volcanohunter Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Alexei Ratmansky's staging of Paquita premieres at the Bavarian State Ballet on December 13. So far there's relatively little information about the run: no casting, and the company has posted only a brief video on Facebook of a rehearsal of the long mime scene. But the company's web site does include dress rehearsal photos, if you scroll down the page. https://www.staatsoper.de/en/staatsballett/productioninfo/paquita/ Link to comment
naomikage Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 The company posted a trailer on this production. Link to comment
Natalia Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Oi! Sorry but this looks like the El Cheapo edition of the distinguished POB designs. Link to comment
sandik Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I'm sorry this isn't to your taste -- it reminds me very much of the Giselle designs that Kaplan made for Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Giselle. He took his text from the period of the ballet's premiere, combining the theatrical style of the time with period visual art. Between that and the reconstructed choreographic text, it's a wonderful view of what the ballet might have looked like at its creation. I get the sense that might be what's happening here -- I'm really looking forward to the January 11 livestream. The thing that struck me here, in the clip from the last act, is the kids on the balcony above the main action -- it reminded me of the bridge in Napoli, with the "village" watching the party. A number of years ago I wrote about Doug F's reconstruction of Jardin Animee, and was thinking hard about the small kinesphere in Petipa's choreography. Alexandra put her finger right on the connection I was missing when she reminded me that Bournonville had absorbed the same French influences that Petipa had, and had transferred it pretty intact to the Danish theater -- what I was seeing in the reconstruction was a reflection of that style. Link to comment
Helene Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Laura Capelle tweeted today: Pretty sure there was more épaulement & mime in Paquita @staatsballett than I saw overall in 2014. #Ratmanskyness #Munich Link to comment
Drew Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Just found this thread--thank you Naomikage for the clip/trailer. I'm hoping to watch livestream ... Link to comment
Natalia Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'm sorry this isn't to your taste -- it reminds me very much of the Giselle designs that Kaplan made for Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Giselle. He took his text from the period of the ballet's premiere, combining the theatrical style of the time with period visual art. Between that and the reconstructed choreographic text, it's a wonderful view of what the ballet might have looked like at its creation. I get the sense that might be what's happening here -- I'm really looking forward to the January 11 livestream.The thing that struck me here, in the clip from the last act, is the kids on the balcony above the main action -- it reminded me of the bridge in Napoli, with the "village" watching the party. A number of years ago I wrote about Doug F's reconstruction of Jardin Animee, and was thinking hard about the small kinesphere in Petipa's choreography. Alexandra put her finger right on the connection I was missing when she reminded me that Bournonville had absorbed the same French influences that Petipa had, and had transferred it pretty intact to the Danish theater -- what I was seeing in the reconstruction was a reflection of that style. Just look at the day-glo rags on the gypsy dresses. Then compare to the subtle class of Lacotte's POB gypsies. Ditto a comparison of the two sets of Corsaire costumes in one year: Bolshoi-Burlaka vs Bavarian-Fullington. Link to comment
Helene Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have, and I like the costumes. I expect to have a grand time watching the transmission a week from Sunday. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Just look at the day-glo rags on the gypsy dresses. Then compare to the subtle class of Lacotte's POB gypsies. Ditto a comparison of the two sets of Corsaire costumes in one year: Bolshoi-Burlaka vs Bavarian-Fullington. I don't know the POB version well enough to recall -- who designed it? Since theatrical costumes are designed to be seen in a specific, controlled context, I'll have to wait and see the performance. Link to comment
kbarber Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I don't know the POB version well enough to recall -- who designed it?Since theatrical costumes are designed to be seen in a specific, controlled context, I'll have to wait and see the performance. Lacotte designed the POB Paquita costumes, which are indeed very beautiful. Link to comment
