Jacqueline Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 May I just ask, regarding Liam Scarlett and Swan Lake, what we are expecting of him and this commission? To my mind, the traditional telling of Swan Lake stands well enough as a narrative. It just requires costume and stage updating, decluttering and pointless, embarrassing character pruning. Are we going to see the story - please no - deconstructed and replaced in a modern setting? I do hope Mr Scarlett does not decide to take his inspiration from the naked bike riders on another thread for example! I do not know enough about even earlier presentations, only that the recently retired one was very much of the times, 80's eye watering bling, general overkill and as such, almost immediately outdated. As Swan Lake is such a bums on seats money spinner, I would be surprised if the new version strays too far from the path of good box office but who knows? Mr Scarlett has a ready made ballet here, which to my mind requires little tinkering. What to leave in and what to drop seems quite straightforward, whilst maintaining the essence and flow of the story. Reviews suggest he failed to establish a theme with Frankenstein and appears to have decided to leave everything in, missing the underlying themes and nuances, resulting in an overly literal production. Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere and I have missed it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 May I just ask, regarding Liam Scarlett and Swan Lake, what we are expecting of him and this commission? To my mind, the traditional telling of Swan Lake stands well enough as a narrative. It just requires costume and stage updating, decluttering and pointless, embarrassing character pruning. Are we going to see the story - please no - deconstructed and replaced in a modern setting? I do hope Mr Scarlett does not decide to take his inspiration from the naked bike riders on another thread for example! I do not know enough about even earlier presentations, only that the recently retired one was very much of the times, 80's eye watering bling, general overkill and as such, almost immediately outdated. As Swan Lake is such a bums on seats money spinner, I would be surprised if the new version strays too far from the path of good box office but who knows? Mr Scarlett has a ready made ballet here, which to my mind requires little tinkering. What to leave in and what to drop seems quite straightforward, whilst maintaining the essence and flow of the story. Reviews suggest he failed to establish a theme with Frankenstein and appears to have decided to leave everything in, missing the underlying themes and nuances, resulting in an overly literal production. Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere and I have missed it. I'm just going to wait and see. Maybe others should do the same. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I'm just going to wait and see. Maybe others should do the same. I agree but I hope that the RB Director will be having 'a conversation' with Liam so that some potential pitfalls can be avoided. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I'll admit that I was surprised when O'Hare appointed a choreographer to take this on, given that the RB already has a more-than-serviceable text (or 2 or 3), and it was the production that needed changing. I guess we shall have to wait and see. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Yes, me too, Alison. The trouble is, we can wait, but if we don't like what we see, we are stuck with it for the next 20 (?) years. So I would rather our feelings were made plain now, before the new costumes and scenery have been completed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Yes, me too, Alison. The trouble is, we can wait, but if we don't like what we see, we are stuck with it for the next 20 (?) years. So I would rather our feelings were made plain now, before the new costumes and scenery have been completed. I honestly don't think anyone will care what we say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I honestly don't think anyone will care what we say. Did that ever stop us? :-) I think it's a reasonable discussion topic, isn't it? -whether anyone actively involved is listening - or not, as perhaps seems more likely. As past choreogprahers have added their own interpolations to SL I imagine Scarlett would do the same, whilst keeping the overall framewrok of one of the RB texts. Maybe that would not be a bad thing? I agree I hope very much he avoids any over 'psychologised' versions. This always seems to reduce the power of the ballet. It needs no over- interpretation. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) it will be interesting to see how far anyone, even Scarlett and O'Hare, dare stray from the traditional text of Swan Lake at a time when a choreographer like Ratmansky is actually trying to restore the original text to a number of Petipa ballets , including Swan Lake. For me the problems with the recently retired production were nearly all connected with the design. Neither the references to Faberge nor the period in which the ballet was created did anything for the ballet in performance.The greatest design faults were the designs for the corps in the white acts, the ubiquitous bling and the dark floor in act 3. Leslie Hurry gave his act 3 set a pale floor so you could actually see the dancing. Given the technical state of the company at the time that Dowell staged his production I have from time to time wondered whether the invisibility element was deliberate. As far as the choreographic text is concerned the Bintley choreography with the Maypole and the stools was a big mistake. I know it is in the original libretto but it was clearly dropped and does not make an appearance in any other production that I am aware of. All the new choreography did was to give a clear indication as to why it had been dropped. Either of the Ashton waltzes would have been better than what we have had to endure. However the pas de douze would, I think have been impractical. as it was created for the company at a time when it was brimming over with strong classical dancers. During the early 1980's it became rather obvious that the demands that it placed on the company as far as good classical dancing was concerned were more than it was able to meet. The problem with Swan Lake is that it sells tickets so whatever we think of it the new production it is likely to hold the stage for many years. If we decide to boycott performances, and there are some ballet goers who have stayed away from performances by the RB because they disliked the Dowell production so much, the tickets will sell. One thing I don't understand is why the company should be restricted to one production. I should like to see the production that preceded the Dowell production back on the stage as the company, in its current state, has the dancers to do it full justice. Edited May 31, 2016 by FLOSS 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 One thing I don't understand is why the company should be restricted to one production. I should like to see the production that preceded the Dowell production back on the stage as the company, in its current state, has the dancers to do it full justice. Yes, that production was beautiful and straightforward and powerful. I came to love the Dowell production after initial dismay, though I never came to terms with the maypole dance which almost made me cry on first viewing and never improved. But I'm hoping that elements of the earlier production will be restored. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummykool Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 For all fans of this ballet, Steven McRae has posted on his Twitter feed that BBC4 will be broadcasting this at 8pm on Sunday October 30th as part of their Halloween celebrations. Must be the first time I've ever appreciated us adopting Halloween as something to celebrate.