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SheilaC

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  1. SheilaC
    Thanks for the information and link, Amelia. While Ledyakh had lost some of his polish in retirement he certainly hadn't lost his speed! I was slightly disappointed in Sabirova, she doesn't equal Ulanova's earlier protegee, Maximova..... but then, who could! It's interesting that sometimes male dancers with a reputation as a good partner can be dragged out of retirement! Donald MacLeary did so at least once.
  2. SheilaC
    Thank you Amelia. The film certainly shows his dancing and partnership skills- I doubt if any Western dancer was capable of some of those lifts, at that time, although he's not as elegant a dancer as Fadeyechev. And it was wonderful to see Struchkova dance again, nowadays she tends to be forgotten compared to Ulanova and Plisteskaya although in her day she was as well known as Plisetskaya. Her technique is very strong but it's above all her joyous personality that colours her dance, today Nela has a similar quality. I was amused at her plaits, worthy of Graduation Ball. I think the hair's a wig; I have a book about Struchkova, published in 1956, which has a photo of her in Cinderella with long dark plaits. It's good to see this version of Cinderella, the stepmother and sister are (slightly) less annoying than in more recent versions, and the scenes where the prince tours the world is a return to the original.
  3. SheilaC
    It's not a matter of 'basic math', survival rate is determined by the percentage of deaths to those with the illness, not the total population.
  4. SheilaC
    The Perm Ballet streamed a whole ballet 'The Bluebird and Princess Florine' based on the story. The composer was Adolphe Adam. It was a very traditional Russian ballet, quite old fashioned. I didn't make a note of the choreographer but it can't have been Petipa as Nadine Meisner doesn't list it in her lengthy biography.
  5. SheilaC
    I enjoyed the Vail opening digital programme. To see Tiler Peck in 5 different ballets, and also to see a ballet she had choreographed, was brilliant. The Balanchine excerpts were frustrating, because so brief, but still very welcome. It was wonderful to see Balanchine's Elegie, you could tell from the choreography that it just had to be created on Suzanne (Farrell) although she would have danced it with even more rapt spirituality than Korbes. It must be one of the very last pieces Balanchine choreographed for Suzanne. Re Lil' Buck, I thought his piece had been chosen as it was so relevant to BLM and the upcoming election. It was great to see an excerpt from one of Robbins's masterpieces and well danced by Herman Cornejo.
  6. SheilaC
    One of my favourite dancers, one of the places I love most in the world, some of my favourite music, and such poignant choreography and dancing. Thank you, Bruce.
  7. SheilaC
    For me, Balanchine's ballet relates well to the music (which isn't especially Faustian in most of the ballet section) and I've always loved his version, especially when danced by dancers like Nichols and Hlinka. But equally I fell in love with the Soviet version which I first saw in the Paul Czinner Bolshoi Ballet film in the '50s. It was danced by Raissa Struchkova (one of the best ever Cinderellas) and her husband Alexander Lapauri, with astonishing reckless abandon. Ironically, whenever I see Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream, I think of the Russian Walpurgisnacht, in some of the irritating passages for Puck in the first act.
  8. SheilaC
    The Paris Opera is currently streaming the gala held to celebrate its 350th anniversary. Although mostly opera there are 3 ballet excerpts. Fans of Neumeier's Dame aux Camelias will be pleased that 2 of the excerpts are pas de deux from that ballet: Leonore Baulac and Mathieu Ganio (8.26 - 19.24 in) and Eleonora Abbagnato and Stephane Bullion (54 - 1.05 in), plus the pas de deux from Le Parc, Amandine Albisson and Florian Magnenet (22.38 - 30.37 in). It's available until 12 July (sorry I can't give a link, I'm totally technically illiterate)
  9. SheilaC
    Yes, but it sounds as though there will be no continuation of furloughing for the sector, so continuing to pay staff could be difficult.
  10. SheilaC
    No, Robin, the interview focused on the general issues for theatres, and the economic benefits for the night-time economy of people attending theatres, and therefore the more general economic risks of theatres closing. (For BRB fans who (used to) go to the Birmingham Hippodrome to see the company there were nostalgic- inducing pictures not just of the theatre but also the nearby bars and restaurants.) I don't think there were any references to BRB itself.