yudi Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 The company posted a trailer on this production. "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi89XbWLeaI" Why do they make the stage look so small and crowded? Maybe, it looks small only in YouTube-Trailer PAQUITA? BTW, from 2:45 it seems that the dancer even couldn't expand legs to do his Jetés in full. The recording of POB's Paquita shown on Russian TV (РОССИЯ К) is sitting just next to Munich's Trailer PAQUITA on YouTube. That stage is huge! However, POB's tutu in Grand Pas looks dirty. Link to comment
bingham Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Lacotte designed the POB Paquita costumes, which are indeed very beautiful. If i'm not mistaken, i think Luisa Spinatelli did the sets and costumes. Link to comment
Helene Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 If we are talking about this production, the designer is, indeed, Luisa Spinatelli: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=DV-BLPAQ Link to comment
kbarber Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 If we are talking about this production, the designer is, indeed, Luisa Spinatelli: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=DV-BLPAQ Yes you're right, it was Spinatelli. I was thinking of Pharaoh's Daughter, for which Lacotte designed the costumes as well as choreographing it. Link to comment
bingham Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Yes you're right, it was Spinatelli. I was thinking of Pharaoh's Daughter, for which Lacotte designed the costumes as well as choreographing it. Lacotte also did the set/costumes for Marco Spada. Link to comment
Mimi Smith Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Re: crowded stage. Bear in mind that it was typical for 19th-century ballets in Paris (e.g., Giselle, Paquita) to have very large casts, including children. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Perhaps we ought to begin a separate thread about the live webstream, but the Bavarian State Ballet has posted casting. Paquita - Daria SukhorukovaLucien d'Hervilly - Matej UrbanInigo - Norbert Graf Cyril PierreCount d'Hervilly - Peter JoleschCountess - Elaine UnderwoodDon Lopez de Mendoza - Cyril Pierre Norbert GrafDoña Serafina - Emma Barrowman As for the stream link itself, I find this one works well for me. http://streaming.staatsoper.de The stream takes place Sunday, January 11 at 18.00 CET, which translates into 12 noon Eastern and 9 am Pacific. Be warned that streams from the Bavarian State Opera and Ballet are not available for viewing afterward. It's live or never, so clear your schedules accordingly. Link to comment
mussel Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks for the alert. I'll have my streaming capture app ready. Link to comment
California Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My stream is working perfectly in Denver. It's worth tuning in early. They are testing camera angles in the beautiful theater. And a few dancers in practice clothes have been warming up on-stage. Link to comment
mussel Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I was surprised to find Delibes' Sylvia was used for Lucien's solo in the Grand Pas. Was it in the original staging? And there're no 32 fouettes that's in Lacotte's staging for POB or Makarova's for ABT, so I assume the fouettes were added later? Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Does Lacotte's staging include a full 32 fouettés? That would be anachronistic for a divertissement first staged in 1881. I must say, after this I'm going to have a hard time returning to Lacotte's staging, and any Kirov-based grand pas, for that matter. There have always been elements of quasi-Petipa "Spanish" style that I have found puzzling. With those stripped away, many aspects of the choreography make more sense to me now. While it was not the most stupendous performance I could have imagined (Cyril Pierre's Inigo excepted), I loved the production itself. DVD, please! Link to comment
mussel Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Does Lacote's staging include a full 32 fouettés? Yes, it starts at 1:45:40 http://youtu.be/tPrQTVgkHnM?t=1h46m38s Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 I guess he was playing to audience expectations rather than aiming for historical accuracy. Link to comment
California Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Two very minor details: (1) The use of music in Act I for a male variation that is familiar from contemporary productions of Don Quixote. I'll have to check DQ programs to see if it is credited. (Both scores are by Minkus, of course, so it works in both.) (2) The crying baby late in Act II to a quiet variation. I was surprised it (and its caretaker) did not quickly exit the theater but hung around for quite some time! I guess these disruptions are not unique to U.S. theaters. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 You probably noticed that the National Theater has continental seating. If the crying child was on the orchestra level, making an exit from there wouldn't have been that easy. This particular performance was also aimed at families, with discounted tickets and a special pre-show introduction for children. Link to comment
Recommended Posts