Queensland Ballet: La Sylphide, London, August 2015

[MAB]

Yes, I don't believe there was even a touch between them in this production? 

 

Bournonville ballets have survived virtually intact from the mid 19th century and in all his ballets there is no partnering in the modern sense.

[Guest]

and hopefully it might persuade English National Ballet to revive one of the jewels of its repertoire.

 

I'm sorry but I hope not. This production may have won awards many years ago  but, in my view, time has left La Sylphide behind.

 

It would be very difficult to attract an audience in the regions unless it was paired with something the general public would recognise. There is also far too little to occupy ENB's splendid men and pretty sparse pickings for most of the women too.. 

[Bruce Wall]

 

 

It would be very difficult to attract an audience in the regions unless it was paired with something the general public would recognise. 

 

Oh, Incognito - at last - someone who seems to know.  What (short of Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet of course) will the general public recognise 'in the regions'?  I long myself to learn as would - I imagine - the marketing teams for such organisations such as Queenland Ballet, ENB, etc.  I remember being heartbroken when ENB's wonderful Corsaire simply didn't sell.  What titles - again short of the obvious - do?  I know Manon proved a disaster for ENB and, of course, La Sylphide and even Oneign can sometimes be a struggle for even the Royal Ballet at the ROH - replete with the imprimatur.   

Edited August 9, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[aileen]

I would have loved to see this but I only returned from holiday yesterday afternoon and was too tired to go out in the evening. Regarding length, I think that there are other ballet/dance programmes which have only got over the two hour mark because of two long (25 or 30 minute) intervals. Sylphide didn't sell well at the ROH last time, when I think that it was paired with another short ballet. I enjoyed the ROH's production but I think that the ballet is a bit of an acquired taste as it's very subtle and refined; as others have said there are no traditional pdds of the kind that we are used to seeing in both classical and modern ballets. I hope that the company will come back again but this must be doubtful in the light of the disappointing ticket sales - which happens all too often at the Coliseum, sadly.

[Guest]

Oh, Incognito - at last - someone who seems to know.   

 

It's not rocket science. Commonsense would surely set alarm bells ringing against La Sylphide for ENB in this day and age.

[alison]

Bournonville ballets have survived virtually intact from the mid 19th century and in all his ballets there is no partnering in the modern sense.

 

I know, but I meant I don't think they literally touched in this one, whereas if I remember rightly they do at least do that in the Kobborg production.  Unless I'm confusing it with something else.

[alison]

It's not rocket science. Commonsense would surely set alarm bells ringing against La Sylphide for ENB in this day and age.

 

Yes, but common sense would set alarm bells ringing against virtually anything these days where ENB's concerned, if it's not Nutcracker, Swan Lake or R&J, and maybe Sleeping Beauty, wouldn't it?  Certainly outside London.  It's unfortunately a bed which they helped to make, by at one stage pretty much pandering to that attitude and not programming anything broader, but it's come back to bite them since.  If you'll pardon the mixed metaphors.

[Bruce Wall]

Yes, but common sense would set alarm bells ringing against virtually anything these days where ENB's concerned, if it's not Nutcracker, Swan Lake or R&J, and maybe Sleeping Beauty, wouldn't it?  Certainly outside London.  It's unfortunately a bed which they helped to make, by at one stage pretty much pandering to that attitude and not programming anything broader, but it's come back to bite them since.  If you'll pardon the mixed metaphors.

 

I think the touring of DUST will be a step in the right direction in helping ... well, in starting to help .... push those boundaries for ENB.     If the audiences are small at the start ... so be it ... that's what the subsidy is for.  

Edited August 9, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[Don Q Fan]

I saw the matinee yesterday and it was very nice,.  Qi Huan was excellent and charm personified when I met him at the stage door after.  His jumps were wonderful - especially when he landed almost into a cossack style crouch - my knees hurt for him!  My concentration in the first act was somewhat disturbed by my annoyance at having my upper circle seat changed to one in the Dress circle - I got a cricked neck from sitting in the slips but I managed to move to a central front row seat in the interval where I could sit face on to the stage and see the choreography properly.  Such a shame tickets did not sell well - maybe lower prices from the outset would have attracted more sales.  It's not like London wasn't busy!  (Incidentally and completely off topic but am I the only one to notice a sharp increase in the number of people sitting/sleeping rough on the streets and begging?)

