Pharaoh's Daughter

[Buddy]

5 hours ago, Danielle said:

I'm not sure if it's OK to post links to videos here, but Maria Khoreva just uploaded a long video on her YouTube channel about her experience with this production! Lots of new information about the ballet and its history that I didn't know. (I'm a newbie!)

She talks about Petipa, Pavlova, Kschessinka, etc. She says that both productions are grand (the original and the new reconstruction), and that the reconstruction was based on the original choreography but updated for the modern audience due to ballet technique evolving. She mentions that she started working with Tony and Juan a few months ago. She also talks about the costumes and wig she had to wear.

There are clips of her dancing. 

Masha Bulanova also updated her Instagram, with new clips of her dancing a different part!

Thank you, Danielle. This is an interesting posting by Maria Khoreva.

The production is perhaps as Maria Iliushkina says and illustrates in her beautifully expressive performance, “….an interesting synthesis, a kind of dialogue of epochs.” To the extent that it can retrieve history, it has one value. To the extent that it can establish a “dialogue of epochs” it may have another very important value, that of creating “a synthesis” that can enrich the future look of ‘classical ballet’ by combining the best of two worlds.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Buddy

[Danielle]

1 hour ago, Buddy said:

Thank you, Danielle. This is an interesting posting by Maria Khoreva.

The production is perhaps as Maria Iliushkina says and illustrates in her beautifully expressive performance, “….an interesting synthesis, a kind of dialogue of epochs.” To the extent that it can retrieve history, it has one value. To the extent that it can establish a “dialogue of epochs” it may have another very important value, that of creating “a synthesis” that can enrich the future look of ‘classical ballet’ by combining the best of two worlds.

 

 

I just watched a minutes-long clip of Maria Iliushkina doing pantomime for Pharaoh's Daughter. I didn't think I'd care much for it but found myself entranced with her expressions and arm/hand movements. Ended up watching the entire thing! It was absolutely mesmerising. The audience cheered, so I imagine they loved it too!

She reminds me of a young Ulyana, who also had graceful, mesmerising arms.

[Buddy]

1 hour ago, Danielle said:

I just watched a minutes-long clip of Maria Iliushkina doing pantomime for Pharaoh's Daughter. I didn't think I'd care much for it but found myself entranced with her expressions and arm/hand movements. Ended up watching the entire thing! It was absolutely mesmerising. The audience cheered, so I imagine they loved it too!

She reminds me of a young Ulyana, who also had graceful, mesmerising arms.

I just watched this myself, Danielle, and feel much the same. I believe that she’s pantomiming the rowing down the Nile to the fisherman’s village. I can’t imagine anyone making this bit of pure mime more enchanting. There’s also a clip of her dancing at the fisherman’s village that you might enjoy for all its participants.

The more I watch all the video clips, the more fascinated I become. I look forward to seeing the entire work. There’re so many different things happening. For one, there’re ‘dated looking’ pieces that you think will fall on their face because they look so ’silly’ yet manage somehow to redeem themselves brilliantly.

[Danielle]

1 hour ago, Buddy said:

I just watched this myself, Danielle, and feel much the same. I believe that she’s pantomiming the rowing down the Nile to the fisherman’s village. I can’t imagine anyone making this bit of pure mime more enchanting. There’s also a clip of her dancing at the fisherman’s village that you might enjoy for all its participants.

The more I watch all the video clips, the more fascinated I become. I look forward to seeing the entire work. There’re so many different things happening. For one, there’re ‘dated looking’ pieces that you think will fall on their face because they look so ’silly’ yet manage somehow to redeem themselves brilliantly.

Mariinsky just announced they are going to perform the ballet in late April and May 1, maybe Oksana Skorik will be part of the new cast. I think she can also be enchanting in this role, pantomime and all. I really wish Masha will dance Aspicia, but I doubt it.

Which is your favorite dance in the ballet so far? 

This has got to be my favorite (for now). Yes so many things are happening but I can't help it, I find it so enjoyable. 

 

[Buddy]

11 hours ago, Danielle said:

Mariinsky just announced they are going to perform the ballet in late April and May 1, maybe Oksana Skorik will be part of the new cast. I think she can also be enchanting in this role, pantomime and all. I really wish Masha will dance Aspicia, but I doubt it.

