The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote

[aileen]

Ok, so why hasn't the Royal, a world-class company, been able to do it successfully then? There's some deficiency somewhere. Companies abroad successfully perform ballets originally choreographed for the Royal. Are ballets like Don Quixote just not "suited" to the Royal for whatever reason?

[Jan McNulty]

Perhaps they've just not had the right production?

 

BTW, Christopher Gable did a super production for Northern Ballet in the 1980s. I saw some terrific performances. He did three episodes from the book - Kitri/Basilio, Dulcinea and the court of the Duchess. Kitri and Basilio were only in Act 1. The thread was the Don and Sancho Panza.

 

The production was revived in the mid-1990s and, to this day, Daniel de Andrade (now NB ballet master) is the epitome of Basilio. Perhaps the Royal could persuade him to coach for the new production!

 

Edited to add that most of the successful productions I have heard about all have Russian influence (Baryshnikov, Nureyev, Alonso etc)

[annamk]

Perhaps it is something to do with the company training & tradition ? The RB could dance a DonQ that would be fun and perfectly fine but I cannot imagine it living up to the Bolshoi and Mariinsky dancing. It's the same with the shades scene from La Bayadere and the swans in Swan Lake. I haven't seen the Russian companies dance MacMillan - that would be interesting.

[annamicro]

I saw the Bolshoi dancing La Fille mal Gardee. I cannot talk of the style, but generally speaking I wasn't impressed: it was as they were lacking of comic timing. And that was really surprising since they are so funny in things like The Bright Stream: probably they have a different kind of humor in their DNA.

 

The main problem with many RB men and DQ at the moment is quite basic: there are classical steps to do. That problem is present at any level of the ranking, even if it becomes dramatically evident with some principals.

One should think about the fact that for Basil only two names come out: a member of the company (in my opinion cast against type) and a guest.

[alison]

And I've seen the Kirov dancing Manon. Manon as a three-act classical ballet. They no longer have the rights to perform it. Enough said, I think.

 

Janet, I wasn't going to bring NBT into the equation because I'd never seen their production and didn't know how it compared with the Russian ones. I imagine it was pretty different, just as the de Valois one was?

[Jan McNulty]

We had the traditional Kitri/Basilio show stoppers in act 1 and the gdd in act 3. Some of the act 2 choreography looked familiar. The Don and Sancho Panza had much more fleshed out roles. Christopher Gable himself created the Don (and he was awesome) and the wonderful Jeremy Kerridge created the role of Sancho Panza. Other notable Dons were Michael Pink and Steven Wheeler. Treating the episodes as almost three separate ballets linked by the Don and SP did create a different dynamic but it was huge fun.

[aileen]

Wow, annamicro, your second paragraph is scathing. Why do you think this state of affairs exists?

[JulieW]

As an aside.... some of the Elmhurst students are performing Don Q (well, probably not all of it ) when they go to Japan at the end of the year!!

 

Good, I suppose, that they will at least be learning some of the choreography.

[Ann Williams]

Wow, annamicro, your second paragraph is scathing. Why do you think this state of affairs exists?

 

It’s probably only a temporary ‘state of affairs’ Aileen – new members will join, some of whom will be suitable Don Q material, plus I’m told that there’s at least one budding Basil amongst the upcoming RB boys.

 

BTW, I’ve certainly seen the RB perform Don Q. Around twenty years ago - in my own early ballet-going days – there was an RB production which I really enjoyed, as did most of the audience around me, to judge by the laughter. The critics, though HATED it, among them one Mr. Crisp. The girls’ tutus and headresses with tiny working windmills sewn into them, or the little market-place drunk staggering around clutching his bottle until someone snatched it away and replaced it with a plate of food failed to make them laugh -they just didn’t get the jokes. I can’t remember whose staging it was or who the full cast was, but I do rmember that Bruce Sansome played the splendid cape-whirling toreador and I’ve actually got a sneaky feeling it was Guillem dancing Kitri – can anyone else remember this production?

[alison]

Yes, it was the Baryshnikov one I mentioned earlier. I *liked* the designs for the most part, but they were hardly conventional. I think I had Fiona Chadwick and Irek Mukhamedov (pretty certain he was replacing an injured Stuart Cassidy, actually). I found *him* less good than I'd expected, too.

[Jan McNulty]

I enjoyed the Baryshnikov production when I saw it. I booked because I had seen Miyako Yoshida with (guesting) Tetsuya Kumakawa performing the GPDD at Sadlers Wells as part of a BRB mixed programme. Yoshida and Kumakawa were absolutely terrific and I believe Adam Cooper was the toreador. Everyone around me seemed to be enjoying it too!

