Jump to content

The Royal Ballet: Anastasia, October 2016


Recommended Posts

Yes, that's very interesting, Jamesrhblack. Though I still didn't necessarily think it encouraged us to see the first two acts as artificial memory - just as the memory of someone who was now in a very different state, and with the implication that she was Anastasia (since the film freezes on her). I thought that the off-kilter elements of the sets etc were (as in Mayerling) an indication of a crumbling dynasty, not of a crumbling mind. And nothing in the choreography or the narrative of these two acts suggests that they are not real or true - it's all pretty naturalistic (if that's the right word) and is danced as such. So even with the imposed intro, I don't think the work hangs together or that it's possible for the Anastasias to give a coherent performance (though it sounds as if they've all given it a very good go!).

Precisely. The whole problem, for me, is in the lack of integration of the acts in this sense. There is nothing in Act 1 to tell you this IS a memory let alone a false or disturbed one. In this sense it ranks with the 'it was all a dream' as a very weak narrative device indeed....

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 317
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

James, I had thought that the hands to shoulder movements were something to do with Russian courtly or folk dancing. Can you explain your interpretation of them. Did the outstretched arm with the upturned palm (there is a photograph of this with Durante demonstrating this movement to Cuthbertson(?) in the programme) signify anything in particular? I assume that it alluded to her cutting her wrists.

Introducing Anna at the beginning of Act 1(in a sort of prologue) makes the work much more coherent IMO. When was this added?

Good Morning Aileen,

 

It's a purely personal interpretation of the oft repeated gesture. To my eye, it seems "uncourtlly," slightly rueful and in its naturalism removed from standard etiquette and I think my interpretation is based on the individual nature of the stance compared to the other characters and influenced by thoughts of the ballet's concentration on memory and identity I've seen it as an expression of independence and self development. I've really not expressed that very well but because of where it occurs in the ballet it seemed viable to me. Although, of course, its appearance in the last act would originally have come first which may or may not make a difference.

 

The outstretched hand I've read as a mirror extension. Anna Anderson looks in to her hand to see who she is and then extends it to us the audience either in affirmation of her identity or in a question to us. Or, indeed, both...

 

Often, there are no concrete answers and wider discussion can help fix thoughts or open up new ones. I'll continue to cogitate.

 

The introduction of Anna Anderson at the start was new this time round I believe: I certainly don't recall that from 2004.

Edited by Jamesrhblack
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know that I read recently (I think with reference to the ROH rehearsal photos of Anastasia) that Anna is showing a birthmark on her outstretched hand as evidence of her belief that she is Anastasia, since Anastasia was supposed to have had a similar birthmark. Unfortunately at the moment I can't find the feature where I read this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So Anastasia is over - alas.

 

For me, it has been a wonderful 2/3 weeks and I want to "say goodbye" to the ballet by paying tribute to the performances I have found the most memorable:

 

- all 3 Anastasias (Natalia Osipova, Lauren Cuthbertson and Laura Morera) - each one of them amazing

- Gary Avis (Tsar), Christina Arestis (Tsarina), Olivia Cowley (Olga); Rory Toms and Asa Cornish (Tsarevitch)

- Reece Clarke, Marcellino Sambe, Matthew Ball, Alexander Campbell (all very commanding as leading Officers)

- Eric Underwood and Ryoichi Hirano (both of whom had a real aura of menace as Rasputin)

- James Hay, Yasmine Naghdi (the only one who really showed us that she and the Tsar had a 'history') and Akane Takada in the pas de deux (still trying to work out why the other pairings and their dancing seemed awry)

- Bennet Gartside (the most effective husband for me and an excellent officer earlier on)

- Vicenzo di Primo (Wayne Sleep was in the audience last night and I'll bet he thought his successor revolutionary was really something)

- various corps members who stood out for being 'in character' where not all succeeded, notably (for me) Leo Dixon as an officer and Anna-Rose O'Sullivan as a nurse

 

Thanks to all.

 

[Edited to correct layout.]

Edited by capybara
  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know that I read recently (I think with reference to the ROH rehearsal photos of Anastasia) that Anna is showing a birthmark on her outstretched hand as evidence of her belief that she is Anastasia, since Anastasia was supposed to have had a similar birthmark. Unfortunately at the moment I can't find the feature where I read this.

Kevin O'Hare mentioned the birthmark at the Insights evening but I've not come across this reference anywhere else...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were told at the insight, if I remember correctly, that Anastasia and Anna Anderson each had a birthmark on her wrist, which helped to encourage the idea that Anna might be Anastasia.

