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La Sylphide plus ... ?


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Following today's announcement that English National Ballet will be performing La Sylphide next season, and combining it with either Song of the Earth or Le Jeune Homme et La Mort (http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/14828-press-release-english-national-ballet-announces-its-2017-2018-autumnwinter-season/#entry204503), what else have you seen it combined with in the past?  I can recall:

 

The Lesson / Dances from Napoli (Royal Ballet)

Troy Game (Scottish Ballet)

I don't think London Festival Ballet performed it along with anything else when they did it in the 80s, did they?

 

Actually, my mind's gone blank at this point.  I'm sure I've seen it with something else.

 

Suggestions as to what you think would make a good pairing would also be welcome ...

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POB will perform La Sylphide (Pierre Lacotte) on its own in July with a duration of just over 2 hours including an interval. Ballet Nice Mediterranee combined La Sylphide (Dinna Bjørn after Bournonville) with Robbins' En Sol in 2015 - I don't know how long that version is though.

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The Bolshoi certainly used to present it on its own as well - their website has it timed at an hour and three quarters including the interval, which fits my memories.

 

I can't remember feeling short changed ever, just glad of the early night! Of course if I'd been travelling far I might have felt differently, though probably not: I'm philistine enough to think most shows could happily lose half an hour at least.

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I've seen it most often with The Lesson in Denmark, but also with Etudes, a piece by Jorma Elo, and Symphony in C. I'd really like to see it paired with Balanchine's Donizetti Variations (which, incidentally,  the Royal Ballet really ought to get for Sambe and others).

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Saw,it in Copenhagen in 1992 with Lifeguards from Amager which I believe the Kirov used to do. And can't remember what was with it the last time the RB did it, but I know it wasn't Les Rendezvous.

 

Lifeguards from Amager?  Now you're talking!!!

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Definitely remember seeing it with (excerpts from) Napoli at the ROH. it was particularly memorable because there was a male pas de trois and I was fascinated by this young redhead whom I thought was really excellent. In the interval I asked a friend who he was and she said 'That's Steven McRae. he's very up-and-coming and she was right! Would love to see it with any Bournonville or similar (even Ashton) but definitely not Song of the Earth or Jeunne Hommes as I don't like either.

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I still wish it was being done with Broken Wings.  I think there are thematic strands which might be quite telling ... and both are so vivid.  Also Broken Wings is SUCH a major work - or at least that's how I perceived it.  I would love to see Broken Wings get the prominence it deserves ... so that it can well and truly bed in.  Look at what Scottish Ballet did with the same creative team's Streetcar ... although, of course, that was a full length.  Plus Broken Dreams has moments of wonderful wit to lighten its shade ... as I earnestly believe does La Sylphide.  You then too might have the prospect of Mukhamedov in the role he originated in one ... and as a (perhaps) fascinating Madge.  Well, stranger things have happened ... haven't they?  My first ... Madge I mean ... was Erik Bruhn ... and he was mesmeric ... but then, of course, it was in HIS production!

Edited by Bruce Wall
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Paris Opera Ballet and NYCB do it as a stand alone - bit of a swizz so thrilled that ENB are pairing it with anything!

POB's version is different and quite a bit longer.

NYCB did it last year without an interval, but not by itself; the first part of the program had various Bournonville bits.

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I think my idea of balletic heaven would be a proper, authentic Danish La Sylphide followed by the last act of Raymond. Never likely to happen as the additional ballet tends to precede the main work.

 

That being the case I would endorse it being paired with Les Rendezvous but only if the proper costumes are used.

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I think my idea of balletic heaven would be a proper, authentic Danish La Sylphide

 

With Frank Andersen in charge a 'proper, authentic Danish' La Sylphide is what you will get.

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I would expect that any revival of Les Rendezvous will now use the Chappell designs. Those designs were certainly used when the ballet was recently danced at the RBS main stage matinee. Although the Frederick Ashton Foundation is shown as the owner of Les Rendezvous on its website I believe that the true situation is that Derek Rencher left the rights to the RBS and that the foundation looks after the ballet for the school. The end result is that unless the rights owner decides on a new redesign we should be seeing the ballet in its familiar form in the future. The thing that I find so odd is that every redesign of an Ashton ballet that I have seen has been little short of a disaster.

 

Although I have already said that I am quite happy with the companion ballets which have been selected for these La Sylphide performances I would love to see it with Conservatoire as its companion piece bu I suspect that it would require too much adjustment for a company which does not specialise in Bournonville, As for the choice of companion ballets well Song of the Earth is recognition  of the significant MacMillan anniversaries in 2017, and as they have performed Le Jeune Homme fairly recently is it just possible that the company still has a licence to perform it ?

Edited by FLOSS
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POB's version is different and quite a bit longer.

NYCB did it last year without an interval, but not by itself; the first part of the program had various Bournonville bits.

Oh gosh yes you are right about NYCB but my memory is that of feeling short changed as it was still very brief despite the Bournonville Diverts.  NYCB are a lot dearer than ABT too - any reason why do you know - different funding?  

Its that long since I saw POB - but it is on again this summer.

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Oh gosh yes you are right about NYCB but my memory is that of feeling short changed as it was still very brief despite the Bournonville Diverts.  NYCB are a lot dearer than ABT too - any reason why do you know - different funding?  

Its that long since I saw POB - but it is on again this summer.

 

I think the Metropolitan Opera holds more people than the Koch theatre so they can get more revenue out of it. Also ABT does mostly full-length classics which, even in NY, pack in the ticket buyers more than NYCB's mixed programs.

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  • 7 months later...

Can anyone advise me on which of the two options would be best Song of the Earth / La Sylphide or Le Jeune Homme et la Mort / La Sylphide? 

 

I go for the music and my friend goes for the ballet so we are struggling to decide as neither or us are very knowledgeable on ballet.

 

Sorry to be so vague - just hoping someone can say something to help us decide.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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20 minutes ago, junedancer said:

Can anyone advise me on which of the two options would be best Song of the Earth / La Sylphide or Le Jeune Homme et la Mort / La Sylphide? 

 

I go for the music and my friend goes for the ballet so we are struggling to decide as neither or us are very knowledgeable on ballet.

 

Sorry to be so vague - just hoping someone can say something to help us decide.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

go for the one with Song of the Earth, if you can only do one

 

 

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I have been watching the clips from Song of the Earth at English National's facebook page.  I have never had the privilege of seeing Song, so I would love to watch it along with La Sylphide.  Here in the US, I have seen La Sylphide paired with Serenade which makes for a beautiful evening.  ABT has paired it with Paul Taylor's Airs.  This year, Boston Ballet is pairing Sylphide with Bournonville Divertissements - Jockey Dance, the pas from Flower Festival, and the Pas de Six and Tarantella from Napoli.  I am not sure if that is what NYCB did recently?

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If my memory serves me right, I think when Kobborg mounted for RB, La Sylphide was preceded by either The Lesson or Napoli - which was a charming double Danish!!!  

 

Not sure that the Song of the Earth/La Sylphide is a good combo, but one certainly gets one's money's worth for this programme.  I think a lighter preceding work works best.

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