As to the dancing - the Bournonville style requires the upper body to be kept much more still I believe - so was this version being Schaufuss also danced in this style - I can't say I noticed it markedly?  I was not sure of the Madge character I found it was almost panto at times.  Anyway I enjoyed the performance overall, I am just sorry it didn't sell better for Queensland especially as this was their first visit here.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Don Q Fan

[Jane S]

Alison, maybe what you are thinking of in the Kobborg version is the end of the dancing section in Act 2, where James supports the Sylphide in an arabesque - you can't actually see they're touching but you know they must be. Schaufuss has her pose with one of the other sylphs, whilst James looks at her adoringly from a distance - I liked that.

 

I love this ballet and used to like this production when ENB did it but these days I greatly prefer the Danish version.

[MAB]

Traditionally apart from the supported arabesque, they touch when James drinks from the Sylph's cupped hands and after she goes blind.

[MAB]

I should add that I was also very taken by Qi Huan who brought out the troubled nature of James very well and I admired the ensemble dancing very much, but the production was too much of a departure from what I'm used to for me to enjoy it fully.

[alison]

Alison, maybe what you are thinking of in the Kobborg version is the end of the dancing section in Act 2, where James supports the Sylphide in an arabesque - you can't actually see they're touching but you know they must be. Schaufuss has her pose with one of the other sylphs, whilst James looks at her adoringly from a distance - I liked that.

 

Ah, that's what it was.  Thanks, Jane.

[alison]

(Incidentally and completely off topic but am I the only one to notice a sharp increase in the number of people sitting/sleeping rough on the streets and begging?)

 

No, you're not.  I registered it a couple of months ago, I think, and have been wondering why.

[cavycapers]

When I left the Coliseum on Friday night, l too saw a terrible sight of one poor man sitting amongst a pile of black bags and trying to make a dinner out of them.

[FLOSS]

I believe that the reason that the production was not that well received in Denmark was not just the fact that it replaced one that people admired but also its mood and tone were considered ill judged in a number of ways.It was questions of taste and style and the impact they had on the narrative rather than the text that was of concern.The designer had moved James from the relatively modest home of a prosperous farmer to something akin to a baronial hall.It was described by some as "a Russian style production with an overlay of Bournonville".One of the dancers said in interview that the new version (Schaufuss' production) was difficult because the other version had been brilliant."It had left a bit up to the imagination of the spectator which established a sense of trust between the company and its public. The new version does not really go any deeper. It just makes black and white as plain as day, what the conflicts are.I think there is a certain lack of finesse in it". In the press it was described as "a Sylphide in a party dress, beautiful but without character"

 

Kobborg's production for the Royal Ballet is essentially the one that was set by Hans Brenaa and revived by Kronstam and Weinreich that appeared on DVD. The only obvious addition in the Royal Ballet's version is the strange idea that Madge was once a Sylph. I shall refer to the Kobborg/RDB as the traditional version.As between this traditional version which most of us have seen and the Schaufuss' production the main changes seem to be as follows:-

 

The overture for the Schaufuss production includes references to the Scottish dances performed in the first act including "Coming through the Rye"which are not part of the traditional version.

 

In Act 1

1) James' first solo which uses music that was previously cut.He now asserts or perhaps tries to convince himself that he loves Effie before he dances to the restored music.It seems to be part of the fashion of adding solos to nineteenth century ballets to give male dancers more to do rather than adding to the narrative.This is clearly one of the cuts that Schaufuss referred to when he spoke of restoring some of the cuts. It may be the section that he said was cut after Bournonville stopped dancing but the cut could have been made because on reflection he thought that mime was more effective. On both RDB and Ballet Rambert DVDs James asserts his love for Effie but it is clear from the way that he looks at the chair that he is fascinated by the Sylph.He does not dance.

 

2)During the communal dancing the addition of a pas de quatre for the four girls which becomes a pas de huit including four men.The music for these dances does not appear in the traditional version.The music for this section does not sound as if it has much connection with the rest of the score at this point in the ballet.