Kevin O"Hare did mention that but I have to say I have never seen that referenced anywhere else amongst the physical similarities that existed between Anna Anderson and Anastasia - deformation of the feet, height, eye colour, extensive physical scars on her body....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if some of the current incumbents are rather tall to be able to carry off a sailor suit?

 

The actual costume was a dress with the upper part around the neckline being sailor style.  The current costume is at odds somehow with playing with roller skates.

 

I have a book of photographs of Lynne Seymour taken by Anthony Crickmay with a text by Clement Crisp and I must comment on Seymour's exquisite jewelled ball gown of the second act, blue if I remember rightly, another great loss.  Seymour had a body that was not the standard ballet shape back then and even less so today, but the designer had created something that flattered her and would have looked perfect on those dancers in the current run.

 

Referring back to the book, the pictures from the last act with David Adams as the husband seem to me to indicate a very turbulent pas de deux that fits in with my memories, I think it more than likely that some of that duet is now performed with Rasputin.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Floss, Odyssey and all for the recent comments, particularly re the Act 2 pdd.

I've been more and more struck by the Durante/Sansom 1993 performance and have tried to add a YouTube link below. It just looks so easy for these two and almost nonchalant where Sansom seems to lift Durante with one hand (twice).

Viviana Durante I think was coaching both Anna/Anastasia and the pdd roles so I'm not sure why for the performances we've seen, the pdd hasn't yet come off when all three Annas/Anastasias have been mesmerising. We're looking forward very much to seeing the final two performances on 12 November as we've only seen Sarah/Steven in a rehearsal and think Akane/James will gain from experience: we're also seeing the cinema encore (but I don't imagine the pdd will spring to life unless the Durante/Sansom film could be spliced in).

https://youtu.be/4Ur45zje07k

Gosh, that was in a completely different class to what I saw at the cinema (Nunez, Bonelli) and on Saturday afternoon (Lamb, Bonelli). It has poise, flow, inflection and it's also danced at a rather quicker tempo. The cinema showing in particular seems positively lugubrious in recollection...

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to echo Capybara's thanks above (302). This is the first time we've seen Anastasia and we have been more and more impressed with the three Act ballet, from the web Insights evening, a stage rehearsal, the cinema relay and encore and performances at the ROH. Our experience has been enhanced by the various contributions on the Forum with particular thanks to Capybara and Jamesrhblack.

 

If I could make a couple of comments:

 

To Capybara's tribute list, could I add Kristen McNally in all her roles - as the Tsarina, Lady-in-Waiting or fearsome Matron. As with Bennet Gartside, Kristen always seems to bring so much to the character, whether large or relatively minor.

 

We've found the three Acts make for a gripping evening and form a coherent whole when seen from the perspective of Anna and her 'memories' of being Anastasia. Anna opening Act 1 is telling and the staging does show that Acts 1 and 2 are set within the confines of the sanitorium, although this only becomes clear when we see the actual set for Act 3. We also know that the first two Acts are imaginations because they run counter to historical fact (Rasputin was assassinated in 1916 and Anastasia did not have a coming out ball).

 

I thought Kenneth Macmillan was ambivalent as regards whether Anna really was Anastasia and rather hoped that she might have been but recognised this was more a romantic fancy than likely to be fact. So it seems to me entirely credible to stage the ballet with Anna clearly believing that she was Anastasia - the fact that she was mistaken doesn't undermine the drama or Kenneth Macmillan's genius.

 

As I've said previously, I look forward immensely to the DVD (would be fantastic if it could include a decent recording of the Durante/Swanson pdd which must be in the Royal Ballet's archive) and do hope we don't have to wait another 10 years for a revival.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess that Act 1 scenery goes with Tchaikovsky's Winter Dreams symphony!

 

I saw Saturday evening's performance and enjoyed seeing the third cast, even the little boy was new to me, Asa Cornish, I usually ignore ROH surveys but I did do the Anastasia one, I think this revival has been very worthwhile and would book to see it again, hope the DVD comes out sooner than next autumn which is the date on ROH twitter.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Jonathan Gray in the December issue of Dancing Times:

 

She [i.e., Osipova] should have been ideal, and yet I was disappointed by her, and also the overall lacklustre quality of the first cast. To me, Osipova did not make enough of her character in the first two acts, underplaying the wilful, tomboyish aspects of Anastasia's personality and lacking the supple, melting, rounded qualities of movement associated with Seymour and imprinted into the choreography. She seemed prim, stiff and anonymous. As if to make up for this, in the third act Osipova danced full out, all guns blazing, her performance physically punishing, like a long shriek of pain. It was, however, danced all on one level so that you didn't sense Anna Andersons's vulnerability, or the growing anger in her attempts to prove her own identity.