Which is your favorite dance in the ballet so far? 

This has got to be my favorite (for now). Yes so many things are happening but I can't help it, I find it so enjoyable. 

 

 

Hi Danielle,

My favorite dances are the Act II Palace Dance (Grand pas d'action) and the Underwater Dance. Also I like the Fisherman’s Wedding Dance. I may try to say why at another time. In the Pierre Lacotte version the Underwater Dance is definitely my favorite. It’s so beautiful.

The video that you posted has been removed for copyright reasons and you didn’t name it. Could you tell me what it is ?

[Danielle]

6 hours ago, Buddy said:

Hi Danielle,

My favorite dances are the Act II Palace Dance (Grand pas d'action) and the Underwater Dance. Also I like the Fisherman’s Wedding Dance. I may try to say why at another time. In the Pierre Lacotte version the Underwater Dance is definitely my favorite. It’s so beautiful.

The video that you posted has been removed for copyright reasons and you didn’t name it. Could you tell me what it is ?

Aww they took it down! I loved watching it!

Not sure what the name of the dance is, but it's the one depicted on this picture: https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2023/3/26/2_1200/

Do you happen to know what it's called?

[Buddy]

2 hours ago, Danielle said:

Aww they took it down! I loved watching it!

Not sure what the name of the dance is, but it's the one depicted on this picture: https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2023/3/26/2_1200/

Do you happen to know what it's called?

I’m guessing from the picture that it’s the Act II Palace Dance (Grand pas d'action), Danielle.

Again in regard to the entire production, one of the most valuable things that can come from historic research would be using it to create something even better for the future. One instance that I’ve noticed here is the use of mime in the dancing. This is something that I don’t recall seeing before. It exists in Aspiccia’s interaction with the ’Neptune’ of the Nile, the underwater scene. It may exist in other parts of the  ballet as well. Especially performed by Maria Iliushkina, it is new and very beautiful. It might also be an element that will enter more classical ballet interpretations in the future and add another touch of beauty. Also the use of the differently nuanced dance style that appears here could be an incentive to add more stylistic variety and interest. It seems to be quite successful in this performance.

[Danielle]

23 hours ago, Buddy said:

I’m guessing from the picture that it’s the Act II Palace Dance (Grand pas d'action), Danielle.

Again in regard to the entire production, one of the most valuable things that can come from historic research would be using it to create something even better for the future. One instance that I’ve noticed here is the use of mime in the dancing. This is something that I don’t recall seeing before. It exists in Aspiccia’s interaction with the ’Neptune’ of the Nile, the underwater scene. It may exist in other parts of the  ballet as well. Especially performed by Maria Iliushkina, it is new and very beautiful. It might also be an element that will enter more classical ballet interpretations in the future and add another touch of beauty. Also the use of the differently nuanced dance style that appears here could be an incentive to add more stylistic variety and interest. It seems to be quite successful in this performance.

I never thought I'd fine mime interesting...if it happens too much in a ballet it can get really boring. But Maria Iliushkina is such a mesmerising dancer that I can watch her facial expressions and graceful arms all day long. Well, maybe not all day, but definitely in a 3 hour production with some beautiful dancing thrown in!

It appears that Oksana Skorik is going to dance Aspicia on May 1, with Alexndra Khiteeva as Ramze. I love them both, but again, wishing Masha Bulanova would get a bigger role! I feel like the Mariinsky doesn't know what to do with her.

[Buddy]

3 hours ago, Danielle said:

I never thought I'd fine mime interesting...if it happens too much in a ballet it can get really boring. But Maria Iliushkina is such a mesmerising dancer that I can watch her facial expressions and graceful arms all day long. Well, maybe not all day, but definitely in a 3 hour production with some beautiful dancing thrown in!

It appears that Oksana Skorik is going to dance Aspicia on May 1, with Alexndra Khiteeva as Ramze. I love them both, but again, wishing Masha Bulanova would get a bigger role! I feel like the Mariinsky doesn't know what to do with her.

I agree with you again, Danielle, about the very fine use of mime, especially in the interaction between Aspiccia and the ‘Neptune’ of the Nile, where it becomes part of the actual dancing. You asked me before what my favorite dance is, and I would have to say that it’s these two and a half minutes. It’s such a lyrically lovely and beautifully expressive sequence. Viktoria Tereshkina also does a very fine performance.