 

3)In the traditional version all the dancing takes place in full light and there is no pas de trois or pas de l'ombre for Effie,James and the Sylph. Schaufuss' pas de l'ombre seems to have originated in changes made to the Paris production in 1839. In the traditional version the Sylph appears at the top of the stairs.

 

4)In the traditional version only Gurn leaves the house to search for James the other two men search for him in the house.

 

Act 2

The Witches.

In the traditional version Madge's colleagues do not arrive on broomsticks and the scene is not played completely for laughs, The section where the witches sew the scarf does not appear in the traditional version but it looks like it could be authentic. In the traditional version they lie on their stomachs and blow at the fire.

 

The Sylphs entertain James.

The dances and stage business in Schaufuss' production do not seem to deviate from the traditional version until the final tableau.Here Schaufuss shows us James kneeling before the Sylph who uses her fellow sylphs to support her in an arabesque while in the traditional version the dances with the sylphs ends with James standing behind the Sylph supporting her in an arabesque.The traditional version makes nonsense of the narrative as the plot depends on the fact that James cannot hold the Sylph. He has no need of Madge's scarf if he can touch her.Here the Schaufuss production looks more authentic than the traditional version.It also provides us with a pattern.James kneels to the Sylph in adoration;James is forced to kneel to Madge to obtain the magic scarf and the Sylph has to kneel to James before she can have the scarf.

 

Scaufuss' production only manages to fly the dead Sylph.I am prepared to accept that this decision may have been made for practical reasons as his production was created to be toured. But that does not explain why Schaufuss decided to deprive the sylph of her cortege of sylphs who accompany her body on foot.The traditional version has a group of sylphs accompanying their dead sister as she is wafted aloft as well as a courtege of sylphs following her on foot.The von Rosen production has the sylphs reacting by turning away from the Sylph as she addresses James for the last time,adopting mourning poses rather than simply standing and staring as they do in both the Schaufuss and traditional version. None of these differences sound significant but in fact they make quite a difference in performance.So here are a couple of even smaller differences.Both the von Rosen production and traditional version include a very clear section of mime in which Effie's mother,Anna, tells her to get ready for her wedding using exactly the same mime for a veil that we see in Fille. In the final scene of von Rosen's production not only does Anna have the standard stage business but Effie clearly looks to her mother for assistance when Gurn proposes to her. A section that is clearly absent from both the traditional and Schaufuss versions.

 

I don't pretend to be a Bournonville expert but his style is essentially the early nineteenth century French school without the Italian technical advances that were introduced to Russia at the end of that century.It is late nineteenth century Russian ballet,an amalgam of the French and Italian schools, with its extensive use of pointe work which produced the idea of specialist male and female steps that we have come to accept as the norm in classical ballet.Strangely by the end of the nineteenth century a new generation in Russia led by people like Fokine was striving to restore what they saw as the purity of the French school. If you enjoy the developments of the early years of Soviet ballet which led to what Danilova described as "exhibitions of dancing" then you may find it small scale and desperately old fashioned.But interestingly enough neither NYCB nor the Bolshoi seem to think that Bournonville has had his day.

 

Bournonville's Sylphide was created at a time when the use of pointe work was in its infancy and the division between male and female steps based on the sophisticated development of pointe work that is so clear in the late nineteenth century classics had not taken place. In his works it is the contrast between male and female bodies performing the same steps that seems to be central to his choreography rather than the execution of male and female specialist steps.As he was not under pressure to provide vehicles for visiting female stars and was not subject to demands of an audience that had fallen out of love with the male dancer as anything more than a porteur his ballets contain meaty roles for the male dancer. I suspect that the supported arabesque with James in Act 2 was introduced some time in the last century as Bournonville,in my limited experience, does not create choreography that is at variance with the story that is being told.Anyway by the nineteen sixties it was clearly part of the standard choreographic text as it appears in the von Rosen production for Ballet Rambert.

 

However badly Queensland Ballet may have done at the box office on their tour it would seem that they have got a winning formula as far as their home audiences are concerned.At the L.B.C. meeting last Monday we were told that the company has increased its season subscriptions from a thousand plus to seven thousand plus and that some of its programmes sell out soon after booking opens.That suggests that not only have they built up a following but their followers trust the company when it comes to repertory choices.

