Natalia Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thanks, Cygnet. And still the Mariinsky playbill shows no Swan Lake for Feb 14, 2013 -- the date of the supposed 'live' HD and 3-D broadcast! Maybe Maestro Gergiev will conduct Swan Lake behind closed doors (no audience) during the day, then switch gears for Elektra (with audience in the auditorium) at night? He's done worse -- attend two events on the same day in different countries! Link to comment
Cygnet Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thanks, Cygnet. And still the Mariinsky playbill shows no Swan Lake for Feb 14, 2013 -- the date of the supposed 'live' HD and 3-D broadcast! Maybe Maestro Gergiev will conduct Swan Lake behind closed doors (no audience) during the day, then switch gears for Elektra (with audience in the auditorium) at night? He's done worse -- attend two events on the same day in different countries! There's no telling what's going to happen or what the Maestro is going to do. As far as the 3D "Swan Lake" is concerned, if this is true, that recording is 7 years old when Vaziev was still the Ballet Director. It's out of date. Moreover, IMO the company was not on it's best form that night, in spite of Lopatkina's sublime O/O. Gergiev gesticulated like an aircraft carrier navigator in the pit driving the Orchestra to Nascar speeds in Act 1 Scene 2 and Act 3. The corps de ballet could barely keep up with his tempi. Fortunately, he took Uliana's tempo for the white pdd. Somova was consistently out of line as one of the Big Swans. The pdt was lackluster as well as the character dances in Act 2. The only saving graces were Uliana, Korsuntsev the cygnets and the resiliency of the corps. If Gergiev is going allow old performances (i.e. +3 years old like "Jewels"), to be "3D'd" then what's the point? This is very frustrating because Gergiev thinks he's on the cutting edge in how he markets his Ballet company and he isn't. The major companies that are simulcasting performances for Emerging Pictures and Ballet in Cinema are doing the international audience a great service in that these performances are live performances. If he wants to keep his Ballet company relevant in this mode, he needs to get cameras in the Mariinsky Theatre for ballet performances ASAP and not rely on the past or past recordings. Every major ballet company that's using this medium has left the Mariinsky in the dust. Link to comment
angelica Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Fateev already has the talent depth in the company, but he chooses to ignore it and outsource opportunities that many have been waiting years for. This must be a contagious disease. I've heard the same thing said about the artistic director of another major company, this one in the U.S. Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Fateev already has the talent depth in the company, but he chooses to ignore it and outsource opportunities that many have been waiting years for. This must be a contagious disease. I've heard the same thing said about the artistic director of another major company, this one in the U.S. You're right Angelica. Interestingly, both ADs have a 'link' to Ardani. Hmmm.... Link to comment
angelica Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 You're right Angelica. Interestingly, both ADs have a 'link' to Ardani. Hmmm.... Now that is interesting, Natalia. Have you any idea whether these "link" are via the dancers in the company who are Ardani artists, or are they more direct? I would love to get to the bottom of this. Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 According to his bio in the back of the Kennedy Center Playbills during the last two times that the Mariinsky has toured here: Fateev is a co-producer (i.e., INVESTOR) of the Ardani project 'The Kings of Dance.' That is a fact. The Kevin MacKenzie connection: I am going by what has been written in Haglund and other blogs...BUT we do know that many (if not all) of ABT's 'guest principals' happen to be represented by ARDANI. Link to comment
aurora Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I thought other blog's speculation was not allowed here. Ardani represents a lot of dancers from many different companies all over the world. This hardly seems a vast conspiracy theory at ABT. What of the new dancer swap program they have instituted? Is this an Ardani plot too? Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Aurora, many of us old-timers have been calling ABT 'Ardani Ballet Theatre' for a while. Just a fact - not something from a blog. Link to comment
aurora Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Aurora, many of us old-timers have been calling ABT 'Ardani Ballet Theatre' for a while. Just a fact - not something from a blog. I'm guessing that while I'm younger than you, I've been seeing ABT about as long as you have if not longer. I'm no johnny come lately. As for my blog mention, it was in reference to your own words where you said: "The Kevin MacKenzie connection: I am going by what has been written in Haglund and other blogs...BUT we do know that many (if not all) of ABT's 'guest principals' happen to be represented by ARDANI." Haglund hardly comes across as an unbiased source. And lastly, while it may be a fact that you and your cohort call ABT "Ardani Ballet Theater," that does not make it a fact that it is such a thing. I could call my cat a dog, it is still a cat. Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 So will any of us be close to a theater showing the 'new and live' Swan Lake on Valentine's Day, starring Kondaurova and conducted by Gergiev? Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Still no mentionof this Feb. 14 'live' 3-D telecast on the Mariinsky web/playbill. The mystery performance! Link to comment
Birdsall Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 The performance of Swan Lake with Kondaurova this past evening had lots of microphones hanging to capture sound, I assume. I am guessing this was the performance that will be used for the Feb. 14 3D movie. This could be why there is basically no info about it. Maybe they were waiting to make sure the performance went okay and if they can finish processing it or whatever they have to do before releasing into movie theaters. Link to comment
puppytreats Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I keep reading about the Valentine Day La Scala broadcast, but not in NY :< We have to wait a few weeks for that. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 The 3D Swan Lake that never materialized on Valentine's Day has been rescheduled for June 6. Note that the trailer states "captured live" rather than "live." And no, I don't know why the trailer begins with Sleeping Beauty references. Link to comment
