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The Royal Ballet - Sleeping Beauty, Spring 2014


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To speak of the devil (source: NYT)

 

American Ballet Theater will mark the 75th anniversary of its founding next year with a new production of “The Sleeping Beauty” choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky and based on the production Léon Bakst created for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1921, the company announced.

 

 

I don't understand this.  I presume that American Ballet Theatre is planning the full Sleeping Beauty - while Diaghilev's  1921-22 was an abridged version  - mostly the final act.  Also - Ratmansky is a choreographer while Bakst was an artist creating sets and costumes.  I don't see how these apples and oranges come together.  How can Ratmansky base his work on Bakst's?  

 

Sorry, I know this thread is about RB - but the post I'm replying to  - is here. 

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I don't understand this.  I presume that American Ballet Theatre is planning the full Sleeping Beauty - while Diaghilev's  1921-22 was an abridged version  - mostly the final act.  Also - Ratmansky is a choreographer while Bakst was an artist creating sets and costumes.  I don't see how these apples and oranges come together.  How can Ratmansky base his work on Bakst's?  

 

Sorry, I know this thread is about RB - but the post I'm replying to  - is here. 

 

Anjuli, I agree that the NYT reporting of the ABT announcement is not entirely clear in its detail.  (It did attempt to clarify it further down in the announcement which is now in today's BcoF links section.)  You might here find a little more specific light in the ABT press release itself.  The inspiration from the Bakst is to be taken from the tenor of his designs by British born designer Richard Hudson in his 2015 ABT realisation.  I will quote a few (e.g., three) sentences from the ABT press release here (which I think is still in keeping with the BcoF guidelines):

 

              American Ballet Theatre’s all-new production of The Sleeping Beauty will feature scenery and costumes by Tony Award®-winning designer Richard Hudson.  Hudson’s designs will be based on the historic work of Léon Bakst, who created a seminal version of The Sleeping Beauty for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1921.  ....

           

              “I have long wanted to choreograph a version of The Sleeping Beauty,” said Ratmansky.  “Tchaikovsky’s complex score and Petipa’s choreography represent the highest achievement of Russian classical art.  It symbolizes the harmony and magic of classical dance for me.”

 

I am, of course, only responding to your query - as I placed the ABT note here in the first place.  May we now return to an on-going discussion of the splendours of our local (e.g., native) Company's current SB run. 

Edited by Meunier
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The reviews of the Cuthbertson/Golding performance are very mixed, 

 

But I was so pleased for Lauren that her Aurora was generally so very well-received - especially after all the traumas she has been through these last few years. It is a massive role to conquer, especially on return from injury.

 

(I'm not sure when he actually started with the RB as he was supposed to be partnering Tamara Rojo in Le Corsaire a couple of weeks ago). 

 

Not really for this thread but Vadim Muntagirov's last performance of Le Corsaire was on Saturday 15th February. Matthew Golding, who was due to partner Tamara Rojo at the matinee that same day, was announced as injured.

 

 It will be interesting to see how well Vadim Muntagirov - also a dancer with a more reserved stage presence - is received by the critics. Let's hope that he has more rehearsal time than Golding.. 

 

Of course, Vadim Muntagirov received very favourable reviews for his Sleeping Beauty with ENB as recently as last year. As for rehearsal time - he was announced as joining the RB yesterday (24th February) and the Company is, I believe, due to have its mid-season break from the end of this week. So, possibly, his opportunities to rehearse with AkaneTakada will also be limited - especially if the speculation on here that they will dance a schools matinee on 19th March proves correct.

Edited by capybara
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The reviews of the Cuthbertson/Golding performance are very mixed, and I was surprised to see criticism of Golding's technical ability and partnering as I had thought that they were always strong. Having said that, allowances should be made for a very early debut with an unexpected partner and for his relative unfamiliarity with the RB 'style' and Ashton 'style' in particular.

I was surprised, too (not having seen the performance), but agree that we might need to make allowances under the circumstances.

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Of course, Vadim Muntagirov received very favourable reviews for his Sleeping Beauty with ENB as recently as last year. As for rehearsal time - he was announced as joining the RB yesterday (24th February) and the Company is, I believe, due to have its mid-season break from the end of this week. So, possibly, his opportunities to rehearse with AkaneTakada will also be limited - especially if the speculation on here that they will dance a schools matinee on 19th March proves correct.

But the ENB production is pretty close to the Royal's, isn't it? I thought MacMillan based his version on the Messel production.