 

Sadly Incognito is right that at the moment ENB does not seem able to sell tickets for anything other a very limited number of ballets and the Royal Ballet experiences difficulties as far as some parts of its repertory are concerned.Now both organisations have marketing departments that are ready to tell the company what their ticket sales are like for any work that they perform but it seems to me from what I see of their activities that they don't have much idea about how to sell their product.

 

It is too easy to blame the public for not being enlightened enough to turn out to see a particular work.Why should anyone know anything about ballets other than Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker ? Aren't people entitled to assume that these must be wonderful works because everyone performs them and that ballets that don't get performed by everyone can't be that good for the very reason that they aren't performed by every company. But what do ballet companies' marketing department do to persuade people to attend performances apart from announcing the dates and venues of performances? Very little in my experience.

 

Instead of accepting a limited repertory as a given and consigning Bournonville to the dustbin of history it might be more useful to ask what marketing departments need to do to persuade us to buy tickets? I think that a discussion about how companies build audiences and secure their loyalty and trust to the extent that the company;its dancers and repertory enjoy a sort of brand loyalty is a very important one. Of course I recognise that marketing is not the only element in the equation.

 

There is the artistic director whose choice of repertory,recruitment and casting decisions play a significant role in the life of a compan and its audience.Then there are external factors the most significant one,apart from the government's role in art funding, is the part that the media plays in creating and maintaining the public's interest in the arts and dance in particular.Should the BBC be doing more to entertain and inform by showing programmes about ballet on a more regular basis?

Edited August 10, 2015 by FLOSS

[Wulff]

I agree with Floss that ballet companies' marketing departments do not do nearly enough to promote sales of tickets to programmes that might be new or unfamiliar. What I have noticed at the ROH is that word of mouth and/or favourable reviews do seem to have an effect on programmes that start out as being relatively poorly attended and at the end of their run are sold out. Special offers do have an effect, of course, but they are not the whole story.

[Lynette H]

"So here are a couple of even smaller differences.Both the von Rosen production and traditional version include a very clear section of mime in which Effie's mother,Anna, tells her to get ready for her wedding using exactly the same mime for a veil that we see in Fille. In the final scene of von Rosen's production not only does Anna have the standard stage business but Effie clearly looks to her mother for assistance when Gurn proposes to her. A section that is clearly absent from both the traditional and Schaufuss versions."

 

​In the cast sheet for the Queensland Ballet production, Anne (not Anna) is stated to be the mother of James not the mother of Effie.  This is also how she is described in the Kobborg version for the RB, according to the ROH performance database. So why in the situation quoted would Effie look to Anne ? Anne does not appear in the later wedding procession which you might expect if she was Effie's mother.  

 

I do find it odd that Anne disappears from the scene after Gurn's proposal and does not seem to be as worried as you might expect about her missing son. But there are so many mysteries about the interactions between the protagonists. Why does James trust Madge's gift of the scarf when he is so hostile to her earlier ?

[Jane S]

Anna Is Effie's aunt, I believe - Effie's mother and she were sisters. And in the Danish version - and I thought in Kobborg's too - Effie definitely looks to Anna for help in making up her mind. And doesn't get any - Anna just turns away. (so maybe she knows what's happened? maybe it happened before, with James's father?)

[Don Q Fan]

Some great thoughts from Floss - I agree the BBC could certainly do more to promote ballet - perhaps a series about it lead by someone like Deborah Bull (not Darcey Bussell).  Perhaps with the more frequent cinema relays this will also broaden the horizons of those who are not in London - the cinema relays are a great way to try out ballet without the higher cost of seeing it live in a theatre.  I for one liked Queensland Ballet and hope they will return perhaps with something better known and that will sell better (and I'd love them to come up North please!)

[alison]

FLOSS, thank you very much for your long and considered analysis.  I was going to look last night, but find that La Sylphide is one of the DVDs I currently have in storage

 

It is too easy to blame the public for not being enlightened enough to turn out to see a particular work.Why should anyone know anything about ballets other than Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker ? Aren't people entitled to assume that these must be wonderful works because everyone performs them and that ballets that don't get performed by everyone can't be that good for the very reason that they aren't performed by every company.

