Solor Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 Is the Bolshoi Ballets video of "The Little Humpbacked Horse" with Maya Plisetskaya to the music of Cesare Pugni?? Who is the choreographer?? Someone knowledgable of this please let me know so I can see if I want to but or not. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 This is a latter-day (1961) Humpbacked Horse, with music by Rodion Shchedrin, Plisetskaya's husband. Vasiliev plays Innocent Ivan, if I recall correctly. Can't remember the choreographer. Some bits of the Pugni survive in variations classes and interpolations in other highlights-type programs, but the ballet in its entirety is not done these days. Link to comment
rg Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 as mel indicated this is a soviet re-make of the once-famous 19th c. st-leon ballet. the film itself is quite a pretty production, with sparkle and candy-colors befitting the look of a fairy-tail. there are even animation details if mem. serves. the choreographer as you can see from the credits below also danced the character role of the king (or tsar) in his ballet. he's not known for much else choreography-wise, but the film has become rather well known mostly because it stars plisetskaya. and yes, vasiliev is also stellar as ivanushka, the story's simple but pure-hearted brother. The little humpbacked horse [videorecording] / produced by Mosfilm ; released by Corinth Films ; directed by Zoya Tulubyeva ; script and choreography by Aleksandr Radunskii ; music by Rodion Shchedrin. 1961, c1988. (85 min.) Notes: Maya Plisetskaya (Queen Maiden), Vladimir Vasiliev (Ivan), Alla Shcherbinina (Little humpbacked horse), Alexander Radunskii (King), and members of the Bolshoi Ballet. Libretto, Vasily Vainonen and P. Maliarevskii after the tale by Ershov ; design, Boris Volkov ; photography, Mikhail Silenko. Filmed at the Central Documentary Film Studio, Moscow, in 1961. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 I have this video also, and would only add to what has already been said, is that this changed my very limited view of Vasiliev -- as Spartacus -- and Plisetskaya -- as Kitri. They are both so humble and sweet in this ballet -- the dancing is glorious, of course, but it's an ensemble piece and everything is in scale. Link to comment
Olivier Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 FYI, Alla Shcherbinina who plays the Little humpbacked horse on the tape became Alla Savchenko and was Ballet Mistress with the RWB. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 Thanks for that, Olivier! Link to comment
Hans Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 I have that tape, too, and I love it . The only thing that bothers me is that the Ocean and Pearls pas de trois wasn't included, along with a few variations, I think. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 A lot of Soviet videos of this era cut out the dancing -- there's a Swan Lake that cuts the pas de trois, and the Sizova Sleeping Beauty cuts the variations for Bluebird -- and the dancers were Makarova and Panov! I suppose it was thought that classical dancing was of no interest to the proletariat. Link to comment
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