[MargaretN7]

I saw Kumakawa with Deborah Bull. Now, that was something to see

[Jan McNulty]

Re post #37. I suggested Joel Carreno because I think he is wonderful and would like to see him dance this role with RB. I haven't see RB for some time so could not comment on any of the current dancers.

[jmhopton]

I've seen both previous Royal productions and wasn't hugely impressed with either; both the productions themselves and the dancing. I think the trouble was that at roughly that time the Kirov were around in the summer with dancers such as Ruzimatov and Zelensky and comparisons were inevitable; the Royal dancers just didn't generate the same level of excitement. Even Irek, whom I saw in the first production didn't gell in the role as well as I had expected. I think I was vaguely expecting something on the lines of Baryshnikov as seen in the ABT video and it just didn't happen. Today it is even more difficult for the Royal dancers as so many ballet enthusiasts have seen Osipova and Vasiliev who have set such world standards in these roles that it is difficult to imagine any Royal dancer living up to just on a sheer 'firework' level though of course other interpretations of the roles are equally valid. I'm sure Marianella and Steven MacRae (hopefully together) will give wonderful performances that I am already looking forward to.

[patsomerset]

I've seen both previous Royal productions and wasn't hugely impressed with either; both the productions themselves and the dancing. I think the trouble was that at roughly that time the Kirov were around in the summer with dancers such as Ruzimatov and Zelensky and comparisons were inevitable; the Royal dancers just didn't generate the same level of excitement. Even Irek, whom I saw in the first production didn't gell in the role as well as I had expected. I think I was vaguely expecting something on the lines of Baryshnikov as seen in the ABT video and it just didn't happen. Today it is even more difficult for the Royal dancers as so many ballet enthusiasts have seen Osipova and Vasiliev who have set such world standards in these roles that it is difficult to imagine any Royal dancer living up to just on a sheer 'firework' level though of course other interpretations of the roles are equally valid. I'm sure Marianella and Steven MacRae (hopefully together) will give wonderful performances that I am already looking forward to.

Yes, I too was expecting something along the lines of the ABT production which I first saw on video with Baryshnikov and Cynthia Harvey (I think). This was the standard by which I judged Don Q; until I saw Osipova and Vasiliev that is. They certainly set a new standard for many of us and will be a hard act to follow. By and large the RB dancers don't do "fireworks" (that is not a criticism) and are not given to showing off are they?

[alison]

I'm sure Marianella and Steven MacRae (hopefully together) will give wonderful performances that I am already looking forward to.

 

Heaven forbid. She must be far too tall for him, especially in that role, surely?

[Paul Arrowsmith]

The RB's pedigree is in narrative ballets - the plot of Don Q is subservient to excuses for flamboyant dancing.

 

There is a mis-match between the joie de danser that Don Q demands and the RB's naturallly reticient, rather colourless, performing style.

 

I liked the Baryshnikov production in the early 1990s with its very stylish, theatrical designs - but the performances were several sizes too small - other than Mukhamedov who had the flair and power to play with the choreography.

[Jan McNulty]

I loved this article from Today's Links about SFB's Don Q production: http://sfappeal.com/culture/2012/05/dance-flash-you-might-like-sf-ballets-don-quixote-if.php I particularly liked bullet 10 in the "You will like this if...." list. I think it gives a good overall description of what we should look for in a good Don Q.

[John Mallinson]

There is a mis-match between the joie de danser that Don Q demands and the RB's naturallly reticient, rather colourless, performing style.

I think I know what you mean but on the other hand you do not get the sort of performances that the RB is capable of giving of the MacMillan rep with a "colourless performing style". For Basilio's bravura the names that spring to mind are Acosta (who may not feel able to dance it in two years time), McRae and the late lamented Polunin, though in two years time one or two of the promising juniors may have come through.

[Paul Arrowsmith]

I think I know what you mean but on the other hand you do not get the sort of performances that the RB is capable of giving of the MacMillan rep with a "colourless performing style". For Basilio's bravura the names that spring to mind are Acosta (who may not feel able to dance it in two years time), McRae and the late lamented Polunin, though in two years time one or two of the promising juniors may have come through.

 

 

There are a lot of issues here.

 

I think there is a difference between dancing style and performing style - and MacMillan is not the best point of reference for a consideration of Don Q. There is more to consider in Don Q than who dances Basilio.

 

The RB in performance add a dimension to MacMillan that is not written into his choreography, but through constant exposure and experience of it the RB adds colour. I doubt that ability in Don Q - evidenced in part by their Bayadere, which never looks instinctive.

 

The question of how well MacMilan constructs narrative is separate - I think.

