cavycapers Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Many are the times I've resisted the temptation to shout out "She's the only one in the short skirt, idiot!" to Siegfried :)Welcome to the forum, cjavycapers. Actually, it made me giggle when I saw it, as I remember thinking it was typical of a man not to notice what she's wearing. Sorry guys... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 When I saw the ENB's Swan lake last month, Alina Cojocaru came to the stage door still in her swan costume (pointe shoes and all!) Which was lovely to see. And she was delightful. How wonderful....lucky you I'm very envious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunrise Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) I think Odette being dressed differently from 'the flock' takes away that bit of pleasure that newcomers get when they realise that Odette is the only one with a crown on her headdress. When I saw the ENB's Swan lake last month, Alina Cojocaru came to the stage door still in her swan costume (pointe shoes and all!) Which was lovely to see. And she was delightful. Don't think they always realise though, especially when you're not at an ideal distance or angle! One newcomer I took wasn't able to sort out Odette from all the other swans until the white pdd, and the solos for the two big swans made him even more confused. This was the RB version too. <rolleyes> (Also had problems picking out Giselle from the peasants/wilis, Swanhilda from her friends, Aurora from the fairies even though she was still in her cradle, etc, etc. Can you tell that I'm the drag-er and he is the drag-ee?) But I think it'll be a bit more obvious at the live cinema screening. :-) I'm not seeing an SLs this time around, so I'm really looking forward to it! Edited February 11, 2015 by Sunrise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarriott Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I believe that a swan can break a human arm with its wing. It's a myth! The only way that could happen is if the human fell over and landed awkwardly on the arm in question - consider the relative density of the bone (or cartilage) in a swan's wing and the density of the bones in a human arm. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunrise Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) It's a myth! The only way that could happen is if the human fell over and landed awkwardly on the arm in question - consider the relative density of the bone (or cartilage) in a swan's wing and the density of the bones in a human arm. I've found them to be quite scary but from what I read the aggressive hissing and flapping is just show and bluster. I'm not sure how badly you could get beaked though! This discussion is making me think of that other myth, that Sylvie Guillem could kill a man with a blow from her leg. Maybe there is room for a new interpretation of SL with an angry and hissing Odette who is perfectly able to take on Rothbart for herself, thank you very much! ;-) Edited February 11, 2015 by Sunrise 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 As to the lack of similarity between Odette and the swan maidens, in Yolanda Sonnabend's original design, Odette's headdress was much more like that of the other swans. Zenaida Yanowsky was, I think, the first swan queen I saw to wear the more conventional swans' feathers and crown (approx. 7 years ago?). I've never thought it odd that the Prince should be unable to pick out Odette from the swan maidens in the last act. What I do find daft is that it doesn't occur to him (or any of his fellows) that it's pretty useless going on swan hunt with just a crossbow and no bolts! I very much enjoyed the General Rehearsal on Tuesday. I know it's not really the done thing to comment on performances at rehearsals, but I have to say that the Neapolitan Dance was danced brilliantly by Paul Kay and Emma Maguire. I had to close my eyes for the opening of Act III, though - that ridiculous parade of guests and the accompanying horseplay by the Prince and Benno is excruciating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I didn't see it myself but today's Times has a wonderful 5 star review for Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta, haven't read the others yet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 As to the lack of similarity between Odette and the swan maidens, in Yolanda Sonnabend's original design, Odette's headdress was much more like that of the other swans. Zenaida Yanowsky was, I think, the first swan queen I saw to wear the more conventional swans' feathers and crown (approx. 7 years ago?). Yes, there are pictures of Darcey Bussell (and probably others) I remember with the rather more "skeletal" headdress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 As to the lack of similarity between Odette and the swan maidens, in Yolanda Sonnabend's original design, Odette's headdress was much more like that of the other swans. Zenaida Yanowsky was, I think, the first swan queen I saw to wear the more conventional swans' feathers and crown (approx. 7 years ago?). I think that Sylvie Guillem went over to the conventional headdress much earlier than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretN7 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 In the current RB production, when the Prince runs on looking for Odette in the last act, the swans are all huddled in groups, and Odette is hidden in one of the groups, so he can't see her there, whatever she's wearing. Makes sense to me (and I love the costumes). He's not stupid! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretN7 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 And that excellent 1st night show - not only wonderful performances from Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta, but the temperature was also raised in the black act by Ricardo Cervera and Laura Morera in the Neapolitan (and Laura had her Tatiana to do, so totally different, the next afternoon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I didn't see it myself but today's Times has a wonderful 5 star review for Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta, haven't read the others yet. For readers without access to the Times review, it includes phrases such as: "the chance...........to see a truly amazing ballerina performance"; "I certainly never imagined that she (MN) could take her performance to this level"; " throughout the ballet at every turn, her body was telling the story, her heart was living it". There is much more about both Nunez (especially) and Acosta which I dare not reproduce here but I know how frustrating it is when one hears about such reviews but cannot read them for oneself. