The Royal Ballet: Giselle, Feb-April 2016

[Sim]

I agree. It is also nice to have a choice, as many people might only want to spend money on one DVD, and may not want it to be what is currently on offer. After all, we go to see multiple casts on the stage, so why can't we have the same choice at home?! I really hope that the ROH will listen to the current demand for this one, and act accordingly. Judging from the comments on their website, these requests are from all over the world....from people who had seen the cinema relay and, like many of us, would like to be able to re-live it.

 

As ToThePointe says in her lovely review above....at the end of a 9-5 day of drudge, how lovely it would be to able to come home and watch this performance again, as well as the ones already available.

[mpaley]

Osipova is the greatest Giselle I've ever seen, or hope to see, especially in Act II, in which she seems to enter an alternate reality and take you with her. 

I've seen her in screenings by the Bolshoi and the Royal Ballet, and live onstage with ABT at the Met.  Of these productions, I think the greatest was the

Bolshoi's (with David Hallberg).  It had a terrible  of conviction about it, a true tragic sense.  When Giselle disappeared at the end, she did so very

slowly, in the same direction as the other wilis (toward the lake), facing Albrecht while doing two corkscrew-like turns.   The RB production, which I also

have on blu-ray, is remarkable, among other things, for its excellent use of mime, and, in connection with this, for making Giselle's mother a real part.  ABT's

was less thought-out except by the principal dancers, Osipova and Stephen McRae.  This was the performance in which she fell near the end and got up

and heroically continued. McRae was spendld throughout.  How lucky you Royal Balletgoers are to be able to get on the Underground and see  these dancers

(I live in California and get to London once a year, sometimes at the right time, sometimes not.)

[cavycapers]

I was watching a clip of Osipova's RB Act2 Giselle on Youtube the other night, and one of the comments from a non-ballet going chap was 'Man, that chick looks dead!'. I thought that summed it up perfectly!

[Sim]

One of the many things I love about Osipova's Giselle is how she manages to be dead but so full of life at the same time. At the end of the ballet when she is leaning back into Albrecht's arm, her hands crossed over her chest, eyes closed....it sends shivers down my spine because you can literally see her fade away, the life that remained sapping away second by second. Unbelievable.

[Jacqueline]

I agree, Osipova really does look dead in Act ll and completely unworldly. It is a remarkable performance. I will always like Cojocaru/Kobborg the most, partly because I saw them live, so to speak. For me, they were the ultimate in team work. He was a wonderful dancer and actor, she was just exquisite and together, they had the most extraordinary chemistry.

Much as Acosta partnered Osipova well, again for me, he just didn't have that skill/ability, call it what you will, to make you feel he was dancing for his life or that he felt real remorse for the way he had treated Giselle in her life. In Act l, I felt he was just playing himself, lots of big smiles and expansive gestures along with great dancing of course. Carlos didn't really do nuance. In my opinion.

I think some reviews at the time said although he was a big star, he was generous enough to kind of stand back and let Osipova take centre stage. And she certainly did. I can watch that performance on dvd time and again and it is just riveting.

Having criticized him, Carlos hits Notts next Tuesday. How's that for a bit of alliteration? I will be there, having bought my ticket last November. I was just thinking, wow, where did the last 6 months go?

[MAB]

Acosta was the only Albrecht I've seen who vividly reminded me of Nureyev in the role.  Of course Rudolf was frequently criticized too.