The 50th anniversary of Baryshnikov's defection

[Marta]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

People who saw Baryshnikov at his height as Albrecht --especially the extraordinary way he performed the brisés in Act II--also felt the impact, and I think that his Albrecht influenced the way Albrecht has been danced in the West since especially his 'young and sincerely in love' approach. As far as what I understand Soviet innovations to be, I actually think presenting Albrecht as a more complex figure who develops and deepens his character over the course of the ballet (as Nureyev performed the role) is far more compelling--and is already a potential interpretation of the nineteenth-century libretto since it's not like Albrecht could ever have done anything other than ruin Giselle--but I do think 'young and sincerely in love' Albrecht suited the young Baryshnikov. I do not remember Bruhn's Albrecht, but he also writes about Albrecht as undergoing a transformation through the ballet.

Many people felt Baryshnikov's Prodigal Son (which he worked on with Balanchine) was a historic and definitive performance. I wasn't that into it, but I tend to have a mixed reaction to that ballet whoever is dancing it. He also danced Balanchine's Apollo albeit in a truncated version--that performance I quite admired.

As I understand one reason Baryshnikov defected was that he felt his repertory in Russia would be limited even in relation to the Soviet repertory--that is he didn't want to dance Basilio for the rest of his life.

His other historical impact on the ballet world in the west is simply the interest he attracted. Even in the context of the ballet boom he was a major figure pulling in new audiences, especially after The Turning Point.

His staging of Jardin Anime for ABT was the first time that was seen in the west. HIs performances of Jakobson's Vestris, a role created for him, was the first time that choreographer was seen in the west; his inclusion of Vainonen's snowflake scene in his Nutcracker the first time that choreography was seen in the West. As @Helene mentioned recently (I can't remember which thread) Baryshnikov also developed and promoted a number of American ballerinas, not all of them memorable, but notably Susan Jaffee who is now the Director of American Ballet Theatre.

(And uh...his paying for an injured Lopatkina to have a major operation earlier in her career--she has spoken about this--counts as a contribution to the history of ballet in my book.)

 

Thank you Drew for citing all of these.  I was about to post about the exact same group ... but you have said it better.  His Albrecht with Makarova's Giselle was phenomenal.   masterpiece.

[Drew]

13 minutes ago, Marta said:

Thank you Drew for citing all of these.  I was about to post about the exact same group ... but you have said it better.  His Albrecht with Makarova's Giselle was phenomenal.   masterpiece.

Thank you -- I have since edited out a factual error regarding Vainonen. Baryshnikov's Nutcracker was the first time Vainonen's snow scene was seen in the west. Of course the Flames of Paris pas de deux was known in the west; possibly other things were toured that I don't know about.

[volcanohunter]

Nureyev staged something very much like Vainonen's snowflakes, but altered it just enough to call the choreography his own.

[volcanohunter]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

I haven't had a chance to watch Cornejo's but what I very much missed with McCrae was Baryshnikov's distinctive irony--and the lightness with which he could carry his virtuosity. 

Yes, the choreography is enormously difficult, and I can understand the look of intense concentration on McRae's face, but being able to pull it off with apparent insouciance would be a whole other level of virtuosity.

For subscribers to RBO Stream, there is a second performance of Rhapsody there with Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé.

https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/rhapsody-2022-digital 

[volcanohunter]

Baryshnikov's collaboration with Roland Petit was significant. La Dame de pique was not a masterpiece, but Baryshnikov gave indelible performances in Petit's Carmen and Le Jeune Homme et la Mort.

[Helene]

And part of "Le Jeune Homme et la Mort" opened "White Nights."

[volcanohunter]

On 8/20/2024 at 1:50 AM, Mashinka said:

whereas the Virsaladze sets, such as they were, were dire. 

 I wanted to add that this is one of the biggest problems with Grigorovich's Romeo. Many of the most important scenes take place on a platform at the rear of the stage behind a scrim! This is particularly problematic in the bedroom duet, where most of it takes place back there. About two-thirds of the way through the protagonists briefly come down some steps and dance center stage, when they need a bit more space, but then they go back up the steps and behind the scrim to finish. It's difficult to project anything to the audience in those circumstances.

In the 2010 version the role of Juliet was gutted. The scene in which she appears to acquiesce to Paris' proposal is completely absent, and almost no time at all was dedicated to the poison scene. Nothing like the big acting showcase Cranko provided to his Juliet. She simply passes out--behind the scrim.  Likewise her final scene over Romeo's body is over almost as soon as it begins. For a ballerina it's a terrible role.

[Meliss]

18 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Yes

But these are all roles in short ballets! They are not comparable to Spartacus or Ferhad.