abatt Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Is there any info on where in the US this film will be shown? Link to comment
Birdsall Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I hope this promo ad that looks like it was shot in front of the Winter Palace is just the ad for the performance. I hope the actual performance they filmed is inside on stage at the Mariinsky. If they shoot it in various places around St. Petersburg (some operas have been filmed that way) it might look really cheesy! LOL Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I fear that 3D is inherently cheesy. I would like to ask the opinion of those who have seen ballet in 3D, because I have not yet seen such a thing. I did see a couple of operas filmed in 3D at the Royal Opera House, and there was an exceedingly strange effect that could really hamper a dance performance. When a shot was taken from a downstage corner camera, you would expect people standing closest to the camera to look very large. Instead they looked like microcephalic midgets. I'm guessing it was some sort of misguided overcompensation, but it was extremely disconcerting to see such a bizarre change in a performer's proportions. Has anyone noticed this in the Mariinsky's 3D ballets? Link to comment
Birdsall Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I fear that 3D is inherently cheesy. I would like to ask the opinion of those who have seen ballet in 3D, because I have not yet seen such a thing. I did see a couple of operas filmed in 3D at the Royal Opera House, and there was an exceedingly strange effect that could really hamper a dance performance. When a shot was taken from a downstage corner camera, you would expect people standing closest to the camera to look very large. Instead they looked like microcephalic midgets. I'm guessing it was some sort of misguided overcompensation, but it was extremely disconcerting to see such a bizarre change in a performer's proportions. Has anyone noticed this in the Mariinsky's 3D ballets? I think I agree with you. 3D does seem cheesy. Historically I think it was used to freak audiences out for horror films or other genres that were just "fun" movies. Serious art films were never in 3D. They would make sure to have knives or other things look like they are about to poke us in the eye. I haven't seen ballet in 3D either. I saw the Mariinsky's Nutcracker at the movies that was supposed to be in 3D, but the movie theater I went to presented it without 3D for some reason. My partner did twist my arm to see The Hobbit in 3D and I was shocked there were no things poking me in the eye. It was only used to make you feel like you were there sort of, so I guess they were trying to make it "classy 3D" if that is possible! LOL Maybe that is going to be the new type of 3D....simply making you feel like you are watching a hologram and/or right there with the people you are watching as opposed to gimmicks like knives and fingers poking you in the eye. Link to comment
Jayne Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I fear that 3D is inherently cheesy.Then I may need to smuggle in some wine to pair with the cheese. My goodness, the MT doesn't need "tricks" to present a gorgeous Swan Lake. Link to comment
Birdsall Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I fear that 3D is inherently cheesy.Then I may need to smuggle in some wine to pair with the cheese. My goodness, the MT doesn't need "tricks" to present a gorgeous Swan Lake. I agree with this. I wonder why the Mariinsky seems to want to do their ballets in 3D. They should simply do what the Bolshoi does and do them regular for movie theaters. Link to comment
Cygnet Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 3D ballet performances in the cinema are unnecessary. IMO 3D would distort line and choreography. It would be just as irritating as cutting dancers off at the waist. For what it's worth, Maestro Gergiev believes in staying ahead of the curve, and by allowing "Nutcracker" last year, and now the company's signature work to be presented in 3D, he thinks he's doing just that. On the contrary, it's not a good idea. The roving cameras in the 2011 dvd of "Nutcracker," (which was also 3D in movie theatres), their "Jewels" dvd and the 2006 "Swan Lake" dvd, (the latter two with Lopatkina at the helm), weren't good ideas either. The fact is that the Mariinsky Ballet is woefully behind the competition when it comes to online performances, and the live global simulcasts that Ballet in Cinema offers. If Gergiev really wants to build a wider audience for his Mariinsky Ballet he needs to get cameras in the Theatre tout de suite. Hopefully, with M2 opening in 17 days this may be a possibility. Finally, Katya Kondaurova doesn't need 3D to get her 'pointe' over; and Gergiev doesn't need it during extended shots from the podium. Link to comment
Waelsung Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Ardani represents a lot of dancers from many different companies all over the world. This hardly seems a vast conspiracy theory at ABT. What of the new dancer swap program they have instituted? Is this an Ardani plot too? Just out of curiosity, would you please name any non-Russian dancers that are being represented by Ardani? Thanks! Link to comment
Jayne Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 I looked on their website ardani.com and they represented Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo on their North American tour in 2012. Link to comment
Natalia Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Isn't that Anastasia Kolegova in the commercial, walking through the Hermitage & up the staircase, wearing a pink tutu? 'Big Red' Kondaurova and (bored-looking) Ivanchenko are then seen performing bits of the Black Swan adagio outdoors. I agree with Cygnet: 3-D is absolutely unnecessary for a ballet film and may even decrease -- not increase -- the level of enjoyment. Kill the gimmicks. How much more fun can it be to see Kondaurova's leg jut-out and almost "stab" the viewer during a developpe? Link to comment
amiaow Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 I'd welcome the opportunity to see a ballet in 3D. If you have seen a 3D movie recently it is nothing like the 3D of old, but looks very natural, just like you'd see if you were walking down the street with your own two eyes. I think it may really add something to the ballet experience when it comes to films of performances. Link to comment
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