In addition to the mime being used as a part of the dancing, there’s also something resembling this that I’ve never really noticed before. Expressive mime type gestures, such as explaining something with real hand gestures, are also made part of the dancing. Again, this is very impressively done and could be an element that could appear in future classical ballet productions.

Several of the dancers have said that they had to learn a complete new dance vocabulary for this performance. I think that it’s very noticeable and very well accomplished. It shows that the Mariinsky dancers are highly capable of adapting to other related dance vocabularies. In fact this is the most committed and successful that I’ve seen them accomplish this.

[Roberta]

On 3/30/2023 at 11:02 PM, Buddy said:

I’m guessing from the picture that it’s the Act II Palace Dance (Grand pas d'action), Danielle.

.....

You're close, Buddy! It's also a favorite of mine. According to Roland John Wiley's A Century of Russian Ballet (p. 226, Scenario of the ballet), it's termed the Grand Pas d'Action finale. I've also seen it termed, in other sources, as the Finale  of the Caryatids. The various groups going in circles, in different stages/opposite directions, reminds me of the finale of Mark Morris' Sandpaper Ballet, amazingly. Little did Mark Morris know!

[Buddy]

41 minutes ago, Roberta said:

You're close, Buddy! It's also a favorite of mine. According to Roland John Wiley's A Century of Russian Ballet (p. 226, Scenario of the ballet), it's termed the Grand Pas d'Action finale. I've also seen it termed, in other sources, as the Finale  of the Caryatids. The various groups going in circles, in different stages/opposite directions, reminds me of the finale of Mark Morris' Sandpaper Ballet, amazingly. Little did Mark Morris know!

Thanks very much, Roberta. Since you're interested is such things as John Wiley's A Century of Russian Ballet you might have some thoughts about the charming ‘Italianese’ of this work that I mention in the following.

Aspiccia and the Nile

More and more, for me, this delightfully charming dance sequence that I’ve described in my previous post, the dance of Aspiccia with the ’Neptune of the Nile’ (simply referred to as “The Nile”), is emerging as perhaps the gem of this production. In the same way that the ‘White Swan Duet’  represents the heart and soul of Swan Lake, this very brief two-and-a-half minute dance may do the same for this work. It might also be an artistic highpoint in ballet because of its combining of mime and dance along with its overall loveliness.

Something else that’s been occurring to me is how delightfully Italian this and much more feels. I would immediately attribute it to Tony Candeloro being from Italy. You can perhaps sense it in the video that I’ve previously posted that includes him coaching the Mariinsky dancers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NDA1PDB4Hc&t=13s

This is all fine and good, but what does it have to do with historic authenticity? It can maybe be justified by the following facts. According to Tony Candeloro, “It must be said that the Petersburg ballerinas had the technique of the Italian school. Everyone knows that Preobrazhenskaya, Kshesinskaya, Pavlova studied with Cecchetti.” (from an interview with him by Anna Galayda about the “Pharaoh’s Daughter” on RG (Rassiyskaya Gazyeta) and Telegram — thanks to a friend for this). Also primas from Italy were very prominent at the ‘Mariinsky.’ This ballet was first performed by Carolina Rosatti. So why shouldn’t it feel charmingly Italian as well ?!

Of the few video clips available from the entire work, the ones of Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina performing this dance are possibly the most enjoyable. Both performances are very fine. Maria Iliushkina’s is soft and airy. It’s perhaps more lyrical — and more Italian 😊 . Viktoria Tereshkina’s is perhaps more linearly sculptural and subtly poetic in its self containment.

This also may bring us back to the Pierre Lacotte ballet, where I find Aspiccia’s Nile underwater dances to be the most charming of his brilliant production.

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Buddy
typo correction(s)

[Roberta]

18 hours ago, Buddy said:

Thanks very much, Roberta. Since you're interested is such things as John Wiley's A Century of Russian Ballet you might have some thoughts about the charming ‘Italianese’ of this work that I mention in the following.