[Meliss]

On 8/20/2024 at 5:12 PM, volcanohunter said:

And yet, I still think that Soviet ballet was a net negative for the art form: the acrobatic partnering, the one-handed lifts, the standing on opposite sides of the stage and running at each other with outstretched arms, the overwrought acting, the disappearance of batterie, the flattening out of male variations into something quite boring and simplistic (a diagonal, a pirouette and a manège), the tricksy jumps, the poky fouettés, the willful disregard for musical tempo (slowing down and speeding up music to suit), the strange Grigorovich-specific fetishes surrounding really long sticks and shin hugging, and the short-lived guilty pleasure of "joyous vulgarity." Those are things I can live without.

In short, I'm glad Baryshnikov left all that behind.

Do you really think that "the acrobatic partnering, the one-handed lifts" and other things you mentioned can't be used in the ballet art?

[Helene]

Thankfully, these works are not comparable to Spartacus.  I watch Spartacus to see the four leads, but unless I am in an especially cheerful mood with a big bowl of popcorn, I will enjoy the macho preening and camp for about 15 minutes.

I wish that a much, much better new ballet had been choreographed for Vasiliev, Liepa, Maximova, and Timofeyeva. 

[Drew]

The question raised was whether Baryshnikov had any impact on the history of ballet or was just a good Basilio. He most certainly had an impact on the history of ballet and was very fine in roles other than Basilio. And, by the way, being a great Basilio, as he was, is nothing to sneer at.  However one feels about Baryshnikov’s career to date, his playing a role in ballet history is very obvious. The very fact that we are having this discussion is evidence.

We have discussed in a different thread and quite recently whether Spartacus is the pinnacle of male dancing. I enjoy the ballet, and think it is a great role for a certain type of male dancer, but it is very repetitive and anything but subtle and it does not include every aspect of male dancing. There are many other ways to be a great male dancer than In Grigorovich! I happen to prefer Legend of Love, but whether or not Legend of Love is a good ballet —goodness knows it is not a subtle one and the best (and most heroic) role in it is Mekhmene Banu— has no bearing on whether there are not many ways a male dancer can be a great ballet dancer and make an mark on ballet history.

Edited August 21 by Drew
precision/grammar

[volcanohunter]

3 hours ago, Meliss said:

But these are all roles in short ballets! They are not comparable to Spartacus or Ferhad.

Come now, Baryshnikov's Albrecht has been discussed here at some length. My point was that Baryshnikov created many roles in world premieres of ballets by multiple major choreographers, who tailored the ballets specifically to his talents and abilities, and which have earned a stable place in the international repertoire. That these roles still present great challenges to male dancers today is also a testament to his influence on ballet. Baryshnikov was not my favorite dancer, but he was undoubtedly one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. That is beyond dispute.

Edited August 21 by volcanohunter

[volcanohunter]

Baryshnikov inspired envy and resentment among some dancers, and perhaps also among admirers of other dancers. In 1983 or 1984, the BBC produced a wonderful four-part television program called Dancer, hosted by Peter Schaufuss. Much of it was illustrated with choreography performed by Schaufuss, but the program also featured Frank Andersen, Bjarne Hecht, Anthony Dowell, David Wall, Rudolf Nureyev (in archival footage), Vladimir Vasiliev, Patrick Dupond, Jean Guizerix, with glimpses of the very young Manuel Legris and Éric Vu An, Denys Ganio, Jean Charles Gil, Arthur Mitchell (in archival footage), Fernando Bujones, Richard Cragun, a number of dancers from Béjart's company and the beautiful Patrick Harding-Irmer representing modern dance. (I'm relying on memory.) Baryshnikov was absent, and more than one critic noticed this. They questioned how it was possible to present a picture of contemporary male ballet dancing without its most famous exponent.

Around the same time, the book Men Dancing by Alexander Bland and John Percival was published. In her review Anna Kisselgoff brought up some of the challenges in compiling "greatest" lists: "By consensus, this generation includes Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Martins, Fernando Bujones, Mr. Schaufuss, Patrick Dupond and a few others on whom agreement is easy." 

The book also included an "all-time" list:

"The honor roll consists of Gaetan and Auguste Vestris, Nijinsky, Leonid Massine, Fred Astaire, Anton Dolin, Serge Lifar, Robert Helpmann, Antonio, Mr. [Jean] Babilee, Erik Bruhn, Mr. [Edward] Villella, Mr. Nureyev, Vladimir Vassiliev, Mr. Dowell, Richard Cragun, Peter Martins, Mr. Baryshnikov, Mr. [Jorge] Donn and Mr. Schaufuss. Those who choose to disagree on individual entries will have a field day. The choices can be defended on their own grounds, that they are, in fact, free of categories. Greatness does indeed defy limitation by definition."