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mshovelt Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 For those that are interested, I just noticed that a couple of SCS tickets have popped up on the ROH website for tonight's Osipova/Kish ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I think that Sylvie Guillem went over to the conventional headdress much earlier than this. That's true: she's shown wearing it on the cassette/CD of the recording of the score that the ROH did back in the 1990s, if I remember rightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarriott Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 That's true: she's shown wearing it on the cassette/CD of the recording of the score that the ROH did back in the 1990s, if I remember rightly. I think she always wore her own swan headdress when dancing with the RB, just as she wore her own Giselle costume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodlandGladeFairy Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Its a shame the Royal Ballet's production of 'Swan Lake' does show its age, I can't wait to see the dancing by Obraztsova (one doesn't get to see a Bolshoi star very often!) and McRae on the 21st March of course and to hear the music, so hoping that will ameliorate it. I have to say I prefer swans in tutus, just seems more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion. The RB version I most like was the one which is on DVD (and before VHS) from 1982 with Natalia Makarova & Anthony Dowell, some really nice choreography especially the Princes solo at the end of the first act, its a shame isn't in the current production. Also the orchestra's playing of the Swan Lake score is just fantastic for an old recording. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 So, am I right in thinking that there's no solo for Siegfried at the end of Act 1? I wonder why that is. That's one of my favourite bits of the ENB SL. Does BRB's version have a solo as well? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Anybody see Osipova last night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 ENB's current production of Swan Lake is in large part the old RB one which the current Dowell production replaced.It was replaced because Dowell wanted to restore the original text so out went all the Ashton interpolations, the Act 1 waltz, de Valois' peasant girl dance,Rudi's moody solo,Ashton's Act 3 Pas de Quatre,Spanish dance and Neapolitan dance and his Act 4.The Royal acquired the ghastly dance with the stools and Maypole and the prince's bouncy Tigger like solo which is totally out of character for the prince in Act 1. The whole thing seems to have been badly mishandled.Ashton was so upset that he gave the rights to his choreography to Derek Deane and refused to let Dowell use any of it. As a result the production was performed for some years without the Neapolitan dance. Of course Dowell did not restore the text as Benno has no partnering responsibilities.I doubt very much that the earliest RB production had any of the boorish behaviour that the current one includes. The Dowell Markarova DVD gives an accurate account of what the old production looked like and how the choreography was performed.The one exception is Markarova's performance. She did not do mime and resolutely dances through the mime music while Dowell reacts as if she were miming. Had anyone else been filmed we would have seen the mime and the Act 2 pas de deux would not have been danced so painfully slowly. For me the greatest failure of the RB was not to capture Sibley's account of the role which was quite wondereful and far preferable to Markarova's. A problem with the ENB production is that Deane has introduced fussy bursts of choreography for the processional sections;another problem is that the Ashton choreography is not danced with any understanding of the style required. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewCo Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 When I saw this, I thought Odette being dressed differently from the other swans made the parts when Siegfried is trying to find her in the flock not work! Many are the times I've resisted the temptation to shout out "She's the only one in the short skirt, idiot!" to Siegfried [....] I hate to laugh because I find it such a moving part of the ballet--but i suppose lack of observational skills is one way of explaining his confusion during Act III... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Am surprised there are no comments about Osipova. Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Yes, I agree with Sim. I'm amazed that, after 4 actual performances of Swan Lake (Nunez/Acosta x 2; Osipova/Kish; Marquez/Pennefather), noone on here has ventured to write a 'review'. The Onegin threads are all the better for there being some substantive comment about interpretations. Come on you regulars, some of you must have been to at least one the SL shows this week. What did you think? Edited February 15, 2015 by capybara 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I haven't seen any SL shows this week (not until March) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I'm not going until the end of March either. I love Swan Lake but I don't think that there's as much room for different interpretations of the roles in 'traditional' productions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I've only booked 1 - Obratsova/McRae as I don't like RB's SL. The chance to see Obratsova is the only reason I am going at all. