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Sleeping Beauty

bingham

By bingham
in American Ballet Theatre

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bingham

bingham

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Dale,

That was very interesting.The cast for the fairies' variations seems to be a very promising group. Can you remember who was doing the different variations?

With M Wiles doing Lilac Fairy during the openning night gala, we have an idea of the world premiere cast.

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bart

bart

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Dale Brauner's piece is a revelation. Thanks for the Llink.

The May Dance Magazine also has an article on the development of the production: "Christening a New Sleeping Beauty: American Ballet Theatre Brings a Legend Back Home."

"The first time I did a full-length Swan Lake, I did it alone, so I am grateful to have Gelsey for this, says [Kevin] McKenzie. Kirland and her husband, the actor/director/dramaturge Michael Chernov, have worked instensely with McKenzie on establishing a cogent new libretto for the ballet.

And why has Kirland's connection with ABT been reestablished after all these years? "Kevin invited us, which is always a good place to start," says Kirkland. "We were invited to the party and not left off the list," she adds with her characteristic drollery, referring to the insult that triggered the evil Carabosse's revenge.

Among the changes that will be included in the new production will be to
... make a distinction in movement quality and costume style between the human characters and the supernatural world of the fairies; and put the Prince, who often reads as a cardboard cipher, on equal footing with Aurora in terms of their spiritual journey to vanquish evil.
The article includes photos of Kirkland rehearsing the Rose Adagio and McKenzie rehearsing with Palmoa Herrera; A sketch of Tony Walton's Act III set; and Willia Kim's costume designs for Bluebird and for Princess Florine.

I'll certainly envy those who will attend the performances that will allow them to say: "I saw Kirkland's Carabosse!"

This issue also includes a series of interviews with dancers about their experience of dancing Aurora. Those who follow the on-going debate over NYCB's version might be interested in the following comment by the (now) Royal Ballet's Alexandra Ansanelli:

I was not prepared when I first did Aurora at NYCB. It was put together quite quickly. My performances with the Royal redeemed my capability of performing the role and doing it justice.
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Rosa

Rosa

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I'll certainly envy those who will attend the performances that will allow them to say: "I saw Kirkland's Carabosse!"

Me too! Reading that part about Gelsey performing made me smile. The whole article was very interesting. :)

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bart

bart

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The interviewer, Joseph Carman, writes:

A surprise payoff of this production is that Kirkland is shedding her SOS policy ("stay off the stage") to dance the role of Carabossse at some performances. (Fomer ABT ballerina Martine van Hamel will also portray Carabosse.) "They put a gun to my head. I am a coward," says Kirkland. "I didn't intend to do the role, but I hope I can bring something to it. It seems that no matter how hard I try to be a good guy, I am, in the final analysis, Carabossse -- or as we call her in fun, Carabossy! And I love a theatrical challenge."
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cgc

cgc

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Bart,

In the article, did Gelsey say that she will do Carabosse?That really will be something to look forward to.

Is there any way to find out which nights she'll be performing? Or if she'll be going to OCPAC as well?

Dream casting: Kirkland and Vishneva in SB on the same evening!!

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Haglund's

Haglund's

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If you go to abt.org now, there's a photo of Part and Gomes in Sleeping Beauty. :)

I'm already loving this as it seems that the sets and costumes will match the grandness of the music. If you look to the right of the picture, there is another picture of Julie Kent as Desdemona with Othello's huge hands encassing her head. The Fabrizio Ferri photo is brilliant, but makes me shudder considering how it all ends her.

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miliosr

miliosr

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I didn't see this posted in any other thread . . .

The current issue of Vanity Fair (Bruce Willis cover) has a one-page feature on Gelsey Kirkland. A beautiful photo of Kirkland in Alexander McQueen couture accompanies the short article by Laura Jacobs.

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canbelto

canbelto

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I read this in the Playbill magazine and don't like it one bit:

Choreographically, this will be in many ways a traditional Sleeping Beauty. There has been some input from ballet mistress Irina Kolpakova, who as a former ballerina of the Kirov Ballet was familiar with both the 1952 version by Konstantin Sergeyev and the 1922 one by Fyodor Lopukhov, generally considered to be more authentic. The famous sequences will be there: the solos of the fairies bringing gifts to the christening, in the Prologue; the Rose Adagio for Aurora and her four suitors, in Act I; the Vision Scene in Act II; the Blue Bird pas de deux in Act III. Otherwise, the third act will be streamlined — individual numbers by wedding guests from the supernatural world of fairy tales, such as Red Riding Hood and the White Cat and Puss-in-Boots, will be eliminated and their characters incorporated into the opening Polonaise. They won't be lost altogether: McKenzie is saving them for a one-act Aurora's Wedding in later repertory programs.