[...]

 

Then there are external factors the most significant one,apart from the government's role in art funding, is the part that the media plays in creating and maintaining the public's interest in the arts and dance in particular.Should the BBC be doing more to entertain and inform by showing programmes about ballet on a more regular basis?

 

Well, if the BBC doesn't do it (and what is the point of "public service" broadcasting anyway?), who will?  How many people with only a casual interest in the arts will bother to take out a subscription to Sky Arts 2 (assuming it still exists?  I know it seemed to be under threat), or if they have a package which does include it will actually get around to watching it rather than something else?  Instead, we get the lower reaches of the tabloids telling their readership it's not for the likes of them (is the ROH still doing readers' events for The Sun and Daily Mirror?  I haven't seen any indication in the last few years), and higher up there seems to be more interest in dancers' beauty routines/fashion choices etc. rather than what they actually do for a living.

 

 

Instead of accepting a limited repertory as a given and consigning Bournonville to the dustbin of history it might be more useful to ask what marketing departments need to do to persuade us to buy tickets? I think that a discussion about how companies build audiences and secure their loyalty and trust to the extent that the company;its dancers and repertory enjoy a sort of brand loyalty is a very important one. Of course I recognise that marketing is not the only element in the equation.

 

A very good question, and yes, good idea.  Want to start one?

[betterankles]

Regarding the Sylph's penche arabesque at the end of the dance sequence of act 2 - in the traditional version (not sure about Kobborg's), she is NOT partnered by James....

He has both arms up, while she does an arabesque on flat supporting leg in front of him.  Usually she supports herself by entwining her right arm around the back of his waist in a way that should not be obvious to the audience - since indeed they must not touch or the story would end right there.

I imagine that originally she did her arabesque entirely on her own without supporting herself on him and without his supporting her - but bit by bit....

 

[alison]

Thank you, betterankles: I must say, if she's done it that way, I've never noticed - which I guess is how it should be.

[Terpsichore]

Waiting for La Sylphide to be performed in this country is a bit like waiting for Preston Guild so I booked my ticket for the last performance of the Queensland Ballet's season almost as soon as they went on sale.

 

La Sylphide is pretty close to the top of my favourite ballets whether it is Kobborg or Schaufuss. I much prefer it to Giselle. I like the music, the story and the connection (albeit tenuous) with Scotland. It may not have the most spectacular choreography but I like to image it as it would have appeared to audiences when first performed with the stage lit by gas and candle.  I have only seen 3 1/2 performances - the half being the Royal Danish principals and soloists at the Peacock earlier in the year - but one of the other two performances was with Carla Fracci as the sylph.

 

I was not at all disappointed by the show on Saturday night.  It was well worth the 400 mile trek to the Smoke and back. I particularly enjoyed Heathcote as Effie. Pinera reminded me a little but of Fracci (though it may have been wishful thinking) and it was good to see Li (nee McKendry) and Horsman again.  I had never taken much notice of Luke Schaufuss when I had seen him in the Birmingham Royal Ballet but I did on Saturday night and I shall look out for him again.

 

I think the Queensland Ballet were very brave bringing this production to London. Especially since a large part of their potential audience would have been on holiday.  The company seemed to have a good turnout on Saturday night from where I was sitting. I think they can go back to Australia with their heads held high which is more than can be said for their national cricket team.

[aussie ballet mum]

We all rather enjoyed Saturday evening.

[FLOSS]

Am I the only one who thought it a bit odd that the press seemed to be out in force for the second night when Luke Schaufuss was dancing rather than for opening night?

[Beryl H]

The Times was at the opening night and gave it a very good 4 star review, it may have been optional.

[alison]

Am I the only one who thought it a bit odd that the press seemed to be out in force for the second night when Luke Schaufuss was dancing rather than for opening night?

 

More that I found it strange that the publicity was talking so much about Luke and he wasn't dancing the first night, so it seemed to make sense that the press night wasn't the first one.  It isn't always, after all.  I did see a couple of critics there on the first night, but am not sure whether they were there in an official capacity or not.