Bruce Wall

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Well, they give priority to the students (due to a generous funding incentive) and they (e.g., the students) pay nowhere near as much for their Friend's subscription ... Think we need to remember that at the end of the day it is but yet another of their marketing ploys.... and will surely come out with the rest of their fancy ROH white washes. For the sake of my health I am inclined not to take any such exercises entirely seriously any longer. Like the people in their good offices I, too, will choose to smile and wave .... back

ABT will be performing Ratmansky's Nutcracker during this Xmas season for a final time at the stunningly beautiful Brooklyn Academy of Music. From next year it will be presented on the West Coast in California.

Dear Anne and Ian, I was at last night's outing and I entirely agree with your estimation. It was a very different showing from the night before. The frail delicacies of the Lavrovsky suffered as a result. Indeed it made me wonder - at least based on that leaden showing - if the Mariinsky does perhaps no longer have strength in its numbers. Certainly it made me appreciate the strength of the Juliet Friend/Troubadour combination of the previous evening (Nadezhda Batoeva and Vasily Tkachenko). Their performances were a world apart from what we saw but 24 hours later as were the detailed commitment of so many of those portraying the leading characters which managed to hide a menagerie of other excesses in this later show which sadly DID survive but had earlier not appeared so prominent. (If there is 'something of the night' about Michael Howard there is I think an overabundant amount of the early morning surrounding Vladimir Ponomarev's shudder inducing etchings. The disquiet produced by such is loud in the extreme as were the mistakes rendered by the all too frequently sloppy Mariinsky orchestra.) Even now I fear for the glory that is Ratmansky's DSCH. It is a very fine work which has never been seen in London previously. If its delicacies were to be mauled as so many of the previous night's historic attributes had been I fear for those (i) who may never have had the privilege of otherwise seeing this work in the hands of its creators, in DSCH's case NYCB - (and I type this realising that I, myself, have never previously seen that fine work without its leading female creator, the radiant Wendy Whelan, in tow) - or (ii) other internationally worthy/deserving interpreters and/or (even worse) (iii) depart the otherwise unsuspecting venue cursing the original creative artistry for being execrable simply because the viewers themselves were not (understandably) able to look beyond its shoddy execution. There is, of course, no reason why the latter attribute should be called upon EVER. That is AS EVER the true crime against balletic nature such CERTAINLY as was exercised by the Mariinsky Ballet IMHO last night.

That's been fixed as of today, Katherine. Osopova's RB dates have been altered to suit. :-)

In a word: Yes. She WILL survive. .... (Sounds like a song )

How wonderful to be reacquainted with the Lavrovsky R&J. Decades ago - in my relative youth - when I first saw it I,too, found it to be a tad dull but now I am aware just what a revolution it must have been in its own time. Certainly I found much detail to marvel at. I loved the Shakespearean sense of communal structure which is therein more often clearly defined in some parts than in other later crafted versions. To wit: Paris,the Prince, appears in the first scene - depicting his previous association with the Montagues. I also appreciated that in the Capulet ball the social order was made clear with the servants collecting the knelling cushions. I also hugely enjoyed the opportunity to glean in the light of Verona here illustrated. Indeed, this production is flooded with Italianate light until such a time as when fate herself has gathered up storm clouds and pushed them towards overwhelming darkness. (That, too, is,of course, made vivid in the Bard's text.) One can well see why MacMillan said that the Lavrovsky was his overwhelming inspiration. There is no question but that now Vishneva chooses her vehicles with abundant (and wise) care. Here she needed practically no upper leg strength whatsoever. Most appropriate for a senior artist. Indeed she did not have an unsupported arabesque until well into the third act. That said, she was prudently ornamental in the true - and carefully decorous - 1940's sense. One could appreciate the precision of her circumspect placement within the light. Cecil B. DeMille might well have beckoned for a close-up. .Let there be no doubt: At this performance it was very much the glorious - and equally glamorous - Vladimir Shklyarov who did the yeoman's share of the work ... AND THEN SOME!! Talk about dead weight in the tomb .... and then - on top of such (e.g., a vertically prostrate but nonetheless pristine Vishneva) - a Bolshoi one-handed lift was thrown in to boot. At no point did this fine lad's back tremble during any one of those heaving vertical lifts. It would have shattered a lesser partner surely. Ah, youth! What a fantastic cavalier this oh, so very young Romeo is. His careful and loving manipulation of his ballerina - much as in the vivid stealth of his own solos - was a masterclass in precision and artistry. I found myself giggling at the first act curtain call of the two leads. Vishneva was more animated here than she was perhaps anywhere else in the entire performance - and make no mistake that too WAS a performance. Her head was - as usual - carefully positioned against his (here Shkyarov's) breast and then her doleful (and not to mention doe-like) eyes burned upwards - as if lit by her glowing smile - in a rabid mark of appreciation for all that he has done for her. This I know has been well rehearsed. She does EXACTLY the same motions each time she dances with Marcello Gomes in,say, Bayadere or Giselle or Oneign with ABT (where she is also a principal) at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC. The only difference there - having done this a million times - or so it seems - is the fact that this turn is framed by a spotlight special. (Sadly that was missing at THIS Covent Garden outing. Perhaps they hadn't got the appropriate instruction.) Then at the VERY end of each performance she looks out to the front of House as if to say: 'What? Flowers for me? Oh, you are too kind.' This studied decorum is every bit as much a conscious slice of her own tradition as had been her positionings in the overall - and much appreciated - artifact of the (modest by comparison) Lavrovsky production in its deliberate whole. I for one of but a burgeoning many can't wait to see what spontaneity Xander Parish might bring to the same proceedings tonight in tandem with his younger Juliet. If one is in London and a balletomane it feels as if it is almost a patriotic duty to attend. I have every confidence that his entrance applause will at very least have been well earned. Here's to the boy from Hull!

