Barbara Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I'm very curious about the question of whether or not the Prince stays seated next to the Queen Mother to watch the national dances at his birthday party. I love to watch Marcelo and David as they interact with the princesses while their subjects are dancing. It really gives them a chance to flirt with the Prince and point with pride to their countrymen as they dance. But in the same production I've seen now both Bolle and last Thurs Carreno exit the stage during that scene leaving the poor princesses stranded in their chair alone and quite far from the Queen Mother. Makes no story-telling sense to me. Any explanations? Link to comment
atm711 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I'm very curious about the question of whether or not the Prince stays seated next to the Queen Mother to watch the national dances at his birthday party. I love to watch Marcelo and David as they interact with the princesses while their subjects are dancing. It really gives them a chance to flirt with the Prince and point with pride to their countrymen as they dance. But in the same production I've seen now both Bolle and last Thurs Carreno exit the stage during that scene leaving the poor princesses stranded in their chair alone and quite far from the Queen Mother. Makes no story-telling sense to me. Any explanations? I have always thought it was a good idea for the Prince to exit....better to maintain their warm up. Link to comment
bingham Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Years ago, when Fernando Bujones did one of his early Swan Lakes, he covered his legs with what looked like a blanket/cape while sitting w/ the Queen.It looked like Lucia Chase was giving him a disapproving look. Link to comment
duffster Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Yes, I also remember Ted Kivitt and Ivan Nagy covering their legs with a blanket as well. Link to comment
rg Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 one presumes the prince is 'meant' to remain seated next to his mother in the ballroom sc. of ABT's current staging. the presence of each of the prospective brides on a chair near the throne would indicated that the sc. is supposed to offer the prince the opportunity to acquaint himself, somewhat, with each princess as the Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, and Polish dances are preformed as successive divertissements. Covering the prince's legs, w/his cape, etc. is one thing, in the case those dancers who feel the need to keep their legs warm, etc. (a similar detail occurs in COPPELIA when Franz is left in his drugged sleep while Coppelius conjures life into what he believes to be his Coppelia doll, tho' it too can seem odd, covering the dancer's legs puts the opportunity for Coppelius to actually 'remove' the life from Franz's legs in an awkward position, so to speak); Siegfried's leaving the sc. altogether as Carreno did, seems a bit exteme/odd. i think in so far as this production is concerned, he's the only dancer to leave his mother seated next to an empty throne. i guess if JMC insisted on this way of behaving, ABT felt it had no choice but to let him have his way. Link to comment
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