  11. SheilaC
    There's going to be an interview with the CEO of Birmingham Hippodrome on the Sophy Ridge show on Sky News (on now, ends 9.30)
  12. SheilaC
    I am disappointed that- so far- there have been no obituaries of Fadeyechev in the national press. Indirectly he had some influence on British ballet in the 1960s as he epitomised the Bolshoi's expressiveness and technical virtuosity that influenced Aston and others. In particular his partnership with Nadia Nerina, both in her guest performances at the Bolshoi and in the BBC version of Giselle, will have influenced Ashton a little in creating Fille mal Gardee on Nerina. (There is an ICA DVD available of the BBC Giselle, which includes Lydia Sokolova as Giselle's mother, so is an archive treasure, and MacMillan's first muse, Margaret Hill, as Myrthe, and Peter Wright as Wilfried, his first performance in the ballet of which he was later to develop such marvellous productions). Incidentally, I think I once read that the overhead lifts in Act 2 that we see in most productions nowadays were only introduced in Britain after the Bolshoi's visit and the BBC Nerina/Fadeyechev screening. I never saw Fadeyechev dance live but the Paul Cszinner (?) film of the Bolshoi Ballet, taken during the famous 1956 London season, with Ulanova and Fadeyechev in (an abridged) Giselle, had a huge impact on me. As Amelia says, he was a true danseur noble. His son was a good dancer, but not in the same league. I think his grandson also has danced with the Bolshoi, albeit in minor character roles.
  13. SheilaC
    In some ways it was encouraging that in PMQs there were 4 MPs who raised the problems facing theatres, arts centres and creative arts (3 Conservative, 1 Labour). But disappointingly the PM, although stressing his support for the arts, and saying he was against laying people off, offered no financial support as it was necessary to "strike a balance" and just wait for the coronavirus to end. My own MP has promised to keep talking to ministers about supporting the creative arts as, no doubt, other MPs have
  14. SheilaC
    I didn't see all of the debate but thought there'd been no mention of the performing arts until the last person I saw speak, I think the MP for Richmond, who commented that she had discussed theatre and the arts at some length in an earlier speech she had made in the debate. Most of the speeches I listened to focused on problems in their constituency.
  15. SheilaC
    I've just read an article in the Financial Times that states that the most likely assistance that the Treasury may offer, but not soon, is a loans package. Two arts representatives have been pushing for a loan scheme of £1billion but if a package is agreed it is likely to be 'on a significantly smaller scale'. Loans would increase pressure on theatres in the future, since they would have to be repaid, in a period that theatres would be struggling financially. A few days ago I read an article suggesting that a scheme similar to Student Loans would be helpful for theatres, as repayment would depend on them reaching a certain level of income. The article also says that the new 1 metre relaxation would still only permit 40% of the auditorium could be seated (I think it was focusing on London theatres, it might vary according to the size and design of the theatre).
  16. SheilaC
    So far 3 MPs have asked the PM about support for theatres in the debate following the PM's statement about reducing the lockdown. His replies were vague, saying the Secretary for State would continue to speak to the sector, trying to seek solutions through task forces. I have just sent an email to my MP, the more pressure they get the better.
  17. SheilaC
    It was an important day in America, especially at the moment: Juneteenth, which celebrates the US emancipation from slavery, regarded by some as more significant than July 4 (Independence Day)
  18. SheilaC
    I think Tamara also said that it would take the dancers 12 weeks to return to full performing standard (I found it hard to hear some of what she said so please correct me if I'm wrong). If it takes that long then that could delay still further when performances can be resumed.
  19. SheilaC
    We all need to contact our MPs, especially those of us living in Conservative constituencies, to remind them of the dangers exposed by the Commons Culture Select Committee. I didn't feel that Caroline Dinenage was as effective as some people asserted yesterday, I thought the (Conservative) chair implied she wasn't pushing the Treasury hard enough. (I don't think of her as Fred D's daughter, but as the niece of my best friend when I was at junior school near Birmingham, so I knew Caroline's father, who was my friend Mavis's older brother; unfortunately we went to different secondary schools and eventually lost touch).