This is because Osipova was already contracted to dance Giselle at that time with Sarafanov for the Mikhailovsky Ballet at the Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center. Many people in NYC assumed she would cancel and were, in fact, equally as upset as the (understandably annoyed) previous poster. Now at least Osipova will be able to honour both of her contractual obligations. (Not, of course, that such helps with the situation laid out above.) .

Oh, dear, I seem to have quoted myself. It appears I can - at times - be a true nuisance. If some kind moderator should trip across this item, post no. 60 could well do with 'rubbishing'.

Oh, dear .... 'at times' .... does sound a mite 'potentially troubling' ....

SNAP, Alison. We must have been posting at the same time.

If I had to hazard a guess (and while I don't actually 'have to' I shall in any event) ... I would suspect it might be by way of promotional material for the various theatres hosting ENB's Coppelia during the Autumn tour ... as that is certainly a cast which will I'm confident feature prominently on their (as we now know in London) happy road of good fortune.

Just a brief note about the clip above - the reason for the black on the bottoms of the magnificent Ms. Hayden's pointe shoes is entirely due to the reality of the concrete beneath. I wonder that one pair survived this one movement ... under the circumstances.

and this fantasia of a clip - entirely fitting whilst the month is still July - was filmed over 50 years ago ... and LIVE .... on A CONCRETE FLOOR NO LESS. (You wouldn't see that today .... and just look at the precision of that brief segment of the male ensemble at the end .... and in boots as opposed to character shoes built as such. Today's Mariinsky might well easily move over in admiration.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leXASt3CZW0#t=279 Jacques D'Amboise (with as ever a defining wink of originality) is a celebration in and of himself for the art of ballet and has literally inspired generations of American children to dance through the National Dance Institute. His skill in partnering stands ennobled even now. Many happy returns, sir, from a world of appreciative balletomanes.