 

I can't stop thinking about the string of en dedan pirouettes into fish dives from the grand pas de deux, It's always one of my favourite parts of the whole ballet and Cuthbertson/Golding injected them with lots of sparkle and excitement. Does anyone know if this was part of the original Petipa choreography? It seems a relatively 'new' step, but fits so well with the piece that I wouldn't be surprised if it's always been there.

I think we discussed this in relation to something else a while ago, and the conclusion, IIRC, was that the fish dives were a later addition, because they don't appear in Russian productions. If you want to run a search on "fish dive" you may find it.

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I am puzzled why the various productions need to keep doing new choreography for the garland dance. 

 

I'm beginning to think it's the same sort of impulse that makes dogs lift their legs when they see an irresistible tree. Gotta put my mark somewhere on this thing, can't fool with the really famous bits, but a garland dance is fair game. 

 

Honestly, this is the Royal Ballet; you'd think its founding choreographer could have come up with a garland dance that'd stand the test of time. Call me old-fashioned, but for something like that, I can't see Wheeldon improving on Ashton.

 

Although, to be fair, maybe they did need something for a different number of dancers or a different length of time. But even so, I can't help thinking that there's an element of the primal "need to make my mark somewhere" going on.

Edited by Melody
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The Sleeping Beauty was never a story ballet. It belongs to a genre of ballet that was quite popular at the the end of the nineteenth century,particularly in western Europe, the ballet feerie (fairy ballet), a tenuous story as an excuse for dancing.

 

It is interesting to note that the complaints about the ballet's lack of a strong story line go back to the original 1890 production when conservative Russian balletomanes questioned whether it was really a ballet at all. It was not just the music,  they objected to because it was too symphonic,  but the lack of a suitable dramatic plot which failed to provide motivation for dancing. One critic summarised the plot "They dance, fall asleep and dance again"  and another suggested that it should not be called a ballet feerie but a diorama and exhibit of costumes and props. The  point that I am trying to make is that there are no bits of missing choreography that would turn this work into a narrative ballet

 

I know that when I first began to watch full length ballets I found the corps work far less interesting than the sections danced by the principal dancers but as time went on, as I learnt more about ballet, I became more and more interested in the choreography and overall structure of the nineteenth century classics that de Valois acquired  for her company in the nineteen thirties. So for me there are no sections of choreographic dross that could trimmed without causing damage to the ballet.

 

Cut it to the highlights and you have Aurora's Wedding.A cut down version of Sleeping Beauty that  Diaghilev mounted in Paris after the financial failure of his production of the Sleeping Princess at the Alhambra in 1921. As Nijinska was employed as choreographer and dancer  for the 1921 revival I have always assumed that the third act fish dives were first seen in that production along with the three Ivans  (who were lasted sighted in the Ashton Sleeping Beauty ) and a curly finger version of the fifth fairy variation.

 

As far as I am concerned I would much prefer to see a fuller version of the ballet with all the dances for the beginning of act 2.or at least all that were in the 1977 production. I should much prefer to see one of the Ashton garland dances. If it was possible I should love the opportunity to see his first version as I understand from those who have seen both that his original version was better than his second one. Either would be better than the Wheeldon versions. As to why there have been a number of different garland dances I have always assumed that it is because that is one of the few sections of the ballet that can have new choreography without doing too much damage to the overall text of the ballet. After all the Sleeping Beauty has played such an important part in the history of the company that I doubt any one in their right mind would want to tamper with it.in any major way.

 

Sorry but although the BRB production has some nice touches it is the main company's version that I want to see. If I want to see an updated version suited to modern tastes I just have to wait until the Bolshoi or Maryinsky come to London then I will be able to see versions which  have most of the "boring" bits  removed in the name of being true to Petipa's spirit but not alas to his choreography.

 

As for the two casts that have danced in the current revival I thought that both Cuthbertson and Lamb were particularly fine. McRae was outstanding but I am not totally convinced that his choice of variation was quite princely enough. As for Matthew Golding I have now seen him as a guest with the company in La Bayadere, in Le Corsaire with ENB and now in Sleeping Beauty and while he has a strong technique I am not convinced that he is such a great acquisition for the Royal Ballet His partenering was good but his third act variation was not elegant enough for me.I do not hold it against him that he was not very good in the Rudi moody solo in act 2. That particular Ashton solo has been the downfall of many otherwise fine princes. But he had the misfortune of appearing in the same performance as James Hay who is one of the most elegant Bluebirds that I have seen. Like Francesca Hayward Hay has good arms. Perhaps if he had a less elegant more demi character Bluebird in his cast I might have found him better than I did.

