical looks, she reminded me of Mira Sorvino). I liked what Peter Wright did to the Third Act (although, it did seem to go on forever). He spends a lot of time with the Princesses who are there for the Prince's approval, and gives them many variations.---and a jester-free performance.

[richard53dog]

I went back and had another look at Nathalie Nordquist, and came away even more impressed with her performance. She was a sweet, youthful Odette,  pretension.  Her Odile was not evil or vindictive; she seemed like a good time girl out to have some fun.  I liked what Peter Wright did to the Third Act (although, it did seem to go on forever).  He spends a lot of time with the Princesses who are there for the Prince's approval, and gives them many variations.---and a jester-free performance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ATM711,

I like this DVD a lot too. Yes, it's dark and probably looked better on stage, but I (mostly) like Wright's work too. I thought the PG13 Act 1 is ok, but tend to get antsy by the princesses.

I am absolutely captivated by Norquist's Odette. She's not a toweringly tragic Odette: she's more gentle than that, but she uses that sad, sweet smile...... I also like the way she executes the mime, again this is important for me.

She's not a wickedly vampish Odile, but her somewhat understated characterization works for me since she is imitating a very gentle Odette

And yes, it's nice not to have a jester . I get more annoyed by a jester than ABT's horrible swamp thing

Richard

[atm711]

Richard, I was puzzled in Act 1 when the Queen arrived and the Prince and his friends made a big thing of hiding their alcoholic drinks from her. I am presently reading 'The Life and Ballets of Lev Ivanov' by Roland John Wiley and in writing of the first St. Petersburg performance he says: "There is much carousing at Prince Siegfried's coming-of-age celebration when the Prince's mother arrives to tell her son he must choose a wife...."--I guess Wright got it right. I love the book and thought I might like to own it---until I looked up the price on Amazon---$114.00.

[Rosie]

Richard, I was puzzled in Act 1 when the Queen arrived and the Prince and his friends made a big thing of hiding their alcoholic drinks from her.  I am presently reading 'The Life and Ballets of Lev Ivanov' by Roland John Wiley and in writing of the first St. Petersburg performance he says:  "There is much carousing at Prince Siegfried's coming-of-age celebration when the Prince's mother arrives to tell her son he must choose a wife...."--I guess Wright got it right.  I love the book and thought I might like to own it---until I looked up the price on Amazon---$114.00.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have also seen the Royal Swedish Ballet's Peter Wright production of 'Swan Lake and i didn´t like it

I think if they had done the scenes more colorful and did change Andres Nordström it would have been better. I think that they don´t focus on the scenes that much as the Royal Danish Ballet does it´s sad because i think a ballet depends a lot what the sceneografi looks like but also on the dancers.

[papeetepatrick]

Having just acquired a DVD player, I was looking forward to my first 'look' at a DVD recording. At my local Library I got a copy of the Royal Swedish Ballet's Peter Wright production of 'Swan Lake'. It was a live recording and I was greatly disappointed in the quality of the film. Act l was dark and murky, not unlike a poor videotape. The Prince, who wore black tights was almost obliterated. The background of Act 2 was even darker, which made the Swans stand out, but not much more. Sir Peter said he wanted to tell the story f rom the Prince's perspective. I thought he was rather heavy-handed in his depiction of the Queen Mother--sort of a wicked Queen from Snow White---but he did get his point across--this Prince had a problem with his mother. Nathalie Nordquist, the Odette/Odile, has a beautiful long-legged line and strong technique. I don't know how old she is (she appears to be very young) and as she matures, it should work into a fine interpretation.

So this was discussed quite a while back and I just watched it. Some of this dark look is beautiful though; I really think the sets are some of the most elegant I've ever seen, and both they and the costumes are marvelously subtle with all that dark blue and burnished rust colours. I also imagine it's best on stage, because the Prince's black tights against this dark do make much of his movement invisible (and I don't think that is meant here in ways described to me about Bournonville crepuscular lighting). But in Act II I think I never enjoyed the night-blooming beauty of the Swans more, I was transfixed by them.

Loved some of Nathalie Nordquist's Odette, but her Odile is not in the least seductive to me--I prefer something much more brazen for Odile, if it gets demure I lose interest, and that's why I like Mezentseva's Odile; she's shocking. Anders Nordstrom I do not find princely enough and liked Johannes Ohman probably most of the featured dancers. He's got a lot of charm, and while I seem to like the whole production more than most here--just love those understated but also deeply rich colours--sometimes it does lag, as in Act III, when the divertissements do seem to go on forever (do these vary in quantity from production to production? sometimes more of them, sometimes less?).

Well, this was a beautiful company to discover, though, I knew nothing about them, and see that they are about 250 years old. Do they sometimes come up with major stars like the Royal Danish does? Well, that's not phrased quite right, because they must. Wondered if there are some internationally recognized names someone can fill me in on. Wonderful orchestra too, Royal Opera House must be a gorgeous place.

[carbro]

Maybe others can name famous Swedish dancers. The one who pops to my mind first is Johan Renvall, ex of ABT. Exquisite and underutilized dancer.

Editing to add:

I have a vague memory of an ABT video featuring Renvall in Dark Elegies. I just tried to find it on Amazon, but alas, to no avail.