Point taken, Janet. Much thanks for your kind advice. BW

The person who posted the first item above has added more detail. It follows: The umbrella of contemporary dance is really abused by Ardani in presenting these shows. I have seen modern dance and modern ballet, and contemporary dance and contemporary ballet, that I like. This is not that. Just a bit more in brief: "Mercy" joins the hundreds of revolutionary works to explore domestic violence through dance. The piece begins with Vasiliev beating Osipova in silence. The music then comes in (which featured live singers, a small blessing) and is operatic in nature and then shifts to Indian Classical music with a local male vocalist. There is a "pas de deux" of the beating, a "solo" for Vasiliev, and then another "pas de deux" with their relationship mended. My boyfriend commented that most of it looked like yoga. I agree. "Passeo" begins with noise and a lot of posing and preening. Then English traditional music kicks in (Greensleeves, I kid you not). There is a lot of really silly choreography including a sequence where Vasiliev and Osipova crouch down, walk like ducks with their hands folded up their chests like birds (imagine it over the chorus to Greensleeves), and then right themselves and beat their chests. There was a lot of flummoxed laughter around me. Both of these are a maximum of 10 minutes or so, I believe. Empty stages. Dark lighting. "Facada" is the only coherent piece. It's explained as being a possible back story to Myrtha from Giselle. There is live music as well in the form of a Portuguese-flavored guitarist (who plays a viola or violin at one point and a drum) who also plays during the preceding intermission. There is also a set (wow!) in the loose form with some potted plants and watering components. Osipova and The Lady in Black (played by Gay Storm) prep for the wedding (Osipova has a little real dancing for about 40 seconds); as Osipova stands with Vasiliev to say the vows, he looks nervous and screams and literally runs out of the auditorium via a side door. Osipova, comforted by Storm, cries buckets of tears (for about 5 minutes, not overestimating this) which are then used to water the plants. All the buckets are hung off of her arms and she walks around the stage despondently in heels multiple times. End scene. Vasiliev enters and does a solo (actual dancing again) and removes his tux so that he is down to his underwear. He struggles with a bow tie and gets a knife to cut if off. Osipova walks on and tells us "Faca in Portuguese means knife." Then she comes back on a puts a new bow tie on his (I guess the Chippendale's look is in?). She has a dream sequence where they are on their honeymoon. She then burns her bridal dress and gets down to her underwear as well (what a surprise). She then squishes or squeezes him to death??? The mode of death is not clear. She and Storm then put a table over Vasiliev's body and Osipova does a dance on top of the table and then walks away. I mean the fact I can even actually write about a plot is a considerable step up from the rest of the show, I do agree. If this were on a different bill, it might be more palatable but it's still not ready for prime time or the ticket prices they are charging for this type of event.

Ooops, Divided when I should have multiplied .... (Never was great at maths) .... As has been kindly pointed out to me by another Forum member: £15=US $25 .... and that's above the author of the first item's suggested barrier. Obviously we purchase at our own risk. There are no guarantees in this life for anyone ... just more than a few surprises.

Interesting to read some of the initial responses from the SOLO FOR TWO programme as it has just now been launched at the Segerstom Auditorium in California. One said: This was awful (just back from today's matinee). If you are determined to see it in NY or London just to see Osipova/Vasiliev, I wouldn't pay more than $15-20 for a ticket (and that is pushing it immensely). I didn't think Ardani productions could get worse than Reflections, but this really takes the cake. Just for the record, there were about 45-50 minutes of dance in total. No piece was immune to the muted-colored underwear-as-costume trend. Having "agreed" to this as a subscriber when the program originally included the Kingdom of the Shades, I would really like some of my money back from Segerstrom. Another (the only other one thus far) concurred: I'm with ksk04. Just got back from the Sat. night performance and I'm thunderstruck. We don't get a chance to see these dancers, also Vishneva when she came a while back, so we go to these performances looking forward to seeing their classical abilities and we get this instead. (Just for the record the cheapest Coliseum ticket is £15 and that is $8.88 in the current dollar equivalent.) As with EVERYTHING, carpe diem ... oh, and 'to each his/her own'. For those who have already bought tickets (like me!!) here is a far more detail and - dare I say it - happier review.

The second (enhanced) outing of the Rojo/Lendorf coupling in ENB's Coppelia on the evening of 26.7.14 witnessed a marriage made in heaven. The Act III adagio on this occasion was as creamy as one could surely have ever prayed for; here supplying an ode to serene luster much as Delibes himself might well have dictated. Hymen (alongside the rest of us) smiled. Rojo gleamed throughout. She made intimately physical the delectably humane felicity of her Swanilda's buoyant beatitude. Lendorf seductively yanked his Franz into the 21st Century with an ease first wittily suggested in his role debut on Thursday whilst entirely honouring each of the 19th Century balletic necessities in both treasured performances. Each aspect was here enshrined with an even more uncomplicated yet appropriately acute aplomb as per the golden path of Danish tradition. Nothing was overly (or overtly) fussy or enforced.. Both artists - together and apart - guided us towards the elation of their rightful euphoria by the simplest of means. Surely that is a true test of brilliance. Together their keen grace rose in tandem with Maestro Sutherland's enchanted baton without hesitation. All three led a celebration in deed. Bravi ENB.

For those who may never have had the privilege here is a small Bergonzi sampling. It will live with pride in time.

NPR five minute item covering the same here.

Tenor Carlo Bergonzi has died, just past his 90th birthday: http://www.operanews...s/Bergonzi.html

Another (and substantial) review of the admirable Rojo/Lendorf pairing here.

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