Nureyev's Raymonda

[silvy]

On browsing the Royal Ballet website I learnt that there is a Nureyev's production of Raymonda (I understood it was Act III only). I know little to nothing about this production.

Is someone able to provide more details about this? For example, what changes can be noted in comparison with Bolshoi's Grigorovitch producition

Thanks a lot

Silvy

[BalletNut]

I've seen SFB do act 3 of Nureyev's version, and one thing I noticed is that the Grigorovich production has an extra mazurka [ I think that's what it's called] in the beginning of the third act, which the Nureyev version doesn't have. Also the costumes and sets are very, very different as well.

[Mel Johnson]

I don't know when that extra mazurka was interpolated, but the Kirov has been doing it for years. It was in the first American performance of the production in 1964. The music is from Glazunov's "Scenes de Ballet", an orchestral suite of pieces that sound like they're from a ballet, but aren't actually from any ballet!

[silvy]

mel:

Like the variation for Raymonda from Act I (Tableau de Reve)?

What about Nureyev's choreography of the other dances? (say, pdd, variations, coda) - did he change much regarding Petipa / Grigorovitch?

[Marc Haegeman]

Silvy, it's a completely different choreography and except for the final Act with the Grand Pas Hongrois there is very little resemblance with the Konstantin Sergeyev version danced by the Kirov. Moreover, Grigorovich's version for the Bolshoi was made after Nureyev's final version which he staged in Paris in 1983.

[Estelle]

I think that Nureyev's production of "Raymonda" was filmed around 1983-1985 at the Paris Opera, and even shown on TV then (with a wonderful cast including Pontois, Nureyev and Denard in the main roles, and also Loudières, de Vulpian, Legris, Hilaire, Legrée, Dupond, Pietragalla, Romoli, Vu An, Guérin in secondary roles, Guillem in the corpsde ballet, and Yvette Chauviré in an acting role), but unfortunately it's not available as a tape or DVD and I've no idea where to find it (frustrating, as the cast sounds so exciting! )

[silvy]

My God, Estelle, what a brilliant cast!!!!!

[Naoko S]

Hi silvy - in case you're not aware of this..... I have a delightful DVD called "Dancer's Dream - The Great Ballets of Rudolf Nureyev: Raymonda". It's not a complete ballet DVD but a documentary featuring scenes from live performances and interviews of POB dancers who closely worked with Nureyev. You should be able to buy from Amazon - at least UK amazon do stock them.

Knowing that they've kept numerous treasure films like these in the company's archive, I sincerely wish someday we'd be able to buy a complete Raymonda DVD (with Elisabeth Platel in the title role!).

[doug]

The Act III mazurka (from Glazunov's Scenes de ballet) was apparently added by Petipa for the first performances of the ballet in 1898. It is referenced in the opening night program and is also included in the Harvard Theatre Collection materials for Raymonda. I've found many of the variations in the Grigorovich version to be very close to what is notated for Raymonda (circa early 1900s). As with most Soviet-era versions of 19th-century ballets, some choreography bears close resemble to what we can know about the earliest versions and other choreography is new or very revised.

[rg]

as i suspect doug would not 'toot his own horn' as my g'mother used to say, i'll take the opportunity to recommend with enthusiasm his two articles on RAYMONDA from BALLET REVIEW. they remain among the most thorough and useful such articles: they are listed as follows in n.y.p.library for perf. arts:

Fullington, Doug.

Alexandra Danilova on Raymonda.

Ballet review. New York. v. 26, no. 4 (winter 1998), p. 72-76. ill.

Notes: Conversation with Alexandra Danilova about dancing in the ballet Raymonda and about various versions of the ballet.

Fullington, Doug.

Raymonda at 100.

Ballet review. New York. v. 26, no. 4 (winter 1998), p. 77-86.

Notes: Discussion of the original production of the ballet Raymonda which premiered in 1898 with choreography by Marius Petipa, summary of the plot, and description of several revivals.

Includes bibliography.

[Françoise]

Estelle, it's not Denard , it's Guizerix who danced Abderam. These evening were filmed the 7 and 8 december 1983 and passed on TV in 1984. We can see highlights of these broadcast in the Dancer's dream DVD about Raymonda !

Concerning the version, Grigorovitch version is completely different, too many variations are changing. Nureyev version is very near of Kirov's one. You can see it with Kolpakova. Nureyev changed naturly men's variation and add some difficulties for ballerinas.

[Estelle]

Sorry for the mistake aboud Denard/ Guizerix, Françoise, and thanks for correcting it! Actually I had checked the cast on a video which is in the catalog of the New York Public Dance Library -http://www.nypl.org ) but it seems that it is a slightly different video (perhaps

a video of the dress rehearsal- générale- instead of one of the performances, or something like that...)