  20. SheilaC
    I can't find the Coppelia that was rescheduled for last night, EST. Has anyone else found it- if so, could you give me a link? Thanks.
  21. SheilaC
    I watched the Perm Fille last night. Given that it's based on Dauberval's plot , like Ashton's, there are very many similarities, Pantomime dame for the widow, use of ribbons, thunderstorm, kitchen scene etc, although there are no human hens or real ponies. Alain's umbrella is green not red. The mime that Karsavina taught Ashton from the Petipa production is not replicated, although there are a couple of allusions to similar daydreams. The music is by Peter Hertel , like most Russian versions, until the third act when suddenly it changes to Delibes and Coppelia. The choreography is mostly by Kirill Smorgover, apart from the pas de deux in the harvest scene, which is by Gorsky- and the clog dance is by Petipa! Most of the choreography is pleasant enough but nothing like the quality of Ashton's masterpiece. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the humour is played just for laughs, there is none of the humanity that is so integral to Ashton's version, so Alain and the widow are just comic characters. The performance was filmed in 2018. Lise is Elizabeta Domracheva who has a good technique and is charming and amusing, she makes a good Lise. Colas was Ivan Surodeev. The night before I'd seen the Perm Sylphide. It was produced by Elsa von Rosen, so is authentic Bournonville. The sylphide was Ksenia Barbashyova who is an elegant dancer with very graceful hands and arms. James was Nikita Cherverikovi. If you like Bournonville it's worth watching this performance (2017)
  22. SheilaC
    Buddy, you ask about Isadora Duncan and also refer to Ashton. Well, as you may be aware, Ashton saw Duncan and was almost as inspired by her as by Pavolva. He created a solo ballet on Lynn Seymour, 'Five Brahms Waltzes in the manner of Isadora Duncan'. People who had seen Duncan said it evoked her remarkably well.
  23. SheilaC
    Last night I watched the latest Perm offering. It was The Bluebird and Princess Florine- so explained the backstory of the Bluebird pas de deux. It's a complicated fairy story with a bad fairy, a bit like Carabosse but younger and better looking, who abducts the princess and later transforms the prince she's in love with into a bluebird, but they are rescued by 2 good fairies. The performance was from several years ago and the standard of dancing was variable but the main dancer, the princess (the prince and bluebird were danced by 2 different dancers, of very different height and technical ability), Natalia Dromatchova, was good, had a nice lyrical quality.
  24. SheilaC
    What a treat to finally see some Ashton! And well danced. It brought back happy memories of SWRB doing it, not to mention BRB later and the Royal. But how sad that it's a Russian, not an English, company that offers the first Ashton offering. And another treat to see Winter Dreams, one of MacMillan's better ballets because there's no padding, and some expressive choreography, as ever. The Perm company has an impressive range of ballets, from all the major masters. I saw them at the Robbins season in Paris in 2018 and, although I admired their enthusiasm, I feel the quality of their dancing in the 3 ballets we saw today, filmed in 2019, plus in their DON Q, is even better. If times were different I'd be hoping they could have a London season.
  25. SheilaC
    I love Balanchine's ballets that are based on the Odette theme (especially 2nd movement of Symphony in C) so I was really pleased to see Diamonds. But, unlike Jeannette and Bruce, I was ever so slightly disappointed. In the first half the music seemed to be played a little more slowly than usual. And, although Sara Mearns is one of my favourite dancers, I felt she was too careful, even to the point of seeming a tad strained at times. I agree with what Jeannette says about her tension due, in part, to the muscular build of her shoulders, which several other American dancers share, even Tiler Peck. Also, American training, which excels in so many ways, tends not to develop epaulement in the way that Russian or Cecchetti training does. In the more classical choreographies good epaulement can add extra elegance and expressiveness. My one regret about the NYCB choices is that none of the black of the black and white Balanchine ballets has been shown, apart from an excerpt of Four Temperaments, which unfortunately was, in my opinion, the least well danced of all the NYCB ballets. Well danced it's a terrific ballet, belying its 73 years, and Agon, Symphony in 3 Movements, Violin Concerto, all will still seem modern when the ballets of certain acclaimed contemporary choreographers have long since disappeared.
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