Aspiccia and the Nile

More and more, for me, this delightfully charming dance sequence that I’ve described in my previous post, the dance of Aspiccia with the ’Neptune of the Nile’ (simply referred to as “The Nile”), is emerging as perhaps the gem of this production. In the same way that the ‘White Swan Duet’  represents the heart and soul of Swan Lake, this very brief two-and-a-half minute dance may do the same for this work. It might also be an artistic highpoint in ballet because of its combining of mime and dance along with its overall loveliness.

Something else that’s been occurring to me is how delightfully Italian this and much more feels. I would immediately attribute it to Tony Candeloro being from Italy. You can perhaps sense it in the video that I’ve previously posted that includes him coaching the Mariinsky dancers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NDA1PDB4Hc&t=13s

This is all fine and good, but what does it have to do with historic authenticity? It can maybe be justified by the following facts. According to Tony Candeloro, “It must be said that the Petersburg ballerinas had the technique of the Italian school. Everyone knows that Preobrazhenskaya, Kshesinskaya, Pavlova studied with Cecchetti.” (from an interview with him by Anna Galayda about the “Pharaoh’s Daughter” on RG (Rassiyskaya Gazyeta) and Telegram — thanks to a friend for this). Also primas from Italy were very prominent at the ‘Mariinsky.’ This ballet was first performed by Carolina Rosatti. So why shouldn’t it feel charmingly Italian as well ?!

Of the few video clips available from the entire work, the ones of Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina performing this dance are possibly the most enjoyable. Both performances are very fine. Maria Iliushkina’s is soft and airy. It’s perhaps more lyrical — and more Italian 😊 . Viktoria Tereshkina’s is perhaps more linearly sculptural and subtly poetic in its self containment.

This also may bring us back to the Pierre Lacotte ballet, where I find Aspiccia’s Nile underwater dances to be the most charming of his brilliant production.

 

 

 

Buddy, we're also proud of our Imperial Court composers, such as Cesare Pugni (Pharaoh's Daughter, Esmeralda, etc.) Not to forget another one who I love the most - Riccardo Drigo. There's lots of Italy in the Imperial Ballet's history. Perhaps that's why Italy does not turn its back on old friendships.

[Buddy]

3 hours ago, Roberta said:

Buddy, we're also proud of our Imperial Court composers, such as Cesare Pugni (Pharaoh's Daughter, Esmeralda, etc.) Not to forget another one who I love the most - Riccardo Drigo. There's lots of Italy in the Imperial Ballet's history. Perhaps that's why Italy does not turn its back on old friendships.

What a happy coincidence, Roberta, that I mentioned the Italian charm that I feel in this production, and looking at your ‘bio’ you have a house in Rome.

I continue to enthuse over the loveliness of the Aspiccia-Nile duet performed separately by Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina. I search for anything of Maria Khoreva dancing this, but nothing yet. At her site she discusses the ballet with some video glimpses included. It’s somewhat hard to judge her performance from these. Hopefully she will post some more.

She says one interesting thing that somewhat follows up on my idea that researching the past can lead to better ideas for the future. This reconstruction requires the dancers to also be dramatic actors/actresses at all times, presumably reflecting the style of that time. It certainly shows and is very effective in Mari Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina’s presentations. As a related thought, one of the fine abilities that Ginger Rogers was known to have that enabled her to so effectively compliment the amazing dancing of Fred Astaire, was that she could act extremely well while she danced. Maria Khoreva has noted this enriching element in “The Pharaoh’s Daughter” production and says that it’s something that she hopes to add to her overall technique. Maybe other dancers and choreographers will do the same.

Danielle, if you’re reading this, I think that the very expressive Maria Bulanova, who you’d like to see perform this role, would be a very good choice for the same reason.   

[Roberta]

Buddy, there are a number of "short" FB films of Khoreva dancing passages of P.D. Go to the @irabara address to see her dancing two solos from the Huntress' scene. There are also some great short clips of Kimin Kim by @kiminkim_fans. The best is he & Terioshkina dancing the coda of the Pas des Cymbals in A3...where dancers wear little metal disks in their hands. Kim jumps like a nut there - so high!

[Danielle]

On 4/2/2023 at 2:01 PM, Buddy said:

What a happy coincidence, Roberta, that I mentioned the Italian charm that I feel in this production, and looking at your ‘bio’ you have a house in Rome.