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 My daughter has set it up to record and I intend to keep it as I suspect it will be reworked if the RB revive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 I will substitute the word 'hope' for 'suspect' ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Shortcake Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Wasn't the ballet supposed to be released on DVD next month? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHazell2 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Wasn't the ballet supposed to be released on DVD next month? Been postponed until next March I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 The ROH website shows Frankenstein DVD and Blu-Ray release date as 27 January, prices a little less than usual too. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 This is on TV tomorrow in a very timely way for me!! After having watched TV on my dads titchy old big box backed Panasonic TV for the last ten years ( even smaller Hitachi one before that) we have just acquired a state of the art TV and are in the 21st Century at last!! It's an Oled 55inch LG 4k TV (partners research and choice) so am completely mesmerised by everything on it at the moment....Autumn Watch is amazing and Poldark well...just wow...and now I can see why everyone loves Aidan Turner ( maybe not so much since last week!!) So to know will get a chance to see some ballet already on it tomorrow ( even though I should be packing) I'm pleased it's Frankenstein too because when I went to see it at the ROH I said to my partner I thought he might like that one next time it's on and now he will get to see it tomorrow!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 Nice bit of telly kit! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) Well it certainly is.....have just watched Strictly.....a-m-a-z-i-n-g and totally f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s!!! It feels a bit like that time when got my first colour TV just found it completely fascinating and was glued to it for at least a week ....which included Charles and Di's wedding!! My partners now got it hooked up to a couple of speakers too so feel will never have to go to the cinema again at the moment!! Edited October 29, 2016 by LinMM 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I am beginning to champ at the bit for this! Come on Frankenstein and Co! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) I watched the tv showing having previously seen it at the cinema relay. I have to thank the BBC for the sceening - an interesting and imaginative programming for Halloween. However, if they are trying to grow an audience for classical ballet, they did not help by refraining from any synopsis which was particularly needed in the latter acts. The introduction was an edited composite version of the cinema screening which was fine, but then nothing followed to provide a context to how Scarlett has staged the narrative, It was good to remind myself of how well the creature works in this production and is brilliantly portrayed by Steven McRae. it is worth watching for this alone. Edited October 31, 2016 by Odyssey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 I quite agree about the lack of synopsis. The Bolshoi always do a brief (not always adequate) one at the beginning of each act. Even titles indicating the scenes would have been of some use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Alas ended up seeing very little of this as between 8 and 9 had a massive seemingly local signal failure ....couldn't get ANY channels let alone BBC 4 and BBC tends to,be okay round here. This does happen from time to time increasingly more often unfortunately and have no idea why unless they are working on the transmitter on the Isle of Wight but just don't tell anybody. Did get to see some though and as you can imagine it was brill on new TV!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Shortcake Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 I must confess that I laughed out loud at the sheer speed with which Frankenstein assembled the Creature. Arm/leg attached and heart bunged in the chest cavity in the time it takes to stick on a Band-Aid... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Oh Lin, the same thing happened around my way during the first broadcast of Alice's Adventures ... Various people wrote and pointed out the problem and asked whether it could be repeated some time. It was, although whether the complaints had anything to do with it I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 It's on iPlayer for those that missed it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 I must confess that I laughed out loud at the sheer speed with which Frankenstein assembled the Creature. Arm/leg attached and heart bunged in the chest cavity in the time it takes to stick on a Band-Aid... Yes, I'm with you there. When I saw it, the man sat next to me in the stalls began to titter, along with me and two Japanese ladies in front of us who got a major attack of the giggles at that point! The other one is when the Professor attaches the probes and the arm shoots up - something about that bit sets me off as well.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 I must confess that I laughed out loud at the sheer speed with which Frankenstein assembled the Creature. Arm/leg attached and heart bunged in the chest cavity in the time it takes to stick on a Band-Aid...I laughed at this as well, mostly out of disbelief at how bad it was, the choreography, the score, the storytelling, all of it. The sets were probably more impressive at the theatre than on television. Had I been at the theatre I would have left at the first opportunity. At least all I had to do on Sunday was switch off the TV. I know one shouldn't judge on the strength of one act. Perhaps it underwent a massive improvement but after the risible scene mentioned already and all that led up to it, I didn't have the patience to sit through anymore. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Perhaps it underwent a massive improvement Errrrr.....nope! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Errrrr.....nope!I suspected as much, even though I have seen works that got better as they went along and I have been glad I persevered. Others have started badly and somehow got worse, even when you think it not possible. This is the second time I have seen Bonelli and Morera in a new work and actually felt sorry for them. Both are fine dancers and deserve so much better.If I could have walked out of Carmen last year, I would have but there was no interval and I was trapped in my seat for the duration. I don't give up lightly but life is short. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Alas ended up seeing very little of this as between 8 and 9 had a massive seemingly local signal failure ....couldn't get ANY channels let alone BBC 4 and BBC tends to,be okay round here. This does happen from time to time increasingly more often unfortunately and have no idea why unless they are working on the transmitter on the Isle of Wight but just don't tell anybody. Did get to see some though and as you can imagine it was brill on new TV!! Sorry to hear this, must have been my lucky day as I saw it all from the Whitehawk transmitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Unfortunately think ours is facing Rowridge on the Isle of Wight ......don't know why though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette H Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 San Francisco Ballet are bringing Frankenstein back for a second run in 2018. Details are here "The Creature is back! The sold-out hit of 2017, Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein bowed to roaring ovations." https://www.sfballet.org/season/2018-repertory/2018-program-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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