("Greatness in Dancing Is Not Easy to Categorize," New York Times, 30 September 1984)

Edited August 22 by volcanohunter

[California]

4 hours ago, Meliss said:

But these are all roles in short ballets! They are not comparable to Spartacus or Ferhad.

Why assume that one can influence ballet history only in full-length ballets??? Nijinsky is remembered for many one-acts: Spectre de la Rose, Scheherazade, Afternoon of a Faun, Les Sylphides, Petrouchka, Sacre

[Meliss]

21 hours ago, Drew said:

People who saw Baryshnikov at his height as Albrecht --especially the extraordinary way he performed the brisés in Act II--also felt the impact, and I think that his Albrecht influenced the way Albrecht has been danced in the West since that time especially his 'young and sincerely in love' approach.

But is this his approach? Nureyev had danced Albrecht this way much earlier, and he wasn't the only one.

"Contrary to Konstantin Sergueev, who had established the Soviet tradition of a frivolous price having a good time with a young peasant girl whom he didn’t really care for, Nureyev played the part as a sincere and ardent lover from the beginning to the end of the ballet, overwhelmed by madness and grief at the death of Giselle. His genuine despair and noble acting moved the audience". https://nureyev.org/rudolf-nureyev-famous-roles-ballets-index/ballet-giselle-albrecht-petipa-rudolf-nureyev/

[Meliss]

3 hours ago, Helene said:

Thankfully, these works are not comparable to Spartacus.  I watch Spartacus to see the four leads, but unless I am in an especially cheerful mood with a big bowl of popcorn, I will enjoy the macho preening and camp for about 15 minutes.

I wish that a much, much better new ballet had been choreographed for Vasiliev, Liepa, Maximova, and Timofeyeva. 

"Grigorovich turned over the "chessboard" with the ballet "Spartacus", opened a new era in the history of choreographic art, divided the history of the Bolshoi Ballet into "before" and "after". The choreographer declares sacred fidelity to the principles of academic ballet, Petipa's ballets with his artificially graceful movements, while calling the pathos of heroics the highest form of romanticism. The poetization of dreams and visions gives way to a lyrical and philosophical understanding of the role of personality in history, great passions and passionate art". M.Aleksinskaya, journalist, author-compiler of the book "Galina Ulanova", articles about the Bolshoi Theater, concerts of symphonic music.

[volcanohunter]

Grigorovich always enjoyed greater admiration in the USSR than outside of it. He was extremely influential in defining the Bolshoi’s repertoire. I wouldn't say that influence extended to all of "choreographic art."

The Bolshoi last performed his Swan Lake and Spartacus in New York in 2014. The reviews were scathing. Here's what the rank-and-file thought about it:

 

[Meliss]

1 hour ago, California said:

Why assume that one can influence ballet history only in full-length ballets??? Nijinsky is remembered for many one-acts: Spectre de la Rose, Scheherazade, Afternoon of a Faun, Les Sylphides, Petrouchka, Sacre

"After leaving Diaghilev, Nijinsky found himself in difficult conditions. It was necessary to earn a living. A dance genius, he didn't have the abilities of a producer. He rejected the offer to head the Grand Opera Ballet in Paris, deciding to create his own company. They managed to assemble a troupe of seventeen people (it included his sister Bronislava and her husband, who also left Diaghilev) and sign a contract with the London Palace Theater). The repertoire consisted of productions by Nijinsky and, in part, by M. Fokin (Spectre de la Rose, "Carnival", "Sylphides", which Nijinsky remade anew). However, the tour was not a success and ended in financial ruin, which led to a nervous breakdown and the onset of mental illness of the artist". 

Why were the performances of the genius not successful?

[California]

2 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Grigorovich always enjoyed greater admiration in the USSR than outside of it. He was extremely influential in defining the Bolshoi’s repertoire. I wouldn't say that influence extended to all of "choreographic art."

The Bolshoi last performed his Swan Lake and Spartacus in New York in 2014. The reviews were scathing. Here's what the rank-and-file thought about it:

 

I went to the three-ballet season in 2014 at Koch. You had to buy all three ballets to get early access to tickets. I most enjoyed the three performances of DonQ, a very lavish production, compared to American versions. I figured I couldn't go wrong with several performances of Swan Lake and did get to see Hallberg a few times, but was shocked at the bizarre remake. I only saw one performance of Spartacus, thankfully -- I thought it was a bizarre, over-the-top circus show. But for all our complaints, it's sad that we seem unlikely to be able to see them again for  many years, if ever. 

[Drew]

8 hours ago, Meliss said:

But is this his approach? Nureyev had danced Albrecht this way much earlier, and he wasn't the only one.