 

Gray considers Lauren Cuthberson's performance much more satisfying and has some kind words for Laura Morera.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was interested to receive the Anastacia survey which seemed to me to be asking the question 'should we perform it again?'

 

For me, the answer would be no.  I would book to see ACT111 as part of an evening, but I did not enjoy the complete work and think it is too flawed to be repeated with any frequency.  Undoubtedly there are fans who would attend another performance but for ballet lovers like myself who have to make something of  a trek to visit ROH, the cost and the time commitment are simply too great to see something I didn't really enjoy it.  Maybe there are enough people to attend three performances but that wouldn't justify the rehearsal time and on-costs.

 

For me, very occasionally only, please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Penelope for the information about the Anastasia survey although I think we might disagree about the merits of the 3 Act ballet. I'd be interested to know who was undertaking the survey - was it ROH?

 

I must say how much my wife and I enjoyed the recent run of Anastasias which we'd not seen before. Living in Cumbria it is a bit of a trek but we found the experience more and more rewarding and would love to see the full evening Anastasia again in the not too distant future - not just dusted off every 10 years or so. All three casts were so well worth seeing - we managed 4 performances in the theatre and the cinema relays.

 

I think I earlier asked what might be included in a triple bill to complement Act 3 and recall a suggestion of Obsidian Tear but not too much else. Would it be useful to consider the relative merits of the full Anastasia as opposed to a mixed triple bill? For my part I found the full 3 Acts worked incredibly well and I find it hard to see what might be more coherent but I'd love to know what more knowledgeable folk think would make a great triple bill with Act 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Penelope for the information about the Anastasia survey although I think we might disagree about the merits of the 3 Act ballet. I'd be interested to know who was undertaking the survey - was it ROH?

 

I must say how much my wife and I enjoyed the recent run of Anastasias which we'd not seen before. Living in Cumbria it is a bit of a trek but we found the experience more and more rewarding and would love to see the full evening Anastasia again in the not too distant future - not just dusted off every 10 years or so. All three casts were so well worth seeing - we managed 4 performances in the theatre and the cinema relays.

 

I think I earlier asked what might be included in a triple bill to complement Act 3 and recall a suggestion of Obsidian Tear but not too much else. Would it be useful to consider the relative merits of the full Anastasia as opposed to a mixed triple bill? For my part I found the full 3 Acts worked incredibly well and I find it hard to see what might be more coherent but I'd love to know what more knowledgeable folk think would make a great triple bill with Act 3.

Sorry not to reply earlier.

 

Yes, the survey came from ROH and was very different from their usual questions about the building, staff,etc.  I can no longer remember the exact phrasing but it did ask the question 'would I return to see Anastacia?' to which my answer was an emphatic NO!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...
On ‎05‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 01:05, alison said:

Okay, I'm going to stick my neck out on changes made to Act III for the 2004 production.  This has been prompted by the realisation over the past few days that the Brother has become such a non-role that I wonder why they bother naming him in the cast sheet, and I suspect that what's happened in a number of cases is that Rasputin has been moved into choreography originally written for the Husband, who in turn has been shifted into the Brother's shoes, so to speak.  I'm sure I remember the Brother having more to do than he now has. So my guess is that the Olga/Rasputin/Husband trio where they all keep changing places was originally Olga/Husband/Brother, and also that the part very early on where Rasputin and the Husband are forming a protective circle around Anna (but all facing in the same direction) was originally Husband/Brother.  Also, I think there was an early and relatively violent pdd between Anna and the Husband which Rasputin now performs: I think I always wondered why the husband would be treating the wife like that - plus I'm wondering whether all the parts where Anna is being carried around in inverted splits involved the Husband rather than Rasputin. 

 

On ‎06‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 14:00, Lynette H said:

I think you are correct about choreography for the husband being shifted to Rasputin. I've found some reviews from 2004 which make this explicit.

[...]

 
And here is something from 1996 when the revival was being prepared
 
 

 

Just - finally - caught up with Act III on the Covid livestreams, and am still frustrated by the changes made to Act III - after all, given the different relationships of Rasputin and the Husband with Anna/Anastasia, it surely can't make a lot of sense simply to swap them without changing the intent of the piece.  I can't for some reason get into the Spectator archive to see if there's a significant amount of detail relating to the later (2004?) changes, but I presume there's no video available of either the original one-acter or Act III before the changes were made?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...