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Vis a vis the current (well, 30 year old) RB production - what is the cliche? Something I recall like 'least said soonest mended' ... My greatest relief was reading in several of the (few remaining) broadsheet reviews that this is (apparently definitively) the last time this particular production will be greeting our eyes. (Not, of course, that their accuracy can always be counted upon.) 'Whew', is all I seem to be able to muster at this particular moment in time. Our aspirations for the next production still have - for now at any rate - the pretension of innocence. Those particular notes of hope in this specific regard are, I think, much to be cherished. Edited February 15, 2015 by Bruce Wall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 ...I also like the way, in this production, that in Act IV some of the swans' dresses are partly black. It shows the taint from Rothbart's trick and helps make that act more dramatic. I know some people don't like it but I hope that survives the next redesign... Can anyone expand on the reasoning behind the eight swans with black dresses in the final act - I'd love to understand a bit more on this. Am surprised there are no comments about Osipova. Anyone? No comments yet Sim but (fingers crossed) I'll be adding my thoughts this time next week . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Vis a vis the current (well, 30 year old) RB production - what is the cliche? Something I recall like 'least said soonest mended' ... My greatest relief was reading in several of the (few remaining) broadsheet reviews that this is (apparently definitively) the last time this particular production will be greeting our eyes. (Not, of course, that their accuracy can always be counted upon.) 'Whew', is all I seem to be able to muster at this particular moment in time. Our aspirations for the next production still have - for now at any rate - the pretension of innocence. Those particular notes of hope in this specific regard are, I think, much to be cherished. Well then, I'm glad I'll get a chance to see it for the first time before it's deleted (I should have bought more tickets!). The RB recordings of Swan Lake and La Bayadere are what made me love ballet and then start going to live performances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElleC Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Well, I went to yesterday’s matinée with Marquez/Pennefather (my first of many RB Swan Lake’s in the next couple of months, I’m very pleased to say!) – oh, and by the way, I’m much more prone to “gushing” reports than negativity, so anyone who doesn’t like that has been suitably warned and probably shouldn’t read any further … J So – given my last statement, it will be no surprise to hear that I thoroughly enjoyed Roberta and Rupert’s performance. I had had reservations about them being cast together. As mentioned on other occasions, I’m a huge fan of Rupert’s and also love Roberta, but they just didn’t seem a particularly obvious pairing, he being so tall with such long, elegant lines and she so tiny and compact. However, all my doubts vanished as they started to interact. From the minute Rupert’s Siegfried set eyes on Odette, he was both mesmerised and mystified, as though he just couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She, although small, didn’t come across as too vulnerable. Yes, she was scared, but the feeling of “fight or flight” was written all over her with those dark, expressive eyes of hers flashing strong mistrust from under her raised arm. Even as he tried to win her trust, she was no push-over – she wanted to trust him but just couldn’t quite allow herself, expressed so clearly when he wrapped her gently in his arms (one of those romantic moments that Rupert does so well) and she melted for a split second before pushing his arms away quite forcefully. However, finally she gave in, and I found their pas de deux, with that glorious music, very moving, as was the moment when she starts to feel the pull of Rothbart and you could see the desperation in her face as she was trying to cling to Siegfried. Rupert played the ballroom scene to perfection. His interaction with his mother, the Queen (Christina Arestis – very well portrayed with just the right amount of exasperated affection for, but determined authority over, her son) was excellent, and the moment when all the princesses have flounced off at his rejection, he turns to meet his mother’s furious look with a defiant raised eyebrow and faint shrug as if to say “Well, what did you expect …? I tried to tell you I wasn’t interested …”. Then, from the minute Odile enters, he’s can’t take his eyes off her, but registering slight bewilderment every now and then as Roberta’s rather sultry Odile toys with him, one minute flirting and the next rejecting. And I also think Rupert is dancing as well as I’ve ever seen him at the minute. The last Act at the moment when he sinks to his knees before her, head bowed, asking for her forgiveness, and she gently raised his face with both hands, was quite heart-breaking. I’m more than happy to be seeing this cast again in March. A quick word for the “bevy” of swans who, as always, danced with feeling and precision, and also for the elegantly danced officer of James Hay (another of my “favourites”, who I would dearly love to see dancing Siegfried one day!). And a final word for the production. I may be in the minority, but I LOVE the RB’s current production of Swan Lake, and always love to see it return (not least, I should imagine, because it was at this, from Row S in the Amphi, that I totally fell in love with the Royal Ballet some 14 years ago!). The first Act with its group dances and festoons of coloured lights appears more of a joyful celebration than any other production I’ve ever seen, and this provides a sharp contrast to the dark, magicaI second Act, which I feel is so distinctive. Most other companies have the short, plate-like tutus, and I love the shape and soft movement in the swans costumes at RB, really making me think of fluffed up plumage (I also preferred it when Odette wore the same “unfeathered” headdress as all the other swans). I adore the ballroom scene. I know it may appear “busy”, but I rather like that with the gilded balustrades and the deep, rich jewel-shades of the costumes of the group dances, and it certainly feels more like a gathering I’d