"Contrary to Konstantin Sergueev, who had established the Soviet tradition of a frivolous price having a good time with a young peasant girl whom he didn’t really care for, Nureyev played the part as a sincere and ardent lover from the beginning to the end of the ballet, overwhelmed by madness and grief at the death of Giselle. His genuine despair and noble acting moved the audience". https://nureyev.org/rudolf-nureyev-famous-roles-ballets-index/ballet-giselle-albrecht-petipa-rudolf-nureyev/

I saw Nureyev twice in the role--mid career.  When I saw him, he performed as an arrogant aristocrat though he indeed he may have thought he loved Giselle. But it was a selfish aristocrat's love. And yes, when he saw the consequences of his actions he was overwhelmed--overwhelmed in the manner of someone who is learning something new about himself and life and yes, suffers something like genuine despair but when Nureyev stormed off stage at the end of Act I it was with absolute Patrician "hauteur"--I've never seen anything like it; as he looked at once completely arrogant and completely shattered, moving  as if he was on fire with his cape waving wildly behind him. In Act II he was transformed by his ordeal turning the ballet into a story of redemption--Albrecht's inner journey.

Is it possible Nureyev tried out different interpretations over the years--yes, of course.  (I saw Osipova try out different interpretations in Act III of Coppelia two different nights in the same week.) But I also know that when Baryshnikov danced Albrecht many people experienced his very youthful and more sweet approach as something fresh. Absolutely original-?  Gee I hadn't seen every Albrecht done to date at that time, let alone every Albrecht done in Russia, and I don't believe ANY artist starts from scratch so that everything they do is original unless indeed they are creating new roles.  Do they put their stamp on a role--that's the question. For me, Baryshnikov's Albrecht--yes! I have never seen anyone invest the brisés in particular with his level of emotion -- and he did so while performing them with extraordinary speed and brilliance. (The effect I think came from his upper body.)

Anyway, overall Baryshnikov was much more youthful as Albrecht and, as it were, tender and  sweet than the Nureyev I saw. (I speak of his Albrecht in the early years of the partnership with Kirkland. I also saw him dance an extremely tender and warm Albrecht with Marianna Tcherkassky when she made her debut in the role too.)

Personally, I would say I found Nureyev a more profound  Albrecht, but I have to add that over the years I found Baryshnikov a far more reliable dancer in all roles.  Nureyev, at least when touring in the West after his defection, was quite uneven--he had "on" nights and "off"--I know because I would get standing room to see him night after night and it wasn't always "on." I saw him give genuinely weird or sloppy performances in Don Quixote and Romeo and Juliet. He was pretty "on" both times I saw his Albrecht but one performance was very good and the other was sublime--one of the greatest performances I have ever seen.

But whatever my view of Nureyev, I would never make the mistake of minimizing Baryshnikov's accomplishments as Albrecht--or his wider accomplishments--and he certainly had an influence on others as well.

 

Edited August 22 by Drew

[volcanohunter]

This is a little clip about Baryshnikov from Darcey's Ballet Heroes, with comments from critic Clement Crisp, Nureyev biographer Julie Kavanagh and dancer Irek Mukhamedov. Unfortunately, the images and sound aren't synchronized. Mukhamedov's comments about Baryshnikov in slow motion are interesting, because videos of Baryshnikov in slow motion are almost a sub-genre on YouTube.

Interesting also is the little segment on Mukhamedov, because initially he made his reputation dancing Grigorovich, but he describes Kenneth MacMillan as "his" choreographer. (The subtitles leave a lot to be desired. )

I also still have the program from the Bolshoi’s 1990 U.S. tour, and pictures of Mukhamedov are all over it. But he defected before the tour began.

Edited August 22 by volcanohunter

[Meliss]

7 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Here's what the rank-and-file thought about it:

Further in the same topic there are reviews from those who like Grigorovich's ballets.

[Meliss]

8 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Greatness in Dancing Is Not Easy to Categorize,

That's right.

8 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Baryshnikov inspired envy and resentment among some dancers, and perhaps also among admirers of other dancers.

So why were there "admirers of other dancers" at all? Maybe just because the other dancers weren't bad either?) Or maybe even better! 

As for me, Baryshnikov causes me slight perplexity - why did he dance princes and especially Apollo with such an appearance? Well, it's really funny - Apollo is 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Edited August 22 by Meliss

[Meliss]

8 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

They questioned how it was possible to present a picture of contemporary male ballet dancing without its most famous exponent.

Apparently, not everyone considered him " most famous exponent."

[Meliss]

5 hours ago, California said:

I only saw one performance of Spartacus, thankfully -- I thought it was a bizarre, over-the-top circus show.

Did you think about the fate of the characters then? Did you not sympathize with them? Did you not enjoy the high quality of dancing and acting?