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Well, I had been looking forward to seeing this double debut and was not disappointed, thought is was an unqualified success for them both, both dancers not only coped with the technical side but looked the parts to perfection!  Another joy was seeing Francesca Hayward 3 times, as Songbird fairy, in the Waltz, and then as Princess Florine with Marcelino Sambe as Bluebird, what a talented, delightful couple, couldn't ask for more, don't suppose my next one on 25th March will be bad either :)

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It was, indeed, a magical evening.  Yuhui put so much detail into her performance that I almost felt as if I was seeing the ballet anew. We had a number of other outstanding debuts last night. We not only had Yuhui and Ryo as Aurora and her Prince but, as Beryl says, we also had Frankie Hayward and Marcelino Sambé  as a most enchanting Bluebird and Princess Florine. I also suspect that it was Romany Pajdak's debut as Fairy of the Crystal Fountain. She did really well despite the fact that she would have had very little notice that she was to dance. (She was a last minute substitution due to illness)

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Oh, you mean there was a cast-change slip I missed again?

 

I think Marcelino Sambe's legs must be made of india-rubber! His jumps and landings were just amazingly, well, springy. And I was thinking during the Bluebird pdd: may Francesca Hayward always dance with such obvious joy in her dancing as she's currently doing. It's quite infectious.

 

Particular kudos for all the debutants for doing so well in front of Royalty, too :)

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Slightly off topic, but is the royal box the box nearest to the stage on the grand tier level, on the right side of the auditorium? On the floor plan I have of the ROH it doesn't identify it, and i've always wondered.

 

One-but-nearest, I think it is.

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It's the large box 2nd nearest to the stage at Grand Tier level. Not the best view for ballet!

 

Lousy view for ballet, actually.  When the Queen attends officially, they curtain off a section of the Grand Tier for her so she can actually see :)

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I can confirm that  the view from the Royal Box - or the one either immediately next to it or immediately above it - is possibly the worst in the house, having been put in there twice now with other latecomers.  This is going back at least  five years and I don't know whether they still treat latecomers so 'royally'.  About one-third of the right-hand side of the stage is invisible even if you risk your life by hanging over the edge.  Alison, I don't quite understand what you say about curtaining off a section of the Grand Tier - I thought if the Queen was attending officially, she would be expected to sit in the Royal Box so that she would be fully in view of the audience?

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It's the large box 2nd nearest to the stage at Grand Tier level. Not the best view for ballet!

 

 Its there so its occupants are seen, rather than allow the occupants to see, I believe. Fortunately, I am usually in the right hand side of the Stalls Circle, so happily forego that particular 'pleasure'

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Re: positioning of Royals, in my experience Princess Margaret chose to sit in the centre Grand Tier block, I've also seen Diana, the Queen and Queen Mother centre Grand Tier at galas, never curtained-off though. At the Royal Ballet's 75th anniversary show, not a gala as such, the Queen and Prince Philip sat in the Royal Box. Anyone can buy the seats there with use of its little drawing room, though I don't know whether the royal loo is unlocked for plebs.

The view is poor from the front, non- existant at the rear. Queen Victoria installed a mirror to reflect the stage when she discovered her attendants couldn't see anything from the back. You get shown all this on the ROH's auditorium tour (not the backstage one).

Edited by Grand Tier Left
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My fairly long post on last night's performance seems to have disappeared into the ether! To summarise: the Prologue felt a bit flat and the fairies lacked much charm; Lauren made a delightful teenage Aurora with lovely softly shaped dancing; the sets were beautiful but many of the costumes were garish; Matthew was fine; the fish dives were very vigorous; the gpdd lacked a bit of grandeur; the fairy tale dances were a bit dull and the garland dance wasn't very appealing and had unattractive costumes for the women and cheap looking garlands.

 

Did anyone else see last night's performance?

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My fairly long post on last night's performance seems to have disappeared into the ether!

Aileen, if you go to make another post in this thread, try seeing if you get a message at the bottom left saying something like "Restore Autosaved content". The site does have a system which usually saves your posting after a few minutes, so all may not be lost (unless your posting again has somehow cancelled it all out). I did a post about this some time ago in the "About the site" section.

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