I continue to enthuse over the loveliness of the Aspiccia-Nile duet performed separately by Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina. I search for anything of Maria Khoreva dancing this, but nothing yet. At her site she discusses the ballet with some video glimpses included. It’s somewhat hard to judge her performance from these. Hopefully she will post some more.

She says one interesting thing that somewhat follows up on my idea that researching the past can lead to better ideas for the future. This reconstruction requires the dancers to also be dramatic actors/actresses at all times, presumably reflecting the style of that time. It certainly shows and is very effective in Mari Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina’s presentations. As a related thought, one of the fine abilities that Ginger Rogers was known to have that enabled her to so effectively compliment the amazing dancing of Fred Astaire, was that she could act extremely well while she danced. Maria Khoreva has noted this enriching element in “The Pharaoh’s Daughter” production and says that it’s something that she hopes to add to her overall technique. Maybe other dancers and choreographers will do the same.

Danielle, if you’re reading this, I think that the very expressive Maria Bulanova, who you’d like to see perform this role, would be a very good choice for the same reason.   

I'm reading the previous posts, I really love the insight and knowledge I get from everyone here. 🥰

Buddy, Masha B. is my absolute favorite and I do hope that she gets bigger roles soon. I do believe she'll make a great Nikiya and Aspicia, but so far she has been relegated to secondary roles. 😞

[Buddy]

15 hours ago, Roberta said:

Buddy, there are a number of "short" FB films of Khoreva dancing passages of P.D. Go to the @irabara address to see her dancing two solos from the Huntress' scene. There are also some great short clips of Kimin Kim by @kiminkim_fans. The best is he & Terioshkina dancing the coda of the Pas des Cymbals in A3...where dancers wear little metal disks in their hands. Kim jumps like a nut there - so high!

Thank you very much, Roberta, and thank you, Danielle.

From the few glimpses that I get, Maria Khoreva, like Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina, has made a very sincere commitment.

I would like to inject one other thought. A very respected and knowledgable commentator (I believe) has suggested that after what Alexei Ratmansky put into this production anyone could have come along and successfully finished it, using his exact choreography or not. This may or may not be true. There may be a lot of soul searching to be conducted before this production is ever put into moral and historical perspective. I will inject a personal thought that also may or may not be correct. Perhaps somehow this all is reflected in the performers (and others involved), who also may or may not have had to look deep within themselves.

 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Buddy

[Danielle]

2 hours ago, Buddy said:

Thank you very much, Roberta, and thank you, Danielle.

From the few glimpses that I get, Maria Khoreva, like Maria Iliushkina and Viktoria Tereshkina, has made a very sincere commitment.

I would like to inject one other thought. A very respected and knowledgable commentator (I believe) has suggested that after what Alexei Ratmansky put into this production anyone could have come along and successfully finished it, using his exact choreography or not. This may or may not be true. There may be a lot of soul searching to be conducted before this production is ever put into moral and historical perspective. I will inject a personal thought that also may or may not be correct. Perhaps somehow this all is reflected in the performers (and others involved), who also may or may not have had to look deep within themselves.

 

Do you mind linking the article or video to the commentator? I'd love to know more.

I'm sure that Alexei Ratmansky invested a LOT in this production. I regret that we'll never see his full vision come to life! He's an incredibly talented choreographer and his love for his country is so inspiring and admirable. I wish this war never happened, and hope a peaceful solution is found soon.

Side note, I was born and raised in a developing country that has good relations with both the US and Russia.  Our ballet company has a Russian AD right now, but so far only one full-length classical ballet has been produced.

From my understanding, Tony and Juan have been studying the original choreography for some time now, and it appears they put a lot of their own heart and soul into the production. It's hard to know the truth until we hear more from the people involved. I know Yuri has said none of Alexei's choreography has remained, but who knows. The Mariinsky should have given Alexei and his team more credit, while letting Tony and Juan's work shine through. 

But regardless, I'll enjoy whatever bits and pieces of this production I can find. The dancing is so lovely and the costumes and set design are to die for. I haven't seen the whole thing but I think I enjoy this more than the Bolshoi's.