like to attend, rather than the usual fusty, gloomy, cathedral-like ballrooms depicted in most other productions. I also love the dramatic light-change to glowing red when Odile’s deception is revealed!! So – for what it’s worth – the current production gets my vote, and if, as seems to be the case, there is to be a new production, I sincerely hope it retains some of its current magic, and doesn’t end up being some hideous, modern production with cold, sparse sets … 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 These days I only go to Swan Lake for the dancers, having said that I much prefer this RB version to ENB's, I actually like the soft long dresses for the swans which look beautiful from above, I like the Imperial Russian, Faberge egg themes, plus the fact that the old Ivanov choreography for act 4 is intact, only the Mariinsky still dances this I believe, what I don't like is some of the silly "business" and some costumes (I like the description of 1980's glam rock, and on Friday saw the funny side of this, especially Rothbart's costume) which I will never take seriously again. I shall be sorry to see it go! As I got a last minute ticket I was in a good mood and really glad I saw Natalia Osipova and Nehemiah Kish, I was intrigued to see such an unlikely pairing, and thought it was very fine indeed, no technical problems at all, his height and her flexibilty made the lifts in particular very exciting, plus the sheer beauty of Osipova's dancing in her solo's, other pleasures were Olivia Cowley and Fumi Kaneko as two swans, Emma Maguire and Paul Kay in the Neapolitan, and Claire Calvert and Ricardo Cervera in the Czardas, also Mayara Magri in the pas de trois which was her first. One thought crossed my mind, so far this year I have seen 2 performances of Swan Lake, Ivan Vasiliev in the first and Natalia Osipova in the second, that's pretty impressive but what a tragedy they didn't dance together! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 What a terrific review, ElleC. Thank you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickwellings Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Yes, I agree with Sim. I'm amazed that, after 4 actual performances of Swan Lake (Nunez/Acosta x 2; Osipova/Kish; Marquez/Pennefather), noone on here has ventured to write a 'review'. The Onegin threads are all the better for there being some substantive comment about interpretations. Come on you regulars, some of you must have been to at least one the SL shows this week. What did you think? I have written some thoughts on last night here. The principals were great, as one would expect. (Please bear in mind thought that I don't have much expert knowledge!) http://wp.me/p4kbnM-82 Edited February 15, 2015 by nickwellings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillm Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I am not going to attempt a review but I will indulge in a little reminiscing. Like ElleC the RB Swan Lake does hold a special place in my heart as it started an unexpected interest in ballet, an art form I had previously derided in my foolish (and now very distant) youth. 3rd January 2005 - a duty visit to Covent Garden. The prospect of the meal in the Floral Hall was promising but the thought of having to break off in between courses to endure a bit of prancing around was quite frankly unappealing. Still, political correctness prevailed and I took my seat for the performance (sans wine glass too!!) featuring Rojo / Acosta (who?? Seriously - I had never heard of him. Her name rang a bell but maybe from Spanish class, colour section) and prepared myself for a dull hour. Well how wrong was I ?? Acosta strode on to the stage, a buzz went around the auditorium, I looked up from my lap, thought "ooh hello" ..things were definitely looking up. As soon as he (eventually) managed some dancing I was hooked - and I hadn't even clapped eyes on a swan at that stage (still waiting for the lake...). I remember feeling somewhat miffed that he didn't dance a bit more in Act 1 but decided against proferring my suggestions to the management. Then Ms Rojo rocked up and the whole evening just got better and better. Afterwards I bored everyone rigid with how wonderful it had been...fair to say most people were confused: "but you don't like ballet....". Anyway I got on to the ROH website and booked myself to see La Fille mal Gardee with Acosta / Nunez - snapping up the remaining ticket in the Orchestra Stalls. My mother told me it would be funny which I didn't believe on two counts - ballet being funny and my mother finding anything funny. Wrong again... Naturally I fell in love with Nunez as I had with Rojo and Acosta. Nunez and Acosta became my favourite partnership and much as I like Sarah Lamb I can't pretend to be disappointed by her stand-in on the opening night of Swan Lake last week. What fabulous fouettes! And the speed of Acosta's spins! I was dizzy watching it all. Out of interest I attempted a fouette in the sanctuary of my living room. I have never done ballet (apart from a brief performance as a chicken, aged 4) and can I just say it's actually quite tricky even though Ms Nunez makes it look as easy as falling off a log (which is the effect I ended up with). The ROH need to issue a warning - don't try this at home. I was in tears for large parts of Act 2 - I found it all rather emotional - and more bizarrely during parts of Act 3 (perhaps the sets are getting to me). I was quite wiped out by Act 4. I found the curtain call very touching. It is great to see the obvious rapport between the leads and a bit of informal hugging. There were times last week when I felt some of the same excitement that I had during my first viewing ten years ago - no mean feat after repeated viewings in the interim. Sure there are things in the production that aren't perfect - like in any long term relationship -and those have been touched on elsewhere. So - roll on Thursday when I hope to see Ms Lamb, and roll on April for the final (I presume) Nunez / Acosta Fille. Welling up already... If you are still reading, congratulations. I have enjoyed the indulgence. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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