 

The only time (based on watching the RB comapnies since the mid-70s) I have understood the expressiveness of "English style" was during the Ashton centenary season, 2004-05. The way the RB moved then was full of personality, highly expressive, colourful and technically strong. A natural idiom had been rediscovered.

 

I doubt that a work so far outside the RB's native perameters as Don Q will display the RB - and the choreography - to best advantage.

 

Yes I hope that Acosta (should it be he) will inspire the RB to attack classical choreography with the fearlessness they display in McGregor.

 

Might it not be more constructive use (for all) if McGregor - as resident choeographer - were to produce a future Don Q?

[John Mallinson]

I agree that comparing MacMillan and Petipa is a bit chalk and cheese, except that the crowd scenes in Don Q and those in Romeo and Juliet have a sort of cousinage and need something of the same liveliness from the corps, but that, as you say, is performing style not dancing style.

 

I like the idea of McGregor's Don Q, to be followed by Wheeldon's hip hop version of Swan Lake.

[aileen]

Well, if McGregor choreographs Don Q we won't have to worry about the RB dancers attacking the classical choreography. I can't imagine what it would be like. Surely it would be a step too far. I notice that San Francisco Ballet's current Don Q had a favourable review (perhaps K O'H should have popped over to see it instead of going to Germany) and that Basilio was danced by a Cuban trained dancer!

[Jan McNulty]

The Cuban training being based on the Russian Vaganova style!

[aileen]

As you said before, Janet, the Cubans (through their Russian Vaganova-style training) have Don Q in their blood. Do we know when Carlos Acosta last danced in it?

[Don Q Fan]

This is an exciting development - I do hope it is good! I shall watch with great interest and just hope I can get a ticket - unlike when Alice first came out!! I'll be gutted if I can't get one. Thanks for letting us know!

[Don Q Fan]

I covet the username of Don Q fan! I go to, or buy the DVD for, as many versions as I can. Unfortunately I was knee deep in toddlers in 2001 and couldn't see the RB one so I would welcome a new RB version. Thank you for posting

 

Hurrah I'm not the only fan then!! Don Q is great isn't it - such a happy ballet it has it all imho.

[amum/Cathy]

I think I've wanted your username since the Kirov brought Don Q to Manchester, and we were posting on the old balletco Kirov thread!

 

I love the anticipation - Alice was something that I was keeping track of for well over a year before booking opened. Good Luck to us all for tickets!

[aileen]

Interestingly, both Boston Ballet and San Francisco Ballet have had recent runs of Don Quixote attracting rather different responses from the DanceTabs reviewers (see the Reviews section of the forum for 3 May and today) Maina Gielgud's staging of DQ for Boston Ballet was praised whereas SFB's DQ was less enthusiastically received.

[Don Q Fan]

I think the current Bolshoi version is a very tough act to follow - it is certainly my favourite.

[loveclassics]

Interesting to read the SF's critic's bullet points - the last mentions the score as a major selling point. A whole evening of Minkus' plinketdy-plonk aural wallpaper is enough to keep me away!

 

On a earlier point (I came rather late to this thread) I once saw a Russian couple dance the Bedroom pdd from Manon for a televised gala and was appalled by their performance. Technically faultless, it completely subverted MacMillan's original because the dancers were so intent on charming the audience, they appeared completely indifferent to each other. It was all 'look at me, aren't I lovely?' and there was no rapport or chemistry between them. By contrast, at another gala, a somewhat under-rehearsed performance of the same pdd by Rojo and Cope, fairly sizzled with passion. I had somehow missed Manon up until then but afterwards couldn't wait to see the entire ballet.

 

I have to say I agree that company style is an important factor and perhaps the RB should leave Don Q to the Russians and Cubans and concentrate on what they do best. I'd rather see a revival of some of Ashtons's neglected works - there must be loads in the back catalogue that are overdue for a new production. Any suggestions?

[Anjuli_Bai]

Isn't it interesting that the Russians have always had an affinity - a kinship - with Spanish dance. They seem to bring an inner fire (smoldering Slav?) to the Spanish gesture.

[loveclassics]

It is remarkable, I agree. The composer Rimsky Korsakov also captured that Spanish fire in his Capriccio Espagnol which sounds almost more Spanish than many 'real' Spanish works!

[Anjuli_Bai]

It is remarkable, I agree. The composer Rimsky Korsakov also captured that Spanish fire in his Capriccio Espagnol which sounds almost more Spanish than many 'real' Spanish works!

 

Yes, Russian composers, too. I fell in love with Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" when I was three years old - listening to my father's old 78 RPM's. All things Spanish (except bull fighting) seem to call to me - but then my ancestors lived in Russia.

 

I can see in my mind's eye the completely Spanish Kitri as danced by Maya Plisetskaya.