Why does McKenzie always feel the need to streamline everything? :crying:

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Haglund's

Haglund's

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Posted
I read this in the Playbill magazine and don't like it one bit:
Choreographically, this will be in many ways a traditional Sleeping Beauty. There has been some input from ballet mistress Irina Kolpakova, who as a former ballerina of the Kirov Ballet was familiar with both the 1952 version by Konstantin Sergeyev and the 1922 one by Fyodor Lopukhov, generally considered to be more authentic. The famous sequences will be there: the solos of the fairies bringing gifts to the christening, in the Prologue; the Rose Adagio for Aurora and her four suitors, in Act I; the Vision Scene in Act II; the Blue Bird pas de deux in Act III. Otherwise, the third act will be streamlined — individual numbers by wedding guests from the supernatural world of fairy tales, such as Red Riding Hood and the White Cat and Puss-in-Boots, will be eliminated and their characters incorporated into the opening Polonaise. They won't be lost altogether: McKenzie is saving them for a one-act Aurora's Wedding in later repertory programs.

Why does McKenzie always feel the need to streamline everything? :crying:

I doubt that Gelsey would let him get away with too much trimming, given her fondness for authenticity. What worries me, however, is whether there will be a part in this new production for Mr. Franklin.

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Helene

Helene

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I doubt that Gelsey would let him get away with too much trimming, given her fondness for authenticity. What worries me, however, is whether there will be a part in this new production for Mr. Franklin.

Catalabutte would be the main character role; I doubt they'd cast him as the king, the father of a 16-year old. (Although Tony Randall had his first child at age 77.) It's hard to imagine how the story would make sense without this character, let alone the mime. The royalty needs someone to blame for not inviting Carabosse.

I admit to finding there to be one too may adult fairy tale guest couples in the last act of Sleeping Beauty. I think Peter Martins's decision to stage Little Red Riding Hood with a child Red Riding Hood and a gaggle of children holding trees and creating the forest as a break from adults dressed in fur is a stroke of theatrical genius.

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drb

drb

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I don't think I'll bother with a New York trip after all. Sounds as if I might as well stay home in sweatpants with a "Highlights" DVD. :dry:

But dvd's don't have the likes of Part and Vishneva Auroras vs. Gelsey Kirkland as Carabosse! These battles of the

Will would even teach Nietzsche something! :shake::crying:

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Alexandra

Alexandra

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I doubt that Gelsey would let him get away with too much trimming, given her fondness for authenticity. What worries me, however, is whether there will be a part in this new production for Mr. Franklin.

Freddie Franklin was in DC this past week at a film premiere and I asked him what he was doing next. He said he would do the Friar (Romeo and Juliet) and the Tutor (Swan Lake) with ABT at the Met.

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FauxPas

FauxPas

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I could see perhaps dropping Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, since the choreography is fun but negligible. However the White Cat and Puss in Boots is a famous scene and short - why drop it??? The bit with the Five Ivans that the Royal Ballet dropped in with music from the Nutcracker I can do without. Don't some productions also have a Cinderella sequence with the Prince Charming chasing after Cinderella with a shoe? That is also dropped often.

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Natalia

Natalia

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So there you have it. The biggest fear that I had when I first read about this new Mckenzie-ABT production was that it would be shortened due to budget contraints, e.g., get the dancers out of their costumes before wardrobe, musicians & other unions can begin to charge 'overtime.' That was a major consideration with many recent ABT full-length classics such as the Swan Lake with a 'barely there' Act IV or compressing the Ashton Sylvia to two acts (while it was conceived as a two-intermission work & is produced thus in London). Let's not kid ourselves. Big-scale 'grand ballet' as can be enjoyed in Europe can never be presented in the USA. To enjoy complete productions of the classics, it is necessary to travel. Or buy the DVDs of European productions.

So much for the initial p.r. last fall that the new ABT version would be the 'ultimate...most complete...most authentic...most luxurious...yadah-yadah-yadah." [Let's all go to the initial thread about this production in BalletTalk to refresh our memories.] I knew back then that there was no way in 'blankety-blank' that ABT would present a complete production, a la Kirov or Royal Ballet. We can still look forward to what ABT is preparing and, if warranted, enjoy it thoroughly. But PLEASE let's not call it the "ultimate...most complete...most authentic..."

Sorry - I am very disappointed. But not surprised in the least.

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