New Giselle release from TDK

[canbelto]

According to their website, TDK is releasing a Giselle, filmed in 2005 at La Scala, starring Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle.

[Joseph]

Should be interesting. I already have the La Scala version with Ferri dancing Giselle. I really like it too!

[Dale]

I have the Ferri-La Scala video, too. It's a good, solid production, which is good. What marred the Zakharova-Bolle Swan Lake was that I found the production ridiculous.

[canbelto]

I have reservations too about Zakharova as Giselle. I could imagine her being breathtakingly beautiful in the role, but I can also imagine her being totally miscast.

[Dale]

I've seen Zakharova in Giselle several times. I didn't find her miscast. In fact, I thought she was very good, especially in the second act (if high extensions don't bother you).

[Mashinka]

High extensions in classical/romantic ballets bother me a lot. I'll give this one a miss.

[Joseph]

I love high extensions; provided they are done in an aesthetically pleasing manner, as Svetlana does!

(Just my opinion...)

[canbelto]

I do have a Giselle with Sylvie Guillem, and she doesn't use her usuall high extensions at all. I was very surprised -- she was really a beautiful, touching Giselle. I'm hoping Zakharova will be the same way.

[Natalia]

Zakharova is particularly exquisite in Act II of 'Giselle.' It was one of her early 'calling card roles' at the Mariinsky, in fact. She performed the Act II pdd with (I think) Malakhov at a Lincoln Center gala in Nov 1997ish and was highly praised by yours-truly in a review that may still be available in the deep-dark archives of BalletAlert/BalletTalk.

Zakharova's pearl-like, skimming bourees in Act II are, by themselves, worth the price of admission. Those bourees will take any balletomane's breath away. Guaranteed 100percent!

[leonid17]

Zakharova is particularly exquisite in Act II of 'Giselle.' It was one of her early 'calling card roles' at the Mariinsky, in fact. She performed the Act II pdd with (I think) Malakhov at a Lincoln Center gala in Nov 1997ish and was highly praised by yours-truly in a review that may still be available in the deep-dark archives of BalletAlert/BalletTalk.

Zakharova's pearl-like, skimming bourees in Act II are, by themselves, worth the price of admission. Those bourees will take any balletomane's breath away. Guaranteed 100percent!

For me there are many things that Zakharova achieves through her physical endowment and technical control that create mesmeric exquisite moments. These moments while enthralling, have so far not made a complete performance for me. Her work seems to exhibit an extraordinary striving for a performance goal not yet achieved.

[Natalia]

I know what you mean, Leonid. What she does do well, she does exquisitely. I'm still waiting for a truly 'total' performance from her, though.

[mohnurka]

A bit off topic, but... Is the Giselle with Guillem available anywhere?

[drb]

From Amazon: 5 more days

Adam - Giselle / Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle, Vittorio d'Amato, La Scala Ballet

List Price: $32.98

Price: $24.69 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

You Save: $8.29 (25%)

Availability: This title will be released on July 25, 2006. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

[bart]

Mine is on it's way, I'm told. (I just clicked the Amazon button at the top of the Ballet Talk screen.)

After watching and very much enjoying Zakharova's performance in the Pharoah's Daughter DVD -- and then reading the extended "conversation" between Zakharova and Nadine Meisner in Dance Now (Summer 2006) -- I am on the way to becoming an adoring fan.

Bolle is worth watching as well. He's the very young dancer in the peasant pas de deux in the Ferri/Murru Giselle, and I've seen him in several things with the Royal Ballet as well.

And, canbelto, you are fortunate to have seen Guillem in this. I can imagine a stunning and moving performance, based on her other work. P.S.: the current Ballet News also has a short article about Guillem's "unofficial exit" from her long association with the Royal Ballet, and her plans for the future. It has a reference to Guillem's 1988 debut at Covent Garden. She was in her early 20s. Her Albrecht was her mentor Nureyev, then celebrating his 50th birthday.

[bart]

My apologies for posting directly after one of my own posts, but I just came across this on the thread concerning the POB's new DVD of Jewels. Herman Stevens brought up a Link of an interview of Agnes Letestu (the lead in the Diamonds section). Here she discusses and compares both Guillem and Zakharova.

The interview appeared in DanceView in the summer of 2002. Here's the LINK. It's well worth reading if you missed it.

http://www.danceview.org/interviews/letestu.html

DV: Whom do you consider your examples?

LETESTU: I have several. I have always admired Sylvie Guillem a lot. In my view she got it all - physically and technically, she is perfect. She gives everything she has when she is on stage. Unlike what has been said about her for a long time, she works very hard on her characters. What concerns the drama and the theatricality it’s always intelligent, everything she does has been well considered and there is absolutely nothing superfluous. I know there are many people who consider her cold, but I really admire her work, especially as an actress.

DV: You don’t disagree with her technical prowess?

LETESTU: No, it’s a natural thing for her, it’s like she breathes. On the other hand, the young generation of Russian dancers goes a lot further and is much more extravagant than her.

DV: You had an example here recently with the Maryinsky star Svetlana Zakharova who guested in La Bayadère.

Yes, in her case it’s pushed to the limit, she exaggerates, everything is distorted with her. In Sylvie Guillem’s case it’s natural. And it’s not done to provoke. It’s a natural continuation, an extension of her whole being. After all, why not lift your leg higher, if you can create a beautiful line with it and can do so without falling over? It was Margot Fonteyn who once said that if she had been able to lift her legs as high as Sylvie Guillem, she would have done it herself. But this is really not the essential thing about Sylvie Guillem. For me, Sylvie Guillem is in the first place her interpretations and the way she identifies with her roles.

[fandango]

Got the DVD--Zakharova is lovely as Giselle. And Bolle is easy on the eyes!! This is one of my favorite Giselles (after Alessandrea Ferri). The mad scene was not my favorite, but she is just lovely in both acts. The extensions took my breath away and she and Bolle interact emotionally just beautifully.

[Andre Yew]

I've been watching this in parts for a couple days, and it's not working for me. Zakharova is too glamourous and distant, and compared to the rest of the cast, she stands out too much in terms of technique and style. But maybe that's why Albrecht is willing to leave his royal life for her. I'm also not very impressed with the dancing of the La Scala troupe --- they're a bit messy and stiff.

--Andre

[Andre Yew]

I forgot to add that I thought the orchestra played very, very nicely. I love how they bring out the motoric rhythms in some of the dances (eg. the peasant pas).

--Andre

[Giannina]

Canbelto: I, too, would be interesting in a Guillem/Giselle. Is there one commercially available? I haven't seen one but would love to see it.

Giannina

[atm711]

With the memory of Vishneva's Giselle still lingering in my head, I was not at all taken with Zakharova's performance. Before she even moved much I found the 'bigness' of her to be quite unappealing. The extensions were much too exaggerated and her emotions were a fixed worry look on her face.---and to think she was in a production staged by Yvette Chauvire--a most sublime Giselle. I did like Zakharova's Swan Lake and in time, I believe it will be a great one. There are very few ballerinas who can do both successfully.

Something should be done for the stage floor of LaScala. All those vertical lines make it look like the dancers are performing on a ball field.

[canbelto]

Well I've seen this video and add me to the list who finds Zakharova unconvincing and ultimately unaffecting. Zakharova has two expressions -- one is a bland smile, the other is furrowing her eyebrows. Even her port-de-bras I found to be strangely unimpressive.