[Buddy]

This is a lengthy article by Anna Gordeeva in the russian magazine ‘Musical Life.’ (Google translation from Russian). She states, “So, the artists [the Mariinsky dancers, probably] say that the same dances staged by Ratmansky and Candeloro look fundamentally different. The direction of the general movement is preserved, but not the type of pas itself.”

https://muzlifemagazine-ru.translate.goog/vopros-doveriya/?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

(thanks to Angela at BalletcoForum)

This is interesting added information, but nothing else is said on the  subject. Only time can possibly determine the extent of its accuracy, along with the accuracy of the article that I mentioned in my previous post. Danielle, I haven’t found a link to that article. It was emailed to me.

[Danielle]

7 hours ago, Buddy said:

This is a lengthy article by Anna Gordeeva in the russian magazine ‘Musical Life.’ (Google translation from Russian). She states, “So, the artists [the Mariinsky dancers, probably] say that the same dances staged by Ratmansky and Candeloro look fundamentally different. The direction of the general movement is preserved, but not the type of pas itself.”

https://muzlifemagazine-ru.translate.goog/vopros-doveriya/?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

(thanks to Angela at BalletcoForum)

This is interesting added information, but nothing else is said on the  subject. Only time can possibly determine the extent of its accuracy, along with the accuracy of the article that I mentioned in my previous post. Danielle, I haven’t found a link to that article. It was emailed to me.

Thank you so much for this!!! Do you know what she means by, "the direction of the general movement was preserved"? 

[Drew]

The dancers know what they need to say (presumably have even been told)--and I don't think anyone here is likely to be able to parse out the details of the actual situation whatever it is.  

[volcanohunter]

I have no idea how much of Petipa's Pharaoh’s Daughter was notated and described by eyewitnesses. Ratmansky wrote about staging "close to two hours of reconstructed choreography and mise en scene." If the production still claims to a reconstruction of Petipa's original, to which end Bockamp was hired as a notation reader, the ballet could not possibly have been completely re-choreographed as the Mariinsky claims. Unless Candeloro just made up entirely new choreography, which is unlikely since he has never staged anything remotely on this scale, and in which case it wouldn't be a reconstruction as advertised. 

[Buddy]

My only response for the moment is to hope that some of what might have a deeper value and significance in all this was taken to heart and expressed by at least some of the performers (and others involved).

“Do you know what she means by, "the direction of the general movement was preserved”?” 

Danielle, your’s is a very good question and I was wondering the same thing myself. Your guess is at least as good as mine.

[Fosca]

2 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

If the production still claims to a reconstruction of Petipa's original, to which end Bockamp was hired as a notation reader, the ballet could not possibly have been completely re-choreographed as the Mariinsky claims.

In no way I want to defend Bockamp and Candeloro, but remember the Corsaire reconstructions by Ratmansky/Burlaka for the Bolshoi in 2007 and by Doug Fullington/Ivan Liska for Bavarian State Ballet in 2006 - they both relied on the Stepanov notations in the Sergeyev collection at Harvard and had different solutions, different steps for some scenes. It seems the notations are not quite as explicit and unambiguous as one would wish.

The notation for The Pharao's Daughter is digitalized, you can find it here in the Sergeyev Collection online  https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/24/resources/3185

[volcanohunter]

My understanding was that the Bolshoi production relied on notations to a limited degree. At the time Ratmansky was not yet using them, and in retrospect he said he would have approached the production differently. The Bolshoi's Le Corsaire premiered in 2007. It's my understanding that Ratmansky's first reconstructions came several years later.

Specialists tell us that the notations can be incomplete: part of a variation may not be notated, perhaps legs are notated but not arms, there may be a floor plan but no specific choreography. I would submit that if the Mariinsky production fills in those blanks the same way that Ratmansky did, that material is stolen.

[Fosca]

It was Burlaka who was responsible for the "old Petipa style" of the Corsaire, you're right, Ratmansky was only just starting with the reconstructions. Burlaka mainly relied on the slightly different Russian traditions of dancing the Corsaire variations, if I remember correctly. Both productions, Bolshoi and Munich, cared very much for the music and wanted to reconstruct the original partitura by Adam with the additions by Pugni, Drigo et al. But I remember a public discussion at the time at Munich where Sergei Vikharev demonstrated how different you can read and interprete the Stepanov notations - of course he was convinced that he as a Russian had the ultimate understanding for the execution of the notated steps. The notations are very hard to read and open for different interpretations.