New POB "Ivan the Terrible" DVD

[DSanderson]

TDK is announcing the October release of the POB Ivan the Terrible from 2003 with Nicolas Le Riche as Ivan, Karl Paquette as Kurbsky, and Eleonora Abbagnato as Anastasia.

Dana

[bart]

Well, the DVD is now in distribution. Any thoughts or comments?

This is not generally the type of ballet I enjoy, and I remember avoiding it intentionally when the Bolshoi brought the same version to NYC in the mid 1970s.

However,I just got around to watching the 2004 Paris performance and was staggered by its lavishness, intensity and quality -- as well as by the performance of the title role by Nicolas Le Riche, a dancer I had never before seen.

There's a battle scene (NOT one of the production's best) in which some Tartar warriors -- waviing scimitars, just in case you did't know they are oriental -- are invading Russia. Russian warriors -- waving straight swords, so you know they're the good guys -- respond. Suddenly, in the midst of some generic jump-and-thrust warfare choreography, the Tsar bursts onto the stage from stage right and and propels himself across in a series of grands jetes. It's the kind of miraculous moment that phrases like "cutting through the air," "like a panther" and "devours the stage" were created for.

There are lots of such moments.

The entire company is wonderful. And Le Riche is far more than that. He has to play several different Ivans:

-- the ruler (developing from confidence to outrage to madness to a strange kind of almost Christllike victimhood)

-- the private man passionately in love with his wife, and then mourning her premature death

-- and a sardonic, and ominously light but dangerous figure (think of a mad jester figure), in a scene right before the end. (It's a surprise, so I won't describe it.)

Le Riche's DANCING, and not just his acting, changes dramatically as Ivan's character changes. He's a marvellous technician as well as a very strong actor. I found myself rewinding frequently during the times when he was doing pure dance.

The camera is very respectful of dancers and choreography. There's plenty of room for closeups, however, which allows Le Riche to dance with his amazing eyes and eloquent hands.. Closeups also enhances Eleonora Abbagnato's performance as Antastasia. But not Karl Paquette, who's just too blond, bland and handsome for the complex role of Prince Kurbsky.

[Mashinka]

But not Karl Paquette, who's just too blond, bland and handsome for the complex role of Prince Kurbsky.

I found Karl Paquette looked startling like Andris Liepa, who used to dance the role in Moscow. Perhaps Grigorvitch had this in mind when he cast him.

When this ballet was performed at the Bastille I saw both casts, and believe me Paquette was far superior to the dancer in the alternate cast. He may not look the part, but he could at least manage the demanding choreography and brought a degree of emotion to the role.

[Joseph]

Is the music for this ballet good? I have never heard it...

[bart]

I'm no expert, but much of it sounded uninspired and repetitive, especially in the numerous crowd and battle scenes. There's a lovely and quite familiar melody from the film which is played, in the ballet, as a background to a solo by Anastasia, which stood out for me.

I was curious about this, so posted another thread on the "Ballet and History" forum. Perhaps the music specialists will be able to help us out there.

EDITED NEXT DAY: rg and mashinka have posted interesting information on the various sources of Prokofiev's music on that other thread. Thanks!!

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But -- how about other viewers' impressions? Am I deluding myself in liking this production -- and especially this Ivan -- so much?